Discipleship Network Forum

Have you ever had that lost feeling, the feeling of drifting along lost at sea disconnected from any kind of great community? Sometimes I feel like I am wandering, figuring this life out on my own. There are signposts for sure, books I read or teachers I learn from, but when I put the book down or finish the podcast I am left alone once again.

I love the United States. I am grateful for all it has given me, but our lack of deep traditions can frustrate me. And what traditions we do have tend to be shallow. They lack the weight of a practice observed by a community over a long period of time. It seems being a “melting pot” has left us lacking a unified cultural identity. Or does our fierce individualism buck against the idea of sharing a common identity?

When I see a Mexican family celebrating a Quinceañera or a Jewish boy preparing for his bar mitzvah, I can’t help but feel I am missing out. Have you ever felt that, a feeling of being lost or disconnected from a great community?

I long for a deeper connection to my roots. I want to feel more connected to those who came before me, and I want to be more connected to the rest of the world. I want to belong to a community greater than myself. Can you relate?

Last week I began reading a book that caused me to feel this more acutely, and then left me feeling silly for not realizing the answer has been in front of me all along.

Joan Chittister is a Benedictine nun. She is has written a number of fantastic books, but recently have I discovered one that is quickly becoming my favorite, The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life. Chittister reminds me that I am connected to a deep tradition, a group of people stretching back thousands of years.

“A good spiritual life connects us to where we come from, even in the midst of where we are now. It gives us roots. It carries a tradition on its back. It ties us to the past in a way that enables us to know who we are in the present. It is the place we never really leave because being there together is what makes us who we are today.”

This just happens to come from the section of the book about Lent, the time on the Christian calendar we are entering now. Lent is a season that connects us to who we are. On Ash Wednesday we are reminded of the truth from Genesis that we were formed from dust, and we are reminded of our humanity, that to dust we will return.

Though we enter this season in mourning, the root of the word Lent is “spring.” Lent is ultimately a season of renewal. It reminds us that just as the seed falls to the ground to die (Could it fall any farther?), it is in dying that new life is born.

“Lent is one of those elements of Christian practice that binds the Christian community to one another and to its beginnings. It ties us to the core of us that is not transient, that is not changing, that does not fail us. Lent gives the lie to isolation. We are not alone. We walk with the church throughout the world on this journey to renewal. We walk, too, with the One who has gone before us to bring us home again… Every year the Sundays of Lent plunge us into the center of the faith, reminding us of who we are and who we must become.”

I don’t know about you, but this is a vision of Lent I want to be a part of. I wonder if you would join me. Will you join the community of disciples around the world from different Christian traditions that will be engaging this ancient practice?

“If any of the people betray the Lord by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty. They must confess their sin and make full restitution for what they have done, adding a penalty of 20 percent and returning it to the person who was wronged.” (Numbers 5:6-7 NLT)

Crime against humanity is sin against God. When we wrong others, we also wrong their Creator. When we break faith with people, we break faith with God. When we are uncaring toward people, we are unfaithful to Love.

The result is guilt. Our heart is heavy. The sky is dark. Our soul aches with regret for having hurt others and remorse for having trespassed against God.

God forgives us not because we deserve it, but because we desperately need it. When we confess our wrongdoing, our Heavenly Father cleanses our hearts. At his mercy, we experience joy. Heaven’s miracle of redemption enables us to survive moral catastrophes. Storm clouds vanish and the sun shines again.

Then the Holy Spirit prompts us to do more than apologize—to search for ways to set matters right and improve our relationships. We should allow our transformed internal life to show in our external fairness and honesty in dealing with others. 

Here’s how we can make it up to people we have wronged—make up for not listening by loving, for rudeness by reaching out, for inattention by interest, for impatience by investment, for criticism by caring, for hurting by helping, for being distant by kindness, for grudging by gentleness, for exasperating by encouraging, for stealing by sharing, for selfishness by serving.

The Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our wronging God—so we can relax. We pay the penalty for wronging others—then we can be at ease.

Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

This devotion based on Day 78 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Whenever the idea of Christian vocation is addressed in an article or conversation, there’s a well-known quote attributed to Frederick Buechner that inevitably comes up: “Vocation happens when our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”

Actually, according to Beuchner himself, it’s not a direct quote, as he explained in an interview. But it captures the essence of what he was getting at.

As Christians, imbued with God’s image, we all want to know why we’re here. What we’re supposed to be about. For what purpose did God create us?

And we tend to spend a lifetime seeking “the” answer to that question.

In the meantime, we live and move and have our being, going about our days, doing our best to please God and enjoy Him for now and here, longing for over there.

This we call our Christian walk.

In the process of living our lives in the light of God’s Word, we seek to be better people. To be Spirit-filled, God-shaped, Christ-redeemed creations.

We care about those around us. Go to work and do our jobs as well as we can. Give money to those in need. Do acts of service. Treat people well. Grow where we are planted.

As we do these things, our vocation and purpose takes shape through our humble, clumsy service to God.

Perhaps we even recognize that our “purpose” is not singular, but rather a series of purposes, a multiple of callings. All, of course, anchored in Christ connected by His will flowing through us.

From time to time, our thoughts turn to heaven. “What’s that going to be like?” we wonder.

Honestly, I’m not sure Christianity has done a good job of revealing what heaven and the new earth will be like.

What it won’t be like is how it is cartoonishly characterized, us sitting on a cloud wearing a halo and wings, strumming a harp. Although there are people who believe that’s the case.

While elements of this false image can be found in scripture, the Bible never describes such a scene.

The Bible does, however, in short, reference a new heaven and a new earth, our reigning with Christ, streets, cities, dwellings, all implying activity.

Frankly, I’m really hoping there will be books as I’m thinking there’s going to be a lot of time to catch up on my reading!

“But,” you object, “reading implies inquisitiveness and when we’re in heaven all our questions will be answered!”

Maybe. Maybe not. I’m not sure if we’re going to know all we want to know all at once.

If our inquisitiveness and appreciation of literature, art, music, and all the fun things of life will be of no use, why did God so firmly implant them in us to begin with?

Last year I read a really great book, Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity by Nancy Pearcey. I strongly recommend the book to everyone.

In it, on the topic of Christian vocation, Pearcey states, “In our work we not only participate in God’s providential activity today, we also foreshadow the tasks we will take up in cultivating a new earth at the end of time.”

As Spock would say, Fascinating!

This means we’re going to have stuff to do over there on the other side. Stuff for which we are perfectly suited, that fits to a T our created personalities, that extends our unique gifitings into eternity!

Wowza! That sounds, well, darn fun!

And how we live now, all we do here on earth in this short time we have prepares and shapes us for the rest of our eternal lives.

Holy vocational education!

Going back to Buechner, he explained, “When you are doing what you are happiest doing, it must also be something that not only makes you happy but that the world needs to have done. In other words, if what makes you happy is going out and living it up and spending all your money on wine, women, and song, the world doesn’t need that.”

This helps sift down the possibilities for us in terms of what we’re made for. Wanton carousing isn’t something this earth or the new earth needs.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

In this we find further guidance when it comes to vocation as well.

We seek to do that which pleases God, serves Him and provides us a sense of enjoyment -- joy, satisfaction, contentment -- in the process.

Add in the context of Luke 10:25-37, where an expert in the law correctly explains the path to eternal life is found when we “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself,” and we also learn that what we do must benefit those around us.

Jesus clarifies this through the telling of the parable of the good Samaritan.

It’s not about us having our fun, doing what we want, living our truth, even if it’s not hurting anyone else.

How we live here on earth, what we do now, does have eternal consequences. For believers, these consequences don’t end at heaven’s gate.

Death for the Christian isn’t an end. It’s a new beginning to a new life and a truly glorious career!

So, how’s your on-the-job training going?


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Does this change how you think of Jeremiah 29:11?:“‘For I know the plans I have for you’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Do you wonder what life after death will be like? How have you envisioned it? What do you believe you will be doing in heaven? Do you agree or disagree that what we do now is a preparation for what we will do in eternity?  Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Read more posts like this at www.FaithBraised.com.

What if I told you there’s ONE simple step you can take that would change EVERYTHING else in your life? I know, you probably would think I’m either crazy or getting ready to launch an infomercial.

But stay with me for a few minutes…

For many years, I’ve known that just about everything we need to know about God, people, or life can be gleaned from the first few chapters of Genesis. But I’ve recently come across a life-changing principle I had previously overlooked there.

Before I share this incredible principle from Genesis, let me point out an indisputable fact of life: Whatever you focus on will grow.

With this principle as a backdrop, we can see that it’s no accident God placed the Tree of Life in the very MIDDLE of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9). This tree foreshadowed Jesus Himself, the life-giving one. To study this further, go to the Gospel of John and look at the numerous “life” references about Jesus: water of life, bread of life, resurrection and the life, etc.

And notice this: No matter how many interests and responsibilities you may have, there can be only one MIDDLE in your life. Everything else must take its place in relationship to that inner core of your being. And while Adam and Eve’s focus was on the tree God had placed on center stage, everything else was wonderful in their paradise.

As many Bible teachers have noted, when the serpent entered the picture in Genesis 3, he immediately called into question God’s love and truthfulness. But I had never noticed something else the serpent did: He succeeded in shifting Eve’s focus!

We see this in Genesis 3:3, when Eve tells the serpent, “God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

Do you see how profound this shift is? Eve is now focusing on an entirely different tree in the MIDDLE of her world—the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

It seems from Genesis 2:9 that this second tree was very near the Tree of Life, so Eve wasn’t totally wrong in her statement. Yet the consequences of her shifted focus were catastrophic, not just for her and Adam, but ultimately for the entire human race.

Why does it matter which “tree” we focus on? Entire books have been written on this, but here’s the answer in a nutshell: The Tree of Life represents dependence on the Lord as our source, while the other tree represents reliance on our own senses to navigate life and determine right and wrong (e.g., see Proverbs 3:5-8).

So let’s get practical…

What is in the MIDDLE and CENTER of your world right now? I meet many people who are centered on the problems they’re facing in their health, finances, marriages, children, careers, emotions, or some other area of their lives. I’m sure we’ve all had that kind of focus at one time or another. But as we see from Eve’s tragic mistake, the things we put in the MIDDLE of our world will inevitably grow until they consume us.

Instead of allowing problems or people to become our focal point, the Bible repeatedly tells us we need to go back to putting Jesus (the Tree of Life) in the CENTER of our personal world. When that happens, we are promised “perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3). And we can “cease striving” (Psalm 46:10 NASB), because He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

But perhaps you are wondering…

What about the problems…the serpent…and the toxic tree that still inhabit parts of your personal paradise? Great question!

When Jesus is once again in the CENTER of your world, He begins the process of making “ALL things new” (Revelation 21:5). When your focus is no longer on your problems, the devil, or other people, you’ll be amazed by the new level of paradise you can experience.

Yes, everything begins to change when that one thing changes. And even before your outward circumstances have been transformed to any great degree, your new perspective will provide peace and hope you haven’t experienced in a long, long time.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown (Revelation 3:11).

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created (Revelation 4:9–11).

Read those passages again; and this time note that the last three come from successive chapters of Revelation. There is a crown reserved for each of us who love God, and who out of that love persevere and remain faithful. And one day, we will certainly have to follow the lead of the twenty-four elders and lay—nay, cast—those crowns down before Jesus. It’s hard to picture, isn’t it? But try, right now, before moving on.

Perhaps the most difficult part of this picture to accept is the idea that the only way to have a crown is if God should give it to us—and that God ever would give it to us. In fact, the knowledge that we deserve far less than a crown makes us want to hang onto the lesser things we do have all the more tightly.

But remember: Everything we have from God, ultimately, is a gift. When we truly accept this, we’re able to “give to God what is God’s” (Luke 20:25). We’re able to trust God with his own gifts.

Read that last sentence again. It sounds ludicrous when put that way—because it is ludicrous. Who else can we trust? Do really have a choice—besides either trusting or not trusting God?

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). Why then do we live as if this isn’t true—as if we need to have a contingency plan in case this “God thing” doesn’t work out?

For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory….

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:9–11, 17–18).

Whose image are we being transformed into? The image of our King. The one who deserves his crown—and ours. What the Lord has done for us is not contingent upon our own righteousness.

However, our faithfulness does play a role. We will be given crowns; but we will never possess those crowns. Everything, including us, is God’s. As we lay down everything that is us, and remain steadfast and faithful to him and what he has done for us, we shall receive the crown of life. As we remain faithful into eternity, we shall be forever entrusting our crowns back to our King.

Today is the day to begin—and to stay forever beginning.

Lay It Down Today

Matthew 7:7–8 promises, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Where is your lack of faithfulness showing? What are you still hanging onto? What are you trying to do yourself instead of asking for God’s help? And thus, where are you denying God’s life so that you can live your self life (however miserably)?

Spend time brooding on these questions—then repenting over the answers. Afterward, take the time to ask, seek and knock. Let go of your pride, your shame, your sense of self-sufficiency. Instead, ask God to show you the better things he wants to give—and for the heart to receive them on his terms. This gift, too, can only come from him.

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"  John 7:38

"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."  John 15:8

 

Father, thank You for the reminder this morning that my life comes from You and You alone.  You provide what I so desperately need.  May my life be a continuous picture to this world of what it means to have living water within me.  I pray for an incredible harvest of fruit for Your glory.  Thank You for the promise that my leaves will never wither.  I know that You will always come through.  May I be faithful to you exactly where You planted me.

Eighteen months ago I asked the Lord Jesus to show me the Bull's Eye for Christians as they begin to walk out their lives one day at a time. By Christians, I mean those who love the Lord Jesus because He first loved them and gave Himself for them. So many say they "accepted" the Lord Jesus meaning it was their decision in their mind to accept Christ; can't find that concept in the New Testament though. The entering point for truly Born Again Christians is the moment the Holy Spirit begins to "draw" them (as an unbeliever) to Christ. Jesus said in John 6:44, "⁴⁴ No man can come to me, except the Father who has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day". Ahhhh, The Entering Point!, "saved by grace through faith" not because you have done great works or earned it in any way; only because He (God) loved you long before you loved Him.

But what is the "Bull's Eye" for the Born Again believer after he/she has entered into salvation? Christ discipleship has a starting place, an entering place where we enter into His Kingdom through the "portal" of salvation and that is a place where salvation is not by works, or our strong religious beliefs, but a place where the Holy Spirit has sought you and bought you by the Precious Shed Blood of Jesus Christ, and now He wants to teach you so that you may say as I now say, "He sought me, bought me and taught me". Now I want to teach others how to be discipled and what is the Bull's Eye that maintains the excitement and the fire in my bones that makes me want to cry out, "He is alive indeed"!  

JUST A THOUGHT….for today….

Are we moving toward a time when MLK style “civil disobedience” will break out into the streets of Americans? I’ not talking about violence, crime, shootings, etc. The answer may be very hard to nail down, when citizens who believe in the Bible and the US Constitution are forced to break the principles of both. Having just celebrated his birthday last month, listen to the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King on Civil Disobedience:

"You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws…. One may well ask: 'How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?' The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but also a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all."

"Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law."

If America keeps going in the direction we have gone in the past seven years, we may see the kind of protests Dr. King initiated take the stage of our society again.  Let’s hope this next election stops the “slide toward Gomorrah”, and God gives us a leader who will call America back to Himself and the greatness we enjoyed when we were not ashamed to say, Merry CHRISTmas, Happy EASTER, and THANKSgiving. All these holidays connect America with our Jehovah God and our past Christian roots and foundation.

Just a thought…. for today….  

I pity the fools, uh, I mean people. Yes, people.

I pity good, sweet people who foolis..., uh, stubbornly refuse to read the Bible in any other version but the King James.

I love the King James. It’s what I grew up reading.

Many times when I’m trying to look up a verse, what comes to mind is the King James phrasing.

So, I may start with the King James, but then I branch out.

There are so many great translations and paraphrases that blow away the obscure, Yoda-like language of the King James.

Personally, I don’t believe you can really get the most from the Bible by sticking exclusively with the KJV.

There’s just too much in the KJV English that’s a tad archaic.

Gettething theeself downest hence unto the depths of the meanings

For example, take 2 Timothy 2:23.

(By the way, I don’t care if you refer to the book as two Timothy or second Timothy, as long as you’re reading and applying it.)

This verse has come to my mind a lot lately given some of the scuffles going on out in social media land over politics, religious practices, and all things trivial. Know what I mean?

In the King James, this well-known verse is rendered:

• “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.”

Got that? Is it clear?

No, right? It’s worse than Yoda-ese!

It sounds so dainty and soft and not really a big deal. And what the heck is a “gender strife”?

Now check it out in the New Living Translation (NLT):

• “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.”

Ha! Now we’re getting closer to a clear, blunt meaning!

But also consider these two translations:

• Common English Version (CEV): “Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble.”
   
• New International Version (NIV): “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.”

Wow. This is pretty serious stuff after all.

Paul is clearly issuing a strong warning that we Christians, at all costs, are to avoid becoming entwined in dumb, senseless arguments that only serve to stir up bitter hostilities.

See what I did there? I restated the verse in my own words. This is a great way to get at the full meaning of any passage. You should try it!

Often I’ll note keywords (like those that I’ve underlined above) and look them up in a dictionary to see their complete meanings and look up synonyms.

But, like I said, I like to read in different versions.

Is that a cucumber scarecrow you’re idolizing in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

Currently I have three different Bible versions on my Kindle: ESV (English Standard Version), CEB (Common English Bible), and HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible.)

(By the way, all of these version and more are available online at several Bible sites.)

Every day I read one chapter in each: two from the Old Testament (OT) and one from the New (NT).

In the OT I’m working through the Prophets right now.

These are great, fun books to read. They are full of poetry, sweeping language, and some great imagery and metaphors.

Not to mention wit and humor!

For example, look at Jeremiah 10:5 in the CEB:

“They are no different than a scarecrow
    in a cucumber patch:
    they can’t speak;
    they must be carried
        because they can’t walk.
Don’t be afraid of them,
    because they can’t do harm or good.”

The “they” being referenced are the idols and false gods being worshiped by the ungodly culture surrounding the Children of Israel.

The point being made is that while the created handmade idols representing false gods may appear intimidating and impressive, ultimately they are as completely worthless and impotent as “a scarecrow in a cucumber patch.”

By the way, this verse in the KJV is very bland: “They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.”

As the first part of the verse can be translated as either “palm tree” or “scarecrow” it’s important to see both renderings to get the full meaning.

Frankly, given the context, I think “scarecrow” is the better choice. But, please, go read the full chapter to make up your own mind.

The commentary on Jeremiah 10 in the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard) Study Bible clarifies the worthlessness of idols as “fog, mist, breath.”

For us, anything that replaces God in our lives, becomes more important than following Christ, or blocks the activity of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds is likely some kind of contemporary idol.

The simple point being made with flare is that giving any credence to any idol is just absurd.

Going down to the sea with oxen

One of the fun books I’m reading through now is Amos. What a curmudgeonly guy, but boy could he turn a sweet phrase.

In his book Four Prophets: Amos, Hosea, First Isaiah, Micah: A Modern Translation from the Hebrew, J.B. Philips describes Amos as “stern, austere, and uncompromising.”

He goes on to explain that Amos’ “messages of denunciation were delivered in an atmosphere of unprecedented material prosperity, accompanied by a widespread decay of moral values and a wicked oppression of the poor.”

Hmm, this feels familiar. Where have I experienced this before?

Anyway, Amos is sounding his cautionary prophecies at a time when everyone was fat and happy and pooh-poohed warnings of trouble ahead. And yet, within a few years all hell broke loose and Amos was able to say “I told you so!”

Again. Oddly familiar. Moving on...

There’s some real fun stuff that pops up in chapter 6. Look at verses 4-6 in the ESV (English Standard Version):

“Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory
    and stretch themselves out on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock
    and calves from the midst of the stall,
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
    and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
who drink wine in bowls
    and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
    but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!”

The HCSB (Holman Christian Standard) Study Bible commentary explains stating, “The Israelite aristocracy enjoyed what the Greeks would call a ‘symposium’ (lit. ‘drinking together’), in which participants lounged on couches, drank wine, and listened to music.”

The image this brings to my mind is a person sitting in their comfy chair, sipping wine, watching TV as the Lexus commercial laced with the refrain “I could get used to this” is on while they are posting some variation of this meme to their Facebook page:
 

All while thinking to themselves, “There! I did my part in fixing the war and poverty problems! Now, I wonder if I can afford a new Lexus?”

Amos has something to say about this.

In verse 12 he asks the crazy, wacky, ridiculous questions: “Can horses race over rocks? Can you plough the sea with oxen” (Philips).

Now, given that we’ve all seen the movie “Hidalgo,” to the first question we might be tempted to answer, “Well, maybe. It would be hard on the horse, but doesn’t seem impossible.”

Okay, but what about that ploughing (aka plowing) the sea with oxen?

Yeah, that’s just absurd.

And absurdity is the point Amos is making.

He’s leveling a scathing accusation at the Israelites who boast of their wealth and accomplishments, while at the same time ignoring justice.

Look at the full verse in the CEB (Common English Bible):

“Do horses run on rocks?
        Does one plow the sea with oxen?
    But you have turned justice into poison
        and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—...”

In other words, ignoring or perverting justice and exalting in self-righteousness rather than true righteousness is as stupid as trying to plow the sea with oxen.

Again, it’s simply absurd!

So what’s your point?

I’m glad you asked!

All through the Bible there are clear warnings to avoid the absurdities of stupid arguments, giving credence to idols, and indulging in self-righteousness that allows injustice.

Somehow these warnings seem especially relevant today.

And yet, just as those who were being directly warned by the prophets and Paul, we ignore these warnings and keep on doing the dumb things.

This is especially easy to do when the Bible we’re reading is written in an obscure variant of old English that allows us to evade its true, full meanings.

Hmmm, maybe that’s exactly the reason why some insist on a KJV-only devotional life. Or why some don't read the Bible at all.

Hmm, I wonder. Maybe. I don’t know.

What I do know is that it’s a lot more fun and interesting to read the Bible in a variety of versions. And a lot harder to dodge its commandments and truths.

Familiar passages yield new insights. Mistaken ways of believing are corrected. Shallow understandings are deepened.

The bottom-line is that reading the Bible in a version different from the KJV, or different from the version you are used to, can do nothing but be beneficial.

After all, “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us” (2 Timothy 3:17, The Message).


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What is your favorite Bible version? Do you read in other versions as well? Do you read as much in the Old Testament as in the New Testament (other than the Psalms and Proverbs)? If you only read the KJV, why? Please share your thoughts and tips for enhancing the pleasures of Bible reading in the comments! (But let’s not argue. ;-)

The sign attracted my attention. It was so simple, yet so profound. It bypassed theory and landed on reality. “You know it’s cold outside” the sign read, “when you go outside, and it’s cold.” It reminded me of a weather forecast I heard on a Brownwood, Texas radio station during my college days, “The low tonight will be near tomorrow” said the weatherman. Simplicity is often overlooked in favor of more sophisticated expressions. Some days, we just need simple truth. This one comes to mind: You’ll know God is faithful when you get into the midst of a crisis and find that God is faithful. Joshua learned that truth over and over and said so in his final address to Israel, “You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14). What has God promised you this week? Whatever it is, you can count on it to be true. As my grandfather would have said, “You can take that to the bank.” In other words, God’s word is trustworthy. So next time you think it is cold outside, and you go outside and find it is cold, remember, when God claims to be faithful, and you get into a tough situation, you will discover that He is. Simple. Profound.

I don’t plan to see Will’s Smith’s new movie, “Concussion.” It’s probably a good movie, but I’m afraid it would tarnish my love for the game of football. I would rather hold on to the fantasy that there aren’t any consequences to all those hits to the head.

And I hate to break it to you, but here’s some startling news:

YOU might be at risk for a concussion, even if you never play football!

Here’s what I mean…

A concussion is defined as “an injury to the brain caused by a jarring blow to the head.” The symptoms include such things as headaches, vertigo, and disorientation.

I don’t know about you, but I do my best to avoid any blows to my head. However, if we look at this in the broader sense, we’ve ALL experienced “brain traumas” of one kind or another. Our mind is inevitably affected when we lose a spouse or child…get fired from a job…endure a serious health crisis…or suffer a divorce.

Events like that are jarring, to say the least. And yes, they certainly can cause us headaches, vertigo, and disorientation. It might even be preferable to be hit in the head by a linebacker.

So how can we protect ourselves from concussions of our mind and emotions? For some, the answer is to “play it safe” in life. In order to avoid any traumatic contact, they try to avoid any meaningful contact at all. They instinctively realize that the most painful experience in the world is to lose someone you’ve loved, so they do their best to avoid any deep emotional attachments.

But let’s be honest: Playing it safe is no way to live! Perhaps it’s okay for caterpillars to live in a cocoon, but not for butterflies. God has called us to fly and to be risk-takers. And that means getting out of our self-imposed comfort zones and bomb shelters.

This gets me thinking about football again…

What if we could design the perfect helmet—one that would minimize traumas and eliminate any serious concussions?

Thankfully, the Bible says God offers us something very much like that. But before mentioning protection against head traumas, it describes special protection for our heart: “the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thessalonians 5:8). Guarding our heart is a subject for another blog, and it’s a very important matter for all of us (Proverbs 4:23).

But what about protection against traumas to our mind and emotions? God says to put on very special helmet: “the hope of salvation.”

Do you see how profound this truth is? No matter what kind of personal trauma you are going through, the most important factor in getting through it will be HOPE.

If your mind is surrounded by hope, you can endure just about anything. But if you’ve lost hope, even life’s most minor trials will seem overwhelming.

So here’s my prayer for you today: May you put on your HOPE HELMET. Then you’ll be able to boldly face the “linebackers” standing in the way of the awesome touchdowns God has planned for you.

Let’s start today by revisiting Jesus’ commissioning of the seventy-two from a few weeks ago. The seventy-two certainly had something to rejoice in when they used the gifts they had received: “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name” (Luke 10:17). And because of that, we tend to read Jesus’ response, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (v.18), as something that happened at that very moment. I’m not so sure any more.

What if what Jesus really meant was this?: “I was there when Satan fell. I was there when he became so full of pride over what God had given him that he exalted himself above God. Be careful the same doesn’t happen to you.”

It certainly would explain Jesus’ next words, “Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you”—because after all, you’re not the first, and you’re not always in good company—“but rejoice that your names stand written in heaven” (v.19).

There may well come a time where we will have to lay down our very giftedness and callings before Jesus—when we will need to say, “This is yours, Lord, and I will walk away from all of it if that’s what you want.” Should that occur, it will likely be because we’ve allowed our identities to become so wrapped up in what we’ve been called to do by Jesus that our identities are really no longer in Jesus.

It’s very easy to fall in love with the idea of “I’m called to do this.” It’s much easier to get excited about something new and unique than it is to get excited about doing what everyone else is doing—or at least, should be doing. Every day God calls us to many seemingly mundane acts of obedience that are no less important than our seemingly “special” acts—and might well, in fact, be more important.

Doing God’s will and living in God’s will, while certainly related, are not the same thing. One involves obeying a very specific directive from God; the other is God giving us the freedom to live creativity within his broader will. Both please him—if they’re done in a spirit of obedience. As important as it is to use the gifts God’s given us and to follow his calling, it’s more important to develop the fruit of the Spirit—those qualities that grow from our new life within.

Jesus’ ministry was literally crucified. Why should we dare to think that our ministries and good works would be exempt from such testing?

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing…. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:4–5, 7).

Lay down your gifts, and concern yourself with abiding in Jesus. He knows how your gifts should be used—and whether they should be used—better than you. Apart from him you can do nothing. As your desires become his desires, his gifts and calling upon you will be used in ever-greater ways—because they’ll truly be his gifts and his calling.

Lay It Down Today

Let’s take another cue from the Sermon on the Mount for today’s prayer time:

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23–25).

I want to expand the parameters a bit past this text’s original meaning, but with an intent that I think you’ll agree is thoroughly biblical. We may not bring physical gifts to the altar, but we do have gifts we need to offer up to God. There are ways we need to love those around us more, whether it’s a matter of anger and forgiveness (as stated here) or in other ways.

Therefore, spend some time in prayer today identifying the gifts God has given you and leaving them “there before the altar.” Ask God to help you be obedient, whether it’s something you’re gifted in or comfortable with or not—or no matter how “trivial” your act of obedience may be. Have the faith that God will use your obedience to produce what he wants in others’ lives—and in your own.

We all know what it feels like to let people down. Our boss…spouse…kids…parents…friends…customers…clients. The list goes on.

It feels terrible to let people down.

Apple, one of the world’s most successful companies, let its shareholders down last quarter. The company was expected to take in $76.54 billion in revenue for the quarter (yes, BILLION), but they “only” received a meager $75.9 billion.

Meanwhile, Apple only sold 74.8 million iPhones in the quarter, short of the projected 75.4 million.

How depressing…

In an effort to explain these disappointing results, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained that there were “a lot of great things happening in a turbulent environment.”

But Apple shareholders weren’t impressed by this explanation, and the stock value dropped more than 6% today.

There’s a lesson in all of this, of course. Probably several lessons.

If your life is focused on trying to live up to people’s expectations, you will find yourself frustrated and depressed much of the time. Occasionally, someone may give you an “At-a Boy.” But more often than not, you will find yourself living “below expectations.”

Which raises a critical question: WHOSE expectations will govern your outlook on your success or failure?

Put another way, the question is this: WHO are you trying to please?

If your answer is that you want to please EVERYBODY, you might as well check yourself into an insane asylum, because that’s surely where you’re headed.

So…

Each of us must decide who we’re ultimately trying to please. If we want to maintain some degree of sanity, we are wise to make it our primary ambition to please our Heavenly Father rather than anyone on earth. If you want to do a little Bible study on this, here are a few verses: Matthew 3:17, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Galatians 1:10, Matthew 25:21.

We also must have the wisdom to reject any unfair or unrealistic expectations people try to pin on us—because they inevitably will from time to time. Remember how Jesus rejected the expectations of those who hoped He would overthrow the Romans and immediately set up His kingdom? He was clear on His mission and wouldn’t let people squeeze Him into their mold.

So here’s my life-changing homework assignment for you: Take some time to get away by yourself and prayerfully review the list of people you’ve been trying to please. Then write down what these people are expecting, and ask the Lord whether those expectations are HIS expectations or something you should discard.

If you take this homework to heart, I have a prediction: You’ll exit the treadmill you’ve been on and once again experience “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

And if your revenue this quarter fails to reach $76 billion (or some other grandiose projection), don’t ask me to feel sorry for you. Instead, I would tell you to be grateful—to celebrate! Things could have been a whole lot worse.

“Each man was assigned his task and told what to carry, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.” (Numbers 4:49 NLT)

As disciples of Christ, we have a crucial assignment—to carry our cross. Authentic Christianity requires ego crucifixion. To follow Jesus, we must sacrifice selfish desires.

As messengers of God, we have a noble task—to carry Christ’s name to society. God is our Employer and Supervisor; therefore we should work conscientiously. Scripture is a toolbox filled with all we need—instructing us in truth, shocking us into seeing repressed sin, straightening us our morally, and teaching us the right highway to travel.    

As followers of the Lord, we have a unique responsibility—to carry a changed heart into relationships. Our highest challenge is to die to sin and live like Christ. When our restless spirit is intent on holiness, we will not be passively shaped by a materialistic, carnal age. Depending on grace, we can endure tough times. Yielding to the Holy Spirit within, we live a celebrative life of pure joy—transformed and transforming.

As servants of the Master, we have a lifelong ministry—to carry compassion to people. Christian ministry pivots on the heart of Christ within us—faith works, love labors, and hope endures. We are called to live a caring life, sharing God’s love as we interact with our world.

As soldiers of the Commander of heaven’s armies, we have a special duty assignment—to carry out his orders decisively. When our work on earth is finished, and we have completed all tasks given us, we will have simply done our duty. Jesus will repay our faithful service with his smile of approval.

For heaven’s sake, let’s carry on.

Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

This devotion based on Day 77 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Today is the birthday of former Canadian hockey star Wayne Gretzky, nicknamed “The Great One.” After 20 seasons in the National Hockey League, Gretzky became regarded as the greatest hockey player of all time.

I’ll be honest, I know very little about hockey. But I’ve always been impressed by a brilliant key Gretzky used to become so successful.  

“I go to where the puck is going, not to where it’s been,” Gretzky explained.

That sounds obvious, I suppose. But during my 40+ years serving in various leadership roles in businesses and churches, I’ve been astounded at how seldom the Gretzky Principle is implemented.

Consider this…

- Too often, new businesses just try to imitate the success of Amazon, Google, Apple, or some other notable company. That seldom works! A better approach would be to anticipate “where the puck is going” and come up with a whole new paradigm and business model.

- Too often, new churches mimic some other church that has been successful—but seldom with the same results. Why do so few churches break new ground with a unique, cutting-edge vision from God?

My concern is that many leaders are simply going where the “puck” has already been. And, sadly, many of my fellow Christians are especially guilty of this. We claim a desire to be culturally relevant, but our understanding of the culture is typically 5, 10, or 15 years behind the times. By the time we get around to implementing our new initiatives, the “puck” has long since moved on.

So what about you? Are you continually frustrated because you’re always a few steps too late in chasing the puck?

The reality is this: Very few people are gifted to be visionary leaders, able to anticipate the future. In the past 100 years or so, we can name innovators like the Wright brothers, Einstein, Steve Jobs, and some others. But the list isn’t very long. There’s clearly a shortage of people who are able to accurately foretell where the puck is going.

However, I’m convinced that God has already been to the future, so He knows all about it. And the closer we get to Him, the more we’ll be in sync with what’s ahead, not just with what’s behind.

The Bible describes a number of people who changed the world in innovative ways, and I aspire to be like them. For example…

• David impacted the world by serving the purpose of God in his generation (Acts 13:36).
• The sons of Issachar “understood the times” and had a strategy for what God’s people should do (1 Chronicles 12:32).
• Queen Esther was a model of someone perfectly prepared “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).  

I encourage you to take a few minutes today to ask yourself, “Where is the puck going, and how can I best position myself and prepare?” You’ll be surprised by how this new approach will change your outlook and your life.

As you may have heard by now, the Carolina Panthers crushed the Arizona Cardinals 49-15 in the NFC Championship Game, winning a place in Super Bowl 50. And in a surprising development, odds-makers have even made the Panthers a slight favorite in their Super Bowl matchup against the Denver Broncos.

What’s astonishing about this scenario is that at the beginning of the season the Panthers were a 50-1 underdog to win the Super Bowl. Few people even expected them to win their division, let along end the regular season at 15-1, one of the best records in NFL history. And the naysayers came out in force after the Panthers’ #1 wide receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, was lost for the season because of an injury in training camp.

Don’t you love it when the naysayers are proven wrong?

I think God loves it too…

• When over a million Israelites are able to walk away from Egypt, the strongest nation on earth at the time.
• When Samson slays hundreds of Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.
• When David disregards his naysayers and defeats Goliath with his slingshot and five smooth stones.
• When the fledgling band of Jesus’ followers becomes a powerful movement encompassing the known world.  

And I bet you’ve had your naysayers too. People who’ve said you’ll never amount to anything. Critics who’ve predicted your dream will never come to pass. Enemies who were bent on your destruction or defeat.

But God can’t wait to prove your critics wrong too…

His Word says that if He if for you, it doesn’t matter who is standing against you (Romans 8:31).

You’ve already been promised that the One living in you is a champion more powerful than anything or anyone you’ll ever encounter in the world (1 John 4:4).

And just as the Panthers achieved more this year than even their greatest fans could have envisioned, the Bible promises that God can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

So it’s time to set your sights higher, my friend. Even though the people around you may be counting you out, this could be your Super Bowl season after all.

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.

They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.

It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit.

It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT)

“When it snows, there is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing only.”

- Joseph Wood Krutch, The Twelve Seasons (1949)

Weather forecasts sometimes accurately predict the weather—Biblical prophecy is as certain to come true as sunrise. This time the computer models got it right; in fact, the blizzard of 2016 may prove to be another “snowmageddon” or “snowpocalypse”. We can be certain the omniscient God will get it right—and when his Son triumphs over wickedness at Armageddon, saints will dance for joy. The apocalypse (revelation) of Jesus Christ will solve problems that have eluded human effort for centuries. The living God has spoken in the Bible—he means every word and will keep every promise. When the Judge of the universe says “time’s up,” heaven’s wrath will judge evil and establish the King of king’s eternal reign of righteousness. The Day of the Lord will dawn and Christ the Morning Star will dispel the darkness. The Weather Channel comes close to an hour-by-hour

description of weather conditions, but it’s not always absolutely correct. We cannot know the exact day or hour of our Savior’s return, but we can be sure He will keep his promise to return. Just because it hasn’t happened yet does not mean it will not happen. Jesus is coming. 

We have been given ample warning to prepare for this blizzard—God is giving us time to repent and get ready for the storm of judgment. The media has done a good job of reminding us to be sure we have sufficient emergency supplies, batteries, flashlights, food and water to survive. Scripture repeatedly cautions us to get ready for the tempest of transitioning from time to eternity—either when we die and face God in judgment, or when Christ returns to settle the score with sin and gather his people to himself. Though the origin of the word blizzard is obscure, it may be somehow connected with blaze. The word came into general use in the United States in the hard winter of 1880-81. Surely if we realize someday we will stand before the Ancient One whose clothing, head and hair are as white as snow, we will make a conscious effort to purify ourselves. While we live and breathe, God is giving us time to get ready.

It is comforting to enjoy our home as a shelter from the driving snow and intense cold—God is our heart-warming Home in this cold, cruel world. “In every high and stormy gale,” God has been our Home; and whatever winds may blow in the future, we can rest assured He will keep us safe in his arms. We are encouraged by trusting his promises, insulated from devastation by his Presence, and shielded from harm by his omnipotence. John paints a vivid word picture for us, describing how Jesus visited Jerusalem when it was winter—walking through Solomon’s Colonnade, people surrounding him and listening to his teaching. What he told them then reassures us today—“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.” No winter lasts forever—after life’s storms are over, all will be well.

When we’re snowed in and cannot go to work, shop, or go for a drive, that’s a good opportunity to rest—Today is a good time to relax in our Father’s care and enjoy the rest He alone can give. Record snowfall and snowdrifts will prevent us from doing all we might want to do, but that’s no reason to suffer from cabin fever. Disruption of our plans can be a good thing if we use this unexpected opportunity for quiet time with our Creator. A power outage would keep us from watching TV or DVDs, but we can still read God’s Word and be blessed by reminders that heaven’s power never goes out. Waiting quietly before God refreshes our hearts in a way no earthly entertainment can.

The snow-blanketed landscape is beautiful and glorious—Heaven on earth will thrill our souls forever with a glory we’ve never known before. The silent and relentless snowfall prompts my heart to thank God for his mercy in making the landscape of my heart as white as snow in his sight. It also inspires me to look forward to that magnificent day—when sin’s grimy filth will be irrevocably covered by the pure beauty of grace;  when unsettled nations will finally be united by the Prince of peace;  when we will live in a tearless, deathless, painless, sinless, endless place we can call home.

You will probably not be able to worship with other believers tomorrow, but you can worship the Lord by yourself or with your family by reading the following verses of Scripture to reinforce your faith—Genesis 5:22;  Job 38:22;  Psalm 46:10;  51:7;  62:5;  90:1;  94:19;  148:8;  Isaiah 1:18;  55:10-13;  Daniel 7:9-10;  Matthew 24:36;  John 10:22-30;  14:3;  Acts 1:11;  Romans 14:10-12;  Hebrews 9:27;  2 Peter 1:19-21;  3:8-14;  1 John 3:2-3;  Revelation 1:14;  21:3-4.  Then humbly thank the Lord for his love.

Johnny R. Almond

Interim Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Blog http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

NOTE from Discipleship.Network Coordinator ~

Our community guidelines allow inviting members to offer support in prayer but we do not approve financial solicitation. Nearly everyone on this site has ministries that could use additional funding. We are confident the Spirit will make it clear if/when you are to contribute without that individual or ministry asking.

We did approve this request partially because it is uncommon and also by the prodding of the Holy Spirit. We ask you to pray. Whatever you do beyond that, do by the leading of the Lord.

Phil

Network Coordinator

I grew up being taught that “bragging” was not a good thing. That “showing off” or bringing attention to oneself was not being humble. It was being prideful.

I’m also an introvert. I like to be quiet and hang back observing the action rather than being in the middle of it. Add into this that it’s also a challenge for me to ask for help.

So any self-promotion is very hard for me to do. Very hard. Always has been.

When I was living la vida corporate, it wasn’t unusual when evaluation time rolled around, that I was asked to write my own. Once written I would hand it off to my boss who would tweak and approve it.

Clearly, for the evaluation to earn me a raise or a promotion, it needed to be glowing!

Ugh. I hated writing those things.

Don’t get me wrong. I worked hard, did a good job, and knew that I deserved any raise I got. But writing about myself like that went against how I had been raised. It wasn’t easy.

And please don’t beat up on my parents! They did the best they could with the skills and understanding they had. Their intentions were golden. But I’ll agree the execution might have been a little shaky.

Probably, so was how I received their lessons on humility. I’m not sure I heard and interpreted everything exactly right.

Still, while I believe it’s okay to “put your best foot forward,” at the same time, to avoid coming across as a braggart, a little humility is a good thing.

Woohoo! <Quietly insert trumpets here>

So it is with humble pride that I quietly shout the news that I am the Grand Prize winner of the WestBow Press “New Look Contest” for 2015! Yay! Woot!

WestBow Press is a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, all owned by HarperCollins Publishers. Unlike many self-publishing operations, this one has significant built-in credibility which adds cachet to the book.

Also, if the book does well (which is why I need your help), there’s a chance that it could be picked up by Thomas Nelson or Zondervan and receive more widespread attention.

Of the winners, Pete Nikolai, WestBow Press publisher, stated, “We were pleased by the quality of the titles submitted and especially with the grand-prize winner. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented writers.”

A few gaps in need of filling

While the Grand Prize is great and the publishing package is loaded with important features, there are a couple of gaps.

To fill these gaps, I need to obtain additional services at additional costs:

• Editing: I need to hire a great editor to give the manuscript a thorough work-over with fresh eyes.
   
• Marketing: As is true with all books today, I’ve got to do a fair amount of marketing, or hire someone to help me.
   

I’m conservatively estimating that I’ll need at least $5,000 to cover these expenses. I definitely need to at least cover the editing, which is essential.

To that end, I’ve set up a GoFundMe page where you can offer your help and support!

You are welcome to contribute any amount. However, if you donate at least $40, once the book is published, I will send you a signed paperback copy.

You can see more details at www.gofundme.com/hungeringdark.

Added value: Some things to consider (aka, I’ve got chops.)

There are a lot of people using these crowd-funding services to raise money for their book projects. Many of them are just now writing their books or haven’t even started.

They are trying to raise money for untested ideas. Many are not seasoned writers and have no publishing experience.

I am and do. My book is written and already in process.

By winning the WestBow contest Grand Prize, it is a vetted product recognized to have merit. The value of the prize is around $5,000.

And while asking for another $5,000 seems like a lot, getting a book into print and into wide distribution is a costly enterprise.

My desire is to make the book as successful as possible. And I can only accomplish this with your help!

A little about the book

The story is a fun, clean read with a Christian slant, suitable for all ages.

It’s got a touch of sci-fi/fantasy, a fair amount of suspense, a little romance, some biblical history, and even fast-paced action.

It shares the story of an unimaginable challenge overcome in a very unique and surprising way. For now.

You can read a more detailed synopsis at www.gofundme.com/hungeringdark.

Won’t you please help?

As I stated in the beginning, this is hard for me. But I know I’ve written a good, fun book that deserves a chance in the marketplace. I just need your help to get the job done right.

So, with genuine humility, I’m asking for your financial support. And for help getting the word out about this book!

If you give at least $40, once it’s published, I will send you a signed paperback copy!

Even if you can’t afford to give money, please share this post with your friends, relatives, and co-workers.

You will have my undying gratitude. Thank you in advance.

Please click here to donate >> www.gofundme.com/hungeringdark.


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What do you think? Crowd-funding to get a book published is being done more and more frequently. Is this a good thing or not? How do you feel about self-promotion? Is there a way to promote effectively without being heavy-handed or prideful? I’m always put-off by those who do it too aggressively (such as Trump), but I know it’s necessary to sell books or acquire clients. Share your thoughts on what I’m doing and your feelings about self-promotion as prideful in the comments. Please, I’d love to hear from you!
 

Want to know more about who I am? Please visit these websites:

Blog: www.FaithBraised.com

Personal: www.StephenRClark.com

Business: www.CleverSmithWriting.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/StephenRClarkWriter

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrclark

Twitter: www.twitter.com/stephenrclark

Late last year, I completed the Certificate in Theology and Ministry offered online by Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS).* Along with about 120 or so other people who were scattered across the country and the world.

This past weekend, PTS invited all who completed the course to attend a special recognition luncheon and worship service at the Princeton, NJ campus. There was a substantial turnout and the program was outstanding.

While taking the course, and now even more so since completing it, the question I’m asked most often is some variation of this: “Why did you take the course? What are you going to do with it now?”

Well, I won’t be performing weddings or funerals. It’s not that kind of certification.

But, frankly, I don’t think it’s necessary to pursue learning solely for the purpose of “doing” something with it. The value, joy, and reward is in the learning itself. Especially when it’s affordable and convenient!

When you spend time going to the movies, how would you respond to someone who asks, “So you saw Star Wars. Why? What are you going to do with it?”

I’m assuming you would be a little bewildered by such a question.

That’s sort of how I feel when people ask me about the course.

Honestly, I took the course because I wanted to.

But, since the answer, “I did it because, like Mt. Everest, it was there!” isn’t appreciated, I decided I’d take the time to provide a fuller response. After all, you asked me!

Beyond “because I wanted to” there are at least three broad reasons I took the course. These are also reasons I read books and just keep learning in general, by the way.

In no particular order, here they are:

Honing the craft with which God has gifted me

Among other things, I’m a writer. Most of what I currently write tends to be related to biblical faith.

A lot of Christian writers I know will spend a lot of time reading books on writing, learning how to better market their work, going to writer’s conferences to meet other writers and connect with publishers, and so forth.

The focus of their efforts is on the writing and the selling thereof.

That’s all well and good.

But it’s long been a pet peeve of mine that conferences, courses, and how-to books for Christian writers never include workshops or chapters on developing biblical thinking, understanding the latest trends in theology, practicing practical exegesis, writing from a biblical worldview, or anything that helps improve skills on the Bible / theology / doctrine side of things.

The closest anything comes is offering something devotional or inspirational in nature. That’s nice, but not enough.

Frankly, I don’t see how anyone can be a good “Christian” writer without also having and nurturing a good grasp on all things biblical and theological. And much of what’s needed will not come merely through church attendance, participating in a small group Bible study, or Sunday school. Which, by the way, are thoroughly worthwhile and beneficial endeavors.

A lot of what I’m “going to do” with this learning that I’ve acquired I’ve been “doing with it” through my blog and other writing opportunities. Not to mention in non-writing interactions with others.

I guess you could say that by the time I completed it, the Certificate was already “used.”

Someone might say, “But you’ve got a college degree in English and biblical studies, why do you need this?”

Because no skill, talent, or gift is a “once and done” thing. They require ongoing refreshing.

Years ago when I was an editor of a Christian magazine and living near Chicago, Wheaton College offered a series of workshops aimed at writers. One of the presenters was Peter Jacobi, now professor emeritus of journalism at Indiana University.

He used the acronym AIDA, also the title of an opera, to cover a few key elements of writing effective articles: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. What he offered I already knew but had never heard presented like this.

This “new” take on “old” information injected fresh insight into my thinking that helped me improve my writing.

The same principle holds true with ongoing, continuing Christian education.

Just as you can never eat or drink “once and for all”, the same holds true for all learning.

Studying to show myself approved

2 Timothy 2:15 states plainly that, as Christians, we need to study God’s Word and know how to rightly divide it (aka interpret and apply) to show ourselves approved.

I like the Common English Bible (CEB) that states, “Make an effort to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker, who doesn’t need to be ashamed but is one who interprets the message of truth correctly.”

We are also instructed to “work out” our own salvation (Philippians 2:13), to understand God’s will for us (Ephesians 5:17), to stand against the devil and his tactics (Ephesians 6:10-18), to be ready with an answer for our hope (1 Peter 3:15), to be prepared “in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2), and on and on.

Like learning in general, the Christian life is not a “once and done” experience. It’s a process of ongoing growth and maturity.

While some are satisfied with what they can pick up from a Sunday sermon or the Christian radio station, I’m not.

As that great raspy-voiced theologian, Bob Dylan, once said, “He not busy being born [again] is busy dying” (my paraphrase).

And so I keep reading, studying, discussing, and listening.

There is always more to learn, more understanding available, more insight to be gained.

One very useful aspect of the Certificate course was the global perspective it captured. Some of this came through the various participants located around the globe (Hong Kong, Greece, Europe, etc.).

Part came through the final module on “Understanding World Religions” which provided a gentle smack-up-side-of-the-head reminding us that our cultural experience is not the same as anyone else’s.

Well, duh.

If you don’t think that how you understand the Bible or view God is not influenced in anyway by where you were born, where you live, how you were parented, the education you received, and on and on, then you are as naive as I have been.

An amazing insight that comes through this is, despite such massive diversity of experiences, the same Holy Spirit lives in each follower of Jesus and makes the one true God alive and visible through us around the globe.

Cool.

I sing the body local & so should you

An essential, yet too often neglected, element of the Christian life is being in fellowship with other Christians.

The Bible characterizes the entire fellowship of believers as “the body of Christ.”

Often, churches are referred to as the local body of Christ. However, no single church, or even denomination, embodies the whole body of Christ. Every church is a local expression of the whole body of Christ.

So, I prefer to refer to your church and my church as “the body local.”

This means that not only does each Christian play an essential role in the whole body, so does each biblically orthodox church, whether tiny rural country fellowship or ginormous city mega-thing.

The body metaphor is interesting (1 Corinthians 12). Paul posits that each true believer is a body part that (1) is essential to the body as a whole, (2) dependent upon every other part, and (3) never is dishonorable, regardless of function or purpose.

The implication is that for the body to work well, each body part (organ, limb, etc.) must be healthy and efficient.

To be healthy requires nourishment and cohesion. In other words, it must be fed and connected.

Within the body local of Christ, each of us is called and ordained -- yes, called and ordained -- to serve in some productive, life-supporting role.

As disciples of Christ, we’ve all got jobs to do.

At the most basic level, all of us are called and ordained to be present. To show up. And to give financial support to the body local where God implants us.

But that’s not enough. All that stuff I mentioned previously about working out our salvation, showing ourselves approved, and so on, is to be done within the body local, in fellowship with the other body parts.

The body local is a “Head and shoulders, knees and toes. Eyes and ears, mouth and nose” kind of thing.

So, we are to avoid “staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do” (Hebrews 10:25) and encourage each other in the faith (1 Thessalonians 5:11), even when that involves iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17).

Because I take this fact of the Christian life seriously, whatever church I’ve been a part of, I’ve always sought to be actively involved. This was the example of my parents that my sister and I witnessed and inherited as their legacy. Our entire immediate family, as well as many cousins, aunts, uncles, and other relatives, were always very active in the church of our youth.

I guess it’s in our DNA!

The shape of my own involvement and how that involvement unfolds is influenced by how God has made and gifted me combined with the needs of the body local into which I have been grafted.

Over the years, these roles have included Sunday school teacher, men’s group leader, Sunday school superintendent, janitor, small group leader, board member, special projects committee member, Scout troop leader, administration support, PR and communications helper, bulletin maker, newsletter writer and editor, web designer, periodic giver of sermons, sound booth operator, graphics maker, Powerpoint manager, usher, greeter, and so on.

So, understanding that wherever God puts me I will be involved in that body local, and knowing that whatever we do we are to do well and for the glory of God (Colossians 3:23-24), ongoing training and education seems appropriate.

Show me the money!

There are those who agree and nod their heads to all this palavering, while thinking, “But when are you going to turn this training into something real? And make money? Or at least have a real title other than ‘freelance writer’?”

Sigh.

I understand that, for many, the whole point of any education, whether a multi-year degree at the cost of thousands of dollars, or a several month certificate at the cost a few hundred, is to “do” something specific (aka, get a job and produce income).

I get it. Although I don’t entirely agree with it. But I’m not going to argue the points here.

I pursued the Certificate for all the reasons I’ve stated. I’ve long wanted to get a Masters, preferably in Theology or something related, but the timing and the funds would never synch up.

So, when I discovered this Certificate program, I pounced.

I did not have a specific monetizeable outcome in mind then, nor do I now. If I’m never able to point to specific income derived as a direct result of investing my time and money in this Certificate program, it will not have been a waste of either.

Some will get it. Some won’t.

Those who get it should consider signing up the next time this Certificate program comes open.

For those who don’t get it, don’t worry. I’ve added this accomplishment to my Linkedin profile.

I challenge you, dear reader & you, too, institutions of learning!

One thing that I hope comes of my effort: that it serves as a positive example to you, dear reader, to pursue more and dig deeper when it comes to God’s Word, doctrine, theology, and related subject areas.

Search for local and online opportunities to take a course, even for a few weeks.

Or read books. Not sure where to start? Try these Christianity Today award-winners: “Christianity Today's 2016 Book Awards.”

Take what you already know and apply it where you are. One way to learn more is to be involved in your body local. A lot of good things can come from active small group participation.

But I also want to issue a challenge to all Christian colleges and universities.

We need more affordable, accessible, online programs like the one offered by PTS. Their program is specifically aimed at laypeople who are ministering in the body local and who are hungry for accessible, affordable training.

These people can’t afford to leave their jobs and homes, pay thousands and thousands of dollars, all to earn a degree. That’s expensive overkill.

What they need is more of what is represented in the Certificate* program I completed.

It needs to be very affordable, only a few hundred dollars. Very practical, nothing egghead or ivory tower. Very accessible, online using readily available free software and inexpensive tools. And, of course, engaging, using personable professors who can connect well in an online context.

If you represent a Christian college or university and are interested in setting up a program, contact me and I’ll connect you to the people at PTS. And I’ll be happy to share my ideas.

And that’s all I have to say about this. For now.

Aren’t you sorry you asked?





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Are you active in a church? Do you feel adequately trained or not? What kind of training would you like to be able to access? Have you participated in any kind of continuing education program online or in a classroom? How was your experience? Do you agree with my assertions in this post, that all Christians are called and ordained to be involved in ministry? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts and reactions in the comments!

* The course consisted of 6 modules: Old Testament Resources for Faith and Life, New Testament, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Theology for Faith and Life, Pastoral Care, and Understanding World Christianity (this final module was slated to be Congregational Leadership, but had to be changed due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict with the professor).

Over the year, there were 30 live two-hour lectures, assigned readings, and the writing of short “class blog posts” of 100-200 words, as well as six 400-600 word “final” essays for each module.

Everyone signed on, using Adobe Connect, to listen to the lectures. We could comment and ask questions in the chat box. Some students who chose to were connected to ask questions via video.

For the written assignments, we were assigned groups of around 12 or so that rotated every 10 sessions. Only those in our assigned groups saw our posts. Each of us was required to comment on 3-5 posts of other students.

While admission to the course is closed for 2016, I would encourage everyone to sign up for next year.

Our new lives in Christ are just beginning. We are changed; but we are eternally far from finished. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (Philippians 3:12). We will not be finished until even our new lives are fully laid down before Christ; and that cycle of blessing, crucifixion, and resurrection will continue until the day we meet Christ face to face.

More often than not, I value my comfort more than I value obedience to God. I want to hang on to the good things God’s given me, and pester him for more. As I do this, I reject the One who blesses me in favor of his blessings. Romans 1 speaks to the end of this condition, if not halted: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21–22a).

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Sermon on the Mount the past few months. (You will too—but that’s getting a little ahead of ourselves.) At the time I’m writing this, I’m dwelling on the first half of Matthew 6—and it’s been dwelling on me, too. Specifically, there’s this rhythm Jesus repeats over and over, to the effect of: “And when do this good thing, do not call attention to yourself like the hypocrites do, so that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have already received their reward. But when you do this good thing, do it not so that it may be seen by others but so it is seen by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (see Matthew 6:1–4, 5–9, and 16–18).

“They have already received their reward.” Sometimes it’s OK to need reassurance or confirmation, but we need to move away from our dependence on it. God has given us many good things—and yes, sometimes as the result of the good things we’ve done in obedience to him—but sometime in the next handful of decades, I’m going to stand before God. How horrific it would be to hear, “You’ve already received your reward. I’ve provided for you, allowed your work to be recognized, even given you the joy of accomplishment. What more were you expecting? After all, you did it all for you.”

Now mind you, I am putting hypothetical words in God’s mouth here. But the fact remains, many of the things we do for God are done with an eye toward how God will bless us, and how others will recognize it. (Virtual street corners count too, by the way.) Even if I’m doing it solely for the sake of eternal reward, my self-satisfaction about that, too, can become my reward.

God does promise us rewards and blessings as a result of our obedience to him. But we need to take a step further up—to learn to do things purely for God’s glory. That, truly, is its own reward. As we learn to do this, God can trust us to do the right things with the blessings he bestows upon us. Our Father is in secret. We must learn to become God’s spies in this world—as much as, if not more than, become “God’s spokespeople” or “God’s personal ambassadors.”

In case we still don’t understand, Jesus punctuates, and clarifies, all of his previous warnings to us with this:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

Teresa of Avila put it this way: “Spiritual maturity and its reward do not consist in spiritual delights, but rather in the increase of love.” This is where we need to head; and God help us, we will.

Lay It Down Today

Before getting to your assignment, I want to reemphasize that in the course of this larger “Eternal Life Starts Now” section, I’m introducing practices you can do well beyond this study—because, after all, laying down your life doesn’t end once you stop reading this book. We don’t get days off from the lives God has given us.

This week, we’re focusing on prayer, and providing the context Jesus wants us to have for our prayers. Thus, it’s your turn to spend time in the Sermon on the Mount.

Every day this week, read Matthew 5–7. One hundred eleven verses won’t kill you, but they will convict you.

As you read through these chapters each day, be sure to linger on The Lord’s Prayer, located dead-center of this sermon (Matthew 6:9–13). Where is Jesus’ sermon hitting you right now? Which parts of this prayer do you most need to experience or respond to? Don’t move on to the second half of the sermon until you’ve wrestled with this each day. As the Spirit brings up specific matters—in every part of this sermon—stop and lift each of them up to God. Then act on them, as needed. Forgive your enemies—in person, if possible. Set your eyes aside to deal with your lusts. Repent of your need to have your good works noticed and praised.

You could spend a lifetime dealing with what Jesus brings up here. And you will. Eternal life starts now.