Christianity has to be disappointing, precisely because it is not a mechanism for accomplishing all our human ambitions and aspirations; it is a mechanism for subjecting all things to the will of God.
Simon Tugwell
Tags: ambition, christianity, disappointment
The email arrived and I was immediately captivated by what I saw. Clicking on the link to view the video, my kids wanted to see what was so exciting. Within a minute both exclaimed, “I want one!” So did I.
We don’t see many commercials in our home because we don’t watch TV. As a rule, we prefer videos (DVD’s) because they lack commercials. That aside, what intrigued me was the immediateness of the response. My kids have not been trained to covet through hours of “want this”, and “buy that” advertising. But there it was plain as day. James Bond’s family motto could easily describe our family–the world really is not enough!
“I want more!”
When asked “how much money is enough?”, John D. Rockefeller answered, “Just a little bit more.” Do you feel that way? Sometimes I know I do–especially during this season of fund development just to meet fixed expenses. Most would agree that stuff won’t make us happy. Yet, getting the next new thing still strikes a thrilling nerve within us.
The author of an article in MSN Money, published in July of 2008, makes a telling comment in his opening thoughts: “Wealth alone doesn’t guarantee happiness, but if you can identify your deepest desire, you can create a plan to get there.” Of course, he then outlines a 4 step process to help us find happiness. First, list your top five goals or desires. Second, put a price tag on each. Third, calculate your “enough for life” number. And finally, create a financial plan to get there. I expect to read this in MSN Money. But what disturbs me is the many Christian leaders who tacitly agree with the concept presented in the article. After all, it’s ‘sound advice’.
I do believe our desire for more is tied to happiness, but not in the same way some might assume. Paul, in Colossians 2:9-10 writes, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” The word Paul uses here for “fullness” can also be translated, “to fill up,” “to overflow” or “complete”.
The context of the passages is more about spiritual intrigue (do this, don’t do that, when to worship and how to worship angels) than consumerism. Yet, I think it can be far more widely applied. Our life in Christ brings a fullness (a completeness) that nothing else can provide. Paul is saying here, “don’t get caught up in spiritual intrigue when our lives in Christ provide the fullness, the completeness we seek.” Equally, we can say, nothing else in life provides what our soul most longs for and needs aside from Christ. Giving ourselves to second things still leaves us incomplete.
Augustine“s story provides a great example. Trying out popular religions, living with a concubine from the age of 17 for nearly 15 years and then marrying a 12 year old girl after leaving his first woman, Augustine knew emptiness. Sometime after his conversion, he wrote about his restlessness and the restlessness of all souls saying, “Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.”
Wanting more may not be the biggest problem we face in life. We were made for more. And our soul will only find rest and contentment as we continually turn to Christ.
If Paul were to answer the four steps to happiness mentioned above, I wonder if it would look something like this:
- Greatest desires? To know Him (primarily) and to reflect Him in the world (secondarily) (Phil. 3:10f)
- Price? “Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ” (Phil. 3:8 MSG)
- What’s enough for life? “Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.” (Phil. 4:11-12 MSG)
- Create financial plan to get there? “I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose. (Phil. 1:20-21 MSG)
Latest news reports are that 12 different terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Bin Judgin, Bin Accusin, Bin Deprivin, Bin Bitin, Bin Devourin, Bin Consumin, Bin Provokin, Bin Envyin, Bin Lyin, Bin Gettin Even, Bin Against and Bin Complainin. Their leader, Lucifer Bin Deceivin, is training these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to infiltrate the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.
However, there have been reports of another group. A tiny cell, known by the name Bin Prayin AKA Bin Lovin, is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin/Lovin group does not blend in with whomever and whatever comes along.
Bin Prayin/Lovin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin/Lovin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ to return.
And guess what. No church is exempt. Be on the lookout. However, you can spot them if you “bin lookin”.
________________________________________________________________________
For further research in this matter I recommend:
Rms. 14:13 – Bin Judgin
1 Cor. 6:7 – Bin Accusin
1 Cor. 7:5 – Bin Deprivin
Gal. 5:15 – Bin Bitin (harming), Bin Devourin (exploiting), Bin Consumin (destroying)
Gal. 5:26 – Bin Provokin (irritating), Bin Envyin
Col. 3:9 – Bin Lyin
1 Thes. 5:15 – Bin Gettin Even
Jms. 4:11 – Bin Against
Jms. 5:9 – Bin Complainin
For a more comprehensive look at positive assertions in this matter, simply do a “one another” concordance search (computer or in a book – yes, they still print those). You should find at least 31 statements regarding the Bin Lovin/Prayin faction and their MO.
Cheers!
Tags: true spirituality
Still feeling raw from my prayer and musings from yesterday, I sat in my study this morning staring at Psalm 11, the next Psalm in my daily prayer cycle. David must have been having a similar struggle with real or perceived voices telling him to bail on a situation.
“I’ve already taken refuge in the Lord, how can you tell me to run away now? If the foundations come apart, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:1, 3 my paraphrase)
“Escape, for Christians, is faithless”, says Eugene Peterson. “It means that they have succumbed to the ‘nothing-can-be-done’ disease” and they resort to saving their own skin (or soul). David does not tolerate such council because “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne”. Why do we so often lose heart?
I’m not the only one who must fight the temptation to despair of things beyond our control. I hear it in the comments all around me. I hear the sighs and resignation as people watch their world change before their eyes. What can we do?
Still months away from Lee’s surrender, America was in a fight for its life. Divided by civil war, people everywhere despaired of peace. Bowed under the weight of personal tragedy and feeling the despair of his fellow man, Henry W. Longfellow penned these words:
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Good may cave to the pressure and strength of evil. Unrighteousness could win the day, then what will we do?
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
What can the righteous do? Take refuge in the Lord trusting that we are in good hands.
I’ve almost always been this way. In fact, it has been suggested at times that I’m more of a rebel than anything. Be that as it may, status quo has never set well with me. Maybe I’m the one who likes change for the sake of change. I doubt it, though.
It’s the negative voices that fuel me lately. Those who have told me I don’t belong in ministry (my personal favorite) or those who can’t quite get a reasonable handle on what we do and why we exist. Then there are the “you are too deep” comments that add fuel to the fire and you have the makings of a roaring bonfire of passion or an equally impassioned despair.
Once again we find ourselves facing some scary circumstances. Costs are simply higher than income. Twice we’ve emptied our retirement to remain on the field pursuing our passion and to live in our gifting. Twice we’ve had board members tell us to call it quits since “God provides where he guides”. And since supply is low, guidance is in question. Don’t get me started on this one, some of the most well supplied people on the planet are card carrying atheists, so I don’t think income (or the lack of it) is a good litmus test of God’s smile.
The task at hand for all non-profits is to “find” money. I receive no less than 3 emails a week from someone wanting me to attend their webinar (for a price) on how to raise funds in this depressed economy. Strategies of how best to use facebook and online mailings come at me from all over. but in the end, none of these systems encourage a quiet heart or discernment. Rather than feeling energized, they leave me feeling tired and desperate – the furthest thing from Christ’s “yoke” that leads to rest.
Toward the end of 1998, Jeanni and I stalled out in our fund raising for Budapest. We attended gatherings of all kinds hosted by friends that simply were unattended. And on the odd occasion someone did attend, they were not there to determine how best to invest in missions. We decided that further effort was useless so we informed our board we felt our best strategy was to only pray and stop seeking funds. When they heard that they were ready to ship us off to a padded cell.
About a year later we figured we could no longer justify just working and letting those who were on our support team keep giving without us actively working to go overseas. A decision had to be made. We set a date for when to pull the plug. During our board meeting our Treasurer informed us that giving had increased from 35% to almost 65%. How was this possible since we’ve not been seeking support? God only knows. Obviously there was more going on behind the scenes than we could see.
Well, it looks like we’ve hit a similar wall. I’ve made over 100 calls to date and many of those I spoke to offered to help find other donors in their sphere of influence. Approximately 20% of the needed funds have come in, which has increased our overall income by 10% of our overall budget/costs. It’s not enough to stay on the field by any stretch of the imagination. And while we are in a familiar boat, the circumstances are a bit different. We have children with special learning needs (the school here has just what is needed for their particular needs). We cannot work to supplement our income and to make a transition back to the states would completely deplete our account. Fund raising at that point would be like starting over. I’m feeling stuck. Just where He likes me, I suppose.
One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. When confronted with whether or not they would bow to the kings edict to worship a statue they ‘rebelled’ and did not do it – even knowing the punishment for such a crime was being thrown into a fiery furnace. When their rebellion was found out (by snitches) the king was so angry he had the furnace stoked to 7 times hotter than usual. When given a chance to relent here’s what they said: “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us, O king. But even if he doesn’t, we would not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you set up.” (See Dan 3 for the whole story) They didn’t bow, they didn’t bend and they didn’t burn. It’s my reminder of why I do what I do.
So, back to my rebellion. I will not bow under the pressure and circumstances to throw in the towel. I will not bend, in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. I will, however, continue to burn with passion to see Christ formed in others. I cannot walk away from this holy vocation. Circumstances do not determine the measure of my faith (i.e. rejecting the no funds no guidance approach to life). Our plan is to spend some time on our knees listening. What is He up to? How does He plan to meet our needs? What is He unfolding in our lives and and through our lives? What is my responsibility here and now?
You see, I’m not convinced God is done with us and Ministry Essentials. I believe He’s just beginning. So, hang on tight. We are in for the ride of our lives.
Be Thou my vision,
O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me
save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought
in the day and the night;
waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.
Myopia will be the death of me. I see only the circumstances before me and I’m tempted, sorely tempted, to believe they define reality. Something goes wrong and I imagine the worst. Something goes well and I get a bit cocky. But what if I were able to see beyond the immediate to something more? All I see lately does not fill me with hope. In fact, it’s just the opposite. So, this is my prayer… Lord, be my vision…
There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
(2 Cor. 4:18 MSG)
Tags: New Year Prayer
Recently, I read how human resilience can be compared to salt. Resilience is the “ability to face reality: to deal with and to grow through life’s challenges.” Like salt, which flavors and preserves the quality of food and helps disinfect harmful materials, resiliency in people enhances, protects and detoxifies their quality of life.
More should be said, but for now, the question in my mind is simply this, “How do we develop resiliency?” Abraham is the first story that comes to mind (See Gen. 22:1, 12) followed quickly by James’ thoughts of trials (Jms. 1: 2-8).
Lately Christian has been struggling with the fact that life requires work if we are going to gain the desired results. For example, this year he did not bring home any blue ribbons from his swim meets. Instead, he brought home reminders of the amount of work he actually put into the event. Similar things are happening with school work. Study rewards with better grades while the lack of study has it’s opposite reward. These are difficult lessons to learn when really all one wants is a place to play and some friends to do it with! 
But the ambivalence he feels is real and deep. He may only wish to play instead of swim extra laps or study a bit longer but nor does he wish to lose or receive low grades.
Apparently, resilience can only be developed in the fire. Jesus tells us as much in Mark 9:49 – at some point or another, we all will face fiery moments, trials designed to test our mettle. Yet, this path is neither straight nor pleasant in most cases. We can bet the path to perseverance and resilience will be marked by pain and uncertainty (and always goodness and mercy).
Here’s what the author concludes:
Resiliency includes three core parts which can be described in terms of the New Testament metaphor of salt.
- Perseverance—inner strength to not give up and to benefit from hardship. Having salt in yourselves—Mark 9:50
- People—social support from/as encouraging role models and true friends. Relating graciously with salt—Colossians 4:6
- Purpose—strong sense of meaning in life and/or strong belief in God’s goodness. Being the salt of the earth—Matthew 5:13
More should be said here but I’ll leave this for now. If you wish to explore Kelly’s thoughts on the subject, click here.
Tags: christian life, christian living, missions, soul care
“I love this movement, the Advent Conspiracy movement. I’ve been trying to get my family to do this for the last two years, long before I heard about this. A few years ago, I told my family that i think we should refrain from buying gifts for each other on Christmas, and instead donate the money to charity. My family all thought it was a terrible idea, and even called me a Godless heathen. (In jest, mind you, but still I found it quite ironic).
For the record, I am a former Catholic who drifted comfortably into atheism some ten years ago, although I still celebrate Christmas out of family tradition. Over the years, I became more disgusted with the commercialization of Christmas and realized that it had become a Hallmark Card holiday, having little to do with the core values of Christianity and more to do with retail sales figures all wrapped up in marketable Pagan imagery.
The greatest thing about Christianity to a non-believer like myself is that, even after you strip away the more miraculous elements of the faith, you are left with a central figure in Jesus Christ, who preached love and forgiveness and charity and goodwill to his fellow man. At its best, Christianity is a religion about love and peace and I believe that message is all but lost among far too many of today’s Christians. Anyway, I just want to tell you I think you’re doing a great thing and I hope that more people follow this movement. I’m going to forward this video to everyone I know who celebrates Christmas (including Christians, Catholics, Protestants and even Godless heathens like myself, still bound to the holiday by tradition)”
Keep up the great work!
And Merry Christmas!
Want to know more? Click here
NOTE: More could be said about this person’s take on the core of Christianity at its best. However, I think we would be fools not to listen to her cry for something more. If our redemption does not free us to live at peace with all men and show the love of Christ, which compels us (and causes us to look more like Him in significant ways), then what is our Christianity really all about?
Tags: Christmas, conspiracy
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