It's been awhile. Much too long. Maybe this Spring Break was the kick in the pants I needed to get going again. A much needed change to catalyze a transformation. You see, we're always transforming. My goal is to be transforming to be more like Jesus. But I could just as easily (much more easily, actually) be going the opposite direction. Transforming into something less and less like Jesus. Not what I want.
Enter CityLights, a Spring Break (and summer) program in St. Louis structured to show college students God's heart for the poor and His desire to see every people group reached and loved. A program designed to develop relationships. A program designed to make you uncomfortable. If nothing else, it should certainly succeed in the final aim.
We drove down Saturday morning and were introduced to the facilities, staff, and each other. Sunday morning, we went to the church with which CityLights partners. New City Fellowship is, I suspect, unlike any church you've ever been to. When you're at your church, and you look around at the people sitting near you, they probably look like you. Not so at this church. Its goal is to be multicultural. There is a beauty there. The church is trying to emulate the Holy Trinity in its diversity and unity. Of course it's broken. But the effort and desire are there. The worship was led by Africans in Swahili and French. The message was delivered by a man from Congo (or at least that's what sticks in my brain. I could be wrong on that). Later on in the week, we heard from a white pastor and a black pastor. This church has a substantial population of refugees from several countries. It is living out the Great Commission, which we shouldn't forget explicitly states all nations.
After church, we each went home with a family who had prepared lunch for us. The Baum family took us home to a neighborhood from which they could have afforded to move (many in this church choose to live in these neighborhoods). They introduced us to their nine children currently living in their home; seven were adopted (about a quarter of the church adopts). Wow. That's a couple of huge sacrifices. They were fun kids, mostly well-behaved. But you know there are difficult times. No matter how good kids are, they're still kids. And having nine under your roof only multiplies problems. But they do it for the Lord. They love those kids.
Monday through Thursday was focused on work during the day and learning/teaching/worship in the morning and evening. The whole week, I was working on two urban farms in the city of St. Louis. The first farm was a berm farm. We weeded, moved bricks and plastic, cleaned up, and generally prepared the farm to be utilized by refugees from various countries. The refugees take a farming class from our supervisor to learn to grow crops for themselves and to sell them at the market. The second farm (I was only there the last day) was a raised bed farm for the same organization that we were turning into a berm farm.
The second day at the farm, a family from Jordan who had been through the program came to visit. They had made us baklava and wanted so much to give. That was powerful. On the third day, a group traveling to media conferences around the country volunteered with us for an hour or so. This normally wouldn't be especially interesting, but one of the women was from the United Arab Emirates, and one from Estonia. The three men were from England, Iraq, and Bhutan, and one woman was a professor at the University of Iowa. They told me I was too young to get married, but it was interesting to talk to them nonetheless, as I had never previously met anyone from four of those countries.
The service was awesome. The ability to do God's work by helping refugees put their lives back together after having fled their countries was as valuable to me as I assume it will be to them. You can imagine that the preaching we heard each day was powerful as well. God's heart for the poor and oppressed is all over the Bible. Even though many churches avoid this, there is no escaping it. We're called to take down walls that have been built between cultures for millennia and build bridges between them. You can bet there will be people of all nations, tribes, and tongues praising God together in Heaven. Why not start now? The person least like us is also made in God's image. When we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, care for the sick, visit prisoners, and house the homeless, we are loving Jesus (Matthew 25:34-40).
In Micah 6:8, we are called to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Act justly by treating others fairly in every aspect of life. Take an active role when you see injustice. God calls us to pay special attention to the orphan and widow, the poor and the alien (James 1:27, Jeremiah 22:16, Leviticus 19:33-34). Love mercy by showing compassion to all, even those that deserve the opposite and to our enemies (Matthew 5:43-45, Romans 12:17). Walk with humility. We have no use for pride or arrogance. Without God, we can do nothing (John 15:5). We must acknowledge our need for God, and act out of love and awe for His power, not our own. We have the freedom to boast in our weakness because God glorifies himself through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Let us act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God, praising His Holy name when we succeed and crying out for forgiveness through Jesus when we fail.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Christmas
Let's all try to enjoy Christmas despite the lack of snow on the ground (if you're in Iowa, anyway). As we hustle and bustle about, trying to shop for our loved ones (or maybe you're responsible and have already accomplished this goal), let's not be afraid to put some money in the Salvation Army bucket. An extra $5 on top of the hundreds of dollars we spent on our family and friends probably won't make us miss rent. Here's something interesting I've noticed this Christmas season: I've seen the traditional "Secret Santa" replaced with some other secret thing for two very opposite reasons. To one group of people, Santa represented Christmas (unfortunate in its own right), and the potential to offend people who didn't celebrate Christmas must have seemed too great; they opted for "Secret Snowflakes." The other group believed that Santa absolutely did not represent Christmas, and chose "Secret Angels (which unfortunately loses its beautiful alliteration)."
Every year, Christmas offers the opportunity to rejoice at the birth of our Savior and wonder at the glory of His arrival to Earth. Every year, we see commercials about the amazing sales at every department and retail store. This subtle layer, in addition to the political correctness front, is advancing the war on Christmas. At a young age, we learn that Christmas is about receiving gifts. As we grow, we are tricked into believing that the season is, in fact, about giving. But the mark is still missed. It might be possible to buy love from our friends and family, but we cannot earn the favor of our Lord. His coming (and more importantly, His dying) is a gift we never deserved and can never repay.
Let's never forget the glorious story of His coming. Picture yourself as Mary, a virgin. You are told by an angel that you will conceive a child from the Holy Spirit. A little confusing, right? Virgins can't have babies. But the angel Gabriel explained to Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and be with child. So Mary rejoiced. She would faithfully and humbly carry out God's plan. Luke 1:26-38
Now pretend you're Joseph. You're going to marry Mary (that's kind of funny, isn't it?). You haven't laid with her (let's stick to Biblical language), but she is pregnant. This is grounds for divorce, and you mean to, but an angel appears to you in a dream and tells you who this Child is, where He comes from, and that you should stay with Mary. And because of your faith, you do. Matthew 1:18-25 All this is to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah.
Can you imagine a more humble beginning than being born in a barn? Such was the entrance of God into this world. Word spreads, and people come to see this Child, bringing praise and gifts.....to a baby. Gifts fit for a king, for that is what they understand Him to be. They seek to spread the word to all who will hear and glorify His name. Luke 2:1-20
I'm trying to remind myself that snow is a blessing for Christmas, not a necessity. Other blessings include food, friends, gifts, even family. None of these things are what the season of Christmas is about. Christmas exists for one reason: the Son of God who was to die for our sins came to dwell among us. As we open gifts, share laughs, and appreciate food, let's give thanks to the people who gave, socialized, and provided. But more importantly, let's give thanks to Jesus for coming into our world and preparing for what He came to do. As corny and overused as the phrase is, "He is the reason for the season." God bless and have a Merry Christmas!
Every year, Christmas offers the opportunity to rejoice at the birth of our Savior and wonder at the glory of His arrival to Earth. Every year, we see commercials about the amazing sales at every department and retail store. This subtle layer, in addition to the political correctness front, is advancing the war on Christmas. At a young age, we learn that Christmas is about receiving gifts. As we grow, we are tricked into believing that the season is, in fact, about giving. But the mark is still missed. It might be possible to buy love from our friends and family, but we cannot earn the favor of our Lord. His coming (and more importantly, His dying) is a gift we never deserved and can never repay.
Let's never forget the glorious story of His coming. Picture yourself as Mary, a virgin. You are told by an angel that you will conceive a child from the Holy Spirit. A little confusing, right? Virgins can't have babies. But the angel Gabriel explained to Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and be with child. So Mary rejoiced. She would faithfully and humbly carry out God's plan. Luke 1:26-38
Now pretend you're Joseph. You're going to marry Mary (that's kind of funny, isn't it?). You haven't laid with her (let's stick to Biblical language), but she is pregnant. This is grounds for divorce, and you mean to, but an angel appears to you in a dream and tells you who this Child is, where He comes from, and that you should stay with Mary. And because of your faith, you do. Matthew 1:18-25 All this is to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah.
Can you imagine a more humble beginning than being born in a barn? Such was the entrance of God into this world. Word spreads, and people come to see this Child, bringing praise and gifts.....to a baby. Gifts fit for a king, for that is what they understand Him to be. They seek to spread the word to all who will hear and glorify His name. Luke 2:1-20
I'm trying to remind myself that snow is a blessing for Christmas, not a necessity. Other blessings include food, friends, gifts, even family. None of these things are what the season of Christmas is about. Christmas exists for one reason: the Son of God who was to die for our sins came to dwell among us. As we open gifts, share laughs, and appreciate food, let's give thanks to the people who gave, socialized, and provided. But more importantly, let's give thanks to Jesus for coming into our world and preparing for what He came to do. As corny and overused as the phrase is, "He is the reason for the season." God bless and have a Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Prayer
"I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time--waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God--it changes me." ~C.S. Lewis
Prayer is a powerful thing. It shouldn't have a beginning, or an end. We should always be conversing with our Father. We should always be seeking guidance, offering thanks and praise, and asking for forgiveness. "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. More instruction to pray in every circumstance is found in James 5:13-18. And why wouldn't we want to be in constant contact with our Creator, engaging in a never-ceasing conversation with the One who truly loves us more than we could possibly imagine?
What is the purpose of prayer? To get what we want? No. Prayer is an intimate connection with God. With whom are we able to maintain an intimate relationship without talking? Do we have any relationships in which all we do is ask and receive? In which we never give thanks and serve? Why do we feel that it is acceptable to use God only as a crutch, as our life raft? He is so much more. Prayer changes us. God uses our prayers to comfort and heal, to grow and encourage. Without prayer, our God is distant and cold, but with it, He is present and loving. God uses prayer to transform us to be more like Christ.
Thankfully, we aren't left to figure out prayer on our own. Jesus teaches how to pray in Matthew 6:5-15. We've turned verses 9-13 into the Lord's Prayer, something that we often recite mindlessly. I am frequently guilty of this. It's a tragedy. Mindless prayer isn't any better than no prayer. Jesus said, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." Pray from your heart. Your brain will only get in the way. Be honest with God--He already knows our wants and needs. He's not going to be fooled by our acting.
God makes us a promise. And it's an important one. Important enough that it gets repeated several times. When we ask for something according to God's will and believe He will provide, we will receive that for which we have asked. 1 John 5:14 Mark 11:22-26 James 1:5-8 Notice, in the Lord's Prayer, Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We must believe, and not ask halfheartedly. God asks for our entire selves.
Sometimes it's difficult when it seems like God doesn't answer our prayers. On the night Jesus was betrayed, he pleaded with His Father three times to take His cup from Him, to be delivered from His certain death. But notice that each time, He prayed that His Father's will be done rather than His own. Paul was tormented, and three times asked for a thorn to be removed, but it was God's will to keep it there, as God said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore Paul boasted and rejoiced in his weakness, for through it, God's perfect power was revealed.
I want to continue to encourage everyone and to be encouraged to pray. Our relationship with God is never so good that we can go a day without speaking to Him. Every day we screw up, and must come back to Him to repent and receive forgiveness. Every day we should praise Him and give thanks. Every day we should ask for guidance. Every day we should pray.
One last thing: I highly recommend watching this video. Yeah, it's corny. But it's real. It's powerful.
Prayer is a powerful thing. It shouldn't have a beginning, or an end. We should always be conversing with our Father. We should always be seeking guidance, offering thanks and praise, and asking for forgiveness. "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. More instruction to pray in every circumstance is found in James 5:13-18. And why wouldn't we want to be in constant contact with our Creator, engaging in a never-ceasing conversation with the One who truly loves us more than we could possibly imagine?
What is the purpose of prayer? To get what we want? No. Prayer is an intimate connection with God. With whom are we able to maintain an intimate relationship without talking? Do we have any relationships in which all we do is ask and receive? In which we never give thanks and serve? Why do we feel that it is acceptable to use God only as a crutch, as our life raft? He is so much more. Prayer changes us. God uses our prayers to comfort and heal, to grow and encourage. Without prayer, our God is distant and cold, but with it, He is present and loving. God uses prayer to transform us to be more like Christ.
Thankfully, we aren't left to figure out prayer on our own. Jesus teaches how to pray in Matthew 6:5-15. We've turned verses 9-13 into the Lord's Prayer, something that we often recite mindlessly. I am frequently guilty of this. It's a tragedy. Mindless prayer isn't any better than no prayer. Jesus said, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." Pray from your heart. Your brain will only get in the way. Be honest with God--He already knows our wants and needs. He's not going to be fooled by our acting.
God makes us a promise. And it's an important one. Important enough that it gets repeated several times. When we ask for something according to God's will and believe He will provide, we will receive that for which we have asked. 1 John 5:14 Mark 11:22-26 James 1:5-8 Notice, in the Lord's Prayer, Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We must believe, and not ask halfheartedly. God asks for our entire selves.
Sometimes it's difficult when it seems like God doesn't answer our prayers. On the night Jesus was betrayed, he pleaded with His Father three times to take His cup from Him, to be delivered from His certain death. But notice that each time, He prayed that His Father's will be done rather than His own. Paul was tormented, and three times asked for a thorn to be removed, but it was God's will to keep it there, as God said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore Paul boasted and rejoiced in his weakness, for through it, God's perfect power was revealed.
I want to continue to encourage everyone and to be encouraged to pray. Our relationship with God is never so good that we can go a day without speaking to Him. Every day we screw up, and must come back to Him to repent and receive forgiveness. Every day we should praise Him and give thanks. Every day we should ask for guidance. Every day we should pray.
One last thing: I highly recommend watching this video. Yeah, it's corny. But it's real. It's powerful.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Love
Love's a pretty huge deal, isn't it? Unfortunately, our society has severely limited love. We limit it by allowing it only to relate to romantic relationships. We cheapen it by saying we "love" this food or that toy or that song you heard on the radio the other day that you hadn't heard in years. If only all the meanings for love hadn't been lost in translation. How can such a huge concept be contained in just one word? Chalk it up to another inadequacy of English. The Ancient Greek distinguishes four different meanings for love: agape, eros, philia, and storge.
Agape--This is the greatest of all loves. Agape expresses true and unconditional love. It is the perfect love that God has for us and that we try to reflect here on Earth. After all, God is love. 1 John 4:8 This is the love that causes you to sacrifice for others. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 It is the law, the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:17 Pretty simple. But not easy.
Eros--This is a more romantic love, embodying passion, sensuousness, and desire. This is that spark you feel when you're with the one you love intimately. It is often revealed in dating relationships and marriage--a wonderful feeling to hold onto. Let's head to Song of Songs. There is certainly plenty of eros talk there. And without wasting any time: Song of Songs 1:2-4 Song of Songs 1: 15-16 Trust me, there's plenty more. And I'm guessing this love was conveyed in more ways than writing.
Philia--This is brotherly love. Philadelphia: "city of brotherly love." It's the way we love our friends and family. We want to spend time with them (hopefully) and serve them. We were created to have these types of relationships with one another. Proverbs 17:17 It pleases God to see us fellowship with one another in His name.
Storge--I'm not going to lie: I've never really heard of this one before. But I guess it means affection, like the affection parents will have for their child(ren). "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." Psalms 127:3 Children are a blessing, and we naturally feel affectionate towards them (well, most of us).
There certainly is a lot of love in the Bible. If we love God and love others, we fulfill the law. Loving is exactly what we're called to do. But it isn't always easy. I'm sure there are people in your life that you find difficult to love. But that doesn't make you any less called to love them. In Luke 6:32, Jesus calls us to love ALL. Not just the people we want to love or find it easy to love. We should love our enemies, and pray for them. Matthew 5:44-48 Visit Paul's love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. Dwell in it, soak it up. Love never fails. God is love. God never fails. God hasn't left us alone. He has poured his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 He made the ultimate sacrifice for us--giving His Son, giving Himself. Agape in its truest form. Jesus loved us while we were sinners. He prayed for us. And He died for us. His commands are to love, give, pray. Let's obey.
Agape--This is the greatest of all loves. Agape expresses true and unconditional love. It is the perfect love that God has for us and that we try to reflect here on Earth. After all, God is love. 1 John 4:8 This is the love that causes you to sacrifice for others. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 It is the law, the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:17 Pretty simple. But not easy.
Eros--This is a more romantic love, embodying passion, sensuousness, and desire. This is that spark you feel when you're with the one you love intimately. It is often revealed in dating relationships and marriage--a wonderful feeling to hold onto. Let's head to Song of Songs. There is certainly plenty of eros talk there. And without wasting any time: Song of Songs 1:2-4 Song of Songs 1: 15-16 Trust me, there's plenty more. And I'm guessing this love was conveyed in more ways than writing.
Philia--This is brotherly love. Philadelphia: "city of brotherly love." It's the way we love our friends and family. We want to spend time with them (hopefully) and serve them. We were created to have these types of relationships with one another. Proverbs 17:17 It pleases God to see us fellowship with one another in His name.
Storge--I'm not going to lie: I've never really heard of this one before. But I guess it means affection, like the affection parents will have for their child(ren). "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." Psalms 127:3 Children are a blessing, and we naturally feel affectionate towards them (well, most of us).
There certainly is a lot of love in the Bible. If we love God and love others, we fulfill the law. Loving is exactly what we're called to do. But it isn't always easy. I'm sure there are people in your life that you find difficult to love. But that doesn't make you any less called to love them. In Luke 6:32, Jesus calls us to love ALL. Not just the people we want to love or find it easy to love. We should love our enemies, and pray for them. Matthew 5:44-48 Visit Paul's love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. Dwell in it, soak it up. Love never fails. God is love. God never fails. God hasn't left us alone. He has poured his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 He made the ultimate sacrifice for us--giving His Son, giving Himself. Agape in its truest form. Jesus loved us while we were sinners. He prayed for us. And He died for us. His commands are to love, give, pray. Let's obey.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sex
I could have come up with some interesting title for this post, but "Sex" pretty much gets the job done, doesn't it? It's one of those words you overhear in someone else's conversation that makes you listen for more. It's a topic that can cause excitement, embarrassment, awkwardness, or any number of other emotions depending on the context. I'm going to tackle sex. Wow. There's some awkwardness for you. We'll see how I deal with the other emotions the rest of the way.
Our culture is absolutely obsessed with sex. I'm convinced that without premarital sex, heavy drinking would greatly decrease (at least in the college scene). It's absolutely one of those things that our culture has made an idol. A goal in itself. Man, I can't wait to get some tail tonight. Hopping around from girl to girl (sorry I'm picking on you, guys, but let's face it....I think you know what I'm talking about), thinking you're a stud. Probably not God's picture.
But sex doesn't always have to be evil. "Contrary to [what some believe], sex is not a sin. Contrary to Hugh Hefner, it's not salvation either." ~Frederick Buechner. I don't know who that guy is (it's a quote from the book Kayla and I are using in our premarital class), but I thought that was pretty cool. God didn't create sex to tempt us or to cause us to stumble. That's what we've made it to be. He created it to glorify Himself. He created it for our pleasure. He created it for us to multiply. He created it to strengthen a marriage bond.
Let's look at God's purposes for sex. The marriage consummation: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." ~Genesis 2:24. It serves to further unify a married couple. Just one more step in making sure the vows to love one another til death do them part are fulfilled. This sexual relationship must be more than physical. God didn't prescribe hook-ups. It must also be emotional. But is must be more than emotional as well. Loving your boyfriend isn't enough reason to participate in sex with him. After all, the two of you are made one flesh. How many people can you become one with? Some certainly seek to find out exactly how many. What I'm getting at is it must be a spiritual experience as well. It might be kind of weird at first to think that God is also involved in this activity (there's some more awkwardness for ya), but it's true. He created it. It is used to glorify Him through a physical display of a man's love for his wife and a woman's love for her husband. Marital sex is the only form of sex God desires for us. Because whether or not we understand it, God's commands serve His purposes.
How about children. Everyone loves babies (and if you don't, now's a good time to hold your tongue)! "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.'" ~Genesis 1:28. Have children. Boom. That's a purpose for sex. God uses it to create more of us! "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." ~Ps. 127: 3-5. I can't really say it much better than that, so I won't try. But look at some pictures of babies and you'll be excited!
What is the most pursued thing in this world? Pleasure. Yep, sex can do that for you, too (this is the part where you're either excited or embarrassed. Maybe both, secretly). "May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer--may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love." ~Prov. 5:18-19. Not enough evidence? Read Songs of Solomon. That dude liked breasts. Sex is pleasurable. If it weren't, there wouldn't be so much of it. But God created us for pleasure. Ultimately, we are to take our pleasure in Him. Again, sex glorifies God (when used appropriately). So when you're having sex (awkward), don't make it your god, but lift it up to God. Praise Him for the beautiful wife you hold and thank Him for the experiences you share.
Sex in marriage isn't evil, or something to hide. I mean, don't do it in public, but don't be embarrassed that it's happening. "The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a short time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." ~1 Corinthians 7:2-5. There it is. Paul is telling married couples to have sex. It serves God's purposes. It allows us to focus on Him. It should happen regularly. Frequent sex with your spouse will help prevent yearnings for adultery. We are sinful creatures, and if not satisfied by our spouse, we will seek this pleasure elsewhere.
Sex is a glorious thing. After all, God created it for His good. I hope you all felt excited, embarrassed, and awkward. Sounds like the description of any good wedding night. Just don't be fooled into thinking that (marital) sex is a sin or salvation. Keep in mind God's purposes. Share with someone your struggles. It's not an easy fight. Whether you're struggling giving up sex with your boyfriend or a guy that struggles with pornography, I guarantee you there's a strong Christian that was once in your shoes. Talk to me. Let me love you. Let someone else love you. Do not be afraid to share your sin. They have no power to judge you, and your only Judge already knows. Repent, learn, seek. It's a journey well-traveled. Sex is a powerful tool, whether we allow it to be wielded by God or Satan. Give God the power. Find your strength in Him. Trust and follow His commands, and you will glorify Him.
Our culture is absolutely obsessed with sex. I'm convinced that without premarital sex, heavy drinking would greatly decrease (at least in the college scene). It's absolutely one of those things that our culture has made an idol. A goal in itself. Man, I can't wait to get some tail tonight. Hopping around from girl to girl (sorry I'm picking on you, guys, but let's face it....I think you know what I'm talking about), thinking you're a stud. Probably not God's picture.
But sex doesn't always have to be evil. "Contrary to [what some believe], sex is not a sin. Contrary to Hugh Hefner, it's not salvation either." ~Frederick Buechner. I don't know who that guy is (it's a quote from the book Kayla and I are using in our premarital class), but I thought that was pretty cool. God didn't create sex to tempt us or to cause us to stumble. That's what we've made it to be. He created it to glorify Himself. He created it for our pleasure. He created it for us to multiply. He created it to strengthen a marriage bond.
Let's look at God's purposes for sex. The marriage consummation: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." ~Genesis 2:24. It serves to further unify a married couple. Just one more step in making sure the vows to love one another til death do them part are fulfilled. This sexual relationship must be more than physical. God didn't prescribe hook-ups. It must also be emotional. But is must be more than emotional as well. Loving your boyfriend isn't enough reason to participate in sex with him. After all, the two of you are made one flesh. How many people can you become one with? Some certainly seek to find out exactly how many. What I'm getting at is it must be a spiritual experience as well. It might be kind of weird at first to think that God is also involved in this activity (there's some more awkwardness for ya), but it's true. He created it. It is used to glorify Him through a physical display of a man's love for his wife and a woman's love for her husband. Marital sex is the only form of sex God desires for us. Because whether or not we understand it, God's commands serve His purposes.
How about children. Everyone loves babies (and if you don't, now's a good time to hold your tongue)! "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.'" ~Genesis 1:28. Have children. Boom. That's a purpose for sex. God uses it to create more of us! "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." ~Ps. 127: 3-5. I can't really say it much better than that, so I won't try. But look at some pictures of babies and you'll be excited!
What is the most pursued thing in this world? Pleasure. Yep, sex can do that for you, too (this is the part where you're either excited or embarrassed. Maybe both, secretly). "May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer--may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love." ~Prov. 5:18-19. Not enough evidence? Read Songs of Solomon. That dude liked breasts. Sex is pleasurable. If it weren't, there wouldn't be so much of it. But God created us for pleasure. Ultimately, we are to take our pleasure in Him. Again, sex glorifies God (when used appropriately). So when you're having sex (awkward), don't make it your god, but lift it up to God. Praise Him for the beautiful wife you hold and thank Him for the experiences you share.
Sex in marriage isn't evil, or something to hide. I mean, don't do it in public, but don't be embarrassed that it's happening. "The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a short time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." ~1 Corinthians 7:2-5. There it is. Paul is telling married couples to have sex. It serves God's purposes. It allows us to focus on Him. It should happen regularly. Frequent sex with your spouse will help prevent yearnings for adultery. We are sinful creatures, and if not satisfied by our spouse, we will seek this pleasure elsewhere.
Sex is a glorious thing. After all, God created it for His good. I hope you all felt excited, embarrassed, and awkward. Sounds like the description of any good wedding night. Just don't be fooled into thinking that (marital) sex is a sin or salvation. Keep in mind God's purposes. Share with someone your struggles. It's not an easy fight. Whether you're struggling giving up sex with your boyfriend or a guy that struggles with pornography, I guarantee you there's a strong Christian that was once in your shoes. Talk to me. Let me love you. Let someone else love you. Do not be afraid to share your sin. They have no power to judge you, and your only Judge already knows. Repent, learn, seek. It's a journey well-traveled. Sex is a powerful tool, whether we allow it to be wielded by God or Satan. Give God the power. Find your strength in Him. Trust and follow His commands, and you will glorify Him.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Be the Good Samaritan
Last night, I gave a sermon at BASIC, our large group gathering for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Coe College. These first four weeks, we've been focusing on our chapter's vision: transforming, missional, reconciling, and hospitable. This being the fourth week, it was a hospitable evening. We arranged the furniture of the student union to feel more welcoming. Some of us bought or brought food (because who doesn't feel at home when they're eating?). We had blankets and pillows. We worshiped. It was a beautiful night, with God's presence abounding.
After food, singing, a testimony, and a skit, it was time for the message. I chose the passage of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37. The expert in the law was asking Jesus what he had to do to get into Heaven. Jesus asked what the Law said. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself. But this expert wanted more. "Who is my neighbor?" he asked. Basically, what's the least I have to do to get into Heaven? Isn't that the question most of us are asking? How much of my own path can I follow, and how little of God's, so that I'll still get into Heaven? And then Jesus dives into what he does second best (after dying for our sins): he tells a parable.
Take the time to read it (it's linked, like a lot of things later on). Even if you know it by heart. Don't be fooled into thinking God can't reveal a little more of Himself in the places you'd least expect. You've read it? Good. Now what keeps us from helping people? Inconvenience? Busyness? Laziness? Selfishness? Fear? Lack of knowledge/ability? Let me tell you something: I'm frequently guilty of all of these things. I depend on the forgiveness God has extended through the blood of His Son.
Look at the priest and Levite. They didn't want to get dirty. It was inconvenient. Maybe they were hurrying to get to the 4:30 showing of Charlton Heston's The Ten Commandments. Maybe they were thinking, "Awwww, man! If I help that dying dude, I'd become ritually unclean and have to spend time going through the purification process to be able to rejoin society." Clearly, the right thing to do would have been to help this desperate man, but these two "good" men passed him by. Fortunately, the Samaritan (who might I remind you, probably wasn't a huge fan of Jews. A bit of cultural friction there) thought this man's life was worth missing that movie.
Do you believe God has a plan for your day? Is it possible that the second you wake up in the morning, God's knows exactly what He would have you do? And if you're getting up late, maybe you've already missed a couple hours of His plan. *wink* Could he put you in a position to save a half dead man? Maybe you have the ability to feed someone who goes to bed hungry every night. See that pregnant woman toting a toddler? Hold the door for her. It could be as simple as saying, "Hi. How are ya?" to that person you didn't even know needed that today. We don't know what opportunities He'll give us each day, but we have to be willing to act. We are His hands and feet. Each and every person, no matter how insignificant we deem them, means the world to our Father. Helping others is helping God. He says so in Matthew 25:34-30.
Another question is how much do we have to help? The Samaritan offered his time, then his material goods, and finally his essentially uncapped financial resources. He was willing to do anything it took to care for that man. God certainly spared no expense for us, offering His Son to die the death we rightly deserve.
Remember the Golden Rule? You probably learned it in elementary school. Do to other people what you want them to do to you. Guess where you can find that. Yep. The Bible. Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. So how do you want to be treated? Or a better question: How do you want your loved ones to be treated? Your mother or father? Brother or sister? Son or daughter? How would you feel to find that as they lay dying, someone passed by on the other side of the road because it was inconvenient? Every person you come across is someone's loved one. Someone's parent, sibling, or child. And even when there's no one on this Earth who loves them, their Father loves them immeasurably.
In His Book, God made it fairly clear that we are to be hospitable and love others. Peter and Paul (in Romans) tell us we are to love. You know what the great thing about love is? It never runs out. The expert figured out that the Samaritan was the neighbor to the dying man, the one who exhibited love. As Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
After food, singing, a testimony, and a skit, it was time for the message. I chose the passage of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37. The expert in the law was asking Jesus what he had to do to get into Heaven. Jesus asked what the Law said. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself. But this expert wanted more. "Who is my neighbor?" he asked. Basically, what's the least I have to do to get into Heaven? Isn't that the question most of us are asking? How much of my own path can I follow, and how little of God's, so that I'll still get into Heaven? And then Jesus dives into what he does second best (after dying for our sins): he tells a parable.
Take the time to read it (it's linked, like a lot of things later on). Even if you know it by heart. Don't be fooled into thinking God can't reveal a little more of Himself in the places you'd least expect. You've read it? Good. Now what keeps us from helping people? Inconvenience? Busyness? Laziness? Selfishness? Fear? Lack of knowledge/ability? Let me tell you something: I'm frequently guilty of all of these things. I depend on the forgiveness God has extended through the blood of His Son.
Look at the priest and Levite. They didn't want to get dirty. It was inconvenient. Maybe they were hurrying to get to the 4:30 showing of Charlton Heston's The Ten Commandments. Maybe they were thinking, "Awwww, man! If I help that dying dude, I'd become ritually unclean and have to spend time going through the purification process to be able to rejoin society." Clearly, the right thing to do would have been to help this desperate man, but these two "good" men passed him by. Fortunately, the Samaritan (who might I remind you, probably wasn't a huge fan of Jews. A bit of cultural friction there) thought this man's life was worth missing that movie.
Do you believe God has a plan for your day? Is it possible that the second you wake up in the morning, God's knows exactly what He would have you do? And if you're getting up late, maybe you've already missed a couple hours of His plan. *wink* Could he put you in a position to save a half dead man? Maybe you have the ability to feed someone who goes to bed hungry every night. See that pregnant woman toting a toddler? Hold the door for her. It could be as simple as saying, "Hi. How are ya?" to that person you didn't even know needed that today. We don't know what opportunities He'll give us each day, but we have to be willing to act. We are His hands and feet. Each and every person, no matter how insignificant we deem them, means the world to our Father. Helping others is helping God. He says so in Matthew 25:34-30.
Another question is how much do we have to help? The Samaritan offered his time, then his material goods, and finally his essentially uncapped financial resources. He was willing to do anything it took to care for that man. God certainly spared no expense for us, offering His Son to die the death we rightly deserve.
Remember the Golden Rule? You probably learned it in elementary school. Do to other people what you want them to do to you. Guess where you can find that. Yep. The Bible. Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. So how do you want to be treated? Or a better question: How do you want your loved ones to be treated? Your mother or father? Brother or sister? Son or daughter? How would you feel to find that as they lay dying, someone passed by on the other side of the road because it was inconvenient? Every person you come across is someone's loved one. Someone's parent, sibling, or child. And even when there's no one on this Earth who loves them, their Father loves them immeasurably.
In His Book, God made it fairly clear that we are to be hospitable and love others. Peter and Paul (in Romans) tell us we are to love. You know what the great thing about love is? It never runs out. The expert figured out that the Samaritan was the neighbor to the dying man, the one who exhibited love. As Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
Monday, September 12, 2011
My Story
Everyone has a story. Mine isn't particularly exciting. I didn't get into drugs and hit rock bottom--spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically--to be scooped up in Jesus' arms and carried into the realm of salvation. I don't have a Josh Hamilton story (but here's his. Really, read it). I don't even have one of those college experience stories. I didn't meet Jesus for the first time through a Gideon or college ministry group. The way my life looks to the outside world didn't change. What many people fail to realize, though, is that I needed saving just as much as anyone else.
If you asked most non-Christians what was wrong with me, they probably wouldn't be able to find much (physical appearance and intelligence aside). They might consider me a "good" person. But what does that mean? Because they can't see my sins, they believe them to be nonexistent, and that is far from the truth.
I grew up in a Christian household, attending an Episcopal church every Sunday. Even from a young age, I generally thought myself to be righteous. I was fooled into believing society's definition of good rather than the Bible's. I was a "good" kid. I listened to my parents and teachers, and wasn't a jerk to people. As I got older, I stayed away from alcohol, drugs, and sex. And if you listen to the world, that's plenty enough.
But it isn't. For me, discovering this was a slow process. It's hard to admit that you're not good enough, isn't it? It's difficult to tell yourself you're not worthy. But anything else we tell ourselves is a lie. "For the wages of sin is death." ~Romans 6:23. However, the verse continues. "But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Jesus was our perfect sacrifice. In His perfection, He was worthy to take on our sin. Although this is something that is beaten into our heads from an early age, it takes a little more effort to truly understand it.
So of course I stood and sang hymns every week, praying when the service commanded. And I thought I got it. But I didn't. God demands more from us. In my later high school years, I began to creep closer. My priest, Martha Kester, took me under her wing, and we dove into Joshua. But then I moved on to college, a true test for many Christians.
I never was really tempted to join the college partying scene. Even without my beliefs, it's not something I would find attractive. But moving away from home for the first time makes it difficult to hold onto your faith. Fortunately for me, InterVarsity, a Christian fellowship group, had a chapter at Coe. Naturally, I got involved. At first, it was more of the same. I'd go through the motions, always attending large group and Bible study, but never really getting more than a smug satisfaction that I had done what was required of me. But eventually, I would accept the challenge God had been waving in front of my face for years to enter a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. For the first time, I began to have a consistent time to read the Bible, pray, and just be with God. And it's amazing how much more spiritually full I feel. There's a distinction to be made between knowing and believing. For years, I had known that Jesus Christ died for my sins. But every day, I understand it a little better and have come to truly believe. Like any relationship, yours with God must be nurtured. It requires effort. It requires time. But I promise that the returns are so much more than the costs (there's my economics background popping up. Don't worry, I'll suffocate it). Isn't an eternity with our Holy Father worth so much more than our finite time or other resources on this Earth?
God continues to reveal Himself to me, a little each day. He's blessed me with a wonderful family, amazing friends, and a beautiful, incredible, altogether lovable fiance. But so much greater than any of these is His greatest blessing of all: His Son. When I think about what He has done for me--no, not just think, but dwell, meditate, reflect, ponder, wonder--I am often brought to tears. Tears of joy with the knowledge that Jesus has defeated my sin and my death. Now my task is to continually seek Him and to remain in Him.
Do I still screw up? ALL THE TIME. God isn't asking us for perfection. He gave us the perfect offering. All we have to do is accept it. I can't make myself good, clean, or holy. But there is One who has been given to us who makes us presentable to our Father. And He loves me (and you, too) beyond all measure.
If you asked most non-Christians what was wrong with me, they probably wouldn't be able to find much (physical appearance and intelligence aside). They might consider me a "good" person. But what does that mean? Because they can't see my sins, they believe them to be nonexistent, and that is far from the truth.
I grew up in a Christian household, attending an Episcopal church every Sunday. Even from a young age, I generally thought myself to be righteous. I was fooled into believing society's definition of good rather than the Bible's. I was a "good" kid. I listened to my parents and teachers, and wasn't a jerk to people. As I got older, I stayed away from alcohol, drugs, and sex. And if you listen to the world, that's plenty enough.
But it isn't. For me, discovering this was a slow process. It's hard to admit that you're not good enough, isn't it? It's difficult to tell yourself you're not worthy. But anything else we tell ourselves is a lie. "For the wages of sin is death." ~Romans 6:23. However, the verse continues. "But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Jesus was our perfect sacrifice. In His perfection, He was worthy to take on our sin. Although this is something that is beaten into our heads from an early age, it takes a little more effort to truly understand it.
So of course I stood and sang hymns every week, praying when the service commanded. And I thought I got it. But I didn't. God demands more from us. In my later high school years, I began to creep closer. My priest, Martha Kester, took me under her wing, and we dove into Joshua. But then I moved on to college, a true test for many Christians.
I never was really tempted to join the college partying scene. Even without my beliefs, it's not something I would find attractive. But moving away from home for the first time makes it difficult to hold onto your faith. Fortunately for me, InterVarsity, a Christian fellowship group, had a chapter at Coe. Naturally, I got involved. At first, it was more of the same. I'd go through the motions, always attending large group and Bible study, but never really getting more than a smug satisfaction that I had done what was required of me. But eventually, I would accept the challenge God had been waving in front of my face for years to enter a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. For the first time, I began to have a consistent time to read the Bible, pray, and just be with God. And it's amazing how much more spiritually full I feel. There's a distinction to be made between knowing and believing. For years, I had known that Jesus Christ died for my sins. But every day, I understand it a little better and have come to truly believe. Like any relationship, yours with God must be nurtured. It requires effort. It requires time. But I promise that the returns are so much more than the costs (there's my economics background popping up. Don't worry, I'll suffocate it). Isn't an eternity with our Holy Father worth so much more than our finite time or other resources on this Earth?
God continues to reveal Himself to me, a little each day. He's blessed me with a wonderful family, amazing friends, and a beautiful, incredible, altogether lovable fiance. But so much greater than any of these is His greatest blessing of all: His Son. When I think about what He has done for me--no, not just think, but dwell, meditate, reflect, ponder, wonder--I am often brought to tears. Tears of joy with the knowledge that Jesus has defeated my sin and my death. Now my task is to continually seek Him and to remain in Him.
Do I still screw up? ALL THE TIME. God isn't asking us for perfection. He gave us the perfect offering. All we have to do is accept it. I can't make myself good, clean, or holy. But there is One who has been given to us who makes us presentable to our Father. And He loves me (and you, too) beyond all measure.
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