Maybe who I am
Is not all I could be
Maybe who I
Could be
Would be
So much more
Than the shallow
Depth I feel.
I know I am
Not my own
That a calling
Heart ready,
Wants this growing
This holy
Endeavor to
Dig deep
Never sever
Never surrender
In my knowing
The spirit prompts
Me in my going…
And so I go.
“What do I Stand For?” -Absolute Truth
Yesterday I received some criticism for my view on heaven and hell; essentially that I believe that there is such a place. Coupled with the fact that we are people who must accept the consequences of the decisions we make. Every action has an equal reaction. Choice = Consequences. I was accused of circular thinking…was Newton in his laws thinking circularly too?
I’m not here to criticize or judge others…that has never and will never be my place. Here’s my thought on heaven and hell for the atheist. If there is no God, then what is there to lose to believe? By that I mean, if there’s nothing at stake at the end of human life then why not believe? Flipping the coin isn’t there so much more to lose if there actually is a God and we chose not to explore, not to believe then we are at fault…I am at fault?
I don’t perceive to know what the afterlife will be like, but I believe there is one! As far as other religions go, was I condemning them yesterday? No. But throughout all of humanity and our history, who other than Jesus Christ came to show Love? Who other than Christ came to redeem and actually called Himself the Son of God? Jesus even said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6) He didn’t say I am ONE of the ways, but THE way. Jesus came for the entire world, not (and especially not) for the religiously legalistic, He came for those seeking. In fact His own people rejected Him, and the Gentiles became recipients of His grace. You can shoot holes in that all day, but the fact of the matter is that God never has given up on humanity. He never will!
This brings me to my topic of conversation for today.
What do I stand for? I stand for Absolute Truth.
There are those within our culture that will say that truth is relative, that when you boil down situational issues in life, one person’s truth may be another person’s non-truth. But does that negate evidence that there is truth in our world? The common question we must ask in this pursuit of truth is this; “What is truth?” What do you believe truth to be?
If we look to science one can find this principle in action when we consider what the freezing point and the boiling point of things are can’t we? This would be evidence of definitive proof that there is a law of absolutes already in place in our universe. When Jesus made the claim that He was the way and the truth, He meant it. Despite the fact that there are those who would re-write history to make it more palatable, one thing exists that cannot be shaken despite revisionists attempts. Absolute truth will stand. I don’t need to defend it, people have studied sociology, theology and many ‘ologies’ and if you hold to any kind of chaos theory if one were to boil it down it just doesn’t make sense.
Where did everything come from? Unlike Stephen Hawking who insists that the universal ‘big bang’ took place without the presence of a God or an outside force…my question would be how did all of these elements come to be in the first place? How did a molecule or the first form of life become something else? If we look at this notion we begin to realize it is all theory and none of it can be proven. I’m not saying that I’m anywhere near as smart as Hawking by any means, and you can call me ignorant or a fool or anything else you would like but I believe with my whole heart that there is an absolute truth in this Universe and His name is I AM…God.
What do I stand for? I believe in absolute truth, I believe in order of the universe. I believe we were all created for a purpose and not by accident, and I believe this world is full of hope and potential that reaches far beyond our physical lives…all because of this one absolute Truth that governs our world.
What do you stand for?
I enjoy discussions about differences and varying views, I’m not here to judge or shout down anyone…I’m just calling it how I believe God has shown me, and I believe in His truth.
From safety to security (Poem)
I look out of my window
through panes of glass
the blur
warbling images
as I glace from side
to side.
The light parades
itself
dancing to the
jostling rotation
of this God breathed
earth.
From inside
safe and sound
perhaps more in
mind
than in body.
Reality – outside
bleeds darker shades
crimson blending
into the soil.
Heart ache
well within reach
yet, if I close my eyes
I can
make believe
it doesn’t exist
safe behind my tempered glass.
But glancing
from side to side
eyes wide
taking it all in
it would be a sin
to ignore it.
A sin to make believe
it isn’t there.
A sin to stay…
to remain seated
safe and sound
in my little corner…
Something within me
beyond me
beckons
that I should go.
He beckons
that I should act.
“Oh Lord,
I have little strength
how can I do
what you would me do?”
And from my little corner
peering out
I hear Him say;
“My child who says
you should use
your strength?
for yours would
but a fraction be,
a second
in an hours time…
I will go with you.
My strength I
will impart
to you,
I will walk before,
beside and behind…
you will never be left alone.”
Now…
I am on the outside,
at times uncertain…
not of His presence
and power
but of where
He will lead
me next
for I go,
not in my strength
but in the One
who
beckons me onward.
In my ‘Nows’, not my ‘Whens’. (Poem)
When all else fails
when the engine light is on
when it putters, spews, coughs a death rattled breath
then lets go…I will begin to comprehend my worth.
When the paint, pealed and cracking on the barn
crumbling and falling down
speaks of yesterdays who are now
older than Moses and all of the
Red seas’ partings,
the falling loaves from heaven
and the sinning ways of the blind
when the earth gives ways to swallow
me whole…then I will find my way again.
When does when come again?
What is there in a terminal world
to cling to like a single hand grip
from plunging cliff?
What foothold do I have left within
all of my resources?
I am nothing.
I am but a wisp of vapor
trailing on a breeze…defenseless
and like Isaiah, when confronted with perfection
I am a broken man with muck and filth to my name.
When…maybe before the ‘when’…
as it turns a shade of gray in between
the ‘Now’, I will clasp onto YOU.
Dear God, who never lets a foot slip.
Jehovah who comes and claims His own.
The solitary stable Rock in a mudslidden world…
Never in my ‘Whens’ but may it be in my ‘Nows’
that I run to you…and embrace all there is
and grasp all there is
so that Holiness replaces brokenness
whole restores the shattered…
And I am in You.
War…half-time
taking another ounce
sweet precious ounce
one more drop of strength
my knees begin to give way
buckled as strength
runs for the exits…
whispering another prayer
beneath my breath
as the din of sorrow weigh
elephant heavy upon me.
Some good men stand for moments
others for countless years
all depending on a strength they neither
posses or pretended to from the start.
Every fragment of life, a gift
sometimes left hidden and unopened
under the tree, with crimson bow
still attached like drops of blood
from the cross so long ago.
What is it that I comprehend, if not
for His suffering and life giving?
Can the temporal glimpse
eternal…just slivers of hope,
a fraction of glory?
I stand here, battered
fight weary, arms like rubber
feet like concrete…yet we are
far from finished.
What do I stand for? (Day 1 of 5 Selfishness/Selflessness)
What do I stand for? The music video linked here by ‘Fun.’ asks a very good question, and within the context of living as Kingdom people, followers of Christ, this question begs an answer in all of us! If we are truly honest with ourselves we have asked this question a time or two. This question encompasses a whole spectrum of things from political beliefs and ideologies to intrinsic ethical and moral convictions of our personal worldviews. This question can be a very existential pondering. For when we ask this solitary question, other questions in the sequence of our lives beg to be asked as well.
Automatically, when thinking about what we stand for, we will recall the ‘golden rule’; “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”. And certainly this is applicable, but what is it that we would like others to do unto us? Love us? Yes. Treat us fairly? Check. Be honest? Certainly. Be kind? Absolutely. All of these qualities and more is what we would have others do to us.
Enter Selfishness:
We hold to those truths listed above for others, but what about the way we treat other people? Do we treat others the same way? All too often we peer through rose colored glasses in how we treat others but if we were to look harder at our motives and intentions, we would quickly realize that many times we do things that will benefit us. If there isn’t something in it for us, then we quickly lose interest and pursue things more self-involved and self-fulfilled. Selfishness is our down fall most of the time. If we aren’t fulfilled by the things we do, then no one will be fulfilled. This is our old sinful self that is rearing its ugly head. If there was a weakness in the Christian armor, the chinks in the armor would be selfishness and pride. If we let our selfishness reign supreme in our decisions and in our lifestyles then we aren’t fulfilling our calling as Christ-followers. Selflessness and Selfishness cannot take up the same space within our hearts; it’s either one or the other. This is the crux of our world today, many of our sin issues that is crumbling any sense of morality comes from our pursuit of selfishness.
What Does Selflessness look like?
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 (NIV)
If we stand for Christ and for what He seeks to do for the lost in our world then we must become servants and serve! Becoming a servant of Christ isn’t easy, and it never will be if we still operate from our old selfishness. Before we knew Christ we were consumed by this selfishness. Now that we know Him and identify with His suffering we too must stand for more than just ourselves. That old operating system of self cannot and will not lead others to God. It will only perpetuate that sinful selfish cycle that this world is so used to. What Christ did, was turn selfishness on its head. What He asks of us as Sons and daughters of God is to follow in His footsteps as we fulfill that great commission:
“ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
When we ‘go’ we are called to leave our selfishness behind. This, from the start is where we begin this journey of what we stand for!
TO BE CONTINUED….
Like a television series, imagine the old announcer say, “Tune in tomorrow, we’ll explore ‘Standing for God’s justice’.”
Coming Soon: “What Do I Stand For?”
Next week…I will write a series on “what do I stand for”.
Check it out and let me know what you think!
I believe this is such a pivotal subject that its helpful to discuss it, explore it and actually live it, because without action the words on a page or blog are just empty…my goal has always been to live what I preach.
So tune in Monday…so to speak, and join me in this dialogue on “What Do I Stand For?”
“I Don’t Care!”
This is my biggest pet peeve in my house. I have a pre-teen boy, and his teenage brother, and both of them use this phrase all of the time. It drives me absolutely crazy! To me, it speaks of an apathetic life style that I can not tolerate in my life or the lives of those whom I love. The world, unfortunately, has far too many people who are apathetic to circumstances and other people.
To me one of the worst qualities in our culture currently isn’t hatred, lust, or envy, it’s apathy. From this one faulty characteristic flows all of the rest of that which is broken in our fallen world. The “I don’t care” mentality strikes and literally breaks the heart of God. I believe this to be absolutely true especially in the Church.
If the church, of all places, cultivates an “I don’t care” mentality then its doors should just close today, because with it dependence on God evaporates. With this mentality intact inside the doors of the church, it becomes the church of Satan. Harsh words? Of course, but isn’t that what Satan wants most from those who are Christ-followers; to quit, to stop caring, to give up the fight?
I’m not sure about you, but I never want to embrace the “I don’t care” mentality. Because to do so, I give up that which does matter, and the One the does care…for me, and the rest of this world.
I DO CARE! Should be our motto when faced with this apathetic attitude even within us. I DO CARE, because God cared for me even before I knew Him. I DO CARE, because I didn’t deserve redemption yet Christ gives it to me freely! I DO CARE, because I have been charged by Christ within the great commission to care for those who still needs to hear the good news!
Why do you care? Praise God for simple reminders, and those moments of conviction in all of us! I DO CARE, how about you?
Live Responsibly!
What does ‘Live Responsibly’ look like in this life?
Driving, at times can be relaxing…when there aren’t other drivers on the road that is…which is obviously very rare. Other times when we drive there are drivers which test our patience am i right? The driver behind is riding your bumper and thinks you’re driving too slow, speed up and you become just like the driver behind you and get annoyed with the slower driver in front of you. It’s a never ending cycle of frustration. Isn’t it interesting that colds and virus’ aren’t the only things that are contagious? Don’t believe me? Just hang out with a person who is always sour long enough and you too will become sour. Spend time with one who is constantly angry and you too will find your temper (and blood pressure) becoming higher. Emotions and attitudes are also contagious. The opposite is also true. Spend time with a loving and level headed person and soon you will long to act and behave in that same manner.
I’m reminded of the beer commercials during sporting events that reminds us to ‘Drink Responsibly’…I’d like to adapt that concept, not for the consumption of alcohol, but rather for living our day to day lives…we ought to LIVE Responsibly! After all, who is responsible for the choices we make? We Are! You and I are responsible! We can’t shy away from the fact that when we make choices, we have to live with the consequences. We can’t blame others for the destinations of our choices. We have to take responsibility for our lives…we have to live responsibly!
It is true that we shouldn’t live by our emotions, but at the same time we ought to be wise in the company that we keep. After all we are responsible for our actions not someone else. When we live responsibly we start to recognize the triggers that can set us on a path that can and will lead to our destruction. When we live responsibly we begin to grasp just a fragment of what’s at stake in this life.
What living responsibly isn’t:
1) Boring
Living responsibly doesn’t mean we can’t have fun or enjoy life, in fact the opposite is true. When we live responsibly we will not only grasp the importance in life but also enjoy life a little more…maybe we laugh a little deeper, we relish the company of healthy influences and we invest in its enjoyment.
2) We stop risking
Sorry, that’s not true either. When we live responsibly we take calculated risks but in different ways. No longer are we not thinking of the consequences but we are taking risks for others. By that I mean we will extend ourselves to others who might need positive change in their lives but they don’t recognize it yet. In our Christian worldview that means we are sharing the love of Christ with those who haven’t heard or experienced it yet. We take risks for others instead of ourselves…these types of risks are far more rewarding and far reaching that the risks with selfish desires attached.
3) We lose friends
Perhaps this is a half truth, because when we live responsibly we will find that some friends will simply walk away from us…but we will also gain friendships with deeper ties and firmer foundations. Living responsibly (as a Christian) will force us to put on godly lenses in our living and lifestyles. When we do, and we recognize the paths that God wishes us to travel on, we too will be joined by other sojourners on the journey. This comradely will impact our lives like nothing before it. The fellowship of believers is something everyone needs, and a sense of belonging will stem from these relationships.
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:12-15 NIV)
Living Responsibly will impact not just our lives but the lives of those around us…so how about it? Will you allow the infection and emotions of others to effect you, or will you take the initiative to impact your world for God? The choice falls to us…no one can force us to take this bold step of faith. Live it out loud and take this great leap of faith for yourself and for others!
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
The closets and chest of drawers
When the rusted cut of coffee
slices through
tetnus express, I embrace
what I cannot change.
When morning breaks the mourning
of the weeping soul I left in the closet
last night, I will embrace
the embers of
the smoldering tribe.
Placing delicate fingers
retracing precious memories
the dust covered photo books
could never measure up
something tangible
something credible
If only I could touch the light
that dances off of the dust
dancing to the breeze
of my movements.
Yet, stuffing my demons
back into the chest of drawers
catching fingers along the way
I am content to remove
the cobwebs from my soul
and start again.
Pastor's Ponderings 