Monday, January 30, 2017
Response to Simon Sinek, by Aaron
As I watched the interview with Simon Sinek, I grabbed a scrap sheet of paper and began to write down multiple notes as he basically diagnosed the heart of a Millennial. Sinek broke down four characteristics of the Millennial generation including parenting, technology, impatience, and environment. All four of these characteristics in one way or another, really hit home for me.
Luckily the Lord gave me God-fearing parents that have taught me the best they could. My father really pushed me to be a leader and showed me that Christ should be the center of my life and then being a husband/father should be my next priority. My mother taught me to always focus on the Lord, and follow the path He has laid for me. I can say that I do feel “pressure” to be the best father and husband in the world and to never do wrong. I want to shield my children from all the hard times that they are going to face, because I want them to have a care-free life. I want to be the perfect husband to my wife, and never argue. Then real life sets in, my flesh takes over and it seems I sin every day against my family. The only person that “perfect” belongs in a sentence with is Jesus. He gives me grace every day, as do my wife and son. I really took to heart what Simon was saying though in terms of the generation we as Millennials are raising as well. If the generation parenting the Millennials was messed up, then I have to think the generation the Millennials are raising is going to be jacked if leaders do not rise up. I am especially calling out the Father’s of my generation (including me).
Technology and impatience for me were the two categories that really spoke to my spirit. I constantly have my cell phone on me at all times. My phone charges beside my bed (I have an alarm clock, yet I still use my phone as the alarm). When my wife and I go out on a date, we always take our phones with us. We make an effort not to be on our phones during our date, but Simon makes a great point that we would interact more if we left them at home. My wife and I will sometimes bury ourselves on our phones after work to relax, and our son is playing with his toys as we somewhat ignore him. What are we teaching him? How many hours of interaction have I lost with my child because of these distractions we call technology.
I have a computer that is probably 6 or 7 years old. Before I watched the interview, I was yelling at my computer because it took a long time to load. In real time it probably took like 2 minutes or so to load everything. My wife and I were discussing buying a new computer, because we thought it was running slow. We are used to pages loading in less than 10 seconds. We were discussing getting Amazon Prime because of the two day shipping. We need that new shirt and that new DVD we bought as soon as possible. Yet, we have 50 other DVDs sitting on the shelf and a closet full of shirts. With so much of this amazing technology, it is easy to see why impatience has risen. The first part of the “love chapter (Corinthians 13: 4-8) says that “love is patient”. In scripture it says that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). So let’s plug it all in; If God is the equivalent of love, and love is the equivalent of patience, then God obviously equals patience. If we as believers are to become more like the Father, than we need to start praying for our nation to become more patient. I feel as though technology is an idol in my life. “Father forgive me!”
I think it is important to understand that the problem isn’t technology itself, because as I stated before technology is amazing. Think of all the lives that have been saved because of computers that allow us to view the body, such as an x-ray, CT scan, MRI. Think of all the medicine we have been able to create to fight off disease because of the microscopes we have invented (these are just two of thousands of examples). Cell phones are great, because they keep us all connected to each other and when emergencies occur, help is just a click away. We just have to understand that technology cannot be number one in our life. Jesus must be number one in our life. Unfortunately, my actions mosyt days of the week make it seem as though my phone is number one, my idol. It is going to take more than me just thinking I need to change. This is going to take prayer, accountability from my brothers, and making a conscious effort to put my family first. The Father is a jealous God, he will not share with technology or any other idol.
My prayer for all who read this:
“Lord, I pray for your Word to become alive in our hearts. I pray for parents today to understand the importance of Godly parenting. I pray that the millennial generation has a heart for you Father. Teach us all that being luke warm is unacceptable. You deserve our full attention Father. Teach us how to be more like you Father, so that we will become more patient. Give us courage Lord, to speak to our co-workers more about you. We want to learn how to love like you, Father. We cannot do any of this without Your help. Thank you for your grace. We love you! Amen”
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Response to Simon Sinek, by Will
When I first saw this interview with Simon Sinek I immediately wanted to watch it again. So much of it hit me about my life. It wasn't until fairly recently that I realized I fell into the millennial category, I was born in 1986, but apparently that is my generation. I do want purpose, and I want to make an impact on the world, and while these positive attributes, they are hindered by the other aspects of being a millennial.
I've fallen into the lower self-esteem trend that he talks about. I've recently realized that I have a sense of entitlement brought on by impatience. I've found myself lacking joy and a sense of fulfillment. I've never been one for participation awards, and I do wonder about my ability to form deep and meaningful relationships, although being a pretty heavy introvert has something to do with that as well.
All of these things have combined to make me feel like I have to have it all together. For years I lived with the mindset that the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and that I couldn't let anyone see my weaknesses, or ask anyone for help. The culture presented through social media only added to this because as Sinek says, social media presents a filtered view of life where everyone else's life is prefect and all together. For both of these reasons I felt like everything should just fall into place, work, relationships, life in general. That isn't the reality I've found.
I've been let go by three churches, and after the last one was unable to find another ministry job. I spent six months unemployed, and then another ten months under employed. When God finally provided my current job, which has been the biggest job blessing to date, in no small part due to the fact that it has allowed me to pursue my graduate degrees, I found contentment in the work place for the first time. And while I greatly appreciate my job, I do feel the lack of being able to make an impact.
I've read Wild at Heart and The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge more times than I can remember, I even got the audio versions of both of them and have listened to them in part or whole several times. In both Eldredge and Sinek we see the need for good leadership. I think the world has a lack of good leaders, and a lack of a real desire to submit to good leadership, I say good leadership because there are bad leaders, immature leaders, uninitiated leaders who end up being the blind leading the blind. But in the rare occasion when a good leader is found, there are those under him who feel they can lead better, know more, don't need to be led. This refusal to submit has caused a lot of issues.
Sinek says that we want to make an impact, which is the summit of the mountain, but we don't see the mountain. We live in a world of instant gratification, and so we don't want to pay our dues in order to get something worth having. When we don't work for something, it's cheap. We live in a world of store bought character, prefaded clothing, jeans with holes in them, and hats with the worn in look. But money doesn't buy character, and impact and significance are not instantaneous.
I want to be intentional man, and not an impatient millennial boy. I want to become a good leader, full of earned character, that is able to lead others to purpose and help them make an impact. That's the top of the mountain for me, but I'm learning that I don't get to land on the top. If I want to get to the top, I have to climb. That leaves me with three options. One, I can say, "This is too hard, it's not fair" and sit pouting at the foot of the mountain talking about how I could but making excuses for why I don't. (I regret to say I've done this in the past) The second option is to set out alone, and trying to summit by myself, something that is doable but difficult and in all honesty, very unlikely. The third is the option I'm trying to pursue. You set out with a guide, a good leader, and a group of climbing partners. The guide has been to the top, or at least a lot farther up the mountain than you have, and your climbing partners share the same desire as you. I've been blessed with the ability to choose this third option, but it's a difficult choice to actually follow through on. Your guide is going to call you to do things that seem dangerous and you aren't sure that you can do. Your climbing partners are going to push you to your limits. It's easy to stay at the base of the mountain, but the only impact you make there is from sitting on the ground.
I love what Sinek says, and I'm challenged by it. It's easy to write this post, but it needs to go beyond that to action, and that is where it gets tricky. I've taken some steps already, I've deleted two of my biggest time wasting apps from my phone. But I want to be more intentional than that. I want to start leaving it in my pocket during lunch at work, and trying to connect with the people I work with in conversation. On our retreat I'll bring my phone if there is an accident or emergency, but other than that I won't use it.
I don't want to be a typical millennial. I don't want to fall into the stereotype of lazy, impatient, and entitled. Why we can't help what we've been given, we have a choice in what we do with it. As Gandalf says to Frodo, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." I can choose to blame the hand I was dealt, or I can take what I've been given and do something about it. I can sit at the base of the mountain, or I can take advantage of the people God has placed in my life and set out for the summit to make an impact. Let's climb.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
I've fallen into the lower self-esteem trend that he talks about. I've recently realized that I have a sense of entitlement brought on by impatience. I've found myself lacking joy and a sense of fulfillment. I've never been one for participation awards, and I do wonder about my ability to form deep and meaningful relationships, although being a pretty heavy introvert has something to do with that as well.
All of these things have combined to make me feel like I have to have it all together. For years I lived with the mindset that the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and that I couldn't let anyone see my weaknesses, or ask anyone for help. The culture presented through social media only added to this because as Sinek says, social media presents a filtered view of life where everyone else's life is prefect and all together. For both of these reasons I felt like everything should just fall into place, work, relationships, life in general. That isn't the reality I've found.
I've been let go by three churches, and after the last one was unable to find another ministry job. I spent six months unemployed, and then another ten months under employed. When God finally provided my current job, which has been the biggest job blessing to date, in no small part due to the fact that it has allowed me to pursue my graduate degrees, I found contentment in the work place for the first time. And while I greatly appreciate my job, I do feel the lack of being able to make an impact.
I've read Wild at Heart and The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge more times than I can remember, I even got the audio versions of both of them and have listened to them in part or whole several times. In both Eldredge and Sinek we see the need for good leadership. I think the world has a lack of good leaders, and a lack of a real desire to submit to good leadership, I say good leadership because there are bad leaders, immature leaders, uninitiated leaders who end up being the blind leading the blind. But in the rare occasion when a good leader is found, there are those under him who feel they can lead better, know more, don't need to be led. This refusal to submit has caused a lot of issues.
Sinek says that we want to make an impact, which is the summit of the mountain, but we don't see the mountain. We live in a world of instant gratification, and so we don't want to pay our dues in order to get something worth having. When we don't work for something, it's cheap. We live in a world of store bought character, prefaded clothing, jeans with holes in them, and hats with the worn in look. But money doesn't buy character, and impact and significance are not instantaneous.
I want to be intentional man, and not an impatient millennial boy. I want to become a good leader, full of earned character, that is able to lead others to purpose and help them make an impact. That's the top of the mountain for me, but I'm learning that I don't get to land on the top. If I want to get to the top, I have to climb. That leaves me with three options. One, I can say, "This is too hard, it's not fair" and sit pouting at the foot of the mountain talking about how I could but making excuses for why I don't. (I regret to say I've done this in the past) The second option is to set out alone, and trying to summit by myself, something that is doable but difficult and in all honesty, very unlikely. The third is the option I'm trying to pursue. You set out with a guide, a good leader, and a group of climbing partners. The guide has been to the top, or at least a lot farther up the mountain than you have, and your climbing partners share the same desire as you. I've been blessed with the ability to choose this third option, but it's a difficult choice to actually follow through on. Your guide is going to call you to do things that seem dangerous and you aren't sure that you can do. Your climbing partners are going to push you to your limits. It's easy to stay at the base of the mountain, but the only impact you make there is from sitting on the ground.
I love what Sinek says, and I'm challenged by it. It's easy to write this post, but it needs to go beyond that to action, and that is where it gets tricky. I've taken some steps already, I've deleted two of my biggest time wasting apps from my phone. But I want to be more intentional than that. I want to start leaving it in my pocket during lunch at work, and trying to connect with the people I work with in conversation. On our retreat I'll bring my phone if there is an accident or emergency, but other than that I won't use it.
I don't want to be a typical millennial. I don't want to fall into the stereotype of lazy, impatient, and entitled. Why we can't help what we've been given, we have a choice in what we do with it. As Gandalf says to Frodo, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." I can choose to blame the hand I was dealt, or I can take what I've been given and do something about it. I can sit at the base of the mountain, or I can take advantage of the people God has placed in my life and set out for the summit to make an impact. Let's climb.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, January 20, 2017
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Intentionality, it's Hard, by Will
I started 2017 with such high aspirations, and three weeks in I'm finding that I am falling short on all of them. I have done some training for our June outing, but not to the extent that I was planning on. I've done some blogging on my own personal blog, but not to the extent I was hoping to. The stack of books I wanted to read before the spring semester started (two days ago) hasn't moved. Even as I'm trying to write this I find myself getting sidetracked.
I'm an early riser, I'm awake between 5 and 6 am every day, but actually getting up after setting all of these goals hasn't been easy. I look at everything that needs to get done, realize that there is a lot of time in between now and the deadline, and end up putting things off. I have this outting in June, so I have just over four months to get in better shape and prepare the discussion guides; I have time. I have two classes that started this week, and some big assignments due in a little over a month, but it's a month away; I have time. I have all day to think about the post for my other blog and can write tonight; I have time. I have three hours between waking up and having to leave for work, I'll pray later; I have time. It’s only January 18, there is so much left of this year; I have time.
I have time. I have time. I have time. But it's time to leave for work and I haven't prayed. It's the evening and I'm tired from a long day and don't feel like writing. The semester flies by and my assignments are due Friday. It's June 7 and our retreat is in two days. It’s Christmas, and the year is almost over. That's how everything ends up. I manage to get stuff done, but it causes a lot of stress, anxiety, and lower quality work. It's hard in the moment, but in all honesty, it's easier over all, but I hate living that way. I am so tired of the excuse, I have time.
This past Sunday the pastor at the church I visited talked about change, and how difficult it is to change a habit. It takes intentionality, and intentionality is hard. The world has shifted to a culture of instant gratification. I’ve heard the whole, fast food, high speed internet, instant coffee thing before, but it’s true. We don’t wait for anything anymore, and my generation lives with an entitled attitude and cheap, store bought character. It means nothing because it costs nothing, and I don’t want to live that way.
I’m tired of making excuses and putting things off. Intentionality is hard, but because of that, it’s worth it. I want to live with a sense of urgency, not with the mindset of “I have time” but with “Time is running out”. I want to live with the focus of “It’ll be here before I know it” not “It’s such a long way off”.
The Psalmist said that our days may come to seventy years, or if strength endures maybe eighty, but follows this with a reminder that time quickly passes and then says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Ps. 90.12) Proverbs 27.1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” James said, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4.14)
Time is short and so intentionality is essential. I don’t want to waste time with the mindset of “I have time” and then have to give an account to God for my all of the time I have let slip away. I don’t want to have to explain to my brothers why I’m out of shape or unprepared to lead discussion. I don’t want to have to ask my professors for an extension on assignments because I wasn’t disciplined enough to do the work on time. I don’t want to let another day slip by without being intentional about seeking God.
Intentionality is hard, but time is short, and I want to live with the heart of wisdom, numbering my days knowing that all too soon they will run out. I want to live with a sense of urgency, not chaotic stress. When my alarm goes off tomorrow I want to get up and start the day. I know that I’m not going to want to, but the man I’ll be is determined by how the day begins, and I want to live with the mindset of carpe diem. I want to be intentional, no, I choose to be intentional.
John Wesley’s group had various questions that they would ask in their meetings, questions that started with “What” not “Have”. It was “What did you read in Scripture today?” not “Have you read Scripture today?” There was an expectation there, and I want to live with that same expectation. And so I’m going to wrap this post up, look at the discussion board I need to post for a class, and then do some pull-ups.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
I'm an early riser, I'm awake between 5 and 6 am every day, but actually getting up after setting all of these goals hasn't been easy. I look at everything that needs to get done, realize that there is a lot of time in between now and the deadline, and end up putting things off. I have this outting in June, so I have just over four months to get in better shape and prepare the discussion guides; I have time. I have two classes that started this week, and some big assignments due in a little over a month, but it's a month away; I have time. I have all day to think about the post for my other blog and can write tonight; I have time. I have three hours between waking up and having to leave for work, I'll pray later; I have time. It’s only January 18, there is so much left of this year; I have time.
I have time. I have time. I have time. But it's time to leave for work and I haven't prayed. It's the evening and I'm tired from a long day and don't feel like writing. The semester flies by and my assignments are due Friday. It's June 7 and our retreat is in two days. It’s Christmas, and the year is almost over. That's how everything ends up. I manage to get stuff done, but it causes a lot of stress, anxiety, and lower quality work. It's hard in the moment, but in all honesty, it's easier over all, but I hate living that way. I am so tired of the excuse, I have time.
This past Sunday the pastor at the church I visited talked about change, and how difficult it is to change a habit. It takes intentionality, and intentionality is hard. The world has shifted to a culture of instant gratification. I’ve heard the whole, fast food, high speed internet, instant coffee thing before, but it’s true. We don’t wait for anything anymore, and my generation lives with an entitled attitude and cheap, store bought character. It means nothing because it costs nothing, and I don’t want to live that way.
I’m tired of making excuses and putting things off. Intentionality is hard, but because of that, it’s worth it. I want to live with a sense of urgency, not with the mindset of “I have time” but with “Time is running out”. I want to live with the focus of “It’ll be here before I know it” not “It’s such a long way off”.
The Psalmist said that our days may come to seventy years, or if strength endures maybe eighty, but follows this with a reminder that time quickly passes and then says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Ps. 90.12) Proverbs 27.1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” James said, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4.14)
Time is short and so intentionality is essential. I don’t want to waste time with the mindset of “I have time” and then have to give an account to God for my all of the time I have let slip away. I don’t want to have to explain to my brothers why I’m out of shape or unprepared to lead discussion. I don’t want to have to ask my professors for an extension on assignments because I wasn’t disciplined enough to do the work on time. I don’t want to let another day slip by without being intentional about seeking God.
Intentionality is hard, but time is short, and I want to live with the heart of wisdom, numbering my days knowing that all too soon they will run out. I want to live with a sense of urgency, not chaotic stress. When my alarm goes off tomorrow I want to get up and start the day. I know that I’m not going to want to, but the man I’ll be is determined by how the day begins, and I want to live with the mindset of carpe diem. I want to be intentional, no, I choose to be intentional.
John Wesley’s group had various questions that they would ask in their meetings, questions that started with “What” not “Have”. It was “What did you read in Scripture today?” not “Have you read Scripture today?” There was an expectation there, and I want to live with that same expectation. And so I’m going to wrap this post up, look at the discussion board I need to post for a class, and then do some pull-ups.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Missing Verse, by Will
From time to time I like to read the lyrics of hymns. Many of them contain rich theological truths that reveal God in ways that a text book simply can't. One of my favorites is Be Thou My Vision, an Irish hymn from the 6th century. I first heard it on a short-term mission trip in high school and didn't realize it was hymn until sometime in college. Over the years, it's been a song that I've gone back to a lot. The lyrics are full of longing and hope for the goodness and presence of God.
I've gotten the sense that 2016 wasn't a very good year for a lot of people, and overall, I'll put myself into that group. One day I found myself at work, trying to stay positive in light of everything that was going wrong, and I pulled my phone out and began to look at hymn lyrics. I pulled up Be Thou my Vision and as I read the lyrics I was hit by a "new" verse that I had never read before. Most of the versions of the hymn that I have found contain only four of the five original verses; verse three is consistently left out. This past weekend I was down with Aaron, and Sunday I attended church with his family. We sang this hymn but without verse three.
Here is verse three:
Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight;
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight;
Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O power of my power.
Reading the lyrics, I'm not surprised that it is left out of most contemporary versions. For some reason the Church, and most of modern day Christendom, doesn't like the image of God as a warrior or the language of battle. We've become passive and focused fully on peace. We omit a verse from a hymn and with it we throw out entire aspects of the reality of the character of God. We deny who God is, and with it we ignore the reality of the world we live in.
I need God to be my vision, present with me, and guiding me in life. I need God to be my wisdom and my source of truth; dwelling with me as my Father and I as His beloved son. I need God to be first in my heart, seeking Him over all else. God is the high king who wins victory and brings me into His presence. And I need God to be my battle shield and sword of the fight as I live in this world at war.
C.S. Lewis did not neglect this side of God. In Mere Christianity he identifies the world as "enemy occupied territory". In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe he says that Aslan, the Christ figure, isn't safe but he is good. The image of a warrior God, needed to fight a war against evil was not overlooked by him, nor was the reality that those who seek to follow Christ are called to join the battle. The Pevensie children engage in battle against the White Witch to free Narnia, though it is Aslan who ends the battle.
The Bible is full of imagery that calls followers of Christ to action, demanding we be ready for spiritual battle.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5.6-11)
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2.1-4)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6.10-17)
The Lord is a warrior; The Lord is His name. (Exodus 15.3)
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16.13-14)
We live in a world at war. We have a real enemy that we need to be on guard against. We are made in the image of a warrior God, and we are called to be strong in His might, standing firm against the enemy. We cannot neglect the need of God as battle shield and sword.
Nearly five years ago, I was ordained as elder. During the ceremony, the General Superintendent of the church denomination put his hand on my head and quoted/paraphrased 2 Timothy 4.1-2, 5. He charged me in the name of Christ to preach the gospel, be ready in season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, and to endure affliction as I fulfill my ministry. The phrase that stands out most distinctly to this day is "endure affliction". At the time, I felt like it primarily meant the church I was serving in, but I've come to see that it applies to my entire life.
I feel like the past several years have been one affliction after another, each one getting more difficult and intense. I've been overwhelmed and exhausted so many times, and the struggles seem like they never end. I've gotten to points where it seems like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel only to realize that it's simply a chance to take a breath before getting dunked again. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, I know that things could be much worse, but that doesn't change the fact that the struggle I'm facing is real. Life is not the simple peaceful Shire life of the hobbits, but Normandy on June 6, 1944. And yet I find myself wanting to sit in my garden while I need to be storming the beach. I want to focus on God as vision, wisdom, inheritance, and victorious king, when I need to be focusing on Him as my weapon and protection for the battle that surrounds me.
Jesus said in John 16.33, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." He said it, while you're on the earth, you will have trouble. You will face hardships and difficulties, but I want you to take courage and have peace, because I have overcome the world. You will face hardships, but I am with you as you do. I am your shield, and I am your sword. You are not defenseless, and you are not unarmed. You have what it takes. You are strong and protected, because I am with you.
I need God to be my vision, leading and guiding me through life. I need God to be my wisdom, grounding me in His truth through the compromising offers of the world. I need God to be by inheritance, validating me with the reality of His words. I need God to be my victorious King, bringing me into the peaceful rest He achieves. But until then, I need God to be my shield and my sword, protecting me and strengthening me for the attacks that the enemy launches against me.
The war is real, no matter how much we try to ignore or deny it. Ignoring it isn't being on the alert. Ignoring it isn't serving as a good solider of Christ. Ignoring it isn't standing firm in God's mighty power. Ignoring it isn't resisting the enemy. Ignoring it isn't honoring the warrior God whose image we bear. Ignoring it isn't acting like a man. Ignoring the war doesn't make it less real, it just sets me up to be a casualty.
I don't want to be a casualty of war. I don't want to drop my guard and be devoured by the enemy. And I don't want to feel sorry for myself, complaining that life is hard and asking "Why me?" I want to stand firm, enduring the affliction, and allowing God to be glorified for bringing me through the battle with scars and stories to proclaim His goodness through all of it. Life is hard, but God is with me through all of it as vision and battle shield. Victory is His, and in Him, it will be mine as well.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
I've gotten the sense that 2016 wasn't a very good year for a lot of people, and overall, I'll put myself into that group. One day I found myself at work, trying to stay positive in light of everything that was going wrong, and I pulled my phone out and began to look at hymn lyrics. I pulled up Be Thou my Vision and as I read the lyrics I was hit by a "new" verse that I had never read before. Most of the versions of the hymn that I have found contain only four of the five original verses; verse three is consistently left out. This past weekend I was down with Aaron, and Sunday I attended church with his family. We sang this hymn but without verse three.
Here is verse three:
Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight;
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight;
Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O power of my power.
Reading the lyrics, I'm not surprised that it is left out of most contemporary versions. For some reason the Church, and most of modern day Christendom, doesn't like the image of God as a warrior or the language of battle. We've become passive and focused fully on peace. We omit a verse from a hymn and with it we throw out entire aspects of the reality of the character of God. We deny who God is, and with it we ignore the reality of the world we live in.
I need God to be my vision, present with me, and guiding me in life. I need God to be my wisdom and my source of truth; dwelling with me as my Father and I as His beloved son. I need God to be first in my heart, seeking Him over all else. God is the high king who wins victory and brings me into His presence. And I need God to be my battle shield and sword of the fight as I live in this world at war.
C.S. Lewis did not neglect this side of God. In Mere Christianity he identifies the world as "enemy occupied territory". In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe he says that Aslan, the Christ figure, isn't safe but he is good. The image of a warrior God, needed to fight a war against evil was not overlooked by him, nor was the reality that those who seek to follow Christ are called to join the battle. The Pevensie children engage in battle against the White Witch to free Narnia, though it is Aslan who ends the battle.
The Bible is full of imagery that calls followers of Christ to action, demanding we be ready for spiritual battle.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5.6-11)
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2.1-4)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6.10-17)
The Lord is a warrior; The Lord is His name. (Exodus 15.3)
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16.13-14)
We live in a world at war. We have a real enemy that we need to be on guard against. We are made in the image of a warrior God, and we are called to be strong in His might, standing firm against the enemy. We cannot neglect the need of God as battle shield and sword.
Nearly five years ago, I was ordained as elder. During the ceremony, the General Superintendent of the church denomination put his hand on my head and quoted/paraphrased 2 Timothy 4.1-2, 5. He charged me in the name of Christ to preach the gospel, be ready in season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, and to endure affliction as I fulfill my ministry. The phrase that stands out most distinctly to this day is "endure affliction". At the time, I felt like it primarily meant the church I was serving in, but I've come to see that it applies to my entire life.
I feel like the past several years have been one affliction after another, each one getting more difficult and intense. I've been overwhelmed and exhausted so many times, and the struggles seem like they never end. I've gotten to points where it seems like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel only to realize that it's simply a chance to take a breath before getting dunked again. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, I know that things could be much worse, but that doesn't change the fact that the struggle I'm facing is real. Life is not the simple peaceful Shire life of the hobbits, but Normandy on June 6, 1944. And yet I find myself wanting to sit in my garden while I need to be storming the beach. I want to focus on God as vision, wisdom, inheritance, and victorious king, when I need to be focusing on Him as my weapon and protection for the battle that surrounds me.
Jesus said in John 16.33, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." He said it, while you're on the earth, you will have trouble. You will face hardships and difficulties, but I want you to take courage and have peace, because I have overcome the world. You will face hardships, but I am with you as you do. I am your shield, and I am your sword. You are not defenseless, and you are not unarmed. You have what it takes. You are strong and protected, because I am with you.
I need God to be my vision, leading and guiding me through life. I need God to be my wisdom, grounding me in His truth through the compromising offers of the world. I need God to be by inheritance, validating me with the reality of His words. I need God to be my victorious King, bringing me into the peaceful rest He achieves. But until then, I need God to be my shield and my sword, protecting me and strengthening me for the attacks that the enemy launches against me.
The war is real, no matter how much we try to ignore or deny it. Ignoring it isn't being on the alert. Ignoring it isn't serving as a good solider of Christ. Ignoring it isn't standing firm in God's mighty power. Ignoring it isn't resisting the enemy. Ignoring it isn't honoring the warrior God whose image we bear. Ignoring it isn't acting like a man. Ignoring the war doesn't make it less real, it just sets me up to be a casualty.
I don't want to be a casualty of war. I don't want to drop my guard and be devoured by the enemy. And I don't want to feel sorry for myself, complaining that life is hard and asking "Why me?" I want to stand firm, enduring the affliction, and allowing God to be glorified for bringing me through the battle with scars and stories to proclaim His goodness through all of it. Life is hard, but God is with me through all of it as vision and battle shield. Victory is His, and in Him, it will be mine as well.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Uncomfortable, by Aaron
I graduated three years ago and have worked at the same company since graduation. As many people begin a new job, our stress levels seem to increase secondary to many new skills we have to learn to perform that job. As time goes on, the job becomes more familiar and the work becomes more automatic because of the familiarity. One day turns into one week, which turns into one month, which turns into one year. As each day goes by, we begin to become more familiar with our coworkers, as we get to know them more each day.
After the first year of working, I felt this conviction in my spirit about how I approached my co-workers. Within that year I worked with the company, I had very seldom spoke about the Lord with my co-workers if I knew they were unbelievers. It was easy for me to speak about the Lord with the believers I worked with, but it was almost as though I had forgotten to bring it up with the non-believers. Still to this day, I feel more comfortable bringing up Jesus to a random stranger than I do to people I work with every day. I still struggle with consistently praying for those people I am around the majority of the week, but have found that I am more confident since being convicted by the Holy Spirit.
I went to a local track meet last spring to support the children of some friends I have. Randomly I saw a coworker of mine at the meet, because his kids were running. As we began to engage in conversation I felt this push in my spirit to ask him about attending church. Before I continue on, I have to let the reader know that I am a very introverted person. My senior year of high school I was voted as the shyest person in our class, if that paints a picture for you. As I began college and graduate school I began to break out of my shell, but still have some of those tendencies. As I felt that gentle push to ask about church, my stomach began to get butterflies, my palms got sweaty, and I think my speech definitely became shaky. The awesome thing about the Holy Spirit is that He is so gentle, but I felt this urgency to get to a deeper level with my peer.
So I finally asked him “do you and your family attend church?” He told me that they used to go, but in the past few years have not attended. We continued with a 5 minute conversation about his spiritual life and at the end of the conversation I invited him to church. My coworker did not end up becoming saved after the conversation and has yet to come to church, but those 5 minutes discussing the Lord with him was so powerful. Why was it so hard for me to talk to a person that I spend 40 hours a week with about the Lord? As I drove home from the track meet, I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying “you can do this Aaron, be confident”. John 14: 15-17 says “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. It is such good news that as a believer, the Holy Spirit is sent to guide and advocate for us. He is our greater encourager.
Since having that conversation with my coworker, Matthew :10:32-33 has been on my heart: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. I think back on how many times I could have spoken to coworkers, friends, and family about the Lord without saying a word because I was nervous. The great news is that the Father gives us so much grace, and today is a new day. Be encouraged by Matthew 10:32, because as we speak to others about the Lord, Jesus will acknowledge us before the Father in heaven. I still ask for prayer everyday for confidence and courage to speak to others about the Lord. For those of you that have been in similar circumstances, I pray for encouragement as the Father begins to open doors for you to minister to those close to you. Life can sometimes be uncomfortable; but we have the key to overcome all situations. Jesus!!
After the first year of working, I felt this conviction in my spirit about how I approached my co-workers. Within that year I worked with the company, I had very seldom spoke about the Lord with my co-workers if I knew they were unbelievers. It was easy for me to speak about the Lord with the believers I worked with, but it was almost as though I had forgotten to bring it up with the non-believers. Still to this day, I feel more comfortable bringing up Jesus to a random stranger than I do to people I work with every day. I still struggle with consistently praying for those people I am around the majority of the week, but have found that I am more confident since being convicted by the Holy Spirit.
I went to a local track meet last spring to support the children of some friends I have. Randomly I saw a coworker of mine at the meet, because his kids were running. As we began to engage in conversation I felt this push in my spirit to ask him about attending church. Before I continue on, I have to let the reader know that I am a very introverted person. My senior year of high school I was voted as the shyest person in our class, if that paints a picture for you. As I began college and graduate school I began to break out of my shell, but still have some of those tendencies. As I felt that gentle push to ask about church, my stomach began to get butterflies, my palms got sweaty, and I think my speech definitely became shaky. The awesome thing about the Holy Spirit is that He is so gentle, but I felt this urgency to get to a deeper level with my peer.
So I finally asked him “do you and your family attend church?” He told me that they used to go, but in the past few years have not attended. We continued with a 5 minute conversation about his spiritual life and at the end of the conversation I invited him to church. My coworker did not end up becoming saved after the conversation and has yet to come to church, but those 5 minutes discussing the Lord with him was so powerful. Why was it so hard for me to talk to a person that I spend 40 hours a week with about the Lord? As I drove home from the track meet, I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying “you can do this Aaron, be confident”. John 14: 15-17 says “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. It is such good news that as a believer, the Holy Spirit is sent to guide and advocate for us. He is our greater encourager.
Since having that conversation with my coworker, Matthew :10:32-33 has been on my heart: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. I think back on how many times I could have spoken to coworkers, friends, and family about the Lord without saying a word because I was nervous. The great news is that the Father gives us so much grace, and today is a new day. Be encouraged by Matthew 10:32, because as we speak to others about the Lord, Jesus will acknowledge us before the Father in heaven. I still ask for prayer everyday for confidence and courage to speak to others about the Lord. For those of you that have been in similar circumstances, I pray for encouragement as the Father begins to open doors for you to minister to those close to you. Life can sometimes be uncomfortable; but we have the key to overcome all situations. Jesus!!
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Training, by Will
Back in high school I was a wrestler. I loved the sport, every aspect of it. Ok, maybe not the cutting weight, definitely not the cutting weight, that part really sucked, but even with that, wrestling pushed me in a way that nothing else ever has. When I wrestled, I was in the best shape of my life, at one point I was at less than 6% body fat, but I was also extremely mentally tough. The reason wrestling is so difficult is because you're expected to fully perform while hungry and thirsty (things have changed since my day, I was starving and dehydrated). While there is a team element to the sport, it is largely an individual competition. You decide how hard you're going to work, you decide how much effort you're going to put into practice, and on your own. Basically, you decide how bad you want it and then decide how much of a price you're willing to pay. I was at an off season open tournament early in my career and I saw a sign in the wrestling room that said, "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." That sums up the sport. Everyone wants to win, but not everyone is willing to pay the price to be able to.
When I was wrestling, no one was going to out work me. I was getting up in the morning and lifting before school, going to practice after classes, and then going home and putting in a third workout on my own. I didn't know what a limit was because I pushed through them. As I write this I keep thinking about the second verse of "The Burning Heart" from Rocky IV:
In the warrior’s code, there's no surrender
Though his body says stop his spirit cries, never!
Deep in our soul a quiet ember
Knows it's you against you
It's the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills
In the heat of attack, it's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone
My body would say stop, but my spirit wouldn't let it. Because of the training I put in, I won matches against more experienced opponents, and there were matches that I lost but was able to compete in and they were close because of the work I put in (and even with my hard work, there were times I got destroyed). Back in the day I could push myself to do anything. I trained hard, even when I was alone. I wanted to win, and I had the will to prepare.
Fast forward a little over a decade. I'm older, slower, and heavier. I don't know what my body fat is, but I know it's more than 6%. I'm still decently built, but I'm in nowhere near the shape I was back in high school. Part of that is life. School is still a factor, but much of the rest of my day is taken up with work. I don't have the freedom that I used to have, but let's be honest, the biggest thing is that I've lost the will to train. I really haven't had a goal to work towards, and it's easier to sit around after a long day at work than to go through a workout. However, I'm facing a challenge this year that requires some preliminary preparation.
This year our group outing is going to challenge us physically (I'm not going to reveal the details at this point) and a few months back I realized that I needed to get in better shape to be ready for this retreat. I work with a guy who is a personal trainer, and asked him if he'd be willing to create a workout program designed to help prepare us for this specific activity, and he did. This past week I started working out again, and since it's been several years since I've intentionally exercised beyond a walk/hike, I'm sore, really sore (I'm sore in areas I didn't know could be sore). Aside from making me miss the good old days when I would work out hard six days a week for months and not feel a thing, I miss the drive I had back then. This week I was doing the push up routine of the workout and caught myself wanting to slack off on the last few repetitions. I'm easing back into working out by splitting the routine into two days instead of one for the first few weeks, but I found myself wanting to ease even more. Fortunately, I realized what I was doing, and forced myself to finish the set. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't fun, but I know that if I do the training now, it'll make the outing in June much more enjoyable.
Training is part of life, perhaps the most essential part of life. It's a lot easier when there is a goal. Today I did a Bible search and found four different reasons/results for training. The most prevalent idea is training for battle. The Bible describes wars being fought by trained men (Genesis 14.14, 1 Chronicles 12.8), and it also talks about the Lord training, and strengthening, us for battle (2 Samuel 22.35, Psalm 18.34, 144.1). This idea, that of the warrior, is the focus of our retreat this year, we are looking at the third stage Eldredge identifies on the masculine journey, and so the training in preparation for the "battle" fits so well.
However, war training is not the only one mentioned in Scripture. 1 Chronicles 25.7 says, "Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their relatives, all who were skillful, was 288." The worship of God involves training/teaching. Along with this idea is that of training for life. The first verse to come up in my search was Proverbs 22.6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." Luke 6 talks about a pupil needing to be trained by his teacher. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3, that the Bible is profitable for training in righteousness, and the author of Hebrews said in chapter 5 that training prepares the senses to discern good and evil.
Training is an important part in the life of any warrior. Without my training I wouldn’t have been able to do anything on the wrestling mat. And while this fallen world presents a constant need for diligent training, I think of the Navy SEALs saying “The only easy day was yesterday”, the Bible promises peace, and an eventual end of training.
“And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war.” (Micah 4.3)
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12.11)
Training ends in peace. There will be a struggle, we are warriors training for battle, but because we stand with God, we are assured of victory.
Training sucks, I’m not going to lie; even when I was in my prime it wasn’t fun. But training is essential. Without training we can’t participate in the battle, and if we do, we aren’t equipped and won’t survive. I don’t want to be the guy that gets taken out because he failed to prepare. I don’t want to be the one guy struggling to keep up, and slowing everyone down in June, and so I’m going to train and prepare myself for the adventure. I don’t want to hinder the growth of those who look to me for guidance, and I want to be able to train others in proper worship of God and righteousness, which means I need to be trained to discern good and evil, truth and deception.
I want to taste the rest that peace will bring, and victory never tastes sweeter than when you know you’ve put in the work to prepare for it. I want to be ready, trained physically for our outing, and spiritually for battle. I want to be at my best so that I can fully glorify God.
At the end of my matches I used to point at heaven, giving the glory back to God, He made me able to train, and He rewarded me with the opportunity to compete. I want my life to constantly point to God, training in righteousness, and fighting for His truth as we look forward to the coming peace. Train.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
When I was wrestling, no one was going to out work me. I was getting up in the morning and lifting before school, going to practice after classes, and then going home and putting in a third workout on my own. I didn't know what a limit was because I pushed through them. As I write this I keep thinking about the second verse of "The Burning Heart" from Rocky IV:
In the warrior’s code, there's no surrender
Though his body says stop his spirit cries, never!
Deep in our soul a quiet ember
Knows it's you against you
It's the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills
In the heat of attack, it's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone
My body would say stop, but my spirit wouldn't let it. Because of the training I put in, I won matches against more experienced opponents, and there were matches that I lost but was able to compete in and they were close because of the work I put in (and even with my hard work, there were times I got destroyed). Back in the day I could push myself to do anything. I trained hard, even when I was alone. I wanted to win, and I had the will to prepare.
Fast forward a little over a decade. I'm older, slower, and heavier. I don't know what my body fat is, but I know it's more than 6%. I'm still decently built, but I'm in nowhere near the shape I was back in high school. Part of that is life. School is still a factor, but much of the rest of my day is taken up with work. I don't have the freedom that I used to have, but let's be honest, the biggest thing is that I've lost the will to train. I really haven't had a goal to work towards, and it's easier to sit around after a long day at work than to go through a workout. However, I'm facing a challenge this year that requires some preliminary preparation.
This year our group outing is going to challenge us physically (I'm not going to reveal the details at this point) and a few months back I realized that I needed to get in better shape to be ready for this retreat. I work with a guy who is a personal trainer, and asked him if he'd be willing to create a workout program designed to help prepare us for this specific activity, and he did. This past week I started working out again, and since it's been several years since I've intentionally exercised beyond a walk/hike, I'm sore, really sore (I'm sore in areas I didn't know could be sore). Aside from making me miss the good old days when I would work out hard six days a week for months and not feel a thing, I miss the drive I had back then. This week I was doing the push up routine of the workout and caught myself wanting to slack off on the last few repetitions. I'm easing back into working out by splitting the routine into two days instead of one for the first few weeks, but I found myself wanting to ease even more. Fortunately, I realized what I was doing, and forced myself to finish the set. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't fun, but I know that if I do the training now, it'll make the outing in June much more enjoyable.
Training is part of life, perhaps the most essential part of life. It's a lot easier when there is a goal. Today I did a Bible search and found four different reasons/results for training. The most prevalent idea is training for battle. The Bible describes wars being fought by trained men (Genesis 14.14, 1 Chronicles 12.8), and it also talks about the Lord training, and strengthening, us for battle (2 Samuel 22.35, Psalm 18.34, 144.1). This idea, that of the warrior, is the focus of our retreat this year, we are looking at the third stage Eldredge identifies on the masculine journey, and so the training in preparation for the "battle" fits so well.
However, war training is not the only one mentioned in Scripture. 1 Chronicles 25.7 says, "Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their relatives, all who were skillful, was 288." The worship of God involves training/teaching. Along with this idea is that of training for life. The first verse to come up in my search was Proverbs 22.6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." Luke 6 talks about a pupil needing to be trained by his teacher. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3, that the Bible is profitable for training in righteousness, and the author of Hebrews said in chapter 5 that training prepares the senses to discern good and evil.
Training is an important part in the life of any warrior. Without my training I wouldn’t have been able to do anything on the wrestling mat. And while this fallen world presents a constant need for diligent training, I think of the Navy SEALs saying “The only easy day was yesterday”, the Bible promises peace, and an eventual end of training.
“And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war.” (Micah 4.3)
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12.11)
Training ends in peace. There will be a struggle, we are warriors training for battle, but because we stand with God, we are assured of victory.
Training sucks, I’m not going to lie; even when I was in my prime it wasn’t fun. But training is essential. Without training we can’t participate in the battle, and if we do, we aren’t equipped and won’t survive. I don’t want to be the guy that gets taken out because he failed to prepare. I don’t want to be the one guy struggling to keep up, and slowing everyone down in June, and so I’m going to train and prepare myself for the adventure. I don’t want to hinder the growth of those who look to me for guidance, and I want to be able to train others in proper worship of God and righteousness, which means I need to be trained to discern good and evil, truth and deception.
I want to taste the rest that peace will bring, and victory never tastes sweeter than when you know you’ve put in the work to prepare for it. I want to be ready, trained physically for our outing, and spiritually for battle. I want to be at my best so that I can fully glorify God.
At the end of my matches I used to point at heaven, giving the glory back to God, He made me able to train, and He rewarded me with the opportunity to compete. I want my life to constantly point to God, training in righteousness, and fighting for His truth as we look forward to the coming peace. Train.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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