Faith Happens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“But faith is not faith if there is no risk. Faith is a living, restless thing, and it cannot be inoperative. Faith has no back door. There is no safety net.” - Greg Laurie
I read a variety of writers during my morning devotion times. Some of them I agree with, some I disagree with, some agree with only some of the time. This morning as I was reading, I ran across this statement and thought that in it there was a lot of truth. Faith requires risk because there are no absolutes in faith. Empirical data is not completely there or it would not fit the definition of “faith.” Believing in a sovereign God who is not physically visible unless we lived in while Jesus was on earth is a risk.
As Laurie also mentions, faith is a living and restless thing. Faith changes as we experience changes of life. Faith changes as more is revealed to us through conversations, study, and exposure. I find that the more I understand the more I realize that there are even deeper questions awaiting me.
If I am going to believe in a living and interactive God, I have to be willing to take risks. In this risk taking, there is growth. Since faith is a growing entity, my personal faith must be a growing entity. So I am going to risk and grow so that I may believe.
Sunset at Lake Success (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I often find that the person who criticizes me the most is myself. I explain this with statements like, “I always want to keep myself humble;” or “I know that there is always room for improvement.” While both of these statements are true and I will continue to commit myself to the principles behind the statements, I am not sure that I keep my criticism in perspective. This became evident to me in a conversation that I had with one of my mentors yesterday. That conversation also reminded me of one that I had with a friend and community leader a few weeks ago in response to a statement in one of my posts. Generally, both conversations were telling me that I need to give myself a break. While I am not perfect in any way and I have gifts and challenges, the truth is I have been successful and I offer some benefit to those who the Lord places in my life.
I am sure that I am not alone in being a very good critic of myself. I am confident that some of you who are reading this blog post are very similar to me and do a pretty good job of beating yourself up. Let me remind you some of what I have been recently reminded. If you are honest with yourself, you can probably identify a number of areas in which you have grown; a number of areas where you have contributed in a valuable way; a number of individuals that you have touched and made their life a bit better. If you struggle in identify those areas and individuals, seek out a trusted and honest friend/mentor. They can help you to see what you choose not to see. They can help you gain a true perspective on yourself and your actions.
It will always be important for us to critique ourselves and identify areas where we can improve. It will always be important to remember that we have a need to keep our boastfulness in check and strive to be humble. However, it is also vital for us to give ourselves a break and to acknowledge our achievements.
I leave you with these words which have for a long time been part of the core of my beliefs: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)
Bird – Blue Jay (Photo credit: blmiers2)
This morning as I listen to the songs of the birds coming through my window, I have been thinking about the value of their sounds. Having taken enough science classes, I am very aware of the real purposes behind the sounds birds make but I still find those sounds beautiful and in some ways soothing. That led me to think about the sounds that I make in life.
I realize that I am speaking more metaphorically here than in an actual sense but there remains a bit of actual. What I am referring to is the various words I use, the sounds I make as I move, the various ways that I communicate in a day. Some days I think my sounds are more like the thunder that I heard last night during one of our rainstorms. I can be bellowing and can rattle a few windows and startle some people. Other days, I think my sounds are much more soothing and take on a sweeter nature like the sounds wafting in my window from the birds. Still at other times, I find my sounds being harmonious with those around me. Yet there are other situations where my sounds are dissonant with others.
I find that each of these types of sounds are appropriate in various situations. Each sound fulfills a different purpose. The key is being sure that my sounds are in balance. I must be mindful of what my sound is communicating and if that is the communication that is called for in that situation.
So as I continue to hear the melodies of the birds outside my window, I am lead to examine the sounds that I make. In both situations, may the sounds be good.
Today, I decided it was time to stop and publicly thank the Lord. So here is my list:
- Thank you Lord for the reminders that I am loved.
- Thank you Lord for the way you show me that I have value.
- Thank you Lord for filling in my gaps.
- Thank you Lord for friends that challenge me and support me.
- Thank you Lord for individuals who love me (even when I struggle to love myself).
- Thank you Lord for speaking to me through the voices of others.
- Thank you Lord for challenging me.
- Thank you Lord for giving me the gifts and talents that I have.
- Thank you Lord for accepting me.
- Thank you Lord for family.
- Thank you Lord for all the helpers that you place around me.
- Thank you Lord for giving me a place to live and have shelter.
- Thank you Lord for not abandoning me.
- Thank you Lord for providing food and what I need for my body.
- Thank you Lord for a smile.
- Thank you Lord for giving me courage.
- Thank you Lord for taking me on paths even when I don’t want to go down them.
- Thank you Lord!!!!
These are just a few of the items that came to mind when I sat down to thank the Lord this morning. What would you add to the list?
256 - One bad apple (Photo credit: MrB-MMX)
The Osmond Brothers had a song hit number one in December of 1970, “One Bad Apple,” which contained the line, “One bad apple don’t spoil the whole darn bunch.” This song came to my mind because of a conversation that I had yesterday. During that conversation a good friend asked me why the Church does not do a better job of policing itself. He was indicated that the extremists in the Church make it difficult for those on the edges to ever want to be part of it.
I explained to him that like any organization or group of humans, there are always those within the group that take a view that can be viewed as extreme in nature. Just because those individuals exist does not mean that whole group is bad. I also indicated that even if there are individuals whose theology and application of their faith do not fit with my theology and application of faith, I cannot just walk away from them. I need to value you them as individuals even if I disagree with their views or actions.
I believe that my role is to live out my faith and share my views as I feel called to do. By me providing an alternative to views that I may feel are extreme, I can show a different side of Christianity. Then it is up to others to examine my approaches and determine if those align with what the Spirit is telling them or not.
I think that it is important for all of us to be very careful about generalizations. The Lord did not generalize most of the time but instead took the time to get to know the individuals and build relationships with them. I try to follow that as an approach with all individuals, even those who have views that I disagree with.
And remember….. “One bad apple don’t spoil the whole darn bunch.”
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I have recently had a few conversations about the role of the Bible. So many people have different thoughts about what the Bible means, how to read the Bible, what role the Bible should have in our faith and in our lives. Some people view it as a rule book. Others want the Bible to be a history book. Still others want the Bible to be a really neat collection of stories. So I decided today to share my understanding of the Bible and its role in our lives.
I think that the primary purpose of the Bible is to communicate this: God wants to be in relationship with us and God wants us to be in relationship with one another. Therefore, I believe that the Bible is intended to helps us understand what it means to be in relationship with God and with one another. The guiding principle behind all aspects of those relationships is love.
If that is what the Bible is intended to do for us, then I believe that it is best to look at the Bible as being a combination of stories, poetry, some historical facts, and many illustrations. They are all used to communicate the primary point mentioned above. This would be like when an educator is trying to help a student understand a point. They will design a lesson(s) and use various methods to communicate the point to the student in the anticipation that through these methods the student will be able to grasp and apply the point in their lives.
Therefore, I find it helpful to read a passage of the Bible and ask, “What is the point that this passage is trying to make?” Then quickly follow that with, “How does that point give more understanding to the primary point of the Bible?”
I’d be interested in how others view this approach and any other approaches others may take in their understanding of the Bible.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Yesterday I had a great conversation with some of my colleagues. We were discussing some changes that may need to occur within a couple of groups that we have been tasked to work with. A couple of times throughout the discussion and as the discussion broadened some to the whole organization, it was lifted up that no matter what we design or what we think should happen, if people do not find value and/or purpose in it, they are not going to participate. As I pondered those conversations, I was reminded of the old say, “You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.”
How often can we see what might be the best route of action or what a group of individuals should be doing yet we struggle to make it happen? The truth of life at this point in time is that people have so many options that they can easily find another organization, another activity, or another way to spend their time. Especially when it comes to a church or volunteer organization, if they are not inclined to do something, there is no way to make it happen.
I wonder if this isn’t exactly how the Lord feels many times. God chose to give humanity the option of choosing the life pattern that God created or not. God even gave humanity the choice whether to love the Lord or not. Our Creator can see the best route of action for our lives; what we should be doing, but God decided not to force us to do so. Instead, like those of us in conversation yesterday, the Lord has tried to show us a purpose for doing what is best. It seems that if people see a purpose or value to something, they are much more likely to take that route or participate in that activity.
As leaders, we have to listen to the people. We have to hear what passions and purposes excite them. We have to introduce them to possible purposes and passions. Ultimately, if the route or action we take does not create/support purpose or passion in someone’s life, we are never going to get them to drink.
Mardi Gras Marathon, New Orleans. Crossing the finish line. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I am not a person who has experienced a lot of winning as an individual. As I have mentioned before, I was not an athlete so never experienced victories in that manner. If I saw success in athletics it was because I was support staff (athletic trainer) for some teams that had victories. Many of the athletic teams that I currently cheer for are limited in their successes so as I fan I have limited victory. I was active in high school music and speech. I found some success in speech competitions but was pretty average in music competitions unless I was part of a larger group. I think that I can count on one hand the number of drawings and other competitions that I have won as an adult. So victory is often something that tends to elude me.
Yet, as I was pondering an application for a leadership position this morning, I made a startling revelation. I have already won the most important victory of life! I have won the battle over my sin and the punishment for sin – death. The song, “Victory in Jesus” came into my mind this morning. How often I forget that no matter what else occurs in life, I have the greatest victory known to humanity.
This truly is a day to feel like a winner! Thank you Lord!!!!
I spent most of my youth trying to fit in with the crowd. Since I was not an athlete and did not always get involved with some of the activities that occurred among youth in my small town, I never seemed to be successful at being part of the “in” group. College allowed me to break that trend some and I became very involved in my floor activities and had a strong group of friends. Still, there was something that always caused me to feel not completely “in.” Part of it was probably the left over memories of rejection from my youth.
As an adult, I find myself in a much different place than I was as a youth. I am very active in community and because of my position, I am fairly well-known. I have a group of friends that I gather with on almost a daily basis to discuss important aspects of life and to share a large number of jokes. (See Good Friends, Good Coffee, Good Conversation) Yet something strange has been occurring over the last couple of years, I am finding that I do not necessarily want to “fit in.” Now let me be clear, I am not wanting to leave my group of friends or not be active in the community. In fact, in most ways it is just the opposite. But what I am wanting to do is to shake up the “normal” and push myself and others to start creating our own “in.”
I find myself enjoying more and more the opportunities to think outside the box. Now instead of being worried so much as how something will be perceived and if it will cause uneasiness, I am seeking ways to generate some level of uneasiness. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I want to encourage growth and to do so I think we need to be challenged to head in directions and experience things we have not done before. I want to vision something different. I want to try even if I may fail. I want to ask “Why not?” instead of “Why?”
I think this is exactly the type of thinking that the Apostle Paul promoted when he said: ”Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV) We are to be in this world but we are not to follow the patterns of this world all the time. We are to break out of patterns when we sense the Spirit doing something different or leading in a new direction.
So let me declare myself out of line. Maybe you will join me until it is time to break out of line again!
A contrail with iridescent color (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are times when I am either walking on maybe on a long drive and I look up into the sky to see a whole series of contrails from various jets. I often spend a little time wondering where those jets have come from and where they may be headed. Then I usually spend some time wishing that I was on one of those jets.
I love flying. Sure, I do not enjoy some of the hassle of getting my luggage into the airport, checking in, and going through security, but I love the joy of flying. I think that part of the reason that I enjoy it so much is because I enjoy traveling. I like to experience different places and to move away from my normal life routine for a while.
These thoughts have led me to ponder why I enjoy flying away. I believe it is because I am a person who enjoys new experiences and regular changes in what I am doing to occupy time. I enjoy challenges and experiencing different opportunities. Remaining status quo has little allure to me. I like to have my mind and my abilities challenged and stretched in new directions.
Now you do not always have to change locations to be able to shake up your “normal.” I believe that reading and engaging in dialogue can do that also. I think that it is vital for the mental health of people, or at least me, to encounter and strive to tackle new concepts and new approaches. This is what helps us to expand who we are and to experience success in areas that we never have dreamed we were capable of.
Throughout the Bible, I see God doing this to God’s people. He tells Abraham to leave the country in which he has grown up and embark on a journey to a different land. Noah is told to build a giant ark, even though he is not a craftsman in that area. Moses is told to be a leader and a spokesperson for God despite his apprehensions on his speaking abilities and his insecurities about anyone following him. Jesus takes men who are fishermen, tax collectors, religious zealots, and tells them that they are going to be the ones who will invite others to come to him. God does not seem to support the status quo very often, especially in the lives of the ones that God calls.
So maybe it is the case that I often hear God’s voice saying, “Come fly with me.” I am ready Lord to jump into your jet, where are we going today?
