Puking Empathy

Puking empathy! Sort of a gross title huh? However, on Thanksgiving this year I was puking and I was finally empathetic. You see all my kids the last few days have been sick and have been throwing up. I felt sorry for them, I helped take care of them, I rubbed their back and cuddled with them, and made them meals. My wife did all this and more for them.

Then 1am on Thanksgiving morning I threw up, I would then proceed to do so 7 more times through the morning. It was horrible. Gross, painful, nauseating, whatever adjective you want to use to describe it. It made me empathetic though. I knew I was experiencing exactly what they had experienced and really truly understood what they went through. It made me feel even more sorry for them and hurt for them, because I don't want my little girls to have to go through such distress and pain and hopelessness feeling. It made me wish I could go back and be sick for them in addition to my own sickness. It then made me understand Christ's love for me even more.

Jesus has that empathy for us (which means me too!). That is the necessity of the cross. That is why he is He. It wouldn't do any good you see for a  man who was partly God to sacrifice himself. It had to be 100% God and 100% man for him to truly empathize with us and thus know us for who we are. Understand the pain, Know the temptation. Truly empathize with us.

So on Thanksgiving I found that I was thankful for good health most of the time and a God who became a man to empathize with me.

I leave this with you from Philippians 2:5-8:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very naturea God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very natureb of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Living Life Together

This week marked the 5^th year anniversary of our community group meeting for the first time. Our community group is comprised of 10 adults and 13 kids from Faith Church. We try and meet every other week together to discuss our faith in Jesus, our trails of life, pray together, and in general intentionally live life together for Christ.

This past weekend we went on a retreat to a lake house in Northern Indiana (sadly one of the families couldn’t make it) and had just an absolutely great time. I’m the only fisherman in the group, so I got up earlier both mornings and went out on the lake to catch some bass, which though it means I’m really tired at night (also angry one night after fishing for 30 minutes because I lost a HUGE ONE, but I don’t want to talk about it). We all then had breakfast together, with kids spread between two tables and adults just sitting around on couches or standing and discussing the day. Then throughout the day we would boat together, tubing and skiing (and attempting to ski), wrangling lunch and supper, disciplining and playing with the kids, then finally getting all the kids in bed. The adults then stayed up late, playing games, discussing life, heaven, and Jesus,  and answering questions like what brought our group together, and finally when everyone is so tired their blurring their words going to bed (Which isn’t late as you think, because all those kids can really wear someone out!).

Living Life Together is what we call our group and that is what we really try to do, because we truly believe that in order for us to grow in Christ and we must also grow together. I hear far too often from Christians that they don’t need to be in church, that they can love God on their own, because after all it is a personal relationship. That is contrary to what scripture says and also practically just not good. My family and my walk with Christ have been strengthened from living in community with fellow believers. He has used them to encourage us during trials, help us move & watch our kids, sharpen our beliefs, and fill our lives with laughter. Our kids get their lives invested in by other adults and they get to see how those adults also live and follow after Christ. In return, we get to encourage, help, and invest right back into the other families’ lives as well.

This post started out as a “let me tell you about my weekend” post, but I guess I’ll end it as a challenge and encouragement to those Christians reading this. Get involved in a local group of believers! Don’t just walk in the door Sunday morning at 11am and rush out as soon as the sermon is over at noon. Be intentional, find where you can fit in, and live in community with other believers. Yes we are not perfect and yes there are just as many hypocrites in the church as there are at the local country club, but we aren’t called to live our lives on our own!

If you won't take my word for it, here are some verses to read and consider: 

Hebrews 10:25 - Don't forsake meeting together.

Romans 12:5 - We are one body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 - We're all one body and have a purpose.

Ephesians 5 - Reminds us that Christ is the head of the Church.

God's Glory, Love, and My Failure

Last Sunday I taught on God's Glory. It is really tough to define, but it is not only his character, his praise, his being, but it is how I live my life for his glory. Then after teaching this, the sermon that day was on 1 Corinthians 13 the "love" chapter. I left that day from church invigorated and ready to live my life this past week for God's glory and with love.

Well, then real life happens. The girls do not go to bed. They fight. They do not go to bed. They do not go to bed. Did I mention they won't go to bed?! I got angry and when I was disciplining them, even though it was appropriate discipline, I wasn't doing it for the glory of God or for the love of the girls. I was disciplining them because I wanted them to go to sleep and I wanted some peace. So really for the glory of me and the love of me.

Then the next day, while at work, I heard the song I've embedded below. I came home and apologized to the girls. Realizing that despite doing a good thing (disciplining my kids so they get some sleep and grow up healthy) I'd done it for the wrong reasons and out of the wrong spirit. Just like when Moses, after seeing the glory of the Lord (Numbers 20:6) struck the rock and stole God glory (Numbers 20:12), I'd done the same thing. Not only that, but I'd done parenting which is important and a God given task without love. So I'd become that sounding brass and clanging symbol Paul talks about in Corinthians.

Even though I'd done all this, God's grace still rains down on me. His grace reaches to me from as far away as I can get. His grace out runs, out shines, out gives, out loves, out does any and all my sins and failures. That is why I do want to bring him glory. That is why I want to love my kids with a Corinthians love. I hope to show my kids (and others around me) the glory and love of God. Despite my distractions, natural hypocrisy, and my own desires, God's grace rains down on me.

2014 Resolutions: Theology, Board Games, Life

Sometimes I like to make resolutions in order to not keep them. So here are those resolutions by category. It’ll also give me a good blog to write next December on how I failed. 

Theology

1. Read Mere Christianity again. It has been a very long time since I’ve read this book and so I want to give it another read.

2. Memorize Colossians 3. The whole chapter. Colossians, along with James, is one of my favorite books in the Bible. This might be the toughest of all these resolutions.

3. Create a small study of the book of Jude. I don’t know much about the book, tucked right in there before Revelation, so perhaps creating a small study on it will help me know it and understand it more.

Board Games

1. A couple years ago I attempted to play each of my games at least one time. I nearly succeeded, only having 2 or 3 small card games not get played.  I’m not doing that again. It was horrible. This year instead I’m going to attempt to play my 10 favorite games at least 5 times each. You can see my current favorite games here: Top 25 Games of All Time - 2013 Edition. It is possible this list will change in March/April, in which case that new 10 favorite will become this resolution.

2. In 2012 I “published” my first game via The Game Crafter. Guild of Thieves was fun and enjoyable to design and publish. Now I want to get moving again on another design. I’ve got two different games, one of which, I want to publish via a print on demand service by the end of 2014. Bad Bass Fishin’ and City Builder are the current working titles.

3. Win a Netrunner tournament. This year I played in several Netrunner tourneys and was able to win a couple. The taste is in my mouth. I need more. So I’m going to resolve to win just one Netrunner tourney this year, but that tourney must have at least 8 participants. I don't want too small of a goal.

Life

1. Currently I’m sitting at 88 found geocaches. I’d like to be at 125 by the end of the year. That is 37 new caches. This is a good goal, because more often than not, when I’m geocaching I’m doing so with my family. So good family time.

2. What would a New Year’s Resolution list be without a health goal? Nothing! That is what. So here is mine. For the first 90 days of the year compete in a “health challenge” against myself and perhaps my wife. The results of this health challenge being losing 10 lbs and more energy.

3. I want to take Kaylee fishing at least 3 times this year. She already has been bugging me about going to the pond across the street in the woods. So I am going to make sure I take her at least 3 times whether it is there, the Fischer Lake near my parents, or the river. If you’ve ever fished with a 4 year old, you know this isn’t an easy task. Especially for a guy who likes to fish like me.

Happy New Year everyone! What resolution are you doing? Perhaps resolving not to resolve anything? (Mind Blown)

Bonus: Not have a beard all year long. Okay. This isn't real. I love beards.

Never Giving Up Always and Forever Love

This is a post I've been meaning to write for awhile. Sometimes I like to right about theology, try to wade into the deep end of thoughts about God, and see how much my brain will hurt. However this time is theology for my children. Over the past several months I've been trying to read the Bible to my children a couple times a week. Not King James, year 1611, going all Ye crazy on their heads. Rather, The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.  We finally finished about a month or so ago and have started over again.

It's funny how sometimes as parents or teachers how we can get more out of what we are parenting or teaching than our children. Sometimes, I try to over-calculate or over-theorize about things, instead of just looking at the obvious. The past several months reading this 348 page children's Bible to my kids has done me some good. It has pointed out that despite all my theology (right or wrong), despite my selfishness, despite my anger, despite my contempt for others, despite my idolatry, despite...okay, you get the idea. There are a lot of "despites" in my life. God still loves me. It is Romans 5:8 screaming out to me: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I want to leave you with this, a quote from the kid's Bible. This is what I want my kids to know. This is what I want you to know. This is what I want attempt to copy in my own life, even though I know the failures will be there. This is Zerchariah (John the Baptist's daddy) singing.

Because God loves us with a Never Stopping,

Never Giving Up, Unbreaking,

Always and Forever Love -

Heaven is breaking through!

He is sending us a Light from Heaven

To shine on us like the sun

To shine on those who live in darkness

And in the shadow of death

To guide our feet into the way of peace

One for All and then One for All

Recently I've been reading in Romans, which if you are into theology, is where much of the basis for the Christian faith's finer points of theology comes from. Not saying the other books in the Bible aren't sources, I'm just saying that so many times Romans is cited, specifically justified by faith. Something though recently caught my eye...Adam.

Nope, not talking to myself, but with a name like Adam, sometimes I feel responsible. Adam was responsible for bringing sin into the world. Because of him we all needed a savior. This seems rough. First, why would my parents name me after such a person? Second, seems overkill to have one guy be responsible for the downfall of the world.

However, what is important to understand, is just as sin came into the world through one man, it was defeated by one man! I like this equality, this balance, this fulfillment. It makes sense to me from a logical standpoint.It took one guy to ruin it and it takes just one guy to fix it.

I didn't go into all the complexities of original sin, justification, substitution, grace, and all the other "christian terms" that could go with this post. Just wanting to share some thoughts I was having this week. It took single guy, in a moment of trying to be the guy, to bring the downfall of all mankind. But it took one man, giving himself to live and die for all, to provide the fix.

I like how The Message puts it in Romans 5:18-19: Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right.

Also, Adam is a good name, after all that is what God chose to name the first person created in his image. I'm glad my parents didn't name me Benedict or Poop-face or Jezebel.

Defining Jesus

Last week I had the opportunity to teach the Sr. High class at church. They are going through the Gospel Project, a survey of the Bible essentially, from beginning to the end. I was able to discuss Jesus' final trip into Jerusalem and his discussions with his disciples. Here is the passages we discussed and what I've been thinking about on this day between days.

1. Suffering Messiah

Matthew 16:13-16

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:21-24

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

First off, though it is good to know what others think of Jesus, he ultimately wants to know who you say he is? The interesting thing here is that Peter says gets the answer right, but a few verses later, when Jesus is explaining to Peter that he must die, Peter says "No! This isn't going to happen. You won't die!" Now you got to remember what the expectations of the disciples were. They were expecting George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr, or Captain America. He was expecting a hero that would throw off the oppression the Romans, set up a new government, and fix life there in Jerusalem 2,000 or so years ago. So when Jesus said this, he wasn't really expecting it. Funny thing is, Peter then tries to tell the guy, who he just defined as Son of the Living God, exactly what would or wouldn't happen. Peter tried to put Jesus in a box on his terms.

2. Sacrificial Lamb
Matthew 26:26-29

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed^[b] and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new^[c] covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Not only was Jesus a Suffering Messiah, which isn't what the disciples planned on, he was a Sacrificial Lamb. Jesus chose this time of Passover as the time he would come and die. This is of large significance. The Passover is when the first-born in Egypt were slain, if a lamb wasn't slain for them. Jesus was showing that he is that lamb. Not only that day, that one Passover, but the Passover for eternity! This lamb was the best of the best, just as had been required in Moses' day. Not the hurt, sick lamb, but the perfect lamb.

3. Selfless King

Matthew 27:45-50

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”^[k]

Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

He took on the sins of the world. He was turned from by God. Not just God the Creator, but God his dad. This was justice being carried out on the Sacrifical Lamb. This isn't something he had to do. He was already the King. He didn't have to be selfless, suffering and sacrificing for us, but he did! The Son of the Living God, as Peter correctly called him, faced the wrath and justice of his father for us.

Defining Jesus was something that the disciples tried to do and it is something that I know I try to do all the time. However, what I think they learned and I continue to learn, is that we don't define Jesus, we accept him. His definition of himself. Not our definition that we try to give him.

11:11

In first Thessalonians Paul admonishes them in chapter 5 to do a lot of things, be thankful, don't return evil for evil, to be sober. However, he also throws in "pray without ceasing" and that is what I wanted to talk about today. I've never been what you'd call a "Prayer Warrior". My grandma Pat is for sure, but I'm still lacking in that discipline. However, I have taken up a reminder to myself to pray for my children.

Every time I see a digital clock say 11:11, usually in the morning, since I'm unlikely to be up most night at 11:11, I pray for my girls. I pray that they'll come to know Jesus like I know him and even more so. I pray that they'll listen and obey their momma and I. I pray that Krista and I will in-turn raise them right, be patient with them (something I fail at plenty), and invest in their lives. I pray for their future husbands, that wherever they are, they are growing in their love for Christ. Finally, I might pray for something specific that is happening that day such as Ella's snotty nose (okay, that one is happening every day and has since she was born) or Kaylee's latest hurt.

These prayers don't take any time really, often before 11:12 comes around I'm done. They are silent, they don't bother others, but they help me pray without ceasing. Of course, nobody really prays without ceasing, but the point that Paul was making and the point that I'm making is that prayer should be a part of your life. It, like his other commands, should be how you live and who more important to pray for then the beings God has trusted to you to raise and given you stewardship and responsibility over?

It's funny, since I started doing this, I've noticed how much more I notice it is 11:11. I have begun looking for it, hoping I'll see it. Of course, I can pray whenever (that's what is so awesome about not having to have a priest or sacrifice to intercede for me), but having this reminder to pray in a busy, pre-occupied day is a good thing.

Here is a cool source of potential prayers for your children: https://www.reviveourhearts.com/articles/31-biblical-virtues-to-pray-for-your-children/

The Assumption of Mary

A while back, because I like to try and stretch myself and I enjoy theology, I borrowed the book A Year with John Paul II: Daily Meditations from His Writings and Prayers from the library. Figuring I'd read a bit about this Pope, who I of course new a little about, but has always represented the Catholic church in my mind.

There were some really good things in there, such as the ultimate goal of a Christian is holy living, because Christ is holy. I agreed completely with that. Then there were some things I disagreed with, such as during the Eucharist, the bread and wine actually being the flesh and blood of Jesus and not just a symbol of it. Then there was something new I learned about, which is the Assumption of Mary.

You can get a quick overview of this event here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_mary. Yeah, I know Professor Van Kuiken, it's Wikipedia, but I'm not writing a paper for you - which means it'll have to do! Basically, if you like me are too lazy to click links, the Assumption of Mary is the Catholic claim that the Body of Mary (Jesus' mom) was taken up into heaven. This was a completely new claim to me upon learning about Assumption Day, which is in August, and learning what it was all about. There are different schools of thought, one that says she was taken up pre-death, while others saying it was post-death.

Now at first, I thought this claim was ludicrous, but now that I've had a month or so of thinking about it and talking to a devout Catholic friend about it, I'm not so sure. Miracles have happened in the past and continue to happen today, so why not this miracle? The first and foremost thing, whenever I'm discussing theology, is to be sure I attempt to check it in scripture. The Assumption of Mary, simply put is not in scripture. So that immediately takes away the factness (my spellchecker is saying this is not a word, but I disagree) of it. However, something I've really thought about this past month, is that just because something isn't fact doesn't mean it didn't happen. What I'm saying is that, just because I didn't tell you in my blog that my favorite color has changed to green, doesn't mean that my favorite color isn't green.

So this is where I fall on the Assumption of Mary, it could've happened. We know of 3 times in the Bible where someone was assumed into heaven: Enoch, Elijah, and of course the person the whole point of the Bible is about Jesus. So, from that, I know that this is something that does have precedent. There are many miracles that aren't recorded in the Bible, at least from Jesus' works (John 21:25). So I'm thinking it isn't much of a stretch to imagine others weren't recorded, even though they easily could've since the Assumption of Mary would have happened even before 90 AD (estimate) when the last book of the Bible was written.

Whats the important take-away from this? Well, for me there are two. First, don't just write something off because you've never heard of it or doubt it happened. Second, don't glorify something so much that isn't in the Bible and part of God's Word. Even though I think it is possible the Assumption of Mary could have happened, that doesn't mean I worship Mary. I don't put Enoch anywhere near the level of Christ. I don't put Elijah anywhere near the level of Christ. Both of these assumptions are in scripture. Mary, even though she was obviously a follower of God, may have been assumed to heaven. However, if it did happen, the whole reason it happened would've been for the same reason Enoch & Elijah's fancy trips to heaven happened, to bring Glory to God. Not to bring glory to Mary. That would miss the point.

As always, when I write these theological posts, I'm writing them from the layman's perspective of one that doesn't have their profession as a professor of theology or pastor or priest. So, go do some research yourself, but being the do-it-yourself type person I am, I'd say that even if I was able to devote my full time to theology.

Job - Tough to Relate

Yes, this is another post about Job. Not my job, but Job, the guy from the Bible? Lost a bunch of stuff? Kids all died? Yeah, that guy. We've been studying him still at church and so I've been trying to read Job for my personal devotions. I had a huge revelation the other day about him, so I thought I'd write it down.

I can't relate to Job for 37 chapters. I mean, first we see how wealthy the guy is and how "awesome" he is doing. I'm really blessed, don't get me wrong, but in today's terms Job is a Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or some Oil Baron Sheikh who is absolutely filthy rich. I can't relate to that. I mean, I like my job and I take care of my family, but my backyard only has some rabbits (I consider them mine, but that is just because they live under my shed rent free).

Something else I can't relate to, how much of a good man he was. God says, "Yo Sat'n, looksy here at Job and how great 'e is." Apparently, God has a similar accent to Rocky Balboa today. Job is blameless and God uses him as an example to Satan of an upright man, the most upright man at that time. Yeah, not sure I can relate with that either.

Then, probably the biggest thing I can't relate with is all the loss that occurs in Job's life. He loses all his crazy wealth, his health, all his kids, his wife is a complete nag. I can't relate on any of this either. I've never even lost my job (its job this time, not Job), my health has always been good, my wife doesn't nag me on much more than putting the dishes in the dishwasher wrong, and I've never been so despondent that I wished I wasn't born.

Finally, the friends that he had. I can't really relate to them either. When I have had rough times, for instance death of my uncle or my grandpa or little sister, which compared to Job's problems were small instances of pain and not the overwhelming pain he must've been feeling from losing a WHOLE family at one time, my friends have been great. They haven't been coming to me saying, "Adam what'd you do to make your uncle die?!" or "Well, I guess your grandpa got what he deserved, he must've sinned." They were comforting and just supporting. So can't really relate to Job's relationship with his friends.

However, then comes chapter 38, and the relating begins. God begins questioning Job. He asks a lot of tough questions, that make Job feel pretty small. God reminds Job exactly how big Job is in the scheme of things in the universe and he also reminds him that God remembers Job. You see, this is where I relate to Job and likely most of you do too. We're not rich in camels or have had our whole family die, but we are are minuscule compared to God. I've heard it this way, when compared to God's holiness and his power we're similar to worms or ants. To us, there really isn't much of a difference between two worms or ants. The most powerful ant is completely helpless against us. The most well-behaving worm still is a worm to us.

The cool part though is that Job doesn't end after God putting him in his correct place. Even though Job is so insignificant, God still doesn't forget him. This is where I can also relate to Job, because I know God doesn't forget me either. Well, that is my thoughts on jobs, I mean Job's book in the Bible.

Bildad

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: "How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?  When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. Job 8:1-4

Sorta some tough words for Job from his good friend Bildad, huh? Hey Job, yeah I know I'm supposed to be your buddy and I'm really here to comfort you, I even have sat with you for 7 days, but let's just be honest here. Your kids, they got their come uppins. What do you expect out of a God of Justice? Death for their sin. If you read further, he not only has dissed Job's dead kids, but he goes on to say that it has to be Job's fault that he is suffering. Ouch.

I had the opportunity to teach from this passage this last week at church to the high school class. I've been pondering it all week even more. Bildad, like so many of us, was simply stereo-typing and not thinking outside his human mind about what happens in Job 1 & 2. He was, as many people did then and even still do so today, basically saying it's karma. Though he was saying from a Jehovah God sense. What goes around comes around. They got what they deserved and Job should just admit it and move on with his life. Jesus refutes this very thing in John 9, when he is asked by his disciples who sinned that caused the blindness of man. The disciples thought it had to be the guy himself or at the very least his parents, but Jesus said neither did. He was blind for the glory of God.

We (I include myself in this completely) must remember that there are consequences for individual sin. You sleep around, well you're more likely to get an STD, have a broken heart, have stress and relationship issues in the future, all kinds of potential fall outs from being promiscuous. If you are greedy, you might step over the people you care about, trying to earn that dollar, and thus damage those relationships or get burned in a raw business deal or even do something illegal and be put in prison for your greed. There are consequences for individual sin - the high schoolers pointed out David's first born dying because of what he and Bathsheba did to Uriah.

But the story of Job illustrates and the story of Jesus illustrates, this is a fallen world. Not only have I sinned, but everyone has sinned, and the original Adam brought that sin into this world. This world is a fallen and broken world even without your individual sin it still would be. It's amazing to me that God, the same just God that Bildad refers to in Job 8, hasn't destroyed it already. He hasn't though. He sent Christ to take on that sin Himself. All that individual sin that Bildad likes to point out to Job as the reason for suffering, Christ takes it on Himself.

So what does Bildad teach me. First, don't be so quick to judge because there could be stuff going on you don't know about. Second, sometimes even when things seem so correct, I should have more tact in comforting my friend and not being so quick to point out it has to be their personal sins that brought a tragedy around them. Finally, he reminds me that God is just. Not only is God just when it comes to my individual sins though, but He is just when it comes to our corporate sin as mankind. That's and that is why Christ died.

Never thought I'd learn so much from a Shuhite did you? I'm finding there is more to the Book of Job than the first couple chapters and the last four.

Jesus and March Madness

So I have had a blog half written for several weeks now, but can't seem to finish it.  It's about how much of the future did Christ know. This whole thought process came about when I was enjoying some BW3's hamburgers and watching March Madness with some friends. At first, I thought I could do it justice in a written blog, but after doing more and more research I'm not sure I can. I'm not some huge systematic theology professor that can analyze ever angle of it and write with the expression and precision that is needed to breach such a subject. Maybe someday that blog will be written, but for now it'll remain as a draft on my computer, until I can bring it the full research I need to do.

However, I still did want to write about Jesus and knowing the future. I've been reading in the gospels recently and see many times where Christ really does know the future. I'm not going to approach whether or not he knew while he was on Earth that Adam Daulton would be born in 1983 or that I would eat Lucky Charms and drink a Chai Tea this morning, but I do want to point out he knew what was coming for himself and what he had to face.

Let's take just one example from scripture in Mark 8:31, "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." Jesus was teaching the disciples about what had to happen, he would be rejected by the spiritual leaders of the day, a pretty big thing for a Jew whose religion is so tied up into his ethnicity, and then be killed! He knew that he would suffer, he even asked the Lord for a different way in Gethsemane to go about saving the world. He knew that a sacrifice had to be made, in order for you and I to have the opportunity to be saved, and not only did he know that, but he had the choice to not go through with it. The good news is this though, he knew he would conquer death, he would rise again, and thus defeating death allow us that same opportunity of a new life in him!

So, Christ did exactly what he knew had to be done, and at the same time, he did exactly what he knew would be done. Did Jesus know that March Madness 2012 would happen? I still am not sure one way or the other. However, I'm glad that question came up on that Friday afternoon. It's given me a lot to think about. Sometimes our lunch conversations are stupid and ridiculous, but sometimes they are deep and important. Now to begin work on my presentation about marshmallows and their role in the Spanish Inquisition....

Let's Discuss Fathers

Even on days that I can sleep in a bit, I can't. My daughters are away for the weekend and I woke up at my normal time that I wake up to go to work (even though I'm not going to work), couldn't go back to sleep, so I thought I'd write a blog about being a dad. I've been meaning to do this for quite awhile. Please remember as I write this though, I still fail a lot at many of these things, and am in no way perfect, but write this for myself just as much for others.


We recently finished up a study on Colossians at church. Now Colossians is a book written by Paul to put to rest false teaching that was spreading in the early Church. There is a bunch in there about what is right, what is wrong, and ultimately what we should be focusing on. What's this got to do with being a dad you say? Well, first and foremost, if you're going to be a good dad, you should have a good relationship with Christ. Then being a dad and a good one comes from that. Because your focus will be on him and what he wants from your life.


Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3


This means focusing on the things that are ultimate. I've been reading a book, along with our community group, called Reason for God and in this book we talked about what sin really is. What I came away with is that it isn't focusing on the ultimate things in life. Which means that it can be focusing on good things, such as ministry, jobs, cleaning the house, entertainment, and putting those things over the ultimate focus....Christ! Colossians is all about pointing this out. 


Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17


And now I come to the part about being a family and being a dad in the family. Being the dad is so much more than being the Head of the Household. It isn't lording over your family. It isn't working so much and so often that you put a roof over your families head and food on their table and yet forget to have a relationship with them. What it is, where the rubber meets the road, is loving your family as Christ loved the Church. Now, I don't know about you, but that scares me and inspires me. Think about it! As CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH! Yes, I just yelled there, but I'm yelling at myself. We can go to Philippians to find out what this really means.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippans 2:5-8

I want to finish up by saying, that we as men and as fathers are supposed to be in this mindset. We are supposed to be servants, not only of our Lord Christ, but of our families. We're to serve them just as he served the Church. Where does that hit your pride? It hits mine really low and really hard. Christ humbled himself, the ultimate, powerful, creator of the universe became a stinking pile of human dirt just to die. So can I change that dirty diaper? Can I clean that toilet? Can I work that job that isn't really want I want to do to provide for my family? I hope I can, in light of what Christ did.

This post has already gone on a long time, but please bear with me. I've been thinking about this stuff awhile and I'm sure I'll be writing about board games plenty in the weeks to come, so lets keep it pretty deep here still. Being a husband and father, means being a leader, in both spiritual and non-spiritual things. I remember reading once that all marriage problems after 5 years of marriage are the husbands fault. I'm not sure I'd go that far, especially the specific number of 5 years, but I would say that ultimately our household comes under our responsibility and so we need to man up and admit we're wrong, ask for forgiveness, work those extra hours, sing with our kids at bed time, pray for them, play games with them, take our wife on a date, clean the litter box, whatever it takes to encourage a household of that loves and follows Christ together.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:18-22

The Love of a Father

Music is a powerful thing. The lyrics with that music are also powerful. So I just thought I'd share some song lyrics that I've been thinking on since Sunday. Occasionally, I'll write about theological things on this blog, after all its in the name, but to me How Deep A Father's Love by Stuart Townend is better than any article or discussion I could ever have. So here are the words:

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Humanity is the Answer

It's been a while since I posted, so I wanted to post something, but don't have a lot of time right now to enter this well thought out philosophical/theological statement. However, I did want to write something.

Last night I was watching Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Boring movie, if I were you, I wouldn't bother. Unless you want to see a bunch of numbers floating between buildings, because they think that is cool and about the most exciting part of the movie. However, there was one quote that struck me and very interesting and very true. In the movie Michael Douglas plays an ex-con who gets out of jail (SPOILER ALERT!) and tricks his daughter's fiance into convincing her to give him $100 million by insisting he wants to be closer to her. But instead, he takes the money and runs. When the fiance confronts him about taking the money by asking Douglas the question, "Did you ever really want to repair your relationship with your daughter?" Douglas answers, "Sure I did. I'm human." Then the fiance asks him, "So why did you do this?" To which Douglas replies, "Same answer."

That struck a chord with me. I've always been of the opinion that humans want that feeling of completeness and being filled. Whether it is money, relationships, fame, or a million other things. We naturally feel like we're missing something and need to fill it up. The character Douglas was playing had this same issue. He wanted to fill his life up with his daughter, but he also wanted to fill it up with money. You'll notice though that either way was still taking care of him. What made me think though, is his answer applies to me as well. I know, this surprises those of you who thought I was an alien born on another planet, sent to Earth for truth and justice. I'm not though, just a human, that when asked "Why did you do it?" would respond the same way.

So the whole reason I wrote this post? Just for me to think about what it means to be human and where that puts me in relationship with God.

Telescope vs Paint Brush

I recently read Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. A friend of mine suggested to me, since he is a big Piper fan, and so I took his word and read it. It was a very good book and one that pricked me in several areas by using scripture and Piper's own thoughts. One area that I've really been thinking about though is early in the book where Piper discusses magnifying God. He talks about how we're we're supposed to glorify God (which if you know about Piper's theology, he is all about this) not beautify God. He compares it to a telescope as magnifying and I immediately compared it to a painter or artist that is commissioned to paint a beautiful portrait of someone. Not the way they really are, but one for the wall.

So on to my point. We've been reading John for family devotions the past few weeks. Jesus lived his life to be a telescope to the Father. He magnified his Father as a telescope making him more real or up close to the people around him. Throughout John he is always saying things like "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." (John 5:17) Glorifying God by not only explaining that God the Father is always at work, but he was working too. Bringing God into real life.

At the same time, he wasn't skipping over some of the tough subjects about God. He glorified God by not trying to paint God in a light that his disciples, even his friends, wanted to hear. He showed God through his telescope the way God should be shown. He says, after telling his disciples about the bread of life, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." (John 6:61-64) No bars hold, Jesus chose to explain the reality of God up front to us.

So what does this all mean for me? Reading the book and also reading John, I'm realizing more and more that I should try to glorify and not beautify God. That's what Jesus was doing. As matter of fact, that is what Jesus' whole presence on Earth was, God becoming even more up close and personal. He wasn't trying to give give God's case against Caesar or Baal and doing an advertisement that would run in the Super Bowl to make following Jesus seem the best thing ever. When you think about it, it is ironic to think that I could "paint" God to be something better, bigger, more powerful, exciting, than He really is! However, I can be a telescope that looks out to God and magnifies his awesomeness in the same way that a real telescope shows us galaxies and planets and stars that we can only just see a speck of with the naked eye.

The Miracle of Christmas

A couple Sundays ago, Tom Macy, one the pastors at my church preached a sermon about the miracle of Jesus’ birth. However, he came at it from a direction I haven’t often heard a preacher go with a Christmas sermon. The main text was from Revelation chapter 1 where Jesus is described as an awesome warrior-type person who is triumphal in all things. This huge, all-powerful being, that instantly strikes fear in the heart of John, enough to make him fall down and cower. The miracle that Tom spoke about wasn’t that the tiny baby in the manger became this all powerful God. No the miracle is that this all powerful God, became that tiny baby!

So what does that mean to you and me? Often when we think of Jesus’ love for us, we think of the cross and all the pain and suffering that is associated with that cross. The lashes, the beard being pulled out, the crown of thorns, the nails in his hands and his feet, and the absolute torture it must have been for him to draw each breath. We don’t think about this all-powerful being, this God of the Universe, the Alpha and Omega, humbling himself to become the little baby in a manger. Not only would it have been a humbling experience for Christ to just become human in general, even as a great king or exalted prince, but He chose to become a dependent child!

I’ve held Kaylee in my arms when she was seconds old. There is nothing in this world that is so dependent on life, at least in my opinion, than a new born human child. Think about it. It takes us a year or two just to learn to walk. We can’t feed ourselves for longer than that even. Absolutely everything we need to survive and succeed we depend on others to give us. Now, think about how humble and how much you’d have to love someone, to become that dependent again. Now, think about it from Jesus’ perspective. He was the provider of EVERYTHING to everyone. He made the world and the people and now He was willing to depend on the very thing that He made and depended on Him. He became the small baby crying for his mother’s milk or soiling his clothes and needing them changed. The great loving huge God of the universe, he became the small completely vulnerable child for you and for me. Now that, my friends, is the true Christmas miracle.

Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Between the Ant and the Barns

Recently I've been considering money. If you know me well, you know I tend to be a tight-wad when it comes to most things. There are a few things *cough* board games *cough* that I'm willing to spend some solid cash on, but for the most part I don't like spending money. Sometimes though I realize that I can focus on the cost of things too much. There are a couple verses I'm thinking about that relates to it.

Proverbes 6:6-8:
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Luke 12:13-21:
¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
 ¹⁴Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" ¹⁵Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
 ¹⁶And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. ¹⁷He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
 ¹⁸"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
 ²⁰"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
 ²¹"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Proverbs talks tells me to go to the ant, the planner and "stingy" creature of nature, and consider how she works hard and saves money for winter. Then Luke tells me to remember that though I plan all I want and save all I want and prepare all I want, but my soul can be required of me at anytime. Both truths are in scripture, I need to find the balance of being a penny-pincher saving for retirement and the now-moment person who spends his money without consideration for the winter.

Mancala & Less Noise

This past weekend was our youth group's fall retreat. To be honest with you I wasn't all that excited about going once the weekend actually got here. I'd had a long week at work, hadn't really done anything all that exciting all week in the evenings, and so I would have rather pursued some of my hobbies rather than go on the retreat. Turns out though, God knew what I needed, and I enjoyed myself and perhaps focused a bit.

The week was all about taking time to stop throughout your day and turn off the noise of life to listen and commune with God. There were many different suggestions, but the one that I took to heart was leaving the radio off in the car and using that time to focus on God. So that is what I did today and it was a lot harder than I thought! We'll see how the rest of the week goes.

As for Mancala, it is a 1500 year old abstract game where you try to collect the most beads by moving them around 12 circles on a wooden board. Doesn't really have to be wooden, doesn't have to be beads, doesn't have to be circles. This game could be played with some rocks and lines drawn in the sand. I convinced Josh to play 3 games with me Saturday afternoon, while we were waiting for an activity to begin. I had a good time! I'm not sure if Josh did as much, but it was nice getting to know him a bit more and interesting to discover that though it isn't the greatest game in the world, Mancala has stood the test of time for a reason.

So go out and play a game of Mancala and before you do pause to think about how time-tested the Word of God is.