War Games

One week until classes start!!! I’ve been trying to bang out the reading (800+$ of books… going green? Not so much) but lately I’ve been less than productive. This past weekend was another “Homeless Grill-Out” and it was awesome. I met so many amazing people. My group went through the line and prayed with different people (both Christians and non-Christians). I even got to share a poem at one point! It’s amazing to see how God works. I also started marathon training. So far the knees are holding up well. The Machine is back!!

For the past two months I’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time at Starbucks drinking crappy Frappuccinos, mocha lattes, and every other manly drink that they sell. Some call me an addict but I prefer the term “connoisseur of coffee”. While perusing the pages of Systematic Theology by Wayne Gruden and Dispensationalism by Charles Ryrie, I can’t help but hope that this theology pierces my heart and changes the way that I live. I don’t want to become a proud(er) Christian who knows a bunch of head knowledge, has memorized a bunch of scripture, and has mastered the art of quiet time but doesn’t truly know God.

At any rate, last night I was having an… interesting night before I went to sleep. As I sat/laid there battling thoughts/fears of every kind I actually started to think of truth. At one point I might have yelled out loud: "No... I want the real thing!" and then began to thank God for his timing and his will. All sin, whether it’s lust, anger, fear… insert term here, boils down to a simple, plain, flat out lie. It’s a choice between illusions and certainties. I guess it doesn’t take a degree in “War Strategy” to figure out that if you can get your enemy to pursue something that’s not there, he’ll be pretty easy to take out. Is our Christian walk any different? Fear over not having enough money to pay bills is really a question of God’s promise of provision and His character (both of which are the definition of truth). Lust and sexual immorality are perversions of the beauty that God has created in marriage and the wonder of communion with Him. The list goes on and on.

Take it from an expert sinner (yours truly), the lie can’t hold a candle to the real thing (ain’t nothing like the real thing baby… ain’t nothing like the real thing… don’t act like you don’t know the song!). A girlfriend will never give you the satisfaction that God delivers on the daily, worry and repeated financial analysis/budgeting will never provide the certainty and peace that comes from trusting in God’s promise. I hope that in the face of temptation you’re able to analyze the option that’s actually being presented to you and then realize how much it sucks. But even more importantly, the best Wartime Strategy that I know is to really relish the joy of being in God’s presence and finding Him as the source of ultimate satisfaction.

More than a little Homesick...

Just got back into Houston and I have come to the resounding conclusion that Chicago is the greatest city in the world. Now I know what you’re thinking: “Hey, you haven’t been to every city in the world!” Well frankly it doesn’t matter. Chicago takes the cake, pizza, calzone, rib-tip, and sub. Man I love that city!

It was a very relaxing weekend. I got the chance to hang out with my Uncle and break my p90x diet by gorging out on Giordano’s Pizza (THE BEST!!) for about three days straight. My dad also came down from Michigan for the first two days and spending time with him is always a plus. Tons of laughs, food, and good times (lactose intolerance aside…). God definitely answered prayers for nice weather and diverted the thunderstorms everywhere but Chicago for the weekend. In fact, as I was walking down the street, he literally stopped the rain and brought out the sun (THANKS!! ).

The last day I was able to head into the city and spend some time with Corbin, a good friend of mine and current student at Moody. When we weren’t embarrassing ourselves on Lake Michigan (I definitely need to hang up the soccer cleats), we were having some seriously high-quality conversations about missions, theology, South Africa, and the sovereignty of God. Calvinism was another topic we touched on for a moment as we debated the “free-will” of man versus the absolute sovereignty of God (we’re nerds and proud of it!).

Getting on the airplane, I re-realized how hard it is to be apart from the people I love (tear) but yet, how necessary it is for the salvation of souls. Honestly, it made me yearn for Heaven (insert May 21th rapture joke here). I desperately wish for a time when people won’t get older, families won’t splinter apart, and economic hardship won’t restrict family interactions. One of my best friends in Houston is leaving in a few weeks to get married, my best friend since ever just went back to Germany, and my baby sister is heading off to Atlanta… As happy as I am for them and the plan that God has for their lives, I know that I’ll miss out on moments and, perhaps most importantly, miss them. That = sadness. But as always our comfort can’t be in this world, it has to be in the Cross where Christ gave believers the ability to enjoy eternal community with Him, the Father, and other believers in a place that won’t perish, slip away, or fade into the background of distant memory.

But then again, I think that's a good thing. In some weird and ironic way, I think that God allows things to "end" here and relationships to "fade" in order to remind us that this planet isn't our home. And, as great as Chicago is (did I mention it's the greatest city in the world...?) and as complicated as life can get, we were made for something greater.

Well I'm back to the working world... as always:

Grace and peace

French Toasted...

Today was my second to last day of “home visit”... It’s been a complicated journey. On one hand, I definitely enjoy being around my family and A2 has some of the best food in the world (Shout out to BEEZY’S... BEST FRENCH TOAST EVER!!!). But at the same point and time, I’m here to help a good friend grieve the loss of his mother... How do you celebrate mother’s day when your brother is still writhing from the pain of losing his own? Yeah... complicated would be an understatement.

I could try to make some weak spiritual metaphor about how French Toast relates to justification or imputation (she imputed the goodness of the french toast and the whipped cream covers it like a...) but I’ll spare you from the half hearted metaphor.

Instead, I’d rather focus on pleasure for a moment. Many times, although I fear it is far too seldom, people talk about how God purposes our pain. They talk about how God uses our pain to point us back to him in some form or fashion. I agree and believe that is definite and certain truth. Christ promised that we’d suffer and we should count it as an honor (Paul did...). But God also created us with a desire to experience pleasure and every once and awhile we get a chance to cherish that moment. As I slowly chewed the baked blackberries that were delicately placed inside the moist toast and licked the plate clean of lemon flavored whipped cream... I thought to myself, man this is good. In moments such as that, we should take the time to enjoy the Earth that God created for us to enjoy.

John Piper states over and over again in his book Desiring God “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” Now don’t take this out of context and go off the deep end trying and experiencing the depths of lust. No, the pleasures God has laid up for us transcend anything the world could offer. But that being said, he made this Earth and declared that at one point in time it was good. For some reason He has not destroyed it to this point. In glorifying Him, let’s enjoy Him, be pleased with Him, and enjoy the things that He’s created as a demonstration of His infinite glory.

As I’ve said far too many times this week with far too much seriousness: Thank you Lord for allowing me to live in a time period of frozen coffee, MP3 players, acoustic guitars, and Beezy’s. And thank you most of all for giving me the grace to enjoy them with you.

As always: Grace and peace...

Light in the Darkness

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matt. 4:14-16

What do people see when they look at you? When trials come even the strongest Christian begins to show signs of growing weary and oftentimes it is far too easy to doubt the word God has placed in you. Perhaps situations look impossible or you've been far too weighed down by worry but whatever the case may be we slowly began to blend in with a hopeless world as the gift of life appears to become difficult.

God’s word calls us to be the light for the world. Interestingly enough, Jesus is often referred to as the light of the word but Jesus directly tells his followers that they will be picking up the mantel while he goes to prepare a place. He shifts the responsibility and gives us the ability to accurately portray an everlasting hope to the world. Although our lives at time may appear to be hopeless, we must stay “salty” in order to adequately shine and bring lost souls to Christ

So who does the world see when they look at us? Do they see people who are unable to walk out on faith and trust God with every detail of our lives (not an easy process)? Do they see a people who are willing to sacrifice everything to please their father? As children of the light it is imperative that we show those who are wounded and hurting that there still is a hope and a savior. We are ambassadors of Christ and God chose to give us the responsibility of bringing men to him so that he might heal them. God gave us the ability to act as direct representatives of his mercy and peace, his kindness and love. But the question still remains; can people see that in your life? Are you willing to cast aside your own concerns and fears so that you may assist your starving brothers and sisters?

Life can appear to be difficult at times (I use the word appear very purposefully). But as Christians we know that all life comes from the Father and that everything that the Father gives to us is good. Anything that appears to be in contrast to that point is a flat out lie. This means that we must show the world that we believe the truth, a truth that came in flesh form directly to earth, and know that all things work together for the good of them that love God and have been called according to His purpose. So what does all this mean? Basically it means to let God handle the problem that you struggle with, cast every concern of your heart directly on his lap and show the world that we believe what we say we believe. Let us show the world that we have been redeemed from fear and doubt and firmly stand on the truth that God provides for us. Let us show that we believe the word of God above all costs so that the hope that has drenched our hearts, a hope that never disappoints, might sooth their weary souls. Cast your cares and be a light to the world.