Happy 2008 and atheism

had an enjoyable time over some friends house tonight. kids are in bed, now i plan on doing some reading and watching the ball drop.

read something interesting in the looey (louisville publication) today. it was an interview with an atheist who was broadcasting his "show" over the internet designed to teach people about atheism and the myth of god. anyway, toward the end of the article was this quote:

"when one has only one life, they should try to avoid deliberately doing unpleasant things," he says. "atheists live for life before death, not life after death."

pretty good way to end an article about atheism, if you ask me. are we people that live for the life after death? is that what following christ has become? not the jesus i read - he came to proclaim the year of the lord's favor. his teachings are very much for this life. his radical call to love enemies, give generously and live in purity are not "pie in the sky" commands, but are central to who we are in christ.

if we only began living for christ now, in this life - what would the world see then. how might the artile have ended differently? i am left to wonder.

faith and deeds

heard something profound this morning at assembly and it has me thinking. "people can't see our love for God, they can only see how we treat them."

i think this is what james was saying when he said "show me your faith without deeds, and i will show you my faith by what i do." i have also heard it put this way "you can't fake what you believe."

we will act out our faith. so what do you believe? it will be evident to everyone by what you do.

perfect season

tonight the new england patriots will go for the first ever 16-0 season in the NFL. i for one, think they will do it! but i will also be watching, just in case they don't.

emily and i watched "we are marshall" last night. inspiring story of a team, school and town that worked through one of the most horrific tragedies in sports history. coming back from a game, their team plane went down and everyone on board was killed. the program was forced to start over - and the creators of the movie do a good job of capturing the story.

inspiring sports stories - nothing like it.

conflict and tension

not all conflict is bad. not all tension is bad. for example as followers of jesus we should be living in a type of conflict and tension with the world. most of us spend our time running from anything that resembles conflict. we want to "keep the peace" or not "rock the boat." we think somehow if we just don't talk about it, it doesn't exist, or "it" might just go away. i am learning that talking about the elephant in the room is the only way to get it out of the house.

jesus tended to tell stories that brought people into conflict with their "old" way of thinking. he used everyday life to teach and bear witness to the conflict between living as everyone else does, and living under his reign. the absence of conflict is not an indication for healthy lifestyle and/or relationship. in fact, i would argue that it might be just the opposite.

we shouldn't be "stirring up trouble" at every turn. we shouldn't be known for "ruffling feathers" whenever possible, but sometimes it is necessary, and healthy. to grow in christ and in our relationships there will probably be conflict. i know it is true of marriage. emily and i have conflict - not finger pointing, but conflict. i am growing, she is growing and we are learning to deal with things as they come - humbly, gracefully and with a lot of forgiveness. i think that is god's way.

when God comes near

Received a Christmas card from some good friends of ours in Cincinnati. It spoke of Christmas as a time to celebrate God coming near. As I pondered the card I was struck again by the story I believe in. God - leaving his throne in Heaven - to enter our world and forever change our future. The card encouraged us and challenged us to love as Christ loved. Again I was struck by the amazing gift we have been entrusted with. As God has come near, so we now represent Him on this earth.

So in this holiday season, look through all the presents and materialism for opportunities to represent the God who left his home in Heaven. Allow God to use you to touch others for his purposes. God is all about "coming near," and wants to use us to touch and heal the world.

the fallen order

Sometimes it feels as if I get a glimpse of how the world "should" be. The world in which God intended when he created, but as soon as I catch the vision it fanishes. Does anyone else feel that? Sin has so corrupted our view, that it is difficult to see beauty, goodness and rightness in our world.

Is God really bringing about his ideal in this world? Is he restoring all things, and making them right again, or is this just a figment of my imagination? How much is God's kingdom breaking in to our world?

All questions that I have.

busy, busy, busy

Have a busy few days coming up. Work Christmas party Friday night, Saturday night having some folks over our house and Sunday my boss is having a party at his house. It will be nice to visit and be around some people we don't normally hang with.

Was able to talk about my faith in Christ to some of the people I work with today. One thing led to another and we were discussing the gospel. It was pretty amazing actually. Praying for hearts that will hear, mine included.

On a side note I would like to profess my love of Francine Rivers. She is a phenomenal storyteller. I just finished "and the Shofar blew." Great book. I have read 4 or 5 of her books now and looking for more.

Sanctified and Holy

Listen to Paul's introductory words to the church at Corinth:

I Corinthians 1:2
"To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ-their Lord and ours."

I was beginning to read through the book of I Corinthians the other day, and couldn't seem to get past verse 2 (above). What do I do with this?

There is a lot packed in this little verse. This was written to a church where just a few versus later Paul is rebuking them on their divisiveness - he does this two different times in the first 3 chapters! Most of us know the other issues addressed in the book - namely sexual immorality, lawsuits, drunkeness in their gatherings.

Paul is saying the church is made holy through Jesus, and yet called to be holy. The church (its people) are set apart through Christ and yet called to be set apart. Reread the verse. What is he trying to say?

I believe he is saying "it is finished" - and yet there is still work to be done. This is a theme repeated in other scriptures throughout the new testament. We ARE sanctified in Christ, and yet called to be holy. So our job/duty/work is to trust in the finished work of Jesus in our lives in order to fulfull all we are called to be in Christ. Jesus alone has sanctified me, and because I am learning to trust more and more in that, I am becoming more and more holy. Wow!

Revolting against culture

Don't forget to revolt against our consumeristic culture this holiday season. Don't take everything you are fed, especially when it comes to giving and receiving gifts. You truly don't have to "go with the flow." It is in the times we revolt that people begin to ask the really important questions. It is in the revolting that God could be glorified in our lives.

Pause and ask some Jesus questions. I will spare you of my Jesus questions, and challenge you to come up with your own.

So, if you want to be a revolutionary like Jesus, there is no better time to start.

Monday Night

Was able to have dinner with George and Ann, and attend a bible study with them. It was a good experience. Great to see and spend time with good friends. Great to be in the presence of honest seekers.

When I got home Kylie was waiting for me to put her to bed. When I was rocking her quietly, after a story and some scripture reciting, she quietly whispered in my ear "I love you daddy." It felt like she really understood what those words meant, and to me it meant the world.

Made me think about the last time I was quietly reflecting on God and from an honest heart said "I love you daddy." Isn't that what God is looking for from us? To gently allow him to rock us and hold us and be overwhelmed by his goodness and love for us. So much to the point we can't help but say "I love you daddy." He wants to be that close to us, and for us to experience him in that way.

the gods aren't angry

Thursday night saw Rob Bell at the Brown Theatre here in Louisville. He has an amazing way of witnessing to scripture. Bottom line for me - we continue to treat our relationship with God as if He needs to be satisfied in some way, or He will "zap" us. We continue to practice our religion, instead of walking in the way of Jesus. We go to "church" to appease our God, we offer our religious sacrifices b/c in some way we think God needs them and/or requires them. We spend a great deal of energy figuring out the pattern - so we can go forth in the world and correct the errors in other denominations.

Quite frankly - I just don't get it anymore and am tired. More tired than I have ever been. Tired of listening to the religious arguments, and tired of still wanting to participate in them. I have been trying to leave the old way for many years and God willing I feel I am almost home! Need to drop my judgement and bitterness and get about the work to which I am called. The work of incarnating Christ to everyone I come in contact with - even the religious zealots!!

Lord Jesus - Pour your Spirit out.

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On a more serious note - put some lights up on the house today. It was an interesting experience to say the least. They actually look pretty good though. Kylie loves them!