Struggling with Scripture #5: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-9

I find it nearly impossible to control myself sometimes.  I'll eat too much food, enough that my stomach expands to the point of hurting while I'm eating.  I will lose track of time and spend several hours in front of my computer watching TV or playing video games when I wanted to only spend an hour.  My mind wanders from prayer into thinking about things of the world, like the latest iPhone, Kindle, video game, or I will think of some woman I just met.

And yet, we hear the call of Christ through Paul: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication, that each of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God..." (1 Thes 4: 3-5).  Control over our bodies includes control over our minds, control over our lusts (whether sexual or material, including food, relaxation, or possessions).  Control is something that people have struggled with for ages, and control is something we are called to obtain.

Yet, how is it possible when "I do what I don't want to do?" (Rom 7:15).  How can I follow Christ when I cannot control my own desires, when I cannot control my actions?  The answer is this: the cross of Christ.  The call of Christ is to pick up our cross and follow him...and that means that our eyes need to be on Jesus, our hearts and minds given over, abandoned to him, left in God's care.  When we abandon our desires for God's, when we give our bodies, hearts, and minds over to the Lord, then we shall not be consumed with the lusts of this world...then control comes naturally as we are fulfilled in Jesus. 

Jesus is the answer. The call to break with our lives is here, and now is the time to give ourselves over to God.  It's a radical sudden break...and a long and arduous journey.  We give our all up for Jesus, then  find there were parts of ourselves we never knew existed that we haven't given up...or we backslide.  And yet the call comes again..."control your own body...not by yourself or for yourself, but control it by giving everything to Jesus.  Then you will know the yoke that is easy, the burden that is light...and the love that knows no end as it fills your life."

"Lord teach me control myself...through abandonment to you."

Rage against Consumerism

I am angry that consumerism has gone so far that people need to work on holidays.  There were always some who gave up their holidays to help others - nurses and cops,  doctors and medical emergency people, snow plow drivers, soldiers, and others who (perhaps not voluntarily) sacrificed their time with family and friends in order to serve others.  This I appreciate and value - and am more than grateful to these individuals.  

Yet, when did times so change that Walmart now needs to be open on Thanksgiving for last minute shoppers?  Not even with a skeleton crew, but full blown "let's start Black Friday on Thursday to make money" work crews?

There are two different parts of this that I am angry with.  First, I am angry that we have become materially possessed as a nation. When did we as a nation, as consumers, decide that we are entitled to be served on holidays, that objects are too valuable not to buy the next day and are so important that we are willing to allow corporations to sacrifice their employees time with family to serve us? 

Second, I am angry with corporations that decide that money is more important than allowing individuals to spend time with family, that profit is so needed that not a single day can be given off.  No need for a corporation-wide rest day (which everyone knows is needed), but instead "this is simply another twenty-four hours where we can't afford to lose the profit."  I am also angry that employees cannot demand the time off; sure they can take vacation days (if allowed), but there is no room for striking or simply not coming in.  The economy is too poor to sacrifice a job for a holiday.

When did we become so entitled to consume, when did corporations become so concerned with profit, that six to eight days off a year is too many to go without?  That a single day off a year is too long a time to not have our needs served or profit gained?  I seriously doubt that the Lord had this in mind when abundant blessings were first poured upon this nation.  Possessions never satisfy, never create security or safety for tomorrow, never decrease anxiety.  Only the Lord can ever do that. We have an important lesson to learn. 

"Lord, help calm the bitter anger welling inside, and help me to keep my eyes simply and only on you." 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is an amazing day. Taking time to be thankful and expressing gratitude to God for life is incredible and important...not something that should just be done once a year, but everyday of the year. In today's era, thanksgiving usually involves feasting on food, whether large or small portions, spending time around the table and in the living room, and in general giving thanks to God and to those around us for life.

The most important aspect of thanksgiving is spending time with family - those people in our lives who shape us, support us, love us, and who make life ...well life. God and family are the ingredients that makes thanksgiving joyous and wondrous. They make it special. They remind us to give thanks and be grateful for what we have.

I have much in my life to be grateful for. The Holy Trinity - Father, Son, Holy Spirit, who never cease to amaze me in their love, mercy, grace, blessing, and perseverance. My family, especially my parents and sister, without whom I would never be the man who I am today. My friends who I consider family members - those steady rocks whom I continually lean on. My wider circle of friends, with whom life would be much duller without. My mentors and pastors, professors and counselors, through whom the Lord has worked wonders. My church, whose love and bountiful grace pours out continually.

And again, I am thankful for Jesus, the one who is there day in and day out, who was slain on a cross and rose again so that we might have life.

"Lord, thank you...for simply being you. Thank you for family, friends, mentors and teachers, church and blessing. And thank you..for Jesus. Thank you for the Holy Spirit. Amen."

The Journey and the Destination

Which is more important? The destination or the journey? The goal or the means by which we get to that goal? Is it how we go about doing something or just the fact that something is done that counts?

In our journey's with God, it matters how we go about doing something... and it also matters about the destination. It matters that we enjoy life, stop to smell the coffee (and the roses), to take in beautiful sunrises and sunsets, to stare into the eyes of the ones we love, to spend time with family and friends, to work hard as we earn a living. It also matters that we focus on the goal: eternal life with God, our one true love.

So what does it mean to enjoy the journey while pressing on toward the goal? The first and only way to enjoy the journey is to enjoy life with God...the relationship that is our destination is also the means to enjoying the way to that destination. The second piece of this way is to love our families, friends, neighbors and enemies - something that can only be done wholesomely with God. The third piece of this way is to love life itself - not things of the "world" but to simply enjoy the time we have in the place we are with the people we are around.

This life is the only one we have...and it passes us by without us being able to regain a single moment. We progress steadily towards our destination on a journey that can be enjoyed but never redone. But it is also hard, with rough spots, holes in the road that can trip us up, false paths, and dangerous detours. We can get too focused on the journey, on the moment, on the splendor that God has created for us, which is why we must keep our eyes on the destination so that we may gain the ultimate prize. Life is a balance between this world and the next, the journey and the destination. The way to maintain this balance is also both the means for the journey as well as the goal: a relationship with Jesus Christ.

"Lord, help me to love you, enjoying the journey of life with you while honing in on the prize that is eternal life in your presence."

The Mercy of Being Provided "Enough"

Currently I am a bi-vocational pastor who works for a major cell phone company as a customer service representative.  Before I began working for the cell phone company, I carefully calculated a budget and how many hours a week I would need to work to meet that budget, including overtime.  The company allows as much overtime as a person wants, meaning that I could work as much time as I needed to meet the budget that I figured I would need to survive.  So, I began to work 50-55 hour weeks in order to "make ends meet" - and quickly burnt out, drifting into despair as I slowly became more distant from God.  I was also too tired to put my all into the work that mattered - Kingdom of God work.

As things became darker and darker, I finally started talking - to one of my spiritual counselors, to my parents, and to friends about what was happening.  My spiritual counselor finally said this to me: "Matthew, you are very smart and very talented, and far too often you try to do everything on your own instead of simply trusting God.  You rely on yourself, not on God.  Why don't you try relying on God?" 

Following this conversation and one with my mom, I came to a decision: I will work no more overtime at my job to make ends meet.  I will work 40 hours a week at my secular job, recover, and work at the church where my main focus needed to be all along.  

As soon as I came to this conclusion, things began getting brighter.  Almost immediately my attitude lightened as I put in a 40 hour work week instead of a 50+ one.  I then got a surprise: I will be given a bonus for the amount of money that I would have received from working over time, to be paid out with my next pay check.  Suddenly, ends could be met putting in normal effort and trusting in God, instead of working overtime to make enough money by myself to make ends meet. 

This is the mercy, the grace, the blessing of being provided with "enough."  It's not extra, it's not smaller than what's needed, it simply is enough.  God provides if we rely on God's strength.  Some months I may be a little short, others I may have a little extra, still others I may have just enough.  But I know from now on I will not rely on myself, my plans, or my abilities to make the money I need to survive...I will trust in God for that!

"Lord, help me to rely on you...and help reveal to me all the ways I rely on myself instead of on you."

Cultivating Life with God

One of the challenges I find in life is the multitude of activities to do and choices to make.  Each choice made has a corresponding consequence or can shift life in new directions, closing some doors and opening new doors.  With the massive amount of things which occupy my time (work, friends, family, church work, hobbies, chores, and other) , I have trouble keeping my eyes fully fixed on Christ.  I feel bad if I don't do devotions as I should, or if I say "no" to some volunteer activity, or if I am not volunteering outside of normal activities.   I feel badly because I know that if I cut out some hobbies, or some rest time, I would be able to serve more or be with God more.

However, I must always be careful about this feeling.  There is definitely something to be said about a life of simplicity, of not becoming so involved in this world (including volunteer activities!) that we miss spending time with God, family, and periods of rest.  A life of simplicity can also assist us with being servants of God by giving time and space for God to send people our way unexpectedly - and we can say "yes" to this unplanned ministry because we leave space in our lives for God to direct us.

I do not mean to say all of my hobbies or activities are bad, or shouldn't be done, but perhaps I should choose carefully what I do in my free time - making sure to leave room for God, for service, and especially for rest and rejuvenation.  In a world that says, "work hard and play hard," we need to take to simply be and wait for God.

"Lord, help me to be with you, both while I'm busy and in time set aside just for you."

Godly Insights in Everyday Life #1: On Determination

One of the many hobbies that I enjoy doing is watching anime, which is the term used for Japanese cartoons.  My all time favorite anime is called Kenichi, History's Strongest Disciple.  This show is about a high school boy (named Kenichi) who dreams of being a martial artist and being able to protect his friends and family.  Unfortunately he has absolutely no talent for being a martial artist...but he does have a kind heart and a whole lot of determination. Eventually the boy ends up being trained by five of the greatest martial artists in the world...all at one time.  Since these masters never fail, they never give up on this boy and put him through incredibly hard training in order to build his skill.

During one of the most difficult periods of his training, Kenichi is encouraged by seeing one of his master's work very hard at learning to play a certain board game - the master had practiced so much that the pieces literally wore thin from his fingers pressing against them.  Kenichi then makes the statement, "Well then I will simply train until the floor gives in from my training!"

Hard periods of our lives come to us too as we struggle and train to live for God and become more and more like Jesus.  In the middle of these hard times, when we feel like we can least keep up with devotions, or prayer, or fasting, or whatever the Lord is having us do, may we say, "Lord may I train until the binding of my Bible breaks, may I train until holes are worn into my pants from kneeling in prayer!"  When the path gets rough, when times get tough, its then that we must press towards the goal, giving it our all for Christ until "the floor gives in from my training!"

"Lord, help me to know you more each day, in every way, and may I never give up on my journey towards You!"  

Struggling with Scripture #4: James 2:26

For many years I thought that faith and works inspired by faith were two separate but related entities.  Faith was the source of works that came from believing in Jesus Christ.  Faith was also something that the mind, heart, and soul did, a spiritual-something that received salvation from Jesus if placed in Jesus Christ.  Works were something that came out of that faith,  material acts which showed faith; these acts could vary in intensity levels as time and space allowed.  While spiritual fruits were expected, it didn't really matter if I didn't make time for working in the church or doing some other ministry work if I was busy with other things. 

Yet James challenges this perception of the dual nature between faith and works.  In James 2:26, James writes, "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead."  Normally when we think abstractly about faith, we think of it as something "spiritual," something ethereal.  This notion relates directly to the spirit of the body, which we also think of in ethereal terms as some spiritual  substance that floats up to heaven after death to be with God before the resurrection.  However, James turns this notion on its head, relating faith to the material body and works to the spirit which moves the body.

In essence, what James is saying is that works drive faith - without it, faith is limp and motionless, like a body without the spirit.  Yet, just like the body/spirit relationship is complex and intertwined in such a way as to be almost indistinguishable, so is the analogy between faith/works.  Dietrich Bonheoffer, a great theologian during World War II in the midst of Nazi Germany, writes this: "Only those who believe obey, and only those who obey believe" (Cost of Discipleship 68). 

Another way of putting this phrase is to say, "Only those who have faith will do what Jesus wants them to do (works), and only those who do what Jesus wants them to do have faith."  This is a very difficult thing to admit to myself, and is even more difficult to follow, for while obeying Christ sounds easy when spoken ("Just do it!"), it is far harder to "just do it" in practice.  So where does this leave us? We need to struggle, strive, push ourselves, and pursue God with everything we have, not making excuses for ourselves and what we do, but looking to live for God with every breath.  As we do this, we can also relax and fall into Jesus loving arms, knowing that his grace abounds, and we can remember that the point behind all the works and all faith is simply the love relationship with the Triune God.   

"Lord, help me to live for you, for only in obedience does faith come alive."

The "I-Don't-Feel-Like-It" Syndrome

For the past two weeks I have stopped working out.  Of course, the rest period started off innocently enough.  My voice began to get scratchy, my body was weary and tired, so I said to myself, "P90-X (home work out videos) is simply too much at the moment and will weaken my immune system because of the intensity.  I should stop for this week to simply rest and allow my body to recover."  It was a well-meaning rest, and most certainly needed.

Yet, this rest turned into a two week rest.  The second week of rest was haunted by the phrase, "I'm simply too tired this week, I'll start again next week,"  "I don't feel like it today," and "Skipping just this once won't hurt."  I am now in week three of my "rest," struggling to get in three workouts when six workouts was the norm, battling the desperate desire to remain at rest.

Walking with God and living for Christ is the field of that same battle, that same desperate desire to remain at rest, to take the easy road.  "I don't feel like it today, so I will skip prayer." "I don't feel like guarding my eyes today, so it's OK if I take a second look at that beautiful individual." "I don't feel like it today, so I will skip my devotional, or my fast." "I don't feel like it today, so it's fine if I ignore my family so I can get some rest." 

Taking breaks and resting the soul is a needed practice in our culture, but stopping important habits because we " don't feel like it" can lead us into complacency, sin, and laziness.  It can deter us from walking with God, place a spiritual roadblock in our lives preventing us from moving forward, and it can even place plugs in our ears to prevent us from hearing the Word of God. 

Instead of taking that break when we "don't feel like it," let us continue to run the race set before us...and instead pray for rest, for a true Sabbath, rejuvenation, and revitalization from God.  Jesus' "burden is easy, and his yoke is light." The Lord will grant us real rest and rejuvenation when the time is right, which will motivate and prepare us further for our walk with God.  Taking rest on our own, seizing the right to declare when we will take a break from our Master, giving in to the "I don't feel like it today," will only feed our need for more rest, feed our presumptiveness, and will leave us un-rejuvenated and un-filled.

"Lord, help me to fight to obey when I don't feel like it, and come quickly to my rescue with real rest when I am under siege from everyday life."