Haven’t had much to say lately…hence the silence, but I’m back for at least one day! I read something this afternoon that just needed a comment…even if it’s a short one.

I’ve been walking through the Book of Acts for the past few weeks. There is so much going on in that book. Good stuff. Stuff I always seem to forget, so it’s a good reminder every time I read it. And once in awhile I pick up on something I missed the first few times. Today was one of those times as I read the story of Peter being called to go give the Gospel to Cornelius. Nothing major here except for one small detail: Cornelius is a Gentile. (Insert gasps here!!)

Up until this point, Peter has only been preaching to Jews. He doesn’t even consider any other option. Talking to a Gentile is out of the question…much less sharing the Gospel of Christ with them. But God has other plans. So He gives Peter a vision to soften him up a little. And God gives Cornelius a vision to send for Peter. Both of them are obedient (good lesson there, but not for today).

Long story short: Peter visits with Cornelius and shares everything he knows about Jesus. Cornelius and his entire household are baptized with the Holy Spirit and then baptized with water. The Gentiles are officially invited to the party!

But Peter has some ’splain’ to do when he gets back to Jerusalem. The other apostles and believers would like to know what Peter is doing preaching to Gentiles….hmmm?? So Peter tells them the whole story…and here’s where we get to my own personal light bulb for the day…

“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:15-17, NLT)

Did you see it? It’s that last little phrase (which is now highlighted and underlined in my Bible): “…who was I to stand in God’s way?”

What a great question…and theology for life! Who am I to stand in God’s way? And let me tell you, I stand in His way far too often! There, I said it…it’s out in the open. I’m not proud of it, but it happens. I like getting my own way after all…and why can’t my way and God’s way be in synch more often?  ;o)  Why? Because I’m not God, that’s why.

So I’m going to work on this more. And it helps to know that even a spiritual giant like Peter needed a little help in this department (it took three visions and the prompting of the Holy Spirit more than once to get him to change his ways). That’s good company.

SO now I’m off to try and get out of God’s way…look out world!

We all have a story. For most of us, our story includes our interaction and wrestling with God…we have to encounter and respond to Him at some point in our journey. In Searching for God Knows What, author Donald Miller shares his story. And it’s not always pretty, but God comes through and transforms Miller’s faith from cold, rigid religion to warm, active, relational faith. That’s as it should be.

This is the book I wish I had written. Following Christ is about relationship and nothing more. Miller expands on this single thought by sharing his own journey of faith and examining Scripture. He focuses on the story of Genesis Chapter 3—when mankind’s perfect relationship with God was broken. God has been working to re-establish that relationship ever since!

Everything we do in our failed and frail humanity is about searching for something to fill that relational part in our spirits that only God can fill. Miller explains that our attempts to get others to like us and approve of us are all about trying to fill God’s place in our lives. It never works! We need God and we need other people in our lives. Our search for relationship can only be filled by a relationship with God. Period.

Miller using satire and personal experience to draw his reader into his own story. This is more that Miller’s story. It’s my story. It’s your story. Three chapters alone make the book worth the read (3, 5, and 10 if you must know). Get this book. Devour it. Let God us it to challenge your own journey. Examine what you believe and why. And come back to relationship with God. It’s all that really matters!

I must admit that the book also includes some “games” within it’s pages (puzzles you must decipher using Miller’s website). I was not interested in this aspect of the book…too much work for me, just didn’t capture my imagination enough to make the effort. If you do, please let me know if it’s worth it!  ;o)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

For the last 8 weeks I’ve been on a running plan to get from sitting on the coach to a full 5K (which I will run on July 31st). This morning I forgot my ear buds so I decided to run without them instead of trekking back home. I figured it would give me some time to pray and think. I was right…except that I also learned that my breathing is kind of distracting, but that’s another post for another day.

Giving me time to think can be dangerous. You never know what you’re going to get. This morning I started pondering about the rules of running on a trail, or what I call “Running Etiquette” and how they apply to our spiritual lives. See, I told you I’m weird. So here they are in no particular order or sensibility:

1. Rule #1: Always run on the right side of the trail…always.
   I learned this one during the first 2 minutes of my first run on a trail. I learned it by breaking it at the same moment a biker was trying to pass to me (he followed rule #2…coming up). The biker let me know in no uncertain terms that I had broken this rule, I have never broken it since…it’s a good way to get run over or at the very least cussed out by an angry biker dude.

   The Spiritual Application: God has a path for us to follow (He calls it the narrow path in Scripture) and if we don’t stay on the right side of the trail we just might get run over…or proverbially “cussed out”. We know this rule but we sometimes like to wander off the right side (either out of boredom or rebellion). It’s not a good idea.

2. Rule #2: If you’re passing someone you must tell them which side you’re passing them on (i.e. “on your left”).
   This is more of a “Biker’s Rule” of etiquette since they are the ones doing the passing at high speed, but it’s still a good rule to be aware of. As a runner you’re not always aware someone is coming up behind you so it’s nice of them to tell you so that you don’t accidentally violate Rule #1 like I did. Even so, this announcement can scare the life out of you as it did this morning (my shorts are still clean though…but it was a close call).

   The Spiritual Application: I had to rack my brain a little for this application so it might be a little bit of a stretch (if you come up with a better one please comment with it…this applies to all of the rules). It’s always a good idea to let people around you know where you are spiritually, and this includes notifying them once in awhile (especially when you’re passing them??). We call this being authentic. Make sure the people around you are aware you’re there…don’t just fade into the background. Be noticed.

3. Rule #3: You must always say “good morning” or nod or wave to people passing you in the other direction.
   This is one of those “unwritten rules” that I dare you to violate. Nobody will say anything, but they will think badly about you and wonder why you don’t like them…and we all want people to like us, right? I’ve noticed that different people have different ways of acknowledging your presence. Some always say “good morning”. Some wave. Some nod their head. But everyone does something. Me…I’m a waver because I can hardly breathe as it is without speaking.

   The Spiritual Application: People want and need to be acknowledged and recognized. So do it. Let people know you see them. let them know they matter to you. Tell you kids you love them. Shake people’s hands at church (or give them a hug). Don’t ignore people…God designed us to interact with people. They need us and we need them.

4. Rule #4: People walking their dogs must get off the trail when they see someone else coming in their direction.
   Again, this isn’t exactly a runner’s rule, but it still seems to be some odd rule of the trail. Not everyone follows the rule, but enough do…and it’s a weird one to me. Maybe they’re afraid their dog will bite (although none ever so much as look up…they don’t follow Rule #3). Maybe they feel lower on the “food chain” (bikers, then runners, then walkers, then dog walkers??)? I don’t know…but they do it even if the side of the trail is muddy.

   The Spiritual Application: This is a rule we probably shouldn’t follow in our spiritual lives. Never get off the trail…ever. Keep going, Don’t give up. Don’t give ground to anyone (or anything) in your spiritual run (or walk). Stay on the trail, keep making progress. We’re all on the trail together and there is plenty of room for everyone. And you might even make a few friends along the way who help you out!

One final thought on this weird trek through my thought process this morning. Running doesn’t just happen. You don’t just wake up one morning and go run a 5K. It takes progressive effort. It takes training. It takes some pain. Same thing in our spiritual journey…you don’t just wake up one morning ready to walk on water or raise the dead. It tales progressive effort, training, and some pain along the way. It’s called growing. And we;re all in it together!

This morning I continued my walk through the book of Isaiah. I love this book…it speaks to my soul in ways some other books just don’t. Today I read Isaiah 63, Isaiah’s reflection of what God has done for His people in the past (specifically leading them out of Egypt).

It got me thinking about my own past…the path God has used to get me to where I am today (both physically and spiritually). We don’t do this kind of reflection enough. We need to remember how we got here. To learn lessons from our legacy (and not repeat the mistakes) and to thank Him for everything He’s done. It also reminds me that God has provided and guided in the past…and He’ll do so in the future.

My life is not lived out in a vacuum. Stuff has happened before. People have influenced my life. I’ve messed up…BIG. I have a past. I have a legacy. I need to remember it. Often.

And I need to tell it…

I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love.
I will praise the Lord for all he has done. (Isaiah 63:7, NLT)

My past, my legacy, is not just for me. It’s for everyone in my life. It’s not my story…it’s God’s story. And He wants us to tell that story.

So…what’s your story?

The Men’s group I lead on Tuesday nights (I use the term lightly…they teach me way more than I do) has decided to study the minor prophets beginning now until the the middle of November. I am stoked about the study and got started this morning getting ready for tomorrow’s discussion by reading Hosea 1-4 and doing some background study. It’s good stuff! Hosea is a little odd to take in at first, but the lessons are incredible…and as relevant today as they where in c. 700 B.C.

As I was reading, one little sentence jumped off the page and I can’t get away from it. It’s a confirmation of what God has been teaching me over the past year or so. It’s at the foundation of His transformation in my own spiritual journey…as I’ve turned from religion to relationship. Here’s the sentence (this is God talking):

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. (Hosea 4:6a, NLT)

That right there is some powerful stuff…packed into a short little sentence.

The principle here? Knowing God, having a personal relationship with Him, is key to our survival!

Wow. If we don’t know God then we are already in the process of being destroyed…of perishing. It’s that important. God built us this way and if we don’t follow His design for our lives we’re in serious trouble. If we don’t know Him we’re in “deep do-do” (deep theological term!).

But the opposite is also true: If we know Him…if we have a personal relationship with Him…then we’re growing and living. Good stuf instead of the bad stuff. Again, because that’s how God made us.

Off to chew on this more…your thoughts and reactions…??

I have been walking through the book of Isaiah for the past month or so. It’s been awhile since God and I took a journey through this book. It’s one of my favorites. It’s deep. It’s rich. I get something new and important every time I pick it up. I must identify with God’s people during Isaiah’s lifetime. We have much in common, which isn’t necessarily a good thing!

Today I got a little flashback to my childhood days. Do you remember playing “Follow the Leader”? What a great game…as long as you were the leader anyway. I loved being out in front and blazing the trail. Following was okay once in awhile, but being the leader was where it was at!

I remember one summer climbing a 14K mountain with my uncles. Naturally, they took the lead because they were the adults. I lagged behind…far behind. It annoyed my uncles because they had to keep stopping and letting me catch up. Until finally my uncle stopped and told me to take the lead. He let me set the pace. And everything changed. All of a sudden I was way out in front; they had a hard time keeping up once I got in front.

What’s the point? Just this: It’s my naturally tendency to take the lead, but that doesn’t really work in my spiritual life…

I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. (Isaiah 48:17-18, NLT)

God says I’m supposed to let Him lead. He knows the way. And the problem is that when I do what comes naturally—when I take the lead myself—then I get too far ahead of Him and miss the path I should follow. I think I know the way, but I don’t. I need to let God take the lead. I need to follow The Leader.

The benefits? Says right there in the passage: Peace and Righteousness. I could use more of both!

I’m preparing the message for this upcoming Sunday on the the Spiritual Discipline of Simplicity. Sometimes a message almost writes itself. This is not one of those times. This time I’m wrestling with the passage…and might be losing (okay, maybe not, but that’s how it has felt at times). I don’t mind the times when I wrestle with the message. It should probably be that way more often than not. It shouldn’t be easy. I need to be listening more to what God has to say and what Scripture says instead of what I want to say.

So I’m wrestling. And God is doing His thing (as He always does).

In the midst of this process God has challenged be beyond the main point of the sermon. It has stopped me in my tracks. To beat the metaphor into a bloody pulp, I’m personally wrestling with something Jesus says…no, commands…in the Scripture passage I’m using for this Sunday’s sermon.

I can’t get away from it. I can’t explain it away. I wish I could, but I can’t. Here’s the verse that is haunting me:

Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. (Luke 12:33, NLT)

I’ve read this passage many times. I’ve heard sermons about it. I’ve studied it. But it’s new to me today…and I can’t get away from this one little sentence: “Sell your possessions and give to those in need.” Really? Sell my possessions and give the proceeds away? Good sentiment, but really?

Yes, really.

I’ve done my word studies. I’ve read commentaries. I’ve prayed over this. All in the hopes that God would let me off the hook here. He can’t really expect me to sell my stuff and give it to someone else who is in need. Right?

Wrong.

He expects exactly that. And it’s not the first time Jesus makes such an insane command. He even made this direct command to the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10:17-21. He tells this guy that if he’s serious about getting eternal life he needs to sell his stuff and follow Jesus. And He meant it. The dude won’t do it…and walks away from Jesus. He may have been trying to call Jesus’ bluff, but Jesus wasn’t bluffing. He lets the dude walk away. He was dead serious.

The Disciples even reacted to the outlandish nature of what Jesus told this man. I’m paraphrasing, but it went something like: “Wow…that’s harsh! If that’s the expectation then who can be saved?” And Jesus doesn’t argue the point, He simply says that anything is possible with God (whole other message there). If money has our heart then there’s simply no room for God. That’s easier for me to swallow, it’s all about my attitude about money. But Jesus still meant what He said…He still said to sell and give.

So what do I do with this? Good question. For now, I wrestle and pray some more…

Our church just started a new sermon series on the Spiritual Disciplines. Last week the topic was mediation and Ray challenged us to meditate on the following verse this week to practice this discipline:

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8, NLT)

So, that’s what I’ve been doing. We even talked about the verse and meditation during Monday’s Elder Meeting. It’s a short verse, but there’s a lot to consider here…plenty to mediate on. The first thing I noticed is that Paul is NOT asking us to take action, to do something (which is my natural inclination). He’s simply saying we should “fix our thoughts on” and “think about” these things. That’s it…nothing more (at least for now…perhaps the actions should only happen after the meditation and contemplation?).

Then I started thinking about these questions: What is true? What’s honorable? What’s right? You get the idea. What exactly am I supposed to be thinking and fixing my thoughts on? I struggled here. I prayed about it. I meditated on it (that was the point right?). And the answer became very clear…and something I would have missed had I not slowed down and mediated on this short little verse of Scripture…

What’s true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise?

Only one thing: GOD

He’s the source of all that we’re supposed to think about. He’s what we’re supposed to fix our thoughts on. Now, we may be thinking about His beautiful creation or some amazing piece of art or music, but HE is the ultimate source that we should be fixing our thoughts on.

So that’s what I’m working on now…fixing my thoughts!

Last week I was attending one of our LifeGroups—which is one of the best parts of my job—and we where having a great discussion on the second part of Romans Chapter 5. This is one of the “headiest” sections of the book. Paul is introducing an entirely new theological concept and he is being very “Greek” in his explanation. It’s hard to follow. It’s hard to digest. It’s hard to understand.

But the LifeGroup leader was doing a great job guiding the discussion and keeping the group on the right track. Paul is talking about how Christ overcame Adam’s sin…how His sacrifice conquers our legacy of sin. He’s talking about how Jesus brings us into right relationship with God. He’s talking about the power of grace over sin. Great topics and great discussion.

Like I said, the leader was doing a great job. And he had just finished making this great point…bringing some of the discussions together…when someone’s cell phone sang out: “Message Received!” The timing was brilliant. It brought a laugh and drove the point home.

Message received.

I wish I had that more often in my life—some external indicator to tell me when the message is received. For me and for others.  ;o)

Last night Anita and I took the kids down to the park to play catch and swing the bat a little bit. It has been a long time since we’ve taken them to play catch and it’s been even longer since I’ve played softball (I miss it). We expected to have a little fun running around, messing around, and trying to learn/teach a few skills. I fully expected Kyle to pick it up (he tends to be the jock in the family)…but we were pleasantly surprised.

Every single one of our kids was able to pick up the bat and make good (if not great) contact with the ball. They took instruction and applied what they learned with positive results. And throwing the ball was no exception. Each one of them can throw and catch (to one degree or another). They’re naturals. It runs in the family blood I guess (on both sides of the family).

We had a great time together a a family and I’m starting to plan my retirement.  ;o)  We are planning on getting them signed up for t-ball/baseball/softball this next season. They’ll make their GGPa proud!! Watch out world!