While writing a paper for my Christian Journey and Formation class, across this quote from Larry Osborne, in Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God: Spirituality for the the rest of us.  It is a rather decent read so far, and as the title suggests, it takes a look at how Christians who find themselves overwhelmed by the “work” it takes to grow spiritually in relationship to God.

This quote comes only a chapter after Osborne has noted that we are all individuals, created uniquely by God.  So which is it?  Well, to be honest, i have created a tension that the author never creates in his own writing, but he addresses in our own cultural epistemology.  We seem to “know” or think that every one is a blank slate, and that if they went through the same experiences we went through, and had the same knowledge we have, they would react to situations and think exactly the way we do.  That simple isn’t true.  We do have an individual identity, and we were created that way.  If not, then we all would be tabula rasa, or “blank slates.”

Yet there us something more, something that draws us to one another,  the inevitability of conformity.  We need to be connected, linked to others, especially when times are the toughest.  This is the exact reason why people who tend to be “Lone Wolf Christians” as Dr. Bruce Fields likes to call them, tend to feel utterly alone when going through life and encountering the various pitfalls, speed bumps, and roadblocks it entails.   Which, I believe are there to draw us to others.  More specifically to God, and to His children.  When we are in community with others who are intentionally trying to grow as Christians, we experience conform to the image of the Jesus.

Have you ever watched a married couple for a while? They begin to look alike, not exactly like twins, but they will pick up each others mannerisms, use the same idioms, buy similar styles of clothes, and even matching winter jackets.  The truth is, they are rubbing off on one another, conforming as a couple. Since the Church is the bride of Christ, in order to conform to Christ’s likeness or image, it helps to conform to the Church.  It is true, that individually we are capable and even prone to acts the would shame us, and paste us all has hypocrites to the world.  But as we spend time with other Christians share with each other in encouragement, uplifting, burden bearing, grief, sadness, mourning, celebration, disappointment,  worship, missions, and everything else that a Christian Community does, we share life with those who want the same thing:  conformity to the Jesus Christ.

The truth is that we will conform to something.  Will it be to the world, which we look at everyday and seem to have less and less hope for, or will it be to those who have hope laid up in heaven?  Now having our hope in heaven doesn’t excuse is from participating in the world, even seeing everything as hopeless from time to time.  However, It calls us to a ever decreasing conformity to the world of darkness and increasing comformity to light.  If Jesus is the reason for your hope when, all in that you see around you seems hopeless, than I  urge you to be conformed to the right things.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 ESV)

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”(John 1:4-5 ESV)

Well, imagine my surprise when I walk past and see something different on the screen, not to mention, the word “God” on TV.  The Screen reads: What if God were one of us, poll: 52% of Americans approve of God’s Performance.

Upon seeing this i hade a few initial thoughts:

1. That many, huh?
2. I wonder who the survey sample consisted of.
3. …Just a stranger on the bus…
4. I wonder what God thinks about 100% of Americans.
5. Can 52% of Americans really have Philippians 1:9 down pat. (see Philippians 1:10 for understanding)
6. Is this really the Onion News Network?
7. What about the Global South?
8. 85% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
9. Why use the plural person in the verb?

     Like I said, these were my initial thoughts. Yet as I tried to really think about what this poll might be saying,  I realized that I really am not too concerned with what this means. First off, it was on CNN, which is not really a credible source for polling among the nation’s faithful.  Someone else ran the poll, I’d like to know who it was.  Second, what “God”, are they talking about?  For all I know, 25% could approve of Woody Woodpecker’s work.  The stat is misleading, pure and simple.

      Then,  I began thinking some more,  what if this poll(and lets just say that it is) was given to those who profess a faith in The Father, Son, and Spirit, and Christ’s completed work on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, that we might be reconciled to the Father. This led to my third thought.

     Third, and thankfully, God’s faithfulness is not contingent on our approval.  Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. 2 Tim 2:11-13.  Lord Jesus, was faithful unto death, death on the cross.  The purest expression of my approval of God is faith.  It is not grounded in what God is doing now to please me, keep my family safe, give us a nice vacation now and again, or get me a raise at work.  It is ground at the Cross, and that it pleased the Father to pierce the Son, to save his family, to enter His rest, that He would be exalted.

Every day of my life after I realize this will always add to, and can never subtract from, God’s faithfulness.  What can I say?  I approve!

     These are just my reactions to the screenshot, the actual interview can be found here.  After viewing it I had many differing thoughts, but that is a different post for a different time.

If you care to see any of the sessions, they will be streamed live. Hopefully, the hyperlink should direct you to it, if not will post it when I find it. Please pray that Victoria and I would soak up all that the Spirit has in store for us next week.

On a side note, I am missing a few classes next week(as is most of the campus), which is well worth it. If you’re in those classes and you see this, take good notes!

If you are my younger siblings and you are reading this, I do not condone skipping class for anything other than the Gospel.

This past Saturday,  I attended the commencement ceremony for Graduation.  I graduated from Trinity International University with a B.A. in Christian Ministry-Pastoral Leadership.  It was a great day, and packed with emotion.

I remember lining up in the tent outside, waiting to march in and thinking about all of oddities that simply fell into place on my way to graduation.  The pure length of the journey increased the joy at the end of it.  After 15 years,  6 of them actually in School, 4 different learning institutions, and 5 different majors, I was at the end of a chapter, itself its own book.  Even so, I am only reading it, God is the author.  Those “oddities that simply fell into place,”  were  the clear work of His providence.

Even with Seminary looming, and the excitement of what is yet to come, i found myself overjoyed at what had already taken place.  Perhaps the same can be said of our relationship with God.  Even with the joy of heaven and God’s Glory looming, i find myself overjoyed at what has already taken place.  Even though we may get bogged down by the weight of this world, there is an end to this journey.  We can never really enjoy that journey or comprehend what the end is like until we realize where we are right now, and were we have been.

The first thing you need to do when you plot out a journey is figure out where you are!  So where are you?

From then on, the Lord has moved and ordered our steps to bring us to this point, even adding many blessings.  Along the way, i returned from hiking and paid off a signifigant amount of debt, proposed to Victoria, got married, returned to school, then entered a specific degree program, we bought a house, and now have a beautiful baby girl.  God is good and continues to train and a prepare for whatever we encounter and whatever lays ahead.

We received this letter less than 2 weeks ago, and as of today, i am registered for some Greek classes this summer.  I cannot wait, we are overjoyed.

In the past month, i also received a promotion at work, which entails a move to 2nd shift.  This will allow us to keep our insurance and the income from that job through Seminary.  While the path ahead is complicated and will be taxing for our family, I would like to ask for your prayers and let you all know that we covet them…

Grace and Peace,

Gary

Christians suffer from an identity Crisis, they are caught between the kingdom of heaven, and this earthly life.  We long for eternity before the throne of God, yet still labor in the fields of the world.  Day in and day out, a war within us is waged, a sort of cognitive dissonance.  We seek to live sin free lives, but are still sinners saved by grace. Paul said in Romans “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”   Fasting is a Spiritual Discipline that not only asks us to forgo an action for a while, but equips us to quit them forever in the days, weeks and months to come, should we wish to do so.

Anyhow, here are some creative ideas on how to Fast for the new Millenium.

As far as service goes, instead of giving up meat on Fridays lent, How about skipping a meal and sending the funds to Churches in Haiti.  Churches helping Churches is doing a great job.  I know i could skip a meal!

Or perhaps your kids can part in a 30-hour famine! The Youth at Beecher Community Church are this week.

If you read some saucy novels, golf magazine, or spend a lot time always flipping between Channels just ot keep the TV on, how about spending that time reading and discussing the Bible with your family.

Note: Bible Study should be added in all of these situations, its like Miracle-grow!*rimshot*  In all seriousness, almost all bad habits that we give up are replaced by another habit, why not make it a good one?

Fasting requires: denying yourself some worldly indulgence, an earnest desire to draw nearer to God, seeking God’s guidance and wisdom through prayer and Bible Study, and knowing your reasonable limitations.  If your a diabetic, it is probably not a good idea to go a week on water alone.

Please pray thoroughly before embarking on any fast, as i can tell you from experience.

grace and peace

Are you participating in a Scripture memory program?  It is important that we have more scripture committed to memory.  While we may not need to memorize whole books of the Bible like Dr. Piper did, we can certainly memorize important verse.  Here are some of the verses that i memorized last year as part of the Navigators 2:7 program.  The links on that page will send you to the links that contain the verses and there subjects for various books and in various translations.  I find it  helpful to have these verse in my memory.   It is assuring in times of need.  I don’t always have a bible with me, yet i always have these verses.  It is hard to resist the devil when we only have John 3:16 and Matthew 28 19-20 in our tool chest.

After February i plan to take some time to spend with my wife and daughter, after all the have sacrificed so much while i have been in school.  At the same time, i am so thankful to all of my extended family(including in-laws & church family) who have helped in time, support, and prayer.

Now, back to the books!