Transformers

This is not a review of the upcoming movie "Transformers". Thought, the title does catch my attention. It should be the title of our collective "autobiography" as followers of Jesus. We are engaged in a a constant journey of transformation. The New Testament says that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). Even though we have a natural tendency to resist change, it is unavoidable. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that we will either be changed by the influences of this world or we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The choice is not whether or not we will change but whether we will choose the correct path of change. So how is your mind renewal going? Also, are you sharpening your ability to detect the changes that the world around you offers to your character? Hint: they are not always good. OK by now you're wishing this was a movie review of "Transformers". I'll close with this thought. What goes on in your mind will matter today. Renew!

vacation bible school

What a name. Vacation Bible School is no vacation. I guess Evening Labor Camp for Adults isn't a very appealing name. Seriously, I am a huge fan of VBS. It's great to see so many people working so hard and having so much fun. When I look around it is a reminder of what is possible when we unleash our creativity and energy for God. My favorite moment thus far was watching some preschoolers lift their hands up in the air during a worship song last night. They don't understand all of the theological principles involved in worship. Nor do they care. But they do enjoy reaching up toward heaven and reaching out for God's embrace. The simplicity and purity of their actions is inspiring.

A.S.K.

This morning I was reflecting on the words of Jesus. He said to ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find and knock and it will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). While this message from Jesus holds great promise it is also packed with deliberate responsibility. What kind of questions will you ask today? Will you ask for things that will benefit others? Will you ask to see God at work today? Will you ask for Him to help you know Him. To see Him at work? To recognize His will and purpose? What are you seeking? Upon which doors will you knock? The door of someone in need? In the book The Question behind the Question, John Miller suggests that we can get into the habit of making better choices by asking better questions. Asking better questions can lead to a more productive and accountable life. Certainly, God wants us to live more productive and accountable lives. We tend to ask questions that fuel our uncertainty rather than those that pave the way for development. For example, we would rather ask "why?" than "how can I grow through this situation?".

What the tin man knew

Most of us remember the words of the tin man. He lamented the loss of his heart. In the real world losing heart is not the result of the enchanting spell of wicked witch. Typically, it is our own doing. It happens slowly and we don't want to admit it. Two of my favorite leadership authors say it so well...No one looks in the mirror and sees a cynical, arrogant, and callous self-image. We dress up these defenses, give them principled and virtuous names. Cynicism is called realism, arrogance masquerades as authoritative knowledge, and callousness becomes the thick skin of wisdom and experience. (Leadership on the Line, Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky). Heifetz and Linsky move beyond the diagnosis and provide some practical encouragement for recovering heart. Why not try it today? They suggest, the virtue of a sacred heart lies in the courage to maintain your innocence and wonder, your doubt and curiosity, and your compassion and love even through your darkest and most difficult moments.

Buried Treasure - part two

I've been thinking some more about the comments of Jesus: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". There are two dangers for to guard against. The one, that I mentioned earlier, has to do with a tendency to invest our hearts in things that are in the "here and now" as opposed to things that really matter from an eternal perspective. We live in a materialistic world that pulls at our hearts on a daily basis. It serves to distract us from cultivating a heart that God can use for His purposes. The second danger pops up from the other extreme. It is a tendency to view the Kingdom of God from a "somewhere out there" perspective as if God's kingdom is a buried treasure that can only be accessed after we die. When that happens we view life as though we are making deposits in heaven during this life and will reap those rewards only when we arrive in heaven. While this protects us from materialism, it also insulates us from the material world around us. When our hearts belong to God we have the ability to share what it means to live under the reign and lordship of God.

Buried Treasure

Jesus said "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19). What if you were able to review your day? What if at the end of Thursday, June 21 you could sit down and read through an "executive summary" of your actions and thoughts? It would show a recap of your investments today. How will you invest yourself during this finite 24 hours that we are given today? Today will reveal something about the condition of my heart. Jesus said that my "investments" each day show where my heart belongs. Does my heart belong to God? It's really not that difficult to know the answer.

Potential

After the successful season for the Tennessee men's basketball team last year, expectations are high. For the first time I can remember, sports radio show hosts are talking about basketball in the summer. Usually the topic of conversation is all about player "potential". Potential is a slippery word. There are so many variables that come into play. At this point we hear a lot about athleticism and talent. But along with those qualities other questions are raised. What about academic eligibility? How will the player develop? Will they apply themselves in practice? How will they fit with the team? As I listen to this discussion, I can't help but think about our "potential" as followers of Jesus. What if we had this discussion about our development? Would we be ruled ineligible due to a failure to show up for class? (God holds class everyday - we are supposed to be listening and learning). Would we be dismissed from the team because we didn't practice? (How's your prayer life? Is your bible dusty?) How do we rate as team players? (How would other Christians rate you as a team member?)

Plan for the week

It's Monday. What is your plan for the week? Have you given any thought to what is most important this week? Jesus had some strong words for his "would be" followers. He compared the journey of a disciple to that of someone beginning a construction project (Luke 14:28). His words were strong. He said that it was unwise to begin a project without first counting the cost. The same is true today. We must count the cost of discipleship. But, I believe the principle applies to many other areas of our lives. Monday is a good day to count the cost of having a productive week. In order to have the kind of week God wants us to have it will cost us. Only when we take some time to consider our mission for the week will we be able to make decisions wisely. It is impossible to anticipate every situation for the week ahead, but that is an even greater reason to make sure we have our hearts centered on God in order to be able to adjust on the fly. Make it a great week!

Happy Father's Day

Father's Day is here. Mine has been great. Nicholas cooked breakfast for me. I enjoyed a wonderful omelet. Lynn spoke at church today. I heard a great message. We enjoyed lunch together and now I am reflecting on the blessings of fatherhood. As I have mentioned before, fatherhood is one of the most intimidating challenges in life. If I turn the clock back about 11 years, I can remember how frightening it was to me to think about bringing a child into the world. In the summer of 1996 Nicholas was on the way and I didn't have a clue how much my life would be enriched by a son. To list the lessons I have learned would take more than a decade of blogging. But, I can't help but list two. First, I have learned so much about a Father's love for a son. My understanding of God has changed dramatically. More specifically, my perspective on God's grace, forgiveness, discipline and love is completely changed. Second, being a father has changed the way I think about time. Time is more precious. Every day is special.

Father's Day is Coming

I remember the Father's Day practices of days gone by. Every year in the church of my childhood we would honor the oldest Father. One year the competition was heated. Two "senior dads" were pretty close in age. When it was time for the decision, one of them announced that fact that he was "86 and 1/2 years old". Usually it is a child that adds the "1/2" to their age. After all there's a big difference between an 8 1/2 year old and an 8 year old. But at 86 and 1/2 years he was just as proud of his age as a kid. After his announcement the oldest father made his way up front and received his ugly neck tie and responded to the applause of the congregation. Now that I have been a father for 10 years I have noticed that each year seems shorter and at the same time more significant. Time passes so quickly and the need for me to be a godly role model for Nicholas intensifies. There is no greater leadership challenge in my life than to be the father that God wants me to be. The words of Paul the Apostle describe the challenge: "follow me as I follow Christ".

How's your heart?

I was studying about the life of King David today. When David was chosen to be king over the Israelites God gave a special instruction to the prophet Samuel. He reminded Samuel that we tend to look at outward appearance to decide who should be "king". God looks at the heart. Now to be fair God sees hearts a lot better than we do. But, what happens when we turn that advice inward and apply it to ourselves? When we think about what impresses God in our lives do we start with the condition of our heart? When we think about our qualification to serve God do we focus on the outside or inside? Maybe it's easier to survey the outside because we don't want to invest the time it takes to inventory the inside. I have a routine doctor's appointment tomorrow. I am certain that at some point in the exam someone will put a stethoscope up to my heart and listen to my heartbeat. Naturally that will require me to be still and quiet. The same thing is required in order for us to check our own heartbeat for God. We must be still and quiet. It is necessary to know God in order for our hearts to be transformed by God. In the words of Dallas Willard, "God does not ordinarily compete for our attention".

Sabbath

What is Sabbath? Biblically, it is mainly a day, once a week, when we "do no work". It was also a year once every seven years when God's covenant people did not sow seed, prune vines or store up harvest (Leviticus 25:4-7). Even though Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for us (Mark 2:27) our hearts rebel against it. Our rebellion is much deeper than a failure to take a day off. It is our failure to "rest" in God. We find it difficult to trust God. It's no surprise that God anticipated our struggle. In regard to taking a year off from the harvest God knew that people would ask "How are we going to eat in the seventh year?" God's reply is especially beneficial in our performance oriented world. God said, "I will order my blessing for you in the sixth year, so that it will yield a crop for three years". When we rest in God there are blessings that are far greater than a triple crop year. Dallas Willard suggests that the Sabbath principle should invade our lives daily. In a practical sense Willard says the Sabbath is "casting all your anxiety on Him" to find out that "He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

You can be a star

In general I am not a big fan of the NBA. For the most part professional basketball seems like a different sport than college basketball. Some of my disinterest may have something to do with the way the "stars" outshine the game. I watched about 2 minutes of the second game of the finals. The Spurs thumped the Cavs. I think the Cavs were down by 20 plus points before the first half ended (a real nail-biter). Something that I have noticed at the college level and the pro level is that when a foul is called the expression on the face of the guilty party is priceless. A picture paints a thousand words. The facial expressions begin with "who me?", "I'm shocked and surprised" and continues with "I can't believe you called a foul on me!" and a gracious acceptance of the fact that the referee made a mistake and "I will forgive you this time". That's star power. What wonderful acting. This is quite a contrast to how Philippians 2:15 describes star power. "Do all you have to do without complaint or wrangling, show yourself guiltless and above reproach...in a warped and crooked generation in which you shine like stars in a dark world".

Theological Research

Have you done any theological research today? I'm not talking about standing at the front door of church with a clipboard and survey. I'm talking about prayer. Dallas Willard describes prayer as "genuine theological research". He developed this description because he believes that prayer is "the method for understanding what and who God is". I agree. Prayer is God's open door policy. He invites us to discover who He is and what He is doing. He invites us to witness, discuss and participate in His work. We are more than "shadows" at work with our Father. We are apprentices learning the family business. As we discover more of God through prayer we are changed by His presence and we reflect more of His grace in our lives.

I do

I'm preparing to do a wedding ceremony this afternoon. Whenever I conduct a wedding I always reflect on my wedding...almost 19 years ago. Lynn was so beautiful with her big hair. I was so handsome with hair. The rain that is falling outside today reminds me that we picked the first day of October for our wedding because it is "always beautiful weather" in early October. Of course, it rained all day. We still can't predict the weather, but I have gotten better at predicting relationships that will flourish. As I meet with couples prior to the wedding day, I have learned to look for some simple predictors. A strong commitment to build a marriage on the words of John is helpful: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:18-19) As our love grows and is tested and perfected, our fear diminishes. We grow in freedom to be honest. To love. To give and receive. Our love is anchored in Christ's love for us.

Change

I am a Vol fan. Right now that means I am a women's softball world series fan. Last night Arizona defeated the Lady Vols to force a final game in the World Series. It was a great game. A classic duel between two great pitchers. Tennessee's Monica Abbott was dominant as usual. Arizona's pitcher Taryne Mowatt came away with the victory. Her "change up" pitch was a source of great frustration for the Tennessee batters. Whether in life or softball we struggle with the unexpected. When the speed of a pitch changes by 20 mph it is hard to adjust. How well do you adjust when things don't happen at the speed you expect? I am not a sports star, but I do know the importance of attitude. My attitude toward change makes a big difference whether or not I grow through it or suffer through it. I am hopeful that the Lady Vols will adjust tonight and capture their first national championship.

Need Help?

Why is it so painful to admit we need help? If you are female and reading this you may not struggle as much as we "men" do. By the way, there is a scientific explanation. We have the XY chromosome set - you have the XX. When men are asked if they know what they are doing, the "Y" chromosome pops up uncontrollably and answers "Yep" for us. "Yep I know what I'm doing". When asked if we know where we are going. Same thing happens. "Yep" I know how to get there. Although men may be worse at this, we all struggle against hypocrisy. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus repeatedly said "don't be like the hypocrites". When Jesus taught us how to pray, there is a reason he taught us to begin by acknowledging God as our Father. Real relationships destroy hypocrisy. Intimacy forces us to get real. God knows our needs before we ask. He knows what we know and what we don't know. There's no bluffing God.

Keeping it Real

Too often we are the money changers: giving short change in spiritual things to many who seek the true coin: making the Church an institute when you want it to be a chaos of uncalculating love.
George MacLeod

As I was saying in a previous post...many in the current generation cry for authenticity. I love the expression of MacLeod "uncalculating love". It is a not so subtle reminder that love should be an outflowing of our hearts rather than a calculated effort for a desired effect. Of course this should be the case in "the church". Nothing speaks the truth quite like a life of integrity.

Get Real

Literature that describes this generation, the next generation and the last generation abounds. Who gets to name generations anyway? It seems everybody has a description of what makes us tick. If you're a boomer, buster, Xer, nexter. millennial, best generation or worst generation you know what I'm talking about. I think we should only name generations after they pass. Then we could be more accurate. For example, there are 165 Starbucks within a five mile radius in Manhattan. How 'bout the coffee buzz generation? I have picked up a common theme that pervades most writing about our culture today. It is a cry for authenticity. A desire for "real people". I am convinced that when we "get real" we recognize our need for God's help more than ever.