Encouraging, powerful words from Joshua Dubois. This is from one of the devotionals in his book, The President's Devotional - if you haven't purchased it yet, I highly recommend:
"Declare to difficult
problems, broken communities, those who are hurting most: in the name of
Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"
These words were convicting to me and served as a powerful reminder: Are we doing this? Are we living in the power of Christ's Spirit in us, going into the broken areas of our communities, loving and speaking in faith to the hurting, as our Savior did? Are we telling them the good news of Christ, speaking truth into their lives, and letting the Spirit use us to help bring about lasting change? In Christ, we have the power to truly change things. In Him, we can help break cycles, move individuals and communities forward, and most importantly, help people personally come to faith in Christ and rise out of the ashes, WALKING away from brokenness and towards Him.
I pray that we would believe in Christ's supernatural power in us and go to the scary, challenging, uncomfortable places where God has called us, declaring through His Spirit in us to those who are hurting the most: "Rise up and walk!"
Monday, December 23, 2013
One of the best tools
Couldn't agree more here with my friend Michael Wear. This is why I am so passionate about Christians being involved in government and politics. God never promises that His followers will have earthly dominion or political power - in fact, Christ suggested the opposite. I don't believe God's vision for us is one of worldy domination and governmental rule. I believe God desires us to live a salt and light in this world, bringing Him glory through how we love Him and others, furthering His Kingdom on this earth and helping to make this world a little more as it should be while we wait for Him to return, and make all things new. BUT one of the most important tools we have at our disposal to love others and further God's Kingdom is our political institutions. I fully believe God desires us to use this tool to further His work:
"For Christians in particular, political engagement should not be principally about victory--if "give unto Caesar" means anything, it's that God never promised or expects political dominion to us--but we also have a sacred duty to love our neighbor. One of the ways we must do that is to invest in our political institutions for the good of all." - Michael Wear
"For Christians in particular, political engagement should not be principally about victory--if "give unto Caesar" means anything, it's that God never promised or expects political dominion to us--but we also have a sacred duty to love our neighbor. One of the ways we must do that is to invest in our political institutions for the good of all." - Michael Wear
Friday, December 20, 2013
Phil Robertson, gentleness, and respect
This is the blurb I posted on Facebook yesterday regarding my thoughts on Phil Robertson's recent comments:
I'm not posting this to get in a debate about Phil Robertson's comments, but I think the article below by Jonathan Merritt speaks truth that needs to be said in this whole matter. I disagree with many of my Christian brothers and sisters that this is a mere "freedom of speech" issue. As Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians, just because we are free to do something/say something doesn't mean we should. Robertson's comments about homosexuality were crude and not thoughtful, which begs the question - what was his point in saying what he said? As believers, we need to ask ourselves that question in everything we say and do. Are we helping people see Christ and furthering His purposes by our words and actions? Just saying what we think for the sake of saying it isn't good enough. I sincerely doubt Robertson's comments on homosexuality did much to bring people closer to knowing the love of Christ.
But for me, as this article points out, the thing that's bothering me the most are Robertson's comments on race - and how little the Christian community is talking about this. By speaking of race as he did during the Jim Crow era, Robertson perpetuated his own personal stereotypes and assumptions. He allowed himself to speak for an entire race and generation of people for whom he has no right to speak, and gave blanket statements borne out of his own views that perpetuate racial stereotypes about that era and this one.
I'll admit, I have never watched Duck Dynasty, and I won't write off the show or the family based on this one man's statements. But this is a good lesson for the Christian community, and a good example of why I am so hesitant of the Christian pop culture that tends to idolize certain public figures: we need to be careful how much we identify with certain public figures, and not automatically support what they say just because we all call ourselves Christians. For me, as a Christian, this situation is not an issue of free speech - it is a reminder that we as believers need to be thoughtful and graceful at all times in actions and speech, examining the motives behind what we say, making sure we are purposeful about speaking words that are glorifying to God. We are called to think deeply about what it truly looks like to be "salt and light" to the world in each situation.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/12/the-real-em-duck-dynasty-em-scandal-phil-robertsons-comments-on-race/282538/
I'm not posting this to get in a debate about Phil Robertson's comments, but I think the article below by Jonathan Merritt speaks truth that needs to be said in this whole matter. I disagree with many of my Christian brothers and sisters that this is a mere "freedom of speech" issue. As Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians, just because we are free to do something/say something doesn't mean we should. Robertson's comments about homosexuality were crude and not thoughtful, which begs the question - what was his point in saying what he said? As believers, we need to ask ourselves that question in everything we say and do. Are we helping people see Christ and furthering His purposes by our words and actions? Just saying what we think for the sake of saying it isn't good enough. I sincerely doubt Robertson's comments on homosexuality did much to bring people closer to knowing the love of Christ.
But for me, as this article points out, the thing that's bothering me the most are Robertson's comments on race - and how little the Christian community is talking about this. By speaking of race as he did during the Jim Crow era, Robertson perpetuated his own personal stereotypes and assumptions. He allowed himself to speak for an entire race and generation of people for whom he has no right to speak, and gave blanket statements borne out of his own views that perpetuate racial stereotypes about that era and this one.
I'll admit, I have never watched Duck Dynasty, and I won't write off the show or the family based on this one man's statements. But this is a good lesson for the Christian community, and a good example of why I am so hesitant of the Christian pop culture that tends to idolize certain public figures: we need to be careful how much we identify with certain public figures, and not automatically support what they say just because we all call ourselves Christians. For me, as a Christian, this situation is not an issue of free speech - it is a reminder that we as believers need to be thoughtful and graceful at all times in actions and speech, examining the motives behind what we say, making sure we are purposeful about speaking words that are glorifying to God. We are called to think deeply about what it truly looks like to be "salt and light" to the world in each situation.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/12/the-real-em-duck-dynasty-em-scandal-phil-robertsons-comments-on-race/282538/
"But
in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
- 1 Peter 3:15
The Last Battle
With the celebration of Christ's birth at hand, I'm reminded of this beautiful, hopeful passage in C.S. Lewis' book, The Last Battle. The birth of Christ changed everything. Everything. Having heard the Christmas story many times, it is easy to forget the tremendous reality of who He is and what His birth means. Christ saves us. He brings us into a bigger story, a bigger purpose. He gives us hope for the world now and after death. In Christ, we can see God face to face someday. In Christ, this is the exciting hope we can look forward to - it brings tears to my eyes every time:
"All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."
"All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."
What the stable can remind us this Christmas
I feel called to be an advocate. In fact, as followers of Christ I believe we are all called to be advocates: advocates for the Gospel, advocates for Christ's vision of redemption for souls and for our world, advocates for the hurting and broken who are close to God's heart. But as the following quote from Pastor Tim Keller reminds us:
There’s no fruit in a Christian’s life without rejection. In the nativity, the stable is a picture of rejection. Are we willing to follow our Lord into the stable in order to bear fruit and be advocates for people who have been rejected?
Some of the most important refinement and significant fruit is produced when we ourselves are broken and rejected, as Christ was. To better love and advocate for the hurting and broken, as Christ created us to do, He often calls us into brokenness and rejection so that we can better know Him and identify with Him, being made more into His image and seeing more of His vision. It is through this that we are able to more fully love those who Christ has called us to love and further His Kingdom in this hurting world.
But are we willing? Are we willing to go to the hard, uncomfortable places God might be calling us into? Are we willing to be challenged and rejected? It can be so hard but is so worth it to see more of Him and feel more of His love for others. I am convicted and challenged again as I write this and I pray with all my heart that I, and all Christ's followers, would be willing to go wherever He calls us so that we can know Him deeper and advocate more fully.
There’s no fruit in a Christian’s life without rejection. In the nativity, the stable is a picture of rejection. Are we willing to follow our Lord into the stable in order to bear fruit and be advocates for people who have been rejected?
Some of the most important refinement and significant fruit is produced when we ourselves are broken and rejected, as Christ was. To better love and advocate for the hurting and broken, as Christ created us to do, He often calls us into brokenness and rejection so that we can better know Him and identify with Him, being made more into His image and seeing more of His vision. It is through this that we are able to more fully love those who Christ has called us to love and further His Kingdom in this hurting world.
But are we willing? Are we willing to go to the hard, uncomfortable places God might be calling us into? Are we willing to be challenged and rejected? It can be so hard but is so worth it to see more of Him and feel more of His love for others. I am convicted and challenged again as I write this and I pray with all my heart that I, and all Christ's followers, would be willing to go wherever He calls us so that we can know Him deeper and advocate more fully.
Some thoughts on guns this Christmas
This article on "Restoring broken places this Christmas season" really spoke to me. Please read it, and then feel free to read some of my thoughts below
Although many people talk about it like it's true, owning guns is not an inerrant right of human beings, like the freedom to breathe and eat and provide for ourselves. Guns are a cultural thing. We don't need guns. It is not our right to own guns. Guns were a necessity at one point in our country's history because of actual imminent danger - and now, despite living in the most powerful country in the world, with one of the most successful economies and stable governments, many of our citizens insist that we need guns and genuinely believe it is our inherent right to own them. This is a PROBLEM. It is not a human need or a right to own guns - and it is not normal. And by normal I mean it is not the way God created us to be.
God did not create us to love violence, to own a weapon that can kill another person. This is not the way he intended us to be. Because of the sheer amount of and accessibility to guns in the United States, there exists a culture of violence. It is normal in our culture (and therefore not good for us, since God did not create us to be this way) to own guns, think about guns, talk about guns, play with guns, play video games with guns and watch movies with guns....obviously there are other factors that contribute to our violent culture as well (broken families, media, etc), but the fact that guns - a confluence of violence - are such an ingrained part of our nation's consciousness is a huge problem. Playing with violent weapons, owning violent weapons, thinking that violent weapons are our right to have....all this will lead to violence actually happening. And it does.
Side note: I'm not addressing the whole hunting aspect. Nor am I addressing the military. Different situations, different blogs.
What I am addressing is the fact that guns are thought of as inherent right in our country. A weapon, something that we know can take another human right - is though of as something we all need. This causes us to normalize guns, and the violence that guns cause, in our minds
As I said, this is not normal. We were not made for this. God's vision for us, His desire for us, is not to own weapons. It is to beat our "swords into plowshares" (Is. 2:4). There are times, because we live in a fallen world, where military action is necessary for the safety of innocent people and the greater common good. We see in His Word that God recognizes this and even orders military action at times. But that does not mean using weapons and accepting violence as a part of our daily lives is what He desires. No, throughout Scripture we see His actual vision for us and this world. We see His heart. He desires swords (or guns...) to be exchanged for tools of peace and sustenance. This vision is for us today - He asks us to walk in His ways, to have his heart, to help make this world a little more the way it should be.
His vision is that our hearts would break, as His does, when even one life is lost to violence. His vision is one where violence is the exception, not the norm. The article mentioned above shows what this can look like. I truly love America and believe God has used and will continue to use the blessings of our country and the people in it for His purposes. But to be as effective as we can be for His Kingdom, I truly believe our culture must change.
Instead of being a culture where we are so used to gun violence that another school shooting barely causes us to pause in our day, we should be a culture where GUNS in our SCHOOLS causes national outrage from everyone on all sides of the political spectrum - and this outrage should lead to immediate change. The fact that it doesn't shows just how broken our culture is.
Our culture should be one where it is RARE for police to have to use their guns to kill (as is the case in most other developed countries, like Iceland) Our culture should be one where we weep for days when one life is lost to gun violence - not just shake our heads and resume watching TV because lives lost to guns are so normal.
What is the norm in our culture now is not what God desires. So if we claim to follow Christ and seek His vision, then we must seek to change our culture. And we can start with the dark presence of guns.
Although many people talk about it like it's true, owning guns is not an inerrant right of human beings, like the freedom to breathe and eat and provide for ourselves. Guns are a cultural thing. We don't need guns. It is not our right to own guns. Guns were a necessity at one point in our country's history because of actual imminent danger - and now, despite living in the most powerful country in the world, with one of the most successful economies and stable governments, many of our citizens insist that we need guns and genuinely believe it is our inherent right to own them. This is a PROBLEM. It is not a human need or a right to own guns - and it is not normal. And by normal I mean it is not the way God created us to be.
God did not create us to love violence, to own a weapon that can kill another person. This is not the way he intended us to be. Because of the sheer amount of and accessibility to guns in the United States, there exists a culture of violence. It is normal in our culture (and therefore not good for us, since God did not create us to be this way) to own guns, think about guns, talk about guns, play with guns, play video games with guns and watch movies with guns....obviously there are other factors that contribute to our violent culture as well (broken families, media, etc), but the fact that guns - a confluence of violence - are such an ingrained part of our nation's consciousness is a huge problem. Playing with violent weapons, owning violent weapons, thinking that violent weapons are our right to have....all this will lead to violence actually happening. And it does.
Side note: I'm not addressing the whole hunting aspect. Nor am I addressing the military. Different situations, different blogs.
What I am addressing is the fact that guns are thought of as inherent right in our country. A weapon, something that we know can take another human right - is though of as something we all need. This causes us to normalize guns, and the violence that guns cause, in our minds
As I said, this is not normal. We were not made for this. God's vision for us, His desire for us, is not to own weapons. It is to beat our "swords into plowshares" (Is. 2:4). There are times, because we live in a fallen world, where military action is necessary for the safety of innocent people and the greater common good. We see in His Word that God recognizes this and even orders military action at times. But that does not mean using weapons and accepting violence as a part of our daily lives is what He desires. No, throughout Scripture we see His actual vision for us and this world. We see His heart. He desires swords (or guns...) to be exchanged for tools of peace and sustenance. This vision is for us today - He asks us to walk in His ways, to have his heart, to help make this world a little more the way it should be.
His vision is that our hearts would break, as His does, when even one life is lost to violence. His vision is one where violence is the exception, not the norm. The article mentioned above shows what this can look like. I truly love America and believe God has used and will continue to use the blessings of our country and the people in it for His purposes. But to be as effective as we can be for His Kingdom, I truly believe our culture must change.
Instead of being a culture where we are so used to gun violence that another school shooting barely causes us to pause in our day, we should be a culture where GUNS in our SCHOOLS causes national outrage from everyone on all sides of the political spectrum - and this outrage should lead to immediate change. The fact that it doesn't shows just how broken our culture is.
Our culture should be one where it is RARE for police to have to use their guns to kill (as is the case in most other developed countries, like Iceland) Our culture should be one where we weep for days when one life is lost to gun violence - not just shake our heads and resume watching TV because lives lost to guns are so normal.
What is the norm in our culture now is not what God desires. So if we claim to follow Christ and seek His vision, then we must seek to change our culture. And we can start with the dark presence of guns.
Love because He first loved US
Friends, as we seek justice, pursue God's Kingdom and love others, let's not forget: "We love because he first loved us." He is the reason.
It is because of His love that we are able to love others. It is because of His love that we have the hope of redemption and true life that we seek to spread. It is because of His love that we can do more than we could ever ask or imagine. We need His love. It is His love that shows us what true justice looks like and gives us the vision of how this world should be. It is His love that causes us to spread more of His Kingdom on this earth, that gives us the zeal to pray"your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." And it is His love that gives us the hope that His will will be done.
With His love, more can be done than we could ever dream to help the hurting, love the broken, and lead the lost to new life. We need His love in us, running through us, and sustaining us to truly bring about lasting change in this world - and to help this world believe in the hope of what is to come.
It is because of His love that we are able to love others. It is because of His love that we have the hope of redemption and true life that we seek to spread. It is because of His love that we can do more than we could ever ask or imagine. We need His love. It is His love that shows us what true justice looks like and gives us the vision of how this world should be. It is His love that causes us to spread more of His Kingdom on this earth, that gives us the zeal to pray"your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." And it is His love that gives us the hope that His will will be done.
With His love, more can be done than we could ever dream to help the hurting, love the broken, and lead the lost to new life. We need His love in us, running through us, and sustaining us to truly bring about lasting change in this world - and to help this world believe in the hope of what is to come.
He lives his life on his knees
I love this beautifully written blog from Ann Voskamp. It reminded me of my parents' relationship, especially my dad's example of this kind of true romance. He is a hero. I'm so thankful he showed me
what it looks like for a husband to be a REAL romantic: to purposefully
"die to himself a bit more everyday"
for his spouse. He may not have gotten down on one knee when he proposed (he definitely didn't),
but he "lives his life on his knees."
It is my dad's example that caused me to have such high standards, for which I am so thankful. And in his kindness God led me to a man who has already met all these standards - my husband is far from perfect, but proves himself everyday to be more and more of a true romantic: he is a man
who goes to great lengths to guard his eyes from anyone but me, who purposes every day to lay
down his life for me. And although he also did an amazing job on the
proposal :) I'm more thankful that he pursues the TRUE romance Ann describes so well in her blog:
"...how a man proposes isn't what makes him romantic. It's how a man purposes to lay down his life that makes him romantic...It's not about how well you perform your proposal. It's about how well you let Christ perform your life."
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/11/the-real-truth-about-boring-men-and-the-women-who-live-with-them-redefining-boring/
It is my dad's example that caused me to have such high standards, for which I am so thankful. And in his kindness God led me to a man who has already met all these standards - my husband is far from perfect, but proves himself everyday to be more and more of a true romantic: he is a man
who goes to great lengths to guard his eyes from anyone but me, who purposes every day to lay
down his life for me. And although he also did an amazing job on the
proposal :) I'm more thankful that he pursues the TRUE romance Ann describes so well in her blog: "...how a man proposes isn't what makes him romantic. It's how a man purposes to lay down his life that makes him romantic...It's not about how well you perform your proposal. It's about how well you let Christ perform your life."
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/11/the-real-truth-about-boring-men-and-the-women-who-live-with-them-redefining-boring/
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