How to Write a Better Story
By Donald Miller | Author, Blue Like Jazz
This article is an excerpt from Don's latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It's really quite good. Don will be speaking at Catalyst West Coast. You should consider coming to hear his talk. It will probably change your life.
A lot of people think a writer has to live in order to write, has to meet people and have a rich series of experiences or his work will become dull. But that is drivel. It's an excuse a writer uses to take the day off, or the week or the month off for that matter. The thinking is, if we go play Frisbee in the park we're going to have a thousand words busting out of us when we get back to the house. We're going to write all kinds of beautiful prose about playing Frisbee. It's never worked for me. Annie Dillard, who won the Pulitzer while still in her mother's womb, wrote one of her books in a concrete cell. She says most of what a writer needs to really live they can find in a book.
People who live good stories are too busy to write about them. Nobody ever strapped a typewriter to the back of an elephant and wrote a novel while hunting wild game. Nobody except for Hemmingway. But let's not talk about Hemmingway.
I only say this because part of the reason my life had become uninspiring is I'd sat down to earn a living. Literally, I sat in a chair and typed words. And that's fine, because I like the worked, and it pays the rent. But Jordan was right: my life was a blank page, and all I was putting on the page were words. I didn't want to live in words anymore; I wanted to live in sweat and pain. I wanted some make-out sessions and perhaps a little trouble with the law. I wanted to find my dad, if for no other reason than to mark it off my to-do list. It kept bugging me.
But the want was not enough. My desire to live a better story didn't motivate me to do anything. I kept sitting down and writing more and more boring words into my life. And when I wasn't sitting down writing boring words, I was sitting down watching television. Steven King calls the television "the glass teat," and I was suckling on it for all its sugar. I was licking the glass and pawing at it like a kitten.
...
Here's the truth about telling stories with your life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you are going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like that with writing books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain.
A general rule in creating stories is that characters don't want to change. They must be forced to change. Nobody wakes up and starts chasing a bad guy or dismantling a bomb unless something forces them to do so. The bad guys just robbed your house and are running off with your last roll of toilet paper, or the bomb is strapped to your favorite cat. It's that sort of thing that gets a character moving.
The rule exists in story because it's a true thing about people. Humans are designed to seek comfort and order, and so if they have comfort and order, they tend to plant themselves, even if their comfort isn't all that comfortable. And even if they secretly want for something better.
...
So about a year ago a friend from Alabama e-mailed to say he was flying to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. He asked if I wanted to come and invited me to invite any of my friends too. I didn't research the hike or anything, and I was certainly in no shape to climb mountains, I hadn't seen a gym for years. But the next week at the Lucky Lab I wanted to sound impressive, so I said I was thinking of going to Peru to hike the Inca Trail and wondered if anybody else wanted to come. This girl, the one who hadn't given me any signals, said she'd always wanted to do that hike, and a friend of hers said the same thing. And right then and there they said they wanted to come. "It's a date," I said, and got an odd look from across the table.
By the time I got home from the Lab, the girl had e-mailed confirming she was serious. So I e-mailed my friend in Alabama and said there would be three of us from Portland joining him and his friends in Peru. I think I was so excited about the girl that I forgot that I was in no shape to climb mountains. And the next day I looked up the Inca Trail on the internet. The first article I found said the hike was extremely difficult, and a person should be in good physical shape before arriving in Peru. I read a description of the hike, and it turns out the Inca Trail climbs to 14,000 feet, then back down, then back up to 12,000 feet, then all the way back down to the Sacred Valley above which Machu Picchu sits in the clouds. I thought perhaps the warning about physical fitness were exaggerated, so I googled "Inca Trail" and "excruciating" and read about fifty personal accounts of self-inflicted Peruvian torture. I actually read warning from people saying stay away, that even if you are a runner, the trail is extremely difficult. What in the world have I gotten myself into? I wondered. But it was too late. Without knowing it, I'd created an "inciting incident." I'd told my friend I'd go, and I'd invited a girl I wanted to date. I was in a story.
James Scott Bell says an inciting incident is a doorway through which the protagonist cannot return. I didn't know I was doing it at the time, but I had certainly walked through a doorway. I was an overweight, out-of-shape guy who wanted to get into shape and date a specific girl. I'd walked through a doorway that would force me both to get into shape and to interact with her. I suppose I didn't have to get into shape, but if I didn't, the story would be a tragedy. And nobody wants to live a tragedy. I'd found my motivation. I joined a gym the next day.
Donald Miller is the author of several books including the recent A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Blue Like Jazz and a few others. Also, he has helped found an organization called The Mentoring Project—inspiring & equipping faith communities to mentor fatherless boys. Please check it out.
Printed from the Catalyst website (www.catalystspace.com).
The online version of this article can be found at
http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/write_a_better_story_miller/
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Why We Sing...
Why We Sing
Psalm 92
Have you ever found out about something…
• Then because of some pre-conceived thought, you had in your mind how that particular thing would look like or feel like…
• Then when you actually experienced that certain thing it was nothing like what you had thought it was…
• You totally felt out of place – in the dark
• You felt like an outcast
• You didn’t really realize what was going on and why it was happening…
As a leader of a ministry I am always asking myself, what does what we do look like to someone…
• Who has never been here before?
• Better yet, who is not a Christian?
• Better yet…who has never grown up in Church?
And I try to see what we do (Christianity or following Christ) through their eyes…
And so I want to talk about a few disciplines of a believer…
• What we do THAT…
• Why we do whatever THAT is…
FIRST…why we sing…
I want to start with this because this is the first thing that hits people in the face…
• We come in here…
• We talk and visit…
• Grab something to eat…
• Get started by singing…
WHY?
• The start is the basis for what you do.
• How you start is very important…
• If you don’t start well in a race, you probably won’t finish well.
• If you don’t start well in a conversation with a female, more than likely you won’t finish at all!
Like the Bible…
• Starts with Genesis…
• It’s the foundation of who God is and who we are.
• It starts at the most logical place…the beginning!
So why do we start here?
• Why do we start what we do with singing?
• Is that the right way?
• Or because that is the way it has always been done…why we do it?
• Does it make sense to us?
• Does it make sense to every Tom, Dick and Harry that walks through the door?
Psalm 92 (NIV)
1 It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your Name, O Most High,
2 To proclaim your love in the morning, and your faithfulness at night,
3 To the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.
4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
Throughout the Bible in the Psalms there is this affirmation that it is “good to sing to God.”
I’m going to count to three and I want you all to shout out your favorite kind/style of music…1-2-3! ______ (Everyone shouts something different)
• Exactly – today we are going to talk about how we all AGREE!
• And how music is objective
• There is a right way and a wrong way
• There is a RIGHT style of music and music that is not worshipful…
Not going to happen…
And that really is not our goal…In church, what people “like” is not really our goal
• We are really interested in other things.
I’ve been here for 5 years and we essentially do the same thing…
• We come in here
• We eat some great groceries
• We sing
• Somebody speaks
• It’s over
We do this over and over and we’ve never really talked about what it is that we are doing…
• Why we Sing
• Not just WHAT
Before we begin with the WHY, we may want to start with the WHO…
In most groups of people there are essentially 2 different kinds of people
1. Those who love to sing
2. Those who do not love to sing
There is probably a third – people who cannot sing – you are in both camps and you are off the hook today…
To those who love to sing
Don’t be ashamed; just go for it.
• Every single week, we need your passion, your desire
• We need your voice
Every single week there are people here who really have to drag themselves here
• Asking them to muster up enough faith to sing praises when what they have going on in their lives is unbearable
• That may be asking too much
• For those people, you are their voice
• You are singing on their behalf
o You are singing when they cannot sing
As a person comes in here and they hear you sing
• They know you
• They know you are in the same place they are
• They know you are probably dealing with a lot of the same crud
• And they see you sing
• They can say to themselves, “if they are here and they are singing…maybe I can sing that too!”
Do you ever feel this way?
• I have
• We need your voice
And I want to apologize…
• For all those times you desperately wanted to go for it…and you just couldn’t
o You knew the stares you would get
o You knew the judgments that others might have on you
o You just could feel the glares coming at you before it ever happened
• I’m so sorry…
• Please don’t ever feel that way HERE!
For those of you who don’t LIKE to sing…
Let me say this…it’s ok. It’s ok.
• Why? Think about all the other places you gather with people you don’t know and sing songs together.
o Maybe at a birthday party
o Maybe during the 7th inning stretch
o It just doesn’t happen!
Imagine going to your favorite coffee shop and standing up and making an announcement…
• “Why don’t we just all sing a few songs together!”
• You would be put in a straightjacket and hauled off.
• All the British people who say to each other…”he’s a real Looney!”
• It would be weird!
I understand if you don’t want to sing…
• To be very honest, for many of us here there are times when we all don’t want to.
• But don’t be here and think those are the only two options…
• The only two options are NOT…
o To be fully engaged, going for it – you don’t care if people are looking at you or not…OR
o To be sitting down with your arms crossed thinking about all the homework you have to do this week or the girl over on the other side of the room…”what is she wearing?”
o Those are not the only two options…
Another option…
Have you ever been in a small group of people that we carrying on a conversation and they were talking about a certain thing…
• You never say a word
• You don’t open your mouth
• But you are fully engaged in what they are talking about
• You feel a part of the conversation even without speaking…
Singing can be just like that…
• You can be fully engaged without ever opening your mouth
Because…Singing is NOT the point
Being a part of a shared experience is the point…
Sometimes I just get so caught up in the words, and the beautiful picture it paints of Christ and I just say “Thank you!”
Sometimes I have to pray my version of the prayer of Theresa of Abola prayed, “Lord, I don’t want to love You. But I want to want to love You!”
Sometimes you may just have to approach singing like, “I don’t want to sing. But I want to want to sing!”
We sing a wide variety of songs…
• We sing songs that were written last month
• We sing songs that were written from the first Century
• We sing Psalms from the Bible that are 3,000 years old
So historically, we have intentionally set out to sing songs from across the spectrum.
We sing songs from a vast array of writers…from all over the world.
We sing songs that are wide in depth and shallow in depth.
We sing songs that are TO God and we sing songs that are ABOUT God.
We somehow tap into many different experiences of Christian worship from across the ages.
So we beg, borrow and steal from many time periods and many brothers and sisters from all across the ages.
These songs are very different…
1. Those with Enthronement Language
These songs sing about robes, gifts, Kings
• This is not a world that we are familiar with
“Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne…bring forth the royal Diadem”
Majesty, Splendor, Honor
These songs come from a time period where all these things meant something at that particular time…
When Kings and Queens, and servants and land division…
• That is how they thought of the world
So when they thought of their God…
• The most majestic and prestigious thing they could think of would be a King on a Throne…
• And when they wrote these songs they used language that people during this time period could relate to…
2. Those Songs with an Unknown Order of the Universe
A time period when people had no technology
• They had no telescope
• They had no space travel
• They had no satellite imagery
• They had no long telephoto lenses
• They just had ideas about what was out there…
They would just look out at the sun, moon and stars…
• That was the extent at which they could grasp the Heavens
• Looking with their own two eyes was the only way to get an idea of where God was and how Big God was…
And if I am Caveman Joe living under a rock…
• I need this plant to survive because I am a horrible rock thrower
• I can’t kill anything for my food
• So I eat this certain plant that grows by the river
• And it’s not long before I realize that this plant needs the light from the sun and the rain from the sky to grow…
• Over time I realize that good comes from up! It comes from the sky. It comes from above.
It also didn’t take people a lot of thinking to figure out that when a person dies, we bury them down…
• We bury them in the earth
So the thinking developed very early in cultures and you can see this from the writing on the walls of caves and in the Old Testament…
• Good (life), in some way, comes from up…
• Bad (death), in some way, comes from down…
And over time a three-fold view of the universe developed…
1. In the sky – the Heavens
2. The earth
3. Below – Hebrews called “Sheol”, the later Greeks called it “Hades”
Now you and I know that if we were to take a spaceship up above the earth into the Atmosphere…
• We would not run into a place where everyone is playing Harps
• We would not see any streets of gold
• We wouldn’t have to stop at St. Peter’s gate in order to get a pass to go to the moon
And if we were to take a trip DOWN…
• You and I both know that we would not run into a guy in red spandex with horns and a pitchfork quoting Marilyn Manson lyrics
We do not live in a world with generally a 3-tiered view of the universe.
Think about “light of the world, you stepped down into darkness…”
• That is 3-tiered language.
• But, even knowing what we do today, we STILL sing the same songs today.
3. THEN…we sing songs with different scales and melodies than what we are used to…
Most of the new songs today (except what Crowder writes) are based on 3 chords with maybe a minor chord thrown in.
But many of the old hymns written long ago had varied time signatures, chord progressions, etc.
Compare – “Here I am to Worship” or “Come, Now is the Time to Worship” to the “Doxology” or “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”
Very different!
So…
1. We sing songs with enthronement language
2. Songs with a different view of how the universe is set up
3. Different melodies and patterns than what we are used to…
Why?
If you take all the magazines and look at the covers, what will all the covers on the magazines be?
• Different
• This week it may be Tiger Woods or SuperBowl or Biggest Loser
• Next week – Lane Kiffin is a loser, Bassmasters Classic, How to cook with Rachel Ray
• The next week – John and Kate get back together
We live in a world in which we are bombarded with the NOW…
• With the temporary
• With what is happening at THIS very moment…
And one statistic says that we hear or see over 3,500 advertisements a DAY…
It is very easy to get sucked into thinking…”all we have is THIS moment…”
AND
For 1,000’s of years people have realized that there is MORE…
• More than we can see
• More to this life than just you and me
• More than just RIGHT NOW
And each week we get together we come together and celebrate this MORE…
• Pointing to the center of everything
• Realizing that the earth and everything in it does NOT revolve around me
• And it does not revolve around you
There are profound psychological advantages to constantly reminding ourselves that…
• My will
• My needs
• My desires
• My ego
…is NOT the center of the Universe.
When we are burdened down with stresses and worries…the power of gathering in a room and being reminded that for 1,000’s and 1,000’s and 1,000’s of years, human beings have trusted that there is a God…
• Who can carry them
• Who can protect them
• Who will take their burdens and their worries and their stresses
• And take all of that off of their shoulders
• So we don’t have to carry that around
So when we come in here and we engage in singing…
• And people may say, “I didn’t like that song…”
• Or “I love that song…”
…we are interested in something so much more significant, more transcendent and more historical…
We get together and the very first thing we do is put ourselves in our place…
How many of you need that every single week?
This at one time was a very cultural trap in American churches…
• You like Southern Gospel? We will have an ol’ time Gospel singing service…
• You like Contemporary music? We will have a contemporary service…
• You like it all? We will throw it into a mosh pit and mix it up and offer it to you!
• You like it Heavy? We will turn it up LOUD!
But we try not to get involved in that cultural trap…
• We go for the reminder…
• There is MORE…
• And the world does not revolve around each of us
• It revolves around a Holy God who inhabits our worship…
So when we sing…
• “I want to know you…I want to hear your voice…see Your face…”
• “Better is one day in YOUR courts than a thousand elsewhere!”
• “Rock of Ages…let me hide myself in THEE!”
We are creating SPACE in our lives for something MORE…
• …more than here and now
• Bigger than what we are
Putting things in order…
• Giving God His rightful place – 1st thing
• Putting ourselves in our place – 1st thing
So everything else after that will be in the right place…
God on His throne…We are singing His praise…And HE is completely welcome here…
• Fully present in our praise
• Speaking to us
• Alive in us
THAT’S Why We Sing!!!! Psalm 92
Psalm 92
Have you ever found out about something…
• Then because of some pre-conceived thought, you had in your mind how that particular thing would look like or feel like…
• Then when you actually experienced that certain thing it was nothing like what you had thought it was…
• You totally felt out of place – in the dark
• You felt like an outcast
• You didn’t really realize what was going on and why it was happening…
As a leader of a ministry I am always asking myself, what does what we do look like to someone…
• Who has never been here before?
• Better yet, who is not a Christian?
• Better yet…who has never grown up in Church?
And I try to see what we do (Christianity or following Christ) through their eyes…
And so I want to talk about a few disciplines of a believer…
• What we do THAT…
• Why we do whatever THAT is…
FIRST…why we sing…
I want to start with this because this is the first thing that hits people in the face…
• We come in here…
• We talk and visit…
• Grab something to eat…
• Get started by singing…
WHY?
• The start is the basis for what you do.
• How you start is very important…
• If you don’t start well in a race, you probably won’t finish well.
• If you don’t start well in a conversation with a female, more than likely you won’t finish at all!
Like the Bible…
• Starts with Genesis…
• It’s the foundation of who God is and who we are.
• It starts at the most logical place…the beginning!
So why do we start here?
• Why do we start what we do with singing?
• Is that the right way?
• Or because that is the way it has always been done…why we do it?
• Does it make sense to us?
• Does it make sense to every Tom, Dick and Harry that walks through the door?
Psalm 92 (NIV)
1 It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your Name, O Most High,
2 To proclaim your love in the morning, and your faithfulness at night,
3 To the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.
4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
Throughout the Bible in the Psalms there is this affirmation that it is “good to sing to God.”
I’m going to count to three and I want you all to shout out your favorite kind/style of music…1-2-3! ______ (Everyone shouts something different)
• Exactly – today we are going to talk about how we all AGREE!
• And how music is objective
• There is a right way and a wrong way
• There is a RIGHT style of music and music that is not worshipful…
Not going to happen…
And that really is not our goal…In church, what people “like” is not really our goal
• We are really interested in other things.
I’ve been here for 5 years and we essentially do the same thing…
• We come in here
• We eat some great groceries
• We sing
• Somebody speaks
• It’s over
We do this over and over and we’ve never really talked about what it is that we are doing…
• Why we Sing
• Not just WHAT
Before we begin with the WHY, we may want to start with the WHO…
In most groups of people there are essentially 2 different kinds of people
1. Those who love to sing
2. Those who do not love to sing
There is probably a third – people who cannot sing – you are in both camps and you are off the hook today…
To those who love to sing
Don’t be ashamed; just go for it.
• Every single week, we need your passion, your desire
• We need your voice
Every single week there are people here who really have to drag themselves here
• Asking them to muster up enough faith to sing praises when what they have going on in their lives is unbearable
• That may be asking too much
• For those people, you are their voice
• You are singing on their behalf
o You are singing when they cannot sing
As a person comes in here and they hear you sing
• They know you
• They know you are in the same place they are
• They know you are probably dealing with a lot of the same crud
• And they see you sing
• They can say to themselves, “if they are here and they are singing…maybe I can sing that too!”
Do you ever feel this way?
• I have
• We need your voice
And I want to apologize…
• For all those times you desperately wanted to go for it…and you just couldn’t
o You knew the stares you would get
o You knew the judgments that others might have on you
o You just could feel the glares coming at you before it ever happened
• I’m so sorry…
• Please don’t ever feel that way HERE!
For those of you who don’t LIKE to sing…
Let me say this…it’s ok. It’s ok.
• Why? Think about all the other places you gather with people you don’t know and sing songs together.
o Maybe at a birthday party
o Maybe during the 7th inning stretch
o It just doesn’t happen!
Imagine going to your favorite coffee shop and standing up and making an announcement…
• “Why don’t we just all sing a few songs together!”
• You would be put in a straightjacket and hauled off.
• All the British people who say to each other…”he’s a real Looney!”
• It would be weird!
I understand if you don’t want to sing…
• To be very honest, for many of us here there are times when we all don’t want to.
• But don’t be here and think those are the only two options…
• The only two options are NOT…
o To be fully engaged, going for it – you don’t care if people are looking at you or not…OR
o To be sitting down with your arms crossed thinking about all the homework you have to do this week or the girl over on the other side of the room…”what is she wearing?”
o Those are not the only two options…
Another option…
Have you ever been in a small group of people that we carrying on a conversation and they were talking about a certain thing…
• You never say a word
• You don’t open your mouth
• But you are fully engaged in what they are talking about
• You feel a part of the conversation even without speaking…
Singing can be just like that…
• You can be fully engaged without ever opening your mouth
Because…Singing is NOT the point
Being a part of a shared experience is the point…
Sometimes I just get so caught up in the words, and the beautiful picture it paints of Christ and I just say “Thank you!”
Sometimes I have to pray my version of the prayer of Theresa of Abola prayed, “Lord, I don’t want to love You. But I want to want to love You!”
Sometimes you may just have to approach singing like, “I don’t want to sing. But I want to want to sing!”
We sing a wide variety of songs…
• We sing songs that were written last month
• We sing songs that were written from the first Century
• We sing Psalms from the Bible that are 3,000 years old
So historically, we have intentionally set out to sing songs from across the spectrum.
We sing songs from a vast array of writers…from all over the world.
We sing songs that are wide in depth and shallow in depth.
We sing songs that are TO God and we sing songs that are ABOUT God.
We somehow tap into many different experiences of Christian worship from across the ages.
So we beg, borrow and steal from many time periods and many brothers and sisters from all across the ages.
These songs are very different…
1. Those with Enthronement Language
These songs sing about robes, gifts, Kings
• This is not a world that we are familiar with
“Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne…bring forth the royal Diadem”
Majesty, Splendor, Honor
These songs come from a time period where all these things meant something at that particular time…
When Kings and Queens, and servants and land division…
• That is how they thought of the world
So when they thought of their God…
• The most majestic and prestigious thing they could think of would be a King on a Throne…
• And when they wrote these songs they used language that people during this time period could relate to…
2. Those Songs with an Unknown Order of the Universe
A time period when people had no technology
• They had no telescope
• They had no space travel
• They had no satellite imagery
• They had no long telephoto lenses
• They just had ideas about what was out there…
They would just look out at the sun, moon and stars…
• That was the extent at which they could grasp the Heavens
• Looking with their own two eyes was the only way to get an idea of where God was and how Big God was…
And if I am Caveman Joe living under a rock…
• I need this plant to survive because I am a horrible rock thrower
• I can’t kill anything for my food
• So I eat this certain plant that grows by the river
• And it’s not long before I realize that this plant needs the light from the sun and the rain from the sky to grow…
• Over time I realize that good comes from up! It comes from the sky. It comes from above.
It also didn’t take people a lot of thinking to figure out that when a person dies, we bury them down…
• We bury them in the earth
So the thinking developed very early in cultures and you can see this from the writing on the walls of caves and in the Old Testament…
• Good (life), in some way, comes from up…
• Bad (death), in some way, comes from down…
And over time a three-fold view of the universe developed…
1. In the sky – the Heavens
2. The earth
3. Below – Hebrews called “Sheol”, the later Greeks called it “Hades”
Now you and I know that if we were to take a spaceship up above the earth into the Atmosphere…
• We would not run into a place where everyone is playing Harps
• We would not see any streets of gold
• We wouldn’t have to stop at St. Peter’s gate in order to get a pass to go to the moon
And if we were to take a trip DOWN…
• You and I both know that we would not run into a guy in red spandex with horns and a pitchfork quoting Marilyn Manson lyrics
We do not live in a world with generally a 3-tiered view of the universe.
Think about “light of the world, you stepped down into darkness…”
• That is 3-tiered language.
• But, even knowing what we do today, we STILL sing the same songs today.
3. THEN…we sing songs with different scales and melodies than what we are used to…
Most of the new songs today (except what Crowder writes) are based on 3 chords with maybe a minor chord thrown in.
But many of the old hymns written long ago had varied time signatures, chord progressions, etc.
Compare – “Here I am to Worship” or “Come, Now is the Time to Worship” to the “Doxology” or “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”
Very different!
So…
1. We sing songs with enthronement language
2. Songs with a different view of how the universe is set up
3. Different melodies and patterns than what we are used to…
Why?
If you take all the magazines and look at the covers, what will all the covers on the magazines be?
• Different
• This week it may be Tiger Woods or SuperBowl or Biggest Loser
• Next week – Lane Kiffin is a loser, Bassmasters Classic, How to cook with Rachel Ray
• The next week – John and Kate get back together
We live in a world in which we are bombarded with the NOW…
• With the temporary
• With what is happening at THIS very moment…
And one statistic says that we hear or see over 3,500 advertisements a DAY…
It is very easy to get sucked into thinking…”all we have is THIS moment…”
AND
For 1,000’s of years people have realized that there is MORE…
• More than we can see
• More to this life than just you and me
• More than just RIGHT NOW
And each week we get together we come together and celebrate this MORE…
• Pointing to the center of everything
• Realizing that the earth and everything in it does NOT revolve around me
• And it does not revolve around you
There are profound psychological advantages to constantly reminding ourselves that…
• My will
• My needs
• My desires
• My ego
…is NOT the center of the Universe.
When we are burdened down with stresses and worries…the power of gathering in a room and being reminded that for 1,000’s and 1,000’s and 1,000’s of years, human beings have trusted that there is a God…
• Who can carry them
• Who can protect them
• Who will take their burdens and their worries and their stresses
• And take all of that off of their shoulders
• So we don’t have to carry that around
So when we come in here and we engage in singing…
• And people may say, “I didn’t like that song…”
• Or “I love that song…”
…we are interested in something so much more significant, more transcendent and more historical…
We get together and the very first thing we do is put ourselves in our place…
How many of you need that every single week?
This at one time was a very cultural trap in American churches…
• You like Southern Gospel? We will have an ol’ time Gospel singing service…
• You like Contemporary music? We will have a contemporary service…
• You like it all? We will throw it into a mosh pit and mix it up and offer it to you!
• You like it Heavy? We will turn it up LOUD!
But we try not to get involved in that cultural trap…
• We go for the reminder…
• There is MORE…
• And the world does not revolve around each of us
• It revolves around a Holy God who inhabits our worship…
So when we sing…
• “I want to know you…I want to hear your voice…see Your face…”
• “Better is one day in YOUR courts than a thousand elsewhere!”
• “Rock of Ages…let me hide myself in THEE!”
We are creating SPACE in our lives for something MORE…
• …more than here and now
• Bigger than what we are
Putting things in order…
• Giving God His rightful place – 1st thing
• Putting ourselves in our place – 1st thing
So everything else after that will be in the right place…
God on His throne…We are singing His praise…And HE is completely welcome here…
• Fully present in our praise
• Speaking to us
• Alive in us
THAT’S Why We Sing!!!! Psalm 92
Monday, November 16, 2009
"If you could give me one word of advice in ministry, what would it be?"
I thought to myself, "that's a good question..."
I know it is one that many young men and women who have given their lives to the life of ministry have thought at one time or another. It is something I thought about 21 years ago when I first gave my life to ministry. One word. I only need to take it one sentence at a time. I can't take too much in at one time. That's too much. My head will explode.
My one word of advice...
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
Think before you speak. You don't learn that in Youth Ministry 101 or Worship Leading 101 or Pastoral Ministries 101. You learn that by NOT doing it. You speak your mind and whatever that is never passes through any filter whatsoever and then all of a sudden you are meeting with the pastor or the Deacons.
There will be times in ministry where you will want to tell people exactly what you think of them, what is happening to you, or what is going through your mind at the time. But I guarantee you, Satan uses those times to ruin our ministry.
When you go into ministry there are several things you give up. You give up the right to grip about anything in the church. You give up most of your opinions. You give up most of your Saturdays and Sunday afternoons. You give up a lot of free time. But most of all you give up the right to speak freely.
Think before you speak.
Think about what effects your words will have on those who hear. Think about how your words will effect the body of Christ you work with. Think about how your words will affect your family. Think about how your words will affect your ministry. Think about how your words will affect everyone who hears them or hears about them...from the little kid who wants to make every move you make to the little old lady who loves the way you make her laugh...
Think about it. Is it really worth it? Will it be profitable?
In the body of Christ, no matter what it is...the situation or the day, we are told to "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). So many times we want to speak the truth. Our mouths crave to speak (possibly shout or scream) the truth...but we often forget to include the LOVE part.
Think about it.
Joey
I know it is one that many young men and women who have given their lives to the life of ministry have thought at one time or another. It is something I thought about 21 years ago when I first gave my life to ministry. One word. I only need to take it one sentence at a time. I can't take too much in at one time. That's too much. My head will explode.
My one word of advice...
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
Think before you speak. You don't learn that in Youth Ministry 101 or Worship Leading 101 or Pastoral Ministries 101. You learn that by NOT doing it. You speak your mind and whatever that is never passes through any filter whatsoever and then all of a sudden you are meeting with the pastor or the Deacons.
There will be times in ministry where you will want to tell people exactly what you think of them, what is happening to you, or what is going through your mind at the time. But I guarantee you, Satan uses those times to ruin our ministry.
When you go into ministry there are several things you give up. You give up the right to grip about anything in the church. You give up most of your opinions. You give up most of your Saturdays and Sunday afternoons. You give up a lot of free time. But most of all you give up the right to speak freely.
Think before you speak.
Think about what effects your words will have on those who hear. Think about how your words will effect the body of Christ you work with. Think about how your words will affect your family. Think about how your words will affect your ministry. Think about how your words will affect everyone who hears them or hears about them...from the little kid who wants to make every move you make to the little old lady who loves the way you make her laugh...
Think about it. Is it really worth it? Will it be profitable?
In the body of Christ, no matter what it is...the situation or the day, we are told to "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). So many times we want to speak the truth. Our mouths crave to speak (possibly shout or scream) the truth...but we often forget to include the LOVE part.
Think about it.
Joey
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Satan, World, Providence, Christ
Satan, World, Providence, Christ
November 11, 2009
By John Piper
Read the full article at www.desiringgod.org
The World in the Power of Devil
Not until recently had I ever felt the weight of the fact that those outside Christ have no defense against the devil. God can restrain the devil from doing his maximum worst. But the world cannot. They are helpless before Satan’s supernatural power. They are utterly in his sway, except for God’s restraining providence.
This should make us tremble for the hopelessness of the world and marvel at the magnitude of God’s power and grace to keep the world from being ten thousand times more violent and miserable than it is.
Consider these passages to show the plight of the world:
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following . . . the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 2:1 -2)
The World in the Providence of God
Nevertheless, the world is not nearly as vicious and wretched as it could be. Millions of unbelievers are civil and courteous and honest and kind. How can this be, if they are defenseless against the supernatural power of the most wicked being in the universe? The answer is that God restrains the evil one and uses many natural means to prompt unbelievers toward outward conformity to his laws. Here are some biblical examples.
When Abraham told king Abimelech that Sarah was his sister and not his wife, Abimelech took her into his harem, but against ordinary expectations, did not have sexual relations with her. Then he found out Sarah was Abraham’s wife and was frightened before God. But God said to him, “It was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her” (Genesis 20:6). That is a picture of God’s restraint on sin in the world.
Not only does he restrain evil, he also prompts good. For example, “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia . . . the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation . . . :‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord . . . has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem.’” (Ezra 1:1-2). Later the people rejoice that “the Lord had . . . turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God” (Ezra 6:22). And again: “Blessed be the Lord . . . who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king” (Ezra 7:27).
So the Old Testament makes sweeping summary statements like, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1), and, “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples” (Psalms 33:10).
So in the providence of God, the world does not sink into as much wickedness and misery as it would if it were given over entirely to the power of the evil one. The world does not have any power in itself to resist the devil, but God in great patience restrains the evil one and prompts much good behavior.
The Christian in the Person of Christ
The Decisive Triumph
The reason that union with Christ makes a great difference for the believer is that Christ achieved a decisive triumph over the devil at Calvary. He did not remove Satan from the world, but he disarmed him to the extent that the weapon of damnation was stripped from his hand. He cannot accuse believers of unforgiven sin. And therefore, he cannot bring them to utter ruin. He can hurt them physically and emotionally, even kill them. He can tempt them and incite others against them. But he cannot destroy them. Here is what happened at the cross:
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:13-15)
This decisive triumph is owing to “the record of debt that stood against us” being nailed to the cross. The devil made that record his chief accusation against us. Now he has no accusation that holds. He is helpless to do the one thing he wants most to do—damn us. He can’t. Christ bore our damnation. The devil is disarmed.
Another way to say it is in Hebrews 2:14-15: “[Christ became human] that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Death is still our enemy. But it is defanged. The sting is gone. The sting of death was sin. And the damning power of sin was in the demand of the law. But thanks be to Christ who satisfied the law’s demand (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57).
The Consequent Promise
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
The Triumphant Conflict
The conflict with the devil that results from being in Christ is brutal, but the outcome is certain. He may kill us, but he cannot conquer us in the end. We rise and live forever in joy with Christ, while he is finally cast into the lake of fire. Consider two texts that show we can be killed but not utterly ruined.
They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:11)
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)
In this battle with the devil, therefore, we are to resist him by faith and put on the armor of God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8). “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
In conclusion, weep for the helplessness of the world the way Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s blindness: “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Rejoice that the providence of God is so massively active in restraining evil and prompting so much external conformity to righteousness. Trust in the triumph of Christ at Calvary. Resist the devil in faith that the one in you is greater than he. Risk your life to spread the liberating news as far as you can.
Still learning to fight like a victor,
John Piper
November 11, 2009
By John Piper
Read the full article at www.desiringgod.org
The World in the Power of Devil
Not until recently had I ever felt the weight of the fact that those outside Christ have no defense against the devil. God can restrain the devil from doing his maximum worst. But the world cannot. They are helpless before Satan’s supernatural power. They are utterly in his sway, except for God’s restraining providence.
This should make us tremble for the hopelessness of the world and marvel at the magnitude of God’s power and grace to keep the world from being ten thousand times more violent and miserable than it is.
Consider these passages to show the plight of the world:
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following . . . the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 2:1 -2)
The World in the Providence of God
Nevertheless, the world is not nearly as vicious and wretched as it could be. Millions of unbelievers are civil and courteous and honest and kind. How can this be, if they are defenseless against the supernatural power of the most wicked being in the universe? The answer is that God restrains the evil one and uses many natural means to prompt unbelievers toward outward conformity to his laws. Here are some biblical examples.
When Abraham told king Abimelech that Sarah was his sister and not his wife, Abimelech took her into his harem, but against ordinary expectations, did not have sexual relations with her. Then he found out Sarah was Abraham’s wife and was frightened before God. But God said to him, “It was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her” (Genesis 20:6). That is a picture of God’s restraint on sin in the world.
Not only does he restrain evil, he also prompts good. For example, “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia . . . the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation . . . :‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord . . . has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem.’” (Ezra 1:1-2). Later the people rejoice that “the Lord had . . . turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God” (Ezra 6:22). And again: “Blessed be the Lord . . . who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king” (Ezra 7:27).
So the Old Testament makes sweeping summary statements like, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1), and, “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples” (Psalms 33:10).
So in the providence of God, the world does not sink into as much wickedness and misery as it would if it were given over entirely to the power of the evil one. The world does not have any power in itself to resist the devil, but God in great patience restrains the evil one and prompts much good behavior.
The Christian in the Person of Christ
The Decisive Triumph
The reason that union with Christ makes a great difference for the believer is that Christ achieved a decisive triumph over the devil at Calvary. He did not remove Satan from the world, but he disarmed him to the extent that the weapon of damnation was stripped from his hand. He cannot accuse believers of unforgiven sin. And therefore, he cannot bring them to utter ruin. He can hurt them physically and emotionally, even kill them. He can tempt them and incite others against them. But he cannot destroy them. Here is what happened at the cross:
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:13-15)
This decisive triumph is owing to “the record of debt that stood against us” being nailed to the cross. The devil made that record his chief accusation against us. Now he has no accusation that holds. He is helpless to do the one thing he wants most to do—damn us. He can’t. Christ bore our damnation. The devil is disarmed.
Another way to say it is in Hebrews 2:14-15: “[Christ became human] that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Death is still our enemy. But it is defanged. The sting is gone. The sting of death was sin. And the damning power of sin was in the demand of the law. But thanks be to Christ who satisfied the law’s demand (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57).
The Consequent Promise
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
The Triumphant Conflict
The conflict with the devil that results from being in Christ is brutal, but the outcome is certain. He may kill us, but he cannot conquer us in the end. We rise and live forever in joy with Christ, while he is finally cast into the lake of fire. Consider two texts that show we can be killed but not utterly ruined.
They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:11)
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)
In this battle with the devil, therefore, we are to resist him by faith and put on the armor of God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8). “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
In conclusion, weep for the helplessness of the world the way Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s blindness: “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Rejoice that the providence of God is so massively active in restraining evil and prompting so much external conformity to righteousness. Trust in the triumph of Christ at Calvary. Resist the devil in faith that the one in you is greater than he. Risk your life to spread the liberating news as far as you can.
Still learning to fight like a victor,
John Piper
Monday, November 9, 2009
Losing Yourself
I had some great friends growing up as a child. In that statement you are probably taken back to some people in your life too. The neighbor down the street was cool. His name was Kevin. He had every kind of Tonka toy you could imagine! He lived there about a year and then had to move to Texas. That year kids at school learned that a baby kangaroo is called a “Joey.” Here came the jokes. “Hey Joey. How was last night in your mom’s pouch?” “Hey Joey, how’s it hopping?” “Hey Joey, jump up there and get that for me!” I hated my name. Yes, my name is Joel, but since my dad and I had the same first name, everyone called me little Joey. I hated that. So, I changed my name to Kevin. I put “Kevin” on all my papers I turned in. It got so bad that my teacher had to get my parents to come in for a conference. I almost had to go to therapy.
After that, things got better. I found out I had talent in baseball. I was left handed and had amazing accuracy as a pitcher. I became a little popular. Chicks digged me. School became fun. Life became fun. Everyone wanted me on their team. I could have lived that way forever. I never wanted things to change.
But things change. Everything is constantly changing from one day to the next. We moved around a lot. My dad pastured small churches and attended seminary when I was a child so we never lived in any place for more than a year or two. I think I added up that I have lived in 38 different homes since childhood. That has instilled in me a sense of change over the years. That, and the reason that my mom wanted to rearrange the furniture in every room twice a week. I hated that! Oh well, now I realize it made her happy. We never could afford many things, so I guess if you move stuff around a lot it makes you feel like it is different stuff.
Teeth change. I had to get braces. I remember one baseball game when I was catching. A play was going to be made at third base so I ran to back the third baseman up and the ball tipped his glove and hit me in the mouth. We dug my lip off of the braces and I spit blood for a few minutes. But I went back and played the rest of the game. We called the dentist that night and he performed three root canals. It was amazing. You would think after going through that that I would make sure and wear my retainer and keep the straight teeth that I worked so hard to get. But no; I hated the retainer. About a year later my teeth were back the way they were to start with.
Lives change. In the Book of Luke chapter 8 we are told the story of a woman…
…Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Luke 8:1-3 (NIV emphasis added) .
Did you ever wonder how Jesus paid the bills while He was traveling? We are told here that several women travelled around with Jesus and twelve and they supporting the cause out of their own pockets! How cool is that! Especially this Joanna lady. She was the wife of the guy who took care of all the finances of Herod – the guy who was trying to get rid of Jesus. Jesus had gone around proclaiming and kingdom that was not Herod’s and Herod didn’t like that very much. But because of Joanna, she was taking Herod’s money and using it to support the man Herod hated! Awesome! I like her.
But also in this ragtag group of women was one of the better-known women in the New Testament, Mary Magdalene. Did Mary just happen to be in the right place at the right time? Did Mary hear about this new Rabbi that was able to heal people and ran to where He was supposed to be traveling? Was she introduced to Jesus by one of her friends? Another one of those questions that apparently God doesn’t want answered. One thing we do know – she had specifically seven demons living inside of her and Jesus cast them out. Can you imagine? Can you imagine that evil living inside of you? I can’t but she can. Can you even begin to imagine how thankful, how gracious she was to Jesus for giving her a new life? Can you imagine how dedicated she would be to the man who gave her life? For changing her? She would never again be the same.
She followed Jesus wherever He went. She would never leave His side. She became one of the people who would listen to His every word as He spoke the Parables, the teachings, the comfort words of life given to those around him. Jesus was “traveling about from one town to another, proclaiming the goods news of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). She went wherever he did. She had new life and she owed every part of her life to Him. Without Him she was possessed by evil. She walked with Him. She saw Him at His best when people from every village they came to would line up with the hundreds to be healed. The most powerful king in the land (Herod) was after Him so He kept on the move, not because He was scared for His life but because He was “proclaiming the news of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). She spent weeks, months, perhaps years traveling, eating, walking, studying, discussing, meeting people with Jesus. There is a bond there that no caterpillar dozer could ever tear apart. She saw Him at His best.
She saw Him at His very best. “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). She is watching her friend, her master, her healer, her teacher…DIE. Her heart is ripped out. And then a couple of days later, she is in the garden where they have buried Jesus. All the other disciples have left. They have gone home (John 20:10), “but Mary stood outside the tomb crying” (v. 11). She couldn’t stand to leave him. She couldn’t go home. We don’t even know if she had a home. She peaked in the tomb. Things didn’t look just right. The stone was rolled away. Where is Jesus? He is not there.
“…as she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize it was Jesus…”
Somebody has taken Him. “I can’t stand not being near Him. I have to be near Him. I don’t care how shiny you are. I don’t care if you are angels are not. I don’t even care that I am standing here talking to angels. I want to know where my Lord is! You have to tell me where He is. Another unanswered question. Before she can even get an answer from the angels (who, by the way, knew the right answer), Jesus shows up.
15”Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?” Thinking it was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
The exact same question as the angels. Why are you crying? Didn’t you listen to everything I was teaching you when I was alive the first time? Didn’t you hear me say that I would have to die and then come back in three days? I guess not. Mary didn’t know it was Jesus. She was so sincere. Every tear that falls from her cheeks are filled with sincerity. “I want to know where He is so I can be with Him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Isn’t it amazing that all Jesus has to do is say our name? The amazing God of the universe knows our name and speaks to us by calling us by name. He speaks to us specifically. He didn’t reach out to her and claim who He was. It was only the sound of His voice and she knew. It was only the words from His lips and she knew.
With just the sound of his voice she changed what she was actually there doing. She went from looking for his body, to wanting to hold on to Him and never let Him go again. Things were going to be the way they used to be! Everything is going to be okay! We are going to be together again! She could not control her emotions!
17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that He had said these things to her.”
Then Jesus responds a little different than expected. It kind of takes me back to the “close talker” on Seinfeld, or times in the car when my sister would scream “will you stop touching me!” “Do not hold on to me…” If Christ is the perfect picture of Love, compassion and grace, why doesn’t He embrace her back? Why doesn’t He take her in His arms and comfort her. I mean, she has just watched Him die! The most important MEN in His life have all gone home and she is the only one who has hung around! Why? I guess maybe another one of those questions God doesn’t want to answer at this moment.
Here’s a thought. Maybe it shot through Mary’s mind (which, of course, Jesus could read)…”Yes! Things are going to be the way they used to be!” And Jesus responds before she could even get the words out…”No. Things have changed. Go and tell the others that things have changed.”
So, disappointed, happy…flooded with emotions (with me, I think it would be, “how’d He do that?” like watching an episode of Chris Angel or someone on Ripley’s Believe it or Not) she goes and does what Jesus says. She goes and tells the others. The “others” are the disciples. They now discover that He is alive. What are their reactions? “Yes! He’s back and better than ever! Not only is He Jesus…He is now risen from the dead without any help Jesus! He’s going to take this thing to a whole new level. It’s going to be great!”
In the book of Acts, when Jesus spends His last few days with His disciples, He realizes they have not yet understood. They don’t get it. They still think that everything is going to be the way it was, maybe even better than before.
4“On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”
Acts 1:4-5
Wait here. My father is going to give you something that will blow you away! It’s one of His unbelievable promises that will empower you! It will ignite you! It will be so much better than just having me around with you! Their response…
6So when they met together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
Acts 1:6
You can just see the look on Jesus’ face. It’s the same look when I was a kid and my mom would give me instructions on doing something. It didn’t take me long to master the art of “selective hearing.” I only heard what I wanted to hear. You had to have my undivided attention and not be standing between me and the Cowboys game on TV if you really wanted me to hear and understand. Suddenly I would get the reverberation, “Did you hear me? Are you listening to me?” And I could never respond honestly with a smile and a “yes!” but I did anyway. And then it would be the opportunity to repeat back what was said to me and I could never do it. That was always followed by the great proclamation that I was just like my father. That was exactly what I was trying to do in life anyway, right? But it seemed like I was taking the scenic road of arriving at that destination.
The disciples were no different. They might have been listening, but they weren’t paying attention. Their minds were on other things. Their minds were clouded still with the conception that Jesus was now going to be the ruler of all things and set up His kingdom and take over the world! So Jesus gives them one of those, “didn’t you just hear what I said?” statements. One of those, “oh crud” moments when you have been caught not listening to what was being said to you. So Jesus responds again…
7“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 1:7-8
Things have changed. If you are going to go around being witnesses of who I am and what I have done, that is an immediate indication that I am not going to be with you. But it’s going to be okay because my Father is going to keep His promise and send you the Holy Spirit who will live inside of you. So it will be different, but in a lot of ways, it is going to be better because everywhere you go, I will go with you. No matter where each of you are, you will have me always.
The Bible is al about change. Paul tell us that if anyone is in Christ, He is something brand new – a whole new Creation; say goodbye to the old and hello to the new! (2 Cor. 5:17) All the words that describe your spiritual journey, what happens to you, they’re all about change.
Transformation means change.
Conversion means change.
Repentance means change.
Sanctification means change.
And if you’re going to be a follower of Christ, get ready for change, because who you are today is not who you will be tomorrow.
Losing yourself.
When you come to the end of you...you will come to the beginning of God.
Joey Slayton
After that, things got better. I found out I had talent in baseball. I was left handed and had amazing accuracy as a pitcher. I became a little popular. Chicks digged me. School became fun. Life became fun. Everyone wanted me on their team. I could have lived that way forever. I never wanted things to change.
But things change. Everything is constantly changing from one day to the next. We moved around a lot. My dad pastured small churches and attended seminary when I was a child so we never lived in any place for more than a year or two. I think I added up that I have lived in 38 different homes since childhood. That has instilled in me a sense of change over the years. That, and the reason that my mom wanted to rearrange the furniture in every room twice a week. I hated that! Oh well, now I realize it made her happy. We never could afford many things, so I guess if you move stuff around a lot it makes you feel like it is different stuff.
Teeth change. I had to get braces. I remember one baseball game when I was catching. A play was going to be made at third base so I ran to back the third baseman up and the ball tipped his glove and hit me in the mouth. We dug my lip off of the braces and I spit blood for a few minutes. But I went back and played the rest of the game. We called the dentist that night and he performed three root canals. It was amazing. You would think after going through that that I would make sure and wear my retainer and keep the straight teeth that I worked so hard to get. But no; I hated the retainer. About a year later my teeth were back the way they were to start with.
Lives change. In the Book of Luke chapter 8 we are told the story of a woman…
…Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Luke 8:1-3 (NIV emphasis added) .
Did you ever wonder how Jesus paid the bills while He was traveling? We are told here that several women travelled around with Jesus and twelve and they supporting the cause out of their own pockets! How cool is that! Especially this Joanna lady. She was the wife of the guy who took care of all the finances of Herod – the guy who was trying to get rid of Jesus. Jesus had gone around proclaiming and kingdom that was not Herod’s and Herod didn’t like that very much. But because of Joanna, she was taking Herod’s money and using it to support the man Herod hated! Awesome! I like her.
But also in this ragtag group of women was one of the better-known women in the New Testament, Mary Magdalene. Did Mary just happen to be in the right place at the right time? Did Mary hear about this new Rabbi that was able to heal people and ran to where He was supposed to be traveling? Was she introduced to Jesus by one of her friends? Another one of those questions that apparently God doesn’t want answered. One thing we do know – she had specifically seven demons living inside of her and Jesus cast them out. Can you imagine? Can you imagine that evil living inside of you? I can’t but she can. Can you even begin to imagine how thankful, how gracious she was to Jesus for giving her a new life? Can you imagine how dedicated she would be to the man who gave her life? For changing her? She would never again be the same.
She followed Jesus wherever He went. She would never leave His side. She became one of the people who would listen to His every word as He spoke the Parables, the teachings, the comfort words of life given to those around him. Jesus was “traveling about from one town to another, proclaiming the goods news of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). She went wherever he did. She had new life and she owed every part of her life to Him. Without Him she was possessed by evil. She walked with Him. She saw Him at His best when people from every village they came to would line up with the hundreds to be healed. The most powerful king in the land (Herod) was after Him so He kept on the move, not because He was scared for His life but because He was “proclaiming the news of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). She spent weeks, months, perhaps years traveling, eating, walking, studying, discussing, meeting people with Jesus. There is a bond there that no caterpillar dozer could ever tear apart. She saw Him at His best.
She saw Him at His very best. “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). She is watching her friend, her master, her healer, her teacher…DIE. Her heart is ripped out. And then a couple of days later, she is in the garden where they have buried Jesus. All the other disciples have left. They have gone home (John 20:10), “but Mary stood outside the tomb crying” (v. 11). She couldn’t stand to leave him. She couldn’t go home. We don’t even know if she had a home. She peaked in the tomb. Things didn’t look just right. The stone was rolled away. Where is Jesus? He is not there.
“…as she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize it was Jesus…”
Somebody has taken Him. “I can’t stand not being near Him. I have to be near Him. I don’t care how shiny you are. I don’t care if you are angels are not. I don’t even care that I am standing here talking to angels. I want to know where my Lord is! You have to tell me where He is. Another unanswered question. Before she can even get an answer from the angels (who, by the way, knew the right answer), Jesus shows up.
15”Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?” Thinking it was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
The exact same question as the angels. Why are you crying? Didn’t you listen to everything I was teaching you when I was alive the first time? Didn’t you hear me say that I would have to die and then come back in three days? I guess not. Mary didn’t know it was Jesus. She was so sincere. Every tear that falls from her cheeks are filled with sincerity. “I want to know where He is so I can be with Him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Isn’t it amazing that all Jesus has to do is say our name? The amazing God of the universe knows our name and speaks to us by calling us by name. He speaks to us specifically. He didn’t reach out to her and claim who He was. It was only the sound of His voice and she knew. It was only the words from His lips and she knew.
With just the sound of his voice she changed what she was actually there doing. She went from looking for his body, to wanting to hold on to Him and never let Him go again. Things were going to be the way they used to be! Everything is going to be okay! We are going to be together again! She could not control her emotions!
17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that He had said these things to her.”
Then Jesus responds a little different than expected. It kind of takes me back to the “close talker” on Seinfeld, or times in the car when my sister would scream “will you stop touching me!” “Do not hold on to me…” If Christ is the perfect picture of Love, compassion and grace, why doesn’t He embrace her back? Why doesn’t He take her in His arms and comfort her. I mean, she has just watched Him die! The most important MEN in His life have all gone home and she is the only one who has hung around! Why? I guess maybe another one of those questions God doesn’t want to answer at this moment.
Here’s a thought. Maybe it shot through Mary’s mind (which, of course, Jesus could read)…”Yes! Things are going to be the way they used to be!” And Jesus responds before she could even get the words out…”No. Things have changed. Go and tell the others that things have changed.”
So, disappointed, happy…flooded with emotions (with me, I think it would be, “how’d He do that?” like watching an episode of Chris Angel or someone on Ripley’s Believe it or Not) she goes and does what Jesus says. She goes and tells the others. The “others” are the disciples. They now discover that He is alive. What are their reactions? “Yes! He’s back and better than ever! Not only is He Jesus…He is now risen from the dead without any help Jesus! He’s going to take this thing to a whole new level. It’s going to be great!”
In the book of Acts, when Jesus spends His last few days with His disciples, He realizes they have not yet understood. They don’t get it. They still think that everything is going to be the way it was, maybe even better than before.
4“On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”
Acts 1:4-5
Wait here. My father is going to give you something that will blow you away! It’s one of His unbelievable promises that will empower you! It will ignite you! It will be so much better than just having me around with you! Their response…
6So when they met together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
Acts 1:6
You can just see the look on Jesus’ face. It’s the same look when I was a kid and my mom would give me instructions on doing something. It didn’t take me long to master the art of “selective hearing.” I only heard what I wanted to hear. You had to have my undivided attention and not be standing between me and the Cowboys game on TV if you really wanted me to hear and understand. Suddenly I would get the reverberation, “Did you hear me? Are you listening to me?” And I could never respond honestly with a smile and a “yes!” but I did anyway. And then it would be the opportunity to repeat back what was said to me and I could never do it. That was always followed by the great proclamation that I was just like my father. That was exactly what I was trying to do in life anyway, right? But it seemed like I was taking the scenic road of arriving at that destination.
The disciples were no different. They might have been listening, but they weren’t paying attention. Their minds were on other things. Their minds were clouded still with the conception that Jesus was now going to be the ruler of all things and set up His kingdom and take over the world! So Jesus gives them one of those, “didn’t you just hear what I said?” statements. One of those, “oh crud” moments when you have been caught not listening to what was being said to you. So Jesus responds again…
7“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 1:7-8
Things have changed. If you are going to go around being witnesses of who I am and what I have done, that is an immediate indication that I am not going to be with you. But it’s going to be okay because my Father is going to keep His promise and send you the Holy Spirit who will live inside of you. So it will be different, but in a lot of ways, it is going to be better because everywhere you go, I will go with you. No matter where each of you are, you will have me always.
The Bible is al about change. Paul tell us that if anyone is in Christ, He is something brand new – a whole new Creation; say goodbye to the old and hello to the new! (2 Cor. 5:17) All the words that describe your spiritual journey, what happens to you, they’re all about change.
Transformation means change.
Conversion means change.
Repentance means change.
Sanctification means change.
And if you’re going to be a follower of Christ, get ready for change, because who you are today is not who you will be tomorrow.
Losing yourself.
When you come to the end of you...you will come to the beginning of God.
Joey Slayton
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life
Listen to the Quiet
by Keri Wyatt Kent
adapted from www.christianitytoday.com
As a leader, what are you doing to feed your soul? Engaging in spiritual practices is a key part of sustaining your energy and authenticity as a leader.
One such practice is simply spending time in silence. It's counter-cultural. It doesn't even feel like a practice, since you don't say anything or seem to be doing much when you are silent. It certainly doesn't feel productive. In my new book, Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life, I make some observations about silence:
"Driving down the expressway one day, I noticed a billboard for a wireless phone service. In bold letters it declared simply: 'Silence is Weird.' The phone company's name was at the bottom of the sign in smaller letters. Don't be silent, the sign implored. Talk, communicate, keep in touch. Continuously. We'll give a thousand minutes a month for just $39.99.
"We live in a world where the most common adjective we put in front of silence is 'uncomfortable.' As in, 'there was an uncomfortable silence.' We don't think of peaceful, tranquil, or soothing silence. Silence is uncomfortable. It's weird. We avoid it; we fill it with noise, with talking, with radio, television, or phone calls. We carry iPods so that our life has a soundtrack of our own design, so we can always have background noise. …
"We're pretty sure we need a thousand minutes a month (plus more 'free' minutes on nights and weekends) for talking on our cell phones alone. What if we spent a thousand minutes a month in silence? What would that look like? It's about 16.5 hours. Not counting the time you are sleeping, do you come anywhere near spending about 30 minutes a day in silence?
"But what would be the point? Why spend time doing something that is so unproductive, so uncomfortable, so weird. Why?
"Because if you let silence in, doing so will change your life."
As a leader, you do a lot of talking. Your words can begin to feel too important, like they own too much real estate in your soul.
To care for your soul, take some time to be quiet, and listen to God. Listen to him, let him guide you, feed you. Practice silence, and you'll find you become more comfortable with it. And you'll begin to hear the voice of love more clearly.
Adapted from Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life by Keri Wyatt Kent. (April 2006, $19.95, Cloth) by permission of Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint.
Keri Wyatt Kent is an author, speaker, and children's ministry volunteer. Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com.
Copyright ©2006 Keri Wyatt Kent.
by Keri Wyatt Kent
adapted from www.christianitytoday.com
As a leader, what are you doing to feed your soul? Engaging in spiritual practices is a key part of sustaining your energy and authenticity as a leader.
One such practice is simply spending time in silence. It's counter-cultural. It doesn't even feel like a practice, since you don't say anything or seem to be doing much when you are silent. It certainly doesn't feel productive. In my new book, Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life, I make some observations about silence:
"Driving down the expressway one day, I noticed a billboard for a wireless phone service. In bold letters it declared simply: 'Silence is Weird.' The phone company's name was at the bottom of the sign in smaller letters. Don't be silent, the sign implored. Talk, communicate, keep in touch. Continuously. We'll give a thousand minutes a month for just $39.99.
"We live in a world where the most common adjective we put in front of silence is 'uncomfortable.' As in, 'there was an uncomfortable silence.' We don't think of peaceful, tranquil, or soothing silence. Silence is uncomfortable. It's weird. We avoid it; we fill it with noise, with talking, with radio, television, or phone calls. We carry iPods so that our life has a soundtrack of our own design, so we can always have background noise. …
"We're pretty sure we need a thousand minutes a month (plus more 'free' minutes on nights and weekends) for talking on our cell phones alone. What if we spent a thousand minutes a month in silence? What would that look like? It's about 16.5 hours. Not counting the time you are sleeping, do you come anywhere near spending about 30 minutes a day in silence?
"But what would be the point? Why spend time doing something that is so unproductive, so uncomfortable, so weird. Why?
"Because if you let silence in, doing so will change your life."
As a leader, you do a lot of talking. Your words can begin to feel too important, like they own too much real estate in your soul.
To care for your soul, take some time to be quiet, and listen to God. Listen to him, let him guide you, feed you. Practice silence, and you'll find you become more comfortable with it. And you'll begin to hear the voice of love more clearly.
Adapted from Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life by Keri Wyatt Kent. (April 2006, $19.95, Cloth) by permission of Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint.
Keri Wyatt Kent is an author, speaker, and children's ministry volunteer. Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com.
Copyright ©2006 Keri Wyatt Kent.
Friday, November 6, 2009
What Makes People Want to do Missions?
What causes people to want to do this? This is the question that I asked myself as I was sitting in the Center for International Disease awaiting my Yellow Fever Shot. I hate getting shots. I have a great pain tolerance that has developed over the years of my stupidity. But still, I don’t have to like it. The large nurse appeared through the door with a very small needle and a very small dosage that is supposed to last 10 years? Are you kidding me? I can’t get my lunch to stick around for more than 30 minutes! And that little 2 ounce dosage is supposed to stay in my body how long? Science is amazing!
What makes me want to do this? Is it the adventure? I think that’s part of it I’m lying in bed at midnight watching “The Deadliest Catch” while typing this out. Those guys definitely have to love adventure. I love experiencing the unknown. I love going to places I have never been before. I would have been a great member of the Star Trek crew going to places men have never gone before. Sometimes I still try to get Scotty to beam me somewhere - probably because I hate sitting in airports so bad. The adventure is real. It is blood-pumping. It’s exotic. It’s not really natural to some but to others a complete rush that must be had. It’s addictive. The trips up the Amazon where the locals talk about the headhunters; the shirtless men of the bush wondering if you are going to be their next voodoo sacrifice; the van rides through the Himalayas. They all are exhilarating and make the short-termer really wonder; really desire to do the things that really put them “out there.” People really think you are doing something when you put more adventure in your trips.
But is that really what drives me to do this? No. It’s cool but not the thing that keeps me going.
Is it the travel? I love to travel. I hate going through security at airports. It has gotten so bad since 9/11 all over the world that it makes it a pain in the rump to even go to the airport. You really feel like you have accomplished something if you make it through airport security and you haven’t had to be searched by some hairy woman named “Bertha.” But other than that, I love to travel. I love to see new things. It was amazing when I caught a glimpse of Mount Everest just over the right wing of our Yeti Air flight from eastern Nepal to Kathmandu. It was unbelievable to see the people at the markets in Ghana, Africa. If there is any place I could pack up and move, it would be to the Philippines. I love it there. We have recently been invited to go to Myanmar (Burma) which is closed to missionaries and that makes me want to go more. I love to travel! I love seeing new things. I love seeing how people in other countries and other cultures live. That is extremely cool to me. It’s kind of like getting an inside look at the creepy neighbors down the street.
But is that really what drives me to do this? I admit. I would make a great person to team up with someone on “The Amazing Race” (my all-time favorite show right along with Seinfeld), but that’s not it.
Is it the people? The people some places are great and some places they are not. My first trip out of the United States was to Honduras. It was definitely an eye-opening experience. Right off the bat we had problems. One of the guys with our group packed some scissors into his carry-on luggage (which is a huge NONO! with the security people) so he missed the flight. When we arrived there our van broke down on the side of the road so I bought some dried out plantane chips from a street vendor. Wow! I made more trips to the John in the next 24 hours! I went more times than there were bleeps in the Ozzie Ozbourne show on MTV. And that’s a lot! Wow that dude can cuss! Anyway, there was a missionary there, Colin Jones who gave me some meds and the next day I felt like a new man! Thanks dude! While there another missionary, Wayne Ely, who had lived there like 130 years helped us with everything. He took us to schools, and churches and different trade schools and even to an Incan ruin place. Or maybe it was Mayan. I can’t remember. He was awesome! A great translator too. Then there was Moses in Africa, Pastor David in Nepal, Darlene and Don in the Philippines, Pastor Jarred in Brazil, and so many others. They were amazing people to work with. They would do anything for anyone. They carried us everywhere. They protected us. They went out of their way to make our trip successful. But you know, I think they always were glad when we were gone and they could get back to normal.
The people are part of it. They are a huge part of what happens in short-term missions. But they are not what drives us.
Is it the Holy Spirit? That’s it. If not, He is what should be it. We don’t do this for fame or fortune. (If that does happen let me know how you did it. I would love to be famous!). We don’t do this to gain notoriety with the public. We don’t do this to get a pat on the back by the people of our communities or churches. We don’t do this even to gain credit with God. Our good will never outweigh our bad. We do this because we are told to GO! We are told to Go! That’s it. The Holy Spirit puts inside of each of us the desire to obey. Obedience is a need that each of us should desire. Obedience to the whole of Scripture is what we should seek after. Obedience to go is just a small part.
I long to be like the prophet Jeremiah. He said he tried to keep from telling the people about God, but he could not keep from it. It burned like a fire inside of him where he just could not keep it in. I want that. I want to be the one who can’t help but share my story with the world.
Joey Slayton
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
