The Glocal Church

As I celebrated Christmas this year, it was much to my delight that my little 7 year old read the Christmas story out of the Gospel of Luke the Sunday before Christmas. It was picture-perfect, as it mirrored Linus’ reading of the same story in the classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Except I believe my little girl excelled far beyond Linus!

However, as I began to think about the Christmas story, I became focused on the biblical truth that the Savior of the world, who was God, but who became lower than even the angels (Hebrews 2:9), and was born of the flesh, as both human and divine, all for you and me! Once more, I was captivated by the fact that there was no room for Jesus in the Inn in Bethlehem that night…Therefore, our Lord was born in a cave and laid in a feeding trough.

That’s where I recognized my first dot; of this “connect the dots of biblical narratives about Jesus.”

The second dot which I plotted along my course to a simpler understanding of the humanity and deity of Christ is found in Matthew 8:20 where Jesus said: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  The world had no room for Jesus as he was in the prime of His public ministry…Do you see where I am headed?

The third and final dot is found in the empty tomb…I am delighted, yet even more so, humbled, to say that even though the world had no room for Jesus as a baby, or as an adult…The grave had no room for Jesus either (Luke 24:1-6)!

As I plotted my simple line graph, I quickly found out that it was not a graph at all, but a beautiful Mosaic of Grace. For the world neither had, nor made room for Jesus, However, through His abundance of grace, Jesus has made room for all who call on Him…For those who believe in Him and receive Him as Lord (Acts 10:43).

It is indeed a mighty God who can take a simple three point line graph and paint the most incredible masterpiece in the history of the world!!!

Life is somewhat like Everest…very few have conquered it; however, many have paid its ultimate price…

For me, that begs the question “Is life something to conquer, or something to which we surrender?”

Looking at the life of Christ, we finds its answer, and it’s not one most of us easily accept. The answer is found in Philippians 2

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8

This biblical axiom is like the flu shot for a child…The child cannot see past the sting of the vaccination to the medicinal cure of the vaccine itself.

To quote Al Pacino in the movie “The Devil’s Advocate:” “Vanity is definitely my favorite sin.”

Like most young boys growing up, I thought that real men were defined by their physical strength or mental prowess….and that may indeed be partially true for some…However, as I have gotten older, I have learned much about true masculinity, and that it is actually found in a man’s “posture”…No, I’m not referring to walking and sitting in a straight and upright position (although that’s good as well).

No, I have discovered over my 39 years, and especially the last and most incredible 13 years with my wife, and the never-boring and always exciting last 7 years with my wonderful little girl, that it’s my “spiritual posture” that truly defines my masculinity as a man, as a husband, and as a father!

Let me briefly explain…My wife is a huge Natalie Grant fan. Natalie Grant is a famous Christian singer and songwriter. I have only recently become a true fan of Natalie Grant and her music, primarily through my wife’s iPod, as we spend time together.

You may be asking yourself “what in the world does a female Christian singer have to do with true masculinity…” Well, I’m glad you asked!”

It all goes back to that one word “posture!”  Natalie Grant’s most recent release is entitled “I will not be moved.”

Read the lyrics I’ve copied below…

I know this idea of submission to gain strength and wisdom is quite paradoxical…However, the Hebrew writer recorded it best in Hebrews 2:7… “For a little while you made him lower than the angels, and you crowned him with glory and honor.”

I can only find my true and authentic masculinity by submitting my life and yielding it to Christ everyday…Then, and only then, I will not be moved!

He loved His friends – Lazarus

He loved those who served Him – The woman who anointed Him with perfume

He loved those who followed Him – The disciples

He loved those who did not – The rich young ruler

He loved the unlovely – The paralytic

He loved the untouchable – The leper

He loved sinners – The adulteress

He loved those who hated Him – Jerusalem

However, the most difficult one for me to digest, is that He loved those for whom He died – You & Me

Jesus lived for two reasons – To Love and to Die

He died so that we would not suffer the sting of death, but that we would reap the bountiful blessings of a full and eternal life, found only in Him!

Are you facing seemingly unsurpassable circumstances? Do you have hope amidst the heavy burden you are carrying, due to your circumstances? I’m not referring to a fleeting notion of hope, one often referred to in a trite tone. No! I’m referring to a hope that does not fade.… A hope in which we can rejoice in the good times, and one that carries us though life’s most difficult circumstances.

Read the following written by Mark Hall….

’I’m the man with all I’ve wanted
All the toys and playing games
I am the one who pours your coffee
Corner booth each Saturday

I am your daughter’s favorite teacher
I’m the leader of the band
I sit behind you in the bleachers
I am every man

Is there hope for every man?
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man?

Is there love that never dies
Is there peace in troubled times
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man?

If I could find someone to follow
Who knows my pain and feels the way
The uncertainty of my tomorrow
The guilt and pain of yesterday

There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man

There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand
Jesus is hope for every man

Listen to what God said in His Word…

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope that does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  Romans 5:1-5

There is a true and legitimate hope, a hope that delivers every time…and it is found only in God, His Son, and His Spirit!

As one author put it: “God’s Hope is a ‘Stubborn Hope,’ it never gives up nor ever fails!”

Let me preface this post by stating that I don’t typically spend my leisure time reading Greek Mythology. I am, however, quite familiar with Icarus….a character in Greek Mythology….in fact, I would encourage all of you, if not already, to read the story of Icarus.

Icarus’ story is one in which everyone can identify with at one point or another in their lives!

As the story goes….Icarus is imprisoned with his father, Daedalus, who is an artist. They were imprisoned on the island of Crete, by an evil King. Utilizing his artistic skills to escape their imprisonment, Daedalus constructed wings, with feathers made of wax, so he and Icarus could escape their island imprisonment. Before they took flight, Daedalus instructed Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, because his wax wings would melt and he would surely fall to his death.  

After those last words, both father and son flew from their island prison…Finally free from the oppression of the evil king.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the story ended there? But does it ever? For any of us?

No, Icarus felt so free for the first time, that he flew too high, thus eluding his father’s warning, and the sun melted his wings, and Icarus fell to his death.

We all have moments, or even seasons, when we experience times of legitimate pride….However, when that period of legitimate pride is not countered with humility, we can fall into an elapsed sense of bravado. It is during these times of bravado when we lose our bearings and sense true north, and we crash and burn….Often leaving a disastrous crash site that would make any 6:00 pm news report.

The disastrous effects we experience durnig these times or seasons of bravado, often lead us to a sense of complete decimation from our perspective. It is during these times when we must trust God and His Word – Take Isaiah 55:8-9 which states:  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Whether you’re soaring in the clouds or suffering through your circumstances….Remember, God’s artistry is not like that of  Daedalus’, no, His never fails….God’s Masterpiece of Grace is a Mosaic of His unending love for everyone, anywhere, at anytime!!!

In life, there are many times for all of us that it seems God just doesn’t make sense, and our faith seems to quickly fade. It is in those pivotal moments in the lives of Christ followers, in those dark seasons in our lives, when God doesn’t seem to make sense, especially against our seemingly unsurpassable circumstances, that sometimes Faith is all we have!

Below is an email from a dear friend whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer when she was in Junior High and a member of my Student Ministry, 7 years ago. Yet she still continues to battle cancer and the devastating effects of several years on Chemo Therapy. Her Chemo Therapy Treatments have essentially destroyed her jaw and have causd her teeth to quickly decay…She will probably need oral reconstruction surgery, to fix the damage caused by multiple years of Chemo Therapy.

However, I want you to listen to the heart of her loving father, and how it breaks for his child. However, even amongst his toil and tears, he provides me a glimpse into the deep love which our Heavenly Father has for us who know Him!

Please read below…

After weeks of getting nowhere with obtaining an appointment in Atlanta, I was able to get my daughter in to see Dr. Podyandi here in our home town. He was very frank with us and told us that botox would not work in my daughter’s case. This was devastating to me because out of character I had put all of my eggs in one basket. I suppose it was because that was the only choice it looked as though we had. Dr Podyandi said that we may have some success with oral surgery but it placed a low percentage on achieving the goal of opening her mouth proficient enough for a dentist to work. Dr Podyandi’s straightforward manner was on target for me.

We will keep searching until a door opens. I asked my daughter if we could go with benadryl and pain medicine as previously suggested and attempt getting an impression. She completely blocked my suggestion. This led to a sleepless night for me feeling as though there were not any alternatives left. After all, going through another surgery, especially one with a low possibility of success seems out of the question. During the night hours, I scanned through the channels and nothing would satisfy my racing mind. I decided to do what I do best during stress and that is eating.

The righteous answer would be that I turned it over to God and I prayed. After seven years, it is a battle to pray and it is tough continuing to fight the little battles. When you have a crisis that does not change that I still have a job and as you know problems come with that and there are other normal concerns such as paying the bills, disciplining kids, and the other incidents of life that build our character.

When these events enter through my thought process I begin thinking of the men in the Old Testament and how they waited for years to see their promises fulfilled – Abraham, Noah, Job, Moses. The problem is that I am far from their caliber but it is encouraging to hang on to their examples.

Then I concentrate on the blessings I have in my life – a wife that supports me, four kids that put a smile on my face, healthy parents, great families on both sides, good job, terrific friends, to name a few.

Due to the cancer we face, my life has become an open book and I hope that I can minister to families that face the hardships of having a child with a life threatening disease and the effects it has on areas people can’t imagine. If a person is going to help someone it is better to do so by actions rather than words. I am in a situation where I can do that and I trust I will.

Mean while back at the ranch we have found a therapist today that will work with Haley for $75 an hour out of pocket because insurance will not cover the therapy. Big deal; it would be far ahead of another surgery. I said for him to go for it. We shall see.

My words are long but thanks for hanging in there with me. I ask that you pray for my daughter’s upcoming MRI… to be free of cancer and that she is able to move forward with rehabilitating her dental work.

Wow! What a powerful story my friend has with his daughter! Although riddled with cancer for the last 7 years, they still press on, also hoping to help others with similar circumstances, along the way…It makes me think of the words which Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:

“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort – we get a full measure of that, too. When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (MSG) 

I am also reminded of the words of Mother Teresa when she wrote: “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”       

A couple of years ago I read an online article written by a faithful Christ follower. This believer, however, struggled with a “habitual” or “pet” sin for years. He did not struggle with it every day. No. In fact, he could suppress it for weeks and even months at a time. However, this “habitual” or “pet” sin would eventually rear itself in this man’s life.

He desperately wanted to put it behind him forever, however he could never seem to shake this self-destructive and reoccurring sin in his life. He did, however, begin to chronicle his journey and battle with this sin by keeping a daily prayer journal. 

Through the process of journaling, this man discovered and incredible trend in his Christian pilgrimage, and the sin which he fought so hard to suppress. He discovered that the times in which he was able to fend off that sin, two key activities were taking place in his life. On the flip side, he also discovered that whenever that sin would rear itself in his life, those two key actions were missing from his daily life.

The two things that helped the man suppress the sin in which he desperately battled, eventually helped him overcome that sin for good, as he made these two practices part of his daily life.

You may wonder what two things helped this man defeat his oppressing sin for good. Through journaling, he clearly saw the two specific practices that helped him achieve victory, as he looked back on his journal pages. The two practices were: “expressing to God a heart full of gratitude” and “intercessory prayers in which he prayed for others.”

By including these powerful spiritual disciplines in his daily life, the man, equipped with God’s Word, and empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, defeated his oppressing sin for good.

These two spiritual disciplines may seem common for many believers. In fact, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi in Philippians 4:6: “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (HCSB)  

I want to encourage you, that as you deal with life’s day-to-day struggles, and the often crippling fear of your own depravity, to keep God’s precepts in His Word at the forefront of your life. By doing so, you will become equipped by His Word and empowered by His Holy Spirit. Thus, you will receive victory, and will stamp out defeat!

I know it has been quite some time since I posted my last thoughts. However, while taking a much needed sabbatical from my doctoral studies, I haven’t focused much on things other than my family and the ministry in my congregation, up here in suburban St. Louis…For which I am truly grateful!

At the end of October, I wrapped up a long and tedious Trimester, and am now preparing to enter into my “Dissertation Project” phase of my degree program…Which upon completion next summer, I will graduate with my doctorate…YEAH!!! Still, it has proved as quite a fulfilling endeavor!!!

After that grueling stretch that led up to November 1st, my wife and I planned on taking our 6 year old daughter on an extended weekend to Chicago….We each got to pick one thing we wanted to do. My wife wanted to visit the Navy Pier. My daughter wanted to go to the “American Girl” store, which we did multiple times. However, all I really wanted to do was attend the Broadway hit musical “Wicked,”  which was written as a prequel to the “Wizard of Oz.” It tells the unknown stories of the witches of Oz…It was AMAZING!!! I’ve never been quite as captivated in my life…The live theatre…the beauty in the story, and the amazing plot twist still provides a rush of adrenaline as I think back to the unknown story of the witches of Oz, especially Elphiba…the witch we all know as the Wicked Witch of the West.

Without giving away the plot and ruining the incredible story for any of you who may see it, as it tours the country, I have to provide one detail about this fascinating piece of fiction.

Unlike the great classic “The Wizard of Oz”…the villain in “Wicked” is not whom you think. The true villain has no magical powers or political sway…the villain is nothing more than a con artist…It proves as an amazing plot twist.

Not long after we returned to St. Louis from our weekend in the windy city, I went into our local Barnes and Noble and found a great read on the development and production of “Wicked.”

In that book, one statement stole my thoughts for some time…The musical’s producer and brainchild, Marc Pratt, made a statement regarding the villain. Pratt said: “The ‘Villain’ has no powers; he merely exploits the fear and ignorance of others!” His statement struck a chord that resonated deep within my heart…and still does every time I think about it!

As Christ followers, our enemy is Satan…And Satan; just like the villain in “Wicked” has no powers at all…He merely exploits our ignorance and fears to accomplish his work of thwarting the work of God!

Wow…what an amazing epiphany that was for me!!!

We all know that Satan has no power over us, because as Christ followers, we’ve been covered with Christ’s atoning love and the Armor of God.

So I’ll end with this thought…The next time things seem to be crumbling around you, and you feel your life is out of control…surrender your fears and ignorance to God as you empower yourself by following God’s precepts in His Word, and the promptings of His Holy Spirit…By doing so…You will more easily see your victory over your already defeated enemy!!!

Paul wrote the following words to the church at Corinth: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” 

Remember “We are more than conquers through Christ Jesus our Lord” …and Satan has no power over us!!!