3.28.2008

The Lazy Gene

I don't know if laziness is a gene that is biologically passed down from generation to generation or if it's just a virus...what ever it is, i got it. Only God knows how much I have wanted boys to raise. He gave me two of them.

My oldest asked me to go outside and play baseball with him. I whined and said, "uggg, I don't want to."

What a privilage I have that many people don't, to play ball with their 4 year old. I am sure many will tell me that they would love to have those moments back to play ball with their sons. I chose not to. That is until God slapped me upside the head and said, "You freak'n idiot, get outside and play baseball."

I don't know if all boys ask question after question, but mine do...CONSTANTLY. It drives me nuts, especially when it's the same question over and over again. Prove me wrong but isn't that the definition of insanity; inguaging in the same thing over and over again with hopes of a different result...yeah, that me!

So when I legit question comes along my natural reaction is..."SHUT UP." I would never say that but that is what my heart screams. Wow, my sinful nature is strong in me.

Moral of story...I suck!

3.27.2008

The Cussing Pastor

Something I have grasped over the past 5 years is Christian Liberty. It's amazing to me, in hind sight, how I have studied something to justify the way I want to live. One great argument among conservative Christians is drinking a beer. I do not see a problem with having a beer. I love to sit with my close friends and drink a cold frothy Killian's or Steam Engine. Sometime we discuss the things of Christ over a drink and sometimes we'll just watch a movie or playing a video game. I will not over-spiritualize a beer. Self-Control is the issue here. Yeah, I am prayerful every time I pick up a beer because I fear my actions causing someone to stumble (someone who may be weak in their faith).

Today I was reading in Colossians three and Paul is claiming holy living and says to "rid yourself of...filthy language." This was a shot to my heart because I do not mind dropping a bomb or two. It's under control, not like my high school years, but I will drop one for an expression, to get a smirk, to get a laugh.

Looking into this a bit further, and if you know me you know that I will not make any rash changes in my Christian Liberty without hard evidence (is that pride?), the textual meaning of "filthy" is "obscene; dirty."

I think you have to take a definition like that and place it into our culture. What is obscene to the people around me? What is dirty to the people around me? Yeah, cuss words (no matter how soft) might be considered obscene. Maybe times are changing and words like damn and ass might be more common (or is that because I am getting older and immuned).

If someone knows you are a believer in Christ and they would be taken back by the words you say, that has to be the definition of obscene/offensive. I don't think we have the freedom to define this in our lives ourselves. Only the Holy Spirit of God and those who do not find their salvation in Christ have the right to define this because it is them we are living for, right? Living for the glory of God! Living so that a few might come to know Christ through our lives, our actions, our love for Christ!

I think when we realize who we are living for and actually begin living that way, then we will find true satisfaction in Christ. I am not making any sweeping promises that I will never drop another bomb but I will continue to seek God in this and pray that my life is a greater reflection of Him then it was yesterday.

3.12.2008

Humanity Ultimately Good?

now that i am 28 years old and back in college i am seeing a world that i am not use to. i am being shown how much i have been sheltered my whole life. i went to public school and all and even went to a state university at age 18...but it's not till now that i really see the differences in world views. for me it always been about Christ. everything is Christ. in that my understanding is that humans are born into sin and are ultimately NOT good. it didn't help that i was risen in a home with strong convictions...real strong at times and my butt can attest to that. then at 19 i started working in the church. i have been working in the church for the past 9 years so basically my whole life has been in a bubble.

now i am hearing about attaining perfection and humans are born as a blank slate...ultimately good. wow, now i understand some of the difficulty in understanding our tainted state. we are in need of a savior and thank God for Jesus that we don't have to attain perfection for he has already done for us. i mourn my fallen state with the humbleness and understanding that i will never be perfect until i see Jesus on the other side of glory.

3.07.2008

A Child's Salvation

I might be in over my head in this blog but it's something on my mind. I will try to map it out with the hopes of making sense (which a lot of times I don't).

Austen is a brilliant child. I take full credit for this. If you know Stacy and I then you will know exactly where I am coming from. I learned in Psychology classes that if two parents have high IQ's then it is likely they will have a child with a low IQ. Thank God I can provide a lower IQ than Stacy so our kids will be smart (the jury is still out with Landon, it seems he has more my genes than anything...poor kid).

Austen grasps on to the stories of Jesus so easily. When Stacy and I explain to him "the things of God" (in ways you would to a 4 year old) he internalizes it and then expresses it back to us at random times. The other day we were at the dinner table and Austen busts out of nowhere, "Jesus love everybody." Of course from my wife and I we shout out a big, "hallelujah," "here, here," and a "preach brother Austen." This is the beginning knowledge of salvation, right? By no means is it the end all or the basic knowledge of salvation but it is teaching that Jesus is real and that He cares about you. I am proud my son internalizes these thing.

This stage in my sons life is exciting but it's technically a conditioned response. Salvation begins in a person when they make the choice to give their lives to Christ. How many teenagers do we know that have given their lives to Jesus at an early age, because they grew up in church, but then as a young adult they fall away from the faith.

When I see a child baptized my mind races. I know it's not my place to judge anyone but it's hard as a dad to not put myself in their shoes. The day my kids decide to place their trust in Jesus will be an exciting day but how do I know it's not a conditioned response to Stacy and my faith. I don't want to let my kids be baptized in their faith if it's really my faith they lean on. The reality is, I am going to fail my kids in my faith because I am FAR from perfect.

How many stories do we know (stories just like mine) of individuals giving their lives to Jesus at an early age but not really following Jesus till their adult life (sometimes this is 18, sometimes it's not till 40).

Maybe this child's choice (conditioned or not) is not really a choice at all but the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. My salvation experience at age 7 was a mile stone in my life though it wasn't till 18 that I really "gave my life" to Christ. What if this "choice" is the beginning work of a foundation that will complete itself at age 18. What if this has nothing to do with us at all but all about the work of God.

The parable Jesus gave in Luke 8 (also in Matthew 13) speaks of the seeds falling on the beaten path, falling amongst the rocks, falling with among the thorns and weeds, and falling on the good soil. Maybe the responsibility of us as parents is greater than the church as ever really expressed to us. With the understanding that God is the one who is responsible for making the seed grow, we have the responsibility to represent a godly lifestyle. So as your child grows God can use your life in Christ as a catapult for the maturity (the good soil) for your child's life in Christ. A lot of discipling and a lot of prayer can set our kids up for success in understanding the one true God.

God has chosen us and given us the responsibility to grow out kids in Him. Wow, what a responsibility that I take for granted often.