living by dying

Yesterday, I received the tragic news of a brother's death. Though I never met him personally, Justin Mager was one of the founding fathers of the Oklahoma State University Kappa Chapter of Beta Upsilon Chi. Justin graduated in 2008 and immediately embarked on a trip to India with Student Mobilization. Sunday evening, Justin was returning from leading a discipleship class, investing in the lives of others, when his motorcycle was hit head on by a car that crossed the center of the street. Justin was killed instantly and his friend, John Miller, was critically injured. Our fraternity has been praying fervently for John and the families of these young men.

When I read this story, I wondered how I, as a parent, would feel receiving the news that my child has been killed 8000 miles away. It's a grief I pray I never have to bear. On the other hand, it's a suffering that I long for in my walk with Christ. Justin died doing something eternal--a better decision than living doing something that doesn't matter. He "filled up in his flesh" what was "still lacking in regards to Christ's affliction" [Colossians 1:24]. That is, he bore the bloodshed of Jesus so that his suffering might complete and compliment the suffering testimony of Jesus. In giving his life so that others might live, Justin proved that Christ is better than life and worth death.

Perhaps this is why the martyrs throughout history have considered it a privilege to die for their faith. Because, their wounds are simply mouthpieces of the all-surpassing worth of God for whom they gladly pour out all of their life.

a franciscan prayer

At the Willow Creek Leadership Summit last week, pastor Craig Groeschel mentioned a Franciscan benediction that I found quite compelling:

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen.

good pride

I sat mesmerized watching the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics last night. What a spectacular display of artistry, technology and beauty. Every element of the program, from the giant floor level LED screen to the synchronized drummers to the elegant dancers to the parade of ethnic children to the giant globe rising from the middle to the runner skipping along the scrim to light the torch. Amazing.

What we witnessed was Chinese pride, rightly on display. The Chinese people finally had opportunity to showcase their people and their country's rich heritage. And, in working hard on the production, they served us well. I think that's the measure of appropriate pride. Pride is a deadly sin when it is self-serving. But, when pride pushes a person (or a nation) to a level of excellence that results in a blessing to everyone, it no longer is a vice, but a virtue.

When I am rightly proud of my church, I serve within it and advance it's mission. I invite my neighbors to be a part of it. My pride benefits others.

When I'm proud of my job, I demonstrate it by working hard, guarding against the kind of unethical dangers that could compromise my company. I arrive on time and stay until the job is done. My pride pours over into my performance on behalf of others.

When I'm proud of my country, I protect its resources, don't throw trash from my car window, vote in elections and pray for my leaders. Again, my pride selflessly serves others.

There is a pride that goes before destruction [Proverbs 16:18]. But, the Chinese pride that opened the Olympic games is worth modeling in our own personal lives.

To see more incredible Opening Ceremony pictures, click here.

word power

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. --1 Thessalonians 2:13

Texas summer heat takes its toll on automobile batteries. Last week, Tiffany turned the key in our SUV and got nothing. No power, no movement. More important is the source that charges our spiritual life: The Word of God. Over and again, the writers of Scripture affirm that God's revelation is more than information; It's momentum and motivation. In Hebrews 4:12, the writer describes God's Word as "living and active," sharp, piercing and surgical. It works its way in and through us. Philippians 2:16 calls it "the word of life." Without it, we die.

Given the power of the Word of God to fuel life, there are several disciplines to help us "accurately handle the word of truth"

1. Understand how the Scriptures were inspired [2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21]
2. Articulate a coherent view of inerrancy
3. Know how to study the Bible with a view to application [Acts 17:11 and 2 Timothy 2:15]
4. Memorize the Word to be prepared for ministry [Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:1-3]
5. Intentionally and strategically teach the Word to others [2 Timothy 2:2]
6. Prioritize reading the Bible over any other religious literature

coalescence of worship

I was captivated by the following words from Ravi Zacharias. To access this original article, go to his ministry website here.

One of the great longings of the human heart is to worship; yet, within that very disposition there are tugs in many directions that contradict the essence of worship. This fragmentation is felt in every life. But there is a further complication. The idea of worship itself is not monolithic or uniform when you get a glimpse of the different kinds of worship in which people engage.

The thirst for worship or for the sacred across cultures and across time is ineradicable among the educated and the uneducated, the young and the old. During my days as a student at college in New Delhi, I well remember students seated around me with colored ash smeared on their foreheads, having visited the temple on their way to school. All over the world, churches, temples, mosques, and tabernacles abound. Sacred books still line the shelves of seekers after truth—the Gita, the Koran, the Bible. Religious ceremonies are performed and prayers are invoked in life’s most significant moments. Even a casual look at the record of human history reveals a fervent pursuit of spiritual things.

Jesus was very much aware of this bent within the human spirit. That is why He said worship should be done in truth, as well as in spirit. Without truth there is no limit to the superstition, deception, and sadly, even violence that can come in the name of religion. You see, worship alone cannot justify itself; it needs the constraints of truth, and that truth is the person and character of God. As an individual makes a commitment to God, not only is his or her life unified for God’s glory, but the impetus of truth is given for all other pursuits and relationships.

In other words, worship must not only be formal, it must also be substantive. You see, we humans are not a collection of isolated and unrelated senses just seeking expression. We are fashioned to bind these expressions by the character and reverence of God.

So much goes on in the name of religion today that must make us question whose character is being revealed in the process.

Worship that is true and spiritual binds all the diverse aspirations and propensities creating a tapestry of beauty and a life that is in harmony with the goodness and the holiness of God. So next time you pause to worship or even to observe it, ask the question: Is this what Jesus Christ meant when He said we are to worship God in spirit and in Truth?

right God | right worship [part 2]

Garbage in, garbage out. Not surprisingly, we learn about God from what we read. Therefore, it is important to fill our minds with the kind of instruction that doesn't domesticate God [making Him in our image], but presents God is the fullness of His transcendent majesty. I suggest the following books:

The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Desiring God by John Piper
The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges
One Holy Passion by R.C. Sproul

right God | right worship

Last Sunday, I preached from 2 Samuel 6--a humbling passage regarding worship and our heart toward God. What I learned is that David, a "man after God's own heart," was worshipping the right God, the wrong way. That's a curious statement. It's like saying "That's a wrong way to be generous to the needy." But, truth is, God demands to be worshipped in a certain way and worship must be on His terms, not mine.

I mentioned to our congregation that right worship requires a right heart [motives] and right expressions [singing, giving, confessing and reconciling]. The most significant thing for me in studying this passage is that right worship also requires a right mind. What I think about God drives my worship. Theology motivates doxology.

With that in mind, I urge you to watch the linked video on the prosperity gospel--false teaching that is being promoted today. The clip is an edited message from Pastor John Piper and his passion is sobering. I never want to think the wrong things about God again.

out of office

This week, I'm at Pine Cove Camp near Tyler leading 38 families into the Word of God. I love the opportunity to extend ministry beyond my church and into the lives of others. Please pray for me that I will speak clearly and that God's Spirit will guide compellingly.

nashville star

Perhaps you have noticed NBCs "Nashville Star" on Monday evenings. It's the country music version of "American Idol." PBC's own Melissa Lawson has made it through the rounds and has proven herself to be a front runner in the competition [see YouTube video here]. Be sure to watch the show next week and vote for Melissa. Text and phone calls on ATT are free [see the rules online], so vote often!

sign of the times

8 years. That's how long it took Pantego Bible Church to get a sign up to let people know where we're located. Don't ask me about the obstacles. But, for 8 years, we've been "the best kept secret in Fort Worth." Now, we enjoy a beautiful new monument sign on I30 to point the way.

I recently had a conversation with a fellow who asked why God doesn't reveal Himself. God would attract more customers if He erected a monument marque with flashing lights and five foot letters that alerted the world driving by Him everyday. Perhaps God needs a marketing department to make Himself known.

Truth is, signs of God are all around us. The Bible points out several proofs of His presence and His person. First, the created order signifies the reality of an intelligent Creator [see "must see movie" post below]. God's Divine fingerprints are all over the beauty and majesty of the sun setting over the Rocky Mountains as well as the intricate mechanics of the human body [Darwin admitted that the sophistication of the eye was one of the obstacles to his own evolutionary hypothesis. See "Problems With My Theory" chapter in Origin of Species]. Psalm 91 affirms, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." In Romans 1:20, Paul writes that we know God by observing what God has made. Creation is a signpost to God.

Second, human morality points to God's existence. In Romans 2:14-15, the Apostle Paul notes that when non-religious folks do "good things" that they "ought" to do, they prove that there is a law scribed on their heart--a law not taught to them through Sunday school classes or Bible teaching, but an internal, universal law common to all people. Some will argue that this sense of "oughtness" is culture-bound, the product of each unique civilization. However, there exists a fundamental moral code which transcends all cultures at all times. Such laws include not stealing, not murdering, not being selfish and so on. Such morality cannot be the product of mere biology. It reflects a greater code, beyond our cultures and beyond individual selves. It must come from a God who reflects perfect morality, truth and life.

Third, basic science proves the reality of God. The problem with the Big Bang theory is that, while it attempts to answer problems relating to the generation of single-cell life and beyond, it doesn't deal with the first strike of the match. In other words, many scientists are content to assume that the "stuff" necessary to make a bang simply existed. No idea where that stuff came from. It just was. This proposition, of course, violates an important principle of science which states that every effect must have an equal and sufficient cause. In other words, everything that happens must have something that made it happen. So, a Big Bang must have a Big Bang maker. Without addressing the first cause, science is left hanging. The Bible begins with the words "In the beginning, God..." [Genesis 1:1]. This introduction takes us before the beginning. It points us to a "first cause." What you believe happened after God isn't nearly as important as your realization that nothing "banged" without a big God who "made the world and everything in it" [Acts 17:24]. The world itself is sign of the existence of God who has the power to call everything into being.

A fourth sign of God is God's people. You can learn alot about my family by watching my kids. Similarly, the world watches God's children and gets a glimpse of who God must be. My neighbors see my grace, forgiveness, joy, peace, hope, generosity and compassion and wonder about what's inside me. That's how I came to meet God personally--I noticed spiritual qualities in a friend which highlighted the undeniable reality of God. Our lives are proofs that God is and who God is.

Pantego Bible Church is no longer a secret, tucked back in the woods of east Fort Worth. The whole world can drive by a see where we are. And, if the world doesn't suppress God's signposts [cf. Romans 1:18-19], made plain since the beginning of time, they will see Him too.

photo pro

OK...gotta brag on my kid. Grant has really been excelling in his photography. Check out his site and see what you think: Grant Daniels Photography

I'm very proud!

snack "Shack"

My kids head to camp in a couple of weeks. While there, they'll have opportunity to purchase goodies at the Snack Shack each day. I've learned that "snack" is the Greek word for "junk food." The candy bars and sodas they purchase are delicious, but hardly nutritious.

I'm afraid that's my critique of The Shack, a very popular book on the Amazon bestsellers list. The book, by William Young, enjoys a list of endorsements from people like musician Michael W. Smith and author Eugene Peterson [The Message] who touts it as another Pilgrim's Progress. Let me tell you why I disagree.

The book is an allegory and, while allegories are afforded creative license, I believe they must correspond to what is true. This is especially important when it comes to biblical truth. In other words, a Christian author cannot set some truths aside in order to communicate other truths. A partially true work is false.

The Shack contains several points that I believe are dangerous, if not heretical. First, I am concerned about the author's view on the authority of the Bible. On pages 65-66, the main character contemplates a "note" he has received from God. Young writes,

“In seminary [Mack] had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow sacred Scripture, properly interpreted, of course. God’s voice has been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects. It seemed that direct communication with God was something exclusively for the ancients and uncivilized, while the educated Westerners’ access to God was mediated and controlled by the intelligentsia. Nobody wanted God in a box, just a book.”

This viewpoint sets the stage for the rest of the book. Young dismisses propositional truth-- revealed by God and recorded in Scripture--and exchanges it for an experiential encounter with God. This popular position is held by many in a postmodern culture who criticize those who start with the Bible as their guide for life. Such absolutism, they claim, puts God "in a box."

The logical outcome for Young is that God can be whatever he [or anyone else] wants Him to be. While I appreciate the author's contention that God is not "white grandfather figure with flowing beard, like Gandalf," I do believe that God has revealed Himself in time in particular ways. When we take liberty with God's revelation, we run dangerously into the woods of heresy. With that in mind, I would argue:

1. The mysterious doctrine of the Trinity holds one God in three persons...not three Gods. Young sounds very tri-theistic throughout his work.

2. God the Father cannot be reduced to human form--not as an African American woman named "Papa" or anything else. The 2nd commandment very strictly forbids creating [or allegorizing] the Almighty with human characteristics. The principle is important: You cannot use the stuff below [on earth] to fashion the God above. I think it was Voltaire who said, "God created man in His image and man has since more than reciprocated." We often create God in our image rather than the other way around.

3. God has communicated Himself using masculine pronouns. I know this isn't popular and there are many who have theological arguments for neutering the godhead. My position has less to do with gender and all to do with a respect for Divine revelation.

The outcome of this reduction of God is that God isn't honored as He ought to be. A perfect example is when Mack comes into the presence of God. His response looks nothing like the awestruck, humble, repentant position of people in the Bible. Rather, when Mack first meets "Papa," he's angry [his face flushed red and his hands knotted into fists; p. 92] at God for the tragedy God allowed years earlier [I'll let you read about it]. Strangely, Papa's response is, "Mack, I am so sorry..."

Wait a minute! The Creator of the universe apologizing to Mack or me for what He has sovereignly orchestrated?! If God is always in control and is forever accomplishing His divine purposes, He need not apologize for anything! And, He certainly doesn't apologize to us! If there's any doubt, reread the story of Job and notice God's response to a man who lost even more than Mack.

A similar reductionism is expressed regarding salvation. An important dialogue takes place between Mack and Jesus:

“Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans… Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into brothers and sisters, into my Beloved.”

“Does that mean,” asked Mack, “that all roads will lead to you?”

“Not at all,” smiled Jesus as he reached for the door handle to the shop. “Most roads don’t lead anywhere. What it does mean is that I will travel any road to find you”

Where do I start? What does the author mean when Jesus says "I have no desire to make them [other faiths] Christian"? Does he suggest that Christianity is too exclusive and our "only way" of salvation is an "imposition" on other faiths? Young seems to lean in this direction by having Jesus add that He wants to "join in their transformation" as if people of other faiths can be transformed in and through their faiths. Whatever happened to John 14:6?

Young attempts to take himself off the hook when he has Jesus answer Mack that "all roads don't lead to Him," but it is in what he does not say that is troublesome. He never clarifies. And so, he leaves the issue of universalism up for grabs. The good news for him [and his publisher] is that the topic is left so obscure that an uncritical reader on either side will be left happy.

To be fair, there are redemptive messages in The Shack. The reader does get a beautiful picture of God's grace. He or she is challenged to understand forgiveness. And, Young does a great job tapping into the love of God, helping the Christian to understand and embrace their identity in Christ. However, the worst of all liars in history have uttered lines of truth. Their truth, however, didn't change the reality of their errors.

I would not necessarily encourage people not to read The Shack but would strongly urge caution. I suggest that the book is a snack--a taste, but not terribly nutritious. The danger is that, like children, we may prefer the sweetness on our tongue and not realize the sugary decay that comes from careless eating.

growing up

During my 10 years with college students, I enjoyed the incomparable privilege of mentoring groups of young men. Typically, I identified five to seven sophomore leaders and expected to disciple them for the next three years until they graduated. At the beginning of our second year together, I developed a tradition where we opened our Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13:11 and read, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” After the sobering words had a moment to sink in, I would ask the living room circle of students, “Are you children or are you men?” When they were children, their parents dressed them, found friends for them, fed them, taught them and gave them money for an allowance. But, as children grow up, they begin to make their own choices, cultivate their own friendships, feed and teach themselves, and earn money to meet their own needs. In becoming an adult, they assume responsibility. This is what it means to “grow up.”

Over and again, the Bible emphasizes the importance of us taking intiative in regards to our spiritual development. In Romans 12:2 Paul urges readers to “not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Likewise, in 1 Peter 1:14-16, the writer encourages Christians, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” And, again, Peter writes, “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love… be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.” (2 Peter 1:5-7). God produces life change, but He invites us to participate with Him.

don't sit down

Today, I celebrated Father's Day with an incredible time at Pantego Bible Church where we enjoyed 50 classic and hot rod cars and motorcycles, free lunch and rich fellowship. I preached from 1 Samuel 16 and challenged Dads to search for what God already sees in their children, to rise and bless their kids and to not sit down until their sons and daughters have arrived. God has made fathers in His fatherly image. And, just as God didn't sit down until he had completed His mission, so we dads must not sit down until our mission is complete with our kids.


I provided two resources that I think are worth sharing. First, I mentioned the Johari Window, a psychological tool developed in 1955 to better understand people. I have used this matrix during the last 15 years to disciple my children and mentor others. The window includes 4 quadrants:


a. What I see and others see [my public arena]
b. What I see and others don't see [my private life or facade]
c. What I don't see but others do see [my blind spots]
d. What I don't see and others don't see [my unknown potential]


Understanding my children requires me to explore the private parts of their life, coach and counsel them regarding their blind spots and search out their Holy Spirit potential. God already know how He intends to anoint them with a Divine calling and cultivate His Divine character. And, God has appointed me as a prophet to my children to help bring these precious treasures to light.


We concluded our service with a prayer for Fathers. I include the prayer here to be an encouragement to Dads everywhere.

God, today, I stand for my children. As my Heavenly Father, You stood for me and didn’t sit down until You had finished Your mission to secure a calling and character in me through Your own Son, Jesus Christ. Now, You have appointed me, as Dad, to be a Divine Ambassador to my child. Help me to see what You already see right now. Enable me to see the calling You have for my child­— how they might embrace Your purposes and join You in Your mission of changing their world and making You famous. Help me to cultivate godly character in them­— to see beyond their outward appearances, get to what’s inside and to grow kids who are more than just shepherds in the field. I want to watch them become someone who has the “King” scribed on their heart. God, by Your power, I will continue to stand. I choose to be used by You to help my precious children become all that You want them to be. And, Lord, would You grant me the grace to see them come in from the fields and rise to a place that You have appointed for them in their lives. I won’t sit down until they have arrived. Amen.
In Your name I pray. Amen.

never-changing commands

The Old Testament is rich with story and spiritual insight. We must resist discounting what we read as mere historical record, especially in light of what I came across recently.

A curious message is tucked into the account of an unnamed prophet in 1 Kings 13. He's simply called "the man of God," so I guessed that he was on target, so to speak, when it came to obedience, wisdom, righteousness and the like. The fellow travels to the northern Kingdom [Israel] in the early days of the divided monarchy and speaks a curse to the wicked king Jeroboam. Wanting to gain God's favor, the condemned king asks the man of God to stay for dinner. But, the prophet refuses because God has given him specific instruction not to "eat any food or drink any water" in the town where the king rules.

The man of God begins his journey home when he is intercepted by another "old prophet" [v. 11]. For reasons unknown, the older sage invites the younger prophet to come back to the city and have dinner. Once again, the first explains that God has given him a command restricting dinner plans in Bethel. The older prophet interrupts, "I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this message from the Lord: 'Bring him home with you, and give him food to eat and water to drink'" [v. 18].

So, the first prophet has a dinner party with the second.

During dessert, the Lord speaks through the host to the first prophet and condemns his actions. Because he disobeyed the word of God, he wouldn't even make it home alive. Along the path, he was killed by a lion.

The dilemma of the story is that God seems to speak in contradiction. He restricts the prophet and then He gives him freedom. First He says "No" and then He says "Yes." But, as I considered the passage more carefully, three very important principles came to light:

First, God's commands are eternal. What He decrees, is true for today, tomorrow and a thousand years from now. This means that the 2nd Commandment that forbids the making of any image of God applies to golden calves as well as modern movie comedies. With this in mind, I want to know my Old Testament even more! God doesn't change His mind or His commands.

Second, God never contradicts what He has once spoken. Years ago, I realized an important implication of this principle: God will never set aside one of His commands in order to fulfill another of His commands. I heard a man once say that he wanted to follow God's command to "have joy" ["Rejoice always!"]. But, his marriage made him miserable. Only by divorcing his wife could he truly obey God's joy command. Poor thinking. God would contradict His own truth if the only way the man could have joy was to violate his marriage covenant through divorce. There had to be another way. God doesn't say "eat" and "don't eat" in the same breath.

Third, make sure God is speaking. I think the key to this passage is fact that "an angel" instructed the older prophet to invite the man of God to dinner. This isn't an "angel of the Lord" [a.k.a. The Lord]. It's just an angel. Perhaps a fallen angel. Perhaps a well-intentioned angel. However, no matter how angelic, the messenger got it wrong. Which makes me all the more careful to receive a word from God alone. Satan "masquerades as an angel of light" [2 Corinthians 11:14] and will work to convince us "thus sayeth the Lord" when the Lord never "thus sayethed."

finding freedom in failure

Rarely do I get excited about what I can't do. Most often, I'm in pursuit of success, not failure. But, I'm learning to let go of who I'm not in order to be who I am.

Take, for example, a recent email I received from my friend Kevin. He attends Pantego Bible Church and is a great graphic designer [we have several in our church]. It so happens that I'm a graphic designer too...20 years ago. It's what I studied in college, much before computers were invented and magazines were still made ready for press on drafting boards with T-squares. I still dabble in design and, a week ago, I created a new bulletin design for an upcoming summer sermon series on the life of King David. Then, I zipped the file off to Kevin and invited him to take a stab at the same subject. What he sent back was over-the-top superior. Not only that, he sent four separate designs. And, what took me hours probably took him minutes.

He has it and I don't.

I remember that I first felt this loss several years after I picked up guitar. Like most leaders in student ministry, I felt the lure of learning five basic chords which would qualify me to play every song in the Young Life song book. I purchased my own guitar, led worship [I use that term very loosely] and even wrote a song...which no one will ever hear. One Spring Break, while on a mission trip to Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, I met a pastor who was very gifted on the guitar. The problem is that the neck of his overly-strummed instrument was cracked and the fellow had the thing held together with duct tape. Near the end of our trip, I was hammering out my five chords when God said, "Give it up." I joke to myself that the Almighty feared I might bring my worship leading into heaven one day, throwing the whole angelic host into utter chaos. But, God was more specific. I gave my guitar to the pastor before we left and gave it up for good. That day, I died to the possibility that I might play well. And, to be honest, I fought that failure.

I still do sometimes. But, God is teaching me that letting go is an important step to moving on. It's a little like lightening your load for the journey. To be best at what God has called us to, we must jettison the myriad of other things which can be distracting, time-killers, or obstacles in the way [see previous post]. I'm not talking about giving up things where we are mediocre [few of us would own golf clubs] or never having a new interest which we can develop. I'm talking about shutting the door to old dreams that get in the way of new vision. It's understanding what I'm made for, how I am designed, what are my gifts, what I do well. It's also about affirming the uniqueness of each part of the Body of Christ--allowing better designers and more gifted worship leaders to step forward and do what they're fitted to do. I'm discovering that, when I finally embrace my failure, I can truly move on in freedom. The letting go really does release me to move forward.

return[ed] on investment

The paper today predicted that the economy might begin to turn around by mid-year. More jobs, better home sales and a stable stock market will be the leading indicators.

I can hardly wait.

Because my financial portfolio has been sitting on idle for the last 6 months. No matter how many IRA contributions I make, the needle never heads north to the land of profit. My advisor tells me that everyone's in the same boat . . . except hedge fund managers.

This weekend, I experienced a parallel loss--the currency of time. I made five trips to three different home improvement stores. By Sunday afternoon, I had taken virtually everything I purchased back for a refund. I spent hours planning, searching aisles, choosing products, talking to sales people, standing in lines and driving across town only to end up right back where I started. In short, my return on investment was poor. Wasted time. No profit to show for my venture.

Ephesians 5:15-16 states "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." The writer understood the the currents of the time currency. If we're not careful, we're liable to lose our investment, whittling our days away with errands, busyness and inane activities that make for a shallow life-portfolio in the end. What if we were to only do the kinds of things that had eternal value: serving others, meeting the needs of the impoverished, reconciling relationships, practicing generosity, caring for widows and orphans, speaking the truth. To stand before God and know that my time yielded a profit that fulfilled God's purpose for my life and made Him famous along the way. No useless investments. No refunds. Time well-spent

the Job prospect

This morning, I received the tragic news of the untimely death of Steven Curtis Chapman's 5-year old daughter, Maria [news here]. The sweet little princess was the Chapman's youngest of three adopted Chinese daughters. Even more gut-wrenching is the fact that she was struck, in her driveway, by a car driven by one of the Chapman sons. Sadly, the family was hours away from their son's high school graduation party and their older daughter had recenlty announced her engagement.

Can you feel the trauma?

So many questions, the greatest of which is "why?" Suddenly, my disappointment over the hit and run driver who backed into my wife's SUV this week dissipated. My difficulties pale in comparison. It's all a matter of perspective, isn't it?

As I grieve with the Chapman family [Steven is one of the top Christian musicians in the world and has become a leading advocate for Chinese adoptions], I can't help but glance in the direction of Job. The story of Job is one of the most ancient episodes in the Bible, placed in the middle of the Old Testament, but likely occurring sometime after Cain murdered Abel and before Noah's ark. The book opens with the declaration that Job was "blameless and upright," fearing God and shunning evil. Because of his notable righteousness, the devil decided to "test" him [vv. 6-19]. In the time it took to pull out of the family driveway, the man's livestock were stolen, his servants kidnapped and his children killed in a freak accident. If that weren't enough, Job was afflicted with boils that covered his body from head to toe. And, everyone wanted to know one thing.

Why?

For 37 chapters, God remained silent for Job [unfortunately, the wretched man was surrounded by a trio of op-ed writers who were sure they knew the answer]. But, when the Almighty finally broke the silence, everyone stopped hypothesizing. God is sovereign. God is at work. God has the first and the final words. No matter what happens, at the end of the day, God is still God. And, Job found his contentment in this sure-anchored fact.

Some think that the story of Job searches out the question: Where is God when life hurts? But, really, it explored the question: Where are we when life hurts? The answer depends on what we have believed about God before tragedy strikes. No one forms a brand new theology in the midst of crisis. What we hold to be true either forms a firm foundation that supports us when tests come or creates a false security that crumbles leaving us with nothing but hopeless questions.

I hope you understand my intentions when I say that the death of little Maria couldn't have happened to better people. The Steven Curtis Chapman family has walked with God for a lifetime. Their whole world has been built on the truth of a God who is sovereign and secure. They trust God to be good. In faith, they rest in His grace. They possess a confident hope that they will see their baby again. They are exactly the kind of people who have a foundation of faith that attracts the attack of the enemy yet endures the pain with God-centered confidence.

I want to live in such a way that the quality of my faith is validated by the tests that come my way. And, I want to suffer those tests in a way that vindicates what I hold to be true about God now.

Please be in prayer for the Chapmans that they remain steadfast and firm.

wise guise

I'm presently trekking through the book of 1 Kings in the Bible. Today, I read chapter 3--a perfect passage for my present position. God has a way of doing that.

The chapter is about Solomon, the son-heir to the throne of King David. In his rise to power, Solomon has a dream where, in it, God invites him to "ask anything" (v. 5). The tone of the verse suggests that God would have made good on whatever Solomon requested. The opportunities are endless! Anything is an almost paralyzing prospect. What would I desire if, upon asking, my wish would be granted?

Solomon asks for wisdom. Which was a smart thing to do.

Because, God not only gives him wisdom, but promised to heap on the king health and wealth because he made such a good choice. Then (v. 15), Solomon woke up, returned to Jerusalem and began to sacrifice burnt offerings. His response shouldn't be overlooked. Because the chapter opens with the observation that "Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places" (v. 3). This was the practice of the pagan Canaanites who believed that the higher the hill where they offered their sacrifices, the closer they were to their gods. But, in Leviticus 17:3-4, God specifically limited offerings to Himself to the tabernacle (and later, the Temple). So, the Israelites, though well-intentioned, were living in disobedience. So was Solomon.

But, after wisdom was granted, Solomon went to Jerusalem and honored the Lord before the ark of the covenant. In wisdom, he was rightly aligned in worship. I learned long ago that the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). But, this passage reminds me that the fear of the Lord is also the "end" of wisdom. The evidence of true wisdom is God-centered living. Truly wise people are endued with the mind of God and, therefore, manifest the priorities and purposes of God.

So, today, I've asked God to give me whatever I want. And, I want wisdom.

nothing to write

It's been two weeks. Nothing scribed on the wall for the world to see. It makes me feel like nothing has happened when, in fact, so much has:

1. I was interviewed by KCBI to give some sound bites about prayer last week.
2. I met with 20~ Senior Pastors from area churches for our monthly prayer time.
3. I had lunch with old friends, Stanley and Jenny Wang to talk church planting strategies in Dallas.
4. I met my brother Ron for lunch and talked about his new house.
5. I spent time with 4 pastors from Peru [and their families] who are receiving their doctorates from DTS this month.
6. I met with my financial advisor and learned that the economy is in the ditch for everyone...not just my family.
7. I celebrated my daughter's volleyball team win in the YMCA championship game. Go Ditto Diggers!
8. I enjoyed spiritual challenge with my friend in Christ, Scott Burks.
9. I cherished a time of reflection and spiritual care with my Thursday morning discipleship group as we prayed for one of our members at length.
10. I have been playing lots of cards with my boys....and losing most of the time
11. I watched God move in a spectacular way during our church Mother's Day celebration.
12. I finished reading Patrick Lencioni's book Silos, Politics and Turf Wars.
13. I fell asleep in a deck chair by the pool yesterday.
14. I got an unexpected email and an out-of-the-blue letter from two former disciples.
15. I started studying for an exciting new sermon series on the life of David coming up in June.
16. I shared a delicious meal out with my family.
17. I prayed about a great opportunity to travel to Spain and teach a one-week course at a seminary in Madrid this Fall.
18. I saw a 3 foot snake.
19. I wrestled with Pearson and laughed so hard that I cried.
20. I've been overhwlemingly affirmed in my calling as a pastor.

wow. wow. wow.