dress rehearsal for joy

This morning's Bible study was on the topic of joy: "I have inner contentment and purpose in spite of my circumstances." Joy is a "soul peace" that isn't based on external conditions, but based on what we know as the answer to three questions: "Who is God?", "Who am I?", and "What is God doing?"

Whenever I face difficulty, I begin by reflecting on who I know God to be. Too often, we start with the question "Why" instead of this fundamental consideration of "Who." But, joy is to be found in a person, not in a solution. As I think about the truth of God, I remember that He is sovereign, He is powerful, He is wise and He is good. While I might be surprised and undone by losing my job or losing my dog, God isn't. He remains on His throne, ordering the universe as He always has.

Next, I consider who I am---not who I was, but who I am. This is a reflection of identity. As a Christian, I remember that I am loved by God, precious to Him, protected by Him and forever safe by His grace. God is more concerned about my cancer diagnosis or missed flight than I am. Because I am His child, He will always [guaranteed!] look out for my best interest.

This leads me to the last question: "What is God doing?" The answer may be surprising. When God permits suffering in the life of a Christian, He is always aiming for one goal: Death. Every challenge, difficulty or obstacle is moving us one step closer to surrender, self-denial and...sanctification. This is why James commands us to have joy in the midst of trials [James 1:2-4]. Because, "you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" and "perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Joy in suffering comes from the realization that God is using the hard stuff to help us become the people He wants us to be. He is ever-conforming us to the person of Jesus. And, to look like Jesus requires death. Not a physical death [though it could lead to that], but daily "deaths" where our pride, self-centeredness, control, perfection, etc. is chiseled away. I think this is what Paul meant when he wrote, "I die daily" [1 Corinthians 15:31]. In the trials of life, God is teaching us about giving up, giving in and becoming less and less like our old self and more and more like Jesus.

In this, I find joy.

To this point, one of the men in our Bible study countered, "I get this idea, but I still don't think I would ever be able to muster up 'joy' if the doctor told me I had cancer." To be sure, many people would collapse at the sudden, unexpected trial for which they had no preparation. Perhaps this is why God allows us ongoing challenges in life--fender benders, interpersonal misunderstandings, financial hardships, back problems and the like. These smaller sufferings are dress rehearsals for the larger trials that may one day come. So, rather than take the detour around these lesser difficulties, maybe God wants us to drive right through them, being confident in who He is, who we are and what He is ultimately doing.

We'll die a little. But, the benefit is that we will discover joy.

reGenesis

I think this is the longest I've ever gone without blogging since starting several years ago. I don't want to be presumptuous that my handful of followers are logging on each morning hoping that there's a new nugget of truth. Nonetheless, I personally feel the gap. My apologies.

Part of what has drawn me away is an exciting, growing work with reGenesis, our emerging African Mission at Pantego Bible Church. During the last few years, we have watched God synthesize a variety of efforts that have ended up in Africa:

MISSIONARIES We have sent 4 missionary couples to different regions in Africa to lead seminaries, assist with Bible translation, support medical missions and church plant among Muslims.

REFUGEES We have welcomed a rich partnership with Burundi, Rwandan, Congolese and Tanzanian refugees living in the Fort Worth area. Their church meets at PBC and our church is encouraging their families through ESL classes, tutoring, providing basic essentials, training and other needs.

ORPHAN CARE PBC is about to throw the doors open on an orphan care ministry locally and abroad. With such a large population of adoptive families in our church, it makes sense to provide ministry support and explore ways to encourage more Christians to look after those in need [James 1:27]. Interestingly, in our church, there has been an increase in adoptions from African countries in the last several years. A special Orphan Care ministry is scheduled for Sunday, May 23 to explore this opportunity even more.

BIBLE TRANSLATION During our recent series in Jonah, we invited attendees to sponsor a verse in Jonah [there are 48] for $100 each. We raised approximately $4500 to support an African national worker to help one of our missionaries in audio/video duplication in a Bible translation ministry. This amount will almost cover one year's salary!

ETHIOPIA OUTREACH A medical mission is being planned among a select group of individuals at PBC and beyond to minister to the medical needs of people in Ethiopia. While this trip is limited, it may open up possibilities for many in the church to use their areas of expertise on future trips.

AND MORE... Today, I am scheduled to meet with a leader in ministry committed to helping rescue children from slavery in Ghana and give them a secure place to live with a Christian education.

With all of these signposts, how could we say "no" to Africa? I am amazed at how God puts the pieces together. And, I'm excited to see how God uses His church here to bring about a regenesis--a rebirth--in people halfway around the world.

application: doers of the word

We finished our TXT MSG series this last Sunday, but the discovery of God's incredible Word continues. Our focus, from James 1:22ff, was to "be doers of the Word." That is, we must work to apply the Scriptures to our life for them to have any effect. Like a mirror which exposes a person's imperfections, the Bible reveals our spiritual shortcoming. But it is powerless to bring about change unless we surrender to the Spirit's leading into a life of obedience.

One of the points of personal discipline that I mentioned was the importance of studying the Bible. James commends the person who "looks intently into God's Law" [v. 1:25]. To help you develop study habits with your Bible, I remind you of several previous posts related to personal Bible Study:

Introduction
Step 1: Preparation
Step 2: Observation [part 1]
Step 2: Observation [part 2]
Step 3: Interpretation [part 1]
Step 3: Interpretation [part 2]
Step 3: Interpretation [part 3]
Step 4: Application

translation: word of life

As we continue with series on the Bible --TXT MSG: What We Believe About the Bible--I invited two guests from The Seed Company to join me on the platform at Pantego Bible Church. Greg Morris, Director of Executive Partner Relations, and Randall Lemley, Vice President of Information Technology, shared a compelling perspective on the importance of Bible translation around the world.

Paul explains that calling requires believing; believing requires hearing; hearing requires preaching and preaching requires sending [Romans 10:14ff]. Indeed, "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" [v. 17]. But, what of a people group who do not have the Scriptures in their native tongue? If God does not speak their language, how could He possibly be for them? If Scripture possesses the power to change lives, then it is imperative for Scripture to be accessible to people everywhere.

The first translation work took place in 200-300 BC when a group of 70 Jewish scholars recognized the need to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek to accommodate the dispersion of Jews throughout the world. The Septuagint [from Latin "seventy] enabled God's Word to continue transforming lives. Likewise, John Wycliffe saw the need for the Bible to be translated from the clerical Latin to the common English of his day. In 1382, the Wycliffe translation made the Scriptures approachable by everyone.

Some 350 million people still do not have the Bible in their language [see statistics on the Wycliffe Bible Translators website]. This represents 2000 languages in the world. In the spirit of Jesus, the living Word, who spoke in ways that all who had ears could understand, it is important that we continue to support the work of Bible translation today. Check out current projects with The Seed Company and see where you might be led to participate. Let's work to make the Word accessible--until all the world hears.

word design

I found this interesting article about how the design of the Bible affects our reading and interpretation of it. It's a good, short read---probably not of the genre that you have read lately. Enjoy it here.

canonization: rule of law

Today, we charted the historically thick terrain of the Bible's canonization. The Bible isn't one book, but a collection of 66 books and, at some point, somebody had to decide which books were "in" and which ones were "out." Before we dive into history, let's set the context from Scripture.

As Jesus finishes his revelation to John, He leaves one stern caution:

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book" [Revelation 22:18-19].

While I'm not sure exactly what the plagues would look like in an individual's life or what tree-of-life loss a person would experience, there is no question that this text warns against trifling with God's Word. We must be careful not to add or subtract from it. And, because the warning is intended to be obeyed, it must be possible to determine the outer limits of Scripture. Otherwise, how could someone add or subtract from an indefinite collection of writings?

Canonical limits were set by several important councils in church history [the word "canon" means "measurement" or "rule"]. In AD 90, the Council of Jamnia finally set the limits of the Old Testament canon. Throughout time, there had been little debate that the 39 books we presently have--the Law, the Writings and Wisdom literature--were recognized as canonical. Jamnia simply codified what was already understood and accepted.

It is significant to note that Jesus quoted from 24 of the OT books and the whole NT references 34 of the 39 OT books. Equally important is the fact the none of the NT writers refer to the Apocryphal writings. These writings, scribed between 400 BC and the birth of Jesus, reflect the ongoing history of God's people and the Jewish expectation of the coming Messiah. But, neither Jewish rabbis or later church fathers recognized the apocryphal writings as having the same authority of Scripture. As such, these works are not considered a part of the Protestant canon and were added much later by the Catholic church at the Council of Trent in 1546.

The New Testament was written over 40-60 years and records the life and death of Jesus as well as the emergence of the early church. Like the Old Testament, the New testament writings faced very little controversy regarding their authority. Some questions were raised about Luke, Acts, Mark, Hebrews and Jude because of a lack of direct apostolic authorship. Second Peter also raised questions because it's style was noticeably different than Peter's first letter. But, concerns were in the minority and each of these books met all other strict criteria and were accepted into the canon. The tests for canonicity were:

1. Apostolic/prophetic authorship
2. Widespread acceptance among early churches
3. Internal consistency with other Scripture
4. Historical accuracy
5. Spiritual attestation to inspiration

Books which did not meet these criteria were rejected. For these reasons, the famous Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Judas and Secret Letter of Mark were not considered to be from God. These, any other writings, either lacked clear authorship, were not used in the early church, contradicted known Scripture, were historically inaccurate or promoted a political/philosophical/religious agenda rather than affirm the work of God. The Gospel of Mary, for example, made famous in Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, promotes a heavy feminist agenda and was written between 150-200 AD--far too late to have really been written by Mary.

This academic study of the canon does lead to a few important points of personal application. First, we must submit ourselves to God's Word. Because the Bible is "rule" the moment it was spoken [not when councils decided it], it has the right to command my life and action. I must not live with the Bible under me or even beside me, negotiating with it and picking which parts I'll follow. Instead, I submit to it's law and discover all of the blessings that God has reserved for me in a life of spiritual surrender.

Second, I must be a steward of God's Word. While I'm not likely to write my own secret gospel and promote it later, I may misuse Scripture and "add" or "subtract: from it through misinterpretation or misapplication. Paul gives Timothy--and all of us--a strong caution: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" [2 Timothy 2:15]. I want to steward God's Word in such a way that I don't make it say more or less than what it really says. So, I work hard to interpret and apply it as God intended.

Finally, I resist other substitutes for God's Word. I love the writings of John Piper and Philip Yancey. I think CS Lewis is spectacular. I enjoyed reading the Left Behind series. But, as engaging as these authors are, none compare to the life-changing benefit of the Bible. I must be on guard not to let well-intentioned authors or media channels shape my opinion of truth and history without asking the question, "Where stands it written?" For there is no substitute for God's great Word!

inspiration: breath of God

Last Sunday, we started an exciting new series designed to cultivate greater appreciation and confidence in our Bible. We started TXT MSG with the fundamental question, "Where did the Bible come from?" This question of origins is beautifully answered in 2 Peter 1:19-21:

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Peter writes that we "do well to pay attention" to the words of the prophets, or "prophecy of Scripture" [at this point in history, "Scripture" is the Old Testament.] The reason is that Scripture is a light shining in darkness. The psalmist likewise declares, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" [Psalm 119:105]. It's not surprising that the Scriptures would possess such valuable guiding and guarding light because Scripture comes from God "in whom there is no darkness at all" [1 John 1:5].

Peter goes on to amplify this idea by stating that Scripture never came about by a prophet's own interpretation for Scripture didn't start in the will of men. In verse 16, Peter states that neither he or the other Apostles were communicating "cleverly invented stories." The writers of Scripture didn't create myths and fables to promote their own spiritual agendas. Authorship began much earlier: In the heart of God.

This is Peter's crescendo in verse 21: Men were "spoke from God." God spoke to men who recorded God's speech to us. Paul gives us even greater insight when he writes "All Scripture is God-breathed" [2 Timothy 3:16]. The breath--or Spirit--of God was the animating force in Genesis 1 when God scooped dirt from the ground and breathed life into the first human being. God's breath is Himself. It's his His life. Similarly, at moments in time, God spirited the writers of Scripture so that they penned God's language and His life for all to read.

This wasn't a matter of dictation, for even a cursory reading of Paul's letters compared to John's gospel reveals individual style. In the same way, Isaiah's writings are far more sophisticated than the words of Amos. The writers were not linguistic automotons. Rather, they were "carried along by the Holy Spirit" [v. 21]. In the same way that the Holy Spirit overshadowed and empowered Mary to carry the sinless Son of God [Luke 1:35], so the writers of Scripture were moved to to scribe the inerrant Scriptures. Both God's living Word and written Word were born flawless.

As we learned Sunday, the implications of this important truth are twofold. First, the Bible is truthful. I can trust it to speak accurately and authoritatively on all matters it addresses [Note: The Bible doesn't speak to all matters of life]. Second, because it is truthful, the Bible becomes immensely valuable and helpful to me. After declaring that "all Scripture is God-breathed," Paul adds, "and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" [2 Timothy 3:16-17]. My Bible is the most useful resource I possess to live all the life that God gives me to live.

Check back on this blog for next week's reflection on the important TXT MSG topic of "canonization"--How do we know which books should be in our Bible?

what does your parrot say?

I live in a fish bowl. That's the experience of most pastors...always on display, ever scrutinized. I'm not complaining; It's part of the calling. Every day, people peer into my life to see if my practice matches up with my preaching. That's good accountability.

As I think about this, two things come to mind. First, it's good to be normal. If you look close enough or long enough, you'll discover that most leaders are human. I get indigestion, bark unreasonably at my kids on occasion and forget to change the oil in my car. No one has reached the magical level of perfection [despite the way some preachers act]. Truth is, I love being a regular person because it helps me relate to all the other regular people around me. It's good being normal.

The second thought is, while leaders are normal, they must strive to be better. Respect is earned, never given away. And so, all leaders must live so that "they're not afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip" [I've always loved that saying]. Respectable leaders must arrive early, cheer loudly and stay late. They must serve those they lead. They should never read their own headlines. They must handle the resources entrusted to them with the highest integrity. And, they must humbly admit failure.

Ironically, it's this kind of exemplary character that gains a following of people who are simply looking for an ordinary person, living as an extraordinary example.

goochie goo: tickle-me teaching

"Tickle me, daddy!"

I'm glad my daughter is still young enough for me to chase her around the house, capture her and hear her squeal as I tickle her feet. The benefit is mutual: She gets the pleasure of feeling secure and I get the pleasure of being needed.

While this relationship is appropriate for fathers and their children, it's terribly dangerous for spiritual fathers and their spiritual children. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy:

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. [2 Timothy 4:1-3]

In his charge, Paul commands Timothy to "preach the Word" at all times [also see 1 Peter 3:15] and to "be careful" in his instruction of others. Then, he warns that a time will come when people will trade the truth for teaching that will tickle their ears. While I am grateful that God's Word is always reliable, in this case, I am equally grieved that Paul's prophecy has come true. All around us are pastors and teachers who are gifted speakers, creative communicators and polished presenters, but the substance of their message is lacking. They tickle their audience with what they know people want to hear because there is a double-benefit: People get what they want and the leader continues to feel significant.

Christians must be discerning of the messages they listen to and be on guard for these tickle-me teachings from the pulpit and on their bookshelves:

1. Messages that do not tell the truth. Some communicators claim "thus sayeth the Lord" when the Lord never "thus sayethed." Some leaders, to gain a wider audience, are unwilling to preach the exclusivity of Christ, the inerrancy of God's Word and the severity of sin. They argue that theology has changed over time to accommodate new cultures. This view ignores the timeless, immutability of God and reflects an egocentric view of righteousness. Be on guard against those who do not say what is true.

2. Messages which do not tell the whole truth. A second problem is preaching that only tells part of the story. This is a buffet approach to Christianity: Take what you like and leave the rest. This is the present criticism of the prosperity Gospel. Some claim that life in Christ will produce continual blessing and goodness if you have enough faith. Try preaching this message in Haiti today. It doesn't work for the godly man I met a week ago who faced the trauma of his triplets being stillborn. It is true that life in Christ produces greater blessings than life outside of Christ and it is true that God sometimes blesses the believer in wild and wonderful ways. But, the whole truth is that God causes His sun to rise of the good and the evil [Matthew 5:45] and that the spiritual life is a continual death to gain life [see James 1:2-12, Philippians 1:29, Acts 20:24]. To preach only half the truth is to preach no truth at all.

3. Messages that tell something other than the truth. Many ticklish teachers fill their messages with ideas that are true, but are not necessarily biblically true. For example, a whole message about how getting organized will simplify your life may be spot-on, but may have no biblical relevance. The problem with these messages is twofold: 1) The audience becomes accustomed to a diet of secular information and loses an appetite the life-changing Word of God, and/or 2) People begin to settle for any truth instead of seeking biblical truth. I can read a book about how to truly understand my unique personality and gain useful information, but if that truth never intersects with God's truth, I've just become smarter, not more spiritual.

I admit that I am tempted to be enamored with big audiences, published books and CDs, well-branded ministries and the proliferation of blogs and the such. These are all signs of a leader that "everyone should listen to!" But, the real measure is: Did they take me to the life-erupting Word of God? Did they explain it in a way that reflects a fearful accountability to God, the Author? Did they leave me impressed with them, or with God and His grace? Did they speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Or, as a spiritual father, did they just chase me around the house of God to tickle my ears?

not too late

It's not too late to make some resolutions for 2010. Here's a great list to spur on your thinking. See Donald Whitney's "Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday."

change is good

This Sunday, we begin an exciting new series at Pantego Bible Church titled "Change is Good!" We are going to explore three fundamental changes that God desires in and through us. As we prepare to take possession of our new Connection expanded campus, I am hoping that everyone will follow Change is Good on Twitter and Facebook. Click the links to get started!

year in review

Since I started Tweeting, I've written less on my blog...and feel quite guilty about it every time I think about it. Before I end the year, I'd like to reflect on a few great lessons God has been teaching me in the last 12 months.

1. Dying is gain. Paul said it first [Philippians 1:21]. Never more has this spiritual principle found such personal confirmation as in the last year. Through our family relationships with several homeless friends and our timely connection with our African brothers and sisters, I have learned the joy of giving myself and my stuff away. I'm reminded that my money isn't mine. Neither is my house, my clothes, my kids or my time. I'm just a steward of God's resources. And, as often as I sacrifice, lose, give and die, I discover the blessing of true life.

2. The power of words. There's a difference between saying something and having something to say. Through my cautious adoption of Twitter and Facebook, I have been challenged to use social networking as an extension of my ministry. This means that I guard what I write and endeavor to write what matters. Proverbs 18:21 is a powerful reminder of the potential good and evil of subjects and verbs.

3. Holy Spirit proof. I have been fortunate enough to be the bystander of several lives that have been radically changed this year. I study and preach about the Holy Spirit and the inward transformation He accomplishes. But, it's only a theological proposition until you see people start giving their money, their time and their life away to be the biggest blessing to others.

4. I'm never off. As a pastor and a parent, I'm always "on." This is true of every Christian. None of us take a vacation from our life with Christ. We are always influencing our neighbors, employees, community and children...for better or for worse. The question is not whether I'm discipling people but which direction I'm discipling them in.

5. Books, books, books! The written word still has more nutritional value over television any day. Be a voracious reader.

6. One Kingdom. I am terribly tempted to build any number of Kingdoms: my kingdom, my family's kingdom, the kingdom of our church. But, only the Kingdom of God matters. If what I'm doing makes God look so great that I'm forgotten amidst the deafening applause of others for His glory, I'm doing the right thing. Make God famous in all I do.

chirp chirp

My daughter was born to chirp. Her name, Jenna, means "little bird" and she hasn't stopped tweeting since she took her first breath. I've never met another human being who sings so often...all the time....everywhere. But, that's how her Creator made her and she is most content when she lives out her God-given design.

We could see it on her face during last night's Christmas Concert. Jenna sings with the Arlington All-City Boys and Girls Choir and they were invited to share the stage with the Master Chorale for a special Christmas program. My little girl, front row and center, wouldn't have chosen to be anywhere else. A song in German, one in Spanish and a finale with show choir hand motions---our little bird chirped, smiling ear to ear.

Jenna proved an important reality: We are most glad when we do what we were designed to do. God made each one of us as unique creations, specially fashioned to do "good works which God prepared in advance for us to do" [Ephesians 2:10]. There are many things we can do. But, when we discover what which we were Divinely designed to do, our heart is glad. For me, it's preaching. For another, it might be composing and presenting music. A friend of mine is most glad when she's giving. Another feels at home when he's listening to others.

Don't settle for what you can do. Find out what you were made to do. And do it. And, as you do, God will put a song in your heart. Chirp, chirp.

its all mental

I went running with Tiffany last week--my first time in 25 years. My legs were burning before I made it to the end of the driveway. As we scaled the hills near our neighborhood, Tiffany continued to remind me, "It's all mental." This was a hard sell to my feet, ankles, shins, knees, calves, thighs, lungs, sinuses and backside. For three miles, my body sent urgent messages to my brain begging me to stop. Then I realized: It is all mental. The physical challenge I faced ultimately ended in my head where I wrestled with whether to continue on or not.

In Romans 12:2, Paul urges Believers to be transformed by the "renewing of our mind." I will not overcome the hills ahead of me in life through physical training, but through spiritual renewal of my mind--what I trust to be true about God and His purposes.

I renew my mind by thinking, meditating on and engaging what is true and good. Philippians 4:8 states, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Paul's charge suggests that we don't form opinions, values and ideas simply as passive participants in culture. Rather, we can choose to invest ourselves in the kinds of literature, dialogues and influences which will cultivate godly thinking, wondering and creativity.

A few points of action:

1. Immerse yourselves in God's Word. The way of God is revealed in the Word of God.

2. Select your books with care. I fear that there are more mediocre books about the spiritual life published each year than truly valuable ones. Remember that "best sellers" are not always best.

3. Variety makes for a good diet. Explore theology, Christian fiction, devotionals, contemporary and ancient writers. Branch out.

4. Clear your coffee table. I have subscriptions to 4 magazines that taunt me every month. I don't have time for that many. Some people do. Manage the number of data channels [subscriptions, social networks, books, television, etc.] you take in. Remember, garbage in, garbage out.

you can do it!

I jokingly told Tiffany that the real work in her marathon wasn't her running, but my mapping, driving, parking, unloading and waiting at about a dozen checkpoints along the course! Saturday evening, I loaded my iPhone with coordinates that directed me to the next location where the kids and I were ready to applaud Tiffany and her running mate, Kelly McCullough. In the end, she reflected on how important it was for both of them to know that there was a small cheering section, just around the bend, challenging them to stay the course to the end.

The book of Hebrews states, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" [Hebrews 10:24-25]. The writer must have understood the lonely difficulty of running the spiritual race with no one on the sidelines urging him on. Without the encouraging support of community, most Christians are destined to fall out of the race.

This "spurring one another" comes in different forms. Sometimes, it's just personal presence. On race day, the kids and I were joined by our friends, the Lynches, the Carsons and the Porters. Just seeing these supporters lifted Tiffany's heart and urged her to go one mile further. Similarly, there is a value in community--not only in what we do together, but just the warmth and encouragement that we bring by just sharing life together.

Second, we may spur one another through our words. Proverbs 18:21 reminds me that words have the power of life and death. What we say may hurt or heal. Dozens of people called, texted and tweeted me and Tiffany before and after her run. Each connection strengthened her with courage and support. In the same way, my comments, brief note or loving email to a friend can give them a little push today.

Finally, we spur one another by running with them. From the beginning, Tiffany has trained with her friend Kelly and their partnership brought them to and through their marathon. Then, as Tiffany began to feel the burn just before mile 12, our friend, sweet Laurel Lynch, jumped into street and began to run alongside Tiffany as well. It was an incredible picture of love. This was Tiffany's race. But, Laurel wasn't going to let her fail. I wonder who needs me to come alongside them today. To look them in the eye and tell them, "I know your legs are weak...Life's been tough. But you can count on me. I might have enough strength for both of us for a while."

milestone metaphors

You'll have to forgive me, but I have marathon on my mind. Yesterday, Tiffany ran her first 26.2 mile race and this personal milestone for her has generated so many metaphors for life. Runners say a marathon is more mental, rather than physical [I wouldn't know personally....]. Watching from streetside, I couldn't help but notice an abundance of spiritual connections. Perhaps this is why the Bible describes the Christian life as a race [Acts 20:24, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews 12:1] So, my next few posts will reflect a few race principles to encourage you to cross the finish line.

the blessing

Many people have asked me to reprint the "Blessing" that I use each Sunday at the close of our worship services at Pantego Bible Church. For 4 years, this pastoral charge has been my heart's desire for the people God has called me to lead. It is a combination of Scripture and personal mission:

"And now brothers and sisters, go and grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Consider your very lives worth nothing if only you may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to you--the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace. And, as you go, become disciples so changed by God that God may use you to change your world. And, all of this that God--the living God--will make Himself famous through you."

Here's the source of each phrase:
And now brothers and sisters, go and grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [2 Peter 3:18]. Consider your very lives worth nothing if only you may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to you--the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace [Acts 20:24]. And, as you go, become disciples so changed by God that God may use you to change your world. [my personal Mission Statement]. And, all of this that God--the living God--will make Himself famous through you [the chief end of man: the Westminster Catechism].

no rinse required

This morning, as I emptied the dishwasher and reloaded it [don't be impressed, I'm too often not that helpful], I was disappointed by two realities. First, I loathe stacking "clean" dishes in the cabinets only to find that they're not really clean. The wash and rinse cycle cleared most of the food, but the dry cycle only served to baked remaining particles to the ceramic. I go out to the garage and get a chisel from my workbench.

Because of the first irritation, I have a second one: I must rinse each piece of dinnerware [even water glasses, just to be safe] to guarantee that everything will be clean. In the end, I have become the dish washer and the appliance under my counter simply stores plates, bowls and silverware until someone gets around to putting them away.

One of the biggest reasons why we "work" for our salvation is that we don't believe that the cross of Jesus is sufficient to wash away the stain of our sin. Grace sounds too weak. And so we believe that we must pre-rinse our lives in order to present ourselves on the rack to Jesus so that He might finish the cycle of making us clean. My good deeds underestimate the deep power-scrubbing of the cross and overestimate the added benefit that any of us could bring to our own life change.

Truth is, we are saved by grace alone so that "no one can boast" [Ephesians 2:8-9]. In other words, grace makes human effort unnecessary so that saved people end up proudly pointing to the cross instead of their own contribution. We make the mess. But only God can sanitize our souls. We bring nothing. But the cross is powerful enough to make me clean. The old hymn asks and answers the question: "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

shock value

Six weeks ago, my outdoor spotlights stopped working. So, I removed the switchplate in my foyer and stared at the twist of wires linking four toggles together. I had flipped the circuit breaker in the garage but the thought of navigating bare wires gave me pause. I hate electricity. Actually, I love electricity [I wouldn't be typing this blog without it], but I can think of 120 shocking reasons why I'd prefer to keep my distance.

So, I called my friend, Kevin Hill. He's a professional. Kevin is well-grounded in all things electric [pun intended]. He immediately went to work snipping, stripping and switching wires...while they remained hot. That means that a current was still flowing to the switches Kevin was fixing. But, time and familiarity have enabled him to handle the power without fear.

Ravi Zacharias, noted contemporary speaker, once commented, "Do not let your familiarity with God rob you of the wonder of God." His warning was to every God-lover who could grow so used to God, that they cease bowing in holy fear at His holiness, cease standing awestruck at His beauty, cease being humbled by His majesty. In short, they "handle" God without any trepidation of His Divine voltage.

Notice the warning in Exodus 19:10-12:

And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

God's people were cautioned to consecrate themselves before God. That is, they were to prepare themselves before meeting God. The next day, when God descended, they were to restrain themselves--not rush the mountain--lest God's power knock them off their feet forever. If God never changes, He possesses the same "electricity" He's always had. I must be on guard not to let my own familiarity with Him rob me of the everlasting wonder of who God still is.

I've been 'called'

You've heard someone say this before: "God called me." Sometimes, this little phrase is used like a 357 Magnum--to neutralize objection. If God called me to protest that cause, leave this church, kiss that girl or change academic majors, who's to argue? I wonder how many selfish (and sinful) pursuits have been undertaken under the guise of God's calling.

Still, there are times when right-minded people are impressed with Divine leading. I have a friend in Austin who was called by God to launch a new church. It wasn't a kind of self-centered neo-church venture to make a name for himself. Instead, God was moving him to launch a church to reach a marginalized group of people his present church wasn't designed to reach.

Good call. And, God-called.

But, how do we distinguish between the genuine call of God and the temptation to do our own thing and simply affix God's name to it in the end? I think we must look at the subjective and objective elements of Divine "calling."

SUBJECTIVE NATURE OF CALLING
On the one hand, God's "call" is subjective. Many biblical people had the benefit of hearing God's voice, having angels appear at their bedside or stumbling across blazing bushes with unmistakable directions on what to do next. However, God more often moved "in the hearts of His people." Men and women experienced God's movement internally. It's that moment when we are suddenly excited or alerted to a need; where our spirit resonates with an opportunity; where our heart is weighted with a burden. At this point, a person cannot study or test these subjective feelings. All they know is that the Spirit of God is moving them in a particular direction [John 14:26].

OBJECTIVE NATURE OF CALLING
The problem with the subjective nature of calling is that it's...well...subjective. I know that my heart is deceitful above all things [Jeremiah 17:9] and, what I "feel" may not be what is true. So, if I'm not careful, I may conclude God is calling when, in fact, I'm just pushing my own agenda. What I need are "objective" confirmations of God's subjective calling on my life. I have relied on several objective benchmarks to help me discern when God is leading:

1. The truth of Scripture. What I feel in my heart must correspond to what is written in God's Word. If God has spoken one way long ago, He will not lead me in another today.

2. The affirmation of community. If I am being led by God's Holy Spirit, and the same Spirit in me resides in other godly people, then the Spirit in them will resonate with the Spirit in me. This is one of the grand benefits of community. Together, the whole Body works toward common purposes and the protection of its members.

3. Correspondence with my resources. God gives each person spiritual gift[s] for the work of ministry [1 Corinthians 12]. Most often--though not always--God's mission for me will align with the resources God has already given to me for the work of mission. In other words, God will not usually call people to something that does not align with spiritual gifts, natural abilities, personality or passions. [To be fair, I must admit that Moses didn't feel completely qualified to stand before Pharaoh. But, his prior leadership position in Pharaoh's palace was a resource that gave him standing at a later time].

4. Curious change in circumstances. When I graduated from seminary, I felt that God was calling me back to our church in Austin. The greatest obstacle to our departure from Denver was the sale of our home. Immediately after the church asked me to come, I received a phone call from a friend who said, "I've heard that you might be leaving. I'd like to buy your house." No kidding. That call was God's confirmation of His calling. When the circumstances of life curiously line up to support what God is saying, that can be a great confirmation of where God is leading.

Many times, God provides one or more of these benchmarks to clarify His calling. But, in the end, to follow God's calling is an act of faith [Hebrews 11:6]. And, while we might search for the signs, we ultimately say "yes" to Him because we trust Him in wherever He leads.