Final Encouragement

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” — 2 Timothy 2:8-10 NIV (Bold added for emphasis)

These are some of the last words of encouragement shared to my by a Christian friend. May God Bless his family and him as they begin a new chapter in their life story.

Inward Renewal

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”– 2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV

Private footnote: Thanks for the “sword” and glimpse into eternal friendship.

Next Step

In search of my promised land

Why did I interrupt my discussion of Theology to insert a post about politicians and the lies they tell. Trust or lack of trust are connected to my “conservative” theology (Perhaps a future discussion of how I define conservative theology is coming soon). At the intersection of my life right now both are woven or knitted together. Without theology or truth about God and His revelation, where can anyone stand that is not sand? and standing on the rock alone is without gain absent from relationship or trust in God and others?

I find myself at a rest stop in my journey of discovery. And the next step, in my journey is still a mystery. I have not put that next foot forward yet, because the next destination on my journey is unknown. But there is value in the preparations, I make before taking that next step.

Father Abraham packed his possession and traveled to his promised land. It was not only a journey of distance but also of time. Did he know the final destination or even any of the intermediate stops before he left? No. Yet he stepped out by faith setting each foot in front of the other until he arrived at his destination. For as believers we walk by faith, not by sight.

Did he know that his journey would take him through Egypt beyond his final stopping place? Or that it would include breaking fellowship with his nephew? or in giving away the fertile valley of easy living in exchange for the rugged life upon the hill tops of the Land of Canaan? Or in the waiting of his heir to be miraculously born when he was nearly a century old? Faith is sometimes not even knowing the questions beforehand, that is not saying anything at all about the answers.

Near the end, he stood on the mountain top with his son of promise tied and ready to offer him as a sacrifice in obedience upon an altar. A picture of our Heavenly Father offering His Beloved Son on top of that same hill centuries later. Abraham did not have to kill his son, because God would kill His Only Begotten. A death to appease His wrath against sin. A suffering by our Redeemer, so we could live in the everlasting presence of our Creator.

The journey for Abraham was long and many times he wandered from the path the Lord had set before him. Yet it was accounted righteousness to Abraham because of his faith. For the just walk by faith. May I also walk by the same faith that led Father Abraham to his promise land, So I can take those steps into my promised land.

What lesson is there in this narrative for me? I have all ready taken the first steps in my life’s journey. But the next one is difficult to find. I ask myself, why? So I listen to words of my Lord, once again. “Strength will rise with those who wait upon the Lord.” The next step must require much or why would so much waiting and strength be needed in my reservoir for it?

Yet I remain in my spiritual discipline of reading the bible and praying. I trust God that the answer will come. The question is where is my promised land, the place called home. Where, is it exactly? I know it is in or near Cache Valley, but exactly where within this narrow twenty mile valley it is–I do not know. God willing, spring will bring an answer.

As important as the place is, what of ministry? Part of that promise land is ministry to others? The obvious ministry to my wife and children remains no matter where home is. But beyond that God given ministry to family, what works should flow from my faith? God willing, I hope it would be bible teaching in some form.

Beyond My Theological Label

As you can tell I have taken a break from writing my book, and have returned to the world of web logs at least for a while. Recent events in my life have urged me to turn the mirror on myself. My next entries will be self exams beginning here.

As important as my theology is, it is not as important as my humility in accepting correction for all my bad theological positions. By theology I mean what most consider religious ideas and practices that come from those ideas including but not limited to my view of man, my view of God and my study of God. Whatever my theological label may be that current label is not important. The real question is, Can I change my theology, if it is exposed as being incorrect, or am I too stubborn and proud to let go of that label? Am I meek in accepting correction for all my bad theological positions? Part of my theology is that the only source for correcting my wrong theology is God. My theological position is that the only reliable and authoritative source for God’s position is the Holy Bible.

If I wear my theological label without meekness, it can hold me captive and keep me from growing into deeper fellowship with the Lord and from a right relationship with God. For me, the right relationship with God is the most important part of anyone’s theology. The Bible reveals God as the Creator, the Judge, the King of Israel, the Holy One, in summary the Sovereign of the Universe, these revelations about God begin in the Old Testament with the patriarchs, continue through the Law, and on into the Prophets. All of these attributes of God help me in getting the right relationship of submission to God. It is not submission out of fear or being intimidated by the Almighty. My right relationship with God is perfectly revealed in Jesus; It is a relationship of a parent and child. It is a voluntary submission to authority because of the love, I have for my Father. It is by faith in Jesus, that I become spiritually born and join His family as an adopted son. This does not remove the other attributes of God, it only creates a personal affection between me, an adopted child and Him, my Father. This is the right relationship with God. Parent and child. Not equals.

It is true that the Bible also teaches me that God the Son, Jesus, is my friend. One who walks along side me in life. It also teaches me that Jesus became like me, human and frail. But unlike me, as God the Son, He was able to resist temptation overcoming sin and its consequence of death found in the grave. The only victory I have against these two foes, of sin and death, is the sacrifice of my Friend. The One who came along side me and took my place in punishment, so I could receive His reward of obedience. Greater love has no man, but he that lays down his life for a friend. But does that friendship include sharing in the suffering as well as the good times. Would I walk along side my friend on His way to the cross, or abandon Him? So if I like to think of God the Son, as my friend I must also consider that friendship is more than picnics on sunny days in the park. There are also the cold stormy evenings in the wilderness. But Jesus promised me, He would never leave me or forsake me whether in the feasts of picnics or the famines of the wilderness. So Jesus is my truest friend, but am I a true friend to Him? I can do all things through Christ. I can do nothing without Him.

The Teal Notebook

It is far too complex and the wounds have not healed from all the storms of life that have been blowing around me, but I am left with questions.  I am also left with wounds that only the Lord can help me heal.  The wounds are only collateral damage.  But, I still need a time of quietness so I can heal.  Eventually I will find the Glory of God in the scars left behind.  For scars are the witness and reminder that God heals our wounds.  It is the scars on my Redeemer’s hands and feet that remind me of how much God loves me.  Those scars should be mine, but they are carried by my Savior.  I still need that time of quietness so I can hear and respond with obedience to my God.

The cold order of events.

1. New Teaching Pastor begins ministry.

2. My help was requested in a minor leadership role.

3. Teaching Pastor resigns.

4. Other Pastor requests my continued help in a minor leadership role.

5. Personal difficulties and family concerns led me to resign from my minor leadership role.

6. Those same concerns led me to begin a journey of discovery.  Where do I fit into the Kingdom of God?  Where does my King want me to be?

7.  What lessons do I take from this?

I have a one-inch teal notebook (well I have been told it is teal, I don’t really know what color it is) with my notes from my two month tour of minor leadership.  What do I do with those notes.

a) Burn them.

b) File them away to be forgotten.

c) Carefully examine them.

Well, I should carefully examine them and see what lesson I can take from them, and apply them for all future leadership in my life.  The best place to start applying these leadership lessons would be in my own home.  Even scripture teaches us this. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” (English Standard Version)

Calming music for the mind and heart

Thank you, Pastor John Piper for enriching my life with the illumination of the word of the Lord with a timely message.  Truly the Psalms are to be a way to think and feel about God in all circumstances of life.

Psalm 42

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Spiritual Authority

I am taking a short break from spending my time in writing my book to post the following message.

There is a false teaching and attitude that has been circulating around the Christian community that fosters sin and rebellion.  It is an evil taint and twisting of scripture.

It is one that I have encountered this week while studying Galatians.  It is one that has been tugging on me since February when I first encountered it when reading about the beliefs of a ministry on the internet.  It is very close to home right now, and I am grieved over it.  Many churches and ministries fondle this passage to promote the human notion of equality within community and even within governance.

The passage:

” For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” — Galatians 3:26-29

Many have wrongly taken this passage to mean that everyone is equal as Christians.  It does not matter if you are male or female, young or old, we are all equal.  There are no barriers between us any more.  What a man can do or want to do, A woman can also do.  The authority of a bishop or pastor is no greater than the member.  We are all equals in authority.  This is a heresy and goes against the context of this passage and against the rest of scripture.  It is true that all who come to Christ are equally redeemed from their sins and enjoy the abundant new life God gives, but it does not mean that all are equal.

This passage needs to be coupled with the following particularly as it relates to roles within the church.

” For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” — Romans 12:3-8

When both scriptures are rightly applied, the Holy Spirit is instructing Christians that not all members have the same function.  This particularly applies to other passages of scripture that forbid women being pastors, overseers, bishops, or elders. see 1 timothy 3:1; Titus 1:6.  This is a hard saying for some, but one I must say.  The church is not a community of equals.  God appoints Pastors to watch over them and Deacons to care for them.  As spiritual authorities and leaders they have been delegated authority by God and been given gifts to watch over the members, members need so show them obedience and submission, just as Jesus showed us in the garden before he went to the cross to bear our sins.  He submitted and was obedient.

Members need to submit and be obedient to our God appointed spiritual leaders.

Repent Christian of your rebellious heart;

Seek Forgiveness from your Spiritual Leader now–Do not wait, Again I say NOW!.

Humble yourself before God and His appointed and delegated authority.

Your Brother in Christ.

Spiritual Disciplines

This may be my last post for a while.  I am going to begin using my web log time to write a book instead. So since it might be a while until I write again, I wanted to leave a post of more significance than petty politics or my views on some other single issue.  I chose to leave, even if only for a short season or sabbatical, with something that has transformed my life and challenge you to test its significance for your life.

I practice two daily spiritual disciplines.  These two disciplines have transformed my life.  So if your life is o.k., and you are not ready to change. Then ignore this advice. And if you all ready practice them stay with it.  But if you are weary and tired of trying your latest passing fad.  Why not give this one a try also? It may transform your life, also.

First. Daily Devotional Bible Reading

Several years ago, an elder, in my local church challenged the congregation to make bible reading a regular part of each of our lives.  Since that challenge, I have consistently and regularly read from the bible (almost daily).  That daily discipline has changed my life.  I am now a quarter of the way through my third reading of the bible (It has been 2 and a quarter years since that challenge).  The first year (2007) I read from the one year bible plan, last year (2008) I read from a plan I got from one of our pastors, this year (2009) I constructed my own reading plan.

It was not easy for me to get away from all the noise of life and to just sit and read from the bible.  So when I accepted this challenge I knew I had to exchange something.  I had to give up something I did to make room for this new discipline.  I gave up watching early morning news.  I used to start my day by turning on the television and watching the news for a few minutes to get ready for the day.  I imagine some of you probably do this out of routine.  I turned those news shows off in the morning and opened the pages of my bible and read from it.  After about three weeks, it became my new routine.

When I accepted this challenge, I had all ready been reading the bible regularly to make preparations for teaching Sunday school, but my focus was on reading the few verses related to that particular lesson and studying them carefully, and I still continue to do that.  My reading of the bible was task oriented, not relational.  But since I have added more time, devotional time, in the morning to read the bible and meditate upon the words, I have grown to see the intricate work that the Lord has done in giving us the bible and the beauty and completeness of it for everything related to the human experience.

It is not by chance.  Playing bible roulette as either a last effort or in jest will not change your life.  Cover to cover reading will.  As I read during my devotional time, my eyes are opened to insight and illumination in every area of daily living.  Trouble with work. Hard time with family relationships.  Daily reading of the bible helps.  I can not count how many times, that I come to a difficult circumstance in my life and then the Lord has illuminated the path from the lamplight of his words I read in the bible.  Example, this morning my daily devotion came from the final chapters of 1st Samuel.  All week I have been preparing a lesson on Micah chapter 3.  I was wrestling with how to describe divination to the class and from the pages of scripture comes the story of King Saul seeking out the witch in Endor to divine or call up a spiritual medium for Saul.  Illumination–my eyes were open to an example of divination, I could use.  You might be reading this and say, well that is really good for you, you are a Sunday school teacher, preparing for a class is not real world.  It is just more book learning not really helpful in the real world.  That is a nice story to tell in Sunday school to teach a point that is a what the bible is for, Sunday school.

Well try this example as it relates to personal relationships, about a month ago the relationship between my son and I was escalating into a raging wildfire.  We were having a lot of conflict, I was having a lot of trouble with my son.  My son was having a lot of trouble with me.  I did not know what what going on, then I read from Ephesians: Fathers do not provoke your children.  That message did what scripture does, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NKJV) Solution to problem (Illumination): don’t provoke your son.  Well after a month, things are better between me and my son, I am still learning about all the ways I provoke not only him but also my other children, and am asking the Lord to help me stop (more on prayer, in a minute).  God is faithful to answer and give me the help I need. Another example came from in reading 1 Peter 3:7 “honor your wife”, a lesson I need to hear when coupled with advise from Ephesians “love your wife”, these two messages from the Lord have begun to help me maintain and strengthen my relationship with her, as she has begun ministering to others outside of our home through offering care and concern for other women who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy.

So in summary, I wanted to issue that same challenge to you; Daily Devotional (Relational–not task) Bible reading–not reading the bible to reinforce your theological positions, but reading the bible to hear the voice of the Shepherd.  To recognize His revelation, so you can guard your minds and hearts from other distractions and voices.  Be prepared for your life to change.

Second. Daily Personal Prayer

God speaks to me daily when I am reading from the Bible.  I am still learning what the voice of the Shepherd sounds like.  But communication is two way.  I speak to the Lord through prayer.  There are many different types of prayer.  But morning prayer, the giving of our first words and thoughts to the Lord set our hearts for the day.  In the past I have had a difficult time with what words to use when I pray.  But recently I have been taught a new method of prayer that works really well for me.  It is a beginning place and it is related to my deep hunger for reading the scriptures.  It is to begin my prayer time with praying scripture.  I begin in my private prayer closet from what I had just finished reading in scripture, I start with what stands out from the page like a flashing or blinking red light, a single word, a phrase, or an entire verse, and then move outward from that starting point.

This has helped me in transitioning from reading and listening to God talk to me through scripture, to me interacting with Him using the scriptures as the beginning point.  I understand and see why and how this works.  God is the author of all scripture, it is His voice or message to me.  It joins my two daily disciplines into really just one.  Communication from God to me, and then communication back from me to God.

So I want to increase the challenge I offered to any one that reads this: Not only do I challenge you to read the bible daily, but I also challenge you to prayer.  Now if you are the opposite of me and have an easier time praying and harder time reading the bible, then just reverse it.  Start with prayer and then open your bible to read from it second.  Do it both ways. and see which way works best for you.  I say do and not try.  Because I recently had my eyes open to an exercise I want you to all do.  Place a pen on table and try to pick it up. (Just try, don’t pick it up, but try to pick it up).  What happens to the pen if you only try? It is unchanged and still on the table.  One of my favorite movie quotes from all time comes from a little green Jedi master, “Do, or Do not; There is no try”

So from the words of a shoe company, “Just do it!”

So, If you see another web log entry soon, then you will know that my effort to write a real book died a tortured death, and I returned to web log writing which anyone can do, because it has no rules or standards.

My Everquest

I still debate as to whether or not to post this web log, but I took the time to write it, so here it is

For many years when I was younger, not that much younger, I used to spend many late nights logging into a fantasy world that only exists as electronic static within machines. Those not familiar with the game, it is based on a typical fantasy world full of characters of different mythical races like dwarfs and elves, ancient weapons and magic, all wandering through a wilderness of the unknown like the worlds that can be read in fiction books among my favorite: The Lord of the Rings. Players create characters that interact with other players and the world of Everquest. Through the course of playing the game I settled into two main characters. The characters I chose in the game reflect some of my hopes and dreams in the real world, and also some of my fears.

The first character I kept and played was a Human Paladin. This is a knight in shining armor, a defender of good; Champion of light and order against the forces of evil that bring darkness and chaos to the world. The Paladin is a warrior with limited healing magic. Neither as strong as a full warrior or given the ability to heal as well as pure magic users. There are many styles of playing a paladin within the game, my style was to wield a two-handed sword and never retreat, rarely holding a shield, my character was the shield for others. When playing with other players, I would serve as the player locked in combat with the enemies we faced as others would cast their magics or attack with stealth or at a distance against our common foe. When the battle went against us, my character would usually be the first die. The character was the shield to protect the others from the ferocious attacks of the monsters of our quest.

Translation to real life. In my perfect vision of who I would like to be, I would be a champion defending others from the monsters of the real world. Enemies that would harm others. Acting as a guardian or shield for the weaker or more helpless.  Fighting against the chaos and darkness of evil.

As the years passed and my character grew in strength and power it became harder to gain experience in fighting the creatures of this fantasy world. The only creatures that would advance my character became too large or gigantic to handle on my own. I could no longer fight them alone. Most of the time when I played I wanted to fight alone or only in small groups. But at higher levels, I had to always be in large groups, or I would meet a quick death. The diversity of the strengths of different types of characters in battle gave an advantage over the foes, we faced. Some characters could heal wounds, others cast powerful and damaging fireballs, or even attack our foe from the side or behind, while the paladin would stand directly in the path of the foe locked in mortal combat.

Translation to real life. Community is better than loneliness when facing the dangerous enemies that appear in life. There is more strength in a cord weaved and banded together with three or more cords than with a single stranded cord.

My characters last name was StoneBlade. The strength and steadfastness of a stone. Not a rock that is rough and raw, but a stone that is chiseled and shaped for a purpose. The sharp instrument of battle, a blade. Both words represent admirable character traits by themselves but combined to magnify each others strengths. Attributes I would like to see in my real life.

The second main character I would play was a Human Ranger. In the ancient world of fantasy, the sniper or long range warrior armed with the deadly weapon of distance the bow and arrow. His strength came from quickly killing a foe with a well aimed arrow or after shooting disappearing into the cover of the world. In a group always hanging back to inflict the death shot from a distance never completely committing to a battle in locking swords with an enemy, or acting as support in welding two small swords and attack a foe from the side, while the armored knights would take the furry and wrath of the monster. This was not because of fear though, it was because of armor. Rangers do not have the heavy metal armor of a knight only a flimsy shirt and leggings of tightly weaved chains. The light armor allowed for freedom of movement and quickness, but lack the ability to protect from dangerous blows. Rangers are lonely characters and spend most of their quest in solitude, only temporarily joining with others when it suits their objectives.

These two main characters were an expression of my personal struggle with being part of a community and working as a team mate, or in going it alone only joining with others out of my convenience. Some days I crave the solitude of my journey and trying to pit myself against a harsh world. Other days I admit that it is only in community that survival in this harsh world is really the only option.

And now that I am Christian, the bonds that hold the community together best is God–The Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit. A three braided cord of Holiness, Majesty, Love, Justice, Peace, Mercy, and Grace.

So the name of this web log comes from my solo attempt to share with the world myself, the name of my Ranger: Ancientarrow.

It was later when reading through the Bible that I found the references to God as being the Ancient of Days, and arrows being a symbol of children for a father. But the names fits. I am an adopted son of the Ancient of Days, a single arrow within His quiver of weapons to shoot at His enemies. God carefully aimed my life into the vast flow time and space and landed me here in Logan, Utah in 2009. Why am I here? It is to be His instrument or weapon in the war against rebellion and sin. Victory is guaranteed. The enemy is not an equal to God, but a fallen created being. The foe is powerful, but braided together (knitted) with the Lord, my victory is secure in the strength of the Almighty.

My Response to Furlough

In the down turn of the economy and in the face of drastic budget short falls and cuts, the Utah State Legislature has cut the budget for Utah State University.  I am employed annually in a cooperative agreement between Utah State University and the Utah National Guard.  The Utah National Guard contribute the money for my salary, but I am an employee of Utah State University.

The following week of March 9, 2009 to March 13, 2009 during the spring break of Utah State University all university employees are going to be on furlough or temporarily laid off to help with this budget short fall.  I am included in the furlough.  The University President ask for the employees to set up their work email accounts to send out an automated message explaining the facts.

I am going to, but probably not with the message he would like.  It is not disrespectful, but from my world view, not his.  My world view is based from the Bible and is God-centered.   My message reads:

The President of Utah State University has asked that since all Utah State University Employees are on furlough for the week of March 9, 2009 to March 13, 2009 that we refrain from any work, So I will not respond to any email until I return on March 16, 2009.  It is his decision to temporarily lay all employees off for that week in response to budget cuts made by the Utah State Legislature.  However, for me personally I take my counsel from the Bible and obey my Lord-Jesus in this matter.

“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:22-24