The thing about lent (Why i practice lent)

Yesterday morning i thought it would it be a good idea to give up snacks for lent... last night my thoughts were: Lent is stupid. i want a snack!

And tonight again as i sit here wanting a swiss cake roll, i think again.
I mean why practice lent?
I don't have to.
.. And it's hard.
... And it doesn't seem to be working for the purpose i'm doing it anyway
So maybe i should just quit.

Back in the day, i would laugh at my friends for having to practice lent. But, a few years ago I decided I would practice the discipline. Until this year, i didn't really know when it ended, since i thought it was 40 days, but i guess Sunday's don't count? that still doesn't make sense to me... and i may not do it every year... but i still think the discipline could  be very healthy.

Now, i know there are some out there who say we shouldn't practice lent. That it is a bad thing.
i suppose for some, it could be bad.
i doubt there are many or any who believe practicing lent will save them. However, there may be many who think practicing lent will make God love them more  or give them higher standing with God.
In those cases, lent is not a good practice.
Or perhaps there are some who believe they should suffer, that as follower of Christ, we shouldn't enjoy things in this world. And that would be wrong too.
Or that we must do it to be a good christian.

The Bible warns against asceticism and even gives warnings about traditions (Colossians 2). Practicing these things isn't just a bad idea, it disqualifies you as you rely on yourself rather than the work of Christ.

I say I don't have to practice lent because Christ has paid for everything.  Since my identity is in Christ,  I am completely accepted and forgiven. I have the righteousness of Christ.
The Gospel frees me from restrictions, from guilt, from shame.
The work of Christ is complete. i don't have to give something up for God to love me or to be right with God. i am already.

So if i don't have to do it- i am under no obligation to do it- why do it?
Because i want to.

What? you want to deny yourself something you enjoy? you want to do something that is difficult?

Let's get this straight. i am not doing something that is difficult for difficulty's sake. That is asceticism. i am not trying to make my life more difficult. In fact, i am trying to do something good for my life. i am trying to create a pathway to make my walk with God less complicated.

Now some may say you shouldn't just give up sweets, you are supposed to give up your whole life to God.
Yes! of course. I first must give over my entire life, my entire heart to God. But that is not what this is about.

The thing is, just saying give up your entire life to God is very easy to say, and it some ways it means nothing at all. And so we need to practice this. We need to give over every area of our life to God. It is His.
We do that not by words only, but in practice & discipline.

Practicing Lent is practicing a discipline - a discipline of desire.
See it's not about giving up something, but gaining something.
i want to see Jesus more clearly, i want to be more focused on Him.
i want to experience Him more.
And i experience Him more as i turn to Him more and depend on Him more.


We don't like fasting because we think only of what we give up, when instead we should focus on what we gain.
Fasting is a good practice because it allows us to feast on God.
And when i fast from something, it reveals how much i depend on things besides God.

Right now i am struggling because i like to eat sweets when i am stressed. (After all, stressed backwards is desserts). But instead of eating a swiss cake roll, i have to turn to Jesus. Instead of eating away my sorrow, i give my sorrow to God and allow Him to turn it into joy.
Not only that, i have become used to eating. i want to develop holy habits of turning to God. i want to become used to looking to God.
And i look to it to give me a boost of energy, instead of relying on God to carry me thru.
It is crazy to think how dependent i have become on food. It is amazing how much i run to it for comfort. It is amazing how much i rely on it.

Giving something up, reveals my tendency to run to idols. (i thought perhaps we should give up showering, so we would understand how much we reek of sin- but if we practice rightly we should see it anyway).

And giving something up, allows me to run to God instead.
instead of reading facebook status over and over- i'll read the Word
instead of wasting time on tv, i can invest in savoring time with Jesus.
instead of living on bread and dessert, i live on the word that proceeds from the mouth of God.


But then there is that. Practicing lent is supposed to turn me toward Jesus, but all i can think about is the thing i am giving up. All i can think about is pop or chocolate or what i am missing out on.
So if it isn't working i should just give up.
But this is why we do it for forty days. It may not happen at first, or maybe at first it does and later days it doesn't. The point is the discipline, disciplines my heart. It serves to reveal the sinful tendency of my heart and provide a platform for change

i recommend fasting. Maybe it's not during lent, maybe it's not for 40 days. But consider a fast, consider a food fast - that you may grow your hunger for God (And read the book "Hunger for God" by John Piper while you're at it).

Lent isn't magical. Lent isn't obligation.
But the next 6 weeks or so, we can join with others in fasting to feast on God, to enjoy Him, to know Him more. It has only been one day and i already see God working in my heart.

the thing about momentum

i really want to start blogging again - but i can’t get myself to do it. i feel like there are things i want to write about, but i can’t get into the mood of actually writing…

In sports, there is the idea of momentum. People say it is a myth. i say those people are idiots. They look at stats and probability and think everything works like a machine. But a lot of sports is not based on physical ability and talent but psychology.

When player gets on a roll, they have more confidence and take shots and they get into a rhythm. They are not distracted, not over thinking - they just shoot.

“He’s on fire!” as NBA jam would say.

i’ve experienced it myself. Most of the time i am worried i might miss, and i over think. But when i am not thinking too much i am focused on the goal.

Seattle killed the Broncos in the Super Bowl. but i wonder how the game would ahve turned out if not for that safety on the first snap… i think Seattle still wins, but i think it is closer.

Momentum brings energy, confidence and flow.

Flow. Most of us don’t experience much flow any more. We get text messages or notifications on our phones. We are interrupted by friends. We are constantly thinking of the next thing to do we don’t concentrate on what we are doing.

i need flow in order to get anything done.

When i schedule my time i should have time to do everything i do, but when i look back, somehow i only get half done, and i don’t even know where the time really went.

i read somewhere when someone’s work gets interrupted it takes them 15-20 minutes to get back into flow. They check their email, check facebook, their to-do list… and try to remember what they were doing…

And momentum… if i do something one day i don’t get much out of it; but if i do it every day or every other day - i keep doing it.. and it gets better.

This comes to exercising or writing or reading or praying.

i read somewhere a challenge to wake up an hour earlier in the morning to pray. The author said the first few days or weeks you may sleep 45 minutes of that hour, may be only have 5 minutes of actual prayer at the beginning - but eventually, eventually you will begin waking up and begin praying. Your body’s mental clock will go off and you will wake up without trying. You will be more tired and go to bed earlier.

i’ve found once i start reading the Bible - i really like the Bible. Now some days i don’t get as much out of it as other days. But when i put the time to be in it, i get momentum i begin to get more out of it. And sometimes the things i read the day before begin to make more sense.

i read somewhere else if you do something for 30 days it becomes a habit.

i want to develop some holy habits.

i’ve been forcing myself to read the Bible, forciing myself to pray in the morning, forcing myself to say thanks, forcing myself to pray for nations, and making sure i pray with Soo, even if it is just for a few minutes… trying to make habits stick.

i don’t want it to be something i have to force or something on a to do list or a simple task... i want it to be a desire... but in order for it to get that way i need to birth the desire.

Discipline breeds desire. Discipline is also fueled by desire.

For me it is like drinking water vs pop. It's hard for me to get into the habit of drinking water or even drinking water at all. Water doesn't taste like anything. But if i stop drinking pop and start drinking water more, i begin to enjoy the taste of water, i begin to crave water and want more than a sugary drink. Eventually i can drink a pop from time to time and it doesn't interfere with me drinking water - because i actually enjoy water.


i have a terrible time calling friends.
If i haven't talked to a friend in a while i don't know where to start. There is so much to catch up i feel overwhelmed. So, i freeze, i don't call, i wait til i feel in a better mood, until i know what to talk about... and the conversation never comes - until i force myself to do it.
However, once i call that friend- it is so much easier to call in a week or even a few days later.
i haven't talked to a person in year and i have nothing to say. i haven't talked to the person in a few days, there is so much to say.

Consistency, flow, momentum.
i need it.

How do you develop momentum in your life?

Hope you will join me on the journey and that the posts will be encouraging.

The thing about Jesus and religion

This week a link for a video titled "Why I hate religion but love Jesus" surfaced on my facebook... and everyday another 2-3 people would recommend it.

i never watched it.

Slowly i started seeing other people posting comments about it... that maybe this isn't such a good thing.

Adam wrote this 

"This guy has a lot of good things to say, but we need to be extremely careful placing Jesus and religion on opposite spectrums. Jesus did not come to destroy religion, He came to fulfill the law and in so doing confront many of the religiOUS of His time. But James 1:26-27 makes it clear what pure religion is verses worthless religion. The Bible seems to direct us to preserve and redeem religion and keep it from becoming worthless. Which a the root of it is the intent of this poem, I just wish religion was clarified rather than villainized."

i had to agree. (And i think he said much better than me). The reason i hadn't watched it is i am tired of the religion bashing.

i understand Jesus saves, religion doesn't.

And i understand Jesus > religion.

But does this mean i hate religion? 

i kinda think it is like saying i hate soft drinks (pop) but i love cherry coke.

Keving DeYoung looks at the poem verse by verse and gives his thoughts in a post entitled

Does Jesus hate religion? Kinda, Sorta, Not really

You probably should read it.

But here are my thoughts.

i love Jesus. And i don't have a big problem with religion, though sometimes it can be a problem.

Back in College i had a shirt from a conference that said 0% religion 100% Relationship.

i don't think i realized it said that. But when my roommate asked about it, i was quick to give an answer.

i kinda liked it, because i wanted to affirm following Christ is not about religious activities but knowing Jesus.

And i wouldn't stray from that stance. Jesus is all about us knowing the Father and not so much about what we do.

Another friend in college once said "I'm not religious like you"

To which i responded "I'm not religious"

Which did lead to good conversation.

Today, i would like to clarify that comment

If when you say religious you mean

  you are more spiritual than I am... then i'd have to disagree...

     There is nothing special about me. i am not that good of a person. i sin. A lot. i need a Savior

If you mean, you are more devoted and committed to faith

   To a degree that may be true, but it's not because i am religious, it's because i am loved!... and in love!

If you mean i am more moralistic...

   i might hope that is true, but as i said above - i am a sinful person. But if i do have morals that looks different than the rest of the world, It's not because i am religious, it's because i have been changed!

But i don't want to say religion is bad.

IT can be i suppose.

i listened to a sermon by Tullian Tchividjian the other day where he said Moralism is very bad. Morality is very good! He wanted to be clear at this point.

He went on further to say. Whenever we take a good thing (like morality in this case) and make it an ultimate thing, we make a very good thing, a very bad thing.

Religion in itself is not bad, but some people have exalted it too high and made it bad.

Jesus is ultimate, not Religion.

But Religion didn't cause wars... people did.

It is not religions fault that someone doesn't experience grace, it is a person's fault.

It is not religions fault that poor people are hungry, it is the choices of people to not give.

i think it is trendy these days to bash on religion, bash on churches, and avoid personal responsibility and fit into American culture. 

And distance self, rather than confess sin.

You know, i don't think this is new. The Author of the book of Hebrews encouraged the believers to continue to meet together, instead of forsaking. Encouraging instead of cutting down. (Hebrews 10:25)

Let's Love Jesus & Love others too.

Let's walk with Jesus as individuals and grow together as a community & church.

 

The thing about Steve Jobs

I am writing this on a Mac.

I had said I never wanted a Mac and never would get one. 

In college, as a writing major, we had to use macs all the time – apparently they were great for design… but at Purdue, they were just old…

and I hated not having my right click/left click buttons…

later, I thought it was just ridiculous how expensive they were… and it all just felt like a fad, like something popular… but... I broke down. I got a mac.

It has been good. I am no mac apologist, but I do love my Ipod touch. And my computer has lasted me longer than previous computers… and I hope to by an Ipad some day…

About 13 hours ago I found out Steve Jobs had died… I was mildly surprised, but didn’t realize how much his death would impact so many people (then again I still don’t understand why John Lennon’s death was so impactful on others).

I began reading some things about him- and he certainly led an interesting life.

Put up for adoption… rejected by original people… college drop-out… formed Apple before he was 20… filthy rich by 30… fired from the company he formed… made Pixar what it is today… revolutionized the computer industry… entriguing lifestyle…and battled cancer… The only question is who plays him in a movie? 

Soo & I watched his Stanford commencement speech. Which was really good.

It was so good in fact, we framed our date this afternoon around it.

His words were inspirational, visionary & challenging…

You should watch the video.

Steve Jobs was a visionary. He is an inspiration. His innovations changed the computer world – and thus he had a huge impact on the world as we know it.

Not only are his inventions being used, but now his words are being quoted, and shaping many more young minds.

And his words are inspiring, they are challenging… but in the end, they are still just human words of human wisdom.

And we must remember they are not the words of God. Words of a god you may say, but now the words of God. So thus, while there is a lot to be gleaned from his life & his wisdom, it still falls short.

Living each day as it were his last

Truly Steve Jobs was not the first person to live this way. Steven Covey has challenged millions to begin with the end in mind. Steve Jobs wanted to live each day as if it were his last. He wanted to make a difference.

And a difference he made.

In his time on earth, he made a difference. In fact, the difference he made will influence generations beyond him.

But there will come a day when he is forgotten. There will come a day, when new technology will be introduced. And while he still would have influenced the world… what if there were something more?

What if he lived for something beyond his lifetime & for something beyond this world. He lived everyday as if it were his last to make a difference… he brought beauty & convenience and pleasure… but what if there were something even more meaningful, something even more important?

There is no reason not to follow your heart

He makes a great point that “your time is limited, so don’t waste living someone else’s life. And he also right to say there is intuition in the heart that knows what is best…

But our hearts can deceive us. Our hearts are wicked. And intuition isn’t always best.

You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.

We do need something to trust in. Without anything to trust in, how will we get by? What will motivate us? How will we keep going?

But will just anything do?

He hits on a big point- that we all do trust in something. We may not realize it, but there is always something pulling us or pointing us to make the decisions we do. Without anything, there is no drive, there is no life.

But will anything do?

I suppose many things could work… but will it be sustaining? Is it worth trusting? Is it something to cling to?

His meaning surely is – Whatever works… so that you follow your heart. Follow your self.

He comes to a point of recognizing there is something beyond himself… but doesn’t recognize something greater than himself (or ourselves).

Death is the destination we all share, no one has ever escaped it

And now Steve Jobs shares that destination. He also was not able to escape it. He made billions of dollars, did things he loved doing, had an adventurous life, achieved success, fame & acclaim, and made impact on the world… but he still died.

Steve Jobs got it right in so much. But he missed it.

He made a difference in this world, but he could have made such a bigger difference. His impact will influence thousands of years, but he could have had an impact on eternity. His heart led him & led him to happiness that many will never experience, but he could have had joy unspeakable for an eternity.

We all need something to get us through the difficult times, we all need something to move us & direct us- but there is a specific someone… and that someone is the one who didn’t avoid death, but one who did overcome death.

Jesus overcame death. He is worth following more than your heart. And a life given to following Him and living His life is worth following. He is the One you can trust in the midst of difficulty, the One you can trust to work out the details, the One who will take care of you, protect you & love you. And He is the One who makes your life significant. He is the one who satisfies. And the impact you have on the world for the glory of Christ- is the impact that will last and will change the world in ways beyond what we can wildly imagine.

Many are saying today Rest In Peace Steve Jobs.

And I hope, by God’s grace, that he found his way to Jesus.

Jesus said  “…Come unto me and I will give you rest…”

I thank God for how he used Steve Jobs. I pray for his family. And I pray for you. May you change the world by being a witness of Christ. May you make an impact for eternity. May you find faith in God who is in control of everything. And may you experience Life, instead of death when you die.

the thing about having kids

Halle is 9 months old today. We're slowing reading some books on parenting... learning on the job i guess... we i'm not that great at it - but God is stretching us teaching us a lot!

Anyway, the question is asked why have kids?

Here is what i say

1.     Children are a blessing from the Lord (like arrows in a quiver)

2.     Raising Children in a godly way is an opportunity to build the kingdom of God & influence the world

3.     Being a parent will stretch my faith and cause me to depend on God more

4.     We’re commanded to be fruitful & multiply

5.     I want to love & enjoy my kids

6.   A family

7.     It will be fun to have kids

8.     A Legacy

i know a number of people who wait to have kids... and have heard some people say this society is so awful, they don't want to bring kids into it. And a lot who think a one-child policy is a good idea.

Baloney.

Kids are a good thing. They will stretch you. Your life will no longer be your own... your life will not be the same... and that will be frustrating. 

But... kids are a blessing from God... and we shouldn't try to manage our life so much to make it easy or convenient

Having kids is out of our control - as much as we may not try to control it. God is the giver of life. Each child is a gift, is grace. 

So many of my friends have struggled to have kids... so don't take your kids for granted.

There are a lot of bad reasons to have kids... and we won't be perfect parents... but i hope we will raise our kids to the glory of God and help them to love God and enjoy the Gospel.

the one with some thoughts on Exodus 33

I’ve been reading through Exodus and came to chapter 33 and saw something I never noticd before: God tells Moses

"Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To your offspring I will give it.' ²I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ³ Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people."

What? God didn’t go with them? He sent an angel, but He didn’t go with them? I mean, that’s huge right? I guess an angel is pretty powerful and can do some supernatural things – but no God?

Well, this is why you keep on reading… Moses intercedes for the people (and himself) and pleads for God to continue to go with them.

See – receiving God’s provision without His presence is a lesser blessing. Receiving God’s promises without experiencing His presence is not fulfilling.

Am I like that? If God said I’ll give you everything I promised, everything you desire, everything you need, and you will have protection & security & even comfort- but You won’t have me – would I be satisfied? Would that be good enough for me?

Or would I fight? Would I plead? Would I cling to God til HE came with me?

Would I be like Orpah or like Ruth. They both were clinging to Naomi, but then she said go from me and you’ll get what you need. Orpah gave up and went, but Ruth clung.

Do I live for blessings or for God?

Do I desire God’s provision or protection or promises more than I desire His presence?

Often, if life feels comfortable- then I feel comfortable. If I am not suffering want or need, then I am content. I don’t think of myself as a “health, wealth, prosperity” guy… but how much am I hungering for God’s presence?

And if I want God’s presence, do I want all that comes with that? All the complexities of His will, of His grace, of His wrath, of His majesty, of His holiness, of His glory?

God’s presence is greater, is better than His provision, His promises, His protection.

The Gospel is God gave us His Son, so we could experience intimacy with Him. The greatest blessing He has given is His Son reconciling us to Himself. He offers not just eternal life, but eternal life with Him. We receive His promises, come under His protection, know His provision and experience His presence. Let's not settle for anything else

The one with seven things that seem super spiritual, but actually may be quite the opposite

1. These are some recent thoughts from conversations I’ve had and books I’ve been reading… you may not agree… I may not be clear… so be gracious… and I hope it imparts grace…




   1.  Not having time for people because you are having a Quiet Time
2.     Feeling Guilt because of what a bad person you are
3.     Reading
4.     Only serving others, giving to others when there is a chance to evangelize
5.     Being a nice person
6.     Holding firm to Truth
7.     Sharing the Gospel in every situation

Spending time with God is a noble thing. If you want to impress people, talk about your devotion to your devotions… mention how early you get up to have a quiet time…  people will think you are great… and you will feel you’re great too.

But far too often a Quiet Time is used as an excuse for actually engaging with others.

It is an excuse to not go share your faith or to not help a friend in need or not do a loving or serving thing for another.

Because… of course you should prioritize God over another person.

But is this what God requires of us? Does He require us to have a quiet time every day at a specific time for a specific duration?

Isn’t He more pleased when we love mercy? When we do justly? When we serve others? When we love others? When we go out of our way for someone?

If a quiet time is to grow in love for God, shouldn’t we prioritze the things that show love to God – namely loving other people?

Many can spend a lot of time reading the Word, but then don’t do what the Word says, and often we don’t do what the Word says because we are spending time in the Word.

Obviously having regular time with God is good. Being in the Word is vital. And prayer is our breath.

But do we need a quiet time to do this?

Can we not walk with God in any moment? We can meditate on His Word all day long as we do other activities. And we can live out what the Word says.

Jesus got up early in the morning to meet with the Father, but He also stopped praying to help those around Him.

Quiet Times though, seem spiritual. Because it is so personal and requires discipline & conviction. Doing things with & for others just seems like a fun things to do.

On the other hand, it is much easier to read the Bible and to pray than it is to serve others, to sacrificially love others, to give our time and money to others.

American culture has built this feeling. A quiet time is of highest importance… in an individualistic society. But the Biblical mandate is actually more communal than individual… something to think about.

Feeling guilty.

Romans 8:1 Says “There is therefore now NO Condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This means we are free from sin & from guilt & from shame.

Henry Cloud says we don’t take this far enough. He says this means there is never a right time to feel guilty.

The Holy Spirit convicts, but if we feel guilty, that is our own response.

He goes onto explain the difference between godly sorrow & guilt. Godly sorrow is sorry about the pain you caused another person and caused God. Guilt is being sad about what you did wrong.

Guilt is very self-focused.

While I am still fleshing out this idea of no guilt at all, I think Cloud is onto something. Guilt is very self-focused. It’s what I do when I mess up. I think I’m a bad person. I don’t really want to change, I just want to feel bad. And I want that to be enough. Instead of focusing on the hurt I cause my wife, I say I am such a bad husband. Instead, I should feel heart-felt sorrow for the hurt I cause and work on doing things differently.

When someone shows guilt over their sin, it seems like they are spiritual to feel so bad. And while hating sin is good… we ought hate sin for the hurt it causes God, not because we hate that we’re so bad.

True faith would not hold onto guilt, but abide in grace.

This is hard… for when I do confess my sin and move on and don’t feel guilt… I often feel guilt for not feeling any guilt.

Guilt & shame are from the devil. We need to abide in the love & grace of Christ & enjoy Him, enjoy His forgiveness, worship Him after we sin for how great is mercy & faithfulness is.

Reading

Reading is a good thing… it can help us come closer to God and grow us in areas we are weak. But is it always more godly, more mature? It really could just be a personality trait. And worse yet, it could be a source of spiritual pride. We feel like we’re better because we’re spending time reading… but maybe we just enjoy reading… maybe we are doing it to gain knowledge and feel superior.

I’m not saying reading is bad or all our motivations are bad…

I like to read and believe the more you read, the more you learn….

but just reading more doesn’t necessarily mean you are more mature.

Only serving/giving when there is a chance to evangelize

This is a major pet-peeve of many… and I’m starting to get it.

Many out there look down on organizations if they are not doing evangelism… seeing as giving to the poor, building church buildings and other such things as less important work.

The thing is, every aspect is important. While we don’t want to shy from sharing the Gospel- we must use words… to look down on others who are serving & giving is immature.

In fact, giving/serving others without being able to see fruit may be more difficult. Most of the time those actions are done with hopes of results in long-term.

Giving your time & money to strangers is probably more difficult than to share a message with them. At least for me.

Being nice

Many have seemed  to interpret loving our neighbor as being nice to our neighbor. If it’s not nice, how can it be loving? But in fact being nice is sometimes not really not that nice and is indeed not loving.

Much like allowing an alcoholic to keep drinking or a someone drunk to drive… we sometimes need to do things people may not feel is very nice to truly be loving.

In being nice, we avoid sharing the Gospel… we avoid confronting our brother about sin in his life… we allow a friend to hold incorrect doctrine…

Really when we make our goal to be nice, we are making how people perceive us the number one thing in our lives.

People like nice people… but they are not always the best for us… and it is not always the most loving way to act

Holding firm to truth

In the opposite spectrum is the one who holds so strongly to truth, he doesn’t care how another person may feel.

At this point his concern isn’t for the person’s soul as much it is to be right.

I believe we do need to be honest with people about what we think of their actions or beliefs. At the same time our speech needs to be seasoned with salt that it may give grace to the hearers.

The purpose of speaking truth should be to edify and to proclaim Christ… if it is not accomplishing this then maybe we should reconsider our actions & words.

Sharing the Gospel in every situation

Bill Bright looked at interactions with others as a “Divine appointment.”

And I think he was right.

When we interact with someone, it is an opportunity to be God’s ambassador, to reflect Christ, to show love, to give grace, and help them understand the Gospel.

But we have to be careful.

Sometimes the people we are talking with may not be ready to receive all we want to say.

I once heard someone say that he “did my job” as if he felt good about himself because he shared the message, even if the guy didn’t respond well. While our job may be to simply proclaim the Gospel and allow the Spirit to do His work, our goal/hope should be the person would receive Christ.

I’ve come to realize it often takes more faith for me to not share the Gospel than it does for me to share the Gospel. I have to believe God will work in someone’s life, even if I don’t get to share the Gospel with them.

I want to give every person a glimpse of the Gospel (at least)… but I don’t need to force it, I don’t need to make it happen. I need to trust God, even if I don’t see the fruit…

There are probably other things and more that could be said about these things both positively and negatively… I’m really just processing & starting the discussion here.

The thing about hell & Rob Bell

The Twitterverse was buzzing yesterday afternoon with thoughts on Rob Bell. Rob Bell was a Trending Topic... until the Oscars came on (and man was that awful! Social Network should have won more. Christian Bale forgot his wife's name, Anne Hathaway was terrible, they cut some people off after 15 seconds and let others ramble for 15 minutes and James Franco- quadruple F would be a generous grade... but i i digress...)

Justin Taylor wrote this post calling out Rob Bell.
Many people did not like it
Ironically, they judge others for judging.
Interestingly, some hide behind a veneer of humility, while arrogantly claiming their interpretation is correct and others are not.
i would say this post was done well. The blogger showed some gentleness and instruction.
Kevin DeYoung's post was pretty good... but i'm still gonna write


Theology is important. It is not petty. And it is not trivial.
And Doctrine is not a matter of mere opinion. It is something we should fight over - for it is what we believe about God.


i believe John Piper, Josh Haris, Justin Taylor, Kevin DeYoung and others - are standing up for truth. Their aim is to protect the flock.

When someone stands up for God, they will be put down- often by their own people.
When David stood up to Goliath, the fiercest opposition came from the people of Israel and his own brothers. David had faith God, stood up for the character of God, and got berated by people.


Still i agree that perhaps Justin Taylor could have waited for the book to come out or done a better job prefacing his statements on the blog.
Even if he says he will retract afterwards if he is found to be mistaken, that is not a good approach. Slander is not something can be recovered from very quickly.

He is critiquing the video and not the book. So, i think that is fair.

However, i don't think Bell's stance is as clear as he or Kevin DeYoung say it is.

After reading some of Bell's other works, i find that his actual belief and teaching is very unclear. He play devil's advocate. His approach is to get the reader/viewer to think for themselves.


Rob Bell if you read this, let me say this:

i appreciate your penetrating questions. i like how you make us think. However, as a pastor/teacher you have a responsibility. You have responsibility to make your teaching clear and to make your teaching accurate.
Your goal should not be to sell books or generate interest or create a buzz.
Your goal should not be to help people feel comfortable going to church.
Your goal should not be to make people feel good.
Your goal should be worship in spirit and truth. Your goal should be to exalt Christ and the Gospel.

i like that you examine faith.
but i also think you tread on dangerous waters and ride on a slippery slope.
While our understanding of God and His Word are ever expanding, there are truths that need to be foundational- for everyone.
The Gospel needs to be protected.

When i worked with college students at the University of Michigan, i always loved working with those who came from your church. They were leaders. They were active in ministry. They knew your Word and wanted to know it more.
i didn't care so much for your nooma videos, but others loved it. And honestly, the way you take every day things and relate it to our faith & walk is something i do all the time. So, i liked it.

When friends were reading  Velvet Elvis and raving about it, i took a look. i loved the first chapter... but it went downhill from there for me.

Are you a universilist or an inclusivist? i don't know. But i wouldn't be surprised.
You are an influential person and a leader. The Bible says you will face stricter judgment... so act accordingly.


i don't know where Bell's going with this, but i like some questions and thoughts he brings up
   
         Then there is the question behind the questions. The real question [is], “What is God like?”, because millions and millions of people were taught that the primary message, the center of the gospel of Jesus, is that God is going to send you to hell unless you believe in Jesus. And so what gets subtly sort of caught and taught is that Jesus rescues you from God. But would kind of God is that, that we would need to be rescued from this God? How could that God ever be good? How could that God ever be trusted? And how could that ever be good news?

Jesus rescues you from God
We need to make sure our teaching is clear. Jesus rescues us from the penalty of our sin. He does in certain terms rescue us from the wrath of God. We cannot diminish the wrath of God in any sort. However, we also should not view God as our enemy. Nor should we view Jesus as separate from God.

The truth is this:
1. Hell is spoken of often in the Bible, especially by Christ. Hell is going to be a terrible place
2. God is wrathful. We don't like to hear it, neither did the people like it when Jeremiah spoke for God. He is holy. He hates sin. He is wrathful.
3. We need a Savior. And Jesus is that Savior
4. Those who have Christ have eternal life. Those who don't have Christ will be thrown into the lake of fire.

To diminish any aspect of God's character is an insult and idolatry.
To diminish Christ's work & role in our salvation is wrong and not worship.


Further, some say hell is simply dogma or based on tradition.
These days in America (yes i emphasize America) what is new is considered best. What is novel is what should be followed. While tradition can be problematic, it is not a problem in itself. Only when the tradition gets elevated above God Himself. We are wise to heed the teachings of tradition. Certainly it is not infallible. Only God's Word is infallible, but it helps us in our understanding of Scripture.


i can wish no one goes to hell. but that doesn't stop me from warning people of it.

While John Piper and others are not perfect. i don't always agree with them. i am glad for people who stand up for truth. Who do the unpopular thing, but shepherd their flock.