Tag: spirituality

Sermon Sketch | “Between Life and Living”

I wrote this outline on February 19, 2003. I am not sure if I ever shared it in a teaching/preaching setting. However, I wanted to record it for posterity. I have clarified some of the points so that it makes more sense!

Between Life and Living

  • Life is that which we have.
  • Living is that which we do.
  • This is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Christian experience. Faith in Jesus moves us from just having life to living the life that God has given.

There are two types of life:

1. Physical Life
  • All have creatures that breath have this. There is no purpose. It is merely a fact.
2. Spiritual Life
  • This is better than mere physical life. The question is now that you are a live what will you do? This is where learning how to live comes in.

What is Necessary for living?

1. Purpose
  • Where is it found?

    • For the disciple of Jesus it is found in a relationship with him.

  • Why is it necessary?

    • Without a relationship with Jesus we cannot live up to God’s will and purpose for our lives.

2. Desire
  • How do you get it?

    • Desire comes from experiencing the Gospel’s transforming power. (Romans 1:16)

  • How do you keep it?

    • We keep our desire by reminding ourselves of the Gospel and holding onto the truth that it proclaims–that we are now new creations because of Jesus. (2 Cor. 5:17)

You Can Never Tame The Lion

Hebrews 11:38

“…the world was not worthy of them.
They wandered in deserts and mountains,
living in caves and in holes in the ground.”

Hebrews 11 has been called the “Hall of Fame” of the faithful. It is an interesting collection of names and stories. For some only a name is given. For others various facts and events are related. Then at the end of passage we find the writer essentially give up on trying to record all those who had given so much. The writer of Hebrews reveals it would be impossible to capture or highlight the lives of so many. Rather, there is an attempt to help us, the readers, understand what has taken place.

Verse thirty-eight serves as the epilogue for the string of lives that are woven together to help future believers. The tapestry of faith is both majestic and common. And yet, we are told that these saints of the past were of a different sort. They were not cut from the same cloth as we might want to believe. It is interesting how they are described, isn’t it?

“…the world was not worthy of them.”

The question that this raises in my mind is this: Am I living a life that would be described not worthy of this world? Maybe this should be the driving motivation of our lives. We should strive to live counter-culturally, living out those realities that others would consider odd, strange or even crazy.

Would we even want it to be said of us that the world is not worthy of our labors? Do our lives reflect such piety of life, humility of heart and sincerity of service as to be deemed “too good for earth” (in a good way).

The persecution of the faithful has been a part of the life of the church from the beginning. Christians rounded up and thrown into the pit with lions for the sport of it was so common as to be expected. The church in the West has grown accustomed to being accommodated and it believes the lion has been tamed. The lions of culture, society and the world can not be tamed. We might be able to train them and give ourselves a sense of comfort. The truth of the matter is that given the opportunity a lion will only do what lions do.

We should not allow ourselves to believe that “we have things under control.” The second we do we have failed to stay alert and vigilant. We will have been mauled before we know it.

The Lingering Effect of Death’s Assault

In Memory of

Jacob Carlyle Davis

August 20, 1986 – December 28, 2010

Two years ago my family experienced one of the most devastating events we had ever faced. Two years ago my brother-in-law died in a car accident. The “facts” of what happened simply do not have the ability to communicate the emotions that I feel this morning as I remember him and how much I miss him. His mom and sister (my wife) feel a different kind of pain. Their knowledge of him was intimate, personal and began from before Jacob entered into the world. When I met him, Jacob didn’t even know who he wanted to be. He didn’t know that he was supposed to become anything. He was a chubby kid struggling to make sense of the inhumanity of middle schoolers. I knew Jacob for more than half of his life. I think that’s what hurts the most. There is no more time for us.

I know what I believe about death. As a follower of Jesus I know Jacob is with our Savior. I know. I know Jacob loved Jesus and never missed an opportunity to share this with those around him. I know he loved helping others get over what ailed them. He was good at that. But, he is no here to help me! He is gone and I miss him.

All of the cute things that we say sometimes really don’t help. “He lives on in our memories.” Yeah, well memories have a tendency to fade. “His love will carry you through.” OK, thanks but, I’d rather feel the warm embrace rather than the cold recollection of a time gone by.

I woke up this morning and saw some of the comments of those who loved Jacob as they remembered him. I was overwhelmed by the flood of emotion that I felt as I read them. I have heard that the depth of our pain is a reflection of the love we had/have for those now gone. I guess I loved/love him more than I realized. This is the realization I didn’t expect.

Two years, and I still feel the lingering effect of death’s assault on my heart. Jacob may not have been my flesh and blood, but we were family. I have come to realize that I still miss him and that will be OK. There is no expiration date on love. For this I am grateful.

Previous Reflections

Video Spotlight | “Laying Cinder Blocks like a Pro”

A couple of months ago I came across this video. It is what it says. It’s four minutes of a man you can not see laying blocks in a smooth and steady rhythm. I have watched it several times because there is a beauty in it I can’t describe. There is just something about watching an individual who has honed and perfected a trade or craft.

This is what I have asked myself as I have watched this video, “Am I as good at anything as this block layer is at laying block?”

I would have to say no. But, I would like to be. Striving for perfection may never yield the desired result. In the journey what we find is the refinement of skill and satisfaction. We all have to ask ourselves why we do what we do. Is to “get ahead” or make more money? Or, could the simple act becoming “good” at something bring its own spiritual reward? I’m not sure, but I would like to find out. Enjoy!

You can follow the link to the video. Laying cinder blocks like a pro..

The Tragedy at Sandy Hook | “The Depth of Human Sin Has Reared Its Head… Again!”

NewtownMapPic-500x281

This morning the town of Newtown, CT, was ravaged by the news that an elementary school was taken hostage and the lives of over 25 people were ended, some before they had even had a chance to really begin. When news like this hits it spreads quickly because that is what bad news does. So many thoughts comes to mind about how bad this event is. None of them are good and most of them remind me of what is wrong with the world. A world without love and hope will lead to death and chaos.

As a man of faith I am further convinced that the world does not have the answers to the brokenness of the human heart and soul. Life devoid of God and faith divorced from Jesus will never lead to the kind of peace people hope the government to provide. Followers of Jesus must refrain from placing any faith in the systems of this world. They are broken, tainted and governed by principles that are anathema to the Kingdom of God.

What I dread is the fact that some will being posturing and positioning this horrible tragedy to make a point that neither considers the victims or their families. Some politicians will use this (eventually) to mark some points with someone about needing more gun control. Second Amendment folks will argue that we can’t blame the guns. I have to be honest, I could care less. The only thing that hurts my heart is thinking of all those families (moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and others) who have had their lives, not just turned upside down, but destroyed. Life as we all know it has changed… again.

This is why I write. These kinds of tragedies just keep happening and they will continue to happen because we are not living in a utopia. That place does not exist! It never will because the people who would make it up are irreparably flawed. The only cure is the heart transplant the comes from a relationship with God in Christ. I am not trying to be trite or overly simplistic. I am trying to point to the only solution that I have found and is available to solve the human predicament.

There will never be an explanation satisfying enough to help the hurting hearts and souls of those who have lost today. No answers will make what has happened go away or feel better. The wound that was inflicted this morning may never truly heal. Time may dull the pain, but it will never remove the memory. The pain of loss, and that of a child, will linger in the dark corners of the heart for as long as blood courses through vein and artery.

praying-at-alter

Now is the time to invite God in and even to invite him to come. Only then will there be an end to senseless and unconscionable acts of violence. There was something more than innocence destroyed today. We are losing our ability to imagine a better world. The illusion of a good world is being chipped at by the evil that lays potential within the human heart. I am losing my faith in humanity. And maybe I should be. Humanity has never had to power to save itself. Something we seem to have forgotten.

People of God, pray. Pray for peace and comfort. Pray for the strength to love and continue to live. Pray that hope would come in the morning after the dark night of this day. Pray. Pray. Pray.

Advent Series 2012, Pt. 4 | Mary: The Mother of God

Before people scream “heresy” or “blasphemy” I would ask you to consider the plain and simple truth that Mary was the mother of God, even if she did not fully understand that to be the case. As a Protestant I do not believe that Mary should hold some elevated status. She was a simple and frail human being just like the rest of us. I think that there are some within the Christian family that have gone too far in seeking to praise Mary for her role in the Christmas story. However, I do believe that those of us on the other side of the family do not go far enough in recognizing the remarkable fact that Mary was the one chosen for this sacred task.

I have often asked the question to myself, “why did God choose Mary?” I will admit that we will never fully know why God chose Mary. That isn’t for us to know. But, we can get a sense of what God was thinking based on the way Mary interacted with the angel Gabriel. The Bible provides for us a clear and concise depiction of Mary and her response to what God was placing upon her young shoulders. There are two characteristics I believe highlight God’s choice of Mary. These two attributes are seen in Mary’s response to the message brought by the Angel of God.

Continue reading “Advent Series 2012, Pt. 4 | Mary: The Mother of God”

“I’ll Pray For You” And Other Lies We Tell

Not until that moment this past week have I ever understood the power of interceding for another, nor my own failure to follow through when I offered to pray for someone.

This past week I had an opportunity to pray with a friend. The two of us gathered with another brother in Christ and we spent time before the Lord. In the course of that time, we lifted him up before our heavenly Father and just tried to encourage him and remind him of who is in Jesus. There is nothing better than speaking the truth to another because, in the end, we are speaking the truth to ourselves. However, something happened as we wrapped up our time together that I could not have anticipated. My friend, let’s call him Rafael, said something that just blew me away. Rafael looked at us and said, “Thank you for being my words.”

OK, I have to be honest, I did not know what to make of that statement. I was shocked by it. It had never occurred to me that when I pray for someone I would actually be praying for them. That the person that I am praying for would use my words for their prayer to God. That as I spoke, they were speaking. Not until that moment this past week have I ever understood the power of interceding for another, nor my own failure to follow through when I offered to pray for someone.

I have said, “I’ll pray for you,” and “I’m praying for you,” and just offered one prayer right then because I was thinking about it, but forget about them and their situation until I see them again. Or, “You should pray about that,” and I do not even offer to pray for them right there. Prayer is not our way of feeling better about ourselves or what’s going on around us. Prayer has become therapy rather than trembling; an outlet rather than an opportunity to engage God and allow Him to speak. I wonder sometimes if we see prayer as an option rather than as an act of surrender. Rafael needed someone else to speak for him. His heart had feelings and thoughts that were held captive by pain and confusion; issues that I and the other brother did not have. Look around you. What friend, neighbor, or family member needs your help in expressing what they are feeling, but are unable to articulate? I found the following quote by Richard Foster as I was looking for pictures related to prayer.

Does this reflect your view of intercessory prayer? I cannot say this was me before this event. However, I have found myself praying more this week. Not just because I need to, because I do. I find myself praying for those I have promised or offered to pray for, but have not done so as I should. I have come to realize that when I intercede I am standing in the place of another. The word “inter-cede” literally means to surrender for another. I have not been doing that as I should.

If you read my random ruminations would you pray for me? I desire to be more consistent and faithful to walking and talking with my Lord and Savior Jesus, my heavenly Father, and the great helper, the Holy Spirit. I need to surrender more and more in this area and I need your help.

You Are A Missionary: Calvin Miller’s “A Letter to the Church”

Dr. Calvin Miller passed away this last week from complications of a surgery. He was a renowned pastor, writer, professor and poet. I remember encountering his thoughts on worship and the devotional life with God as I read Into the Depths of God. I think that book had more highlights per page than any other book I have ever read. I have since loaned it out and have not gotten it back. (It may be time to get another copy!)

Dr. Ed Stetzer has written a wonderful tribute for Dr. Miller and has also shared an essay that Dr. Miller wrote for a study bible. Take a few minutes this morning and be reminded of what God has called us to as the church. Here is a just a sample of what Dr. Miller wrote:

But be not proud! In redeeming the world all arrogance is precluded. There are no good, arrogant missionaries (2Co 12:5). Christ’s ambassadors (2Co 5:20) are men and women made humble by the immense size of the message given to them by Earth’s Lover. They feed on the bread they give away. They remember who they were when they met Christ, and just that little act of memory causes them to weep that that they once stumbled into grace, before they were ever called to dispense it. Now they are driven by the joy of God’s call, they are the cleansed unclean, the forgiven forgivers, the wounded healers.

The Two Questions That Will Destroy Your Faith

We Become What We Believe In

I was meeting with a friend this morning. As we ate breakfast we were talking about how we become who God wants us to be. We had been reading through Colossians and we came to the end of chapter three. That is where Paul says this.

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17, ESV)

In verses 12-13 we find the attributes of who we are supposed to be. We cannot just do these things. Something has to change inside of us so that we can become people who live like this. But in the next four verses we find that there are at least four things that can do, that God will use to transform us so we more closely reflect Christ. We have to “put on love,” “be thankful,” “let the word of Christ dwell in [me] richly,” “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” If we do these things, God promises that we will see a change within us. Continue reading “The Two Questions That Will Destroy Your Faith”

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