In all of the foreign countries I have lived or worked in, I have always loved getting to learn new things, eat new foods, and experience new traditions and cultures. But, let’s face it: when you are on your own and away from home, sometimes you simply get homesick. You long for the taste of a real American hamburger or to hear someone speaking English properly. I still remember the day I was feeling very homesick (and slightly lost) in Berlin, Germany, when I came across the American embassy. It was great to see the Stars and Stripes flying overhead, to see American Marines, and to know that that there was a little beacon of hope for me in a big, confusing place. It offers us a little piece of comfort and home.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul calls each of us an “ambassador for Christ.” He reminds us that our goal is to offer comfort, safety, and witness for Christ all around the world.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us…”
We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, to spread God’s agenda and initiative throughout the world. We are called to be his presence, his shelter in the storms of life. We stand as a beacon of hope and home for those who feel lost in the world.
Why are we Christ’s ambassadors? Well, if Christ has changed our lives and made us new creations, then we should want the same for other people. Our mission is to share the saving grace that we have received through Jesus to everyone we meet. Our job is to make God’s appeal to their hearts, to draw all men to himself. What an amazing task we have been given!
So, Ambassadors, get out there and make a difference! God would have us do no less...
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Church: What's the point?
Why does the church exist?
Now, how many of you think I am off my rocker for even posing this question? You can be honest, it won’t hurt my feelings. The question is important, because we live in an age where people are giving up on “organized religion” for personal spirituality or spiritual growth. Many people are simply walking away from the church. Why does this group exist at all? Why did Jesus and his disciples set up a church to continue on his tradition after he had left?
Many people simply write off church as non-essential. It is too hypocritical, too long, too boring. (Important: These are not my feelings, they are the ones statisticians report.) They see church as simply being one more thing to add to their already-too-large list of activities; something’s gotta give, and it often becomes church. So we are left to wonder, Why does the church exist in the first place? Is it even necessary?
I think Luke clues us in to the answer. Acts covers the foundation of the church and its actions for the Kingdom of God. Luke begins the book of Acts with this thought: “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up into heaven…” (Acts 1:1-2). Luke’s choice of words is very important. Listen to them again: “… I wrote about all the Jesus had begun to do and to teach…” The rest of Acts is the continuation of Christ’s ministry on earth.
It’s no wonder that Paul picks up on this idea in his own writings. Paul refers to the church as the Soma Christou, the “Body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12; Eph. 3-5; Col. 3). We are all called to be part of the body of Christ. A hand cannot grasp, an ear cannot hear, and feet cannot walk on their own; these actions are worthless without a body to make them whole. Body parts are just that: parts of the Body. They have no use outside of that function. So too are Christians: we need to be connected to a body of believers in order to grow and live our full potential.
Why is the church important? Because we carry on the work of Jesus in the world. Is being part of a church easy? Rarely. Is it worth it? Usually. Is it what Christ would have us do? Absolutely.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Faith and Doubt
Can we have doubt and still have faith? The question has plagued many a good Christian for years. If I have doubts, do I still have faith? Does God understand and still love me even when I wonder about his existence, his goodness, his mercy?
In essence, is it ok to doubt?
One of the people I admire most is Mother Teresa. She spent her lifetime caring for the sick, destitute, and distraught in the slums of Calcutta, India. We admire her for her beautiful faith and her adherence to Christ. Yet here's what's amazing: Mother Teresa lived in a sea of doubt.
She penned these words to Christ at the request of her confessor:
Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love — and now become as the most hated one — the one — You have thrown away as unwanted — unloved. I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone ... Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith — I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart — & make me suffer untold agony.
So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them — because of the blasphemy — If there be God — please forgive me — When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven — there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. — I am told God loves me — and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart.
Imagine how she must have felt. She was surrounded by abject poverty and debilitating disease. She lived in the midst of incredible pain. As she viewed the world, she was forced to wonder if God existed. Yet she never wavered, never gave up hope. She lived out Paul's admonition: hardpressed but not crushed, beat down but not in despair...
Can we have doubt and still be a Christian? Absolutely!
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in Mark 9. In Mark 9 a man brings his demon possessed son to the disciples. He is at the end of his rope; his son has been this way since he was born. He has no hope because nothing else has ever worked. And even Jesus' disciples can't drive out the demon.
The father comes to Jesus as his last hope. Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to do something. He asks if Jesus can, will he heal his son. Jesus replies, "If you can? Everything is possible to he who believes!"
The father's reply is my favorite: "I do believe! But help me in my unbelief." How amazing is his response?!? The father feels exactly as many of us feel. We believe, we have faith, we know God is God. Yet we still have these nagging doubts, these back-of-the-mind fears. We aren't quite sure we believe like we say we believe.
Can I tell you a secret? THAT'S OK! Pray the father's prayer: "I do believe, but help me in my unbelief." As we wrestle with our doubts and fears, we come to realize that doubt is part of the process of faith. As theologian Paul Tillich tells us, " Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith."
The greatest heroes of faith lived with doubt. God called Abraham at age 75 and told him he would give him a son; however, Isaac didn't arrive on the scene until Abraham was 100. You can't tell me that Abraham didn't doubt. Read the story with doubt in mind: Abraham is always trying to fulfill God's promise in his own way. He makes Lot his heir, then his manservant, then has a child with Hagar... Abraham might have had faith in God, but he surely had doubt as well.
Faith isn’t about simply accepting things because it is what is expected of you or because it is what you have always been told. Faith isn’t blind acceptance; however, it does involve a level of blindness because we cannot see the One we have faith in. Instead, faith is about a daily wrestling with the facts of life and the Truth of God.
What are your thoughts?
In essence, is it ok to doubt?
One of the people I admire most is Mother Teresa. She spent her lifetime caring for the sick, destitute, and distraught in the slums of Calcutta, India. We admire her for her beautiful faith and her adherence to Christ. Yet here's what's amazing: Mother Teresa lived in a sea of doubt.
She penned these words to Christ at the request of her confessor:
Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love — and now become as the most hated one — the one — You have thrown away as unwanted — unloved. I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone ... Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith — I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart — & make me suffer untold agony.
So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them — because of the blasphemy — If there be God — please forgive me — When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven — there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. — I am told God loves me — and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart.
Imagine how she must have felt. She was surrounded by abject poverty and debilitating disease. She lived in the midst of incredible pain. As she viewed the world, she was forced to wonder if God existed. Yet she never wavered, never gave up hope. She lived out Paul's admonition: hardpressed but not crushed, beat down but not in despair...
Can we have doubt and still be a Christian? Absolutely!
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in Mark 9. In Mark 9 a man brings his demon possessed son to the disciples. He is at the end of his rope; his son has been this way since he was born. He has no hope because nothing else has ever worked. And even Jesus' disciples can't drive out the demon.
The father comes to Jesus as his last hope. Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to do something. He asks if Jesus can, will he heal his son. Jesus replies, "If you can? Everything is possible to he who believes!"
The father's reply is my favorite: "I do believe! But help me in my unbelief." How amazing is his response?!? The father feels exactly as many of us feel. We believe, we have faith, we know God is God. Yet we still have these nagging doubts, these back-of-the-mind fears. We aren't quite sure we believe like we say we believe.
Can I tell you a secret? THAT'S OK! Pray the father's prayer: "I do believe, but help me in my unbelief." As we wrestle with our doubts and fears, we come to realize that doubt is part of the process of faith. As theologian Paul Tillich tells us, " Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith."
The greatest heroes of faith lived with doubt. God called Abraham at age 75 and told him he would give him a son; however, Isaac didn't arrive on the scene until Abraham was 100. You can't tell me that Abraham didn't doubt. Read the story with doubt in mind: Abraham is always trying to fulfill God's promise in his own way. He makes Lot his heir, then his manservant, then has a child with Hagar... Abraham might have had faith in God, but he surely had doubt as well.
Faith isn’t about simply accepting things because it is what is expected of you or because it is what you have always been told. Faith isn’t blind acceptance; however, it does involve a level of blindness because we cannot see the One we have faith in. Instead, faith is about a daily wrestling with the facts of life and the Truth of God.
What are your thoughts?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Cutting budget by spending more money? Are you kidding me?!?!?
Congratulations, Gov. Sibelius, for your new appointment as the new secretary of health under Obama's administration. I have enjoyed having you as a Governor (for all of 8 months). But, honestly, I still know nothing about Kansas politics so I am not sure if you were a good governor or not.
Now, here's the newest news from Washington. Obama made an announcement today that he was asking Congress for an additional $610 billion dollars spread out over the next ten years for healthcare reform. Part of President Obama's platform has been reforming healthcare in America, and it was one of the things that made his candidacy so popular. Now, honestly, America's healthcare system needs to be reformed. My last trip to the doctorcost me $1100, and it still grows. I just got a bill from the doctor $11 my insurance didn't pay. Should my trip to the doctor have cost this much? Absolutely not. It's insane.
But will spending more governmental money bring us reform? Maybe (probably not), but it is FULL of problems.
Problem #1: Regardless of what Michael Moore's Sicko told you, socialized medicine sucks! There is only one place in the world that it seems to work: Cuba. And, let's be honest. How many of us really would want to live there?!? If you ask anyone who has lived in Great Britain, Canada, France, etc, they will tell you that government subsidized medicine produces only two results: long wait times on important medical procedures and an 18% tax rate. Show me how that helps me!
Problem #2: Obama stated today that he wanted to spend $610 billion in healthcare reform in order to slash the Federal budget in half over the next four years. Someone please tell me how spending EVEN MORE MONEY will slash the budget. I am no economist, but that sounds like bad Fiscal Policy. I can't balance MY PERSONAL BUDGET by spending more money.
Once again, the policy of trying to spend more money to fix our economy simply doesn't work. We have given billions to automakers, who are still laying off workers and closing plants and building sucky cars. We are putting more money into government spending that yield no results for the average American.
So someone please tell me how our Public Servants keep trying to screw us over? I am tired of the Federal government telling me that we are in a recession and we need to be given tax cuts, stimulus checks, governmental handouts, tax breaks (oh wait, we aren't going to get a tax break after all!) Congress has already passed a $748 billion dollar economic stimulus plan. Obama just asked for another $410 billion to bail out more banks. Now $610 billion for healthcare reform? Give me a break! (Preferrably a break involving my taxes or HUGE mounting governmental debt to China...)
Now, here's the newest news from Washington. Obama made an announcement today that he was asking Congress for an additional $610 billion dollars spread out over the next ten years for healthcare reform. Part of President Obama's platform has been reforming healthcare in America, and it was one of the things that made his candidacy so popular. Now, honestly, America's healthcare system needs to be reformed. My last trip to the doctorcost me $1100, and it still grows. I just got a bill from the doctor $11 my insurance didn't pay. Should my trip to the doctor have cost this much? Absolutely not. It's insane.
But will spending more governmental money bring us reform? Maybe (probably not), but it is FULL of problems.
Problem #1: Regardless of what Michael Moore's Sicko told you, socialized medicine sucks! There is only one place in the world that it seems to work: Cuba. And, let's be honest. How many of us really would want to live there?!? If you ask anyone who has lived in Great Britain, Canada, France, etc, they will tell you that government subsidized medicine produces only two results: long wait times on important medical procedures and an 18% tax rate. Show me how that helps me!
Problem #2: Obama stated today that he wanted to spend $610 billion in healthcare reform in order to slash the Federal budget in half over the next four years. Someone please tell me how spending EVEN MORE MONEY will slash the budget. I am no economist, but that sounds like bad Fiscal Policy. I can't balance MY PERSONAL BUDGET by spending more money.
Once again, the policy of trying to spend more money to fix our economy simply doesn't work. We have given billions to automakers, who are still laying off workers and closing plants and building sucky cars. We are putting more money into government spending that yield no results for the average American.
So someone please tell me how our Public Servants keep trying to screw us over? I am tired of the Federal government telling me that we are in a recession and we need to be given tax cuts, stimulus checks, governmental handouts, tax breaks (oh wait, we aren't going to get a tax break after all!) Congress has already passed a $748 billion dollar economic stimulus plan. Obama just asked for another $410 billion to bail out more banks. Now $610 billion for healthcare reform? Give me a break! (Preferrably a break involving my taxes or HUGE mounting governmental debt to China...)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Bearing Fruit...
One of my mentors in college asked me a very difficult question one time: “If you stopped living for Christ today, would anyone know the difference?”
How do people know we are Christians? Can they tell? As we live our daily lives, living among our friends, our co-workers, our fellow students, can they tell that there is something different about us? How do people know we are Christians?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples how to live their lives. Jesus’ request is that they live in such a way that they bear good fruit.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-19)
Our fruit is what identifies us. The actions people see, the words that we speak, the things that we stand for… this is the fruit that people see. We are called to be fruit bearers in our daily lives. But what fruit are we supposed to bear? If we are recognized by our fruit, then what are we supposed to bear out in our lives? I think Paul gives us a glimpse in Galatians 5, when he discusses the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… These are the qualities that we are called to display in our own lives. By this fruit we will be recognized.
How would our world be different if each of us determined that we would try to live out the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives? But, let’s be honest: we can’t force ourselves to bear fruit. We can’t grit our teeth, bear down, and force ourselves to display this spiritual fruit. Notice Paul’s statement: the fruit of the Spirit. This is the fruit that the Holy Spirit brings into our life. We can no more gain Godly patience on our own than we can make an apple sprout from our head. Rather, the Spirit is what brings the fruit. We are simply called to draw closer to God. If we draw closer to God in our hearts through prayer, worship, reading, etc, then this fruit will naturally begin to appear in our lives as well.
As Jesus reminds us, by the fruit the tree will be known. May we always bear good fruit in our lives in order to bless the lives of others. And when YOU are asked, “If you stopped living for Christ today, would anyone know the difference?”, may those around you be able to say, “Yes!”
How do people know we are Christians? Can they tell? As we live our daily lives, living among our friends, our co-workers, our fellow students, can they tell that there is something different about us? How do people know we are Christians?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples how to live their lives. Jesus’ request is that they live in such a way that they bear good fruit.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-19)
Our fruit is what identifies us. The actions people see, the words that we speak, the things that we stand for… this is the fruit that people see. We are called to be fruit bearers in our daily lives. But what fruit are we supposed to bear? If we are recognized by our fruit, then what are we supposed to bear out in our lives? I think Paul gives us a glimpse in Galatians 5, when he discusses the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… These are the qualities that we are called to display in our own lives. By this fruit we will be recognized.
How would our world be different if each of us determined that we would try to live out the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives? But, let’s be honest: we can’t force ourselves to bear fruit. We can’t grit our teeth, bear down, and force ourselves to display this spiritual fruit. Notice Paul’s statement: the fruit of the Spirit. This is the fruit that the Holy Spirit brings into our life. We can no more gain Godly patience on our own than we can make an apple sprout from our head. Rather, the Spirit is what brings the fruit. We are simply called to draw closer to God. If we draw closer to God in our hearts through prayer, worship, reading, etc, then this fruit will naturally begin to appear in our lives as well.
As Jesus reminds us, by the fruit the tree will be known. May we always bear good fruit in our lives in order to bless the lives of others. And when YOU are asked, “If you stopped living for Christ today, would anyone know the difference?”, may those around you be able to say, “Yes!”
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
He who is without sin throw out the first pitch...
For those of you who don't already know, Alex Rodriguez took steroids from 2001-2003. He admitted as much two weeks ago after he was outed by a friend. Yesterday he held a press conference verifying his steroid use and apologizing for his behavior. I am proud of the way A-Rod approached this head on. But two questions always arise in the back of my mind. 1) If he hadn't been caught, when A-Rod have ever fessed up to his steroid use? 2) Does it really matter?
The answer to question number one is, "Absolutely not." Yesterday, when asked by a reporter whether or not he thought of himself as a cheater, A-Rod replied, "I don't know. That's not for me to decide." First of all, yes you were cheating. It was the easiest question on the list. A-Rod showed no penitence, so remorse for his decision. The closest thing he has said to remorse was that he was sorry he had shamed the game. There's not much in there about personal culpability or personal responsibility. If he hadn't been caught he never would have shared his steroid use.
Does it matter? Absolutely not. Do steroids provide an advantage in the game of baseball? Yes. Do steroid users have an unfair advantage? Absolutely: steroids present an unfair advantage for the steroid user, as they are bigger and stronger than the non-steroid users that they face. (Their balls are also smaller and their voices higher, but that is beside the point.) Most guys in baseball AREN'T using steroids. However, many of the big names in baseball DID use steroids at some point in their career: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, Mark McGuire, Miguel Tijada... The biggest names in baseball were doing it. A-Rod simply joined the list. Plus, there are just as many pitchers doing steroids as batters. The bigger you get, the harder and faster you can fling the ball. A-Rod was blasting out steroid fueled pitches with his steroid propelled bat; maybe he was just leveling the playing field.
The real question in my mind is this: Why is Congress poking their nose into baseball at all? Aren't there bigger fish to fry? Our economy is in shambles, we just passed a MASSIVE (impotent) stimulus package, more investors on Wall Street are crooks, we are sending 17000 more troops to Afghanistan... Honestly, does the baseball controversy really matter at all?
According to President Obama it does. The Rodriguez controversy was mentioned in his first prime-time address of the American people. With so many other things to wrestle with it's amazing that we are focused on steroids in baseball.
Here's what I would really love to do: Walk into the Congressional hearing with a rock and place it on the arbitrator's desk. I would love to tell the Congressmen on the panel, "If any of you have never cheated to get to where you are, go ahead and throw the stone. But let's be honest... you took money for your campaign from shady investors looking for kickbacks and government contracts. You shamelessly add pork for pet projects into bills to fund education. You lie, cheat, and steal because it is "good" government. So shut the heck up about baseball players! If one of them goes to jail for lying, ALL OF YOU SHOULD GO TO. Bunch of stupid hypocrites."
Did A-Rod cheat? Absolutely. Did A-Rod cheat anymore than the executives on Wall Street, the petroleum profiteers who drove up the prices, the housing execs who sold houses for more than they were worth to people buying outside of their means? Did he cheat more than the Congressmen who are putting other baseball players on trial? Absolutely not. So... let's get down to some real work and leave sports alone.
The answer to question number one is, "Absolutely not." Yesterday, when asked by a reporter whether or not he thought of himself as a cheater, A-Rod replied, "I don't know. That's not for me to decide." First of all, yes you were cheating. It was the easiest question on the list. A-Rod showed no penitence, so remorse for his decision. The closest thing he has said to remorse was that he was sorry he had shamed the game. There's not much in there about personal culpability or personal responsibility. If he hadn't been caught he never would have shared his steroid use.
Does it matter? Absolutely not. Do steroids provide an advantage in the game of baseball? Yes. Do steroid users have an unfair advantage? Absolutely: steroids present an unfair advantage for the steroid user, as they are bigger and stronger than the non-steroid users that they face. (Their balls are also smaller and their voices higher, but that is beside the point.) Most guys in baseball AREN'T using steroids. However, many of the big names in baseball DID use steroids at some point in their career: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, Mark McGuire, Miguel Tijada... The biggest names in baseball were doing it. A-Rod simply joined the list. Plus, there are just as many pitchers doing steroids as batters. The bigger you get, the harder and faster you can fling the ball. A-Rod was blasting out steroid fueled pitches with his steroid propelled bat; maybe he was just leveling the playing field.
The real question in my mind is this: Why is Congress poking their nose into baseball at all? Aren't there bigger fish to fry? Our economy is in shambles, we just passed a MASSIVE (impotent) stimulus package, more investors on Wall Street are crooks, we are sending 17000 more troops to Afghanistan... Honestly, does the baseball controversy really matter at all?
According to President Obama it does. The Rodriguez controversy was mentioned in his first prime-time address of the American people. With so many other things to wrestle with it's amazing that we are focused on steroids in baseball.
Here's what I would really love to do: Walk into the Congressional hearing with a rock and place it on the arbitrator's desk. I would love to tell the Congressmen on the panel, "If any of you have never cheated to get to where you are, go ahead and throw the stone. But let's be honest... you took money for your campaign from shady investors looking for kickbacks and government contracts. You shamelessly add pork for pet projects into bills to fund education. You lie, cheat, and steal because it is "good" government. So shut the heck up about baseball players! If one of them goes to jail for lying, ALL OF YOU SHOULD GO TO. Bunch of stupid hypocrites."
Did A-Rod cheat? Absolutely. Did A-Rod cheat anymore than the executives on Wall Street, the petroleum profiteers who drove up the prices, the housing execs who sold houses for more than they were worth to people buying outside of their means? Did he cheat more than the Congressmen who are putting other baseball players on trial? Absolutely not. So... let's get down to some real work and leave sports alone.
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