Category Archives: Writings

Happy Tensions: WHOs & DOs

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I’ve been re-posting some of my favorite articles. Here’s one you may enjoy.

What do you think Christianity is? How do you read the Bible?

It is quite easy to think of the Bible as a book of rules — things to DO. Yet, it is far greatest The Story of God, of His coming near to us, and in that way is not primarily about us. The Bible is about GOD. And not just facts, figures and fables — as if God were a science experiment, a idea to be calculated, quantified and categorized. In reality, God has acted in history — in this real world — and as we read Scripture we discover the stories are true, the characters are generally failures, and God is always faithful. That’s step one, reading the Bible as if it’s about God and not just “me.” Of course, it must be experienced, taken into our whole lives, if we are to learn what God says.

There’s another needed emphasis, more likened to a simple priority: know the WHOs before the DOs. Jesus came to show us the way by BEING the way. No five step (or 12) plan for salvation here (though obedience and life-change is progressive and gradual). He’s the plan, the whole plan. So when we read, we see the what, why, how, and especially the Who of God’s Story.
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Happy Tensions: Head + Heart

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Christianity refuses to choose between head and heart. It is both head and heart. It is intellectually credible (if you would take time to study), as well as experientially pleasing. Christ fills our heads, and captivates our hearts. God’s Word forces us to think deeply, but touches us on the deepest level. It is real, and must be experience in real-time.

We each are drawn towards one direction. Be tethered to both. Those who detach the two are either swimming in a sea of religion, or being swept away in an ocean of mysticism.

Know God.

Love Him.

Enjoy Him.

Fill your mind with Him, and never stop swimming in the depths of His love, truth, and taking others to take the plunge with you. We were meant to know God, cognitively and experientially. And we were meant to do that with others, pointing others to Him. God wants to be known. Do you know Him? Do others know Him because of you?

 

Happy Tensions: What, Why, How … Who!

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The Bible specifically tells us the What & Why of God’s revelation, and in many ways reveals to us the How (as well as they where, when, etc.). It is a collection of God’s specifically written 66 books packed with narrative, the great themes of God’s revelation, propositional truths, and a whole lot more, for all Scripture is “breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ). Why? So the people of God will be thoroughly equipped for all of life (every good work, v. 17).

What, Why, How ... WHO!

Related to this, let us consider a different perspective or facet related to What, Why & How, especially related to communicating God’s true Word (preaching, teaching, etc.). For right now let’s think of “What” as the truths of Scripture, the essential doctrines . “Why” would be the theological perspectives and reasons behind these truths . “How” represents principles for godly living derived from Scripture (based on the What & Why), for life application.

But there is still something missing – rather, “Who” is missing?
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What Drives Us? Perfection.

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I’ll be re-posting and finishing a series looking at why we do, think and feel the way we do. The core idea is this: we either make our decisions based on God’s promises in the Gospel, or on something else.

What is that something else? What drives us? What motives lie beneath the surface? Catch up by reading the first one — Preference — and some thoughts on how these factors play out in pastoral counseling.

So, what drives us?

Perfection.I am a ‘recovering perfectionist,’ meaning when asked what drives me, I am more apt to make decisions based on getting things right and seek perfection than on other motives (like preference).

Perhaps I never want to be seen as lazy, or perhaps there is an inner drive for excellence. It can be both a strength and a weakness. When a drive for perfection becomes ultimate, it supplants the Perfect Creator as my source of significance. (The only remedy is to repent and believe the Gospel: we no longer have to work for significance in Christ; rather we work from significance in Christ, according to the Gospel.) There are a couple on this list that that I tend towards, and perfection-driven is one of them.

In short, if perfection drives me: I am my own worse critic, and like to have control.

Let’s look at how this plays out in life. Consider your own heart and motives.

Situation … response:

  • When all is well in my life … Hey, look at me! But I sometimes wonder why it’s not always like this.
  • When trials enter my life … I don’t want others to know that I don’t have my life all together. (So I don’t talk openly about my weaknesses.)
  • When I am criticized, I … Get defensive because no one realizes I’m probably superior to them.
  • My relationship with God is … Makes me feel better (or worse) depending on if I’m meeting my own standards & goals.
  • Motivation: Being right, jealousy.
  • When I sin … I think I should know and do better and beat myself up (failure). Vow to make it up.
  • I trust … in myself and those who share my high standards.
  • My greatest strengths/ weaknesses are … my strength is my high standards & wisdom; my weakness is that I can beat myself and others up emotionally
  • My identity is found in … my own abilities to control life and others.

—

Is that you?

Pride and guilt are horrible task-masters.

Repent of trusting in yourself and trust Christ for your acceptance before God and people.

—

Christianity: The only religion where man is saved when he stops trying to save himself.

By God’s grace we can experience change,
through continually realizing that Jesus is our Perfection,
because He is God’s only way of acceptance.

 

What Drives Us? Preference.

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I’ll be re-posting and completing an unfinished series asking the question “What drives us?”  We’ll look into why we do, think and feel the way we do. Can’t promise it will be epic, but it has been a long-time in coming.

—

The core idea is this: we either make our decisions based on God’s promises in the Gospel, or on something else. What is that something else? What drives us? What motives lie beneath the surface?

The idea came to me while meditating on the difference between guilt as a motivator and curiosity, joy, passion, etc…. and for context I must say I was driving. In fact, over a two-minute drive home my mind was flooded with a list of a dozen words that start with “P,” and all describe why we do what we do. I couldn’t pause and jot down notes quick enough. In a future post I will share the scriptural background, and how these motivations interrelate. Plus, how I have used these categories in pastoral counseling.

So, what drives us?

Consider this one relatively easy to identify: our preferences.

Situation … response:

When all is well in my life … When trials enter my life … When I am criticized, I … My relationship with God is … Motivation When I sin … I trust… My greatest strengths/ weaknesses are… My identity is found in …
I feel like my relationship with God couldn’t be better. I try to move on to a better situation. Am sometimes hurt, and move on to other people, places or things. A high priority, but doesn’t necessarily impact every square inch of my life. Preferences I am actually probably more aware of others’ failures than my own. in those who meet my needs and wants. s: my ability to make wise choices
w: those (morons) around me my refined tastes and desire
  • When all is well in my life … I feel like my relationship with God couldn’t be better.
  • When trials enter my life … I try to move on to a better situation.
  • When I am criticized … I am sometimes hurt, and move on to other people, places or things.
  • My relationship with God is … a high priority, but doesn’t necessarily impact every square inch of my life.
  • Motivation: Preferences
  • When I sin … I am actually probably more aware of others’ failures than my own.
  • I trust … in those who meet my needs and wants
  • My greatest strengths/weaknesses are …
    • [strength]: my ability to make wise choices;
    • [weakness]: those (morons) around me.
  • My identity is found in …  my refined tastes and desires.
 

How it all begin & how it will never end

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The gospel is the good news of the new world coming. The plot-line of the Bible is essentially:
1) God created the world,
2) The world and humanity fell into sin and decay through our rebellion,
3) But God sends his Son to redeem the world and create a new humanity, and
4) Eventually the whole world will be renewed. Death, decay, injustice, and suffering will be all removed.

 

Words fit for a King

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Today marks Epiphany, the day after the Twelve Days of Christmas, meant to celebrate the moment the magi arrived with their kingly gifts. These were truly gifts fit for a king, even for this King. (Keep in mind that gold was the least valuable of the three elements presented the Child Savior.)

Christians have long stood in the promises of their King, knowing that while we are citizens in this world (and hopefully the best possible citizens, engaged and active in serving others while motivated by joy and grace), we are truly citizens of another Kingdom. Our orders and approval come from somewhere else, outside of us, beyond guilt and shame, and with far deeper and longer-lasting motives. The King calls, and we follow.

Thankfully, we do not walk this path alone:

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
—Philippians 3:17-21

The promises of our King will never fail or expire; here are words fit to describe His loving care of His people:

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
—Jude 1:24-25
Live in that reality.
 

Think it over.

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The Thinker by Auguste Rodin

It appears so many people do not give themselves to rigorous study (of whatever subject makes them curious), finding better resources and opportunities to grow. Why is this?

Active investigation is out, giving way to trusting others to bring us the info, news, and truth we need — passively sitting back for others to make sense of it for us. It appears this is not so much because people know it all, it’s that some people think they know it all. (Or, think that knowledge is not important.)

Humility and curiosity are keys to learning well. Couple that with diligence and you may have a world-changer; or at least a neighborhood changer, because in humility we value people as much as ideas. It’s not that we need to know everything. Rather, if we know a few things well, and are gripped by them — we’ll change our corner of the world.

God connects good thinking to good character and good skills:

As Paul writes to the Romans, “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”
—Romans 15:14

Those who can wisely instruct and counsel others (on a wide range of topics and life) must have proven character and growing knowledge. We never arrive in this life. But we who think we have arrive are in fact the furthest from it.

It takes diligence to think. It takes discipline to order our lives around new priorities (which is what the word means), and to learn beyond our current level of understanding. We need to be people who are being made new, strengthened by the grace that comes from God’s gracious character:

[2:1] You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, [2] and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. [3] Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. [4] No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. [5] An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. [6] It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. [7] Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
—2 Timothy 2:1-7

See that promise in verse 7, a ‘happy tension’ of sorts: “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” I bet Timothy clung onto that promise as tightly as he followed the four metaphorical figures: suffering as a good soldier, disciplining himself and competing according to the rules, the hard-working and tireless farmer, and (back to the first one, in verse two) teaching and entrusting essential truths to reliable men.

Read, examine, respond. Think deeply. Be changed. Pour into others. Repeat.