BROKEN

"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Couldn't put Humpty together again"

Remember that story? Almost all of us have felt like Humpty dumpty at one time or another!! Everything seeming to go O.K. and all of a sudden everything is broken, including us! This week has been exactly that kind for me. It has found be broken before God, asking for his Grace, seeking for his mercy. Have you ever been there?

If you are a Baseball fan you know the name of Ralph Branka, and you don't know him for his over 100 major league wins, or as one of the better pitchers of late 40's and early 50's, you know him for one thing: He was pitching in a playoff game for the National League title in 1951, It was the bottom of the 9th, his team ahead 5-3, 2 outs 2 men on base...if he gets the next man out, and they are National league champions, all the sacrifice and effort Branka put into his life for baseball would become worth it.....BUT, the pitch he threw was hit out of the ball park by Bobby Thompson, we know it as "The Shot heard around the world" Branka has never been allowed to forget that moment, whenever his name is mentioned, all the good pitches he threw are quickly forgotten, and one is remembered, the mistake he threw to Bobby Thompson.

In spite of all the positives, Branka was Fractured, broken, he had let everyone down, including himself, and it hurt deeply.....He knew what Humpty Dumpty felt like! We can all relate can't we?

There are broken people all over the place, and they are hurting, suffering, seemingly alone in their world of pain, not physical pain, or they could see a doctor, but emotional turmoil of knowing things may never be the same again. Some are reeling from self inflicted wounds, mistakes, errors in judgment and yes, sinful actions, which we know bring unwanted yet justified results.

Now to be honest with you, one thing that puzzles me is that at times when people sin, it seems like God's chastisement is immediate and certain, yet at other times it seems as if people get away with their sin! Asaph the Psalmist struggles with that reality in Psalm 73, a must read for those wondering why God does not bring judgment on sin as quickly as we would like on people that don’t know or follow Jesus.

The reality is that Sin brings brokenness in life, and we are all sinners, then we all know what it is like to deal with breaks in life. It may be when you got married, you figured you would have a fulfilling relationship, and for the most part you did, you love your wife, and your children, but that gal at the office caught your eye, at first it was just friendly chat, then a lunch, you called it business, and then.....well you know the rest of the story, now you are trying to pick up the pieces, you know what Humpty felt like....BROKEN.

Maybe you have spent your last years building a good testimony on the job, people know where you stood with Christ, and you were praying that God would use you to win your co-workers to Him, but then came argument with that person over you that gets under your skin. You’re not sure how it got so out of control, not even sure what you said, but it was bad enough to lose your job, and to blow that testimony you built up for so long, and you know what Humpty felt like....BROKEN.

The illustrations are endless, the results strikingly similar....hurt, pain, despair, and at times resignation. And praise God the answer is always the same…..Jesus….yes the gospel of Jesus is about putting people back together, the one thing that all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t do….THE KING OF KINGS PROMISES TO DO!

Revival or Reformation?

One well know Charismatic writer wrote these words:
"The World awaits a fresh manifestation of the Spirit in the Body of Christ......I am tired of the airy, fairy doctrines of Theologians. The fresh manifestation of the Spirit will have NOTHING to do with sound doctrine.”"
Is that statement true? Is it true that a fresh manifestation of the Spirit is going to come independent of sound doctrine? What is true is that the Church in some circles is accepting just about anything that smacks of spirituality without checking it out with the Word of God first. We see it in the way the Church has embraced a marketing approach to ministry, viewing the gospel as a product to be hocked. We see it in the therapeutic approach to handling life's problems as opposed to a Biblical approach where God’s Word is seen as sufficient. We see it in the health wealth and prosperity gospel, where God is seen as a cosmic genie as opposed to the awesome Sovereign Holy One. We see it in the acceptance of shabby theology in Christian book stores, with books being written that have little to no relation to Biblical teaching. The extremes are see in the bad theology of some Charismatics to the non-theology of some emergent Church writers.
What is the Problem? There has been a breakdown of theology on the Local Church level where Pastors have opted out for a perceived better way as opposed to the Pauline example of consistently teaching of the whole counsel of God, and modeling a distinctly Christ-like living pattern.
As David Wells says in the last Chapter of his fine book “No Place for Truth; Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?”
"We need reformation rather than revival. The habits of the modern world, not so ubiquitous in the evangelical world, need to be put to death, not given new life. They need to be rooted out, not pampered over with some fresh religious enthusiasm.” ( His thesis is that proper theology leads to revival..) “The death of theology has profound ramifications. Theology is dying because the Church has lost its capacity for it. And while some hail this loss as a step forward toward the hope of a new Evangelical vitality, it is in fact a sign of creeping death. The emptiness of evangelical faith without Theology echoes the emptiness of modern life."
As the body of Christ we must stand with a balance of love and sound doctrine. It seems to me that we have swung from an emphasis on Orthodoxy (right belief) to an emphasis on Orthopraxy (right practice). The point is that we need both, without either the Church ceases to represent Jesus. Pray that Pastors would have a renewed confidence in the Word of God. God’s people are starving for the knowledge of God and it is time for the Shepherds to step up to the plate and deliver it, line upon line, precept upon precept.

God Did this!

The Psalmist praised the Lord that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. Our God is a creative genius. Let me illustrate it for you. There is not 1 part of your body that you can see that was there 10 years ago. All the cells in your body have been replaced by new cells through the process of mitosis – cell reproduction (except for nerve cells and brain cells, which are never replaced) That is true of all of us, so that if your wife says “your not the man I married 10 years ago..” You can say… “You’re right!” Our bodies replace cells a bit slower as we age, especially in our bones, but they continue to replace themselves.
The question that might come to your mind is, why do the new cells look exactly like the old ones? Why don’t my eyes change color? Why don’t I grow 10 inches with the new cells? Why the same nose, same facial features, same fingerprints, etc.?
The answer is DNA, Deoxyribonucleic Acid. This is a polymer molecule (a large molecule made up of smaller molecules) located in each cell nucleus that determines its makeup. Within every DNA molecule is over one hundred thousand genes. DNA is estimated to contain instructions that, if written out, would fill 1 thousand books of 600 pages each. A muscle cell might operate according to instructions from volume 27 and a kidney cell according to instructions from volume 789, but each cell has the whole DNA. The RNA within each cell tells it what part of the DNA instructions that each individual cell should operate according to! Every cell of every person has their personal DNA, and everyone’s is completely different. If you have ever watched an episode of CSI, you already know this; it is called our genetic finger print.
DNA looks like a long spiral staircase, millions of turns long. How large and long are those DNA? If you took the DNA out of every cell of your body and put them together, they are so compact that they wouldn’t be as big as an ice cube, yet if they are unwound, they would stretch from here to the sun and back…….OVER 400 TIMES! Isn’t that incredible? When you look in the mirror today, pause and take the time to praise the God who created you, and remember that you are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made.

FORSAKEN

There are 6 words in the Gospel of Mark that I came across and I just could not get them out of my mind. They haunted me, they challenged me, they sobered me, they saddened me.........What were they? They are from the 14th chapter of the gospel of Mark, they read as follows......They all forsook Him and fled....

We all know what it is like to be forsaken on one level or another don't we? Some have to experience it while they are young with the break up of their home, and they feel rejected and forsaken by those they love the most. Others have been forsaken by a spouse, and they know the sting that brings, the corresponding loneliness, and the ongoing fight with bitterness. Many people have been forsaken by peers, and know the hurt and the anguish of being let down. People who have been or are presently forsaken and rejected are around us all the time, it is part and parcel of life. If there is one truth that hits us all the way through life it is that life is not fair, and people are not always even handed!!

You don't have to travel far to find the rejected, just visit the local High School, and look for the teens who are rejected, already feeling the cold wind of being forsaken. They aren't hard to find, they may have acne or greasy hair, or a slow metabolism that keeps them over weight. They sit alone in the cafeteria, they stay home on the weekends, they long to be even recognized by a class star, they long for acceptance, but they are convinced they don't deserve it. You can find the rejected in a nursing home, people who through no fault of their own have committed the heinous crime of aging, and they are alone, feeling rejected and forsaken. Consider the divorcee, who used to be included when the couples went out, but they no longer call since her husband left, and she feels rejected and forsaken. We could add those who have AIDS, the handicapped, and the terminally ill. They all know what rejection and being forsaken is all about. Society doesn't know what to do with these people and sadly, even the Church isn't sure how to react, these people often would find a warmer reception at the corner bar than in a Sunday School class in some Fundamental Churches. Maybe you feel rejected and forsaken, and nobody would ever know, you've hidden it well, but deep down inside you feel cold, isolated, alone.....FORSAKEN

When you are in a state like this you begin to wonder, "Can anyone relate with how I feel? Can anyone help?" The answer to this question is a resounding YES! Jesus knows how you feel. He was rejected by everyone dear to him. He was rejected by his hometown. He grew up in Nazareth, a child without sin. He was wise beyond his years as seen in his teaching in the Temple at age 12. Being God in the flesh he was kind and loving all the time, yet he was forsaken by those closest to him. He was rejected by the religious leaders of the day. Those who dedicated their lives to the study of the Scriptures, which pointed to the coming of the Messiah, rejected Him when he came. Near the end of his life he was rejected by most those who had followed him. They had eaten food that he had miraculously provided. They had seen him perform many miraculous works, yet they rejected Him. He was rejected by one of his own disciples, Judas, who betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. He was rejected by his family. His brothers and sister ridiculed him (See John 11:1-5). He was rejected by his closest friends, the disciples. These men who Jesus loved, and who he taught. These men with whom he spent 3 years of his life with. Arguably, these men were the most privileged men to ever live, and yet they turned their back on the one who had loved them like they had never been loved before. When the choice came between their skin and their Lord, they chose to run to save their skin. When they saw that Jesus was going down, they jumped ship! Jesus understands what it is like to be rejected and forsaken.

As intense as all of that rejection was, the worst rejection was yet to come. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus cried out, My God, My God, why hast thou FORSAKEN me? From 12:00 - 3:00 it was dark. It was not an eclipse, for it was Passover season, which is the time of the full moon. At this time the moon is opposite the sun. This darkness that was caused by God. It is interesting that at the birth of the Son of God there was brightness at midnight, and at his death there was darkness at noon. Why was Jesus forsaken on the cross? Because for 3 hours endured the pain, the suffering the agony of sin. The sins of Gods children were cast on Him, and the Father and The Spirit had to turn their backs on him. He suffered for sin alone, abandoned, forsaken. Why did he do this??? Hold on now....it is because he loved us. That my fellow bloggers is incredible!!! He endured the agony of rejection for those who are willing to turn from their sin, and embrace Him as Lord and Savior. Think about it this way. When Jesus was crying out for his Father to forgive them, he was saying, "Father, forgive them, by pouring out your wrath on me." When a person comes to Jesus Christ in faith that his death, burial and resurrection is sufficient to save, they are assured that they will never be forsaken again. People may let you down, but Jesus says to those who trust him, I will never leave you or FORSAKE you. As you gaze at the cross this passion season, remember, Jesus was forsaken so that we would never have to be eternally forsaken.

Laws of Human Nature

Have you noticed that people can be a source of great blessings in your life? Have you also noticed that they can drive you crazy? Oh.....let me admit, I am a PEOPLE too! I have noticed in my years of dealing with these creatures (including the person typing this!) a number of truths. I came across these laws years ago and I have them hanging on my bulletin board in my office:

THE 4 LAWS OF HUMAN NATURE


Ø The speed at which news spreads is directly related to its degree of badness.

Ø When admitting something bad about oneself, the capacity to focus blame on others is infinite.

Ø Nothing is totally appreciated until it is irretrievably lost.

Ø A person’s ability to rationalize when in trouble is limitless.

Obviously each of these realities are the result of the fall. I have noticed the the great exceptions to these rules are found in the lives of those who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Have a great week all bloggers!

Is Busyness Next to Godliness+

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY......does that sound familiar? It seems that these days people are moving faster than ever before. One person said that we all have become fanatics, which by his definition is someone who doubles their efforts when they have lost sight of the goal.
All of us have a multiple of demands upon our lives. Most bloggers are students, and you know how busy you can get, classes....homework....job....relationships...church.....sports, etc. etc. You are looking for a good relationship with the opposite sex and we KNOW that takes TIME. If you are married you have spouse. You are rightfully expected to meet their needs, to seek to love them more, and to continually work to make your marriage better. In this day and age it is vital for you to be creative in displaying your love, and to be a constant encouragement to the other. If you have been blessed with children, you need to understand each of their individual bents and ways, help them grow in discernment, and seek to get them all of what they need and some of what they want!!! One of the greatest challenges in our culture is to get them to all of their extra-curricular activities and make it to as many as you can, and if you fail at all of that, at least you try to keep them alive until they move out!!
We have extended families as well, and we seek to make sure we remember all the appropriate birthdays and anniversaries, and get together with them before they pass away. The dreaded trip to see cousin Sam takes time, and when we go on the trip there are other priorities that are going without our attention.
Your physical dwelling needs to be maintained, the garage needs to be cleaned, or worse than that your room. Your Dad may have just asked you to weed the yard or clean the pool, or your mom to cook a meal (YEAH RIGHT). On top of that you want to make another post so your friends won't think you have fallen into the abyss!
With all of the above, you and I have a full boat of priorities don’t we? I haven’t even mentioned the letters to be written, the bills to be paid, the fat cells to be burned off, the vacations to be planned, the financial decisions to made for the future, schools to be applied to, scholarships to seek.....I think you get the picture!
I haven't even thrown in the most important aspect of life, which is our spiritual standing before God. Our spiritual lives are the most significant part of our being. With everything in life so complicated, it is wonderful to know that when it comes to true spirituality, Jesus boiled the priorities down into simplified form for us. A man had over heard Jesus debating with some of the religious authorities of the day, and he came and asked the Lord a question about priorities. What is the most important priority in life? Listen to the words of Jesus from the 12th chapter of the Gospel of Mark.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”....... “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Ah, there it is in simple form, love God and love others. One would think with all of the material being written today that our major priority is to love ourselves. However, our major priority according to Jesus is that we love God first and foremost, and that we love others as we love ourselves. A quick look around the landscape of life informs us that this is not the ethic of the day. We are told to “Grab for the Gusto”. We are exhorted to “have it our way”. What is the problem? People are selfish. Why are people so selfish? The Bible tells us it is because all of us are sinners. The priorities of our culture are in disarray not simply because of bad politics, but because of bad hearts, and none of us are exempt. Is there a solution?? I am glad to be able report a resounding yes! Jesus Christ came into the world to pay the price for sin. When a person repents of their sin, and comes to Christ believing that his death on the cross is sufficient payment for sin, God then creates in that person a new passion to love Him and others. We can fulfill our first priority by coming to God through His son the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are as busy as I am, it would be easy to let the tyranny of the urgent drown out the deepest need of your heart, which is to know and love God. Remember your first priority is to the Lord and live for His Glory!

Enjoying God

"The Lord is great and greatly to be praised..." Don't you love it that God has given us all things "richly to enjoy"? C.S. Lewis posited that you can tell much about a person by what they enjoy. Did you ever notice that you don't have to be prompted to talk about that which you love and enjoy? If you see a good movie and you enjoyed it, you talk to your friends about it. Beyond that you encourage them to see it as well. As I consider what I enjoy in life I am driven to thank the Lord, for He has gifted me tremendously. I enjoy my relationship with my best friend and my lover Ruth, anything I do with her is a JOY. I enjoy the late night telephone discussions with Art over the deep issues of theology or the Red Sox. I enjoy time spent with Jessica watching the joy that comes over her when she is shopping or talking about her main squeeze Dane. I enjoy golfing with Jenny, watching Law & Order with her and listening to her passion for the Lord and people when she talks! Because I love and enjoy my family, I talk (OK, brag) about them often. Of course the chief end of man is to glorify God and (or as Piper says "by") enjoy him forever. I am convinced that most are seeking to be adequate by the power of the Holy Spirit to glorify God, the question that begs to be asked is "Do we enjoy Him?" (Ps. 16:9-10) Again, we talk about what we enjoy and we want others to enjoy as well. The key to reaching the world for Jesus is not to make people feel guilty that they don't evangelize enough. The key is for all the saints to enjoy God, for when we do that, we will talk about Him. David realized this when he prayed in Psalm 52 "Restore unto me the joy of your salvation and then I will tell others....." There it is! He realized that when He was enjoying the Lord, he talked to others about Him. Pray for me that I would have a continual and driving passion to enjoy the Lord....and I will pray the same for you!

Music

Have you ever had someone say "I hate worship choruses, they repeat things over and over...?" I was thinking of that this morning when I was reading Psalm 136. Twenty six times David repeats the same phrase in this HYMN, "His steadfast love endures forever" (ESV) In Handel's Messiah we have indrecible repetition, but it is accomplished with musical excellence....ah maybe that is it. What do you think about the music being sung today in Churches? Are you longing for more old hymns of the faith, more contemporary choruses, or would you like to have a blended approach? We would do well to realize that this is an issue of personal preference and be willing to bend for others so that we might all be able to worship God effectively. I was just wondering what you were thinking on this.....LATER