Today during my break at the pool I sat and read the first chapter of Tozer's The Pursuit of God with my iPod in my ears just playing random songs. I don't know why I had it, I just picked up a book on my way out the door because I knew I'd have some time to kill and didn't want to be bored. I like to re-read my books every year or so just because I know I always miss something or certain passages jump out in new ways. Today I was impressed by Tozer's quotation of John Wesley. He says, "Orthodoxy, or right opinion , is, at best, a very slender part of religion... There may be right opinion of God without either love or one right temper toward Him. Satan is proof of this." This floored me, one can know the truth without having the truth in him. It doesn't matter how many correct things we say or think about God, our faith is only fully realized in the pursuit of satisfaction for an unyielding desire for the presence of God.
I echoed Tozer's prayer... "I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire." As I read those words I heard the lyrics of Leeland's "Carried to the Table" in my ears and instantly felt God's love and grace pouring over every inch of me.
I was carried to the table
Seated where I don't belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don't see my brokenness anymore
When I'm seated at the table of the Lord
I'm carried to the table
The table of the Lord
I knew He had heard me, he had seen my heart, and He answered me.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
On the Spiritual Gifts
I recently sent this note to a friend of mine who had some questions for me about my views on the topic of spiritual gifts.
"...You ask some really good questions, and the truth is that I’ve had some of the same doubts and misgivings myself about the importance of the practice of tongues and other spiritual gifts in the local church. And before I tell you about my own experiences, I first want to explain you what I’ve become convinced of concerning the gifts through studying the scriptures.
First, there are a variety of supernatural giftings as described in the Bible that are made available to the believer as the Holy Spirit decides. We can in no way take ownership of these gifts as their source is not in us, neither can they be brought about or earned by any effort on our part, but are granted only by the grace of God to those willing to receive it. (1 Cor. 12:4-11; Ephesians 2:8)
Not all believers are enabled in the same fashion, in other words, there is no one definitive sign of the filling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:29-30). The true test of the Spirit’s work in the life of a believer is not in supernatural giftings but as evidenced though the fruit their lives produce. If an individual is truly filled with the Holy Spirit then that person should possess (in ever-increasing measure) a Christ-like character and intimacy with God (1 John 2:5-6).
The purpose of the spiritual gifts is for the building of the church (outward) and the personal edification of the believer (inward) (1 Cor. 14). If for any reason these gifts are practiced with impure motives, they become ineffectual as they remove the focus from the Giver, to the gift (1Cor. 13:1-3).
My first experience with the gift of tongues was through my grandpa. He had come to faith in the Lord after receiving a miraculous healing from degenerative arthritis, which in turn had a great impact on my parents’ own spiritual journey. Grandpa used to speak in a prayer language during church services which were confirmed to be an actual language when a visiting missionary from Israel overheard his prayers and asked where he had studied Hebrew.
Recently Grandpa felt God’s leading to share a tongue with the congregation at Big Flats Wesleyan and asked permission from the pastor to do so. When he spoke, a man named Alex Slater, a young Christian who himself had doubts about the validity of Spiritual gifts, stood up and said that he had heard only English while Grandpa was speaking.
In Jr. and Sr. high my youth pastor was a man named Dean Hillyard (he and his family now attend Victory). Dean’s teachings encouraged me for the first time to personally seek the Spiritual gifts in earnest. Like you I wanted a deeper walk, I wanted more of God, and was careful to seek the proper motives for doing so.
In contrast I’ve been to services where people are paraded around the stage, convulsing, falling over, screaming, and could not say that I felt the presence of God in the midst of all that. It felt like chaos, not worship.
I’m convinced in the power and validity of the gifts as long as they are used properly and in an orderly manner as described by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians"
I just want to add for all of you who are reading that I in no way consider myself an authority on the subject. As with anything there are those who are far more knowledgeable and experienced than I about this topic. I still have much to learn about the way the Spirit works in our lives. But I just wanted to share some of my own thoughts. I invite you to let me know what you think, whether you agree or disagree I appreciate your input.
"...You ask some really good questions, and the truth is that I’ve had some of the same doubts and misgivings myself about the importance of the practice of tongues and other spiritual gifts in the local church. And before I tell you about my own experiences, I first want to explain you what I’ve become convinced of concerning the gifts through studying the scriptures.
First, there are a variety of supernatural giftings as described in the Bible that are made available to the believer as the Holy Spirit decides. We can in no way take ownership of these gifts as their source is not in us, neither can they be brought about or earned by any effort on our part, but are granted only by the grace of God to those willing to receive it. (1 Cor. 12:4-11; Ephesians 2:8)
Not all believers are enabled in the same fashion, in other words, there is no one definitive sign of the filling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:29-30). The true test of the Spirit’s work in the life of a believer is not in supernatural giftings but as evidenced though the fruit their lives produce. If an individual is truly filled with the Holy Spirit then that person should possess (in ever-increasing measure) a Christ-like character and intimacy with God (1 John 2:5-6).
The purpose of the spiritual gifts is for the building of the church (outward) and the personal edification of the believer (inward) (1 Cor. 14). If for any reason these gifts are practiced with impure motives, they become ineffectual as they remove the focus from the Giver, to the gift (1Cor. 13:1-3).
My first experience with the gift of tongues was through my grandpa. He had come to faith in the Lord after receiving a miraculous healing from degenerative arthritis, which in turn had a great impact on my parents’ own spiritual journey. Grandpa used to speak in a prayer language during church services which were confirmed to be an actual language when a visiting missionary from Israel overheard his prayers and asked where he had studied Hebrew.
Recently Grandpa felt God’s leading to share a tongue with the congregation at Big Flats Wesleyan and asked permission from the pastor to do so. When he spoke, a man named Alex Slater, a young Christian who himself had doubts about the validity of Spiritual gifts, stood up and said that he had heard only English while Grandpa was speaking.
In Jr. and Sr. high my youth pastor was a man named Dean Hillyard (he and his family now attend Victory). Dean’s teachings encouraged me for the first time to personally seek the Spiritual gifts in earnest. Like you I wanted a deeper walk, I wanted more of God, and was careful to seek the proper motives for doing so.
In contrast I’ve been to services where people are paraded around the stage, convulsing, falling over, screaming, and could not say that I felt the presence of God in the midst of all that. It felt like chaos, not worship.
I’m convinced in the power and validity of the gifts as long as they are used properly and in an orderly manner as described by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians"
I just want to add for all of you who are reading that I in no way consider myself an authority on the subject. As with anything there are those who are far more knowledgeable and experienced than I about this topic. I still have much to learn about the way the Spirit works in our lives. But I just wanted to share some of my own thoughts. I invite you to let me know what you think, whether you agree or disagree I appreciate your input.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Waiting for my Real life to begin
I stole the title of this blog from a song by Collin Hay of whose music I've become a fan. The first time I heard it was in an episode of Scrubs. The song is sung by a woman who is on a waiting list for a heart transplant. "It's not dying I'm afraid of, it's the waiting I can't stand, I just want to know either way."
I think all of us have been through period of waiting where it feels like our true life hasn't really started yet. I know in the past I've looked at others around me and think, "They've made it, they're there, living the life they worked and waited for." Then I wonder how many of them think of their lives the same way. Would they say they've made it, or would they admit they have some unfinished business to take care of before the end?
I remember once speaking with a man in his sixties whose children were adults with spouses and children of their own. He had had a career in the military for 30 years and moved up the ranks to become an experienced and well respected officer. Now retired he confessed that he still had no idea what he wanted to be when he grew up.
I like to think that we never really "make it", because wouldn't that mean that there's nothing left to hope for? Nothing left to work and plan and achieve? My real life starts when I stop waiting and start living. When I use the days rather than endure them. You can waste your whole life waiting for better days, telling yourself that things will be different. Then you wake up and a lifetime has passed and all you can do is wish for those days back.
Any minute now my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll stand on the bow
And feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down on me
And you said,"Be still, my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in"
Don't you understand?
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
I think all of us have been through period of waiting where it feels like our true life hasn't really started yet. I know in the past I've looked at others around me and think, "They've made it, they're there, living the life they worked and waited for." Then I wonder how many of them think of their lives the same way. Would they say they've made it, or would they admit they have some unfinished business to take care of before the end?
I remember once speaking with a man in his sixties whose children were adults with spouses and children of their own. He had had a career in the military for 30 years and moved up the ranks to become an experienced and well respected officer. Now retired he confessed that he still had no idea what he wanted to be when he grew up.
I like to think that we never really "make it", because wouldn't that mean that there's nothing left to hope for? Nothing left to work and plan and achieve? My real life starts when I stop waiting and start living. When I use the days rather than endure them. You can waste your whole life waiting for better days, telling yourself that things will be different. Then you wake up and a lifetime has passed and all you can do is wish for those days back.
Any minute now my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll stand on the bow
And feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down on me
And you said,"Be still, my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in"
Don't you understand?
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Lawn chairs and tree-stumps
So I was mowing the lawn today as I often do, and started thinking, as I don't as often do. That's one of the benefits of a repetitive, menial chore; it allows you the freedom to let your mind drift. It occurred to me, "I've been mowing this same lawn now for over 15 years", every summer it's the same thing. Oh there's been shifts in the landscape, fleets of different mowers, and some of the trees are larger or deader, but for the most part I'm cutting the same edges, overcoming the same obstacles, and pursuing the same ends that I have for the last 15 summers. Hmmm, metaphore anyone?
I reminded myself, "Get a grip, you won't be here for long. Just one more summer and things will really start to change."
And I told myself "True, but what does that really change? I'll still be the same person I was before. Does my destination in life depend on my physical location?"
"It's much more than that, think of the opportunities you'll have that you don't get here."
"Yes, but opportunities are only good to those who have trained themselves to take advantage of them."
"Granted, however..."
It was about this time that my internal dialogue was cut short by a deer fly that attached itself to my neck. In a second it was deftly dispatched with a quick swat and I continued on my way. "They may be irritating, but they have good taste."
I guess the point is, whether at home or at school, I'm still me, no matter where I go, I take my issues with me. The time zone might be different, but the obstacles are the same. The only factor that determines how I meet them, is me.
I reminded myself, "Get a grip, you won't be here for long. Just one more summer and things will really start to change."
And I told myself "True, but what does that really change? I'll still be the same person I was before. Does my destination in life depend on my physical location?"
"It's much more than that, think of the opportunities you'll have that you don't get here."
"Yes, but opportunities are only good to those who have trained themselves to take advantage of them."
"Granted, however..."
It was about this time that my internal dialogue was cut short by a deer fly that attached itself to my neck. In a second it was deftly dispatched with a quick swat and I continued on my way. "They may be irritating, but they have good taste."
I guess the point is, whether at home or at school, I'm still me, no matter where I go, I take my issues with me. The time zone might be different, but the obstacles are the same. The only factor that determines how I meet them, is me.
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