Archive for June, 2009
Just what the Dr. ordered
Jun 24th
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OVqO9lNqqI&feature=channel]
My "call"
Jun 23rd
So what is all this God’s call talk about? To be honest it’s mostly a word thing…and maybe a little of me wanting everything to be black and white…but most of all, I have been burdened with a desire to take myself and maybe even others into a participant role of their faith. A Canadian commented by stating that he didn’t want to sound to Christiany…and I laughed. I don’t either Dave. I know what you meant but for me, this desire has kept me from fully being those infamous feet.
Telling most people that God has called me to do this or that, seems to come across fanatically. I imagine many people would assume I heard an audible voice. If I heard an audible voice, I’m sure I’d be out there doing what I was called to instead of in here listening to my iPod and blogging.
As I have prayed, asking God to push me in the direction that He wants me to go, I have also asked Him how I can be efficient. I have been delayed. I have noticed that I have focused too much on what big name leaders are doing within the Christian community. There is so much on the market about how to grow churches. There are so many resources on how to live purposefully. There’s so much on how to be a likeable Christian. Yet there isn’t much on how to go and do, as far as living a fleshed out faith. Maybe there is but it’s the stuff that isn’t pushed in the Christian book stores because it doesn’t make publishers money.
It might be that God doesn’t want to put His most effective in the limelight. By effective I mean those that are being the light of the world. Those people who day in and day out point people to Christ. I am not talking pastors either. Unfortunately, I think too many pastors get wrapped up in the busy work of what churches cut them a check for. I’m talking about the potential you and me that could cause God to put bunk beds into the Kingdom mansions.
I believe the call to salvation/follow/life and the call to ministry/serve/give is noticed in the same manner. I can’t describe it in words. If I did it would come out as if I were in a junior college psychology class. All I know is it’s different for everyone. All I can say about how to hear this call is to do everything in your power to get as close as possible to God.
If I haven’t said it, all this call talk selfishly has been for my benefit. I truly believe the only hope I can offer anyone is the knowledge of what Christ has done and will do. And for some reason I believe God wants me to take others down this road as well. So therefore all this call talk.
I believe God has and is calling every accepter of His grace. No doubt about it. He doesn’t want your possessions. He wants your life. I promise if you do everything in your power to look for opportunities to be used, it WILL happen. Let this be a warning. It WILL happen. When I first started doing this, I was amazed. My path has been full of cars on the side of the road; people who don’t have enough money at the gas station, people who I can tell physically need help, broken down waiters etc… I won’t lie and say I have inserted myself into every opportunity but the guilt that overcomes me when I don’t, is unmistakable.
And then there is this. Something I will be pondering and eventually blog about. These are questions that I am not sure where I stand yet. For some reason God has put me in His plan (timeline of history) and chose to forgive and change me, but does He need me to follow him? Or is following Him just for my benefit? Here are some side thoughts about this. What if Noah didn’t build the ark? And even more intimidating, what if Abraham didn’t attempt to sacrifice Isaac? Nobody could answer these questions. They just offer me hope. If we do what were called to do, we will always put Him and others first. And this is the call to all believers, straight from the mouth of Christ.
God is "calling"
Jun 20th
Being in Kansas the last 6 years, I have grown accustom to a literal harvest. Currently I work in the pneumatic conveying industry which caters to the middle men between the farmers and the end user of the grain products roller coaster ride. I have heard and seen the ups and downs of all parties within this uncontrollable game.
I know people who bet on the future value of a crop. I know people who put their lively hoods on the line in hopes of just breaking even. I will soon be working in the fields for the rights to hunt on a piece of property. As I think about the farmers themselves, I find myself being envious of their lifestyle. Why? Simply because their lives are never boring. They have control over nothing. They can’t control the price of diesel. They can’t control the rain. They can’t control the wind. They can’t control the dependability of their big green machines. They can’t control the man who determines the value of their product that they have labored over.
Yes, they can insure the entire operation. Have you ever had anything insured and unfortunately had to use its coverage? You only break even at best. Even if you have a stellar harvest, insurance always cuts into profit margin.
As I have tried to insert myself into the mission of God, I anticipate experiencing all the emotions that John Brown farmer understands. And this is a good thing.
I have heard so many missionaries who are stationed in foreign lands proclaim Matthew 9:37-38. ‘Then he [Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Whew! I get to sit on my butt. Man, I am glad Jesus didn’t call me out. He didn’t even say, “You.” Nope, Jesus’ instructions pertained to His disciples.
Wait a minute. Jesus’ description made it sound as if there was so much work to be done that His disciples wouldn’t be able to handle the work load on their own. And then there is the only actual instruction within these two verses. Do you see it? Jesus told them to ASK the Lord to send out workers into the field. Maybe, just maybe, these 12 men, at that moment, stopped and prayed for all believers. Maybe they prayed for future believers to take up their cross (Matt. 9:38). Maybe I was included in a prayer of Peter. You’re right, Peter never said, “Cody” in one of his prayers. But I would put my money on the fact that the disciples prayed for the future of Christ’s cause. I bet they prayed that every future believer would put their faith into action.
I don’t even want to get into Calvinism, predestination, or “getting em saved.” These arguments will always be debatable. However, there is no denying Christ in His instructions. He has called all who have been called to go into the world. Whether that is on main street or Moscow we have been called to do good works unto all men, for the soul purpose of revealing His love. Then they may be saved or then they may learn that they have been saved. Whichever floats your boat?
It’s as simple as offering a cup of water. Matt. 9:42
I feel I am getting off track a bit. My point isn’t to tell you what you should or shouldn’t be accomplishing. My point is that 3 days ago I asked people to offer a substitution for the word “call”. Not counting today, 198 people since Wednesday came across this blog either intentionally or unintentionally. And only 2 people commented. Or said differently, 1.01010101% responded on this blog to “God’s call.”
Of course I am nobody and if you read the post and didn’t comment, I am not judging you. Whether you commented or not has nothing to do with the level of your faith. But it made me think about the thousands, if not millions, of people of have read or heard Matthew 9:37-38 and Mark 16:15. Do you think the percentage who has responded to Christ’s call is the same?
I think so.
The reason, I believe, is the same reason most wouldn’t want to be a farmer. We always look at the physical side of life when we make decisions.
Nobody strives to wear overalls and smell like a bottle of Pennzoil. Being a farmer is definitely not a sure thing when comes to putting money in the bank. Farmers live a slow unfashionable lifestyle. They drive old beat up Ford trucks. They take the risk of their daughters running off with some ol’ boy with an ear ring. Farmers can not control anything. They have no idea how this season will turn out.
On the plus side, they do have land though. They get to eat a real breakfast everyday. They aren’t lazy. They continually get to breathe in and experience God’s creation. They get to drive old beat up Fords! They usually own four wheelers. They never have to call a mechanic. The have dog’s named Blue that never leave their side. The have a good woman who fries up chicken and brings them sweet tea in the heat of the day.
I guess when the day is over; living by faith isn’t that easy. The thought of being different is too much for most. But most of all, I believe when we as a society are told to do something, we instantly become selfish and believe our own agendas are more important. We must have control. And control is not an option if one truly lives by faith.
God's "Call"
Jun 17th
I have always been roused by Etymology. Certain words can be resplendently influential. Most of the time, we use our lexis out of milieu. From time to time we throw out big words into our lackluster tête-à-tête just to zing things up a smidgen. C’mon don’t act like you have never attempted to perk up your reverberation by wrenching out highbrow words from your diminutive lingo.
Obviously throughout history words with the same definition have been inverted with no apparent reason. We always have to be cutting edge.
I have seen this carried over into mainstream Christianity as well. With the words such as saved, preach, membership, religion and so on.
I need some help. I am trying to create or maybe even learn of, the new buzz word for “call.” Is it out there? Call as in, “God called me to [this].” If you haven’t heard of someone mixing things up with this word, would YOU please do so?
Please, I have never asked for people to comment on this blog, so I am not trying to boost some meaningless stats. Do it anonymously if you would like. Up at the top of the post simply click on the “comment” button and replace the word call with a word that better fits our culture.
…thinking…
Jun 16th
I have been doing a lot of thinking about future events that I anticipate happening in my life. I have an urgent desire to do my part, concerning Christianity. For most of my historical walk with Christ I have been focused on living right. Or awkwardly put, trying to abstain from all appearances of evil.
I have always been one of those who are drawn to doing what would be considered as “bucking the system.” Speaking from the point of view of everyday life, if I am told “you can’t do it that way” or “it’s always been done this way” and even “it’s not possible” I am ready to jump at the chance to prove these statements as false. I have failed and succeeded within all of these circumstances but I believe, the majority of the time, my intentions are good.
I definitely could have learned from history. There are so many examples of people I know and people in the Bible that I could have learned from. Or at least I could have taken their outcomes and applied them to my life. In most cases I have decided to take the chance and learn from my own mistakes. I do not recommend this method in any manner. Although, I have noticed that when I make a mistake and could only blame myself, I believe I learn the “lesson” in the most personal way.
With that being said, at this moment I feel I am ready to begin an opportunity. This opportunity is actually a dream that began about 5 years ago. It’s amazing how God does give you the desires of your heart. But within this opportunity I fear eyebrows will be raised. This opportunity isn’t the typical approach into the field I am preparing myself to go. I believe people will say, “That isn’t how missions should be done”. Maybe it would be easiest to explain this by just asking you to ask yourself this question. What comes to mind when you think of missions/missionary?
My answer to this question is unfortunately answered with another question. “Why aren’t the things that happen over [there] (on a mission trip) happening over [here]?
Within my question the dream came about that started 5 years ago. I saw something within the context of a mission trip to Mexico. I saw the lives of the people participating on the mission trip affected in a greater way than the people that were actually being served. When I list the things I would like to be involved with concerning ministry I would list them in this manner. 1. Youth ministry. 2. Missions. 3. Pastor. If am honest it would take an act of God for me to decide to be a missionary or a pastor. I believe that act of God has happened within me. My call into missions has been answered by myself without any prompting from other influences. The cool thing is I will still be able to be involved in youth ministry just at a greater distance.
My dream is to inspire others to do the same thing they would do on a mission trip back in their homeland as well.
As I continue to think about missions I continue to think about how to be effective and efficient. I am not burdened to be in a poverty stricken land. I am burdened to be in spiritually lacking land. Living in another country doesn’t scare me. You know what would scare me more than anything? If God gave me a burden to reach wealthy lost Americans. That would be tuff. Think about that! Seriously, think about God calling you to specifically reach wealthy people. Something about a rich man threading through the eye of a needle comes to mind.
I can’t believe that my dream is about to come true. The best thing is that the dream that God has given me is even better than I could have imagined. One of my favorite words is Godspeed. Now, only if I can live by its definition.
