The Insomnia Chronicles

unstoppable WORD.

I was reading in 2 Kings yesterday (part of YouVersion daily read on my iPhone) - it was the story of Josiah in chapters 22 & 23. A couple things jumped out to me...

• There's NO excuse. Unlike his Father or his Grandfather, Josiah "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" - despite becoming King at age 8. He deliberately chose the a much harder path and refused to be normal. It says he "walked in all the ways of his father David". This means he had to dig 13 generations to find a role model - now, that's determination!!  The truth: you can't blame your parents or grandparents for your behavior or sin.

• The Word of God is so powerful! Josiah did not even know the Word existed - the godless & wicked culture of his day (and those before him) had attempted to bury & destroy the Truth. They replaced it with immorality, greed and the worship of idols. But this didn't work... As the Bible of Josiah’s day rose from the heap of rubble, so, too, the attempts of so-called "higher critics" and skeptics to "bury" the Bible with their doubts and criticisms have come to failure. Josiah heard it and immediately knew it was God's Word and he changed everything in his life & influence in order to follow it.

Can you hear HER?

 Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street; she raises her voice in the city squares. She cries out in the noisy street and shouts at the city gates: "You fools, how long will you be foolish? How long will you make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge? If only you had listened when I corrected you, I would have told you what's in my heart; I would have told you what I am thinking. Proverbs 1:20-23.

How do you handle correction?  Do you have a set of criteria (often hidden/unknown) that one must know IF they are to be able to correctly approach you and bring discipline or reproof?  Do you have a shortlist of those that, upon meeting your criteria, can carefully and graciously bring observations ... suggestions ... concerns? And, even when it's the right person and right time do you, still,  immediately become defensive and shut down your ability to hear by beginning to formulate your answer(s)? Have people stopped trying to approach you because of how you've reacted in previous encounters?  This isn't good...

Correction... it's not easy... and rarely fun.  but, it's truth - and you need it - me too!!

"Truth demands confrontation; loving
confrontation, but confrontation nevertheless."
Francis Schaeffer

Read the verses at the top again... fool. that's is THE "f-word" to me.  the Word of God tells us that the person who refuses TRUTH (wisdom and knowledge) is foolish - yes, a fool.  In today's passage we are told that we could've known what God was thinking and what was on His heart IF we had only embraced correction...  gulp.  we're cheating ourselves!

maybe we should make it easier for others to approach us.  maybe we should ask before we have to be approached.  if we can't take it from others, chances are we won't hear it from God either...

choice:  to be a fool to God or to be cool with God.   is there really a choice?

getting, painfully, wiser...  chilly

• is it hard for people to confront you?
• are you Christ-like when confronting others?
• have you been a 'fool' (according to the text)?
• do you need to apologize for defensiveness?
• any other thoughts??

the Real Feel

It seems that often, far too often, we "Christians" find ourselves over-our-heads in pity, condemnation, discouragement or doubt because of this little thing called: "feelings."  We don't feel like reading our Bibles, sharing our faith, going to church, etc.  - we long for those times when we felt God in such a real way we thought we were going to explode!!

Feelings by their very nature are misleading. Surely you've felt something one day, only to feel nearly the opposite the next. I believe feelings and emotions are part of being a Christian and in being human in general, but God calls us to much more than that. God calls us to work. We certainly aren't saved by works - as Ephesians 2:8 tells us - but we sure aren't saved by feelings, either. We're saved by God, and therefore should take Him seriously when he says, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17). That means it's possible for us to feel as though we have faith to move mountains, yet in reality it could be that we have the dead faith spoken of in James 2:17. God calls us to be and do rather than to simply feel. He calls us to have real faith instead of only emotional highs.

Word!

God's Word:
Say it, Pray it,
OBEY IT!

And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. 4 If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. 5 But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.  1 John 2:3-6

Beware of reasoning about God's Word - obey It. 
Oswald Chambers

• Could it be any more clear?
• Then why don't we do it?
• It's not too late, you know...
• Get off the internet & into the Word.

peace, Chilly

Up, Up, and Away!

BUZZARD
If you put a buzzard in a pen  6 feet by 8 feet entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for Life in a small jail with no top.
 
BAT
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which It can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
 
BUMBLEBEE
A bumblebee, if dropped into an tall cup, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
 
PEOPLE
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up.

• What's got you trapped & frustrated?
• Why does it take so long for you to look UP?
• And, after getting out, why do we end up in the same places so often?

Looking UP & Flying Away, chilly

flaws & all...

"The power of the Church is not a parade
of flawless people, but of a flawless Christ
who embraces our flaws. The Church is not
made up of the whole people, rather of the
broken people who find wholeness in a
Christ who was broken for us."
Mike Yaconelli

• aren't you glad he loves us, flaws & all?!
• do you love others the way He loves you?
• are you living a 'whole life' in Christ?

Have a great weekend, Chilly

... a biker blessing

Something cool just happened!  I was sitting in a Starbucks meeting with one of my staff guys, we were talking about our lives, and had our Bibles & journals open... all of the sudden, I heard in a rough voice, "is anyone sitting here?"  I looked up to see two 'biker dudes' (beards, tattoos, leather, long-hair, etc) standing there - we smiled and said, "nope, please sit down" - I love this kind of stuff!  So, my friend and I went back to talking about the Lord, our church, visions, burdens, passions, and others cool topics.  We were being open & honest - and, we were oblivious to the conversation of the men sitting next to us. They were eventually joined by a third friend.  I thought, to myself, what a unique paradox of guys this is - we (yeah, WE) were a pretty tough looking group of MEN! Ha!

Before, they sat down I had been sharing some personal stuff about how God had been leading me to 'peace' - IF you know me very well, you know I've never shy-ed away from 'conflict' and perhaps reveled in it.  But, I was just asked this week about our relationship with the Muslims, Catholics & others in our community.  A friend said, "are you experiencing attacks and conflicts from these religious groups?" and, I said, "no, they like us... respect us... and are thankful for us." - each time I share this, people look at me like this isn't right, they should hate you...almost as IF we are compromising in some way. I don't think we are... I'm just trying my hardest to keep obeying God and living the way He tells me to live.

So, back to the biker(s), as we were packing up, one of them spoke up and asked what I was studying, I told him I was a pastor & church planter and that we were talking about the Bible and seeking God's direction.  He smiled and said, "I have a word for you, my friend... 'when a righteous man lives to please the Lord, God causes even his enemies to be at peace with him'. That IS you, did you hear me? That word is about YOU.  Be encouraged buddy, you're being exactly what God wants." - whoa! You have no idea how encouraging this is and how timely it was.  I'm glad God used a unique messenger - I'm still wondering IF he was an angel... it wasn't all spiritual or preachy, it was straight-forward, without doubt or fear, and yet kind.  Very cool.

I've since looked the verse up and read it in every translation - it's Proverbs 16:7 - check out how the message puts it:  "When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand." - I pray that this is my testimony in Hamtramck & Detroit ... I think it is...

• what 'unique' person has God used to bless you?
• are you sure that you're obeying God right now?
• interested in joining our team in Hamtramck?
• don't make me send a biker to 'convince' you! Ha!

An Olympic Attitude.

I have really been enjoying the Olympics this week!  I'm already mourning the thought of them being over... and, having to wait until the summer of 2012 for their return... ugh.

I think the thing that I have really enjoyed is how our country (and hopefully your country - wherever you're reading this from) has come together to cheer with ONE voice.  With all of the political drama in our country and even in my city, it's refreshing to see unilateral patriotism. No other agendas, angles or motives - just cheering for our athletes to do their best on this global platform.  We've laid down our 'party-lines' and reveled in the joys of excellence, triumph and teamwork.  We're focused on doing our best, winning the gold, being good representatives of our country.  You don't see athletes interviewed about their political affiliations, thoughts on the upcoming elections or evaluations of the war... no, we're interested in their personal stories that brought them to this moment in their lives.

Here's a thought, what IF we had such an 'Olympic attitude' in our approach to serving Christ and cheering on the soldiers of our Faith?!  Maybe we could stop allowing theological differences or worship styles to divide us.  Maybe we would be less worried about the church down the street and more focused on the lost across the ocean.  Maybe we would be less concerned about church carpet color or building design and more involved in ending world famine and debt.  Maybe we would stop being defined by terminology like emergent, missional, postmodern, traditional, or contemporary and become known by our service, love, consistency and hope! Maybe we could start cheering for the successes of other churches or leaders and stop with all the sarcastic, cynical, and woefully insecure comments.  Maybe we could ALL be focused on WINNING - yeah, defeating the devil - not the church down the street.  Maybe our gold-medal goal could be to see Jesus Christ, our Savior, King & Lord, exalted anywhere, proclaimed everywhere, and lived out all-the-time with passion & purpose... Hmmm.

One more:  maybe our over-priced conferences (more & more every year) would be less about patting each other on the back and more about kicking each other in the butt. And, that our newest ideas & strategies would come from praying more not paying more...

So, yeah, this is my Olympic dream... for our country, churches, friendships and callings. And, you know what? I think this dream is one of the devil's nightmares! 

Your Turn:

• what's been your favorite Olympic moment this week?
• are you surprised by the patriotism that has awakened?
• do you sense 'unity' above politics, economy or war?
• could this happen in the church or is my 'dream' just fantasy?
• what could/should we do, to regain our joy & focus?

livin' the Olympic'tude, Chilly

toe talk.

Today, as I was washing my feet, a thought crossed my mind: "what's the deal with the 'ring toe'?" - you know the fourth toe over... why do we have it?  I've been frustrated by it on many ocassions by it's inability to cooperate with routine pedicures - it won't budge to make your job easier - I imagine you ladies have similar problems when adding a little polish to the shy little digit.  So, I was talking to my toe today, "why are you there?!" ... "couldn't you just move a little, on your own, without needing to be assisted?" ... it said nothing.  Just sat there giving my that look.

So, in the middle of my 'toe rebuke,' God dropped this thought in my heart.  IF we are all part of the body of Christ, who is the 'ring toe' and do you appreciate them?  Hmmm... profound or ridiculous?  So, I returned to staring at my, now humiliated, toe. "Why are you there little guy?" - and it replied, "I'm here to listen. To encourage. To comfort. To cheer on those that work much harder. I don't require much attention and I never complain. I assist in bringing stability to the body by simply being here all the time. I refuse to try to be something I'm not - I'm content being me.  I'm glad to be a part of this body. Thank you." gulp! I feel horrible. I've been pretty mean & devalued this little guy. That's not only wrong, it's sinful... read this: 1 Corinthians 12:21-26.

Who is the 'ring toe' person in your church, ministry or life?  Do you only value those in obvious, key roles? Do you appreciate the little things?  Have you developed an eye to see things most don't?  I wish I could hug my little toe right now (I'm not that limber), but maybe I need to call someone that probably doesn't get a lot of calls... ever.  Someone faithful but not as useful.  I need to LOVE others more. 

• do you have some 'ring toe' people?
• do you ignore, avoid or forget them?
• what can you do today?
  
  • do it!

Hmmm, what about the appendix?
... better save that for another blog!

gone.

The secret to living a life that continually grows towards holiness is found in KNOWING that ALL of our old self (past, pain, sins, and other junk) was COMPLETELY crucified with Christ!

It's so hard for  our minds to grasp this fact.

Friend, embrace the significance of your death and resurrection with Christ.

This is VITAL - we must have an unwavering determination that clearly recognizes that a return to our old, stinkin' life is unthinkable... detestable!

We must no more think of going back to the old life than an adult to his childhood, a married man to his bachelorhood, an eagle to it's nest, or a released prisoner to his prison cell.