Healthy Skepticism...

...sounds like an oxymoron right? To be a true Skeptic one must believe that truth us unattainable or even nonexistent. Ultimately it's a lifestyle of doubt. An attitude of disbelief...is that really healthy?

Think practically - a true skeptic could never believe that their wife truly loved them. They would have to ask these questions regularly: What if she's lying? Did she really promise to stay by my side? Does love even exist? Are these fears justified? Does fear exist? and so on and so on...if there is no attainable truth, then a true skeptic can find no end to these questions. Is that a healthy marriage?

A lifestyle of Doubt can't lead to a fulfilled life can it? Think about all the times Paul tells the Philippians to 'Rejoice!' If truth is nonexistent then what do we have to rejoice in?

But if Truth does exist and has made itself attainable, understandable and experiential - then Paul is dead-right when he tells the Philippians that God, who started a work in their community, will truly carry it out until He is finished - and that bit of knowledge is worthy of our trust.

Seek answers. Ask questions...even the most difficult ones. Study. Research. Pray. Discuss. Debate.

But should you find yourself living a lifestyle of doubt maybe you should spend some time doubting that lifestyle.

Don't know? Read.

'No matter what happens in life...period! live your life in a manner worthy of the Gospel - the Life of Christ.' (Philippians 1:27 - R.D. Version)

If you don't know what that means then read the Book of John right now! And then read the Synoptic Gospels. And then read everything Paul wrote. And then read The rest of the N.T.
And then read the Torah. And then the Prophets. And the Poetry. And the History. The O.T.

OR - If you want a summarization of a worthy life then read Philippians 2:1-11. And then start at the beginning of the letter and read all the way through it top to bottom.

Once you do that, and if you believe this is a worthy way to conduct your life, then 'work out your salvation' through repentance and forgiveness and joyful praise and thankfulness to God.

...And God will begin a work in you that He'll never give up on.

A Parable for Teachers

A farmer planted seed and as he scattered the seed:
Some of it fell on the road and birds ate it.
Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly.
Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.
Some fell on good earth and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

The seed the farmer scattered on the road - When anyone hears the news of the Kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart.
The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character and when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives there is nothing to show for it.
The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the Kingdom news but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard and nothing comes of it.
The seed cast on the good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News and the produces a harvest yeilding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

No - this parable isn't designed to acknowledge the narrator/teacher, his gifts or his ability to communicate the Word. Jesus told this parable to a hard-hearted, blind-eyed, deaf-eared audience. A people He knew from ancient times would reject the truth He came to live out and offer. This parable described His audience - and anyone who would hear the Word from that day forward. Not all will be hard hearted though.

Because we know the many paths a person can take upon hearing Jesus' Story of Reconciliation, paths chosen by the hearer and known by the Creator, I like reading this and seeing how it affects the heart of those called to teach the Word:

the depths of the responsibility and honor laid upon (James 3:1),
the spiritual knowledge and hermeneutical work involved in (Titus 2:7),
and the creativity infused within the spiritual gifts to publicly proclaim the Word.

Yes, the Spirit convicts, convinces and converts a mans heart...but He does it through mere men and women. Sinful men and women. It is a postition worth double honor and a heavier dose of accountability to God Himself.

Plant well. With love and grace, seasoned with spiritual salt so that is desired by the listener.

Taken from Matthew 13

(D)evolution of a Beard

'So Hanun seized David's men, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away...' (2 Samuel 10:4)

  

The humiliation that comes with the loss of a beautiful beard is hard to endure...at least I still have my good looks...

Mission

Now if the mission is to make disciples of Jesus who make more disciples of Jesus - and that mission is the result of the Kingdom of Heaven meeting earth upon Jesus' incarnation - then the mission of the Christian is really to grow the Kingdom of God one disciple at a time.

If you and I are given the power and authority to grow the Eternal Kingdom...what is stopping us?

If the power and truth and authority of the Eternal Kingdom are inside us...why does fear stop us?

Fearing God should bring knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) - purpose and obedience (Ecc. 12:13) - ultimately the truth of salvation (Philippians 2:12).

Our hearts, minds, souls, and strength are swallowed up in the Kingdom of God...our mission should be founded on the thrill of being part of such a Holy and Loving God and yet fearful of His awesome power.

Be on Mission. Meet someone new, love someone old, share Life with a friend, live Life with a neighbor.

Be on Mission.

LWBC: Not Yet...But Soon 2

So this Watchman, Ezekiel, is called by God and begins his wild journey.

A mysterious hand from Heaven appeared before Zeke with a scroll in it. Front and back it was covered in words. Words of lament - mourning - woe...words of sadness - gloom - emitting the feeling of death.

God said to Zeke, 'Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll...' Seriously. Eat the paper?

God said, 'eat this scroll...fill your stomach with it.' So he did.

It tasted like honey. Honey was like candy to the ancient middle easterners. No chocolate. No Twinkies. No Jelly Bellies tasting like strawberry, popcorn or puke. Gods word was the sweetest flavor in existence.

This exiled Priest. A spiritual watchman yet a physical prisoner in Babylon. A slave-laborer working on the waterways. This man was called by God to preach a word of warning and he would take at least 22 years to live out and write down his prophecy, the Book of Ezekiel.

Zeke tastes the sweetness of the word in a ridiculously weird way. Once he eats it God simply says, 'go now to the Israelites and speak my words to them.' Zeke eats a scroll and all of a sudden knows what God wants him to say! That's crazy talk. How is it possible?

This God works in very interesting ways. He leads His people in fresh and exciting ways even in the midst of slavery, depression and frustration.

Are you reading the Word - trusting His promises of love and salvation - fearing the Word that speaks of separation and judgement...

Have you tasted this kind of Honey in your faith?

Read Ezekiel 2:9-3:4

LWBC: Not Yet...But Soon 1

Last summer I shaved my beard in front of a group of students. Why? Let me explain.

Ezekiel was called by God (1:2). He was called the 'Watchman' (3:17) - a man who was morally bound to sound the alarm of impending doom to the Israelites. His job was to listen to God and reveal Gods plan to the people...whether they wanted to listen or not...and they didn't.

Zeke didn't have a choice. He wasn't asked to do this job...the Spirit literally raised him off his butt and onto his feet in order to listen to and do what God had planned (2:1-2). Though how God gave Zeke the words to speak wasn't normal. Nor was just about anything Zeke would eventually do in the name of God.

Follow Zeke's journey.