Friday, February 23, 2007
constant state of change
as we sit here and talk about change these last few weeks, i realized that i feel like my life is always in a state of change. there is always is an area of my life that I want God to change in me. and sitting here tonight i have been reminded that i am being transformed into the likeness of God for the rest of my life here on earth. knowing Christ deeply means that life is never stagnant. He is always renewing me. i have been thinking about what it means to really be obedient to God and when i think about it-being changed to be like Him is really an amazing thing - God has done this for us out of love to be able to be like Him. so inasmuch as this constant state of change i am in is challenging, it is an honor that God would love me that much to want to change me to be like Him.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
A message of Change
It's taken me a while for me to post, but the day after we first started talking about change, this email from the president of my company hit my desktop. He's an enlightened individual and gifted speaker - in his address to our company he talks about what is necessary to create change, and I quote:
Today is the day we set aside to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The day is important both as a turning point in our history and also offers an example of leadership that I hope is helpful to each of us.
In almost every survey done in almost any type of organization or group, the most admired trait of a leader is honesty or truthfulness. The number two character trait tends to show up far down the list.
Yet, honesty is not always received with open arms, and neither was Dr. King. One could argue that Dr. King’s best writings and speeches merely tell people the truth. Even though not an elected official, Dr. King may have been one of the few leaders to declare boldly the truth about what was going on all around us.
To paraphrase, Dr. King reminded us that our country was founded on ideals that all men were created equal and asked if a country that prevents some eligible people from voting based on race is really being true to those ideals. He called upon the Judeo-Christian heritage and asked how a country founded on principles that purport to respect the dignity of every human being could prohibit people from going in restaurants, hotels or forcing them to have separate bathrooms. In essence, how could we go against our own widely-held values?
Dr. King’s assertions were not disputed as being incorrect factually as these inequalities existed and everyone knew it. Although very young at the time, I knew it. Further, not many disputed that such actions were immoral, illegal, or both.
So, Dr. King merely was honest and truthful-----he pointed to an environment of inequality that was contrary to so many principles that people believed. In essence, he held up a mirror for us to see ourselves.
Further, although Dr. King did call for more legal enforcement of existing laws, his over-riding focus was to change behaviors by changing attitudes. Notice that he did not say, “I have a dream that one day the Government will make little black boys and little white boys play together.“ Or, “I wish people in Mississippi would comply with laws like they do in Vermont“. I have attached a copy of the “I Have a Dream Speech” to check yourself.
Rather, Dr. King wanted people to treat each other with dignity and respect because it is right the thing to do, rather than because they were made to do it.
Dr. King understood that real change comes by changing how people view the world which thus impacts their attitude toward an issue. Only changes in attitude eventually result in changes to behavior. One can change people’s behavior through force if necessary, but it is not long lasting and it is not sincere because it is not precipitated by a change in attitude. Dr. King did not appeal only to the Government; he appealed to our heads and hearts.
True committed action without corresponding attitude change is a thin edge; and it falls apart with the first rough spot in the road.
Very few important actions are taken merely because people are told to do it. Did the heroes at Normandy keep charging because they were told to do so? Do researchers get up each day looking for a cure for cancer because they have to do it? A good analogy is the difference between reading a song and singing a song----all of us know the difference inside.
Real change only happens when people do things they are committed to doing; and forcing compliance is only a hollow, short term victory. Dr. King feared that the Government forcing compliance to laws might result in some short term changes; but that real change only comes about when people are committed to making that change from within. He wanted us to “sing a song of freedom.”
In my lifetime, I have seen a steady and on going (but by no means perfect) commitment to live up to the ideals Dr. King espoused. It is true that since Dr. King’s death, the Government has done a better job of enforcing laws, and that certainly has helped. More compelling is that Dr. King changed how people viewed inequality, and thus inspired commitment to changing behavior, one person at a time.
So, Dr. King’s honest communication and focus on the harder, longer term way of change has resulted in perhaps the greatest social progress in this country in the past 50 years. He paved the way for the progress in correcting all inequalities. If, as a country we did not deal with the black and white issue; could we ever really deal with any other equality issue?
As an example, would the growth of female sports ever happened if Dr. King had not struck the match to cause us to think differently?
Please take a moment today to think about Dr. King and to see the impact of all the changes that his leadership has effected, not only in his lifetime, but throughout time.
Thanks……Bill
Today is the day we set aside to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The day is important both as a turning point in our history and also offers an example of leadership that I hope is helpful to each of us.
In almost every survey done in almost any type of organization or group, the most admired trait of a leader is honesty or truthfulness. The number two character trait tends to show up far down the list.
Yet, honesty is not always received with open arms, and neither was Dr. King. One could argue that Dr. King’s best writings and speeches merely tell people the truth. Even though not an elected official, Dr. King may have been one of the few leaders to declare boldly the truth about what was going on all around us.
To paraphrase, Dr. King reminded us that our country was founded on ideals that all men were created equal and asked if a country that prevents some eligible people from voting based on race is really being true to those ideals. He called upon the Judeo-Christian heritage and asked how a country founded on principles that purport to respect the dignity of every human being could prohibit people from going in restaurants, hotels or forcing them to have separate bathrooms. In essence, how could we go against our own widely-held values?
Dr. King’s assertions were not disputed as being incorrect factually as these inequalities existed and everyone knew it. Although very young at the time, I knew it. Further, not many disputed that such actions were immoral, illegal, or both.
So, Dr. King merely was honest and truthful-----he pointed to an environment of inequality that was contrary to so many principles that people believed. In essence, he held up a mirror for us to see ourselves.
Further, although Dr. King did call for more legal enforcement of existing laws, his over-riding focus was to change behaviors by changing attitudes. Notice that he did not say, “I have a dream that one day the Government will make little black boys and little white boys play together.“ Or, “I wish people in Mississippi would comply with laws like they do in Vermont“. I have attached a copy of the “I Have a Dream Speech” to check yourself.
Rather, Dr. King wanted people to treat each other with dignity and respect because it is right the thing to do, rather than because they were made to do it.
Dr. King understood that real change comes by changing how people view the world which thus impacts their attitude toward an issue. Only changes in attitude eventually result in changes to behavior. One can change people’s behavior through force if necessary, but it is not long lasting and it is not sincere because it is not precipitated by a change in attitude. Dr. King did not appeal only to the Government; he appealed to our heads and hearts.
True committed action without corresponding attitude change is a thin edge; and it falls apart with the first rough spot in the road.
Very few important actions are taken merely because people are told to do it. Did the heroes at Normandy keep charging because they were told to do so? Do researchers get up each day looking for a cure for cancer because they have to do it? A good analogy is the difference between reading a song and singing a song----all of us know the difference inside.
Real change only happens when people do things they are committed to doing; and forcing compliance is only a hollow, short term victory. Dr. King feared that the Government forcing compliance to laws might result in some short term changes; but that real change only comes about when people are committed to making that change from within. He wanted us to “sing a song of freedom.”
In my lifetime, I have seen a steady and on going (but by no means perfect) commitment to live up to the ideals Dr. King espoused. It is true that since Dr. King’s death, the Government has done a better job of enforcing laws, and that certainly has helped. More compelling is that Dr. King changed how people viewed inequality, and thus inspired commitment to changing behavior, one person at a time.
So, Dr. King’s honest communication and focus on the harder, longer term way of change has resulted in perhaps the greatest social progress in this country in the past 50 years. He paved the way for the progress in correcting all inequalities. If, as a country we did not deal with the black and white issue; could we ever really deal with any other equality issue?
As an example, would the growth of female sports ever happened if Dr. King had not struck the match to cause us to think differently?
Please take a moment today to think about Dr. King and to see the impact of all the changes that his leadership has effected, not only in his lifetime, but throughout time.
Thanks……Bill
Sunday, February 11, 2007
I am deeply moved by both First Pres and Vintage Faith. The community is just such an important part of Christ and I am so glad that this is a big part of both church communities, now becoming one. Last Sunday, God really revealed to me that, no I don't hate all of my sin. Some, I hold on to because it gives me power, and makes me feel like I can live in these two worlds, that under God and Christ, but also one with sin (but only the non-harmful of course I was thinking). I need to rid myself and hate, even those seemingly non-harmful sins. I need to listen to God. I was reminded today that taking one of the biggest decisions of my future to God was something that I needed to do, and that I wasn't doing that. Ahhh, the Lord and how he calls me back every time.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Righteous Sinner
The message Sunday night really impacted me in terms of understanding that I see usually myself as a "sinner" instead of as "righteous" in God's sight. I am a sinner, but like was taught God sees me through Jesus as "righteous" and I am justified, sanctified and righteous.
Why don't more churches talk about this? It seems the focus is usually on being a sinner rather than being righteous through Jesus.
The prayer with the mud was also really remindful and I have my little stone with me. I love when when we have prayer elements like that.
Vintage Faith is a very special and very wonderful community. God is in our midst.
Why don't more churches talk about this? It seems the focus is usually on being a sinner rather than being righteous through Jesus.
The prayer with the mud was also really remindful and I have my little stone with me. I love when when we have prayer elements like that.
Vintage Faith is a very special and very wonderful community. God is in our midst.
Monday, February 5, 2007
innocence
dan spoke tonight about how we need to be constantly recognizing our identity as justified and righteous in gods sight... and how living the identity as one who is set free from sin and seen as holy and pure by god should inspire and encourage and compell us to live lives striving for purity and holiness. though we are sinners and fall short, if we constantly live in that identity, we can never break out of our cycle of sin-- and can sometimes even use our idea that we are "just sinners" to justfiy us staying in sin and subtly abusing God's grace and forgiveness. it was an important reminder for us all, as we humans are in the constant state of understanding our need for this, then failing... thinking we have it right and then falling flat on our face to find we need to be lifted back up again.
dan quotes cs lewis at the end of his message
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased"
as part of the gathering, the creative arts team had set up a prayer path, with small pretty stones covered in mud. the prayer path was to kneel down at the "mudpie" and put your hands in it, recognizing that as we continue to sin and not strive for holiness, we are settling for mud. the second part of the path was to take one of these small stones out of the mud, wash it in a basin of water and wipe it clean, recongizing that we can chose to not play in the mud and see the true beauty of purity in our lives.
as i approached the prayer station, one of the kids in our community stood by the station observing people go through the path, telling them "you can keep those if you want, you know." as i kneeled down next to him, i felt like i should feel this heavy weight on me, that i should bear the guilt of sins i have committed knowing full well that i was taking advantage of Gods grace. but instead there was this bright boy, his innocence radiating, reminding me that this small stone, representing the innocence and purity and holiness i have in Gods sight, can indeed be kept by me.
i invited him to pick a stone out with me and we both picked them out together, put them in the water, feeling the mud sticky, then washed away in one simple act. then wiped clean in the towel.i looked at it in the light, held it up. "look," i told him, "hold it up to the light!" and he did and it was a moment, both of us holding up our stones, letting the light shine through.
dan quotes cs lewis at the end of his message
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased"
as part of the gathering, the creative arts team had set up a prayer path, with small pretty stones covered in mud. the prayer path was to kneel down at the "mudpie" and put your hands in it, recognizing that as we continue to sin and not strive for holiness, we are settling for mud. the second part of the path was to take one of these small stones out of the mud, wash it in a basin of water and wipe it clean, recongizing that we can chose to not play in the mud and see the true beauty of purity in our lives.
as i approached the prayer station, one of the kids in our community stood by the station observing people go through the path, telling them "you can keep those if you want, you know." as i kneeled down next to him, i felt like i should feel this heavy weight on me, that i should bear the guilt of sins i have committed knowing full well that i was taking advantage of Gods grace. but instead there was this bright boy, his innocence radiating, reminding me that this small stone, representing the innocence and purity and holiness i have in Gods sight, can indeed be kept by me.
i invited him to pick a stone out with me and we both picked them out together, put them in the water, feeling the mud sticky, then washed away in one simple act. then wiped clean in the towel.i looked at it in the light, held it up. "look," i told him, "hold it up to the light!" and he did and it was a moment, both of us holding up our stones, letting the light shine through.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Learning to Love Righteousness
Awhile ago I was asked to preach one message in a series called "The Life of God in the Soul of Man". It was a series about how the character traits of God are evidenced in us, albeit imperfectly... a search for the Imago Dei that went beyond the typical. Anyway, I was so excited about the topic and was eagerly anticipating which character trait I would get to talk about ... mercy, lovingkindness, longsuffering, grace, compassion ... each one seemed like it would be an awesome assignment. Instead, I was totally disappointed to be assigned 'the righteousness of God'. I was so bummed I actually pouted for a few days. I tried to think of good reasons why I could exchange topics with another speaker or even get out of the commitment. To me, righteousness evoked thoughts of the judgment and wrath of God ... characteristics I tried not to think about and, to be honest, didn't much care for. I think when I talked to others about God I was even a little embarrassed about how angry and wrathful God is about sin. It was like I thought he couldn't control his temper very well or something. Or that he was too particular. So I moped a bit but eventually dug into the Scriptures. The prep for that talk was a life-changing experience for me. I learned, like Dan talked about today, that I was so content enjoying my identity as a sinner saved by grace that I didn't see myself as God sees me ... as a saint. I thought it was real great that I could identify with other sinners and have understanding and compassion for them. And it was. But it wasn't so great that I wasn't aspiring to be 'holy', something that seemed too elusive for a sinner. Before that talk I told myself in the mirror morning and evening, "I am a sinner saved by grace" lest I ever forget my dependence upon the gracious God who saved me. After that talk, I switched my morning message to myself to "I am a saint!" This has radically changed how my start my day. I am a saint and can confidently live my life as one who is justified and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live as Christ would have me live. Of course, at night, I still remind myself that "I am a sinner, saved by grace". I think the main thing I learned was that if I say I love God, I can't pick and choose from the charater traits that appeal to me. I am learning to love God's wrath and judgment and intolerance of sin in the same way that I love his mercy and compassion. After all, without righteousness, he wouldn't be God. And without his judgment of sin, we would never know the tremendous lengths to which he would go to bring us back to him. If we don't get the righteousness of God, we don't totally get grace either. I'm a sinner and a saint at once. Another great paradox of faith.
LO
LO
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)