A Season of Change
 11/7/11
It seems that everywhere one looks these days there is a stirring, a sense of big change coming on the horizon. Most of it seems negative, as in the case of economic and political upheaval on a national and international level. But there seems to be a realignment of individual lives taking place at the same time? Almost every believer I know is coming out of their shells in different ways and discovering anew who they are in Christ. Are God's people being primed and prepared for something? Perhaps the shaking we are experiencing is about bringing low the things that are shakable so those things that are unshakable will increase. I believe we are living in a unique time where God is moving to elevate his people and his kingdom at an ever-increasing pace.
I personally find myself at a crossroads. A new, dangerous, and uncertain path lies before me, and I'm feeling amazingly equipped and ready to start the journey. The safe, predictable road that may have drawn me in the past has totally lost its appeal. There is a change of season in my life. There is a new place to step into with an entirely different feeling about it. There is a unfamiliar type of warfare going on around me with new advisories that I must learn to wrestle. The intensity of the battle is clearly increasing because God is desiring to move me up to a different level. However, the question of reaching that higher level is entirely up to me and how I respond to the new pressure. Do I shrink away, allow it to drive my soul into a state of despair and retreat? Do I blame God for making the path harder, more difficult and not what I expected? Or do I respond with thankfulness, praise, and adoration to the one who is moving me to become the person he created me to be? It's clearly time for change, and in my response lies the key.
The interesting thing is how wide spread this feeling is among believers. It would seem that God's people are being - and will continue to be - over the next few years, elevated to higher places, if they respond properly to what God wants to do in them. And I'm not speaking of seemingly intangible “spiritual” things, but how the things of the Spirit actually impact the very tangible stuff we see on earth. In a nutshell, I'm speaking of cultural and social influence. Again, I am not referring to political arena only, but in every area, including education, arts and entertainment, media, and business. We are called to disciple nations, not just individuals, and Jesus Christ is starting to reveal to his body just what that means.
For far too long, Christians have been hanging out almost exclusively in the religious sphere of life, and have been neglecting all the other elements that shape culture. We have wrongly believed that our only obligation is to produce converts, evangelize, and get people to make a confession of faith. No one will argue that this is an important part of our calling as Christians, and we have indeed led many to confessions of faith over the years. Yet our neglect of these other areas has lead to negative consequences in the health of our culture. We have forgotten what it means to be salt and light to the world. Fortunately, things are changing quickly in this area and many Christ followers are starting to nurture a broader vision that encompasses every aspect of life and existence.
The world around us is presently struggling with the uncertainty of political and economic conditions, hesitating to put forth the effort and resources to start something new. But as followers of Jesus Christ, perhaps we should reject such fears and actually start a business, take steps toward a new vocation, or launch a ministry. If you feel that God is moving you in a certain direction, now may be the opportune time to act.
I don't mean to imply that the coming shifting will be without conflict or difficulty. There is little doubt that we are in for some very turbulent times, both nationally and globally. The possibility of economic breakdowns, social unrest, and war is very stark and real. Things may get much worse before they get better. However, I have strong confidence that God will turn on its head what the enemy is intending for our demise and destruction, and when the dust settles, those who have stood up for goodness will find themselves in positions of influence and authority.
Eli's Journey
10/17/11
One day it dawned on Eli that he had been living in the city for far too long. For the most part he liked the good people who lived there, but it was, after all, a rather predictable place with limited opportunity. He had also grown tired of the fact that the waters from the towns cisterns were cloudy and tasted bad, and the food was mostly dry and stale. Such rations allowed him to survive, he thought, but could one truly thrive on such a diet?
Eli knew there had to be a better environment somewhere, so he trekked out into the wilderness to look for it. He started his journey with a lot of accumulated possessions, as much as he could carry, thinking if he found a new place to live they would be needed. However, the farther he wandered from the city the more of a burden it all seemed to became. He began to lighten his load more each day, leaving behind what he had once thought important. He had brought along some of the dry bread and water from the city as well, but soon dumped it all out as there were to be found a few fresh springs here and there and the occasional fruit, berry or tuber that satisfied better.
Then one day he stumbled over a hill, and there before him, in a distant valley, was a most excellent land. He could make out the lush green of fields and forests and the glint of blue water reflecting the sun. Unfortunately, between him and this fair land was the most rugged terrain he had every seen. The jagged, steep, and rocky landscape was a formidable barrier which would require teamwork to traverse. He knew he could not continue without the help of others. At first he wasn't sure what to do, but near by; just below him and still within site of the valley, there was an oasis with abundant shade, a spring, and fruit to eat. The tired traveler decided to rest there for a time.
That evening a man came up over the hill and approached Eli's camp. He trod heavily bearing many of the same things Eli had carried when he had first set out. The new arrival was also from the city and was very weary from the long journey carrying so much weight. He expressed great interest in attempting a crossing to this better country, but was insistent that he bring all the stuff he had brought along. Eli told him it would be an extremely difficult journey to make and he should leave most of it behind as it would only be a hindrance. In spite of this the man was insistent. Unable to reach an agreement the two men decided to wait for the time being.
After a few days another man approached the oasis. He was traveling light, as he was out on an expedition. He seemed to have little interest in the far away land. In fact, he was thinking of heading back to the city the very next morning as he found the wilderness to be overbearing. When Eli expressed his desire to cross over to the good land the explorer shook his head. “Such an attempt is folly”, he reasoned. “Even a group of the strongest, best equipped men would never make it. It is humanly impossible”. This report seemed to utterly discourage the man with the many burdens, and he decided to return to civilization as well.
That evening a man and woman came over the hill. They too had taken a lot of things from the city, but it was clear they were considering leaving some of them behind. As Eli discussed with them the possibility of making the crossing they listened intently but seemed uncertain, indecisive, and apprehensive. They kept looking out over the difficult obstacle before them to the beautiful land, and then back up the hill from where they had come.
The next day Eli watched as all four walked off in the direction they had come. As they disappeared over the hill he turned his face back to the green and blue of the valley and shook his head. “How can anyone return to the city after seeing that?” He asked himself. “Perhaps they will return someday. Until then I'm content with staying here.”
The Kingdom of God is Like Baseball
4/12/11
I had a dream about baseball. Kind of strange, as I'm not that much of a baseball fan, and I rarely watch it on TV. However, as I thought about the dream I realized that the kingdom of God is like baseball, and being part of the kingdom is like being on a baseball team. The first and most obvious point that struck me was that no one can play a game all by themselves.
Of course there is the occasional home run, but outside of that every player who manages to get on base is totally dependent on the following batters to score. If the next few batters fail to get a run everyone looses for that inning. However, there is always the next inning, and multiple chances to get around the bases and score. Not everyone scores, but if enough players do the team wins the game. The success of the team is not dependent on everyone scoring or even getting on base in every game, but if everyone does their part consistently well for the span of the entire season they have a chance to go all the way and win the World Series.
Every player has certain strong points, but very few can play every position equally as well. The best teams are those who do a good job of managing their strengths and weaknesses, putting players in positions where they will perform best. In other words management is key. But unlike baseball, where there are a lot of different managers with a lot of different management styles and methods, the kingdom has only one qualified manager.
This baseball analogy seems to beg a simple question concerning Christian communities. If we find ourselves struggling to advance the kingdom could it have something to do with who we place in the management position?
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