We don't really do enough

I think we think we do "enough" for the sake of the gospel. We don't. I would say most of us don't live with the urgency that the knowledge of so many people's impending doom should produce. Reading our Bible is not enough, going to church every sunday is not enough. Christ is not pleased by our complacency! We are not making Christ happy when we read His word and do nothing to conform ourselves to what we just read. We are not making Christ happy when we hear an inspiring message about being missional and we still don't go downtown and try to make contact with people who don't know Christ. Christ is not happy when we go to church, fellowship, go home and start talking about the people we just fellowshipped with negatively. And I'm telling you the truth...we really don't have any excuses.

God and the Law of Noncontradiction

(Disclaimer: The following post is a musing, the result of spinning around an idea in my head and spitting it out on the screen not a statement of truth but ideas. I would love your thoughts on the matter. Conversation = GOOD.)

"One may say that God is the ground and source of logical principles, but God's logic transcends human logic just as his being transcends human being. God is not subject to the law of noncontradiction as a principle of human discourse, but this law is subject to the will of God, who sanctions it as reflective of his own nature."--Bloesch pg. 35

This statement began swirls of thoughts in my head.

First lets define "the law of noncontradiction"- It is not possible that something be both true and not true at the same time and in the same context. A contradiction consists of a logical incompatibility between two or more propositions.

Example: A chair cannot be made completely of wood and not be made completely of wood.

First off I believe that often times we (humans) act is if we have superior intellect than God and subject him to our notions. He is not subject to the laws of logic but is the creator of them. Thus to reiterate Bloesch, God is not subject to the law of noncontradiction, He is its master.

Jesus is completely God and completely man. The hypostatic union. God is one, yet in three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit exists in a loving community, united, one. The trinity. God is both outside of time yet working and moving in time. God in man.What?!?

"It is sometimes alleged that even God is bound to the law of noncontradiction. But God is not bound to anything external to his being, though he is true to himself, to what he has revealed and promised. He cannot contradict himself, but this does not mean that he cannot overturn or shatter principles of human logic..."(Boesch pg. 34)

This brings me to my main thought...question...argument. God is not subject to the law of noncontradiction but He is its master and creator. In our thoughts (theories) of God then, they are not subject to the laws of noncontradiction. Thus our actions in relation to God (based upon the above theories) are not subject to the laws of noncontradiction. I say this because if God is above the law of noncontradiction and does not contradict himself in essence and is not able to be fully known and is above our logic, the supposed contradictions that we come in contact with are not contradictions but aspects of God that are beyond our comprehension. God is the basis of our truth, the truth is the basis of our actions yet sometimes the truth and the resulting actions seem opposed.

For Instance we believe God to be unknowable but we strive our whole lives to know Him. We will never be perfect in this life yet we strive for Christ's perfection. God knows all that we will do or say or think yet he desires us to pray and communicate with him and ask things of Him. God knows FAR better than we that he is good, great, mighty, awesome, etc. Yet He desires that we praise Him as such and more (Given, these are non pure contradictions but are more pragmatic contradictions in which there is definitely a tension between each idea).

Basically I am saying, our actions based on true justified belief in God may sometimes seem opposed and some of the things he has asked us to do seem unreasonable...Maybe we just don't...understand... And that's ok, we don't have to, I mean we never fully will anyways (I'm not saying we don't seek knowledge and understanding but if it becomes a problem where you just "Can't answer this questiosn!!!" It's ok, a little tension in life is a good thing. This line of thought could allow us to focus on our obedience to His word rather than supposed contradictions or trying to fully systematize God to the nth degree. God is unknowable, there is no contradiction in God, His logic supersedes our own...And that's ok.

Throwing in the towel

I look forward to those nights where I can share with my Leadership team at school what I have been reading in God’s word. I get so excited! I also look forward to the day when I can be in a Church to teach on a consistent basis to a more spiritually diverse group. In spite of this excitement, I also have fears, mostly of myself. Will I have some integral failure that will discredit my work and put an end to my ever doing ministry again? That is scary and even now, I see the possibility. I am a man, sinful, often driven by my urges and slow to say “no” so often, even with little temptations. What if a gigantic heavyweight temptation comes to challenge, will I be able to fend it off let alone have victory? Knowing my record (2-1,323,234) against lightweight temptations, Las Vegas would predict me to lose.

However, in Romans 6, Paul tells us that we have power over sin in Christ and that we are free but enslave ourselves to sin by obeying it. So is Paul saying, that I actually could have won those fights, that I was psychologically a loser when, in sheer (spiritual) athletic comparison, I had overwhelming odds to win? Wow, I am an idiot.

Imagine Fezzik from "The Princess Bride", literally a giant of a man, say when asked to fight a small pudgy, balding middle aged peasant, “I give up, this man has already won…” in a pathetically sorrowful, yet powerful bass. That is what we do when we give in to temptation. We look back, and exclaim in sorrow “oh, I’ll never succeed!”

Christians, we are better fighters (cliché as the phrase may be) because we have Christ in our corner…And really not even that, we actually have the heavy weight champions belt because Christ defeated sin and death and since we were buried and raised with Him, we were raised to victory over sin as well. That is crazy stuff right there. It is so good to know that in the face of sin I am already the champ. For so long I have been throwing in the towel before the fight even starts and by default sin has won, not by any advantage of its own but because I just forfeit. It’s psycho-spiritual, we have been thinking we are spiritually powerless when in fact we are the most powerful (because Christ’s power to defeat sin is within us). Let’s loose control of the thought process that we have to struggle with sin…Do we really have too? If we have been justified in Christ, hasn’t He already defeated the power of sin? By the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, don’t we have all the power to defeat sin, that by just thinking we are the victors we will be lining our thoughts up with reality? I think that is what Romans chapters 6, 7 and 8 tell us. What do you think?

I guess practically when it comes to temptation, when that desire for whatever we struggle with comes, we should first acknowledge that acting on the temptation is sin and then in our minds acknowledge that we have victory already. Then we should physically move away from that temptation. We should tell a brother or sister with what we are being tempted. The fight is already over, we (thanks to Christ’s amazing power) are more powerful than the sin nature within us (which is completely powerless), it really just comes down to continually being reminded of this truth:

Christ has beaten sin and death, I am victorious with Him.

Easier said than done but still it must be done.


Soli Deo Gloria

An Excercise

I don't know about you but I have often prayed for: strength in Christ, opportunity to grow close to God, self-discipline, trial in order to be proved. And as often as I have desired these things I have NOT made the effort to actually do something about them. That is one of the reasons I am starting a 30 day media fast.

These are my personal stipulations as of now (Sorry friends, you may find me to be a bore this month):

- Read my Bible first thing in the morning and last thing before I sleep (and variably during the day).
- No movies
- No Twitter
- No Television
- No video games
- No reading the news
- No YouTube
- Facebook only to reply to important messages (I rarely use facebook as it is)
- E-mail for correspondence only
- Online only for my Resident Assistant duties, school work or Church ministry
- ditto for computer
- Books on God, godliness or godly relationships only (and required school books)
- No blog reading
- Free time for studying, excercise, reading and spending quality time with my girlfriend
- Music only from overtly Christian artists or classical
- Scripture memorization (I have a list of 30 passages I hope to have memorized, thanks OSL ;) )

What do I hope to accomplish?
1) First and foremost I hope to glorify God.
2) Godly self-discipline
3) Cleansing of the soul of the trash that the media covertly an overtly seeps into my mind
4) An overall closesness with God through his word and prayer
5) A clear understanding of priority in the end
6) A complete cessation of the most banal things I discover in my life throughout this period

Some dangers to be watchful of:
1) Arrogance
2) a sense of holiness
3) Legalism, imposing my system on those around me
4) A complete disconnect from the life in which we live thus creating a road block to ministry to the lost

You may be wondering why I am posting this. Why not just keep this a private matter? Well it's because I'm depraved. I have this human ineptitude of not following through with the most pure and godly ideas I vocalize. I hope the contract I've written, the one you are witnessing to now, will be kept. These implications are deep.

Please keep me in your prayers my friends. I am still unsure as to wether I will give a weekly update on not. Is writing a blog post breaking my media fast? Will my desire to read your comments cause me to seek encouragement from you and not from God? I could have Brenton transcribe or even observe and write (we're roomates, it's not as weird as it sounds). Anyway, this is all just another attempt to seek God and loose control. I'm excited and scared.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Dan

The Product

My walk becomes
A faint and shallow tread,
My stroll becomes a halt
And I so quickly wonder off.

You clearly light the way.
Your Word makes bright the path,
But I in morbid shade
Seek what lie in tired breaks.

My eyes, not taken by
Wondrous light, become filled
With dim and dire plight.
Vain becomes value and
Banal is bought.
Lust overtakes love
And the carnal is sought.

When I seek not Your Word.
When I dawdle in haste.
When I find value in waste.


Soli Deo Gloria

On The Missional Church Movement and The Movement of God

One of the more fascinating movements in modern church history is the current movement of thousands of churches toward engaging their communities missionally. This meaning that they are living out the Gospel by meeting real needs of real people in the community surrounding their local church in order to meet them with the transformational Gospel of God.

In the past year, God has been so gracious to destroy my soul over and over again with the reality of the Gospel- that Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, became sin on my behalf and gave Himself up to horrific torture and belittlement on a cross that I might be reconciled to Him and live on mission with God's people for the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)- so much so that it feels as if I have been saved and called into fellowship and worship again. God has relentlessly pursued me and it is incredibly humbling to reflect on this reality. Sin dominates my heart and soul so much at times that it seems all I can see is darkness and insignificance. The Gospel of God dominates my soul even further with Grace and gives me hope, victory and freedom to live life on mission.

Out of this new and profound understanding of the Gospel that God has graciously hounded me with has been birthed a passion and zeal to live life on mission in order to engage lost and broken souls with this same Gospel. Many churches and Non-Profit organizations have formed and are moving forward globally with their entire vision being to engage broken and impoverished areas and people by meeting their needs and bringing hope to their communities. The success of these movements has gained much notoriety in the media and among other churches and social justice groups and has caused movement in many organizations. It has been very exciting and emotional to see so many churches, non-profits, and other organizations give generously to meet the needs of the broken and oppressed locally and globally. Personally, I have been torn apart by what God is doing around the world through His people and have been compelled to be a part of this movement as well and to make it a part of my DNA as a Christ follower.

There is one prayer I have- That as the Church Universal would pour our energy, vitality and soul into being a part of God's Movement in the world rather than the popular, cool, exciting, and successful movements of the day. This is not the first time we have seen a movement like this in America, and it will certainly not be the last. History is in many ways cyclical, and, should Christ delay His coming, the Church will slump back into a pit of apathy for the nations and the lost, and God will revive us again.

The idea is to live our lives devoted to His movement. Not our own. Let us plead with the Almighty, Sovereign, and Gracious God of the Universe that He would grant us the privilege of being apart of the movement He has summoned His people to- To join the Great Gospel of God (Mark 1:15) by engaging the world in The Restorative and Redeeming Gospel of Jesus Christ.

A little bearing of the Soul

Confession: I care about the opinions of man way to much. This has been a struggle of mine for a very long time and I first realized it my freshman year in college. Since then I have constantly battled the temptation to do or say things for man's glory as well as to be reserved out of fear of man's judgment.

This care of man's opinion manifests itself in boasting, lying, being shy and being gregarious. I boast for glory, lie for glory, am shy out of the fear of judgment and am gregarious so people will like me. I say these in the present tense because I am far from overcoming this temptation. God and I have made great strides against it but the problem is me. I slip back in to my default mode. If, for a couple of days I don't remind myself to worry about God's thoughts of me instead of others, I drift back into my old routine.

Why do these opinions bear so much weight on me? When the opinions are negative (a mocking laugh, a glare, even an imagined looked of disdain) they make me unhappy. When the opinions are positive (a compliment) they really make me happy. Shouldn't my joy constantly be based upon God's love for me?

The root of this is singular: Idolatry.

David Clarkson say's in his discourse on idolatry that there are thirteen acts of worship (he explains them at length). Mindfulness, Intention, Resolution, Love, Trust, Fear, Hope, Desire, Delight, Zeal, Gratitude and Industry. Of the thirteen I commit idolatry (when it comes to caring what men think) in the areas of Mindfulness, Intention and Delight.

Mindfulness-"That which we are most mindful of—we make our God." If, when I am surrounded by a group of people and all I think about is how to impress or how to avoid being judged negatively, I am being mindful. That is just one example. But often I am definitely mindful of others opinions rather than God's opinion of me. This mindfulness is due only to God (Ecc. 12:1).

I'm not going to go through all thirteen (you should it's a great read, pretty convicting) but trust me, I know I am committing idolatry when I care so much about what people think.

The fact of the matter is: My joy should be constantly based upon God's love for me and God's love is the reason He should be worshiped above all. I really don't need to impress anyone. I don't need to fear anyone. As long as I seek to fervently glorify God, it'll be alright.

C.S. Lewis says in The Weight of Glory: "We should hardly dare to ask that any notice be taken of ourselves. But we pine. The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some chasm that yawns between us and reality is part of our inconsolable secret. And surely this point of view, the promise of glory, in the sense described, becomes highly relevant to our deep desire. For glory means good report with God, acceptance by God, response, acknowledgment and welcome into the heart of things...Perhaps it seems rather crude to describe glory as the fact of being 'noticed' by God."

I often wonder why, when we do an act for God and then, like a young child to his father cry out "Hey, look what I did! I did this for you!"? We should seek the notice of God, not man...What other way than to tell God what you did rather than those around us? Doing so may make one more inclined tell God of his "good deed" instead of others. This childlike enthusiasm for pleasing God could stir up a passion and enjoyment for being righteous. I think it would be a good remedy for me if I took pleasure in my victories and works for God and enjoy them by saying to our Lord "God look what I did! That was for you alone!"

This isn't a self-inflicting "Oh my Lord I am so depraved, I am the wretched scum of the earth" pity post. Yes, I am depraved, but I've been redeemed and I have so much joy in the cross. This post was for Spiritual growth purposes for the community (me included). I have no doubt that at least a few people have read this can relate in some way, there's nothing new under the sun and I am not alone in my sin, someone somewhere has done the same thing.

As Steve Timmis says in Total Church "Biblcial Spirituality is not about contemplation; it is about reading and meditating on the word of God. It is not about detached silence; it is about passionate petition. It is not about solitude; it is about participation in community." This book lays our three practical actions for biblical spirituality: Prioritize prayer with others over prayer alone, we must not separate our relationship with God from our relationship with others and we need to exhort and encourage one another daily. I hope I may have accomplished the latter two in this post. I'm not a perfect man and I am not always right, to write like I was both would be a lie and prideful. I want to daily loose control of my life to Christ and I think the best way to do this is with others. Lets loose control.

Soli Deo Gloria