discipline

 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives^(AJ) the prize? So^(AK) run that you may obtain it. 25Every^(AL) athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we^(AM) an imperishable. 26So I do not run aimlessly; I^(AN) do not box as one^(AO) beating the air. 27But I discipline my body and^(AP) keep it under control,^[b] lest after preaching to others^(AQ) I myself should be^(AR) disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV

I recently have taken up a rigorous weight training and cardio program.  I find that the physical discipline does help me in other areas of my-spiritual walk.  I am trying to be a good steward of my physical body without giving into vanity, but I realize that my body will grow old, fat and wrinkly. 

Seeing results (losing a pound of fat here and there, larger muscles) takes a lot of discipline. I have changed the way I eat and sleep. It takes a lot of effort.  I realize to grow spiritually, it is much the same way. It has to effect every facet of my life.  I can’t just read the Bible in the mornings and expect results the next day.  The Holy Spirit has to enter into my daily proceedings at every instant. Every thought held captive to the cause of Christ. His name on my lips and mind and heart all day. Every day.  The way of the world is chaos and entropy.  A daily battle must be waged against it…it feels like we are slipping, but we will win in the end.

We have already won.

a resource for young adults

A website that I have been frequenting since I was a young single adult is the FoTF website Boundless .  While somewhat limited in depth, It is helpful as a tool to help young single and married college and career agers live lives that reflect God.  It covers a variety of topics, and every once in a while exhorts people to action.  Such is the case in the article “Pursue Her” By Dan Dyck.

Dan offers up this story:

Such guys could use some advice from my 88-year-old grandfather. He might seem like an unlikely source of dating wisdom, but he gave me a talk during my single days that I think every Christian guy needs to hear.

My grandfather is a retired pastor. Most of his time he spends deep in prayer with a huge King James Bible splayed open on his lap. When he broached the topic of women with me, I wasn’t sure where he’d go. Would he urge caution? Exhort purity? Instead he pointed to a verse that I knew well, Proverbs 18:22: “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”

I knew finding a wife was a good thing. Was he trying to rub it in that I was still single?

No, he was pointing out that the verse implied that I had a responsibility in making it happen.

His mouth turned up at one edge.

“Find,” he pointed out, “is a verb.”

Lesson learned.

As any married man knows, pursuit of a wife is no easy thing.  I would also encourage any young man to pray and seek God’s will for him in this area. On a personal note–my pursuit of my wife involved a lot of growth, humility and at times, self sacrifice.  I am not an outgoing person and was deathly afraid of failure. Pursuing her made me push hard out of my shell and examine the boy I was, and the man I wanted to be.  It will be difficult…but next to your relationship with Christ, it will be the most important and rewarding relationship of your life.  It has been for me.

I’m Back/Play

Still getting used to this blogging thing. I know that I have to have to actually post entries here to consider myself a legitimate blog.

So I’m having another crack at it.

I’m going through a book study of THE LIFE OF A GOD MADE MAN by Dan Doriani and while I’m not too fond of his writing style, he definitely has some good content that is worth reviewing.   In the chapter “A Man and his Play” Dan gets really theological about the nature of play.  Getting past my personal hang-ups about how he approaches it, I think Dan’s real message is “Glorify God by enjoying your recreation and leisure time! Enjoy God’s nature! Maintain your playful spirit!” We shouldn’t feel guilty for playing or spending time at rest…but in a world that values hard work, it requires a measure of humility to actually take time to structure “play”.  Even God Rested.

I love this time of year…I really enjoy disc golf, and I get a lot more time to play the game now.  It keeps me in shape (especially the way we play, either running from pad to disc to hole, or pulling a wagon full of ornery boys).  Here is the Innova Disc Golf website if you want to be cool.

Thank you God for giving us play.

community.

One of my dearest friends commented the other day that bloggers think they have all the answers…that their opinion is not an opinion at all, but gospel truth.  [Correction: Blogs aren't gospel truth unless they actually are GOSPEL TRUTH tce] To speak to that, I just want to say that this blog (as all blogs are) is an opinion. If you don’t like what I say, don’t read it. I never want you to take me more seriously than I take myself…and I really don’t take myself very seriously.Searching endlessly for your meaning in life? Can’t find it in school, business or pleasure? Of course you can’t! Find it in Christ and His Bride, His Church.  Most of my siblings, and many of my friends seem to be searching for something. They even profess to be Christians, but they can’t help feeling that something is not quite right. My answer is simple.  Get involved. Serve Christ through service to people. Teach, sing, move people, move chairs, clean toilets. Find purpose in serving.  Get involved in other peoples lives. Laugh and cry with them.  Become a part of a local body.That is all.

anti-intellectualism.

Christianity has often been referred to as anti-intellectualism, and Christians are portrayed as bigoted dolts and morons.  Anyone who believes this should pick up Tim Keller’s new work, The Reason for God. Tim attacks the most commonly anti-God or anti-Christian arguments and addresses them in a concise way. 

“simple” theology.

Flying home from Atlanta, I sat next to a guy in his late thirties. His name was Matt. He saw that I was reading the aforementioned book, The Reason for God and asked me what it was about.  I told him it was a book that spoke to culture’s problems with God and the seemingly narrow theology of Christians.He then spoke to me about how he needed to be a “better Christian” because wanted to set a good example for his children.  He said that he went to church, but he often fell away and stopped attending for awhile, and when he came back, he felt guilty.I told him he needn’t feel guilty, that Christ knows the heart and knows that we all fall short of serving him 100%. Christ didn’t die on the cross for us to feel guilty not for going to Church.  I encouraged him to use his gifts in the church, and get involved–that it is what helped me fall in love with Christ and His Church even more.I worry that performance Christianity is the main form practiced today.  We need to get back to the basics, to the heart, and most of all, the Gospel.  Wherever you are Matt, I am praying for you. 

the problem with politics.

I have often aligned myself with the ideology of conservatives, and I am a big fan of Beck, Rush and Levin, but recently I have been quite shaken up over my beliefs.  I have been doing much debate as to what I truly believe as a result of reading a stellar book The Reason for God by Tim Keller, and a discussion with my historically liberal (now much more conservative) friend, Mark.  The problem is sin and injustice.  How do conservatives deal with it?  Of course some Christians understand the issue, but a majority of conservatives are often quite heartless when dealing with issues of poverty and injustice.   They embrace free market economies and republican democracies and state that in such a system, the impoverished and oppressed are most benefited, but that is a very laissez faire, altruistic view. Liberals are no better–but no worse.  The view of liberals is to solve pain through solving everyone’s problems for them. Can’t go to college because lack of funds? Can’t afford healthcare? Can’t read? Here is a free pass. Don’t strive. Don’t work. Don’t reach your potential. The motivation is not Christian service, or the glory of God’s kingdom.  Often the motivation is power, fear, guilt, greed.  Appealing to these base instincts is wrong in any moral framework.  In a conservative system, the solution to solve social ills is easy, incentivize.  Why do you think that you get a tax deduction for getting married, having children, your house, charitable donations?  Because the government believes that these are good things for a society to run on.In a liberal system, the solution to solve social ills is to let the government handle it.Both systems are broken–one runs on greed, and the other on power.  As Christians, we are called to the cause, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked.  What am I doing to do this?   I know that God IS sovereign.  Am I confusing God’s will for my political views?   Pray for me to have the heart for God’s people in need.  

people watching-atl.

I’m sitting here waiting for a flight at Hartsfield Int’l Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, and I am amazed at the broad spectrum of people here.  Growing up in the very vanilla midwest, I am often caught by off-guard by the immensity of God’s grand plan, the diversity of his children and his love for his people…and in turn, I wonder if I truly share that love or if I am categorizing people as they walk hurriedly to catch their flights to various parts of the world.  I wonder who knows Christ-and who doesn’t. 

It is currently about 3:30 eastern, and my flight doesn’t leave until around 9:30pm. I couldn’t get an earlier flight…I have nowhere to go…nowhere to be.  I thought it would be bored and frustrated. Instead, I am enjoying listening to a great jazz pianist in the main terminal, relaxing, reading and blogging.  I realize that I need moments during the day to rest and slow down. Even God rested.

I am looking foward to being home with my wife and boys after a long trip.  Something I need to be better at is devoting the effort to my service to the church, parenting and as a husband that I do to work.  I bend over backwards and go the extra mile for my work (in the case of going to Atlanta, an extra 1000 miles) but how am I doing at home or in the church?  I have reluctant attitude at home and often complain about things. I need to do better.

the purpose:

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”  C.S. Lewis In an attempt to enter the 21st century, I have decided to create a blog. The purpose of this particular blog is to encourage others (and myself) to attempt to shed the distractions of this world so that God may be better glorified.  Our hearts are so bound up in the things of this world, so I will attempt to continue this theme as I blog my way through my daily walk with Christ, as well as other topics such as parenthood, marriage, money and politics. Because this blog emphasizes simplicity, my posts shall be short but pointed. Happy reading.