Looking for Hope, Longing for Joy

It is relatively easy to look at the world today and believe that hope is fading. We start to feel that joy is something that you find as a child and lose as an adult.

Hope is not fading. Hope shines as bright today as it did over 2,000 years ago when Jesus was born. The things of this world attempt to cover it up.

We fall down sometimes... Each time is harder to get back up. Each failure causes us to cover up hope's shining light more and more. What we fail to realize (or forget) is that it is at those moments that we need to cling to this hope even more. Hope is not fading; we are just failing to uncover what Christ has to offer.

Joy isn't something we can lose, but we can fail to embrace it. When Christ comes in your life joy comes with Him.

People confuse joy and happiness. Happiness is circumstantial. We can very easily lose our happiness based on the situation. Joy, on the other hand, is always present. Joy is knowing in your heart that you have a purpose... that your life has meaning... that we were all "fearfully and wonderfully made" by our amazing Creator.

So, when you feel that your hope is fading and your joy is nowhere to be found, look up. Let hope shine down on your face and embrace the warmth of joy.

God is everywhere... you just have to want to see Him.

Relatively Difficult

Ugh.

Ever feel like that?

I often feel bad when I complain about problems that other people would love to have. My "problems" are not real problems.

I burnt my tongue on my coffee! I don't have enough food to feed my family.
I had a tough day at work. I've been out of work for months now.
I have to get my car fixed again! I have to take the bus everywhere because I can't afford a car.

I have always felt that everything is relative to the situation you're in... but what does that mean? Does that mean that my problems are big for me because I do have food, a job and a car? Or does that mean that my problems are nothing in comparison to others?

I try to tell myself that my problems are small compared to others, but it doesn't take the weight off my chest... nor does it make me feel less hopeless.

Jesus says in Matthew 11:30 (NIV), "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The Message puts it this way: "I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly".

Another principle of Jesus that is just what I need.... but difficult to implement. I can say I'm letting go, but if I still feel stressed... am I letting go?

Today my world is "heavy" and "ill-fitting"... I wish I could change into something more comfortable.

How about you? Are you holding on too? If so the "yoke" is on you...

Bad yoke.. I mean joke. :) But you get my point.

The Dark Knight

I finally got to watch Dark Knight last weekend. I wanted to see it in the theatres, but never had the time; or the money for the expensive tickets for that matter.

I kept hearing people talk about it. The words "dark" and "disturbing" were used often in describing not only the late Heath Ledger's portrayal of the JOKER but also in regards to the movie itself. Mark Hall from Casting Crowns actually said in a Twitter update that it was "the darkest movie I've ever seen. Void of hope. I'm a big super hero fan but I won't watch again".

After watching it I can say that I agree that it was dark. I agree that it was disturbing. I even agree that it was "void of hope".

However, for me... that was what made the movie so amazing.

This world we live in is not a pretty place. It is filled with evil and desperate people. Money and power become a god to people. In Dark Knight evil was present everywhere - not dissimilar from real life.

It makes perfect sense that good people would find it disturbing that there was so much evil. Good is, after all, the antithesis of evil. Without good there would be no evil. The presence of evil simply confirms the existence of good.

The one truly sad part of the movie was the death of Heath Ledger, who played the Joker. He was far too young to face death and I pray that the darkness was only the role he played and not a reflection of his soul. He played the character of the Joker beautifully.

Instead of the goofy clown that Jack Nicholson played in the original Batman movie, he was demented, twisted and absolutely crazy. He covered the scars on his face with makeup, but they were still visible.

Those scars... I have thought deeply about those scars so many times since I watched that movie. They represent more than a facial deformity.

He tells two different stories about how he received the scars. I won't describe them, but they center around two themes: a broken home with a drunk and abusive father as well as broken marriage caused in part by gambling problems. You see what is happening here?

He never actually says how he got them, but one thing became absolutely clear to me. The scars represent the end result of evil - or sin - in our lives. He could have told 100 more stories that all ended up with his face being cut and it would have had the same effect.

Much like the Joker we can put on makeup to hide the scars that sin has given us; when the makeup washes off we still are left with a reminder of what we've done.

Sin cuts us so deep that scars are left behind. We try to cover them up by putting on a fake smile and going about our lives like nothing is wrong. However, behind that smile lies the truth. We have been hurt. We have hurt others. We have sinned. Now we live with the consequences. We go through our daily lives knowing that the scars are there... we pick at them... we try to hide them.... we glory in them... we despise them.

Christ knew we would get these scars long before we were even born... These scars are what brought Him to our level... that brought Him to earth to clean up the mess we made... brought Him here to heal these scars... with scars of His own.

As each spike was driven into His human body he felt the pain. His fragile frame bore the weight our sins with each massive blow He took. I'm sure the loud clank of the hammer to this spike resonated throughout Jerusalem. Each hit must have forced why He was there to the forefront of His mind.

CLANK! You abused your child...

CLANK! You cheated on your spouse...

CLANK! You lied, you stole, you killed...

As they raised His cross into its place in the eternal history books you were in His thoughts. Imagine the worst thing you've done in your life.... Now imagine that at the moment as Christ was nailed to that splintered hunk of wood... He saw what you did. He knew.

At that very moment He knew you would sin... Yet...

CLANK! I love you despite your sin.

CLANK! I am doing this for you...

CLANK! My scars can heal yours... and make you whole again.

He took His final breath... Though the sacrifice act was finished, the eternal battle for your soul had officially begun.

In the Dark Knight it was a battle of good vs. evil and a struggle to find light in the darkness. Real life is very similar... The difference is in the hero. Batman was still just a man. An imperfect man that made mistakes.

Christ is and was and will forever be perfect. He is the only truly incorruptible source of hope that this world has.

Putting your trust in man will lead you to destruction. Putting your trust in Christ will save you from it.

In one scene Harvey Dent (who becomes the character two-face) says, "You either die a hero... or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain".

I tweaked it a little bit: You either die knowing Christ... or you live life the way you want long enough to die without Him.

Forget the Past

Today's scripture of the day:
“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:16, 18-19)

It is easy to get stuck in the past. Dwelling on what cannot be undone plagues my life at times. God says to "forget the former things" and tells us "do not dwell on the past". Why is it so difficult to just surrender those things to Him? Why is it so hard for me to just forget and move on?

God help me today to leave the past where it belongs and look forward to the "new thing" that you are trying to do in my life!

Empty Me...

I was cleaning out my rain gutters yesterday just before a strong storm hit. They were starting to pull away from the house due to not being cleaned right. The gutters over the deck were full to the brim with gunky water, leaves, etc.

I noticed that the opening was plugged up where the water would normally drain through. As I started pulling out handfuls of the disgusting garbage out of the gutter the water flowed through freely. It poured out. The more I cleaned, the more it drained.

Eventually all of the gross debris was gone from the gutters and clean water flowed from the hose and straight down the spout.

Sometime our lives are just like rain gutters. We let all of the garbage of the world fill our heads and homes with things that aren't important. Worse yet, it may be things that are sinful and potentially destructive to ourselves or families.

It might be a TV show that we know we should not be watching. It might be a car we know we cannot afford. It might be a drink that is better left in the bottle. It may even be a friendship with a member of the opposite sex that is starting to go "too far". It could be any number of things that begin to "stink up" our lives.

Much like the gutter we soon begin to fill up with all kinds of garbage that should not be there.

We become complacent. We get lazy. We notice something is wrong, but do nothing about it. "I'll fix it later," we tell ourselves.

Later never comes. Pretty soon that small problem or sin is becoming a real issue in our lives.

Just like a gutter that pulls from a house, we start to pull away from our families and our responsibilities. Worst of all, we start to pull away from God.

Chris Sligh sings a song called "Empty Me". He talks about removing all of the selfish and vain things from him. Basically he is asking God to help remove the "sinful debris" from his life. He wants to be a free-flowing vessel of God's work.

A hammer can help nail the gutter back to the house if it pulls away. If we've pulled away from God He can gently pull us back and embrace us tightly.

When a handful of waste is removed from a gutter the water can flow freely. When we ask God to remove the waste from our lives His spirit flows freely through us.

Basically, we should get our minds out of "the gutter" and be focused on Him. :)

Politically Incorrect

In the World and Not of It
As a believer in Christ I have principles that I stand upon that are not negotiable: defending the defenseless, protecting the sanctity of the marriage bond between and man and a woman as God intended it, and to stand up for what is right even when it isn't popular.

It is easy to see the state the world is in and just disconnect yourself from it. Believe me, that's what I feel like doing everytime I watch the news. However, we're here until a time that is not known to us and we have to make the most of it.

What if God was one of us?
Do you remember that AWFUL (sorry Butch!) song by Joan Osborne? She went on and on about God being a man just hanging out and being "one of us", a "slob like one of us", "just a stranger on the bus", etc. She posed the question that if seeing God's face would "make" you believe in Jesus, would you want to see Him?

That's the beauty of Jesus. He is God and He came to earth in the flesh as "one of us". He had to deal with the same problems we had to deal with. He didn't hide in the church praying to go back to Heaven. He didn't shy away from the muck and the mire of society. He was drawn to it. His physical body was in this world and he would have it no other way.

Death and Taxes
Zacheus wasn't a loved man. After he got his CTC (Certified Tax Collector) his friends stopped hanging out with him. His family disowned him. His own dog wouldn't even look him in the eyes. As much as people dislike the IRS now, tax collectors back in Jesus' day were disliked much more.

If Jesus wanted to be popular with the "religious" group he would have spit on Zacheus like anyone else. He would have ignored him. He would have loathed him.

I could just see it. Jesus starts heading toward Zacheus and a few of His followers were saying, "Yeah, uh, Jesus? Hey, Savior. Maybe not that guy. I know you're all about loving people, but that's a CTC. A CTC who passed it on the first time!"

Jesus wouldn't have even acknowledged the request to refrain. Jesus did quite the opposite of what most people would have done. He didn't spit on him, but offered an invitation. He didn't ignore him, but gave him one on one attention. He didn't loathe him; He loved him.

He loved all of us so much that He died for us. Most of us don't want to even associate with the unlovely, but Jesus died for them. He died for the Pastors, Sunday school teachers, and church members. He also died for the drunks, the murderers, the cheaters, the liers, and even for politicians. :)

Bringing it Home
Jesus wasn't a political person. If he were here today He wouldn't be registered as a Democrat, Republican or any other party. He wouldn't be out trying to "rock the vote". However, He did bring a message of hope, of caring for the sick, poor and the defenseless.

God Himself was very involved with leaders of that day. Kings were ordained by God, they were admonished by God, they were removed by God. When kings disobeyed God's commands He would often send a prophet to speak with the King and his people to inform them on what God expects and warn them of consequences for not obeying His commands.

We see the evils of the world, the slime of politics, and the rampant lies of each one of them and we might feel like we shouldn't be part of it. We may sit out on voting, not discuss anything political and even discourage those that do. I understand that position, but I don't think its right.

We don't have to actively campaign for any candidate and we don't have to even be affiliated with a particular political party. However, we all should vote. We should study the candidates and vote for the person who best fits the principles that Jesus taught over 2,000 years ago. There will never be one candidate that stands on all of those principles. However, there may be one that comes close.

In November you have a chance to participate in a Presidential election. Please participate. It would be easy to just be frustrated and walk away from the whole thing. It would have been easier for Jesus to walk away from Zacheus too.

Fade to Darkness

As many of you know, my wife Miranda has her own blog at made4worship.blogspot.com. She made a post today and I am going to steal something from it...better yet, I'll borrow it. :)
It was the following scripture on her post from today:

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Miranda and I were discussing going outside at night. I'll admit it. I'm afraid. If I go outside after 9PM by myself I usually am not out there for long. I had to let mom and dad's dog out the night before last and it was a little unsettling.

I asked her why she thought I was so scared to be out there. Her answer was dead on. It is the darkness. There is no telling what is out there. I can't see what chooses not to be seen. Things are hidden in the shadows. Many evil things happen at night. Most crimes don't happen in broad daylight; they happen under the cover a blanket of darkness.

It has happened so many times. I'll be outside in the evening cleaning up, doing some quick yard work, etc. It is light when I go out, but by the time I'm done it is pitch black. I don't realize it right away. Once I notice I always ponder over the fact why it doesn't creep me out then.

It happens that way all of the time with Christians. We'll be out - not outside - but out in the world. We try not to get to involved, but the world pulls us in. Pretty soon, before we realize it, we're covered in darkness. What was once scary to us is now all around us, but we're desensitized to it all. We're no longer just in the world, but we're now of the world. "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns depicts this very well.

We cannot conform to the world and its wicked ways, but to the teachings of Jesus. Enjoy the blessings from this world that God has given us, but know that they are not our own. God wants us to be happy, but He also wants our joy to be in Him, not the world.

Help Heal Your "Heel"

Our Pastor spoke on Sunday morning about allowing the guilt of sin to rule over your life. He explained that it is not God that brings past sins to mind, but that it was the devil. Satan understands what it takes to trip us up. He knows our weaknesses. He knows where we fall short. He attacks our "spiritual Achilles heel".

I'm driving behind someone and they're going right at the speed limit. Not below, but right at it. I may not have any reason to be going fast, but I feel the need to speed. Enter satan.
My face contorts as I ponder, "Why is grandpa out driving? Doesn't he have bingo tonight?"

Satan - 1, God - 0

I'm in line at "the Walmart" and I realize the person in front of me picked up the only item in the entire store that didn't have a price tag. This shuts down the entire store for several minutes, stocks drop, and time stands still. Enter satan.
Again my thoughts go sour and I growl through clenched teeth. "Why does this person in front of me hate me? What did I do to them? Surely they did it on purpose and aren't that simple".

Satan - 2, God - 0

What is it that causes you to stumble? What situation has satan attacked you in and caused you to be someone God didn't intend you to be?

Pray to God when these attacks come and God will go undefeated in your life.

Examine yourself for your "spiritual Achilles heel" and pray that God helps you to deal with it. It will do wonders for your soul.

My Goliath

I ran into Goliath today at a Christian bookstore. I had a gift certificate that I wanted to spend and only about 20 minutes to find something, check out, and leave so I could get back to work in time to eat. Then a short, older man approached me. He asked if I needed help finding anything. I made some goofy remark about having 50 books already at home that I still need to read. I told him thank you and thought that was it.

That was not it. Not for Goliath.

The standard reply of "Just let me know if you need anything" was not uttered. The man did not move. Without missing a beat he questioned,

"Would you prepare a meal and not eat it? Why buy a book and not read it?"

Suddenly I realized that I wouldn't be spending my giftcard today. I started to wonder if I was going to make it back to work on time. I started to wonder if I would make it home by dinner. Then something about the man changed before my very eyes. He began to grow.

He told of stories of being in his home country, of his family, and of his faith. With every word he spoke he grew larger and stronger. He told me about being an atheist and how he was saved by his a tract given to him by a friend. He spoke of his love for God's Word and how he has read hundreds of books.

It was a nice story and a great testimony. If I was not in a hurry I would have probably sat and listened for a while. However, I WAS in a hurry. I told him a couple times that I had to go, but he kept me. I was already upset, but then he said that "Christian rock" is a contradictory term. I don't like much Christian rock, but it is a valid form of Christian music.

After he poured out his life history and life lessons before me he looked ten feet tall. I searched my pocket for a few smooth stones and a sling, but could only find my cell phone; which showed me how long it had been since I first entered the store. 25 minutes...

I showed every sign of disgust that I knew how to show as he continued to talk - apparently American body language was not one of the hundreds of books that he had read. He asked if I regularly read the Bible. I told him, "Yes. Well, sort of. Not everyday". That was a stretch. I have fallen flat on my face when it comes to reading my bible. He said the number of meals that I eat in a day should equal the number of chapters that I read. Finally, he asked me if I knew Jesus - which I clearly did not display to him that I did. As I grew smaller and he grew taller he finally released me - 30 minutes after I entered the store.

I took the long walk back to my car feeling dejected and angry. I growled and scowled all of the way back to the office. People were intentionally annoying me on the way. Some people were driving "like grandmas" - way to slow; while others were driving "like maniacs" - too fast to pass.

I scarfed down my food and hurried back to my desk. What a waste of a lunch. I felt so angry that he wasted my time. I felt so angry that I didn't get to buy anything.

I felt angry...but it was not any of those reasons. Sure, I would have liked to pick up something with my gift card, but I could do that any day. What upset me so much? I thought for a minute as I relived that 30 minutes in my mind.

I saw Goliath again. Tall, proud Goliath. He's taller than me. He is smarter than me. He is everything I am not. He succeeds where I fall short.

Then I pictured him again. He was short, older man. He asked me if I needed help finding anything. Apparently, I needed more help than I realized. He was my Goliath - my lack of commitment to prayer and Bible study, my fear of witnessing, my anger, and my short temper. In 30 minutes all of my greatest stumbling blocks were before my eyes. Goliath stood before me. Unlike David, I did not slay the giant. I did not overcome all of my greatest obstacle. I stood humbled.

This Goliath did not have to lift a finger to deliver a crushing blow to my ego.

People have a misconception about Christians. Because I am a Christian I do not think that I am perfect in some way. I know other nonChristians that are better people than I am. I want to work on that. The most important truth that I cling to is that I am saved despite the type of person I am. I am far from perfect. I thank God for His wonderful grace that overcomes my worst behavior. God does not excuse me - He has given me a good whipping from time to time - but He forgives me. What a friend we have in Jesus! Praise God for forgiveness!

Choices

We have a million bad analogies about what life is...here's one more.

Life is like an art class. Follow me on this one. When everyone arrives to class you have no supplies and no assignments. No rules to follow and we know nothing about what is going to be asked of us. As we go through our class week after week we find out what we are supposed to do. We are given rules to abide by and we are given resources to create artwork.

We quickly learn that if we do what is required of us, we get a good grade. However, when we decide not to complete assignments, or when we do them only half way we fail. Though we have been given instructions and the ability to pass our class with the proper tools in hand we still choose to fail.

Life is much like that. When we are first introduced to the world as a baby we know nothing. We have to learn everything. Our parents let things slide sometimes when we're young until "we're old enough to know better". Then once we get to that age we are given rules to live by and expectations to strive for. We are given all of the tools we need to reach these expectations, but we fail. We try and try and try and still fail. Until one day we hit that point that we realize what we're here for. We have a purpose.

Think of a canvas. It is completely blank just begging for color. That canvas can represent the results of our choices in life. It represents our soul. When we're young we have no ability to make life changing choices. Think of responsibility, trust, and freedom as our paint brushes and paint. When we're young our canvas is blank, but as we are given these three resources suddenly the picture starts to form.

First, we cheat on a test at school. There's a black swipe of paint on that blank canvas. Then you lie to your best friend. Another swipe. You make a bad decision at a party one night. Swipe. Swipe. Swipe.

What once was bright and full of possibility is now dark and limited. The future doesn't look bright anymore. You've made your decisions. Now you feel like you have failed as an artist.

You slowly walk to the head of the class with failed project in hand. You pass others who have made beautiful masterpieces. Then you notice a few people with canvases like yours. They are also black - some much darker, some lighter. They are taking their paintings to a man. You watch as they bring their painting to him in humility. He takes the painting from them and something amazing happens.

He has one paint brush in hand and one color of paint. Red. With this brush he makes wide strokes of red paint across their canvas, but it doesn't turn it red. The canvas turns white! Whiter than it ever was before. He smiles and gives them a new paint brush with bright gold letters that read: GRACE. As each one takes their new paintings back to their desks you realize something. Every person that has a beautiful painting has that same paint brush. GRACE.

The last person before me walks away. The joy gleams brightly through their eyes. Now its just you face to face with this man. You realize now that you will have to show him what you've done. The awful things you have done. He calls you over to him. Finally, you come.

He takes your painting and looks at it. He sees your mistakes, your sin, each and every brush stroke tells him the story of your life. He asks you a question.

"Do you believe I can take this from you?"

"Yes, but..but I don't deserve it."

"No one deserves it. If you deserved it you wouldn't need me. You wouldn't need a savior. My name is Jesus. I died so that these stains - the sin strokes - could be washed away. My blood can cover these sins."

"But, Jesus. I.. I have done such awful things. I know I don't deserve it. Just look at my painting. I deserve to fail. I deserve to be punished for what I have done."

"Look around you. Did anyone do this on their own? They all needed me They all need saved. Some people have less black than others on their canvas. Some may have very little, but everyone has sin. None are innocent, not one. "

"Its too easy. I feel like I am getting something for nothing."

"That's called grace, and its my gift to you...no strings attached."

You hand Him your painting. With each stroke of His red paint you feel the burden lift from you. He hands your bright white canvas back to you and says, "Now you are free from your sin. You are free to paint your canvas according to the life that was meant for you. I know you will make me proud".

You walk back to your seat in awe knowing that you have a new life and a new opportunity. You look down at your GRACE paintbrush and realize, "I can now paint a masterpiece".