F.O.G. Friday's - The Call of the Gospel

“To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I sit down across the table from a young man who insists he has a ‘call’ on his life to bless the churches with his extra-ordinary spiritual gifts, which he is praying for, and “trying to learn how to get”. He has travelled across Canada because he felt a call to come to Nova Scotia to speak to the Pastors, and the churches of what God wants to give them through an extra-ordinary blessing. He has been staying in hostels and shelters or living out over the last several weeks.

“And those whom he predestined he also called, and to those whom he called he also justified, and those he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8:30

 How does the Gospel address the call of God and how are we to live this out in your life? Maybe this short adapted list from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology will help:

 A Call Outside of Ourselves: The call of every believer is not something we can work up in ourselves. The choosing, wooing and winning of our very salvation begins and ends in the will and glory of God through the work of His Son, Jesus. The call of God is not something we do it is what only God can do.

A Call Out of Darkness: The call of every believer is God’s taking us “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9).

A Call Into Relationship: The call of every believer is God’s placing us “into the fellowship of his Son”(1 Cor. 1:9, Acts 2:39)

A Call Into Kingdom living: The call of every believer is God’s placing us “into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Pet. 5:10; 2 Pet. 1:3)

A Call of Belonging: The call of every believer places us in a relationship of “belonging to Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6)

A Call to be set apart for God’s purposes: The call of every believer is a call to “be saints”

A Call to Live Out of the Riches of God: The call of every believer is to live in a fullness of “peace” (1 Cor. 7:15, Col, 3:15), “freedom” (Gal. 5:13), “hope” (Eph. 1:18), “holiness” (1 Thess. 4:7), “patient endurance of suffering” (1 Peter 2:20-21; 3:9), and “eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12)

SO what is the function of the Gospel in the call of every believer? 
O.K. I’ll admit it, I give myself too much credit. For what it’s worth, I know it’s foolish pride, lack of humility, fear of being dependent, need for control and my down right rebellious sinful nature! When caught in my pride I either try and discredit it, passing it off as personality, or pointing to societal influences, upbringing and culture. What this tells me? I am hopelessly unable to make the deeply needed changes that would make me anything more then a deeply self serving, self preserving, self interested, SELF. Self- esteem classes or self worth counseling does nothing for the various forms of my “ego-dei” (ego-god, I-god). I cannot “call” myself away from worshiping myself, even if I try to gloss it over with a ‘poor-me, I was wronged, the world, society and my family have messed me up.’ How does the Gospel of the cross move us beyond our need for self empowerment, or our self loathing to wholeness and a living out of a call beyond ego-dei?

It is so important to understand the ‘call’ of every believer comes not out of what spiritual gift you feel God has given you or that you hope He will give you. The call of every believer is far beyond the making of ourselves something greater than the sum of what our lives have become- no matter how successful or how wreaked that might look. Please don’t get me wrong, God gives us spiritual gifts, through his Holy Spirit, at the moment of salvation (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Pet. 4:10; 1 Cor. 12:11) I fear that we, church peeps, often hold these holy gifts up as a trophy for everyone to admire our greatness, as a measurement to determine who’s not ‘there’ yet, or as the complete sum of our spiritual life (call it a Corinthian church problem). 
The call of the Gospel is God’s work beyond our religious piety or self indulgent rut of addictions. The call of the Gospel is a call to the cross. Our response can only be a recognition that I am lost without Him resulting in a life of humble dependence on him. A daily posture of confession at the foot of the cross to live for His kingdom, not my own, and His glory, not my own. Out of this relationship of belonging solely to Jesus I replace my own agenda for His agenda and find peace, freedom, hope, holiness, patience to endure in suffering and indeed the riches of eternal life. 

Here it is: THE CALL OF THE GOSPEL is not to do something for Jesus in your life, with the greatness of your giftedness, because you come from such a terrible place of sinfulness (most testimonies we seem to applaud are like this). The call of the Gospel is a daily going to the cross for all that I am, I have, and ever hope to be. At the cross- I die daily so that He might have His victory and glory in my life! If we focus on this daily reality of the Gospel applied in our life God will place the rest of living out his will right in front of us as He knows we can handle, and in accordance to how He has gifted us.

Breaking Free! [How I Became a Loser]

PAX has begun a study from Creation to Joe - A look at the Ancient::Future
We are currently on Genesis 5,6 and try to offer some sort of supplemental teaching here on the PAXblog.
So this is going back a few weeks now but it holds such huge importance for our spiritual life, and understanding of God, humanity, the condition of sin, and the outcomes that still plague our world today- I thought I would post on it.
The results of sin are more then a trace substance in a world being detoxed by therapy, tolerance, or religious piety. The result of sin has left a deep stain on each son of Adam and every Daughter of Eve (Psalm 106:39; Prov. 30:11-12; Mark 7:20). Sin has caused us to be born spiritually dead and separated from God our Creator, Father (Ephesians 2:1); Being born in sin we have only the identity of what a sinful world drives us obtain (Ephesians 2:2) - although marred by sin, because of God's hand in our Creation we maintain a God given dignity, value and worth. Also, we live under the authority of the 'Optimus Prime' of evil enemies of the Good and Holy God, Satan himself (Ephesians 2:2b). Therefore all that remains for us to live out of is the cess pool of our own self-driven, flesh craving desires (Ephesians 2:3a). This condition of willful and natural rebellion to God cannot be left uncorrected, or unpunished by a loving God. When God looks down upon humanity in this condition He is grieved at our having been created to experience such complete desolation (Genesis 18:20; Jer. 6:27-30;Lam. 1:8; Romans 1:18).
Genesis 3 describes for us in painful detail that when our first parents, Adam and Eve, opted for their own selfish 'freedom' from God, their good Creator and Father, they really became losers. And we who are born of the same flesh and blood as our parents are born in the same condition as them- lost (Romans 5:12, 18; 8:5a, 8).
Here's what went down: Genesis chapter 2 everything is declared "VERY GOOD", complete, full, whole. Man and woman are in holy covenant love with each and with their God. A beautiful reflection of the relationship experienced and enjoyed in the Trinity its self. Plus they were so complete and full in each other that they were innocently naked (Heb.'arom') and loving it! This would refer to an intimacy and acceptance of each other on every level- mind, emotion, will, and physical relationship.
Gen. 3:1-4 The leader of the 'Free' World
- is crafty (Heb. 'arum', see the play on words?) Rev. 12:9; 20:2
- is a destroyer Psalm 10:6-11; I Pet. 5:8
- is a liar John 8:44
This is the one who is offering 'freedom'!
A good principle to keep in mind when reading Genesis- Genesis doesn't merely tell us what did happen but what happens everyday in our world!
The crafty, destroying, Liar Serpent- offers 'freedom' everyday in our world, on our streets and in our homes. More $, Freedom? More self-gratification, Freedom? More women, freedom? The perfect guy no matter what, Freedom? Self made Fame, Freedom? Getting what I want, Freedom? SEE HIM FOR WHO HE IS!
The LIE of Freedom- Look at how the Father of Lies, questions truth, twists truth then just straight out denies and accuses the God of truth of being a liar! He appeals to doubt, desire and foolish pride- all the while coaxing us on with our own flesh. Can you hear him? "God is not that good, sin is not that bad." The poison apple that he entices, and baits the enslavement to death with everyday.
vs 6 Adam and Eve both take the bait! Eve is deceived to sin- hoping to become her own god, knowing not just the good that she had experienced by God's good hand but now, wow, a promise of experiencing the evil, the bad! How sad and dark. Adam was deliberate in his sin. As the covenant head of his home he sat back and allowed for Satan to lie and manipulate his wife, his completer, this one and only, precious girl of God's. He decides not to lead his family and Satan steps in to lead. Adam goes farther then this however and even as he watches Eve's sin he deliberately reaches out, and like some lazy arsed, self induced comatose dope head, takes a 'pull' on the sin that was being passed around!
Vs 7-19 The Losers of Freedom "And they were naked and shamed"; This is a nakedness they had never experienced before, "erom". The stain of shame, the weight of guilt, the fear of wrath, the darkness of a mind perverted and a heart separated. In this one moment they lost. They lost the freedom of security (which each other, with their God); They lost the freedom of shameless, whole relationship (with each other, with their God); They lost the freedom of right-ness, even as they pointed the blame on each other, or on God in some twisted attempt to tell God they were not as bad as others are (lost rightness with each other and with God). They lost Life- even as God in his mercy did not allow them to remain in the Garden, where they would have no hope of ever being free from the devastation of sin, if they were allowed to live forever in it's hopelessness; They lost Life physically and spiritually- and they as our representative, chose on our behalf to live life separated from the Giver of Life.
The thud of this decision goes deeper and farther then I can blog or imagine, but I see it everyday in my own life and in the lives of those I love and serve.
Without the hope of 'the seed' who will crush the head of the one who has taken a headship in our life and world- Freedom indeed is forever lost in a glitz, glittered, air brushed, fake smiled, sin soaked, empty souled world of addiction, hurt and pain.
WE NEED A SAVIOR!

FOG- Friday! (Function of the Gospel Friday!)

Despite all the rumors ... I am still alive. But I have faltered on my Blog-olution (Blog regularly, minimum weekly) Getting back on track, though and won't bore you with the details of the why's?
FOG - Friday!
It is an inevitable reality that each generation must wrestle through the definitions of theology. Call it a precursor to faith, or an affirming, seeking or longing to know what is truly true, but all people for all times have had to wrestle with the greater God questions, individually and as collective communities (here is the answer to the WHY? we do this-Romans 1:19-21; 2:4, 14-16). Our NOW Christian community is no different. Have you been in a Christian book store, grocery store, Wal-mart lately and looked at the latest offerings for "Functional Christian Theology"? It seems to me that for most of what our generation of church is producing for Christian Theology it is rooted deeper in the functional than in the Theology.
Before you write me off as a ranting old fundamentalist who's Christianity has created the fenced in 'projects' of disengaged religious community, that tends to smell like the Pharisees who screamed, "Kill Jesus!", let's talk FUNCTION! I am purposing to write an on-going Friday Blog dedicated to the FUNCTION of the GOSPEL! (Call it FOGin Friday?! Hmmmm?)
What is "the Gospel"? Can the Gospel be put into irreducibles? Is there more than one Gospel? The Gospel that was preached to the Jews is it different than what was preached to the Gentiles and different still for those who live now? Is the Gospel a one time gift, gig, experience, commitment? Is there a redemptive function to the Gospel on a daily bases that touches the entirety of our personal lives and addresses the entirety of Humanity's Story?
I recieved an email the other day from a friend and missionary of Campus for Christ asking me to help him think through how they are teaching their students to present the Gospel to a NOW culture; A deeply secular, functionally fragmented culture that holds as its highest doctrines tolerance, pluralism, and doubt- NEEDS a FUNCTIONAL GOSPEL!
Here's how I have begun the conversation:
Hey Ben;
I'll think a bit more on it.... remind me to reply further.
For now....
I have found that if I am really speaking the Gospel it means more then saying there is only two ways (before you call me a heretic hear me out). Often times we propose that there are two ways living a Hedonistic, amoral life that leads to wickedness or being a Christian. Although that is true in it's foundation, the problem with most of our hearers in North America is that they translate "Christianity" as doing the right things (no drugs, no sex, no drinking, no dancing, no hanging out with those who do)- moralism. I would say that 99.5 % of the people in our culture who have said that they have given up on, or have no interest in Christianity or the Church have not really rejected Christ- the true Gospel- but have rejected this moralistic idea of religion.
I find personally that it is more affective in our post-modern culture to present Christ as the 'THIRD' way. Not live any way I want to, gathering all the baggage and sickness of a life with out God; nor a moralistic- I have to work to keep myself in good standing with God so that He might accept me, by going to church, giving, loving my neighbour, and cutting down on the sexual activity. But the facts that the Gospel of Jesus is the story of a God who sacrifices all to reach out to a world gone wild, so that we might discover what it is like to have a Father who really loves us, cares for us, and completely knows the pieces that are missing in our lives (there is plenty of scriptures that you can attach to each of these points to show the power of the atonement to make us at-one with Him).
Religion is me trying to work from the outside-in to try and make myself acceptable before God (Islam, Mormon, JW's and a lot of "Christians") or to achieve some form of enlightenment or karma so that I will make myself a better person (Buddhism, Hindu, liberal activism). Jesus is different. The Gospel is a third way- Jesus takes on the religious rhetoric- lives a perfect life; dies a cruel death so that we don't have to try to live out of self rightness. Jesus comes to a world that is full of baggage, addiction and brokenness and takes on the out comes of hedonistic living by suffering the wrath of a Holy God - so the THIRD WAY is JESUS- the Gospel.
Not sure if that all makes sense but maybe it could get a conversation going? I am glad you are wrestling with this...that is an important part of understanding culture and gospel connections!
Keep me in the loop of what your thinking! Willing to interact with all this.
Ready to church plant yet:)? We should have a church plant one year training track ready some time in the next two years or so?
Great to hear from you Ben.
Cheers
Brad
ps- A great place for you to go deeper on this is a new (short) book out by one of the best guys who is explaining the Gospel to the culture right now- Tim Keller, of Redeemer Presbyterian- His new book is called "Prodigal God" and deals directly with what I've only touched on above.

Blogging END NOTE:
These growing understandings, of a functional Gospel, in my life have been greatly influenced by reading and listening to Tim Keller, Mark Driscol (our Acts29 big brother), my Acts29 church plant band of brothers, and John Piper- but the growing convictions in my life, of the need for a renewed understanding of a functional Gospel have come from time on the streets of Halifax, and by studying the book of Acts in the New Testament. MORE next Friday!

Fill 'er Up!

  Getting filled up these days costs more then we often think?! We drive a mini-van, '99 Transport, a bunch of kms, some scars of grime and wear from five kids taking numerous 10 hr-24 hr road trips through out Canada and  the U.S. Any one interested in buying? Sounds attractive eh? Wait here's the big selling point- when we tank up these days from empty it costs us over $100- yeah that's with the dirtest unleaded money can buy! Getting filled up these days cost us more then we often think!

 PROVERBS 9  Talks about being 'filled up'; finding wholeness, fullness, completeness.

When you study through Proverbs chapter by chapter you discover this ninth chapter serves as a vantage point. Like peaking out on hiking trail where you can see the trail behind you and you can get directional bearings for the climb ahead of you. It contains two very different invitations to come and 'fill up'. 

The Invitation of Wisdom vs 1-6 Wisdom again, as in the first part of Proverbs, is personified as a pleasant and gracious woman. She has built a house, 'hewn out of 7 pillars' (signifying sufficiency and completeness), she has made a sacrifice, mixed fine wine, prepared a meal, and sends out the message, the general call, "To come break bread, drink wine- commune, dwell, live here to be filled up with wholeness, completeness."

The Invitation of Folly vs 13-18 The second invitation is made by a loud, obnoxious, amoral woman called Folly. She sits on her throne in the high places of the city, like the daily call of our media, materialistic, humanistic world, tries to sell us the lies that we need a new toy, new clothes, new body, new spouse, a new high in order to get filled up. The invitation is like a bad one night stand that turns out to be a life time of regret and destructive emptiness.

   LOOK at vs 7-12 of Proverbs 9: What stands in the middle? Between these two invitations?

Us- Me and You! How will you and I react to the invitations? If we turn to the invitation of wisdom and mock, ignore or lash out- we are the scoffer; Prideful and ignorant. If we humble ourselves take a clear look at folly and wisdom, repent of our want to go after folly and turn our hearts toward wisdom we become the one who longs to truly know fullness and wholeness, to know wisdom.

      Where is this wholeness and fullness found- look at vs 10 and 11 .  Living out of a reverent awe that God is God and therefore we are not. "The knowledge of the Holy One is insight." Holy One is actually plural here in the original,  "knowledge of the holies, or Holy Ones". I was reflecting on all of this the last few weeks: God the Triune God is complete in relationship with Himself. The Father is delighted, pleased, enjoys, honors fully the very essence of the Son; the Son delights, is pleased, enjoys, and honors the essence of the Father; the Spirit is delighted in, pleased fully, enjoys and honors the other two members of the Godhead as well; The three exist in the fullness of relationship- never at any moment has the Father turned to the Son or the Son to the Spirit or any one of them to each other to say, "you owe me". No there is perfect wholeness and fullness in the God head. God needs nothing else to be complete- He is complete in Himself- He is fullness! In eternity past God overflows this great fulness into His creation- we need to just think on that for a bit- but long story short- When man sinned he made the choice to step out of this fullness- what a wicked selfishness to believe that man could step away from the fulness of God and find completeness in himself, or in someone else, or something else! What a back turning, fist shaking, in your face, tongue stuck out, scoffer attempting to lash out in selfishness kinda thing for God's creation to do! And so the kids of the original scoffer are born outside of this relationship with their spiritual feet kicking and screaming in rebellion, like their daddy before them. What does God do? In His infinite wisdom, He makes all his own provision. He makes a sacrifice- 'breaks bread', 'pours out wine'- makes a way for us to come and commune, DWELL, live with Him. Come and live in the very fullness of this relationship. No one else- not your friends, not your roommate, not your wife, not your husband, not your girl crush,  or your man crush- will ever fill you up! Nothing else - not smaller hips, bigger muscles, more worship songs, a church just the way you want it, a new job, a new car, a new house, a new i-phone, a new promotion, a new drug or your next high will ever fill you up! God makes an abundant, sufficient supply of grace available through His Son, Jesus' death on a cross, and by the Holy Spirit, kicks out a chair from his table and invites- "Come, eat, drink, LIVE!! Come enjoy the fullness of being in relationship with Me!!" 

  - FILL 'ER UP!

For a few months now we have been in contact with a guy shooting a documentary of churches across Canada, his name is Joe Manafo, the documentary is 'One Size Fits All'; He and some guys of like heart and mind, showed up here, on the east coast, about a month ago. Nevin, the dude who helps facilitate all kinds of things in our church- including spiritual growth, and myself were chillin at the Backpacker waiting for them to show up for some introductions and a few minutes of shooting. It might be the cynical, skeptical, or the distrusting church planters side of me, that was wondering how this whole thing will come off; How do you tell people that really what you feel God is doing in your church is just to 'Dwell' with one of the nastiest neighbourhoods in the Maritimes. A neighbourhood that my wife, my kids, and the peeps at PAXnorth seem to be truly in love with. How do you tell people who don't know my neighbourhood or see the people we hang with everyday that we are simply committed to becoming a vital part of this community and in subversive and overt ways live out the gospel of Jesus- then expect them to get what that looks like or what that means for us here, on Gottingen St?  

      They came through the door with gear in tow. Looking urban, hip and a bit hurried (they set a pretty ambitious schedule for four days on the coast). Introductions got started, questions began to flow back and forth naturally like old buddies catching up on what God is doing. Over the dull hum of conversations I hear this flesh on flesh- solid SMACK, SMACK...shuffle of feet, and swearing! Immediately I stand up and look out the front window- two of our street friends are swapping fists to face shots like they were on UFC or something. I say, "Sorry gotta take care of something". Go out to the front door and begin shouting at them. "What are you guys doing? What are you thinking, punching each other in the face and in front of this store! You wanna end up in the tank for the night? Come on, grow up!" They stop...look up and down at me. One guy recognizes me, sheepishly replies, "Yeah, yeah, sorry man...uhhh... wasn't really thinking!" He turns to the other guy, calls him a name his mom wouldn't have liked, wipes the blood off his lip and they go their separate ways.

     What does it look like to dwell here?  Well, we're still working that out but God has given us favor, courage, grace and  a whole lot of protection. I'm not sure what will come of it but God knows, plans and directs.  Love it that God has brought people along with us for the journey both here in the north end and from all over the world! 

      John 17: 15-18 - Jesus Prays that we will truly Dwell

The Freedom of Constraint

Proverbs 4 

  As I sat up in the platform of the bow window, working on some sermon prep at this 'beatnik' cafe hostel, the Backpacker, where you will find me most afternoons, a young lady sat down beside me. She was a starving artist working with a renovating company for a couple of months so she could move into a new apartment with her boyfriend. Par usual the conversation got around to "What do you do for work?" My initial thought is always, 'pause.....', not because I am ashamed of being a church planter/lead pastor. I absolutely know this is what I am geared for and wake up 6 out a seven days a week thrilled to do what I get to do (the other day is Monday); No the pause, is cause when I say, "Pastor/ Church planter" it more often shuts conversation down rather then opens it up. She looks at me strangely, asks a couple of questions about, "What that is like, starting like a whole new church?" Then she asks, "Why?" Carefully my reply is always, "Why ? Do you think we have enough churches?" "Well, I'm not into religion. I think it is just a way to manipulate people. People should have the freedom to make their own decisions, and live their lives anyway they want to, I'm free to find my own morals and beliefs."

     Funny thing about Freedom- it is so constraining.

vs 1-4

     Truth is Inevitable:    

If you read this passage it sounds like the Wise Seer is telling us this is not merely a suggestion, but THE way to live out life, intentional precepts, directed instructions- truth. The lady I spoke with at the b-packer spoke as if her way of discovering truth was the best way- even suggested that I leave it alone; she felt it was THE way to live- her version of truth. In fact the way that she came across with her version of truth felt like she was tying to intimate, manipulate or constrain my thoughts on truth. MY POINT: It's inevitable we all live out of what we believe is "true." Even those who say we shouldn't tell others what is right or wrong, aren't they inevitably telling us what they think is right or wrong?! Those who say their are NO ABSOLUTES! Isn't that an absolute statement? The first part of Proverbs 4 tells us that what we believe in our hearts shows in our lives.

The wise Seer points towards a life lived out under an awe-struck respect for God, the Creator Sustainer and tells his children, his pupil, his prodigy- this is discovered, modeled, tested, truth for your journey. 

   The Constraint of Freedom: Notice how the Seer tells us we can discover, follow and journey day by day in this truth? Vs 10-19 In order for Sidney Crosby to be a great hockey player, and eventually lead his team to the Stanley Cup, he chooses the constraining freedom of discipline. He disciplines himself to go above and beyond with diet, exercise, practice, sleep patterns and on and on. This disciplined life brings a freedom to play at the level only Crosby can play. You see that freedom cannot merely be defined as the absence of restraint. Great freedom comes to those who are willing to discipline, train, follow a course of action so that they my attain a better, or the best possible outcome. Doesn't a great relationship of growing love require this kind of disciplined freedom? And if it truly is a growing love, the freedom of restraint is not a burden but a growing delight? I am committed to dating only my wife, pursuing her, and her me not because we can't exercise 'freedom' but because in the restraint of nurturing a deeper love relationship exclusively with each other, we gain a tremendous freedom of trust and joy in each other. The discipline of protecting, keeping this relationship sacred both in private and public ways is more then worth the reward! This is the constraint of freedom, the same constraint that we are instructed toward here in Proverbs. Want to gain a freedom of spiritual understanding, joy, peace, hope, satisfaction in relationship with God? Keep your heart, grab hold of wisdom, keep her, guard her, constrain your steps, direct your life by this relationship of following after God.  

"Guard your heart with all vigilance, 

for from it flows the springs of life."

  Ahhh the freedom that comes from living out of a heart that has been protected, kept, secured by the fear of God! Fresh flowing, life giving springs. 

"It is not what goes into a mans mouth that corrupts his life but what comes out of his heart"- Jesus. "The heart of a man is desperately wicked who can know it?"; "We suppress the truth in our hearts."  Without the constraining love of Christ in our lives we have a natural bend to lean in towards sin, wickedness, selfishness and pride. Just as it is important for my wife and I to continually cultivate our relationship with one another- it is of great importance for you and I to cultivate an authentic relationship with our God, through His Son Jesus, by the power of His Spirit.

"The love of Christ constrains me."- Paul the Apostle; 

"For whoever would save his life would lose it;

but he who would lose his life for my sake

will find it!" - Freedom explained by Jesus! 

SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR LIFE: Get in on the 60.60experiment

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all you ways  acknowledge Him 

and He will make straight your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes;

Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh,

and refreshment to your bones"

                      -Proverbs 3:5-8

  I know, I know....you've read/heard these verses before, maybe they are even your favorite, or you quoted em like they were. 

  One of the rants building up inside me- How come we, as Christ followers, are so quick to spew scripture or scripture-esk sayings at anyone who asks for 'an answer'? Yet we use it in such a way as to completely disassociate them and disengage ourselves from any deeper or challenging conversation? Christ followers need to be well...more like Christ...'ready to give an answer' that engages those who live desperate lives away from God, for a whole pile of reasons, in such a way that causes them to lean in to know more. 

   BUT right now that is not the topic of this post/rant. I know I have heard the above verses more then a hundred times quoted as life verses or as a terse reminder of how to 'get over' what ever problem I might be having with knowing the will of God in any given situation. This time however, as we thought about on Sunday Night- at PAXnorth in the Park (yeah that's right, we decided to have PAXworship at a Park right in the midst of our most 'dangerous' neighbourhood- I guess I'll have to post on that experience as well this week.) These verses are not meant for quick repeat without first some deep reflection/meditation of what you are really asking people to consider.

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" : This is a theme that weaves it's way from Adam-to Noah-to Abraham- to Moses- to David- to Solomon- to Isaiah- to Christ- to Paul- to the Church and anyone who has claimed to be a follower of Jehovah, God in between. Love=Trust. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength" This kind of love is a total vulnerable, opening of heart and life kind of trust. The kind of Love that God demonstrated in sending His Son to this earth- God coming down to make himself vulnerable to man, being tested in every way, yet without sin, taking on our abuse, our sin, our punishment of offense on the cross. We can love/trust Him completely because He first loved us.  

   The only other option to trusting in God is trusting in self; "Lean not on your own understanding"  That is a limited option at best- it means living out of only what you have perceived of yourself. Maybe a perception that you have carried over from a hurtful past or the lies of others, or out of what you think everyone would like you to be. One of the major problems with leaning on our own understanding has got to be the flux factor. Opinions of who I am, or am supposed to be, or what I wish I could be changes from year to year, season to season, setting to setting, and person to person- and that's only looking at it from the inside out. Imagine what that would mean if I really tried to live up to everybody else's 'understanding'? 

   "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."  This is bigger then you can really grab hold of in a quick read. In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge Him... We have challenged PAXnorth to engage in this verse deeper then merely quoting, knowing and throwing it out as a way to cope with the latest unforeseen event in our lives.

   I heard of a church who came up with a great idea to practice the "in all your ways" part of acknowledging God in their everyday life. They set up a 60.60 Experiment.

Every 60 minutes for 60 days take time to stop and reflect on the fact that God is here. We are in his presence, He is engaged in our lives. 

   This is a huge challenge. How will 'practicing the presence of God' cause the daily intentions and decisions of my heart and life to be changed?- TRY IT! Then tell us at PAXnorth60.60 Experiment. 

  Just a word of caution: If you truly engage in this 'acknowledging of God in all your ways' - it will begin to give you strength from the inside out and heal many of the scars, wounds broken down walls in your life that perhaps you have held on to for years. RE-read the last few verses of the above passage.

  Eagerly waiting to see what happens when we actually put into life these powerful verses? Me to!