. . . who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you."
- From Isaiah 65
The prophet Isaiah, who was considered borderline insane, was kept at arms length from the community. People laughed about him, and at him. The cool people in old Israel did not associate with him. But his habits were not strange. They really were not outdated. His words were not hateful and divisive, not really. He simply reminded everybody what their grandparents tried to pass on to them, but that they ignore.
But Isaiah nudged the people, like the Holy Spirit does in almost every moment, to return to the teachings and practices that made Israel holy, special, and prosperous.
He was not strange . . . not really . . . but he made the people very uncomfortable. They had adopted habits that were fun, and that made them feel good. And once a good sensation, or feeling, has taken hold of a human (perhaps the most important tendency that separates us from beasts) they are loathe to let go of it. They may become cruel, evil, or violent, in order to keep the feeling (just listen to the music, watch the movies, and observe everything about modern pop culture, to see if feelings actually are the driving motivators behind us).
Isaiah was a Deplorable.
Feelings can make humans do crazy things. I'll bet that any crime committed . . . any evil deed, is rooted in some desire to feel something. But we do not like being reminded that we're being carnal, or selfish, or impulsive. So we put a nice covering of goodness around our new practices . . . or our new philosophy . . . or religion.
We veil our self-serving practices in the lingo of holiness. Impurity is thus cosmetically made to look like purity. It becomes the New Purity.
And then our separation from God is made complete, by separating ourselves from the Isaiahs around us, that ask us simply to consider what we're doing. We create that separate space in our social media groups, and in our associations. We even split families apart, in order to stay committed to our new religion. We unfriend people. In an instant. Friendships are made and destroyed, in an instant . . . in the time it takes to feel something pleasurable.
With our masks of goodness covering up our words and deeds . . . we finally convince ourselves that we are good, that we are better than God's perfect standard.
Christ says to "Go . . . " and to permeate the entire world with the Gospel. But God's enemies say "Leave me alone . . . I am too holy for you."
See what God just did there?
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Dichotomy
Send out your light and your truth . . .
- From Psalm 43
Light and truth. It's the classic dichotomy.
Some people want light only, and resist truth.
Some people want truth only, and resist light.
It doesn't matter whether they are "religious" or not. It explains such things as partisan politics - - - and the divide between them that want "justice" and them that want "compassion."
It explains any dispute between otherwise "good" people, that are so convinced they are right, and that others not only are wrong, but are either ignorant, fearful, or evil.
But we need both light and truth. We need protection and mercy from God. We need to be treated with kindness. We need others to put up with our failures. But we also need God to show us truth; to call us to higher levels of life and behavior. We need to aspire to greatness and nobility. We need a set of standards that challenges us.
We need freedom of conscience, but we also need to be corrected when we're wrong.
It is said, "You can't have it both ways." But we are going to have to have it both ways. It's the only way to rise above our human condition and see the Big Picture.
You need both a right and a left hand. We have peripheral vision for a reason.
Yes, God send us both Light, and Truth. Light to keep us from bumping into things. And Truth to give us mastery over those things.
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Mindful
What is man that you should be mindful of him?
- From Psalm 8
Last fall, in 2018, I unexpectedly learned that the word "mindfulness" had become a thing. It has a lot to do with being reflective and purposeful . . . choosing your responses to things. Not letting your temper rule you. Not being pushed around by others, or being subject to any forces not under your own control.
You can, of course, be required to obey the law, to accept punishment when you break it. We all may be terminated from our job, by someone else, if we establish a record of failing to perform up to expectations. But if we're mindful, we do not let the experience of being fired, or receiving a speeding ticket, ruin our days, or cause us to mistreat others.
When you're mindful, you breathe deeply, a lot. You do yoga, and center yourself around your "core." You read deep thoughts. You think about others and how you may make their days better. You deliberately make yourself a contributor to goodness.
I think that, in a way, mindfulness is intended as an "anti-bullying" force. This is because, you can go through the normal routine, in organizations that are into mindfulness, and hear the word "bully" bandied about equally.
But mindfulness seems, actually, to be just the Millennials' version of The Golden Rule. The Christian ethic was to serve others. To put others first. But this principle did not square with the yearning of the Present Age, to "be yourself." We abhor the thought of being a servant, even though Christ said it is what we should do. Mindfulness is different than The Seven Habits, The Road Less Traveled, Emotional Intelligence, and the Beatitudes, in that it basically says "I'm going to do whatever I want. And so that I may be permitted to do or be whatever I wish, I need you to adopt the practice of being mindful. None of us will serve the other. None of us will treat others better than ourselves. We will simply not care what others think, or need, and call it being mindful."
It does not go as deeply as similar actualizing movements in the past; but has retooled them for a modern audience that does not want to be troubled.
There is a mindfulness that really mattered to humanity - - - the fact that God is mindful of us. He put us first. He modeled servanthood. He lay down His life for His sheep. And that is the essence of High Level mindfulness.
Mindfulness 2019 says "Pay attention to what you're thinking."
But sees that, and raises it a "Pay attention to what others need. And be that for them." And this is a mindfulness that actually requires sacrifice, and maybe, pain.
It's also the mindfulness that really does elevate us, almost to the status of angels.
- From Psalm 8
Last fall, in 2018, I unexpectedly learned that the word "mindfulness" had become a thing. It has a lot to do with being reflective and purposeful . . . choosing your responses to things. Not letting your temper rule you. Not being pushed around by others, or being subject to any forces not under your own control.
You can, of course, be required to obey the law, to accept punishment when you break it. We all may be terminated from our job, by someone else, if we establish a record of failing to perform up to expectations. But if we're mindful, we do not let the experience of being fired, or receiving a speeding ticket, ruin our days, or cause us to mistreat others.
When you're mindful, you breathe deeply, a lot. You do yoga, and center yourself around your "core." You read deep thoughts. You think about others and how you may make their days better. You deliberately make yourself a contributor to goodness.
I think that, in a way, mindfulness is intended as an "anti-bullying" force. This is because, you can go through the normal routine, in organizations that are into mindfulness, and hear the word "bully" bandied about equally.
But mindfulness seems, actually, to be just the Millennials' version of The Golden Rule. The Christian ethic was to serve others. To put others first. But this principle did not square with the yearning of the Present Age, to "be yourself." We abhor the thought of being a servant, even though Christ said it is what we should do. Mindfulness is different than The Seven Habits, The Road Less Traveled, Emotional Intelligence, and the Beatitudes, in that it basically says "I'm going to do whatever I want. And so that I may be permitted to do or be whatever I wish, I need you to adopt the practice of being mindful. None of us will serve the other. None of us will treat others better than ourselves. We will simply not care what others think, or need, and call it being mindful."
It does not go as deeply as similar actualizing movements in the past; but has retooled them for a modern audience that does not want to be troubled.
There is a mindfulness that really mattered to humanity - - - the fact that God is mindful of us. He put us first. He modeled servanthood. He lay down His life for His sheep. And that is the essence of High Level mindfulness.
Mindfulness 2019 says "Pay attention to what you're thinking."
But sees that, and raises it a "Pay attention to what others need. And be that for them." And this is a mindfulness that actually requires sacrifice, and maybe, pain.
It's also the mindfulness that really does elevate us, almost to the status of angels.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
New
. . . . and new things I now declare;
- From Isaiah 42
I've had a sort of life tenet, that I made up, although it certainly is not new. It came out of my years as a consultant in Total Quality Management. But the idea is: you have to make yourself, or your product, obsolete.
Because if you don't, someone else will. But if you do, it will be on your own terms, and you will have influenced the rules so that it is to your advantage, moving forward.
This is why businesses cannot just level off. You have to keep growing. You have to let go and let others come in and build what you planned. The architect and the carpenter are not the same person.
I'm in an entrepreneurial situation even now. My innovation, the Hudson Education Center, floundered along for five or ten years. It is a 501 nonprofit, devoted to youth and the performing arts. It kept a slow pace, not really growing, not really changing. But it was always just one little contingency away from having to fold.
If I wanted it to outlive me . . . then I must make it so that it can grow without me.
A new board member came along, with the energy and vision to build our infrastructure and administrative processes. Soon, we had new people joining us, with new ideas, with different ideas. These ideas would require me to give up control of this part, or that piece, of the business. My value to the organization would change . . . from founder to manager. I would have to execute the wishes of the board and our team, with excellence. I would become like any employee of any organization. I would have to deliver. And I would have to let others take over some of my responsibilities.
But the result is . . . . growth. And the risks to me increase. But so do the potential benefits.
Let go . . . let others . . . let God.
Do new things . . . or die.
God is always announcing new plans. He retools. He prunes. And arguably, He learns . . . but as perfect God, He responds correctly, and changes so that His end game may be assured. (He knows what He's doing, and is never surprised. But He models how we should adapts to things.)
The Bible is full of beginnings and endings. But every end just turns over to a new beginning, to new things, to new ideas.
Let go. Let God.
And be constantly renewed.
- From Isaiah 42
I've had a sort of life tenet, that I made up, although it certainly is not new. It came out of my years as a consultant in Total Quality Management. But the idea is: you have to make yourself, or your product, obsolete.
Because if you don't, someone else will. But if you do, it will be on your own terms, and you will have influenced the rules so that it is to your advantage, moving forward.
This is why businesses cannot just level off. You have to keep growing. You have to let go and let others come in and build what you planned. The architect and the carpenter are not the same person.
I'm in an entrepreneurial situation even now. My innovation, the Hudson Education Center, floundered along for five or ten years. It is a 501 nonprofit, devoted to youth and the performing arts. It kept a slow pace, not really growing, not really changing. But it was always just one little contingency away from having to fold.
If I wanted it to outlive me . . . then I must make it so that it can grow without me.
A new board member came along, with the energy and vision to build our infrastructure and administrative processes. Soon, we had new people joining us, with new ideas, with different ideas. These ideas would require me to give up control of this part, or that piece, of the business. My value to the organization would change . . . from founder to manager. I would have to execute the wishes of the board and our team, with excellence. I would become like any employee of any organization. I would have to deliver. And I would have to let others take over some of my responsibilities.
But the result is . . . . growth. And the risks to me increase. But so do the potential benefits.
Let go . . . let others . . . let God.
Do new things . . . or die.
God is always announcing new plans. He retools. He prunes. And arguably, He learns . . . but as perfect God, He responds correctly, and changes so that His end game may be assured. (He knows what He's doing, and is never surprised. But He models how we should adapts to things.)
The Bible is full of beginnings and endings. But every end just turns over to a new beginning, to new things, to new ideas.
Let go. Let God.
And be constantly renewed.
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Radiance
. . . the radiance of your holy Name . . .
- From Canticle 13
From the on-line Yahoo dictionary, the word "radiance" is defined as "light or heat as emitted or reflected by something:"
Just the name of the Lord gives off radiance. You don't even have to say it . . . there is light and heat proceeding from it. And yet, there was a period of time in ancient Hebrew history, that they did not even attempt to say the Name of God. First, they really didn't actually know His name. Next, even if they did, they did not believe they could pronounce it. And if they could pronounce it, they did not believe they should pronounce it.
J.K. Rowling had it all wrong. They made Lord Voldemort into one whose name could not be spoken. That is an honor reserved for only the Lord of Hosts, the Master of the Universe. The name of highest Good is the thing we cannot attain on our own. Evil is easy . . . "Voldemort" should be said with gleeful aplomb.
But . . . what if we did say God's name? We would have a miraculous result - - - heat and light would burst through the cold and darkness, simply because we spoke the Name of God . . . if we knew what it was . . . or could pronounce it.
I wonder if we could devote an entire series of thirteen blogs to the Name of God? Could a sermon series focus only on that? Would it be good for us to do so?
I think, yes. There is wealth enough of material for our well-being, our growth, or edification, our transformation, in the Name of God. We know His titles, albeit not His name(s), per se. But it's enough just to talk about His Name.
That could be the only words in your prayer: "The Name of the Lord."
- From Canticle 13
From the on-line Yahoo dictionary, the word "radiance" is defined as "light or heat as emitted or reflected by something:"
Just the name of the Lord gives off radiance. You don't even have to say it . . . there is light and heat proceeding from it. And yet, there was a period of time in ancient Hebrew history, that they did not even attempt to say the Name of God. First, they really didn't actually know His name. Next, even if they did, they did not believe they could pronounce it. And if they could pronounce it, they did not believe they should pronounce it.
J.K. Rowling had it all wrong. They made Lord Voldemort into one whose name could not be spoken. That is an honor reserved for only the Lord of Hosts, the Master of the Universe. The name of highest Good is the thing we cannot attain on our own. Evil is easy . . . "Voldemort" should be said with gleeful aplomb.
But . . . what if we did say God's name? We would have a miraculous result - - - heat and light would burst through the cold and darkness, simply because we spoke the Name of God . . . if we knew what it was . . . or could pronounce it.
I wonder if we could devote an entire series of thirteen blogs to the Name of God? Could a sermon series focus only on that? Would it be good for us to do so?
I think, yes. There is wealth enough of material for our well-being, our growth, or edification, our transformation, in the Name of God. We know His titles, albeit not His name(s), per se. But it's enough just to talk about His Name.
That could be the only words in your prayer: "The Name of the Lord."
Friday, June 7, 2019
Therefore
Now therefore, if you obey my voice . . .
- From Exodus 19
God acts in history. He leaves His Word with us, through the prophets, through His Son, and in Scripture. He leaves an imprint on our hearts . . . a nudging from Holy Spirit. It's hard to explain what the voice of God is really like. But when you hear Him, you know it.
And if you try to explain to an unbeliever, you'll come across as crazy. But if God does communicate with us, it's good to take note of it. And if there were a God, why wouldn't He reveal Himself to us? I'm glad it's not obvious . . . that would take away the mystery!
But once He acts, and speaks, there comes a point where He says: "Therefore . . . " This means the premises have been established, and what follows is a natural response, or outcome, to those premises. If x, y, and z . . . . therefore ABC.
If God has done all of these things, and said so much, therefore, we should . . .
We do this all the time, as teachers. We create a framework for students. We add layers upon layers, of content and concepts, when the students are ready for it. Why wouldn't God act the same way? And like elementary-aged students . . . we do not listen to our Teacher. We push back. We resist.
What has God done for you so far this year?
Therefore . . . .how should you respond?
- From Exodus 19
God acts in history. He leaves His Word with us, through the prophets, through His Son, and in Scripture. He leaves an imprint on our hearts . . . a nudging from Holy Spirit. It's hard to explain what the voice of God is really like. But when you hear Him, you know it.
And if you try to explain to an unbeliever, you'll come across as crazy. But if God does communicate with us, it's good to take note of it. And if there were a God, why wouldn't He reveal Himself to us? I'm glad it's not obvious . . . that would take away the mystery!
But once He acts, and speaks, there comes a point where He says: "Therefore . . . " This means the premises have been established, and what follows is a natural response, or outcome, to those premises. If x, y, and z . . . . therefore ABC.
If God has done all of these things, and said so much, therefore, we should . . .
We do this all the time, as teachers. We create a framework for students. We add layers upon layers, of content and concepts, when the students are ready for it. Why wouldn't God act the same way? And like elementary-aged students . . . we do not listen to our Teacher. We push back. We resist.
What has God done for you so far this year?
Therefore . . . .how should you respond?
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Happy
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!
- From Psalm 33
The Psalm opens with a very familiar line from all of Scripture.
I can remember one of the local TV stations, in the Seventies, probably. In one of it's station identification spots, it had a graphic of an American flag, with this Scripture as the caption. Imagine seeing that today!
And yet, why wouldn't a Nation be "happy," whose God is the Lord? Let's assume for just a moment, that there is a God in the Heavens, The Creator, The Giver of Life, The Builder of Eternity, The Source of Good, The Author of Love. Let's assume now, that not everybody gets around to understanding this, and actually finding The One True God. Let's carry the assumption further and conclude that some nations are more in touch with The Lord, than others.
Wouldn't it make sense that nations that follow The One True God, would be "happy"? Aren't security, wealth, and freedom some things to be desired? If God was the One that taught us about those things and directed their advancement through history . . . wouldn't it end up being a good thing for us, so to follow?
The path to progress is to understand the long arm of History, to understand all the forces at work upon it, and to align, and balance with . . . The One Who sees the beginning from the end!
Even non-Christian nations, in history, seemed more prosperous and free if they also had a dominating culture of faith.
Happiness is an important thing, and we should entertain every possible way to attain it. Having the Lord as your God is a great way to do it . . . and not terribly taxing or time-consuming.
- From Psalm 33
The Psalm opens with a very familiar line from all of Scripture.
I can remember one of the local TV stations, in the Seventies, probably. In one of it's station identification spots, it had a graphic of an American flag, with this Scripture as the caption. Imagine seeing that today!
And yet, why wouldn't a Nation be "happy," whose God is the Lord? Let's assume for just a moment, that there is a God in the Heavens, The Creator, The Giver of Life, The Builder of Eternity, The Source of Good, The Author of Love. Let's assume now, that not everybody gets around to understanding this, and actually finding The One True God. Let's carry the assumption further and conclude that some nations are more in touch with The Lord, than others.
Wouldn't it make sense that nations that follow The One True God, would be "happy"? Aren't security, wealth, and freedom some things to be desired? If God was the One that taught us about those things and directed their advancement through history . . . wouldn't it end up being a good thing for us, so to follow?
The path to progress is to understand the long arm of History, to understand all the forces at work upon it, and to align, and balance with . . . The One Who sees the beginning from the end!
Even non-Christian nations, in history, seemed more prosperous and free if they also had a dominating culture of faith.
Happiness is an important thing, and we should entertain every possible way to attain it. Having the Lord as your God is a great way to do it . . . and not terribly taxing or time-consuming.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Nothing is Impossible (Haas)
. . . nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them . . .
From Genesis 11
I'm not sure we really fathom what happened when the Tower of Babel was built. Have we considered this assertion by God Himself?
Nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
Why?
Because humanity has innate power that it barely understands. When we are in agreement, when we're speaking the same language, we can do anything. What does "anything" mean? Think about it.
We've all heard about the power of positive thinking . . . the value of creativity . . . the leverage that comes in working collaboratively. And it turns out it's true. God agrees that it's true!! We can do anything. We just have to work together, and serve each other.
And that's without the spirit of God within us!
Or maybe that's what the Spirit of God is - - - a force that truly unifies us. But you have to put the needs of others first!
But then . . . on the other hand, absent the Spirit of God, human accord can go violently awry. The pattern repeats itself throughout history. The Serpent in Eden, by offering ultimate knowledge to humanity (which is ultimate power), committed a grave error that would have endangered humanity to an eternity of strife and evil. In a way, the Serpent has good intentions: "Let's give Man and Woman all the information they need, so that they can progress and prosper."
But the Serpent, and Adam, and Eve, were unable to separate those good intentions from a selfish motive at the root. Even Hitler professed "love" for the German people.
The Babel builders had a "good" motive. "Let's get to Heaven." Let's return to the place out of which God cast us! That's good, right? Work our way to God?
Oh wait . . . "work" our way? Doesn't that sound a little "religious"? So there you have one problem with Babel - it's method was works-oriented religiosity, rather than faith-based trust. Babel is like the serpent. Every adversary to God is like the serpent, and like the Babel builders.
And then Babel went on to be the seat of Babylon: an empire built on opposition to God.
With good intentions.
There's human-leveraged unity which is very powerful, but potentially evil.
And there's God-leveraged unity which is more powerful, but ultimately good.
From Genesis 11
I'm not sure we really fathom what happened when the Tower of Babel was built. Have we considered this assertion by God Himself?
Nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
Why?
Because humanity has innate power that it barely understands. When we are in agreement, when we're speaking the same language, we can do anything. What does "anything" mean? Think about it.
We've all heard about the power of positive thinking . . . the value of creativity . . . the leverage that comes in working collaboratively. And it turns out it's true. God agrees that it's true!! We can do anything. We just have to work together, and serve each other.
And that's without the spirit of God within us!
Or maybe that's what the Spirit of God is - - - a force that truly unifies us. But you have to put the needs of others first!
But then . . . on the other hand, absent the Spirit of God, human accord can go violently awry. The pattern repeats itself throughout history. The Serpent in Eden, by offering ultimate knowledge to humanity (which is ultimate power), committed a grave error that would have endangered humanity to an eternity of strife and evil. In a way, the Serpent has good intentions: "Let's give Man and Woman all the information they need, so that they can progress and prosper."
But the Serpent, and Adam, and Eve, were unable to separate those good intentions from a selfish motive at the root. Even Hitler professed "love" for the German people.
The Babel builders had a "good" motive. "Let's get to Heaven." Let's return to the place out of which God cast us! That's good, right? Work our way to God?
Oh wait . . . "work" our way? Doesn't that sound a little "religious"? So there you have one problem with Babel - it's method was works-oriented religiosity, rather than faith-based trust. Babel is like the serpent. Every adversary to God is like the serpent, and like the Babel builders.
And then Babel went on to be the seat of Babylon: an empire built on opposition to God.
With good intentions.
There's human-leveraged unity which is very powerful, but potentially evil.
And there's God-leveraged unity which is more powerful, but ultimately good.
Monday, June 3, 2019
Living
Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water!
- From John 7
My version here does not have the exclamation point. But I think it should be there. It says at the start of the passage, that Jesus cried out, to be heard above the noise of a very large crowd. It was the climax to His statement. Surely he called out these words with ardor and force!
Now, there seems to be something missing from our present expression of evangelism.
Where are the "rivers"? Where is the non-stop Good News . . . the constant flow of life-giving words?
Where is the "living"? What is there about modern evangelism that stands in stark contrast to the death and decay all around us?
Where's the "water"? Where's the message that is exactly what a hungering, thirsting world is yearning for?
I read a little flyer about fifteen years ago. I believe I was at a youth retreat at the Aurora Advent Christian Church, in Illinois. It was an insert in a program, and was entitled "The Waiting World." Or maybe it was "The Watching World." Both titles are good. But it stuck me at the time, that the world needs something desperately. It doesn't really know what . . . but when someone gets it right, the world will rush in to have it.
We have got to be careful. So many people are turned off by our gossip and snark. If that's Christ, then I don't want any part of it.
They hear our pronouncements about sexual morality and immorality, but then observe our ruined marriages and rather tawdry lack of purity.
Our generation has confused the practice of unconditional love and the life of self-discipline. They see judgment without joy, and purity without prudence.
But Jesus asserted that some really wonderful, and good things would come out of the hearts of believers. It would be the equivalent of the River of Life . . . like the one in the Garden of Eden, or the New Jerusalem. That's a high calling, and if we're not getting the right result, we had better undergo a little self-examination.
- From John 7
My version here does not have the exclamation point. But I think it should be there. It says at the start of the passage, that Jesus cried out, to be heard above the noise of a very large crowd. It was the climax to His statement. Surely he called out these words with ardor and force!
Now, there seems to be something missing from our present expression of evangelism.
Where are the "rivers"? Where is the non-stop Good News . . . the constant flow of life-giving words?
Where is the "living"? What is there about modern evangelism that stands in stark contrast to the death and decay all around us?
Where's the "water"? Where's the message that is exactly what a hungering, thirsting world is yearning for?
I read a little flyer about fifteen years ago. I believe I was at a youth retreat at the Aurora Advent Christian Church, in Illinois. It was an insert in a program, and was entitled "The Waiting World." Or maybe it was "The Watching World." Both titles are good. But it stuck me at the time, that the world needs something desperately. It doesn't really know what . . . but when someone gets it right, the world will rush in to have it.
We have got to be careful. So many people are turned off by our gossip and snark. If that's Christ, then I don't want any part of it.
They hear our pronouncements about sexual morality and immorality, but then observe our ruined marriages and rather tawdry lack of purity.
Our generation has confused the practice of unconditional love and the life of self-discipline. They see judgment without joy, and purity without prudence.
But Jesus asserted that some really wonderful, and good things would come out of the hearts of believers. It would be the equivalent of the River of Life . . . like the one in the Garden of Eden, or the New Jerusalem. That's a high calling, and if we're not getting the right result, we had better undergo a little self-examination.
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