Obey Without Delay

James 1:22-25

When I was a kid I knew that as soon as I disobeyed my parents there was a consequence that I was going to face.  In many instances I weighed the consequence over the action to see if it would somehow still be worth it…it wasn’t.  On those rare occasions though when I did choose to obey why did I do it?  Was it because I wanted to prove how good I was to my mom and dad?  No, usually it was out of fear.  I was scared of what was going to happen if I didn’t obey.

Much in the same way we are called to obey God.  The difference is that we obey Him because it actually gives us freedom instead of bondage.  Think about it.  Obeying God gives glory to Him and as such when we are obedient, we are in His will, and there is no safer place or joyful place to be then there.  God wants us to obey not because He wants to scare us or punish us, but instead He wants us to obey Him so that we enjoy the fullness of life that Jesus promised.  So will you obey, or will you keep being shackled to your pride?

Tim & Laurie Thornton

Photo Courtesy of Tim & Laurie Thornton

 

 

It has been a while since I posted my last music review, but have no fear, a new one is here, and folks, it’s a beaut!  I had the recent privilege of obtaining an early copy of Tim & Laurie Thornton’s newest and self-titled album before being officially released (by the way, you can now obtain this album here http://store.timandlaurie.org/album/tim-and-laurie-thornton ).  And let me just say, it is one of the best things in music right now!

There comes an album every now and then that is so honest, so mesmerizing, so powerful, and so beautifully orchestrated that it elevates itself on your playlist and remains there alone.  This is Tim & Laurie Thornton.  Every song on this album speaks of a growing and deeper love with Jesus, but it is certainly not to be thrown into the pile of many other “Christian” records.  This is so unique because it is so devastatingly honest and open.  There doesn’t seem to be any filler or frou frou added in, but instead it is clear that this is capturing true and inspired worship from Tim & Laurie.  It speaks of the change that Jesus has inspired in their lives and the love that he showcases in them.  With lyrics like, “Your love burst forth, o my soul’s restored!  Oh my God, you are mine, and I am yours,” from the song I Am Yours.

The songwriting is so well crafted that you find yourself in a state of awe.  It’s not just the lyrics though.  Musically speaking, this album is stunning all its own.  With mandolin, violin, guitar, banjo, etc. it seems there is not an instrument that doesn’t make an appearance with the talented duo.  It’s got a real and a raw feel, and yet still seems to somehow be polished.  The vocal mix of Tim and Laurie is incredible.  They blend so well and work so beautifully together, and I have found that it is not possible to listen to these songs and not be inspired to worship.

If you are looking for something new and something that is just a beautiful demonstration of worship, pick this up today!

Fred Phelps, Grace, & the Sovereignty of God

(Associated Press file photo)

 

A few nights ago, Wednesday to be specific, a man by the name of Fred Phelps shuffled off his mortal coil.  This death would be nothing more than a blip in an obituary, were it not for the things that this man said, did, and stood for.  Fred Phelps, as most of you already know, was the founder and leader of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS.  Of course as most of the continental United States knows, Westboro’s name is quite misleading.  Phelps and his parishioners preached not a message of love or even the Gospel of Jesus, but instead a message of hate, falsehood, propaganda, and frankly evilness.  Known for picketing numbers of events, including (but not limited to) Military Funerals, Sandy Hook Elementary Funerals, etc., and using slander and offensive language condemning anyone who believes something contrary to his beliefs, many people rejoiced in the death of Phelps.

I would not be 100% truthful if I didn’t say that even my part there was a sense of gladness that began to poke it’s head out upon hearing the demise of this man.  However, my gladness was to be short lived because as He tends to do, the Holy Spirit began to convict me.  I began to think about how does grace fit here?  Like many other Christians there sometimes seems to be a scale of grace that we give to people.  A little offense = abundant grace whereas a great offense = little grace.  The higher the offense, the less grace given.  So naturally when someone so deeply wounds and offends with such venom as Phelps has done there is a natural inclination creeping within our very bones to rejoice in the streets at his death.  Where does grace fit?  Grace.  That often liturgical word that seems to lose its true meaning when we are offended.  The truth is like Fred Phelps, I am a sinner, and like Fred Phelps, I need grace.  

God’s word is quite clear when we look in Romans 3:  

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (21-25).

Fred Phelps was a sinner, a vocal, public, vile, boisterous sinner, but what am I?  I am a sinner whose transgressions are as scarlet and offensive to Jesus as Phelps’.  You, me, Phelps, and everyone else on this planet need a savior who issues grace abundantly.  Luckily, we have this in the person of Jesus.  As is mentioned in above scripture reference ALL have sinned, but Jesus is that propitiation.  So here’s the bottom line, you in your sin, me and my sin, etc., are as unlovable and heinous as Fred Phelps seems to be. The difference for the believer is that Christ has intervened and taken that unlovable heinous person and made a new creation in him/her (2 Corinthians 5:17).  As Christians, God has called us to mirror Him, and part of that mirror includes issuing grace to others, especially when it is a vile and offensive thing/person.  

Ever since Genesis 3 the world has hatred.  Since that point in time, the world has had opponents of grace, opponents of good, and opponents of God Almighty.  The death of Phelps does not illustrate a break in this pattern.  There will always be people who are the antithesis of what God has proclaimed as long as the world continues to exist, but the best news is that we don’t serve a feeble, scared, or exasperated God, but instead we serve a God of ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY.   This has not surprised him or stunned him.  He still reigns on his throne and still triumphs over sin and death, not matter how detestable it may appear to us.  So what do we do?

It is time for we as believers in the body of Christ stop trying to make our own grace standards and start following and using the standard that God has given us through His word.  When we pick and choose who we show grace to we are in fact not showing grace at all.  No matter how offended we may be by Phelps and his followers, God has by example given us a model for love and grace.  Christian brother and sister, here before us we have an incredible opportunity to show the world that we REALLY believe the grace that we so flippantly toss around in church.  The world is watching, what will they see?

 

Devastating Arguments Against Christianity (Courtesy of the Internet)

Great thoughts.

The Robertson Dilemma: An Open Letter

(photo courtesy of Zach Dilgard)

Dear Christian,

With the recent controversy over Phil Robertson and A&E, the opinions and comments from church are at a fever pitch.  Conservative Christians are coming out of the woodwork to condemn A&E.  I’m not here to challenge your decision to either support or not support Phil Robertson, but rather I want to entreat you to think carefully and wisely about the manner in which you not only discuss or perpetuate your beliefs, but more importantly in the way in which you epitomize Jesus.

I believe passion is good.  It fuels us to do good things, to right wrongs, to help others, and to give us a purpose therein.  However, passion, no matter how well intended or calculated, when acted upon with any sort of malign changes the entire trajectory.  God Almighty has given us passion hardwired into our very DNA, but with a purpose.  Our passion, like everything else we have, is ultimately to be a REFLECTION of God’s glory.

It is because of zeal and passion that Christians often get a bad wrap, and let’s be  honest, much of the time it is deserved.  We feel attacked or hurt and then instead of responding with prayer or love we become apoplectic with rage and continue to fuel the already burning fire that much of the world has with Christians.  Social media is already buzzing with this whole Robertson/A&E situation.  I’ve seen some very good responses, but I’ve also seen many hateful ones.  Is that what Christ has called you to?  Hate?

I completely  concur with the belief that we (especially believers in Christ) should stand unapologetically and audaciously to our convictions and beliefs about what the Bible says.  My plea is that in doing so, please do not defeat your own message by acting contrary to the same Bible in which you claim to defend.  I know that in situations like these we tend to feel personally attacked, but please take heart in what Jesus says in John 15:18-20,

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Your choice is simple Christian, give in and give the world another reason to believe we are inauthentic, or stand your ground in the Gospel praying for God to receive glory (which He will by the way) out of this situation.  Your platform is not for a TV show, it is for Almighty God.

Lastly, please Christian do not make this an idol.  We are so good at it though.  John Calvin once wrote, “The human heart is an idol factory… Every one of us from our mothers womb is an expert in inventing idols.”  With all the attention that the Robertsons are getting, please remember not elevate the created above the Creator.  I love you all whether you agree with or disagree with me and I sincerely hope that you will consider Jesus before considering malice.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Brother

Johnny Manziel: Public Enemy?

 

(Photo courtesy of Thomas Campbell)

There is perhaps no more polarizing athlete in America today than the 2012 Heisman winner and starting QB for the Texas A&M Aggies than Johnny “Football” Manziel.  Aggies, Aggie fans, and Aggie alum laud him as one of, if not the best QB that our beloved school has ever seen, and why not?  He broke into the record books his freshman year by setting records not only for passing AND rushing in the SEC, but by become (as I mentioned earlier) the first freshman to win the most esteemed individual prize in all of college football, the Heisman Trophy.  He is quick, he is agile, has a great arm, great pocket presence, and an excitement that anyone who watches, whether fan or foe, cannot help but to catch when watching this dynamic player take the field.

There is more to this QB than meets the eye however.  He is also branded as cocky, rash, irresponsible, and even a punk in certain circles.  This too it seems does not happen by accident.  During the offseason he was caught up in a scandal involving the assumption of him selling autographs to fans, as well as being asked to leave a frat party at the University of Texas and the Manning QB camp.  During his first game back Johnny was given a 15 yard personal foul penalty after jawing back and forth with a couple of Rice Owls players and ended it by pointing to the scoreboard which showcased the Aggie lead.  He also has a cash-money sign that he throws up for his touchdown celebrations.  Clearly, Johnny has earned much of his “bad-boy rep.”

This is where I start to get frustrated however.  Johnny is Johnny.  He has a very extroverted personality and his cockiness, it can be argued, is what gives him that competitive edge.  Other college QBs and players also use the same cash-money sign after scoring (most notably, Clemson superstar Tajh Boyd).  All this aside, this still doesn’t lead me to my point of frustration, that comes from other Christians.

I am a Christian.  This means that I am a follower of Christ, and to take that its logical conclusion, that means even further that His attributes should far outweigh my own.  We see of course the example of this in scripture when we read, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:30.  So if that is true for me, that is a universal truth for all believers and those who claim the name of Christ.  This leads me to my point.  In the last month, and especially this last week or two, I have seen and heard so much venom from people who claim to be Christians calling into question not only Manziel’s actions, but his very character.  This bothers me intensely.  People who do not know Manziel personally are calling into question his integrity and core.  Even if there was some definitive way to prove his character or lack thereof, what do we as believers gain by being judges and accusers?

What if instead of continuing the witch hunt for the Heisman winner, we started to praying for him and those around him.  What if we as Christians stopped not just at Johnny, but in general?  What if the world knew us more by our love than what/who we despise?  What if we started really embracing and living like the One whose name we haphazardly and casually throw on – Christ.

Please understand, the actions of Manziel are not condoned nor are they appreciated as a faithful fightin’ farmer, but my job is never to heap hate or spew rancor upon him or any other.  I instead must live by a different code, the code of Almighty God who instructs me to :

• Love others – 1 John 4:7-8; John 13:34-35; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 Corinthians 16:14
• Not pass judgement – Matthew 7:1-29
• Not to hate – 1 John 3:15-16; 1 Peter 2:1-25
• And that I am emulate Christ – Ephesians 5:1-33; 1 Corinthians 2:2

I implore you fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, if you truly and sincerely adorn your name with this most holy monicker of Jesus follower, please act like it.  We are to be the light of the world, not the darkness, and this is true for even the people that we dislike, hate, hate us, etc.  There is no exception to loving others and showing that love, not even Johnny Football.

New Artist to Watch For

Alrighty folks, as many of you know I am a lover of music, and especially local artists of the folk/indie genre.  I want you to know about a new musician on the scene named Ryan Ellington.  Ryan has a love for music and that translates well into his craft.  His untitled LP is one that should not be missed.  The sound is melodic and smooth while still able to maintain an edgy enough sound to not only keep you interested, but it also draws you in.  The vocals and guitar meld perfectly and the sound is unmistakable.  Do yourself a favor and find a way to pick this LP up with haste!

Homeward Bound

Today was a bitter-sweet day for us here in Guatemala.  Bitter because we had to say goodbye to friends that we have met and established relationships with, and because we have to leave this beautiful place in the morning.  We will miss our translators (Minor, Lidya, Alejandra, etc.) but also Angel.  Angel is the student pastor at Mount Shama Church who has been so gracious to us all week.

 

But today was also sweet for a couple of reasons.  First, we got to travel to and visit Antigua.  Antigua is surrounded by volcanoes (only 1 is active) and is an absolutely beautiful place with beautiful people.  We were able to purchase a few items, enjoy fellowship, relaxation, and incredible food.  It has been a wonderful day of rest to cap off an amazing week.

 

Secondly, we have no doubt enjoyed ourselves here while serving the Lord, but we are incredibly anxious to arrive back to the great Republic of Texas and see all of you once again.  We thank you so much for your prayers this week.  They were felt and answered.  We hope that you will come and hear what we have to say about this experience first hand on Sunday.  God is working, not just here, but in the lives of our students and that should excite us greatly.  I feel a revolution, and it begins with this generation.  Celina, I posit this one last question to you and the world…are you ready?

Victory

Today was our final day here in San Juan.  We had our championship soccer matches downtown today and the city let us use the actual official soccer stadium of the city’s team!  It was  a huge honor.  We got to wear the colors to support our team (which in an amazing set of circumstances, just happened to be orange!).  We cheered and encouraged these young players who had put in so much effort all week.  They worked hard, we cheered hard, and at the end they recieved trophies that we provided and two lucky players even received the MVP trophy and the “Best Goalie” award.”  So amazing to see these victories.

 

We then went and had a special treat as we were able to visit some ancient Mayan ruins from days gone by called called Oxaljuj B’aktún.  It was an amazing experience for all of us to see these incredible feats that these ancient peoples constructed with such genius.  It was yet another reason to praise our God for allowing people to have such ingenuity, wisdom, and collaboration.

Tomorrow we journey to Antigua to have some down time, and then we get sleep and prepare to head home on Saturday.  We miss you all and covet your continued prayers!

Dylan

He’ll Come Like the Rain

I’m not even really sure where to begin about today, but needless to say, God continues to move here.  We sent our final team out for stoves today and God once again continues to bless these amazing efforts for His kingdom.  Ryan Peters, Andrew, Grace, Chance, and our Guatemalan brothers Angel and Alejandro went and installed the final 3 stoves in the Chivoc.  Just like the other teams that have gone out, the main purpose is to not only provide a way  for people to cook safely, but to share Jesus.  Our gracious Father blessed these efforts and two more people made professions of faith in Jesus today!  He is so good!  The rest of us were assigned to be “cheerleaders” for the soccer teams who have worked so hard this week and encourage them.  It was so fun to watch them and cheer them on, and then listen to Pastor Lopez invite them to continue working hard and inviting them to church.

 

We then had a break and went to the market which was simply indescribable.  There were so many goods to look at and purchase including, shoes, meats, produce, shirts, etc.  The people were so friendly and everything was so beautiful.

 

After the market we had one more soccer match to cheer on between our final two teams, but we soon discovered that the weather here is even more unpredictable than it is back in the Republic of Texas.  It was sunny, then without warning we were treated to a phenomenal rain shower for an hour and 1/2, but this did not postpone the soccer for even a minute.  These young men continued to give 100% effort in muddy, less than perfect conditions, that it was truly inspiring.

 

It was a gracious reminder that Jesus, much like the rain, comes quickly and refreshingly.  Finally, the last part of our day was spent with some of our Guatemalan brothers and sisters challenging us to a game of soccer at one of the local fields.  We full expected to lose handsomely and swiftly, but we busted our tails and both boys and girls came out victorious!  The boys won 4-0 and the girls won 2-1 on penalty kicks after time expired!  It was a blast.  We then retreated to Pastor Lopez’s home (a very real honor) for a traditional Guatemalan “barbecue.”  It consisted of grilled steak, black beans, cilantro lime rice, HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE, two kinds of homemade salsa, and baked chips.  Words cannot describe how delicious it was!  We have truly felt blessed and honored.  Please keep praying for us, and especially for Kendall and Christy as both have been a bit under the weather today and yesterday.  WE love you all and thank you in advance for your prayers!