Pennies and Pounds, Part 1

Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 (NASB):

"Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them."

I have been meditating on this passage, off and on, for several years now.  Far from perpetuating the "balance" of today's psycho-babble, I believe there some great take-aways here for modern Christ-followers.  I am still formulating how I'd like to address this passage, in a way that is relevant to the greatest number of readers, but here are a few personal applications that I feel represent the heart of what the Word of God is saying through Solomon:

• Go take your pastor out for a beer, but don't get smashed.
• Enjoy the senses God gave you (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell), but faithfully in accordance to the ways He intended, for His glory.
• When the Bible seems too complicated to wrap your head around, stop and ask the Good Shepherd to help you love someone you don't like (Luke 6:32-36).  That'll keep you busy for a while.
• If some foolish person frustrates you continually, try to imagine how frustrating to God your folly must be... He is a Father, after all, and a Person, with feelings.  Then thank Him that His mercy endures forever, and covers suckers like us.
• Don't worry.  About anything. (Matthew 6:25, Philippians 4:6)

That's all I have for now.  Have a blessed day, friends.

An Open Letter to My Younger Self -- Part 1

A while ago, I heard a song that (barring a few crass references) got me thinking about the last couple decades of my life.  Now, I'm only 44, and that hardly qualifies for large quantities of reminiscence.  Still, since I can't change my past, the best I can do is pass on what little wisdom I may have acquired.

I must first make a few disclaimers:

• I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.
• I grew up in a broken home.
• I am a veteran of the U.S. Army.
• I have never been financially wealthy.
• I spent the majority of my "career years" as a pastor of worship for modern evangelical churches.
• I have willingly left that line of work, nearly 2 years ago.
• I have never started or maintained my own business.
• I have spent most of my life in Southern California, but am now a grateful "transplant" to Northwestern Montana.

OK, on with the program.  So as to refrain from the appearance of judgmentalism, I will address this letter to my 18-year-old self.  Some of these points, I have done.  Others, I wish I had.  Those of you who know me will know which is which.

Without further adieu...

________________

Don't even think about going into debt for a college education: Unless you're going after becoming a corporate attorney (perish the thought!) or hit the lottery, that monstrous obligation will haunt you for DECADES to come.  (Notice how I didn't say "become a doctor".  I'd sooner go through life with my hands tied behind my back and a leash around my neck.  Same thing.)  No, spend your youth EARNING a living.  Even a modest income, properly stewarded, is better than spending buckets of borrowed capital on a slip of paper (a "degree") which probably won't mean a darn thing in the world you will see unfolding.  Don't pay to learn... GET PAID to learn a business or trade.  Then, become the leader.

Learn to MAKE or BUILD things.  DO something with the energy of your youth.  Pursue a career and life-path that will allow to you to step back from your efforts and say, "Look at THAT.  I made that.  I'm responsible for that coming to be."  There is a world looming in the distance which will not be friendly to those who cannot build a dwelling, cultivate a vegetable garden, hunt and prepare one's own meat and stitch up a wound.  Spend a significant amount of time and energy learning how to survive in the wilderness.  Be willing to do things, to solve problems, which most other people will avoid.  There is tremendous value in that.

Stay in shape.  Don't let yourself become lazy or complacent in the area of physical fitness.  Stay strong.  Create a lifelong habit of physical exertion.  You never know when you're going to have to run harder, swim farther, climb higher, or carry more than you ever thought you could.  Be ready.

Buy fertile, wooded land as soon as you possibly can.  Build a modest, simple, small and smart home on it, BEFORE you marry.  If you can do this, without getting bogged down in debt (preferably debt-free), you will alleviate yourself of the "life of quiet desperation" which Thoreau warned against.

Marry a woman whose Bible is worn out from use, and who is beautifully contented with the simple life God gives her.  A woman who spends very little on the things which mean little, and who is not afraid to pay cash-on-the-barrel for things that will last for decades (Proverbs 31).  Pour all of your manly love and affection into her alone, and don't waste your character on pursuing anyone else -- not even the thought of anyone else (Matthew 5:28).  And marry young.  Start having children (lots of them) as soon as possible.  Do not ever say something diabolically foolish, like "I don't know if we can afford to have any more than 2 children."  Be fruitful.  Multiply.  Trust God that He is better at providing for you and your family's needs than you will ever be.

Don't get comfortable in this life.  This world is not -- I repeat, NOT -- your home, if you have wisely and rightfully put your trust, your very life in the hands of King Jesus.  Be ready to say, "Where He leads me, I will follow.  What He feeds me, I will swallow."

Learn how to get along with all kinds of people.  Make the Golden Rule your life's theme.

_________

Well, it's getting late and I'm getting sleepy.  Perhaps there will be a Part 2 to this post.

What would you say to someone much younger than you?  Leave a comment below.

Does the Bible teach Disarmament?

It is my assertion that the Scriptures do not teach disarmament.  Here is a concise compendium of Biblical teaching on the matter, thanks to Mercy Seat Church in Wisconsin:

http://www.mercyseat.net/gunapologetic.html

Listen up, "Sheepdogs"!

 
Listen, dog. We are all "sheep", according to God's Word.  Listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah:
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (53:6)
No matter how much we protector-types fancy ourselves to be "Sheepdogs", and somehow more prepared to deal with the predators of the world (particularly the two-legged kind), make no mistake about it:
In God's eyes, "All we like sheep have gone astray."
Praise the King and Lord of the universe, that HE has mercy on us all!

The Kingdom of Heaven Suffereth Violence

DISCLAIMER:

I realize that some readers will probably disagree with the reasoning in this post. Maybe most readers will disagree, perhaps vehemently, and accuse me of all kinds of weird stuff. I'm not weird or whacked out, Just trying to come to terms with the very-real "good vs. evil" in this world we occupy, and come to terms with these things from a "whole of Scripture"-perspective. I still love Jesus, and I still like puppies, small children and bacon. And ice cream... too much so. But I digress... on to the post.

_______________________

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves"  — Jesus (Matthew 10:16)

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."  — Jesus (Matthew 11:12)

"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils."  — Jesus (Luke 11:21-22)


Violence is a very difficult subject for anyone to discuss, let alone Christ-followers.  Lately, I've been really wrestling with this subject.  When I was a child (ca 1978), the only time I had to consider the subject was when I was "plinking" in the desert with the men-folk kin-folk (Dad, brother, Uncle, cousins, etc).  I was educated on the fact that the rifle or revolver I held in my hands (no more than a .22, then) had the power to end a loved one's life, if not handled properly.  But the thought of ever having to use violence to defend a life — except for the occasional playground pugilism — never really camped out in my mind.  I mean, back then, there weren't random and sudden shootings in theatres or churches or schools or playgrounds or restaurants or...  you get the idea.

Then I joined the Army (1986), and was taught — nay, drilled — to live out the following oath:

"I, Richard J. Calvi, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."


So I became personally acquainted with this idea of antithesis; that there were good guys (us soldiers) and there were bad guys (in this case, enemies of the Constitution), and that there was a big, solid line between the two.  To quote Jack Ryan in "Clear and Present Danger": "Not 'black and white'... right and wrong".  At that juncture, my theology was such that the world was becoming an increasingly dark-hearted place (and this was back in the 80's/90's!), but that when the LORD came back to "rapture His people", He would rescue us from all of this.  Until then, we had to just try to be a good example to — and evangelize — the world.

Before too long, I started growing a bit leary of "Left Behind" eschatology, and started paying more attention to things Jesus said, like "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."  I started really scrutinizing and "chewing on" issues like, what should be the Christ-follower's response when the authorities mentioned in Romans 13 have become decidedly wicked?  What should I do, for example, when I'm in a public place and some worthless man walks in and starts shooting bystanders?  I was recently involved in a Facebook dialogue recently with someone I've never met, who asserted that if he were in a scenario like the Aurora theatre that tragic eveing, he would pray, and be ready to die.

Really?  Just acquiesce to a psychopath, just like that?  What about the "women and children" he could/should have rescued, if he was willing to "interfere" with the danger at hand, in Christ's name?  (John 15:13)

I believe I would pray in that situation, too, but the prayer woud more resemble King David's:

"Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight..." (Psalm 144:1), or that of Benjamin Martin
Yes, I would pray for about as much time as it took Nehemiah to pray before replying to king Artaxerxes...

And then I would take aim and shoot back, bringing my training to bear on the evil in our midst.  It's a risk, I know, but in my mind it's better than watching the defenseless die unnecessarily.

There.  I said it.  So help me, Lord.

Giving where there's a NEED

How many of us give from our income, only to those organizations that give us a benefit in some way?  We hear a pastor on the radio who preaches a message that we find meaningful, so we give to his ministry in order to perpetuate it.  We give to our local church because we like the children's programs and worship music.  We give to charitable organizations because they give us a tax benefit at the end of each year.

But when was the last time you gave to someone because THEY needed to be given TO?  When did you last give to someone with no thought for yourself?  When was the last time your "left hand did not know what your right hand was doing"?  Jesus said that's the only way we get rewarded from our Father in heaven.  And He said those are the only kind of rewards would never, ever fade away, never get "spent up".

Do it today.  Ask the Lord "To whom would you have me give today?" -- then, do it immediately and anonymously.  You'll be blessed in ways you never imagined.

The most wonderful (solid) substance on earth

I've been thinking a lot about wood.  Heck, hardly a day goes by that I don't.  Anyway, as I'm thinning some trees today around the shop where I work, I can't help but laugh at how hopelessly infatuated I am with the stuff.

It bends.
It burns.
It builds.
It stacks.
It floats (with few exceptions).
It is at once remarkably simple and wonderfully complex.
It is used by every culture on every continent throughout all time, world without end.

Some have found some very unusual ways to employ it:

And here's an aspect of wood that continually blows my mind:

It was "invented" in all it's complexity, by the God of the Universe (YHWH), which He preordinately provided for the atoning crucifixion of His One and Only Son — ineffable.



Not much more to say, except:

"Thank God Almighty for wood."

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.


     Refrain:
     So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
     Till my trophies at last I lay down;
     I will cling to the old rugged cross,
     And exchange it some day for a crown.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.


(George Bennard 1913 — Public Domain)

WOW.

Just "wow".
If you do NOTHING ELSE TODAY, I implore you to read, ponder and receive this bold truth, so wonderfully articulated by C.S. Lewis and Kevin DeYoung (click on the link below).  May the Lord Himself draw you to His glorious throne:
Straight In His Face