Some of the Stuff I Read This Year

Story, by Steven James.  

This is my daughter’s book that she will probably never get back.  A very creative and poetic look at the Biblical account of life.  I really liked his writing style.

“Some people picture God as a doddering grandpappy in heaven.  But in truth, he’s more like an impassioned young lover swinging his bride across the dance floor.  Jesus didn’t arrive on earth to debate theology but to propose marriage.  In a very real spiritual sense, God is courting us.” 

The Relationship Principles of Jesus, by Tom Holladay.  

The point of this book is healthy relationships.  The book is based on 6 relationship principles.  It is a 40 day look at the foundation of relationships.  Would be a good book for a small group to travel through together.

“You can’t command an emotion, but you can command and action.  When Jesus says, ‘I command you to love one another,’ he’s not saying ‘Feel this way’; he’s saying, ‘Act this way.’  Act with love toward another person.”

Follow, by Floyd McClung.  

I read three books that really cut pretty deep.  I don’t recommend you read them together, it’s a little overwhelming.  Follow, and Richards Stearns, the Hole in our Gospel, and David Platt, Radical.  All great books with a lot of challenge as to how we view and live life in America.  All of them have a lot of great quotes I could share, but consider this from Follow:

“Those who are considering becoming, or are already committed to being fully devoted followers of Jesus must count the cost of putting Him first in their lives.  That doesn’t mean renouncing who He created you to be, but renouncing the false beliefs and behaviors that have kept you from being all He created you to be.” 

Called to be Holy, by John N. Oswalt.  

This is a reading meal that requires putting your thinking cap on.  Oswalt is a theologian that comes from the perspective that I closely align with.  This is a great understanding of a Biblical view of holiness.

“When God calls his people to be holy as he is holy, he is not merely asking them to live lives exclusively dedicated to him.  Neither is he asking them to be especially religious.  Rather, he is calling them to share his unique character, one that will alter how they approach every aspect of their lives.” 

The Necessity of Prayer, by EM Bounds. 

I got hold of a classic collection by EM Bounds on prayer that has 8 of his books in one volume.  I’m reading one at a time over a the period of the next couple years.  Some of my favorite reads are classics.  They were written before the publisher and audience dictated how something was said.  It wasn’t about selling a book, it was about saying the truth.

“Prayer is an essential phase of spiritual habit, but it ceases to be prayer when carried on by habit alone.  It is depth and intensity of spiritual desire that give intensity and depth to prayer.” 

“The early Methodists had no heating apparatus in their churches.  They said that the flame in the pew and the fire in the pulpit must be sufficient to keep them warm.”

The Dekker trilogy, Black, Red, White, is my fiction reading that was a total blast!

Every married couple should read Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. This is a must read!

Ravi Zacharias, Has Christianity Failed You?  I liked a lot. 

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Spy, by Eric Metaxas was very interesting if you’re into history during the Hitler regime.

If you like to look at church issues I liked, Rethinking Church by James Emery.  Ignite, by Nelson Searcy has some good ideas in it.

The Three Hardest Words, by Leonard Sweet was good also.  I’m sure I’m going to read a lot more of his stuff.  He is leading the Doctoral program I will start later in 2012.

One Conversation at a Time, by Michael Henderson is great on telling your God story.

They all must be closed and put on a shelf with the others that I read.  Each book is of value only to the degree that is leads me to the truth of the Bible and brings me to a place of growth.  

Looking forward to a new year of learning!

Pastor Dave

Christter

In my reading the book of Mark I just noticed that on Christmas day I will be on the 16th chapter.  I will start Christmas day with the account of the resurrection.

I'm finding that interesting to think through.  The account of the birth and the account of the empty tomb are not so far apart. The traditional songs and decorations are different and we celebrate them in different ways, but they are both about life.

God brought life on both Christmas and Easter.

Christmas is the cry of an infant and Easter is the cry of a warrior.  Christmas is the humble beginning and Easter is the dazzling restart.  Christmas is about being human and Easter is about being divine.  The days are different and yet they are inextricably linked.  We can celebrate the birth of Christ because of the resurrection.

I won't mess with years of tradition or the liturgical calendar, but I wonder what would happen if we combined days.  What if we celebrated "Christter?"

If the day represented both the birth and resurrection of Christ would we still have to buy each other presents and wear our best clothes?  Would we still sit on the red guy's lap and hunt for plastic eggs filled with candy?

If we were starting a new holy day (holiday) to celebrate the life and re-life of Christ how would it be different from the two days we have now?  I wonder, what would the songs be like?   How would we decorate?  What foods would be appropriate? What would be the traditions that would be born that would be passed through the generations?  What would Christter be like?  Would we say, "Happy Christter" or "Merry Christter" or "Hapry Christter?"

Maybe rather than start a new day we could include an awareness in both.  The Christ we celebrate on Christmas defeated the power of death, and the resurrected Christ we celebrate on Easter came to earth as a human.

At our church this year we will celebrate Christmas Sunday by baptizing people.  Celebrating life in Christ.  Maybe this year it really is Christter!

May God bless you with a new revelation of Himself to your heart as we celebrate Christ, and may He bless you with the passion to continue the celebration on the 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 1st, 2nd…

Celebrating,

Pastor Dave

 

Sometimes maybe simple is better

According to the Global Language Monitor the English language has 1,013,913 words… or will have by 1.1.2012.  A new word is created every 98 minutes. That's so wowazing! (1,013,914)

Having more words hasn't lessened confusion or strengthened communication.  Has it?

Too many words can mess up an apology.  Have you ever had someone start an apology that seemed to ring true and then shot the heart of it full of so many holes with the word "but" that it was empty?

Too many words can mess up everything.  I know… I'm a preacher.  I have a Master's degree in making faith complicated.  I once went to a seminar where the speaker took 90 minutes to explain why sermons should be 20 minutes.

It's not easy to know when to stop making a point.  The need to be understood propels us into the world of unnecessary verbiage.  It's as if additional words will make the issue more important. (That was 34 words to say "we talk too much")

Sometimes maybe simple is better.

"I love you."

"I believe in you."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"I miss you."

Maybe even, "I'm disappointed."

So…

May God bless you with a week of growing anticipation as each day brings you closer to celebrating His Son's birth.

Or…

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Dave

 

Close

When you think "you've got it" and someone tells you you're "close to getting it," how would that impact you?

In the 12th chapter of Mark a religious hot shot asked Jesus which of God's commands were the most important.  Jesus answered with the call to love God and love others.  The dialog continued as the hot shot agreed to the extent of saying that living those two commands were more important than offerings and sacrifices. (Mark 12:28-34)

Then Jesus said it.  We don't know how the religious guy responded.  It's kind of hard to confidently discern what the reaction was when Jesus told him - he wasn't far from the kingdom of  God!

Ever had someone tell you you're almost there where you're convinced you're already there?  Why didn't Jesus go into detail on what he needed to do to get there?  What was it that was remaining that kept him "close" rather than "there?"

I have a hunch it was heart.  This man knew what needed to be done to fully embrace the kingdom but, according to Jesus just a few verses later (38-40), he may have been caught in the pride of his "rightness."  His clothes made him.  How people greeted him with respect made him.  Where he sat in meetings and meals made him.  How proud he was of himself made him.

He knew what was most important and yet continued to value what was less important over what was most important.  He was close.

One day I asked Jesus what was most important about Christmas.  He told me it was worshipping him.  I agree with him.  I told him worshipping him was more important than all the trappings of this secular/religious celebration.  I told him I agreed with him as I hurried off to buy something, decorate something, meet someone, wrap something, eat something….

As I was leaving I think he said something about being "close to Christmas."  But that's silly, I know what Christmas is all about. "He's the reason for the season."

Sometimes I know what is most important, but my heart values what is less important over what is most important.

Close,

Pastor Dave

 

December

It happened again.  December.  I'm thinking of 10 ways to live through December.

10. Don't be within 5 miles of the Birch Run outlet mall until 1.4.12.

9. When cooking, dip everything in chocolate.  It's a little known fact that there were 4 wise men - the 4th brought Joseph and Mary chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate covered peanut butter balls.  It's a tradition.

8. Don't buy your wife a new generator for Christmas - unless she asks for one… in which case be very careful, it may be a trap to see if you know what she really wants.

7.  Don't buy your husband a new ab-roller for Christmas - unless he asks for one… in which case be very careful, it may to be trap you see if you're ok with him not having rock abs.

6. Don't get all offended when someone says "happy holidays."  If they don't understand  the importance of baptism, communion, or Easter to Christians they don't understand the importance of the birth either. (note - living Christ-like is more important than saying "Christmas")

5. Never try to beat a grandma to a reduced sale item.

4. Only snuggle up to a cozy fire in the living room if you have a fireplace.

3. Cancel one of your parties, events, meetings, trips, gatherings, and errands and enjoy a quiet moment with God.

2. Give something to someone without them knowing who it's from.

1. Reflect on the grace of God that knows no limit.  Stand in faith in God in ways that has no exceptions.  Worship the love of God that drove Him to give His Son for you.  Swim in the warm pools of gratitude because His power is not attached to our calendar.

Living Through December,
Pastor Dave