Two Revelations

Psalm 19 is beautiful in its celebration of two revelations: the majesty of creation – general revelation and the wonder of special revelation – the word of God. Here in western Colorado it is so inspiring to appreciate God’s creation as we gaze on his magnificent San Juan mountain range. Its rugged beauty lures the heart with a desire to explore its vast and formidable vistas. As I stand on top of one of our mountains or gaze at them from afar, I am always aware of God’s constant presence and provision of life here on this earth. Verses 1-6 celebrate this general revelation as we see it in the intensity and of the stars and sky. The heavens have a speech, therefore, that only the open heart can understand giving praise to God.

Likewise verses 7-14 have an inspiring message as well. That message is the absolute perfection and purpose of God’s word as it revives our soul, makes us wise, gives us joy, enlightens us and endures forever because all of God’s decrees, his words, are righteous. Our response then is to see our lives in light of God’s word and confess our sin and shortcomings so that we can be blameless before God. The ultimate expression of that forgiveness and special revelation is found in the word made flesh – Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us.

Thus the two revelations are designed to help us have pleasing words and meditations as we reflect on them. Remember it is the two revelations that draw us near to God and give our life meaning and significance. Have you opened yourself to both?

Men and boys learning and laughing together

Last March while traveling with Dr. Dan Iles in India where we were teaching together at a pastor’s conference, he mentioned that he would be willing to do a men’s retreat for us. At the time I had been thinking about issues (and frustrations) concerning men’s ministry. My dream was to have a men and boys retreat where we could learn and play together. I see this as sadly lacking in most men’s ministries. While they discuss and address serious issues men face, they don’t do a very good job at bringing the younger men and boys into their groups. I believe that needs to change so I mentioned my idea to Dan and he said he would be willing to lead the retreat. I am deeply grateful to Dan for he is the Education Director for Indigenous Ministries International and is a professor at Shasta Bible College in northern California.

So on January 6-7, 2012 Valley Baptist had our first men and boys retreat at our local camp, Mountaintop Retreat. Twenty five men and boys learned together ranging in ages from 8 to 70 years old. Dan taught on the measure of a man being godly, knowing his purpose and living out love from 1 Corinthians 13. One of our young men, Cory, who plans to attend Liberty University online this Fall said, “The speaker Dan Iles brought a refreshing look at the measure of a man and what it tells us in 1 Corinthians 13. Dan encouraged everyone to memorize that chapter of 1 Corinthians and keep those words at the forefront of all we do. Dan also talked about how having Christ in the forefront of our lives sheds a whole new light on how we not only look at things in our daily walk but how we nurture and grow in our relationships.”

I believe lives were transformed through Dan’s teaching, the fellowship and the fun we shared together. You might want to think about transforming your men’s ministry this way.

Grateful Hearts Overflow with Generosity

As I have observed the political extremes lately, I’ve noticed a common thread – greed. The Occupy Wall Street protestors are accusing corporate America as being greedy at the same time they are declaring, “We need to take it back from them.” It seems to me that the “poor” and the “rich” in this case equally share in the greed. The tea party movement is not to be left out either. While they would never advocate taking back money from people who have worked hard for it, they are reluctant to help people who are needy perhaps for the first time due to the struggling economy. That is greed as well. On the contrary, I believe grateful hearts overflow with generosity. If those in both movements were to reflect and be grateful for what God has given us in this country, maybe through our generosity we could get America back on track. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:3-4, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." Since gratitude is the answer to all these ills, it is basic to our Christian walk. This Thanksgiving, therefore, whom can you help? In the picture my wife Mary was playing checkers with Gerald, a blind/deaf resident in Los Angeles. Likewise your grateful heart will overflow with generosity.

Taking Time . . . . for simple pleasures

Yesterday I had a rare experience. On my second cast into the Gunnison River I caught a 14-inch brown trout. I love to fish but usually have low expectations of myself – often I come home empty handed with just memories of the “one that got away.” So I was overjoyed to land this fish and Mary and I enjoyed him for dinner last night.

Simple pleasures are part of what God wants us to experience on a Sabbath. My Sabbath is Monday because I preach and teach on Sunday. I rarely miss a Sabbath and usually spend it year-round enjoying God’s creation. I find that enjoying creation slows me down, simplifies my problems and helps me to focus on God. I can’t explain how casting a fly-line helps me to look up to God when I’m looking out horizontally to where I want to place the line, but it does. And the uncommon surprise (not skill believe me) of catching that fish yesterday made my Sabbath extra special.

Have you taken a Sabbath rest? God has designed us for a repeated pattern of 6 days of work and then one day of rest. He does that so we will refocus on what is most important. God desires for us on a Sabbath to reflect on the past week, be recharged as we worship Him and anticipate what He will do for us the next week. If you take a regular Sabbath, my friend, God will renew you. And find a place where that best happens for you – for me it is admiring and musing on His wonderful creation.

Human Creativity

Recently I had the privilege of traveling to Glen Canyon Dam and the next day Hoover Dam on my vacation with my brother. What marvelous examples of human engineering. I actually found myself thankful for engineers. So you might ask since those are human creations what do they have to do with God’s creation? You are right except that God gave the engineering principles to enable the engineers to design and the builders to construct those dams years ago. I’m amazed how we see God’s creation in human creativity and ingenuity.
Whatever knowledge is available, it is God’s knowledge. My seminary professor the late Vernon Grounds said, “All truth is God’s truth.” We need to give him the glory for it. I praised God for Hoover Dam as I observed it with a birds-eye view from the new bridge that was completed last year. I praise God for the narrow canyons cut by the Colorado River and his hand that allowed for concrete to back up water creating the largest reservoirs in the US. I praised God they provide irrigation for farmlands in Arizona and California through which we receive much of our fruit, vegetables and produce. I praise God for the stark beauty of the rugged cliffs and shorelines creating new habitat for countless species of fish and waterfowl. Our God is an amazing God. Psalm 104:13, NIV reads, “He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.”

To the Least of These . . .

What does it mean to minister to the least of these? Just ask our youth. Our Valley Baptist youth took a mission trip to Los Angeles, California from July 26-August 8, 2011 to minister to the blind/deaf at the bind/deaf ministries of L.A. also known as the Commission on Compassion.

Forty years ago most of the blind/deaf were put into mental institutions. Muriel Hersom started this ministry back then and now they house over 20 blind/deaf, blind or deaf people in their facility. Diane Grubb left our church over 20 years ago to assist Muriel. In addition to Muriel and Diane they have a pastor for the blind/deaf church, a maintenance supervisor and other hired help as well as blind/deaf workers and volunteers. It was amazing to see our youth become part of the team and compassionately respond to these precious people.

Since every human being is created in God’s image, the bind/deaf are no exception. In fact they are exceptional! They have learned to cook, communicate, write, read Braille, use computers and the internet, design artwork and a host of other interesting activities in this independent living facility. The ministry provides one meal per day for them. Our youth were part of that for a week.

As our youth learned to sign and tenderly communicate with the blind deaf with their hands it touched my soul. In many ways they felt the hand of God as they touched the hands of the deaf/blind. They found the blind/deaf are real people with passionate desires and inspiring aspirations. Our hearts were deeply touched by these beautiful people.

Two of our team suffered chess losses to blind/deaf chess players that felt their way around the board. I was one of those who were picked off by a sniper blind/deaf chess player.

One of the youth used the teletype to communicate the sermon during the worship service. She typed the entire sermon for Chris to understand.

I guess I never thought of “the least of these” being blind/deaf image bearers who have so much to offer our sighted and hearing worlds. My life was enriched as were the lives of our youth. So find someone who is less fortunate to pour your life into today.

Faith

Faith is an interesting concept. Is it real, imaginary or illusory? Does it change things or is it powerless? Is it here one minute and gone the next? In Jesus Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, you find the word faith only once in addressing worry. So if faith is so important why didn’t Jesus use it more in his sermon?

These are great questions. When you look at the beatitudes in Matthew 5, the beginning of the sermon, you see the attitudes of faith displayed. When Jesus tells his followers to be salt and light, influencers in their culture, he is describing an active faith. Later in the sermon when he encourages them not judge others, he is showing them the tender side of faith so others can see God. Since only God is good enough and smart enough to judge, then we choose to grace people instead. Thus we take the plank of self-righteousness out of our own eye so we can help our friend see righteousness as found in Jesus. In this way display true faith.

At the end of the sermon Jesus uses three illustrations, a narrow and wide road, a good tree versus a bad tree and practicing and not just hearing the word of God. So he shows what it means to be a woman or man of faith. These are the people who take the narrow high road of reconciliation, bear the fruit of non-retaliation, and sacrifice for others by living the ideals of the sermon. It is not an easy road. Faith is very arduous like climbing a mountain. But the view from the top is spectacular because that view incorporates the world from God’s perspective.

So faith that is active, alive, affirming, aspiring and accepting is a genuine faith. It is a life-changing faith. It is a messy faith. It is a marvelous faith. It is an alarming faith. It is the faith that Jesus gives us.