Exploding Church

Colliding personalities and agendas can be noisy and negative, yet the church produces incredible energy.

Tim Savage writes: "The energy of nuclear fusion is insignificant compared to the power welling up within a local church. When members of the local church pour out the love of Christ into each other, a dramatic series of 'explosions' takes place, reaction upon reaction, enough energy not just to electrify cities of neon lights and microwave ovens, but, more importantly, to bring spiritual light to a world dying in darkness."

I miss the mushroom cloud of evidence when I’m focused on building the reactor.

936 Saturdays

936 Saturdays with your child before age 18. A sobering number. Time already seems fiber-optic fast. Our youngest just turned 18. All 936 are in the past.

One website suggests parents put 936 marbles in a jar. “Every Saturday, throw one away. You’ll never get that day back.”

What a terrible approach.

It communicates the day is lost no matter what you’ve done with it.

It promotes selfishness. “I’ve only got so many marbles.”

I’ve got to fight my tendency to live selfishly, on Saturday or any other day. In reality, I have no idea how many marbles are in my jar. God’s only given me today.

The Green Light of Fidelity

We are navigating the lure of pornography, the message of “Friends with Benefits,” the routine of married sex, the culture of adultery, the preoccupation with lust, and the basic inability of men and women to understand each other.

It’s crucial to see fidelity as more than a stop sign, but a green light. After turning away from the other woman, strip club, or porn, cheaters often don’t turn toward the spouse. “I’ve stopped doing anything, so I’m faithful.” But complete fidelity means you have an ongoing captivation with your spouse. “May you ever be captivated by her love,” Proverbs 5:19.

Happiness or Marriage?

Some believe you must choose. Happiness or Marriage?

In the article When Overachievers Divorce, medical professional Erica says: "I believe marriage is challenging and efforts should certainly be made to stay together…but not at the expense of our own happiness."

What if that rationale was applied to parenting? “Kids are worth keeping, provided we are happy with them.”

What if that was the approach to caring for aging parents? “We should help mom in her declining health, but not if it interferes with our happiness.”

It amazes me that anyone could make such a self-centered argument.

How selfish.

How short-sighted.

Three Poor Substitutes for Application

Instead of applying Scripture, here are some things I do instead.

Insight. I listen, read, study, and gain understanding into God’s word. Amazed by incredible new information, I walk away satisfied with insight. Even effectively teaching it to others means nothing until I obey.

Rationalization. Coming up with reasons, excuses, and extenuating circumstances for why I haven’t applied truth is second nature.

Emotion. I can react to Scripture with comfort, hope, happiness, blessing, or conviction. But unless and until I change, I haven’t applied truth. It’s just an emotional charge that drains like a battery. 

My Hipster Fail

I read 10 steps on becoming a hipster. Looks like I won’t make it.

1. Be the right age. (Not even close)
2. Date other hipsters. (Immediately vetoed by my wife)
3. Be educated. (Yes!)
4. An early adapter. (Undecided)
5. Make what’s old new again. (Check my closet)
6. Listen to independent music (My playlist: Springsteen, U2…)
7. Carefully careless grooming. (It looks like I don’t care, but I do)
8. Get the lingo. (I’m pulchritudinous)
9. Hone your irony and sarcasm. (my humor is made entirely of iron)
10. Grow your own food and turn vegan. (I don’t even cook my own food, except when I grill steaks)

Dirty Water

While traveling in Thailand recently, a cab driver handed me a water bottle. The label had a lovely picture of flowing springs. I was thirsty.

The bottle wasn’t sealed. It looked okay, but I couldn’t trust the source. And when I saw a quarter inch of sediment at the bottom, I left the bottle in the cab for the next customer.

Source is important. That’s why Inspiration matters. What is the source for the Bible? Peter says it didn’t originate with humans. It was from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21). From God, through humans, by the Spirit. There’s no better source.