On the Incarnation

 I will admit the incarnation of Jesus Christ is not an easy piece of theology to wrap our heads around. There are a few things we do know, but a lot that needs to be taken with a dose of faith and humility. As human beings we will not be able to have all of the answers in terms of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, however, there are many things we can take away from this miracle that will greatly impact our walk in 2014. Here are a few things to consider and pray about.

1) The incarnation of Jesus Christ was foretold long ago. Many Old Testament prophecies align directly with the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ. Some of the most applicable prophecies surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ are Micah's prophecy in Micah 5 that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem and in Isaiah 7 where it is prophesied that a virgin will give birth. Is this the way it had to be done? Did God have to enter into humanity is such a humble, but yet miraculous way? Well, sadly my answer is, "I don't know." I do think the prophecies served the purpose of showing and allowing the people of God to see that when the Messiah who they've been waiting for generations will come these are the signs to look for. God could have entered the scene whenever God chose to, but there's a good chance people would not have recognized God. The prophecies are important, but they should always be subservient to the one they are prophesying about.

2) The incarnation shows that God is literally crazy about knowing human beings. I will tell you this don't try and rationalize the incarnation of Jesus Christ. First of all, it's a mistake in my mind to try and and wrap your brain around why God does what God does. However, the point I'm trying to make is that the incarnation is God's ticket into a deep, close, personal relationship with every human being who desires one with God. There's no other way to wrap your mind around it other than to say that God wants to know and empathize with human beings, so God became one. Now, I will say there is the issue of sin and its consequences, and that truly is one of the major things Jesus Christ took care of with His death and resurrection. However, if sin never happened, and I believe it would have eventually, could God really relate fully to human beings without becoming one of them? Well, that question is tough to answer, the great, amazing truth is that God did to become one of them and surely that is some of the best news of all human history.

3) God can do both. In theological circles many folks have debated how could Jesus be both fully man and fully God at the same time? Well, there aren't any other examples of a God/Man walking around in our society today, so there really is nothing or no one to compare Jesus to. However, with God I firmly believe all things are possible. I challenge you to have the faith and belief knowing that your God walked this earth as a complete human being and complete God at the same time.

4) The incarnation gives way to reconciliation. The Apostle Paul speaks clearly about God's goal for humanity in 2 Corinthians 5 when he says that God is reconciling the world to himself in Jesus Christ. Sin broke the relationship between God and humans in the Garden of Eden. The goal of all human history is for God and humans to once again be reunited in a full, close relationship. The incarnation is a key piece in making this happen. This new year I hope you rejoice in the truth knowing that God came to you and God continues to come to you.

On the Season of Advent

   The season of Advent is one of my favorite times of year. The excitement and anticipation are great and even truly life changing at times. Advent in being observed is a time of expectant waiting, for something amazing to happen: the birth of Jesus Christ. It's a time that church and ministry leaders earnestly and pray that all laity would take seriously, because Advent has the potential to be a time of amazing spiritual growth. In looking at Advent there are many great spiritual truths to pull out of this amazing holiday. I've listed three below.

1) We all are waiting for something. Let's face it we as human beings know how to wait. We wait in line, for promotions, we're put on hold, we sit in traffic, we wait for phone calls, emails, text messages, and the list can go on and on. So, we know how to wait and anticipate what's coming. But, do our expectations normally line up when reality hits when the waiting is over? The answer is not always. But, Advent is a whole different experience all together, we wait and wait, but in Advent our expectations are blown away by the truth that God is among us. Our expectations haven't been let down, but my hope is that in waiting for Advent they have been blown-up all over again! Know that we all wait for someone or something, and this Advent season I hope you realize waiting for Jesus to come as a baby will never let you down!

2) The message and hope of Advent is for all people. A lot of what our society throws our way is designed to exclude people. People are often excluded because they don't have enough money, don't look right, don't act right, don't say the right things, aren't educated enough, don't have the right title attached to their name, and I think you understand/get the point. Exclusions are everywhere. But, the joy of Christmas and one of the many things that sets this amazing time apart is that no one excluded from rejoicing in the incredible truth that God has come to live among us. This message excludes no one, and for that amazing truth I say praise God!

3) Advent signalizes that the best is yet to come. I was having a conversation onetime a person who was a known agnostic, and they lamented to me saying that how upset and depressed they were because their life was as good as it was going to get. What an incredibly sad way to live! The baby in the manger signalizes an amazing truth: God is not okay with allowing us to remain in our, God wants to do something about it. God is not okay with us walking in the hurtful moments of life alone, God wants to experience them so God can walk with us. The baby in the manger is God's message to us that the best is yet to come, God wants to be with us, and one we will all be with God forever where there are no more tears, pain, hurt, or sin! This Christmas season no matter where you're at rejoice and know that the best is yet to come!

On the Hunger Games: Catching Fire

You may never have read the books or seen the first movie, but I'm fairly certain you've heard about The Hunger Games. This trilogy of books was written by Suzanne Collins, and it chronicles a time that is supposed to be futuristic in nature. To give you the context of her novels: there was an uprising against the capital over seventy years ago. The capital crushed the rebellion, separated people into districts, and each year held a Hunger Games to remind the citizens of the country what the rebellion cost them.

The Hunger Games are an annual event that require one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts: twenty-four participants in all, to try and kill each other and avoid being killed. The games are held as a reminder/punishment not to rebel against the capital.

In this the second movie of what everyone is saying will be four movies, Katniss and Peta from District 12 (the poorest district in the country), are going on their victory tour after being victors in the 74th annual Hunger Games from the year before. The President of the nation, President Snow, is worried that Katniss' behavior in the Hunger Games is giving people hope and a cause for rebellion. This worries the President, and he assures her that her behavior must change. If you combine that with Katniss' and Peta's fake love story, Katniss' real love for Gail, and the fact that after the victory tour President Snow's see LOTS of signs of rebellion, you know trouble is coming. Well, to prevent a war/revolution from starting President Snow and the Head Games Maker introduce a Quarter-Quell for the 75th Hunger Games. The quarter quell would bring back previous Hunger Games winners from each district to face off in another round of the Hunger Games! Well, that brings Katniss and Peta back to the Hunger Games again!

Be prepared to witness acts of bravery and self-sacrifice as Katniss and Peta struggle to stay alive in this most fierce, intense round of the Hunger Games. I'll stop the story synopsis right there and let you know that you have to watch the movie to find out how it ends!

It is important to look at movies through a Christian lens, and for all of us as followers of Jesus to analyze and interpret the messages that media sends us. First, of all let me be clear that the Bible clearly tells us that we should not kill, murder, or take life. Now, some of you may be asking, "What about in times of war?" Well, that issue gets a little more sticky, and I will say that's not what's going on here. So, please if you see the movie or know a young person who has seen the movie please tell them it's not real and what they're doing in the Hunger Games by killing each other is very wrong. I think we as Christians need to protect, celebrate, and value life, and please tell your young person that's not what they're doing.

Point two to look at when watching Catching Fire, is that this movie is very good at showing how awful and how good humanity can become. The fact that anyone would enter into a situation and kill someone else for no reason other than they don't want to be killed is awful. What is even worse is that a government would regularly set these games up and people would watch them for entertainment! It kind of reminds you of what the ancient Romans did to Christians. But, the movies do show people looking out for each other, encouraging each other, and sticking with each other through very tough times, which do show the movie goer the better side of humanity. The quote from Edmund Burke is so true that evil thrives when good people do nothing.

Finally, I want to encourage you after watching the movie. Be involved in what goes on in our society. Be a reasonable voice for good and change in our society. Pray for your government officials. Take time to vote in elections. Look to help others in need. Let your family know that you love them and pray for them. Above, all fall in love with Jesus. Because, it is truly only Jesus that changes things, people, and reality. Catching Fire is a fictional glimpse at what could become reality if good people don't live bold, unashamed lives for God.

In terms of quality of movie, I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. The acting was good, special effects, make-up, and costumes were amazing! The dialogue in my opinion was a tad weak.

I give it 2.5 out of five stars in terms of family friendliness. It has some scary scenes, violent images, and a few cases of alcohol and language. Until next time, happy movie going!

On Thanksgiving

Abraham Lincoln left an incredible legacy for the American people in 1863 when he declared that we should spend a day giving thanks for what God has blessed us with. In my honest humble opinion this was an incredible legacy and a holiday that we as Christians should take very seriously. One of the big mistakes I think a lot of people make, and I most certainly include myself in this camp, is that we see Thanksgiving as only a time for food and football. My challenge to you this year is to see Thanksgiving as something more. Here are a few thoughts and perspective I have on arguably one of my favorite holidays.

1) Make a list of your blessings. It is funny that we as human beings can very easily recall areas in life where we feel disappointed and let down. We might think that we don't drive a nice enough car, don't have a big enough IRA, aren't as successful as we'd hope to be, or that relationship we'd been counting on just didn't work out. The list can go on and on and on. But, the truth is you have been blessed. If you're reading this right now, that means you've been blessed enough to afford a computer, Internet, and you've been blessed with the knowledge that directed you here. A lot of folks all over the world don't have access to things we take for granted like the Internet. So, I'm writing all of this not to make you feel bad. I want to highlight that you've been blessed. Thank the people who have been a blessing to you this Thanksgiving and pray for those who frustrate you. Lists of your blessings in visible sight will serve as a powerful reminder that you truly are blessed.

2) Live a life that is filled with gratefulness. One of the saddest things I've seen in my life is Christians who are so upset and miserable that it absolutely breaks my heart. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, states that we need to give thanks in everything. This is not just an incredible command, but also a lifestyle that I believe all Christians need to emulate. We as Christians need to be some of the most grateful people in the world, because we serve a God who wants to know and for us to know Him! This is one of the best pieces of news that we've ever heard! Be grateful for what God has done and is doing.

3) Thanksgiving should also be a time of giving. The sad reality is there are a lot of people who don't have enough to eat or live on in our world today. I would encourage you this Thanksgiving to be faithful to what God has laid on your heart to do in response to those who don't have enough. Because, the reality is you won't be able to do everything, but you can do something. Our world is broken, but we as Christians know how to bring healing into the world, and it's not just through giving and providing: it's through giving and providing all in the name of Jesus. I hope this Thanksgiving is extra special for you and your family. We'll be back in December.

On loving your enemies

I will admit this is one of those phrases that I really, really wish Jesus had never said. This is in Christianity where the rubber really meets the road! Because let's face it there are a lot of people at our work, in our schools, in our neighborhoods, and in our lives who really grate on us socially, emotionally, and sometimes even physically!

So, the question remains what is Jesus really asking us to do and why is he asking to do it? Well, I will begin by telling you this what Jesus is asking is not easy, but it's something if we really follow and take the words of Jesus seriously we have to do. One might be asking where exactly is this coming from? Well, I will say this Jesus doesn't address our need to love our enemies as much as he addresses our need to care for the poor, but he does say this very squeamish quote in a few places. One of the most notable is Luke 6:27-28, "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

1) God desires all to be united. This is one of the driving principles of the Kingdom of Heaven and God's goal for all of human history. 2 Corinthians 5:19 states that God was and is reconciling the world to himself! That means everyone is being reconciled to God! To put it nice and simply, what God is doing is repairing and restoring all of human beings broken relationship to God. At the end of time, I am firmly convinced that God doesn't want anyone to be separate from God. Unity is important in the Kingdom of Heaven and likewise it should be just as important for us as well. It may not be easy at all for us to love and pray for our enemies, but as followers of Jesus that's what we're called to do.

2) We're called to look different than the world. Jesus said many times that we're called to love those who hate us and do good to those who won't be able to do good for us in return. The world expects you to hate your enemies. The world expects you to do good to those who can in turn, return the favor. What Jesus is saying: be different from the world. Let your shine, let people in the world see and claim, "There's something different about them!" It's not easy and sometimes the road is lonely, but it's what we as followers of Jesus need to do!

3) Finally, you may be asking yourselves how do I do this? Well, there's not a scientific formula or one size fits all model unfortunately. But, there is a crucial first step, and this where I hope you take this from here: we all can begin praying for our enemies. I just know there is someone in your life, in your family, at your work, or even in your neighborhood who needs prayer and God is tugging at the strings of your heart to speak kindly and graciously with them. My hope is that you today make a commitment and effort to love and reach out to the enemies in your life, not because it's easy or convenient, but because it's what Jesus would have you do.

On Bullying

This is a continuation of the discussion we had Sunday night in youth group. I hope that we can continue to be a voice and encouragement for those both in our community and our society who feel bullied and continued to be bullied by others. We had this lesson/discussion immediately proceeding a lesson on salvation and our aim in doing this lesson was to encourage our young people that one of the best ways to live out their salvation was to stand up for those who are bullied and oppressed in our societies. Here are a few things to draw from what we learned.

1) Bullying is far greater than on the bus- One of the big mistakes people can make is to believe that bullying stops after high school. We challenged our students to see bullying as one person exerting an unfair advantage over another. So, the truth is bullying happens a lot in our society. It happens when the employer or person in advantage takes advantage of someone without a voice or person of influence in our society. Sex trafficking, discrimination, gossip, lies, and the list can go on and on about people getting bullied in our society. One of the first steps we as Christians need to do is to educate people and allow them to see that bullying goes in our society in many ways and that if we as followers of Jesus Christ really take him seriously we need to be intentional about standing up against bullying in our society.

2) In Luke 15- Jesus tells three really powerful stories about things that were lost and become found. With the most powerful story being the Prodigal Son. But, right before the stories, the teachers of the law come up to Jesus and say that He is a man who eats with sinners and the unrighteous. What a comment, but essentially without going into it full blown, they described Jesus as someone who associated with those who are bullied. What a thing to be said about Jesus, and what if it was said about us: that we were people who welcomed all into our church, home, and life?

3) Finally, we want to be people who recognize and understand the solution. I will be the first to tell you, the solution to this problem is far greater than one person, one idea, or one church. But, that should not stop us from looking at issues in life and doing our best to make right the people who have been wronged in our society. One of the valuable first steps is to understand that power and wisdom come through prayer. Before acting first pray, and seek what God would you have do right here and right now. There's value and insight to be gained in prayer, and I hope that all of us would relish in the fact that we can do something to make right all the wrongs in our society. 

On the Dependability of Scripture

This might be the million dollar question! How, can we be sure that the what Bible is telling us is true and reliable today? Is what we read in the Bible able to deal with issues and problems that we often face in our high-tech world? Well, this blog post may be one of the most important posts I've made yet. Because, we believe 100% that the Bible is relevant and applicable for today. Here's are just a few things we need to understand when looking at just how dependable is the word of God.

1) The Bible revolves around ordinary people who are dealing with normal "life" circumstances:
  Please don't ever make the mistake and think that the people who make and star in the pages of scripture are any different than you. That would be a terrible mistake for you to make! We often view folks such as David, Moses, Noah, Ruth, and Hannah as people who are far greater and grander than we are. In fact the opposite is true, these often were people who were down and out, people who didn't have a lot to offer society. These people were so inspiring, so transforming, because was able to work in mighty ways in their lives. So, the question remains is God able to work in your life? Is what God wants, God's priorities, God's desires, God's goals, and God's mission greater than your's? That's a tough question for many of us to answer, but what the Bible is all about is making God's desires greater than your own. God was able to move and use ordinary people because these people placed their desires on the back burner.

2) The Bible isn't designed to answer every life question:
  The word of God can often get a bad rap because people will ask or say something like, "The Bible doesn't even talk about this or that, it must not be reliable." Which, it is true that Bible doesn't cover all of life's questions or answers. As a future father, I really wish the Bible would be tell me how to put on a diaper. It unfortunately doesn't do that. However, the Bible does do something and it does it very, very well the Bible's purpose isn't to answer every life question. Rather, it's purpose is to inspire and show you how to fall in love with Jesus and change your heart to Jesus' heart. If the Bible gave you every answer to every question you wouldn't need to have faith, and as we all know that kind of is important.

3) The Bible addresses and shows humans how to fill their deepest need:
  Thousands of years into the future everything will more than likely be different than what you and I are used to today, but one thing will not change: human beings are sinful and they need a savior. The Bible addresses the most important part of the human story, we as human beings need Jesus. Without Jesus life we're missing what brings us true satisfaction, true joy, and true contentment. Without Jesus we'll never experience amazing grace, perfect love, and unending forgiveness. The Bible is and will still be relevant in the future because it shows and allows humans to meet their most basic need: for a Savior.