Thinking Man's Religion

Since my wife and children are enjoying a nice vacation at her parents' house in Nebraska, I was spending the weekend visiting my family in Eastern Iowa.  Otherwise, this morning started rather normally, waking up, grabbing a Dr. Pepper for breakfast (needed the caffeine), and then heading to church at BIG.  I always enjoy heading back to BIG and seeing the church body that we were apart of when Angela and I were married.  It's always a sweet time of genuine heart-felt worship and this morning was no different.

Pastor Bill opened up to Matthew 28:18, and immediately my mind flashes back over the numerous Great Commission sermons that I've heard preached.  Thankfully, I was able put aside any pre-conceived notions and allow the word of God to work in my heart.  There nothing necesarily "profoundly new" or "earth-shattering" about the sermon, just the simple and powerful word of God.  However, the statement made at the end of the sermon, I quickly jotted down, and have been pondering it throughout the day: "Christianity is a thinking man's religion".  How true that statement is!  While child-like faith is the pre-requisite for entering the kingdom of God (Mark 10:13-16), the facts for the thinking man do hold up.

Pastor took us all over the scripture to illustrate the disciples adherence to making disciples of all nations, by their willingness to reason, go to the scripture, reason again, and go back to the scriptures.  Spend every sabbath doing it, spend every day doing it, week in and week out for months and years at a time.  We often hear Great Commission sermons focused solely on the disciples adherence to going to the ends of the earth to spread the Gospel, but we often overlook the necessary work reasoning and contending for the scriptures.

While I have always held an affinity to the the truth and theological discussion, I often wonder if "we" as the "American Church" have missed the boat.  In our drive to grow the church numerically have we missed the message of the Great Commission and God's design for church growth?  Why shy away from the fact that God's truth is bulletproof, there are no contradictions?  In our efforts to simplify the gospel to the "Romans Road" or "Sinner's Prayer", have we stripped the Gospel and the Word of it's power (Romans 1:16)?  Perhaps, I'm over thinking the thinking man's religion or perhaps we need a fresh dose of the Great Commission lived out as the disciples did.

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God Still Sustains

July 14, 2008 was a difficult day for our family.  We lost a child to miscarriage.  Though God certainly sustained us through the trial and has given great hope of this goodness through the trial.  While, I have not frequently written about the topic, it is certainly one that we are reminded of consistently.  Even though miscarriage is commonly a hush hush subject, the hurt is real because the life was real.  My wife and I know a lot of people who have endured or are enduring much more severe trials that either of us have endured in our lives.  Many people, myself formerly included, simply do not know the best way to respond to situations like this.  The truth is, the response to these situations never change, for God alone can sustain and heal the broken hearted.  There are many beautiful promises written in God's love letter to mankind, but do we believe them in the midst of trial?  I mean do we REALLY believe them, or are we just giving lip service to them?

Today, two years later, the loss still hurts, but there is no victory for death for it holds no sting.  Praise God for his giving of new life and for life eternal.

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Unmistakable Submission: Marriage

In my previous post, I mentioned the tugging on my heart to embrace unmistakable submission to the One who made me.  To some, the concept of submission, especially to authority, always sounds negative as if someone is robbing them of their freedom.  The best example is the "ole' ball and chain" mentality our society holds towards marriage.  This concept is one that society has loved to make a mockery of, because our society is bent against God.  Our society has cheapened every aspect of Christian marriage, sexually, relationally, and spiritually.  Just think of popular sitcoms on television and the various prime time soap operas.  Can anyone truly name a television show that models what true Christian marriage looks like.  Of course not, our society is bent on making us all feel better about our marital "shortcomings" by holding out the extreme and causing us to laugh about them.  In reality, our lack of submission in an affront to a perfect holy God.  While I agree that it's good to acknowledge that we will never have a "perfect" marriage, I think it would do us all a world of good to hold out the other extreme... the perfect relationship that Christ Jesus has with the church.  We should learn from the life and ministry of Jesus what true submission looks like.  Although he was given all authority, he limited his authority to be in submission to the will of His Father.

I praise God that my wife and I both embrace the mentality of Christian marriage and reject what our society has to say. With God's help we will strive to fruitfully develop the qualities of biblical submission in our hearts that you desire.

Father God, I praise God for your wonderful institution of marriage and the beautiful model provided throughout scripture.  Transform my mind and will to be marked with unmistakable submission in my marriage.  Let your will and authority reign.  Make our marriage "different" not just better.  In Jesus' precious, holy, saving name! ~ Travis

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Calling Myself Out

"The current Christianity, which for the most part is based on self, has lost its ability to influence society, and be what God truly intended.  Instead of living simple, devout, quiet and godly lives, like salt and light permeating society, the Church has too often turned to worldly, fleshly and carnal means to effect change."

I stumbled upon the above quote, while reading "Touching Godliness through Submission" by K.P. Yohannan (founder of Gospel for Asia).  This quote has made me ponder a couple of things, 1) how does the church avoid fleshly means of effecting change, and 2) what does the simple, devout life look like?

I can't help but at times become disenchanted with the way the church today attempts to provide the "wow" factor.  There's always some new fangled method of witnessing or worshiping.  A "new" way to respond to God.  I realize that not all churches fit this mold, but I fear that most churches use more "worldly, fleshly and carnal means to effect change" than they would ever care to realize or admit.  Perhaps the need to provide a "wow" factor is a function of our microwave cooking society, maybe we're just missing "it".  Like missing the forest for the trees.  I thank God that my inner soul seeks to resist this type of Christianity.

I truly desire to live a simple, devout, quiet and godly life.  I want my life to be described like that, and I want my worship to be portrayed like that.  I want simple devotion to reign in my life.  I don't need to know or have all the theological answers, I just need to know God.  My arguments don't have to be perfect, my rationale without dent, or my logic without flaw.  My soul just needs simple submission.

Perhaps this is all too "pie in the sky" ish...too theoretical...too disgruntled....too simplistic...too ______ (you fill in the blank).

Or perhaps, this is God calling me out.  Calling me to a lifestyle of unmistakable submission to the one who made me, the one who gave me new life.

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Different: Not Just Better

Our chuch, First Family Church, is beginning a new series in Romans.  Check out the first E-Devotional and subscribe to get weekly updates.

Blessings!

Travis

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Challenged to be Moved

Today, our church was blessed to have a special speaker, Daniel Punnose from Gospel for Asia.  Daniel is the son of the founder of Gospel for Asia and author, K.P. Yohannan.  I have heard representatives from Gospel for Asia speak before, so last night I knew that this morning I would be faced with an eternally focused message.  In all honesty, there was a part of me that was fearful of that.  Sure enough, Daniel brought the word of God with conviction and sincerity.  Preaching from a familiar passage in John 4:27-35, he emphasized the last verse and Jesus instructions to his disciples..."lift up your eyes."

For the better part of the past year, my wife and I have felt at times like we are running on empty.  Four kids, four and under presents its daily challenges, but the real challenge has come in my battle with my selfish, sinful nature.  In all honest, I feel much like the disciples in John 4:35, who are so concerned with the physical (i.e. the harvest is 4 months away), that I am missing the spiritual (i.e. the fields are white for the harvest).  It is apparent that when you are unable to take your eyes off of yourself, you miss the spiritual ("lift up your eyes").  I wonder if perhaps I am not alone in this "confession of a selfish 21st century Christian"?  Not that it would make me feel any "better" about myself, because I know it is God who is stirring my heart (thankfully!).  But I have to come to the realization, that without making the choice of doing things differently, I am just going to have the same ho-hum spiritual results.  If I want a vibrant prayer life,then I need to eliminate the snooze button of my life and rise to pray while my family still sleeps.  If I want the word of God to speak to me, I have to desire it above my physical appetites.  This stirred heart of mine has challenged me to be moved!

Lord, you know all things and know my heart.  Lord, you know my weaknesses.  Move me.  Change me.  Teach me to live authentically so that because of the way that I'm living my life someone else will know the gospel!  Lift up my eyes and stamp eternity on them!  In Jesus', precious, holy, saving name!

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Calling Myself Blessed!

I can't believe I am the father of a four year old.  Today's is my oldest son's birthday.  It's hard to believe that 4 years ago my wife and I were in the hospital with our newborn son.  We were newlyweds (9 months under our belt) and I was still finishing up college (on spring break of my senior year to be exact).  We knew that children are a blessing from the Lord and have accepted that from day one.  However, I'm sure to some extent we tempered what we expected that would look like!

Parenting has not always been easy and I'm sure my wife and I have made our share of "rookie" mistakes.  But, tonight, my heart is very proud.   My son is an incredible blessing to our family.  He is obedient, fun-loving, one-of-a kind kid.  I am proud to call him my son. 

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.  How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate." ~ Psalm 127:3-5

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