Out of Tim/e

Well it has happened again. For the 4th time this season I have poison Ivy. I hope you can bear with me as I wallow in my misery on the blog today but this is as good a place as any to descend into a malaise of melodrama.

I know what you’re thinking, “Stay out of the bushes, Pastor!”

But this time I believe it came from some leftover oils on the hedge trimmer I used on Saturday to trim my bushes. It was this trimmer I used three weeks ago on some poison ivy plants by accident.

So as I sit here covered in Calamine lotion and self-pity allow me to make some spiritual applications:

Why do we keep making the same mistakes over and over again? Why do we forget they always lead to the same result?

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

It’s the principle of the path. For whatever direction you are heading – there is a final destination. No matter what you think, say or believe – if you walk off the path of Christ there will be a poison ivy plant in waiting or possibly . . . something worse.

As Christ followers, we are called to regard the path of the Israelites. God said stay on My Path! If you don’t – bad things will happen. Things like Deut. 28:27 (NIV) “The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured.”

We need to realize the Old Testament stories of their failures are meant for our protection. That’s why Paul talked about them in 1 Cor. 10:6 (NIV) “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” Idolatry, adultery, grumbling and complaining – were all leaps off God’s path and they all led serious generational “itching!”

Take a lesson from me! Stop diving into the bushes. Stay on the Path of Life! Keep to the poison ivy-free path of obedience and faithfulness.

For now, I will rub some more Calamine and try not to scratch.

May I could pull this look off on Sunday Morning…

I love Acts. The whole book is a whirlwind of activity as a bunch of uneducated but Spirit filled people make the Kingdom move forward after Christ ascends to the Father. What happens in Acts should never stay in Acts. If anything we need the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow through the church once again to ignite us in mission!

Acts 15 is of particular interest to me this morning. Up to Acts 15 the church was made up of only Jews. Suddenly they are dealing with the reality that Gentiles want in on Jesus as well. When Peter sees the Gentiles become believers and the evidence of speaking in tongues he reports back to the Jerusalem church.

And the church does what a church does best. They have a board meeting! They want to debate whether Gentiles can actually become Christians. I laugh because the Gentiles have already BEEN saved at Cornelius’ house 5 chapters ago but the organized church in Jerusalem wants to vote on whether it’s okay for God to save Gentiles!

Does voting ever work out with God’s will?

So the debate rages: Should they get circumcised? Should they first convert to Judaism? Should they celebrate the feasts? What is required?

Thankfully, in the midst of a heated debate over what Gentiles need to do in addition to accepting Christ, the Apostle James steps up and leads the early church through these turbulent waters.

He puts it so clearly in VERSE 15 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”

That’s it! Make it easier not harder. No rules, just relationship. If they are coming to Christ as they are – so be it! Let the Holy Spirit have His way!

And I think today’s church must adopt the same principle. Make it EASY for people to come to Christ! If there’s been a problem with the historical Church, it’s that we’ve done just the opposite.

I want to renew a commitment at Living Waters – that we refuse to make it difficult for someone to come to Christ.

Come as you!
Leave different…

PT

Pitcher Armando Galarraga was ONE out away from something that has only happened in the lives of 20 other men in history. A perfect game for a picture in Major League Baseball.

After getting the first 26 batters out in dominant succession, one batter stood in his way. The 27th batter hit a quick grounder to the right side and Armando covered the first base bag like he should have to record the final out.

The only problem – the Umpire called the runner safe thereby denying Galarraga of a perfect game even though TV replay clearly shows the batter was out. Consequently there would be no perfect game for this young pitcher.

The stories flooded the papers and Television for the next few weeks about the umpires botched call. Even the umpire came out immediately to confess that he messed up the call.

It’s one thing to mess up in private. It’s an entirely different thing to mess up in front of thousands of fans and then millions of Television viewers.

Yet as Christ followers our mess ups rarely go unnoticed. I bet we all feel the sting of losing our witness every once in a while. Maybe even today you really blew it in front of friends/family/coworkers and it made “headlines” in your sphere of influence.

One thing to remember as Christians is the target is always on our back.

Sometimes we complain about that fact, but I think it helps us. While others watch us mess up it keeps us grounded to the fact that we aren’t perfect. We won’t be perfect this side of heaven. And the best thing we can do when others see our imperfections (and even if they don’t see them) is very simple and very God-honoring:

1. Confess you messed up.
Proverbs says: “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13

2. Learn from it.
The book of Titus tells us that God’s grace is our TEACHER! It teaches us to say no to what we later regret. (Titus 2:10)

3. Let God get glory from it.
God is in the business of taking our worst mistakes and making them into something beautiful. Consider that Solomon was born to the woman David initially committed adultery with. Though David would have to pay dearly for his devastating mistake – Solomon would become one of the wisest kings in history.

4. Move on.
Stop dwelling on your mistake and press on toward the goal of Christ. You won’t win anyone over by living in shame. Instead make it even more a priority to shine the light of Christ in good works that when others see them – they will praise your Father in heaven!

Special thanks to Rick Warren for the inspiration on this post!

I just read about 50-Cent, the popular rapper and actor going through the pain-staking process of losing 50+ pounds to star in a film he wrote about a football player’s battle with Cancer.

In the article, Curtis Jackson (real name) says he was living on a liquid diet while running on a treadmill for 3 hours a day. 3 hours a day! THREE HOURS . . . per day!

Not to be humorous but it made me think of how much I dread fasting AND running!

Yet as followers of Christ we are called to do both:
Mark 2:20 the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, then they will fast.
And
Hebrews 12:1b let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

50-Cent is doing some serious training for a movie that will be in theaters one day and gone the next. That kind of commitment to a temporary treasure is astounding . . .

It makes me think of 1 Cor. 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Run and fast. Two disciplines we often avoid.

But if a gifted rapper can do these things to make a momentary movie, how much more should we give ourselves to Christian disciplines to make an eternal difference?