Friendships

One evening a little while ago, I went for a walk to help clear my mind.  While walking I was struck by a thought I had about friendships and time.  In my life I have made some friendships with people I knew I would only be around for a brief period of time.  And it is hard each time that period of proximity ends.  Sometimes even tears are shed.  But it has taught me a few things:

1.  If they are a Christian, then it is not really goodbye forever.  You will see them again in Heaven.

2.  (and this goes for any friendship/relationship you have)  Treasure every moment you have with someone.  You never know when/if you will see them again this side of Heaven.

3.  Never avoid making a friend just because you know you will only see them face to face for a short time, or because of the difficulties that come with distance.  From my own experience, it is worth it.

4.  As little kids we all did this a lot.  We would play with someone at the park for an hour, be great friends by the end, and then never see each other again.  If children can do that why can't we?  It should be even easier for us with all the technology we have that allows us to stay in contact with people.

5.  That friend, even if you never speak to them again, will have some sort of impact on your life.  If you choose to avoid making a friend because of lack of proximity, you will miss out on that impact, and that may be the only person God has to impact you that way.

Well, there are some of the reasons I have for making friends no matter how long I will be around them.  What are some of your reasons?  Do you avoid making friends because of a time frame?  Why?

Crazy Stories with James: Darn Fox

One evening last week I was playing some volleyball after dark (there was a light on the sand pit so we could see a at least a little bit).  After we were finished playing a few of us were standing by the net chatting when I noticed a fox sauntering by.  (By the way, I am at Colorado State University and they have some foxes that live on campus).  It goes over to my stuff, which was just outside the sand pit, and starts sniffing around.  Something in me was saying this is not going to end well so I began moving toward the fox slowly while making some noise.  Before I get very far, the fox grabs something and starts to run off.  I sprint over to my stuff, realize immediately that my wallet is missing, and take off after the fox.  However I was barefoot and could not catch it.  Though if I had I am not sure what exactly I would have done (but it probably would have made this story even more wild).  A couple of guys chased it a little further and one thought he saw the fox with nothing in its mouth.  We spent the next hour or so searching a grass field nearby that it had run through.  However it was really dark and so I called it off until morning.

The next morning a three of us went back to look in the daylight.  We still couldn't find anything.  So I accepted the fact that my wallet was gone for good.  Surprisingly I was more amused by all this than worried or mad or anything else.  I had a peace about it, and just asked God that if someone did find it that they would not take anything.  

A couple hours later I called my bank, canceled my cards, and had them send new ones.  Then, later in the morning I got a call from a Fort Collins number.  A guy that works for CSU was calling.  He said he had found my wallet in the grass on the opposite side of the building we searched near and wanted to return it with everything in it.  As I was off campus all day he offered to take it to the dorm I am staying in for me.  Unfortunately I never did get to meet him, but I am very thankful.  And the best part: a number of years ago he had left his wallet somewhere and someone had returned it to him without taking anything.  

So now I have my wallet back, even though the cards don't work.  There are a few teeth marks in it as well as my ID.  I will forever have a souvenir and reminder of the evening a fox (like the one pictured above) stole my wallet.

Word of warning:  if you are ever in Fort Collins, watch out for the foxes.  They are apt to steal your stuff, especially if it is leather and smells like it might be food (and I have heard they have stolen shirts).  Don't leave your wallet laying out in easy grasp of a fox.

Belonging to God

Here is a quote from Charles Ryrie in his book, Basic Theology, on Satan's influence.  (Linked to his book for sale on Amazon).  I unfortunately have not read the book but came across this quote the other day.  How encouraging is this?

Whatever Satan or demons can do to a believer, and whether from without or within as their base of operation, their control cannot be permanent and eternal.  John clearly declares that the evil one cannot "touch" the one who is born of God (1 John 5:18).  The word "touch" here involves the purpose of harming -- Satan cannot harm the believer...Satan can never hang on to the believer with the purpose of harming him, for that believer belongs eternally and irrevocably to God. (pg. 168)

Satan cannot harm us (spiritually) because we belong "eternally and irrevocably to God."  I find that truly heartening.

Someone Else's Fruit

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain."  Phil 2:14-16

The part in bold rocked my world this morning.  I am not sure exactly what caused me to see this in a new way other than the Holy Spirit.  I don't even remember what the pastor said about this part.  But this is what I realized:

We (as Christians) are someone else's fruit.  Someone led us to Christ.  We have a responsibility to not only that person, but anyone who has helped us in our Spiritual journey, to not make their toil to have been in vain.

Yes, we have our own race to run.  And we must make sure it is not done in vain.  But by running our race so as not to be in vain, we fulfill our responsibility to the one who led us to Christ.  We cannot control what others will do with the toil we put into their lives.  Though we can ensure great joy and happiness for the one who led us to Christ just as Paul tells the Philippians.

We are the fruit of someone else's labor.  We owe it to them not to be bad/rotten fruit.

Here are some questions to ponder:

Who led you to Christ?
Who has had a major impact on your walk with God?
Are you living in such a way so that their toil will not have been in vain?

The Jesus Battering-ram

Sorry it has been a while since I posted something.  Life got a little crazy and this had to take a back seat for a bit.

The other day I was doing outreach on a college campus in Denver, Colorado.  After a short time we ran out of people to talk to so my friend and I did a prayer walk around campus.  While praying I was reminded of something I had heard a few days before.  It was part of a talk and at one point the speaker was talking about the power we have in the Holy Spirit.  He referenced Jesus talking to Peter when Jesus says, "the gates of Hades will not overcome" and how gates are a defensive weapon.  They are not a very good offensive weapon.  Gates are big, heavy, and built to keep things out.

It struck me while I was praying on campus that Christians acknowledge the strongholds of Satan but do not think about Jesus' promise.  We forget that Jesus has already overcome them.  Jesus is stronger than Satan.  He can easily bash in the gates.  So why is it that many Christians choose to sit and wait for the gates to be broken down before they advance?  God chooses to use us, but often requires us to move/act so that He can then work.  All we have to do is stand, rely on Jesus, and the gates of Satan's stronghold pose no obstacle for us.  So lets use the battering-ram provided us in Jesus and advance the Kingdom of God whether that is on a college campus, in a household, or in your workplace.

Rethinking the word 'spiritual'

(The idea for this post came from 1 Corinthians 12:1 -- 'Now concerning spiritual gifts...')

The word spiritual that is in the Bible has a very different meaning than what it now means in America today.  When people talk about 'spiritual' things now-a-days, they are referring to something invisible, insubstantial, supernatural, something beyond our world.  But to Paul the world spiritual means animated by the Spirit.  It is something real, something tangible, something physical, something the Spirit does in and through us.

The last few generations (though probably mine more so) is guilty of making 'spiritual' some loose, mystical, far out concept.  It scares a lot of people so we trivialize it to the point where it loses its significance.  Without even realizing it I have helped this along.  My guess is many others have as well.  When our focus tips too much to the here and now, we push spiritual things to the side.  When we try and relate to non-Christians by loosening up our terms/broadening our definitions (usually in trying to find common ground) we start to affect our own thinking about spiritual things.  So how can we stop this trend and help reverse it?  Here are a few tips:

1.  Be more selective in your word choice when talking to non-Christians.

2.  Realize that the Spirit is a real being and that His works are physical and tangible.

3.  Remember that we live IN the here and now, but we live FOR eternity.

4.  Surrender to the Spirit.

5.  Be careful in how you think about spiritual things.  It should not be done flippantly or as an after thought, but should be done with all seriousness.

6.  And remember, once we are a follower of Jesus, our entire lives (every aspect of them) are spiritual.

What do you think?  Do you agree/disagree?  Why?  What steps have you taken?

One Day versus 40 Years

"It took the Israelites one day to leave Egypt, but it took 40 years for Egypt to leave them."

I have found this is a fitting metaphor for some aspects of our lives.  One aspect in particular is our struggle with habitual sin.  All it takes is one day, one choice, one conversation, one prayer, one whatever to turn from our sin to God.  But it can take a really long time for the sin to leave us.  And the effects of that sin linger even longer.

Just because the sin leaves us does not mean the temptation to fall into that sin will as well.  In fact it might not ever.  I have experienced this before when I went for a few months without falling into a certain sin I struggled with for a long time.  But the temptation never left, though it was diminished for a while.  Even though I had repented of the sin, I am a broken human being and I did fall back into that habitual sin.  I have since been able to kick that sin again (and hopefully for good this time) with the help of the Spirit.  But the temptation still follows me around.  The slippery slope is still close and still beckons.  But I would like to think I am more prepared now.  I am a little older and arguably a little wiser.  However, I will feel the scars and effects of that sin probably for the rest of my life on earth.

If you think that you have kicked some habitual sin that you have struggled with for a long time, I want to encourage you.  Do NOT deceive yourself into thinking the temptation for that sin is gone for good.  Satan is crafty and prowls around waiting.  He will change tactics.  Keep on your guard, if you get complacent he will pounce.  But take heart, we have God on our side and in the end, He will prevail.