Seek The Narrow Path

Mid-week update

2009-10-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

How has your week gone so far? Is it flowing smoothly or raging in the opposite direction? Whatever it may be, I hope that you have found peace in knowing that you can do all things through Him who gives you strength. I know that sometimes it's not that easy, but it is the truth. As we approach "hump day" give thanks for the victories and ask for strength to deal with the trials that have come so far this week. See tomorrow for what it is, a gift, an opportunity. And if it comes (as there are no guarantees) then embrace it and squeeze every bit of good out of it that you can.

Grace and Peace

The Greatest Risk

2009-10-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." When FDR made that statement, I'm sure he didn't intend it to become such an iconic statement. What he really wanted people to understand was that courage is the only true weapon against the power of fear. So, to borrow from Roosevelt, The greatest risk is to take no risk at all. You must understand that I'm not a big risk taker. I like the sure thing. Strangely, though, I'm taking a big risk right at this moment. I just finished reading from John Piper's book "Don't Waste Your Life" about risk. Piper points out that risk is unavoidable, it exists in every fiber of our being. He goes on to say that not only is safety an illusion, it's a drug that is more addicting than anything that we might smoke or inject.
Consider, for a moment, the many opportunities you had this week to impact positively a fellow human being. Was the risk too much for you? Was the price too high? Or were you able to overcome your fear and seize the day? I must admit that I failed at least 80% of the time. But the 20% I didn't was powerful. Those few moments were scary because I put myself out on the line, exposed, and it was not comfortable. But, like the tightrope walker, the more times I step out onto that tiny rope and try to balance between my own pride and the need to serve others I gain a little more confidence.
I want you to think about risk this week. I want you to meditate on people like Esther and Daniel. They risked everything and pleased God. Are we called to risk like that? I don't have the answer, but I know that risk is what makes this experience we call life so rewarding. Just remember, without risk there is no reward. And remember the one who risked everything (literally) to guarantee our reward.

Blessings and Peace!

The Great Paradox

2009-09-30T19:10:00.001-07:00

I think I've had a breakthrough. You know, one of those moments of clarity where something that totally baffled you now makes absolute sense. Ever have one of those? As I've been studying for this week's class, I've meditated on the great paradox of the cross, or in the words of Paul "to live is Christ, and to die is gain,". What? Those are the words of a religious nut, a fanatic, right? Quite the opposite. In Philippians 1:21, Paul speaks these powerful words and they ressonate with me. I wish that I could have heard the emotion in his voice when he says a few verses later that he desires to depart to be with Christ. Powerful. And so, I'm confronted with the paradox of my life. Can I say "to live is Christ, and to die is gain,"? I can't quite bring myself to utter the words for fear of what might happen.
And yet, in a way, the words have already begun to work on me. The words of Jesus to "come follow me" and "take up your cross" are whispered in my minds ear. I feel the tug of the Spirit when opportunity comes knocking and I don't shrink away. This is the beginning of embracing the great paradox, to realize that I can "live is Christ, and to die is gain,". I can. And life itself begins to refocus. I begin to realize that my time here is short, that soon I too will depart to be with Christ (only through his labor on the cross). And so I choose, I choose to embrace each opportunity for ministry. I carefully choose my words around friends and coworkers. I try to be more patient and kind when I am confronted with difficulty and cruelty. And, most importantly of all, I pray. I pray. I pray.
And I dream. My dream is probably not much different from your dream. In my dream I am clothed in the radiant white robe reserved for the saints. I am bathed in the light of God's righeous presence. In my dream I am experiencing a happiness that I can't explain, and then I see Jesus. He puts both his nail scarred hands on my shoulders and looks me right in the eye. The smile on his face is reward enough until he speaks. One word......"Come"

Embrace the paradox. Choose to live.

Goin FULL PADS!

2009-09-15T19:29:00.001-07:00

My son, Austin, just started full contact football practice on Monday. He actually wanted me to let him play last year when he turned 8, but we decided he should play a season of flag football to get a feel for competitive football. I'm biased, of course, but he did really well in flag. He scored many touchdowns and was a very good team player encouraging his team. But, and I told him this several times, flag football is not real football. You see in flag football there's no tackling. As a matter of fact any serious contact is a penalty so the players quickly adjust to the rules and avoid running into each other (on purpose at least).
So now he's got pads. Most importantly, he's got a helmet. And guess what? It's hard! He's having a heck of a time adjusting to the limited vision that comes from having a huge piece of plastic stuck on your melon. And those darn shoulder pads are keeping him from lifting his arms straight above his head to catch the high pass. So what does this have to do with our situation?
It's simple, really. All of those of us who have been followers of Jesus have had our "flag" experiences. Those periods in our life when our Christian walk was so.......I'm looking for the word........easy. Maybe it was when we were being fed by the Word and immersed in fellowship with other Christians, it felt great. But were we in the contact game? Probably not, and that's okay. Just like Austin needing that year of "easy" ball to get his confidence, so too did you and I need those seasons in our lives where we grew in a sheltered environment. But after a while, flag football gets boring. Players start to wonder how good they would be if they put the pads on, strapped on a helmet, and got dirty.
Are you ready for your pads? To put on the helmet of Salvation, the shoulder pads of Righteousness, the belt of the Truth (modern reference added)? I think I am. But I'm afraid. I'm afraid of the hits that come from being in the tackle game. My hands are shaking as I lace up my cleats, pull my helmet down and buckle my chin strap, but the thrill of the competition will soon calm those butterflies.
And in the midst of all this fear and anxiety a strange and wonder thing happens. Focus and intensity comes. The player forgets he's wearing all his equipment and he has one thing on his mind.....win the game.
I'll be interested to see how my son reacts to that first real hit, I hope he's ready. Whatever happens he will grow as a young man from this experience. As a Christian I pray that we all grow as we strap on each and every piece of armor.
Game on! Are you in?

Mutually Exclusive?

2009-09-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

The pursuit of God's glory. It's every Christians goal, but it just seems so unattainable. Many of us simply set our sights at something more eye level and go from there. To that John Piper asks the question, "is pursuing God's glory and pursuing ones own joy mutually exclusive?" At first glance, the obvious answer is, well, yes. How can living a life of harsh sacrifice and painful service be joyful? We have been conditioned to respond this way, it's almost automatic. So, Christian family, how is that Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles can say that he "counts it as pure joy" when he speaks of the suffering he endured for the cause of Christ? A religious fanatic, raving lunatic, nutcase, all of the above? Or a man who was transformed and freed from all that restrained him from pursuing God? You'll have to decide as we look at men like Paul. As we examine his life, and others, to see if there are any parallels to our lives today.
Jesus said that "if any man would come after me, he must take up his cross daily, and follow me". Does that lead to a joy that I have yet to experience? Paul certainly thought so, and he demonstrated it daily. Think on this and get back to me...........

A "War Time" Mentality

2009-09-03T17:38:00.001-07:00

Throughout his book, Piper reinforces the idea of a War Time mentality. At first I found this metaphor to be uncomfortable, radical perhaps. Then, as I studied further, I realized that Piper was calling my attention to the reality of 21st century Christianity. That reality being that all I have to do to feel that I am "being Christian" is to be a little better than the world around me. And isn't that how we often make ourselves feel more comfortable with the exceptions that we make? I know I do. After all, I attend church on Sunday, I don't beat my children or cheat on my taxes, that makes me okay, right? And then, rather like a bucket of cold water dumped on my head, Piper reminds me of the words of Jesus in Matthew where he tells the story of the sheep and the goats. "Depart from me.." Jesus said to those who were living good lives but who weren't knee deep in the struggle. A small shiver goes down my spine when I think about that.

As I have said and will continue to say, true self examination is never easy. But you want to hear something strange, I now find myself talking to God more than I can ever remember. Prayer, meditation, and downright conversation, it's kinda cool. And this is the goal, to rely more on God and less on this present age. When we do that, fear is consumed and courage is instilled.

See you soon

An Exciting Time

2009-08-31T16:55:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that we've finally kicked off our new study. So let's not waste any time and get right down to business. Hopefully you've been able to download a copy of "Don't Waste Your Life" from John Piper's website. I would strongly encourage you to read as much of the book you can. I found that swallowing the big concepts in a cover to cover reading helped me to better digest them as I went back and began working with the study guide. Just a suggestion. The first question that I would ask you is a simple one: what is your initial impression of the title? How does someone honestly evaluate the effectiveness of their life? Naturally, Christians and those who are on the path to Christ, apply a very specific standard. The world, on the other hand, uses another standard altogether. The greatest difference between the two is that the standard of God has not changed since it was established by Jesus when he said "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." The worlds standard of an effective life changes almost daily. When you look at it that way, is it any wonder that people naturally gravitate to God. He is the center of gravity for the universe, after all. As you think on this, also factor in the wonderful peace that comes from the Grace of God. His standard is high, but he is love and love is patient, kind, ect...

Check back daily, post comments, and most importantly smile......because God Is Good.

Today, We Begin

2009-08-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

A lot is made of beginnings and I think that's appropriate. We celebrate our birthday (the beginning of our time on Earth) so beginnings are a big deal. So today, as we dive into some fairly deep and challenging questions. Consider this; Are you maximizing your life? If you are a New Testament Christian you might say something like this, "I've given my life to Christ, what more can I do?" I'm familiar with the question as I myself used it to justify my life as well. And then I read "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. You can download a free copy of the book at www.desiringgod.com. All you need to do is type Don't Waste Your Life in the search box at the upper righthand corner of the home page. Once the search results come up, the second on is the online book. Click on that link and you will see an option to download the pdf version of the book. You will also have the option of downloading the study guide (you'll want it too).
This is where we begin. I encourage you to begin reading the book as soon as possible. It won't take you very long, a few nights perhaps. As you read and begin thinking about your own life and relationship with God, I suggest that you begin a journal of your thoughts or questions. I use my laptop and type, but you may prefer to go "old school" and use pen and paper. Either way, record those thoughts because they'll be gone before you know it. One other thing that is important is to talk to people. Friends, co-workers, and family members (both physical and spiritual) are great sounding boards for discussion. Many times we find that we are afraid to speak with others about the things of God because we are afraid we'll give the wrong answer to their questions. But when you are just talking about life, you'll probably do just fine and you might open a door that would have normally stayed closed.
So this is the beginning. If God blesses us with wisdom and insight, then we can hopefully celebrate more beginnings as he transforms us in his glory.

Consider A New Connection

2009-08-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

I would like to invite you to try something new. You may have heard of social networking sites on the internet and shutter due to some of the negative stories connected with them. And many of them are true. But it doesn't have to be that way. I recently joined FaceBook and have been amazed at how efficiently the site can connect so many people. I began to think how this technology could be used to strengthen and encourage Christians. Although there are many spiritual groups, many are not rooted in the Bible. So a group has been created to allow like minded Christians to interact and share on FaceBook. You'll need to join the site (which is free) in order to be added to the group. The group is private and each new member must be approved by the group administrator (me). Another great advantage of FaceBook is that it can be easily accessed from your smart phone. When you're on a break at work, you'll be able to check any new posts and easily add your own update. You're in control.

Why are we doing this? Simple, we're trying to expand the reach of the Gospel beyond the walls of the church building. Many non-Christian people are much more likely to join a discussion group than to visit a church. However, once they've been engaged in an online study or discussion group they will have a point of contact and be more likely to visit in person. This makes so much sense, I can't believe it's taken this long for it to be tried. Hopefully, we will see you online and engaged in a spiritually uplifting experience.

A New Transition

2009-08-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am very excited about a new direction for this blog as well as a re-energizing of adult Bible study in our church. This blog will be one of the central tools used to keep the participants connected to the study and each other. I hope that you will visit from time to time and join the discussion.
The study catalyst will be John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life". Incredibly, Pastor Piper has made his book and the corresponding study guide available for free download at http://www.desiringgod.com/. This fantastic book is both challenging and well rooted in the scripture. After reading Randy Alcorn's "Heaven", I found this book to be refreshing and reinforcing. What better way to anticipate Heaven than to maximize the opportunities we have while we are here in this life.
If you're interested in joining this study, we will begin the first Sunday in September. I am planning to update this blog weekly (or more depending on comments) to challenge and encourage participants. I'm also going to use other digital tools such as http://www.facebook.com/ and http://www.twitter.com/. If the world can co-opt these media, why can't we harness them for the glory of God?
In the meantime, think about the purpose and direction of your life at this moment. Is happiness or fulfillment your goal? Where does God and your relationship with him through Jesus Christ factor into your evaluation? After asking yourself these questions, come back and visit again. I am confident that we will all be blessed and encouraged by this life changing study.

The challenges of Modernity

2009-06-15T08:22:00.001-07:00

"Things of modern times have no place in heaven!" Have you ever heard someone say that? I sure have. And the more I study on the subject the more I have to smile inwardly at the assertion. Think about this, isn't everything modern at one time or another? Weren't fire, the wheel, or stone tools modern at the time of their discovery? To say that contemporary 21st century things will not be present in Heaven is just not logical. Now, let me first say that God is the master designer and builder of Heaven. If he chooses to decorate it with things that we consider ancient, then it's is definitely alright with me. But for people and specifically believers to say that nothing modern can be present is tantamount to saying that there is nothing good or redeeming in our world today. This is the greater tragedy. This is another victory for Satan, plain and simple. We live in a world that is no more or less fallen than it was at the time of Adam, Noah, or Christ. The difference we enjoy now is the light that Jesus has shown upon this doomed planet and it's inhabitants. His light has inspired creativity and innovation that has benefited mankind. Art, music, writings, all have been inspirational in many ways. We know that the forms of expression that are against God will be swept away, their insignificance displayed at the moment of their destruction. But the things of God will continue on for eternity. Libraries will be full of the works of the redeemed for us to enjoy and appreciate for eternity. Could we see computers? How about cars or other forms of transportation? What building materials will be used? Will we be confined to the Earth, or will we be able to leave the planet and travel through the resurrected universe? This excites me about Heaven, and it is one of the many reasons that I continue to search the scriptures for more.
Now, let me know what you think.

Been awhile since last post

2009-05-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that I wouldn't do this. I promised myself that if I started a blog I wouldn't let it collect dust after a few postings. Well, I've broken that promise. But renewal is a beautiful thing. So I start the next chapter of this blog.

It's almost been a year since the Lord called my mother home to Him. While I think about her every day, I've been thinking about her more lately. I know that the next few weeks will be emotional for me, but not depressing. I miss my mom. I wish she was here with me. I miss the times we would spend talking, her curled up on her couch and me sitting across on mine. But I don't dwell on those things for long, I can't. Because I believe that we will share those times again. It's strange, the peace that comes from faith.

The passing of my mother was the first significant loss I've suffered as an adult. Sure, people that were close to me have passed away, but not this close. And, unless you've experienced that, you can't know how it changes you. I feel changed for the better. That's weird, isn't it?
I plan to get back on track with my postings, but needed to share this.

A New Time, A New Space

2009-04-07T18:42:00.000-07:00

Do you remember watching the old Batman series? I was a huge fan, Adam West was the coolest. Do you remember how the announcer would always end each cliffhanger episode? "Will the Riddler blow up Gotham? Will Batman save Robin from a horrible fate? You'll find out next week, same Bat time, same Bat channel." Awesome. In my study this week I was reading about the difficulty that many people have with living in a physical eternity. What do I mean by that? Haven't you thought of or been involved in discussions of the "spiritualness" of Heaven. Obviously, one might say, there isn't anything physical in Heaven because a physical existence is inherently evil. Adam and Eve proved that even in a perfect Earthly existence, sin happens. And based on this logic we become anti-physical. There is nothing new about that. Since the beginnings of Christianity there were believers who thought that all things physical had to be denied. These people were called the Gnostics and they had quite a following. Their philosophy sounded so spiritual, so Godly. The problem with the Gnostics is they were wrong. The apostle Paul pointed that out in several of his epistles. And it seems that the Gnostics have influenced the way that many of us view our eternity. But there is nothing inherently evil about the physical. Sin has cursed it to death, but Christ has lifted the eternal effects of the curse. Therefore the entirety of creation has been justified and will arise on Judgement Day redeemed. A redeemed physical Earth, Heaven, Universe. All for us.

As we prepare to celebrate the holiday we call Easter, consider all that Jesus did, is doing, and wll do for you and me.

Happy Easter - He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Lessons from Eden

2009-03-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

I've always been fascinated with history, especially ancient history. Perhaps this is why I've always been an interested Old Testament student. One of the greatest and most studied parts of the Old Testament is the story of Adam, Eve, and the Garden of Eden. You see, there is a unique connection between Eden and Heaven. When you read Genesis 2 you read something that is truly incredible and may be a preview of what we will experience on the New Earth in eternity. This "something" is God's intimate relationship with humanity. Do you sometimes feel that God is far away in this place that people call Heaven? In fact, he's so far away that he can't possible have any kind of relationship with you? After all, everyone knows that long distance relationships never work. This is not true. How can I know this? God has demonstrated his love and desire for relationship over and over. And it all started in Eden. First, God created a special place on the Earth for man to thrive both in his physical nature and in his realtionship with God himself. That place was Eden. Scripture tells us that it wasn't uncommon for God to walk in the garden in the "cool of the day" Genesis 3:8. Can you imagine what that was like for Adam and Eve? What makes it so incredible is that they didn't think it was incredible. God was their friend, father, companion, someone who wanted to be with them. Second, God cared for the couple. He tended to their physical and emotional needs as well as giving them purpose. Above all the creation, we as humans are given the task of managing it all. There is implicit trust in being given this task. I am humbled when I consider that God has entrusted me with the management of the Earth. As we well know, the garden experience ended for Adam and Eve. Their "fall" began a chain of events that has led to our present age. Interestingly it is this chain that is also pointing toward Heaven. Where once again God will prepare a special place where a resurrected humanity will thrive (the New Earth). He will once again walk with us in the cool of the day. He will care for us in ways that put the Eden experience to shame. And we will, finally, achieve the purpose for which we were created; to serve God without shame. We will be able to do this without the threat or corruption of sin. I can't wait, and we owe it all to the Lessons of Eden.

The point of the search

2009-03-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

I struggle, like everyone else, with the "why's" of life. Often times I come up empty in my search. But I believe that I may have stumbled onto the greatest of the why's in our life. I believe that our lives here on earth are preparing us for the greater life we will live in Heaven. This is not just some shot in the dark dream, rather my understanding of the teachings of Jesus and scripture as a whole. If you stop and think about it, Heaven is the ultimate expression of God's love for humanity. It has the potential to change the way we view the world and those who live in it. It inspires us to glorify the God who resides there because he desires to be reunited with us in perfect fellowship. Heaven is also free of sin and is therefore the "undiscovered country" that our souls long to travel to. It is this sin free existence that motivates me to live more God centered in this life. I've also found that I look at people differently when I see them in the light of Heaven. They are seeking their paths just like me, on their way to one eternal destination or the other. There is also the "small" matter of the new earth that is spoken of numerous times in the book of Revelation. I understand that my life now prepares me for my life on the new earth. God is presenting me with opportunities for growth and wisdom on earth so that I can be prepared to serve my greater purpose (whatever that may be) in eternity. So, when I think that my eternal home just happens to also be the home of my savior as well as the creator of the universe, that can be quite a life changing thought. Don't you think?

Satan's Favorite Heaven Myths

2009-02-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

Satan hates you. He has made it his eternal purpose to keep you from the inheritance that God has prepared for you. Part of that inheritance is your home in Heaven. And, I have no doubt about this, he is very good at what he does. You see, Satan does not attack directly. He's already lost every battle that he's fought against God. So he takes a more guerrilla approach. He cannot deny the existence of Heaven, after all, he lived there for untold time. So he minimizes it's importance. He reduces it's wonder and transforms it into something it's not. In a word he tries to make Heaven BORING. And, in the minds of most, he has succeeded. How often do Christians and those drawn to Christ talk and long for Heaven? Isn't it unspiritual to look forward to Heaven, someone would ask. Shouldn't we be focusing on Jesus and our walk with God? Funny how Satan has separated God himself from the place where he resides. To long for Heaven is to long for God himself. There is no Heaven without God, the two are eternally inseparable. I have wasted too much time not allowing the wonder and beauty of a Heaven that God created motivate my life here on earth. What about you? Are you prepared to let Satan know that this lie, this deception about Heaven, won't work on you?

For those new to blogs (like me)

2009-02-17T16:57:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in leaving comments you will need to have either a Google account (GMail or iGoogle) or an AOL account (listed as AIM in the profile dropdown). Once you have typed your comment(s) in the dialog box you will select a profile to submit it under. This is where your online accounts will be used. None of your personal information is shared with this blog and the login is used to keep things friendly. If you have a question and want to reach me directly you can use my email address at jaycon2020@gmail.com.

Origins of a Blog

2009-02-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

I assume that most blogs begin the same way with the blogger explaining the purpose and inspiration of the blog. So, in the interest of continuing traditon, I will do the same. My name is Jason and I am a seeker. I am looking for truth, inspiration, and purpose much that way that you may be. I am a follower of Jesus and have recently found tremendous inspiration in the study of Heaven. Do you think of Heaven or the life that comes after this one? Are you curious about the reality of eternity? Have you bought into the generic (and often inaccurate) depictions of eternity? If you're interested, please leave a post and join the discussion. I am not a religious expert but I do have a desire to follow the narrow path that leads to life.