by Aarron Pina | Jun 10, 2013 | Christ, Monday Morning Momentum, trials
The Old Deal:
In Exodus, God led the nation of Israel through the desert as a guiding beacon – cloud by day, pillar of fire by night – protecting them from the pursuing Egyptian army overnight before they could cross the parted sea, providing food and water for their journey, and propelling them forward when they complained.
Protecting, providing, propelling…
The New Deal
In Acts 20:23-24, the apostle Paul tells us that God, the Holy Spirit, does two things – compels him, leading him to his next church planting assignment, and warns him of imprisonment and hardship to come. Propelling Paul into danger? Sounds like a different god at the helm, doesn’t it? Did God forget to proofread the email He sent to Paul and the church? Hasn’t He read “Your Best Life Now”?!
Assignment: the Linchpin
Yet, the promise made to Israel was a very different promise than what was made to the apostles. Israel was on a different assignment than the church. God was leading them to a temporal victory.
Jesus told his disciples that they (and by extension, we) would have troubles. While we have been given promise of immediate freedom from sin – we are no longer obligated to walk by the flesh – this is not the endgame. The freedom we experience “in Christ” is more a by product of God’s ultimate gift: eternity to enjoy and worship Him.
In other words, the road to eternity may be marked by hardship, prison, falling out of favor with those who hate God, persecution, etc. But, the true prosperity we are promised is not a “now” land of milk and honey nor riches and pleasures in this world. Just as our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), our victory is not entirely in flesh, blood, or the “now”.
The joy of the Christian life is not in the material pleasures that often confuse, elude, or intoxicate us. The God we serve who leads us on this dangerous mission is the same God who led Israel to material prosperity and safety – He just promises us those things in eternity rather than in this age.
Three Things You Have To Gain Through the Pain
If pursuit of God’s purposes and assignments for our lives will necessarily bring difficulty, why would we want to say “yes” to such a thing?
- To follow Christ comes at the prompting of God, who draws us to Him – and we gain Him, from whom we are otherwise eternally separated. Not to mention we gain our souls. (See Matthew 16:26)
- When we fully grasp how nastyrottenfithyawful sin really is, how holy God really is, and how utterly incompatible sinners are with Him (apart from Christ), our response can only be “I’ll do whatever, whenever, no matter the cost!”
- God promises that we will be rewarded for our struggle both by temporal maturity and effectiveness (Romans 5:3-4, James 1:2-4, 2 Peter 1:5-8) and in eternal rewards at the judgment seat where He will reward those “in Christ” for everything done in the body whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10)
Power Question:
During trials, loss, pain, etc., are you asking God “why me?” or “how will this mature me, Lord”?
Off to Work
Begin with the end in mind. God’s endgame is to prepare us and train us for kingdom living – in mature love and full submission to Him. The pain, struggle, and hardship given to us here is designed to stretch us and build us up stronger, much as any athlete preparing for a professional sports career. If trials truly build us up, look forward to the trials. If the Lord is truly our prize, look forward to the Lord. If hindsight is truly 20/20, when you look in your rear view mirror, you may well see He has orchestrated the trials, the pain, the stretching toward maturity all for good. Not painless… but worth it.
Walk in agape, by the Spirit,
AP
by Aarron Pina | May 13, 2013 | Christ, discipleship, Monday Morning Momentum, Peter
Can’t Always Get What You Want…
Sometimes, I get confused about the difference between my “desired outcomes” and my “rights”. Let’s see if you might relate.
I have a constitutional “right” to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But, I know that something I get happy over is the approval of others and the respect of my peers. So, I pursue it. Sometimes I get it. Other times, I’m left hanging and my brain jumps from A (desired outcomes) to B (rights) leaving me disappointed at least and angry at worst. Can you relate?
Maybe your desired outcome is different – promotion/raise, the next car “up”, an apology from someone who really did you wrong, your teenager or subordinate at work following your advice and making smart choices, privacy, peace and quiet, death to crabgrass, a little recognition for the extra effort you put in on that last project… around the house? Ever experience that confusion… disappointment… even anger?
Ultimately, disappointments can become food for the internal battles within that James refers to below:
“1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel... (James 4:1-2, ESV)”
This week, a lot of the one on one discipleship conversations I’m having with the men I’m walking have been centered around this very issue. For many men, coming up short on recognition once or twice at work, (or worse, at home) = no big deal. But, over time, it can clutter the mental stage with a low level hum that distracts us from what we’re really trying to focus on. I like to call it “ambient spiritual noise”.
How loud is your stage?
Two thousand years ago, there was a disciple who learned a remedy to this. His mouth was shaped like a sandal so he didn’t look out of place every time he put his foot in it. Guy named “Peter”. Ever walk in his mouth… I mean, shoes?
Quick Backstory:
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| Coffee mug for Simon Peter |
Peter goes from hero to zero pretty quickly according to Mark, chapter 8. In one line, Jesus calls Peter “the Rock”, then a few moments later “Satan” and “a stumbling block”. Ouch. Jesus publicly commends Peter for correctly identifying Him as the Messiah. Jesus then goes on to tell everyone He’s about to be tortured, killed, and resurrected. Not the story Peter was expecting. Peter kind of snaps. He pulls Jesus aside and rebukes him. (Gusty, Peter. You want some mustard on that shoe before you eat it?)
Jesus follows up with an address to the whole crowd, facing Peter with the dilemma that every one of us who desires to follow Jesus must deal with:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34b)”
Jesus essentially tells them/us all. “To follow me, you must walk in denial of your desires and possessions.” Denial… To know who Jesus is, is head knowledge. To follow Him, will require sacrifice: what two things must we deny ourselves?
- Everything and
- Anything
Can You Expand on That?
Sure, thanks for asking… Philippians says Jesus “emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant… [and became] obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (2.7-8)” Think about that: Jesus, most powerful being on the planet, could have called down at least 60,000 angels to save Him from brutally violent death, denied Himself his right to life… liberty… and the pursuit of any form of happiness. Jesus models living “in denial”.
Are you willing to deny yourself everything and follow Jesus? I’m not. Not in my own strength. But, as always, there’s Good News and there’s great news. Good news: Jesus died for that sin. Great news: He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to deny ourselves daily and take up our cross to follow Him. The act of “followship” is not one we are left to do in our own strength. When we fail, we’re already forgiven. God loves us so much He even sent a Helper to pick us up when we fall.
The “Take Away”:
Here’s your homework: write down your top ten goals and dreams – the house, the promotion(s), the boat, the acceptance and respect of your peers, the approval of your wife, kids, boss, or even your parents and draw a big line through them. Even better, find one of those insurance adjuster stamps that says “Denied” and stamp it on every one. Pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen you to live in “denial” with me… with Peter… with Jesus, who humbled Himself on the cross and became obedient to death….
Side Benefit
Expectations bind us to the desired outcome we’re seeking. When we expect and don’t get, a debt/debtor we risk falling into a debt/debtor relationship with what we expected. When we mentally and emotionally let go of expectations, anything we receive is counted as a blessing. Note: this doesn’t mean lowering or not having expectations. We are to strive for excellence, and to do so requires standards that may not always be met. However, there is a big difference between having expectations and being had by our expectations.
By “living in denial” (denying ourselves through surrender to Christ and quickly reconciling unmet expectations), we create massive opportunities for blessing and free ourselves from dependence on human justice. Surrender to Christ means surrender of everything, allowing free reign for the justice of God, who sees all things and will reward all men for what they have done and what they have denied themselves.
in Christ,
AP
Going Deeper:
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Prov. 13.12)”
“Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 17.27-29)”
For reflection:
“How aware are you of your subtle attempts at controlling outcomes?”
“As life becomes more ‘complicated’, how aware are you of your attachment to your outcomes, expectations, commitments, and possessions?”
by Aarron Pina | Apr 8, 2013 | abide, Christ, Elijah, Monday Morning Momentum
Praying God’s Will
Every week, ask at least a dozen guys: “How can I pray for you?” Number one frequently asked question from guys I’ve met for the first time is this: “Would you pray that God gives me clarity about His will for my life?”
Sounds like a good request, right? I, lately (smothered with a ketchup bottle of compassion), explain that there’s not much to pray about there.
Huh? OK, I’ll explain my… explanation…
God has given us scripture so that we can know more about His will for our lives: to know Christ and to make Him known. In fact, part of God’s character is revelation: He is a God who reveals Himself. The reason we are without excuse for our sins is right there in Romans 1:20: God has made some of Himself plain to see right there in the natural world. God is a god of revelation – He’s already revealing. But, where we get “wrapped around the axle” is when “God isn’t revealing enough of His plan for us, fast enough…”
Three Problems:
“God isn’t revealing enough of His plan for us fast enough.”
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We’re not the main character.
When the tables were (and sometimes, still are) turned and I was (do) ask this question, I later realize I’ve mistaken myself for the main character – God is the main character of the Bible, my story, our lives. He is not beholden to men and debtor to me that He would owe me an explanation. As the scriptures tell us:
“what is man that You remember him,
the son of man that You look after him? (Psalm 8:4 HSCB)”
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Who gets to determine how much is enough revelation?
Again, we’re in God’s territory, on His time, and the revelation we get is a privilege, not a right. Just as God is right in giving out mercy and compassion to whom He chooses and in the quantity He chooses, He is also right in giving out as much or as little information as He chooses… to whom He chooses.
“Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? (Romans 9:20-21)”
When we demand more revelation than God has given, we sin in the area of pride: “God owes me more info than He’s given me.”
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Who am I to determine how fast God “ought” to be revealing His will?
Reading about Elijah in 1Kings 17, we have the benefit of hindsight – we know how the story ends. But, to Elijah, God essentially got on Twitter and sent the prophet two tweets – less than 140 characters in the NIV, ESV, HSCB, etc… “Tell Ahab, ‘drought until My say-so’.” Second tweet: “Supper is waiting for you down by the river. Come ‘n get it!”
How do you feel if you’re Elijah in that situation? Are you content with what little info you have? Or, are you desperate for more detail… faster…?
(See 1Kings 17:1-4)
Elijah is among the ranks of many great men of God who despaired for their lives. James even tells us that Elijah, as great as he was, was just like us – human. (James 5:17) Does it comfort you that God kept this man, whose name appears all over the old and new testaments, on a need to know basis? Does it comfort you that Jesus taught the disciples to pray ‘not my will, but Yours’?
If Elijah – professional prophet – appointed by God to deliver His direct word to kings, got little more than two tweets at a time, what makes you and I think we’re going to get God’s 14-point blueprint for our lives by Thursday? What right, when we have the full canon of scripture and the indwelling Holy Spirit that Elijah didn’t have, do you and I have to demand more from the star and author of the scripture (and our faith – see Heb. 12:2)?!
Good answer… We don’t. But, it’s okay. God sees the whole picture…
Asking Higher Quality Questions
While it’s not license for us to demand from God what He has no obligation to give, we’re wise to start with the heart of the question: our heart. Jesus told us “abide in me and you will bear much fruit”. See John 15… And, let me ask you the same question He keeps asking me when I’m begging for the 14 Point Plan by Thursday: What would you do if He gave you that plan? More importantly, how would you do it?
Most of us would rightly go after the 14 point plan point by point. But, we’d miss God. Desperation is our friend, as long as it is God we are desperate for. The more information we have about God’s plan for our lives, the more likely we are to be distracted by the plan and away from the Planner.
Finding Contentment
God is not out to manipulate us by keeping us on a short leash… He’s just smarter than we are. He knows that “with much wisdom comes much sorrow” (Ecc. 1:18) and that when we ask Him for things, we often ask with selfish motive to use what we get for our purposes rather than His. Desperation keeps us clinging to the vine – not just for information, but for life. And, doesn’t He know that we need life more than information, anyway? God wants us to be to Him what He is for us: fully present.
Prayer: “Lord, would you give me more of you… always? Would you help me to be satisfied…content with the plan You’ve given me on a need to know basis.”
Pretty sure we can all predict the answer for that one…
Tweet, tweet.
AP
by Aarron Pina | Apr 2, 2013 | Christ, grace, Monday Morning Momentum, work
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For last week’s most popular post,
click here. |
Side note: I got a couple of great private comments on last week’s post on Gay Marriage. I hope if you haven’t read it, you get a look and it serves as a compass for you even after Resurrection Sunday.
Words vs. Deeds…
In the parables of the two sons and the parable of the tenants (Mt. 21), Jesus lays out two examples of men who resist or reject God and His authority either in word or deed, but ultimately, in heart.
- In the first, Son “A” rejects God’s command, but “repents” of his rash words and later obeys his Father’s command with good works. It’s an example of “saving faith”: someone who doesn’t just make an empty confession at an altar call, but with deeds that demonstrate a true faith. Son “B” pays his Father lip service and then doesn’t follow through. Jesus demonstrates that the God of the New Testament is indeed the same God of the Old Testament, who in Isaiah talks of a people who honor Him with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him (see Is. 29.13).
- In the second parable, the tenants factor out God in their “coup de vignoble” (coup of the vineyard), rejecting the Landowner’s messengers and eventually rejecting and murdering His Son.
Here, Jesus tells the religious people of the day that two kinds of people are in danger of missing out on inheritance in the Kingdom of God:
- People whose hearts spring up empty words. (Mouths that write checks their actions can’t cash.)
- Those who do good things motivated by hearts not surrendered to God. Implied here is that a broken clock is right twice a day – still a wicked heart… I mean, clock.
Throughout scripture, God makes His three desires for us clear
- A surrendered heart that bears good fruit. Obedience is greater in His eyes than sacrifice. Sacrifice can often be a half measure – while it costs something, it doesn’t cost any of ourselves and can be done without full surrender to God. See 1 Sam. 15:22.
- A surrendered heart that bears good fruit. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! (James 1:22 MSG)”
- A surrendered heart that bears good fruit. “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Mt. 21:43)
Think on These Things?
- Where are the places you know God is calling you to obedience but your words are not matching your deeds?
- Is there a word, a commitment, a promise you’ve made that you just don’t “feel” like doing right now?
- How can these be reconciled to the words of the Lord written above?
Ask the Lord: “Please, reveal to me anywhere I’m just ‘doing good works’ out of my own strength rather than in obedience to Your call.”
- Lastly, is there obedience You are calling me to that goes beyond mere sacrifice of my stuff to sacrifice of myself? Where am I taking the easy way out?
This weekend, we celebrated the Resurrection. It is an event like no other: the linchpin of history where the Old Testament promises are fulfilled and the most important legal transaction in history was signed in the blood of the Lamb. This sacrifice required the full surrender of Christ to the will of the Father. To be “in” on the “us” side of this transaction, we must surrender fully, not just our stuff, but ourselves.
Be Encouraged
The Gospel is not about a bunch of important rules that we are to live by. It’s never been about good deeds and it never will be. It’s about surrender of the heart that’s so complete that good deeds naturally result. The great news is, whether you’re “saved” or not, the Gospel is for you. Sometimes in making a correct distinction between “salvation” and “sanctification” we err on the side of thinking “I’m in with God… Now, I can get back to work.” Paul made it clear to the church in Galatia that this is not the case. We are saved by grace… but we are also kept by grace.
in Christ,
AP
by Aarron Pina | Mar 29, 2013 | Christ, Gay Marriage, grace
In the Shadow of the Gay Marriage Debate In the shadow of the gay marriage debate is the shadow of something even bigger… a pair of beams weighing over 100 lbs… tied together, stuffed into the earth, and casting a 10′ shadow… “What? What is he talking about?!” We’ll get there…
A lot of us who profess the name of Christ are at risk of being distracted by a very emotional news story that just so happens to be going on at a time when our hearts and minds should be focused on the most important story of all… the Resurrection. Across America, people are talking about “marriage equality”… Apart from Christ, we already have equality – we’re equally wicked and guilty of eternal crimes against an eternal God… Bent on our own agenda, the agenda of the flesh: “me”. But, there’s good news… It’s “Good” Friday…
Today, I’m not here today to comment on whether gay marriage should or should not be legal. Nor am I worried about the Supreme Court’s decision(s): I believe in a God who has seen these court cases’ outcomes before the world began and will not be thwarted in His plans either way. I’m not here to hate anyone or judge anyone outside the faith. Is homosexuality a sin? I firmly believe so, because of what God has said about it consistently throughout scripture. If you don’t believe scripture, you’re not the center of this discussion.
Actually, as a man who came out of that lifestyle, I pray you come to know the same peace, freedom, and joy available on the other side of the cross. I’m also grateful for God’s deliverance, knowing that only He could truly know or change my heart… or “theirs”. I’m here today to remind us all that it is Passion week. You’re either blind or not on Facebook if you haven’t seen the red banner with the equal sign standing for “marriage equality”. Once you discovered what it meant, some of you expressed annoyance at its ubiquity, others excitement. But, I’m here to remind you that however you see it, you have something even bigger to be annoyed about… or excited… or both:
We “all fall short.”
There you go. Equality, Romans 3:23 style.
Equally Short of the Glory of God
One of the strengths of the one-on-one discipleship work I get to do is transparency. I’m honest about my faults and shortcomings. For example, this week I yelled at my wife once. Nothing I’m proud of. And it’s a sin. I called someone I didn’t know a moron (‘raca’). I told a “little white lie” to someone about how late I was going to be. I dwelled on a lustful thought for more than 1.5 seconds. Ok, it wasn’t this week, it was yesterday. But, I’m a Christian… not The Christ. I was distracted from the cross. Ever been there? Good news is, because of that red banner of blood, shed by the perfect Savior, casting that shadow on the hill of the skull – I’m acquitted. Ever been… there? Liberating.
My Responsibility, My Prayer
Let me not forget this week… especially this week… that a man died a vicious death 2,000 years ago not so I could marry who I want… or so you could marry who you want… or so “they” could… But, to marry me – an otherwise wretched sinner – to a perfect, loving, Holy God from whom my sin estranges me and makes me irreconcilable. Let me not forget, while fingers are pointing at “them” that sin… my sin… made me a “them”, against God and put every nail into the Christ. Let me not simply repent next time I sin and move on to the next thing… Let me honor the cross… its Messiah… its stains… its shadow… its inequality that a man who did no wrong should suffer for my wrongs… Let me do that despite all that’s going on in the news… on the web… in my own heart.
Our Responsibility
Let us all not allow one, small shadow to overshadow the most important shadow: the shadow of the suffering Christ who reconciles us to Him despite our constant rebellion. Let us remember that “reconcile” means “to bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible or consistent”. We’ll never have equality with God, but in Christ, we’re finally… equally… compatible…
Equality… achieved at Calvary. Available only to the penitent, in the shadow of the cross, for the price of a confession: “Jesus paid it all… for all who confess with their mouths that Christ is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. (see Rom. 10.9)“
Happy Resurrection Sunday.
in the shadow of the cross,
AP
by Aarron Pina | Mar 25, 2013 | abide, Christ, encouragement, Monday Morning Momentum, trust
Ever Felt the Pressure of a Deadline?
I speak pretty good Spanish… and have forgotten more French than most people know… But, I have a great accent in both languages. The curse in this is that people often approach me and say “say something in Spanish!!!” What you may not know is the pressure that crushes someone put in that position: “Produce greatness at a moment’s notice!!!”
Sometimes, I feel crushed by that same pressure on a Thursday or Friday while preparing for my Monday post… More often, it’s an even heavier pressure… on… Monday morning. Don’t you just love how the pressure of a deadline forces you to flourish or fold? Can you feel it on your shoulders, in your head, or in the pit of your gut?
Are You A “Muster” or a “Truster”?
In any situation, we find this fork in the road – Muster Street or Truster Trail… When we muster results – which often… we must… The solution is based on hard work and ultimately comes down to one word: me. Mustering results is about “force”. When we force things, the outcome depends more on strength and wisdom but under pressure creates excess tension & stress. Victory rings hollow because we’ve fought and won… the wrong battle.
God always desires us to trust in Him and not lean on our own understanding. To be a “truster” overall depends on one word: He. Trusting God with outcome is about “flow”. Outcomes, which always depend on God anyway, remove great pressure from us.
Back to Jonah, “That Guy”, and You
Often, I’ll sit across the table from a guy who’s struggling in his marriage/significant relationship. We’ll talk more and a few other issues will become evident – sometimes family of origin, maybe related to habitual sin, often another issue about work/business troubles… And, “oh, my quiet time is a little spotty.”
We’ve blogged this before, right? If he could rub his bible three times and make one of those problems go away with a wish, he most often picks the work troubles or the marital/relationship issues. If he had a second wish he’d ask God to clean and polish up his life with a little “Porn-B-Gon”… But, rarely if ever does he start with “just pray that God helps me abide in Him and know him better…” Funny, right? The one solution that could solve all of the other problems (or at least make them bearable) is the last one to come to the table…
Solve the right problem or you’re boasting in your strength… Boasting in your wisdom… Looking through Jonah’s eyes and fighting, sometimes winning, the wrong battles.
When we lean on wisdom and strength… specifically, our own, we’re trying to solve the wrong problem. This is most often because we’re seeing the problem through our own eyes. Jonah needed to see the problem through God’s eyes – there were over 100,000 children in that Assyrian city who did not know the Lord… Jonah was more concerned with his own comfort…
How’s That Working for Ya?
Ever played Jonah? Ever gone on a long journey to find what you’re looking for only to find it wasn’t what you were looking for? No one knows if Jonah ever found his full satisfaction in the Lord… We just know that God rebuked him for being more concerned about a plant that brought him temporary comfort from a permanent problem.
Some of the problems that face us are not problems that can be solved in a Genesis 3 world. Those problems require perseverance that only comes from God. Those are the times when instead of God calming the storm on His child’s behalf, He lets the storm rage and calms His child. This is a place of peace under pressure. This is our witness to a lost and dying world.
Be Encouraged
I can’t think of many other reasons God would put this verse in the scriptures for us, but to encourage us through the times when we mistakenly take the wheel and veer toward “Muster”…
“This is what the Lord says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches,24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me,that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord. (Jer. 9:23-24)”
Benediction
May you win many battles… because you’ve fought the right ones. May you boast in the Lord and not your own strength. May you boast that you know Him not just know about Him. Therefore, may the outcomes He delivers to you come from Him, letting the stress and strife of the storm pass you by unscathed.
in Christ,
AP
