The Start of a Journey

The Start of a Journey

How appropriate to begin a new journey in life in an RV park. As I look around this morning, I’m surrounded by travelers. Where did they come from? Where are they going? Some have apparently been here for a while. Why have they stopped in this place? Is this the destination they were seeking, or is it just a resting place until the figure out the next step? Have they become stuck in the plan they had and cannot find their next destination?

So many questions. For myself, this is a refuge; a quiet place where I can contemplate what has been in light of what will be. I hope it is a place of healing – a time of reflection, reconnection, and restoration. In the process of living, especially moving at the pace required by today’s culture, you may not even know you are wounded. It gets lost in the pain of trying to keep up, trying to maintain, trying to stay alive. Once you discover the wound, you need to begin by stabilizing it to prevent further damage. You have to cleans the area of any remaining debris. Then apply antibiotic to clear up any infection which might have developed. Once the wound is healed, you can begin the process of rehabilitation.

Right now, I’m still trying to sort out the cause of the wound. I’ve been like a injured animal, who sees everything as a threat because they are wounded and do not want to risk further harm. I’ve not allowed anyone near because of the pain. I know that is not a healthy place and I have been working to overcome the fear of vulnerability. Until then, I am taking steps to cleans the wounded place; to bandage it, keep it clean, allow it to heal. The next phase will be rehab.

As for all these other travelers, I hope to hear their stories to learn of their journey, to maybe glean something from them to help with my own trek. I’m excited about the possibilities which lie ahead. When you get a chance to begin again, it is vital you begin from a known place. Without a true sense of “home” it is difficult to know which way to go. For me, in this season, this is home. I will venture out from this place to explore, to discover, to learn, to experience life which is available to me. Knowing I have a place of refuge allows me to learn vulnerability. I’ll be sharing more about the journey. I’m actually living through the last chapter of the book project I’m writing. One day you will be able to read it and hopefully find your way as you journey through life. Until then, keep searching for home.

Eve and the Holy Spirit

 Eve and the Holy Spirit

In light of all the dissension among the Western church regarding the role of women in leadership, I had a thought. At first, I thought it was an original idea. But as Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” As I began researching the topic I found many had already considered the corollary which piqued my interest.

In a conversation about the role of the wife in a marriage relationship, I was reminded of the statement made by God in the Garden of Eden about the need of Adam. Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Genesis 2:18) From this verse, a new word was formed which then became the mantra of the male-dominated church. From the KJV, the word “helpmeet”, which later morphed into helpmate, was used to describe the role of the wife. The problem is that is not the correct use of this verse. There are two words used in Genesis 2:18, not one.

The first word is “ezer”, which means, “a help, or helper,” translated here as “help.” The second word is “neged”, which means, “in front of, in sight of, opposite to,” translated here as “meet.” Other translations of scripture use other words for “neged,” like suitable, just right, fit, comparable, complementary, his complement, partner, counterpart, and corresponds. These words speak more clearly the intent God had in creating woman. There is no hint of subordinate, less than, under, or inferior. I believe the intent was more akin to comparing the left hand and the right hand. They are different, but living without one or the other would be very difficult. Together, any task becomes easier to complete.

Just the clarification of “neged” should bring a different view of the role of women in the world. However, that is not the most significant find in this phrase. The first word, “ezer”, is so much bigger than I have ever heard taught by any church I have attended. The word is used twice in reference to Eve. However, there are MANY uses of “ezer” to describe God! The exact same word used for Eve is also used to describe the role God plays in the life of humans. Look them up for yourself. In Deuteronomy 33:26,29, the word “help” is based on the word “ezer”. The same is true for Psalm 33:20, Psalm 115:9-11, Exodus 18:4 (helper), Psalm 70:4-5, Hosea 13:9-11, Psalm 121:1-2, and others. If Eve is in any way secondary to Adam because she is a “ezer”, then God is also secondary to man. Clearly that is not the case.

For men to feel compelled to push down women is a sign they do not understand the role of men or women. Men are not here to dominate. Women are not here to serve. Both were created by God for specific reasons.

Look at one more aspect of the creation of Eve before we move on to the New Testament. When God made Adam, He said, “Let us (The Father, The Word, and The Holy Spirit) make man in our image.” Adam was created as a reflection (image) of the Godhead (body, soul, and spirit). He was complete with every characteristic of God, imbued with every emotion, mental capacity; creative, strong. Adam had within him the complete expression of both male and female. Seeing a singular being, God determined there needed to be more than one being, just as He Himself is not singular, but a trinity. This is when God spoke His plan for Eve. “This new being will be a help to the other being, made to compliment, to be comparable; the literal translation is “in front of, in sight of, opposite to.”

In Genesis 2:21, it states God took a “tsela” from Adam to form Eve. This word is normally translated “rib,” but another definition of this word is “side.” You could just as easily say, “God took a side of Adam and formed Eve.” I believe this more accurately depicts what happened in Eden. There were now two beings, who, when combined together, perfectly represent God’s image, nature, and character. Both Adam and Eve needed each other in order to completely reflect the love of God in the earth.

When you look at this account with fresh eyes instead of adopting by rote the account passed down through millennia by the church, you can begin to see how we have missed it when it comes to denigrating women by forcing them into subservient roles, not only in life, but also in the Church. They are just as vital in expressing God to our world as Eve was in the Garden.

I then turned my attention to the New Testament. As Jesus was preparing to depart, He gave His disciples a promise. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) The Greek word used for the Helper is “parakletos,” which means “called to one's aid.” Other words used to describe parakletos are an advocate, intercessor, a consoler, comforter, helper. 

When Jesus was about to ascend to Heaven, to be seated next to the Father, He told His followers, recorded in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” We have Jesus, who is referred to as the “second Adam,” telling the new believers that the Father would send a “second Helper.” I think this comparison is not a stretch, but more fully validates the role women have on earth. Just as Eve was created to “complete” Adam, to walk along side, to be complementary (each one contributing to make up the whole), the Holy Spirit was given to “complete” the work of Jesus on earth. The Holy Spirit was not going to replace Jesus. The Holy Spirit was not subservient to Jesus. The reference to “another Helper” (vs. 16) means “one just like me.” The Holy Spirit is a “side” of Jesus. Not less than, not secondary, but fully God.

I’m not saying that women are to be deified. Men are not to be deified either. Both are God’s creation and should have mutual respect and honor. Men tend to take on Jesus as a role model, taken from Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church.” Where is the godly role model for women? I believe it is found in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given to help the Church become like Jesus, to reflect the Father’s glory, to express the Grace of God, and to show mercy to all people. Men without women tend toward law-making; mostly black and white, right and wrong. Women add color, bringing grace and mercy. Both are needed and required to fully represent God in the earth.

Both “beginnings” recorded in scripture have a similar outcome. Genesis brought man and woman into being to work together in caring for the creation. The birth of the Church brought Jesus and the Holy Spirit to work together to establish the Kingdom on Earth. To do this, it requires both men and women, identified with Jesus through salvation and empowered by the Holy Spirit; both working to build the Kingdom. It’s time to drop the pretense that men are somehow more important in the Kingdom than women.

Lastly, let me address the questions which I know will come. Paul said that wives are to submit to their own husband, that women are to keep silent in the church, and that deacons/bishops/elders/pastors should be the husband of one wife. Paul also had Timothy circumcised, even though Paul himself said it was not required for salvation. What about Onesimus, where in Philemon, Paul sent this “slave” back to his “owner,” imploring Philemon to receive him, not as a bondservant, but as a brother. Here Paul is following the current cultural mandates by returning Philemon’s “property” to him, but also calling on him to break from culture and allow Onesimus to live as a free man. Paul also said many things in his writing were “by permission” as opposed to “by commandment.” I firmly believe that some of the things written to the Church in the epistles were dealing with cultural issues of the day; things like, “women must cover their head to worship” or “abstain from meat offered to idols.”

If you subscribe to the “command” that wives are to submit to their own husband, that still does not apply to all women submitting to all men. If that is your belief, then how do you reconcile that with Paul’s other “commands” that we (Christians) are to submit one to another, which he states multiple times in his writings? Folks, I think we have missed some things in the 2000+ years we have trying to do this thing we call “church.” If you take off the glasses and see the Bible texts with unbiased lenses, we will see that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) We have to do better. The current division does not represent Christ, nor His Church. Let’s get back to being “one in Him” so we can further the mission which started in the Garden and reiterated at the birth of the Church. Let us, men and women, labor TOGETHER in the field to gather the harvest.

The Names of God - The Portion of Jacob

The Portion of Jacob 

Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. Jeremiah 10:16 (ESV)

Many consider Abraham to be Jewish. He was not. He was Hebrew, but not a Jew. Israel, and consequently the Jewish people, came into existence when God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. 

The name, Portion of Jacob, speaks of the value of God. The Hebrew word “kheleq” refers to land lots given as an inheritance or share. Those portions of land were probably the most important and valuable possession a Jew could have. They were a source of life and sustenance. It was their part of the Promised Land given to them by God. In the case of the Levites, God was the one who provided for them, and they had no need to own land. 

When Israel were slaves in Egypt, they had nothing of their own. God delivered them from captivity, brought them into a land “flowing with milk and honey,” and gave every family a piece of ground they could call their own. This not only provided for their needs, but also gave them a sense of worth and wellbeing.

When Jacob was younger he swindled his twin brother’s “first born” inheritance. For reasons only God knows, Jacob was chosen over Esau to be God’s “chosen” people. That’s when God made covenant with Jacob, changing his name to Israel. They were blessed. They lived in abundance. When famine came to the region, God had already placed Joseph in a position of authority in Egypt and was able to provide for Israel and his family to survive, and even to thrive in a foreign land.

When the tide turned against them in Egypt, Israel became captives and forced into slavery. God kept his promise to Jacob/Israel because of the covenant made between God and Jacob. The Portion of Jacob never went back on His promise. He sent a deliverer to bring them out of slavery and carry them to a “promised” land, The Portion of Jacob, called Canaan.

Even though Jacob had gained an inheritance by deceit, God legitimized the true inheritance of Israel and showing the world that The Portion of Jacob is always faithful.

This is all a precursor to what God did for you and me. Our inheritance was lost by Adam. We had no hope, no future, no means of providing for our needs, our sense of worth, and wellbeing. In the Garden, the very day Adam lost our birthright, God made a promise that was eventually fulfilled by Jesus becoming our freedom from captivity. He carried us to a place of fellowship with our Creator, and introduced us to The Portion of Jacob, whose name is now The Portion of Dudley (place your name here). He leads us now by the Holy Spirit to places flowing with milk and honey and gives us back our freedom in exchange for fellowship with Him.

God chose you over everything else, including His own Son, so you could have abundant life. Take it! Live it! There is still more ahead of you than behind you. Take hold of The Portion of Jacob as your very own … and live.

The Church

The Church 

In a comment on a recent blog post, someone recommended that I share what I think the local church should look like. Here’s the problem. There is no description found in scripture as to what the local church should look like. There is much conjecture used to define what today’s church should be. I’ve heard numerous claims of “this is what the New Testament church looked like” when describing a particular service or spiritual experience. Church, as we know it today, is a relatively recent development. Nowhere in scripture is “the church” referred to as a building. The Church in scripture is “the called-out ones.” It’s people who have become identified with Jesus through His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the Father. It’s those who have been baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit of God. This is the moment where the spirit in a person is recreated, or made alive again, to become a new creation. This is experience in the current vernacular is “saved.” Literally it is being “revived.”

When we are born, we are created in the image of man, god-like, but with a fallen nature bent toward sin. When we experience being “saved” as described above, our fallen nature (spirit of man) is replaced with the life of God through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to live in us and abides in us the rest of our life. We get all of God there is in that moment. This is being made alive again, or revived.

When did “revival” become the focus of the church experience vs. knowing Jesus, and Him crucified?

revival (n.)

1650s, "act of reviving after decline or discontinuance;" specifically from 1660s as, "the bringing back to the stage of a play which has not been presented for a considerable time;" from revive + -al.

The sense of "a general and extraordinary religious awakening in a community" is in Cotton Mather (1702, revival of religion); by 1818 it was used of enthusiastic religious meetings (often by Methodists) meant to inspire revival. In reference to the Victorian popularity of Gothic architecture, by 1850.

The root word in revival is revive, which literally means “live again”. There are many occurrences of revive in scripture, but revival does not appear. Revive is a personal experience one has when we realize something has been lost in relating to God. Revival is a spirited religious meeting. It creates an emotional response in those present but does not reflect a personal experience with God.

The focus of a gathering of Christians should never be to stir emotions, but instead to study the teachings of Christ, the apostles, and other religious teachings, and to edify and exhort other believers. This is so far removed from the current “church” service, where everything done is to evoke a response at the altar call. Most “altar” experiences I have personally witnessed do not cause a change in behavior or attitude, yet the magnitude of response is seen as somehow God-inspired. Unfortunately, it is usually a result of coercion by those leading the meeting.

One challenge I have with the current form of “church” in our Western culture is the elevation to a place of importance of the clergy. Full-time vocational ministers take on a role of spiritual leadership that was never intended for any person since our redemption through Christ, which restored each born-again person to a place of sonship, kings and priests unto God, where we relate to God directly. There is no need for a go-between to intervene to God on our behalf. The ministry of reconciliation, the duty given each Believer, has been relegated for the most part to vocational ministers. There is little effort, and consequently little interest, in the average pew sitter to engage in reaching out to others to show the love of God to their world. It has become convenient to pay the preacher to do the work of the ministry.

Then we build expensive buildings to house “the ministry” which are only used 6-10 hours a week. This requires large budgets to maintain, which in turn places pressure on the vocational ministers to constantly raise funds to meet the budget. COVID exposed the fallacy of this model when many churches had to lay off the vocational ministers, and in some cases close the doors of the church.

Ministry of The Church should never be at the mercy of economy or social developments. It should be a part of life for Believers every day, not just Sunday or Wednesday at a building. I know this sounds ridiculous. I used to think the same thing years ago. My opinion has changed. It may be too late for the Western church. I hope not. We do not need “revival” to fix this problem. We need to learn the truth about God’s intention for The Church and start to live it out every day.

The Names of God - He That Formed You In the Womb

 

He That Formed You In the Womb

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

I’ve spent a lot of time contemplating the word conception. We use this word to describe the moment which bring the egg and sperm together to begin the human life cycle. Why is this the word chosen? For those who believe in a higher power, it becomes apparent. If you attribute all life to be from God, then your beginning came from a “thought” in His mind.

When the mind is working to create, we conceive a thought which launches the creative process. We are “conceived” in the mind of God the moment the biological elements meet to form your DNA, something which has never existed before, and will never exist again.

Continuing with this thought, an inventor sees in their mind’s eye the creation before it is ever realized. Elon Musk “saw” the Tesla before the first one was ever driven. He “conceived” the electric car long before the production line began building them. In this same way I believe God conceived you. He saw you. There is purpose in you. There is great value in every double helix which makes up your very being.

The psalmist must have had one of these moments of contemplation when they penned these words:

For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful,

    I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

    when I was made in the secret place,

    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

    all the days ordained for me were written in your book

    before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

    How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

    they would outnumber the grains of sand—

    when I awake, I am still with you.

Psalm 139:13-18 (NIV)

Fearfully and wonderfully made. What a freeing thought to realize you were created instead of just some random happenstance of nature. This eliminates the possibility of “accidents”, speaking of unplanned pregnancies. You are no accident. God intentionally “thought” you into existence in order to bring your gifts, your passion, your influence, your genuine care and concern, into humanity in order to bless them.

I say this often (I’m very sarcastic by nature), “We are all unique – in exactly the same way.” However, there is much truth in this statement. The things that make you unique are the same for everyone, your appearance, personality, capabilities, etc. There is only one you. He That Formed You In the Womb doesn’t cast you away once you are conceived. He then remains with you all the days of your life, to help, to guide, to heal, to console, to encourage, to celebrate, to bless.

Allow the Creator to continue His work in you by taking time to get to know Him the way He knows you. You may be surprised by how much He loves you.

2 Minutes

 2 Minutes

You never know when you’re two minutes from realizing the reality of what you desire. There’s a song by JJ Heller called, Don’t Give Up Too Soon, which speaks to this very thing. “Please keep waiting for the morning, don’t give up too soon.” Waiting is hard; mainly because of the unknown. What we do in the waiting makes all the difference.

A couple of thoughts on waiting:

For me, this is one of the hardest things.

Stay focused on the thing desired. When you feel you know the direction you want to go in life, keep visualizing the end result. Realize the value it will bring, or the good which will be accomplished.

Don’t waste the time spent waiting. Look around to see if there is something else productive which can be accomplished or someone else who can be helped. Stay aware of the moment while longing for something better.

Find others on the same, or similar journey, who can be an encouragement to you. Learn from others who have experienced reaching their destination.

Give yourself some space. A friend shared a song with me this past week which I have taken on as my theme song for these days. Amy Grant’s song, Don’t Try So Hard, has put into words something I’ve struggled with for a very long time.

Don't try so hard

God gives you grace and you can't earn it

Don't think that you're not worth it

Because you are

He gave you His love and He's not leaving

Gave you His Son so you'd believe it

You're lovely even with your scars

Don't try so hard

Delay does not mean defeat. Keep hoping, keep moving forward, and keep believing the dream in your heart.

Even if you do not fully achieve the thing desired, re-evaluate, reset, recalibrate, and see if that is still the target. If so, research the missing data, learn the needed knowledge, accumulate the needed resources, and get ready for another attempt.

You will never regret unfulfilled desires, only those you never attempt to achieve. Don’t live with regret. Go after your dreams and live a richer life, help more people, and go to bed at night fulfilled, knowing your purpose is intact, and dream about tomorrow.

If you want to read more about this, check out my book, Wonder in the Wilderness. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle.

Church and Christianity

 Church and Christianity

This is a difficult piece to write, mainly because I’m outside of my comfort zone in writing it. Three months ago, I would not have even thought of placing this is the public domain, primarily out of fear of what someone might think or say about me. Today, I’m a different person.

A number of years ago, quite frankly I don’t recall how long ago, a dear friend recommended a book which described his spiritual journey at that time. He had become frustrated by what he saw in the local church and was simply seeking answers. The title of the book is, “So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore?” When I heard the title, I was a little hesitant to read it. I was in vocational ministry, “serving God” in the local church. Why would anyone not want to go to church?

The problem was, I too had some questions. There were things that didn’t seem to add up. The respect I had for those in church leadership had caused me to never question anything. In order to be a team player on a church staff, you did everything you could to support the ministry of the local church, and to promote its programs.

I read the book. When I finished it, I had bigger questions. These questions drove me to start looking for answers. I read other books, like “Pagan Christianity,” “100 Years from Now,” “The Divine Conspiracy,” “The Present Future,” “Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes,” “Beyond Evangelical,” and more recently, “Faith After Doubt,” “A Crazy Holy Grace,” “Twisted Scripture,” “Daring Greatly,” and “The Sin of Certainty.”

There is no common thread in these books, but each one brought an aspect of truth which has propelled me forward in forming, or reforming, my spiritual understanding of God, and how I relate to Him. Just so we are clear, I have never considered forsaking my faith, nor have I questioned God’s love for me. I feel both of these areas have only been strengthened in the past few years as I have struggled to understand the role of the local church compared to the Kingdom of God represented by The Church.

This thought came to me as I was working around the house today, mulching, trimming shrubs, demolishing a deck, painting, and a few other things. While working, I was listening to music. One of the songs on my playlist is called, “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” written by a local songwriter, Mark Narmore. I love this song. It was a big hit back in 2005, but I never heard it because I only listened to Christian worship music back in those days. Because that’s what you are supposed to do as a good Christian. I worked at a church, only hung out with Christian people, and only listened to Christian music.

This song is quite simple. It talks about what most people in the South do on Sundays: go to church, eat Sunday dinner, take a nap, go fishing, play football; “not too much of anything” as the song puts it. This has not been my experience of Sunday for close to 45 years. Far from it. I grew to hate Sundays. I was always physically drained by Sunday night, not to mention emotionally taxed by dealing with “church folks.” More times than not, I ended Sunday frustrated spiritually, always thinking there was something more, or guilt-ridden over all the ways in which I had failed God by not experiencing His “presence” in a more tangible way.

As I listen each time to the song, “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” I feel a sense of loss over the years I missed by not having a simplistic approach to the Christian life. Christianity is not hard. It’s no harder than being a son. Growing up I never considered how I could be a better son so my parents would love me. They loved me regardless. Yet, in the church, we try to make things so difficult that it winds up frustrating those who simply want to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” (The Shorter Catechism) We begin adding to the list all the things that makes up a “good” Christian. These rules and regulations suck the life right out of new converts who think they have finally found the answer they were seeking.

I entered into ministry out of a sense of guilt and obligation. When asking questions of church leaders in my early teen years, I was convinced there was a “call of God” on my life. I thought that made me special. I began to move in the direction of “fulfilling the call” so God would like me more. I attended college, I read books, I attended conferences, I developed friendships, all for the sake of the call. After spending my entire adult life in part-time or full-time vocational ministry, I wound up in the same place Solomon came to in his book, Ecclesiastes: all is vanity. I enjoyed much of the work I did during those years. Many happy times occurred, and I felt like important things were accomplished during those years. However, when my tenure ended, I was left with a very empty feeling that it had all been a ruse. I felt cheated somehow, mainly because I worked for a wage well below my earning potential. I ended my ministry career with very little to show for the 80+ hour workweeks.

I understand that is not why most people go into vocational ministry. Most approach it with an altruistic ideal that they are “serving God” and should not expect anything in return. And most local churches make sure that you don’t get much in return.

I’m not anti-local church. I would like to find one that seems more in tune with what I feel the mission of the local church should be. Right now, I’m content to fellowship with my Father, learn more of His character and His ways, and fellowship with other Believers when I can.

Maybe this will upset some people who think I am dead wrong, thinking only of myself. Maybe this will cause some to give pause and think about what I shared because they too have had similar experiences. And maybe this will evoke some real debate about what the New Testament Church is supposed to look like. Regardless of your response, I pray that you will either continue in a genuine relationship with the Father or begin to seek Him out and establish one. Don’t rely on a minister or other church leader to mandate what your relationship will look like. God loves you! He wants to have fellowship with you!