Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

February 16, 2010

Good without God?
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
Romans 1:21

Many are professing loudly today that they can be "good without God." We Christians have a fairly good idea of what these people are trying to say. They haven't killed anybody. They work hard. They care for their families. They give to charity. They act as good citizens. On a superficial level, it's very easy to agree with them that they are decent people. We are thankful when such people are our neighbors, bosses and co-workers.

The rub comes whenever we probe more deeply than the superficial. At the heart of the issue is the struggle to define what "good" actually means. The natural man who claims to be "good without God" clearly wants to define "good" on his own terms; that he is "good" when compared to some other people who are "really bad."

Yet, such a relative definition of good doesn't wipe away the ultimate definition of good that has already been established by God.  Romans 1:18-32 teaches that it is man's very desire to determine for himself what is good that God calls "futile... foolish... and darkened."

"Good" simply cannot be defined without reference to God. In fact, it deeply offends God when a creature whom He made strolls around on His earth pretending to be an autonomous arbiter of truth.

This really gets at the core of the offense of the Gospel. If you haven't personally witnessed any of the irate, prideful or self-justifying responses that such a message typically gets, you may want to check the content of your message. The true Gospel calls all human creatures—all pretenders to autonomy—to remember their Creator, bow in submission, glorify Him, and be thankful to Him.

The byproduct of such a tall order is that such submission actually ends up being in the best interest of the creature. Rather than continue fighting against the way things are, the creature who submits to God begins living the life of blessing in harmony with his Creator.

Francis Schaeffer dwells upon this as he talks about the essential element of thankfulness in the first chapter of his classic book, True Spirituality. As seemingly small, insignificant and optional as a thankful heart might appear at first glance, thankfulness turns out to actually be the litmus test for whether or not one truly believes in God.

"The beginning of men's rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a thankful heart. They did not see themselves as creatures before their Creator...

The rebellion is a deliberate refusal to be the creature before the Creator, to the extent of being thankful.

"In a Christian understanding of contentment, we must see... there is a personal God. He is my Father since I have accepted Christ. Then surely when I do not trust Him, I am denying what I say I believe."

If ingratitude evidences lack of trust, and lack of trust means disbelief, then when we catch ourselves grumbling, we should really repent of disbelief. And it is disbelief that cuts the nerve of true spirituality. Schaeffer speaks out of his own experience here...
           
"The inward area is the first place of loss of true spirituality. The outward is always just a result of it."

The pathway back to true spirituality is the prayer that God answered in Mark 9:24—"Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."

Yes, life is hard. We live in a sin-cursed and fallen world. Last Tuesday's Crosswalk the Devotional deals with that aspect of thankfulness in greater detail. In the face of fallen reality, we are not called to give thanks with a plastic smile. Neither are we called to be complacent in fighting against what is wrong in the world. But we can still be thankful—today—for all things in a way that pleases God.

And thankfulness is not optional. It is essential. That is, unless you are a creature trying to be good without God. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:
Pray for an opportunity to talk with someone today who is trying to be good without God. Relate to him/her in a positive way about his desire to be good, but also direct him to this deeper line of thinking in Romans 1. Is he thinking of himself as a creature made by God and accountable to God? Why not? Ask him if he is willing to examine his assumptions and beliefs.

Further Reading:
Why I Believe in God

[Judy Harder]

February 17, 2010

After the Fire
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze... Do not be afraid, for I am with you." - Isaiah 43:2b, 5a

Journal entry from Saturday, February 13:

There have been few times in my life when I've felt real fear. Insecurity, nervousness, apprehension, dread, unpleasantness, and all those other pseudo-fears are more well known to me. But today, when I thought I was going to lose my house, I felt the real thing.

And yet, I also felt grace and mercy. I suppose the protective sense of possession pushed me towards the kitchen fire instead of running away from it, but that's not what made me scream, "Oh God!" as a prayer. After I flung flour and baking soda on the blaze - for lack of a handy fire extinguisher - and saw the fireball relent for only a second, I ran to the back door and yelled for help. And amazingly, on a cold winter day in January, help was already there.

One neighbor was chatting with another in his driveway when he saw the smoke billowing out and heard me. Another was just bringing a load of groceries inside his house. Both ran for their fire extinguishers. And we needed both.

I met grace again when I prayed against logic for my husband to return from the grocery trip at that moment. I had done everything I could in the thick smoke, and was bolting out the front door as he stood fumbling for his house keys. Ten seconds later, after seeing a fireball that had spread to the cabinets, and realizing that there was nothing else he could do, the neighbors were at the door with those precious fire extinguishers. One almost put out the blaze before it sprang up again, and David realized he had to cut the power to turn off the burner. The second extinguisher put out the grease-fire-turned-kitchen-fire for good.

The fire department arrived a good three to five minutes later. I suppose that's fast, considering how quickly everything happened, but it wouldn't have been fast enough to prevent the fire from reaching inside the walls and ceiling, and probably our bedroom above the kitchen. Our neighbors' saved our house.

The final grace that morning was the friend at my side when we heard the dull boom and saw the orange flare. While I ran to do what I could and yell for immediate help, she ran for her phone upstairs and made the first 9-1-1 call. She also made sure I wasn't crazy enough to stay in the house beyond that critical window of time - I don't think my flight instincts suffered so badly, but it never hurts to have someone yelling "GET OUT!" at times like that. While David handled the insurance calls, she was the emotional support I needed after the shock. Chalk one up for adventures with friends.

Tonight, about eight hours after the kitchen fire that was too big to be called a grease fire, I still sit in my own house. The vibrating noise of a charcoal filter is coming from the kitchen, where the cleanup has already begun. The emergency smoke team has made two visits, and, although our whole house smells like greasy smoke, we've already started the recovery. We won't sleep here tonight, but we'll be back soon.

Right now, my overwhelming sense is thankfulness. Seriously. The moment when I realized I had dumped everything on the fire that I could and would have to leave was one of the worst moments of my life, because I had to run away from all the love David and I have put into this house. And all of those "coincidences" that came together to save the house - all of this humbles me. If we had had to wait for the fire department, I would not be writing this entry from my own house, and I would be learning the more uncomfortable side of Romans 8:28. Today, I see all the more clearly that I owe it all to grace. And that's actually something to celebrate. 

Further Reading:

Isaiah 42:1-13
I Prayed for Zucchini

[Judy Harder]

February 18, 2010

Tsunami of Emotion and Understanding
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

"Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
Job 2:9


This week, I came across a story that is all at once heartbreaking and hope-giving, tragic and uplifting, devastating and determined.

This excellent article by the International Mission Board's Shawn Hendricks chronicles what has happened to and through one Christian family on India's east coast since the tsunamis of late 2004. I encourage you to check it out. If you do, it will effectively function as your devotional for today much better than what I am about to write in response to it.

In a real-world account of events straight from the Book of Job, Paramesvaran and Choodamani lost all three of their children the day after Christmas that year. My heart breaks for families who lose one child, much less three. Imagine having lost one of them who was in your arms but who you were just not strong enough to hold on to against the crushing force of so much water.

Imagine being mocked by your friends and family for your faith while you are suffering such tragedy and burying your own offspring.

Imagine being so full of grief you discuss a suicide pact.

But then... eventually... the clouds lift, first for one spouse who is gifted by a word from the Lord about the blessing that her husband survived when so many others did not. Then, later, the husband feels the tugging of the Lord letting him know that his children are safe with Jesus, they're okay, they're full of praise and life.

The real, personable, meaningful faith in God pulls the couple up, and back together. They are blessed with two new children. But beyond that...

...the fact they are alive and together allows them to become adoptive parents to TWENTY orphaned children. Each of them has come to a saving relationship with Jesus, several helping their new father preach the gospel throughout the area.

The example of the family, assisted by donations of Christians around the world, has "brought the Good News into areas that were once unreceptive to Christianity."

The ends of things are truly never known until later. Purpose is often invisible until it isn't. Damaging floods can become cleansing baptisms through the passage of time and reflections from fresh perspectives.

Job refused to curse God and die. He instead decided ultimately to acknowledge that nothing he ever had was his, and that the only thing worth living for was the knowledge that God is awesome, powerful, and beyond our comprehension. And yet, loves us beyond measure.

His story is not just a fable or morality tale. It can seem that way to our modern ears, which are unaccustomed to the reality of THAT much tragedy. But that much tragedy occurs all too frequently around our globe, and when it does, it should not shock me to the extent it did when I read this story. I feel like I should nod knowingly about the cost and fragility of life on this big blue ball, and how despite all the shaking and quaking there can still be a steady security when I give up any notions that I am god, that I am in control, that my job is to do anything with my time here but praise and share, worship and help, live and move and be every minute that he allows.

Intersecting Faith & Life: May God continue to bless the ministry of Paramesvaran and Choodamani, and increase the strength in them that was built from climbing out of their tragic valley. May I not complain today about events that matter not. May I continue to see God's hand in everything as long as I have eyes to take it all in. And should I or my loved ones suffer anywhere close to this much, may we never forget this example of coming out the other side reborn, making ministry from the madness.

[Judy Harder]

February 19, 2010

The Heart of a Champion
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 
But thanks be to God! 
He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57

All Olympics, all the time.  Know what I'm talking about?  Either you're watching this week or you're not.  And in my casa, we watch.

My love for observing competition and athletic prowess has been around for a long time.  Football, baseball and basketball are fine, but I really prefer seeing something with a little more flair and abandon:  gymnastics, ice skating, tennis, skiing, snowboarding, track and field, etc.

My fascination with these sports began as a child while watching ABC's "Wild World of Sports" on Saturday afternoons.  Remember that program with Jim McKay as the host?  The opening with the montage of sporting moments—including the final scene of a ski jumper crashing and burning at the end of a ski jump—was so dramatic and breathtaking.  And who can forget the compelling, accompanying narration ...

Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety in sports ...
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat ...
The human drama of athletic competition ...
This is ABC's Wide World of Sports!

Words like "victory" and "defeat" are still ever present as I'm watching the current Olympic competition in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  There are athletes like 2006 Olympic gold medalist ice skater Evgeni Plushenko, who (as of press time) has returned to try and two-peat his way to gold (just like his hero, ice-skating legend Dick Button).  In Evgeni, though, there seems to be an insatiable hunger to regain the glory he had achieved for himself four years ago.  After his win at the Torino Olympics, he retired for a couple of years before lacing up his skates again and making a run for victory in Vancouver.

There are other athletes like the redheaded wonder Shaun White, who are compared to basketball great and super-athlete Michael Jordan as those who are focused on truly dominating their sport.  Only 23, Shaun is a multi-hyphenate, as he is successful in both snowboarding and skateboarding.  He wants to be the best and to raise the bar at every competition in which he participates.  In fact, he even had his own Halfpipe ("Shaun's Secret Halfpipe") built in Colorado where he could practice and prepare for the Vancouver Olympics.  He was hidden from his competition and the media, so that no one could see what daring and original moves he was working for the Olympic games (and it worked, by the way ... he won the gold in the Men's Halfpipe with a "Double McTwist 1260"!). 

And then don't forget the "comeback kids."  Athletes such as decorated snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis who crashed and burned in the last winter Olympics in Torino in the Women's Snowboard Cross (alright, she won the silver ... but she was highly favored to win gold) and saw victory slide right through their hands.  They've been back to give it another go and see if they can redeem themselves from their prior mistakes (and in Lindsey's case, she saw gold slip away again after being disqualified in Vancouver this week for going off course in the Women's Snowboard Cross final and nicking a gate).

As I watch the interview segments with champion athletes such as these, I am fascinated by what drives someone to win.  Acclaim.  Pride.  And in some cases, perhaps vengeance.  And then consider what it takes to achieve greatness:  the long hours of practice, the conditioning, the strict eating regimens, the sacrifices in so many areas of their lives.  Is it worth it in the end?  What propels them?  What motivates them?  And what's going on in their hearts?

Though you and I may not have the skills as these athletes, as brothers and sisters in Christ we do already have victory.  Victory over death through Jesus, who died on the cross.  Who paid the price and cancelled our debt.  Whose blood was shed to cover our sins.  Our salvation, the promise of eternal life, is more precious than any gold medal.  More celebrated than any earthly title or prestige we could ever humanly know.

Bask in that glory today.  The glory of your victor.  The thrill of his victory.  Your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Intersecting Faith & Life:  In Christ, the heart of a champion is positioned to reflect God's glory.  Take a look inside your heart today and see what's there.  Are you purposing to "always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58)?  How are you training and conditioning yourself to champion Christ and reflect him to others?

Further Reading:

Psalm 44:6-8

1 John 5:4

[Judy Harder]

February 22, 2010

The Lenten Journey
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

As they went out, they came upon a man of Cyre'ne, Simon by name; this man they compelled to carry his cross. Matthew 27: 32

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another --and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 25

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Lent. I have to confess, Lent is my least favorite liturgical season. Many have written beautiful reflections on this season and the many opportunities for spiritual growth it holds. I couldn't agree more. But the reason this season is often so fruitful can be attributed to one overarching theme: sacrifice.

Lent is filled to the brim with sacrifice. The point, of course, is to reflect on Christ's sacrifice, to feel just a little bit of the pain he felt, and to draw closer to God as we clear out the clutter of our comfortable lives. Naturally, this isn't easy. Sacrifice requires toleration for pain. Sacrifice requires thinking beyond yourself and your wants. Sacrifice demands discipline. Sacrifice isn't fun.

Can't it just be Christmas year round?

Still, part of me is relieved that Lent has arrived. Deep down, far below my selfish nature, exists a yearning to cast off the suffocating materialism and shallowness that so often characterizes modern, American life. Deep down, my spirit desires reconciliation with the living God. Deep down, my soul is sick from spiritual fluff and wants something deeper, meatier.

Left to my own devices, those yearnings would probably go ignored, at least for long stretches of time. I wouldn't have the strength to give up the comforts of my life to hear God's voice a little more clearly. Thanks to the Lenten journey, when we travel the road of sacrifice with fellow believers, my weak nature is compelled to take action, to dig deeper, and to follow through with commitments.

Cardinal Newman once said, ""We all suffer for each other, and gain by each other's suffering; for man never stands alone here, though he will stand alone hereafter; but here is he is a social being, and goes forward to his long home as one of a large company."

It's not just our gifts and our "good sides" that benefit others. Our suffering has value too.

So often I treat faith in God as a private matter, as a path I can walk by myself. In doing this, I confuse individuality with isolation. I ignore the scriptural truth that God created us for Him -- and one another. Year after year, Lent pulls the curtain back on this illusion as I draw unusual strength from the universal Church - from the community fasting, the special Friday prayer gatherings, and even the long lines to the confessional.

What a merciful God; he does not ask us to journey alone. Even the simple, friendly question, "What are you giving up for Lent?" jolts me out of my usual routine, forcing me to ponder where I'm at spiritually and what kind of fast would be appropriate this year. And when I feel like giving up and returning to the easy life, images of fellow believers enduring hardships (voluntary or involuntary) readily float to the surface of my thoughts during the Lenten season.

I can't lie - when Easter arrives, I am always relieved. Finally, a little rejoicing! But the rejoicing wouldn't be as sweet if I hadn't been compelled to walk the way of the Cross first. And the jubilation is even more poignant given that the very people I sit next to on Easter morning are the same ones that walked with me through the darker days of Lent.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  "Nothing, how little so ever it be, that is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God." ~ Thomas a Kempis. What area of your spiritual walk would benefit from a little sacrifice? If you haven't already, connect with a community of believers where you can draw the strength needed to grow in your faith.

Further Reading

Luke 4: 1 - 13

[Judy Harder]

Feb. 23, 2010

Final Inspection before Departure
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"I will make every effort so that after my departure
you may be able at any time to recall these things."
2 Peter 1:15 ESV

Our crowded 737 sat motionless at the gate, baking under the summer Texas sun. Passengers turned in their seats, fidgeted and sighed impatiently. The last puffs of cool air evaporated from the locked-down cabin and the ducts overhead became like hot hair dryers. Moments passed and suddenly the whooshing sound of air stopped. A voice crackled through the speakers, "Um, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Unfortunately, we've discovered a malfunction with our navigational systems and we will be needing to change planes..." Groans and murmurs drowned out the rest of the captain's words as the long process of transferring travelers, luggage and crew began.

Inconvenient, yes. Definitely not the greatest way to start a journey. But, looking back, I'm sure that everyone on that plane was relieved that the discovery was made on the ground instead of in the air. Thank goodness for a crew who took a routine inspection seriously.

Though not as detailed as a 737 pre-flight inspection, it looks like we need to conduct a final departure check before continuing the next leg of the journey through Francis Schaeffer's classic True Spirituality. Schaeffer specifically calls for this at the close of chapter one with a degree of seriousness that is unanticipated. He effectively states that the reader should either embrace the four main truths in chapter one, or stop reading the book altogether. Apparently, they are as essential to the study as wings, engines, wheels and flaps are to flight:

"This is what we are to have in mind when we begin such a study; otherwise there is no use even beginning to talk about experiential freedom from the bonds of sin or about an experiential reality of the Christian life, of true spirituality.

"If this is not in our minds, at least in some poor comprehension and at least in some poor aspiration, we might as well stop. Anything else is trifling with God; and because it is trifling with God, it is sin:

(1)   True spirituality in the present life means more than being justified and knowing that I am going to heaven. It does not mean just that I have been born again.

(2)   My desire must be for a deeper life, not a looser life. The Bible presents to me the Law of Love, not a list of taboos.

(3)   True spirituality is not just outward, but it is inward—it is not to covet against God and men.

(4)   But it is even more than this: it is positive—positive inward reality, and then positive in outward results. It is not just that we are dead to sin, but we are to be alive to God. We are to be in communion with Him, in this present moment in history.

"These four points are what the Bible says we should mean when we speak of the true Christian life, of freedom from the bonds of sin.

"Anything less than this is trifling with Him who created the world, and trifling also with Him who died on the cross."

Intersecting Faith & Life: 

Do you consider your Christian faith to be genuine? Are you devoid of, or in disagreement with, any of the four elements above? (As Schaeffer said, "...at least in some poor comprehension and at least in some poor aspiration...")

If you disagree, do you have biblical warrant to challenge the position Schaeffer presents as being the biblical one?

If you find yourself in agreement with the four elements above, prepare for take-off!

Further Reading: (Schaeffer devotionals run thus far in Crosswalk the Devotional)
Good without God? (#7)
Romans 8:28 Does Not Mean Giving Thanks with a Plastic Smile (#6)
Pop Quizzes (#5)
Lists, Liberty and Love (#4)
The Most Important and Least Important Day (#3)
Restoring Authentic Joy (#2)
Francis Schaeffer's Struggle for Spiritual Reality (#1)

[Judy Harder]

February 24, 2010

The Formative Years
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17

When I reached high school, people warned me that I had better make wise choices or else, because those four years would determine my character for life. When I began college, people told me that high school had been important, but that college was critical. People assured me that college was really when a person comes into her own. When I got married, older friends broke the news that this stage of life would really hone my faith and character. They warned that marriage would be a sanctification process unlike anything else. Except having kids, of course.

Essentially every big step in my life from my first date to my first job to our first house has been accompanied with this forbidding prophecy: the choices you make in these next weeks/months/years will shape you for years to come. 

Looking back - and forward - I think everyone who spoke such words was right. We face a constant temptation to decide we're tired of following Christ's example, don't we? We realize our feet our tired and look down at them, instead of focusing our eyes upward. From there, it's an easy step - well, slide is more like it - into a lower standard for ourselves. Just so long as we're being a little bit faster or a little more focused than someone else in our school, our office, our church, or wherever, we decide that counts as a job well done. Pretty soon, our lollygagging dissolves further, and we have to struggle to win back good habits and attitudes. It's so easy to form ourselves by inattention, by taking our eyes off the One whom we serve.

What's the alternative? Take the examples of just a few men of God. Consider Joseph in Egypt, who sought God's favor and won his master's as well. Joseph displayed such diligence and integrity in his work that Potiphar confidently handed over all his affairs to his servant. Take the hundreds of men who worked to build the first temple in Solomon's day, creating the place where God himself would live with his people. Daniel rose to second in command of Babylon for loyal service to a country that was not his home. Each man - and there are dozens of other examples - chose to honor their God with the best work they could do.

I smile at Paul's exhortation to the Colossians about their work: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." (Col. 3:23). The straightforward wording manages to include every stage of life, every vocation, and everyone who calls Christ their Savior. I imagine that this understanding helped Paul work on the tents he made with a smile on his face and a diligence in his hands, and carried him through his many joys and trials. That's how Paul shaped his life. How about you?

Intersecting Faith & Life: Whether you're a student, a homemaker, a businessman, a grandparent, a teacher, a brother, a soup kitchen volunteer, a retail worker, a mother, an editor, or anything else, this is going to be a formative year. What attitudes do you have toward your work, your friendships, your family relationships, your vacations this year? We have the opportunity to continue praising God in our lives this year, and that's worth doing wholeheartedly.

[Judy Harder]

February 25, 2010

Spring Training for Christians
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

We don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong.
2 Corinthians 5:16, The Message

You've probably heard that God loves baseball. After all, He began his holy book with the words, "In the big inning..." Everyone who loves baseball like the Lord does feels a tremendous rush this time of year with another set of words: "Pitchers and catchers report." For the uninitiated, this phrase signals the official start of spring training, which brings with it new hope, and knowledge that at least there's a thaw and green grass in some parts of our country.

In fact, the game I love, and the game of fantasy baseball off which it is based, are both so prevalent in my mind this week that as I sat down to write this I found my mind wandering. So, noticing that a good friend, fellow fantasy baseballer and pastor was active on his Instant Messenger, I began the following conversation:

Me: I'm sitting here trying to write this week's devotional, but I've got a screenful of stats in front of me, taunting me. Pastor Jay, is there any way I could combine the two? Does our league have any good devotional content?

Jay: Oh, I'm sure we do. How about how we peak spiritually at age 27, like most hitters do?

Me: Goodness, I hope that's not true. How about our Spiritual Slugging Percentage... are we whomping our fair quota of sinners and unbelievers regularly?

Jay: Uh, right... How about how On-Base Percentage equals theological correctness/sound doctrine, and Slugging Percentage equals evangelism, the impact you're making for the Lord?

Me: You're on to something. As an aside, it sounds like Jesus would like our league. Just came across Matthew 11:19 - "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'" Sound like any group you know?

Jay: YES!!

There are truly spiritual parallels everywhere.

But as is always the case, snippets of insight and truth are only valuable when applicable. The above only served to remind me that it's time to take a break from my analysis of the statistics of men who play a game, and check in on my own statistics, go through my own spring training of sorts.

Today's verse gives us a starting place for where to look, what kind of statistics are important in the Kingdom as opposed to the diamond. Things like height, weight, vertical leap, 40-yard-dash times, race, creed, color, gender... none of those matter. Here's the checklist we'll be using to see who's gonna make the team this season:

Measurables

On-Base Percentage - Like my buddy said, in our checklist this involves good theology and doctrine. Baseballers like to hear chatter out there on the infield. Are you talking the talk?

Slugging Percentage - Now you have to put the above theology to good use, and walk the walk. How much 'oomph' can you contribute to the goals of the team?

Batting Average - The most you can do is just put the bat on the ball. So many other factors determine if you're gonna get a safe hit or not, meaning you'll probably fail to connect or reach safely at least 70 percent of the time... and that's if you're one of the best. The rest is up to God.

Errors - Can't be avoided, even by the very best of us. What's important is that we don't grow complacent with making them. Biblical ignorance is not an acceptable excuse. Neither is yelling at your teammate for making an error.

Strikeouts and Walks - Both are fine. They reveal effort. The way you know you're off-track is when these become Walkouts and Strikes. I don't need to be leaving, boycotting, quitting, or checking out in the middle of a slump or when the other team is full of punks.

Sacrifices - When the coach calls for you to bunt another person into a more prominent position, will you obediently lay one down? When you can bring in a run by hitting a fly ball for an out will you gladly do so?

Intangibles

Coachability - I can't think of a single reason or supporting scripture for a me-first attitude on the Kingdom Conquerors.

Discipline - To what do you say yes, to what do you say no? What do you fail to do? What do you never fail to do?

Leadership - Look behind you. Is anyone following?

Performance Enhancers - Yes, please. I'm simply not good enough to compete in this game without them. No, not steroids, but the Holy Spirit, and regular Bible study and prayer times.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Watch a sporting event with a younger person this week, and see how many parallels and applications you can make together to our spiritual journey.

Further Reading

Opening Day for America
Finish Strong in the 9th Inning of Life
The Magic of Opening Day

[Judy Harder]

February 26, 2010

The Ultimate Pie Crust
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.  Then he gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people.

Matthew 14:19

As someone who is still learning and experimenting when it comes to the culinary arts, I look to pie crust as the "Holy Grail" of baking.

If only I could replicate my mom's flakey, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pie crust.  That's the goal.  In fact, I have watched my mother make pie crust many, many times over the years.  I remember, as a young child, standing on a chair at the kitchen counter and witnessing the dough formation, the roll-out, the tricky transfer to the pie plate, the crimping of the edges and so forth. 

But now, when I'm by myself in my own kitchen, it is easy for me to become overwhelmed and for my thoughts to take a negative, defeatist turn:  I'll never be able to make as good of a pie crust as my mother!  I don't even have a pastry blender to cut in the butter with the flour.  All I have is a regular old fork!  I can't do this.  I don't have what it takes.

What's interesting, though, is to witness the reactions of those who partake of a finished pie.  Not once have I heard someone say:  "Laura, your pie was dee-lish, but the pie crust? ... Yeah, you're going to need to work on that."  Not once.  Everyone to whom I've served pie has always left my home with a full belly and a smile on their lips, give or take a crumb or two.  And they thank me that I took the time to make something for them and for their nourishment.

Hmmm.  Who'd have thunk that my ultimate pie crust quest wasn't really about me or my perceptions at all?  You know, when Jesus fed the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21), he tried to get the same point across to the disciples:

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late.  Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."  Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.  "Bring them here to me," he said.  And he directed the people to sit down on the grass.  Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.  Then he gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Like me, the disciples were blinded by their situation, their lack of resources and what they were sure they couldn't accomplish in this seemingly impossible situation.  They really had no clue what they had.  Jesus, on the other hand, looked beyond all of this and performed a miracle.  He showed the disciples that he was their power source who would feed their efforts.  He had fed them and now he was asking them to feed others. 

You and I are being asked, too, to share with others the Bread of Life that we have been given.  You may feel ill equipped to do that today—like me and having no pastry blender.  But the Lord has shown me that my "fork" is just fine.  It's what he's given me in this season in my life to fulfill his plans and purposes in reaching others for him.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  What about you?  Do you feel like you don't have the "tools" needed in order to feed others the Good News?  Be encouraged!  Seminary degree or not, Bible college or not, life-long Christian or not, God can and will use you—however he has equipped you—to share life-changing nourishment with others.

Further Reading:

John 6:48-51

John 21:15-17

[Judy Harder]

March 1, 2010

The Survivors Club
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23: 4

In the past month, we've watched the international community endure one calamity after another. First, a devastating earthquake in Haiti. Now earthquakes in Japan and Chile. We've seen images of great suffering and heard stories of great faith and triumph. With each heart wrenching update, we wonder how we would cope if the places were switched. Could we endure the shock of having everything - and everyone - we loved gone in a matter of moments? Would we maintain hope and faith? Would we be generous to others?

Award-winning journalist Ben Sherwood, author of The Survivor's Club, began asking these questions long before recent quakes crumbled the infrastructure of countries across the globe. After years of interviewing people who survived incredible catastrophes for human interest stories, he began to wonder: What enables these ordinary people to endure what most could not? Are there certain characteristics that set survivors apart from victims? And if so, can we learn how to become survivors?

Sherwood set out on a quest to find answers. He interviewed countless members of "the survivors club." He met with Brian Udell, the only pilot who ever lived through ejecting from a jet going faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1) at sea level. He interviewed Stan Praimnath, the only survivor from the 81st floor of the World Trade Center's South Tower. He spoke with petite Anne Hjelle, a mountain biker who survived a vicious mountain lion attack on the trail. He interviewed survivors of shipwrecks, plane crashes, the Holocaust, and those who beat difficult medical diagnoses.

Sherwood didn't just interview these remarkable men and women. He put himself through the wringer. He visited the Aviation Survival Training Center at the U.S. Marine Corp air station where he allowed trainers to subject him to military survival tests, including a frightening simulation of a helicopter crashing underwater (to his teachers' surprise, he passed all the tests). He also underwent emergency FAA training with airline professionals. Along the way, he spoke with the experts. Experts in medicine, military training, aviation, and psychology.

His findings? There's actually quite a bit you and I can do to join the survivors club when life gets rough.

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled (1 Thess 5: 6). The first factor in becoming a survivor is acknowledging a very biblical truth: At some point life's going to go wrong. As much as we don't want to admit it, the brokenness of this world will seep into our tranquil lives. In his introduction, Sherwood writes, "Almost everyone I know has faced - or is coping with - some kind of serious challenge or adversity." Part of what differentiates the victims from the survivors is a person's willingness to accept adversity and prepare before it ever becomes a reality.

Did you know that 96% of passengers in airplane accidents survive? Sherwood shares that the survivors who might otherwise have perished in plane crashes were passengers who kept their shoes on during flight, made note of the exits before take-off, and abstained from the alcoholic beverages on the food cart. In other words - these passengers were prepared.

Other survival factors read like a litany of statistics (including the reality that young, thin, strong men tend to have the best survival rates). But amid all the scientific insights and eye-opening stats, Sherwood identifies one profound characteristic of those who belong to "the survivors club." When he asked survival guru Ray Smith at the Naval Survival Training Institute for the secret of survival, Smith gave a startlingly simple answer: "Faith in God... it's a major factor in all survival scenarios."

Brian Udell couldn't agree more. He believes it was divine intervention that pushed him up onto the life-saving raft after he miraculously survived his high-speed ejection. And Stan Praimnath never misses his morning prayers after September 11, 2001.

Sherwood was skeptical of the "divine factor" at first, but expert after expert confirmed the powerful role faith plays in those who beat all odds. In fact, not only does faith carry survivors through extraordinary crises but studies reveal it helps with ordinary crises too. Those who attend church at least once a week live an average of 7 years longer than those who don't.

But what kind of faith is this? Is this a naive, blind optimism that carries survivors through unbelievable circumstances?

No, quite the opposite. Famously dubbed "The Stockdale Paradox," Sherwood explains that Admiral James Stockdale, the highest ranking POW in Vietnam, responded to the question, "Which American prisoners perished?" with this surprising declaration: "Oh that's easy. The optimists."

Why? Hope is vital, but optimism often drains emotional resources by fueling unrealistic expectations. "We'll be out by Christmas!" a cheery POW might exclaim. When Christmas comes and goes, depression ensues. In fact, naïve believers who erroneously think God will shield them from all adversity tend to lose their vital faith when crisis hits. It's the mature, hopeful realist who believes God uses his adversity for a greater good that comes out the other side of a crisis thriving. Furthermore, studies show the more integrated a person's faith is in his day-to-day life, the more likely he is to weather life's most violent storms.

Where does this leave us? I definitely recommend The Survivor's Club. You'll learn some potentially life-saving information and read some fascinating stories. But for me, this information does more than impress the importance of hitting the gym and booking airplane seats within five rows of an exit. It leaves me in awe.

Awe that a journalist's quest for scientific answers to survival led him and his readers straight to God and the power of prayer. Awe that even in the worst of catastrophes, faith is sustained. Awe that God not only answers prayers (how many times have I questioned his silence?) -- but we depend on it.

It also leaves me with a dose of reality: earth isn't heaven. While we can't expect to dodge the bad stuff in life, we can have faith that God never leaves us. He walks with us through the valleys, using every experience for the good of those who love him. Just ask Brian Udell, Stan Praimnath, and Anne Hjelle.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  How would you describe your faith? Is it more immature or mature? Do you pray daily and lean into God's grace or rely on your own strengths? Do you think God will shield you from adversity or guide you through it? Take inventory and make the necessary changes.

Further Reading

The God-Dependant Life
1 Peter 1: 13