Happy

While driving into work recently I noticed that the welcome sign of the Ester Lee motel was obviously in transition… it simply read, “Happy…” I’m sure it was either saying goodbye to a happy birthday, anniversary or similar occasion or getting ready for such. But all it said was… Happy. I was very “happy” to receive that message and under my breath said, “Thank you Linda and Paul for starting my day off so well… I think I will take your advice and be happy today!” And if by this point you haven’t found yourself humming “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” I’d be surprised. Worries set aside a day of happiness is a golden opportunity to not just feel good but to be productive and share the wealth of positive energy. Yes, we all like a “happy” day!

The apostle Paul in a sense leaves a happy sign for the church in Philippi. Well, at least he keeps coming back to the word “rejoice!” The verse that may come to mind for you is in chapter 4 and verse 4 where he exhorts, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” But what follows is the most revealing about the secret of happiness and a life that rejoices. Paul tells the church “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether will-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:11-13).” Happiness is a choice not a result of perfect conditions void of any conflict, stress or consternation. Happy is a place we create with being content because we believe that our strength is in Jesus and nothing else! Because that is so and because we believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God then we are at rest (happy) where ever we might find ourselves.

Paul certainly illustrated with his life the value of this secret to contentment. Remember in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas are thrown into prison? They had been beaten, shackled and cast into an inner cell most certainly bleeding, cold and hungry. But what do they do? They have church and start praying and singing to God! Don’t worry be happy! Happiness wasn’t dependent upon their surroundings (it couldn’t get much worse) but they we filled with praise and joy before the Lord. Their strength wasn’t bolstered by adrenaline but rather by knowing that in their misery was the choice to draw on the Lord’s strength to be happy! So, my sign to you this glorious day and every day is “Happy!” -DAN

The Flip of the Coin

The afterglow of the Super Bowl for most is either a sorrow or joy for the victorious I’m going to Disneyland triumphant or a residual chuckle over the ever hyped commercials. I’m still enamored with the toss of the coin. Not just the possible advantage of winning the toss but who is it that determines which is heads and which is tales. That is, why is the trophy heads and the stadium tails? Maybe they toss a coin to determine which is which? My real point here is that… yes, there are two sides to a coin.
Recently, I listened to N.T. Wright’s lecture at Bristol entitled, “Putting the Gospels Back Together: How We've All misread Our Central Story.” Bishop Tom Wright’s point in this lecture is that we have missed much in the gospels by not connecting kingdom and cross. That is, we have either interpreted the kingdom through the cross or the cross through the kingdom and have not seen that they are two sides of the same coin. Such an interpretation or better yet, understanding of the completed promises of God allows God’s people to embrace the connection of God’s reign on earth as it is in heaven through the resurrected Jesus and the implications of redemption revealed in a cross that anchors a radically new creation in the recipients of eternal life. I would not for a moment pretend to interpret N.T. Wright for any and all but would highly encourage you to go to his web site (http://www.ntwrightpage.com) and listen to the rich and challenging discussion of the connection of cross and kingdom in the gospels.
The food for thought that brother Wright left in my spiritual bread basket forms into the question, “What would the church look like if we embraced both kingdom and cross as two sides of the same coin?” That is, what would the church look like if we talked as much about kingdom citizenship and responsibilities as we do about salvation and accompanying holiness? I think at least one change would be that we spend less time debating what happens in corporate worship and more time contemplating how the kingdom of God can break into a world that is lost! I think we would be more focused on who Jesus must be for the world than who he must be for us. And I think if not moved to action we would at least have our conscience prodding us to be salt to the earth. But possibly the most important change would be that instead of seeing ourselves as guardians of orthodoxy we would truly be more than conquerors through him who loved us! -DAN

The Gospel of Legos

This morning I read in the publication from Agape Villages that Frank Inscore, one of the founding board members of Sierra Children’s Home (now Agape Villages) had passed away. Frank and his wife Charlotte were one time members at the Roseville Church of Christ. Frank knew my Dad and we often shared memories and an occasional lunch. I had not thought of Frank in many years but just seeing a picture of him reminded me the warm spot he silently held in my life. Frank was a “gentle” man and rich with the Spirit of Christ. Heaven is brighter by his presence. Frank got me thinking of how many good brothers and sisters have filled my life that silently lay in my memory but are ever present in my formation.
My kids and now my grandkids are big time fans of legos. I should have bought stock in their corporation because I believe through the years I have kept them financially solvent. Each child has discovered not only the power of their imagination and the development of fine motor skills but a confidence in building. That is, the seeming ruble pile of plastic blocks that sprawl across the floor are perceived not as disaster but as opportunity and foundational for making dreams come true. As each child has matured and gone on to other building adventures in their lives they have left their legos in tubs tucked away in a dark corner of a closet. However, I believe these forgotten friends have been instrumental in building their lives. I call them friends because I have seen their eyes light up when on occasion they have had a chance to dust them off and share them with their children, nephews and nieces. There is a warm spot they silently hold in their lives for these old friends.
Paul in testimony to the gospel tells the church at Rome, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16, 17).” What the NIV translates “by faith from first to last” is literally in the Greek, “out of faith, into faith.” That is, the gospel is a shared experience… one faith giving to another’s faith the building blocks of life and faith. Some of the pieces are remembered and some are not but all are part what has built our lives. And maybe most importantly… some of those forgotten ones are truly foundational to the structure and stability of our lives! Thanks Frank and so many others who have led me back again and again to the cross that anchors our lives. -DAN

Mercy Triumphs

Scripture says, “because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13)!” The context of James axiom is an expose against favoritism in which he exposes how the rich congregants are treated with special favor while the poor are marginalized and discriminated against. James reminds his audience that true riches are not in material goods but rather in the promised inheritance of the kingdom of God. Such wealth as Jesus taught cannot be stolen, tarnished or perish with time or use. Additionally, the reality was that many who controlled the wealth were enemies of the church slandering the good name of Christ. Brothers and Sisters should therefore have the utmost care for one another and allow mercy to triumph over judgment!
When I was a teenager I had a steady girlfriend that I often walked to class at school. Fueled like most teens with supercharged hormones and with the excuse that my girlfriend was not feeling well, I gave her a rather lingering kiss before she went to class. The teacher saw this school violation and reported it to the principal. We were called to the office and told letters would be sent to our parents the following day. So, we agreed to stay home sick the next day and intercept the letters. I did so. She did not. Her parents called mine and I had to confess to stealing the letter. I braced myself for the wrath of God delivered via my father but instead he put his arm around me and consoled me about the injustice of school rules and then grounded me for my dishonesty in stealing his mail and assured me it was a federal crime. Mercy triumphed over judgment!
Later, I found out that my Dad had been quite the kissing bandit in High School and that obviously tempered his judgment. God’s mercy is predicated on compassion while often man’s mercy is spurned by a realization that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Our hearts are soften by the reality that failure and sin are the common grounds we all find ourselves cast upon. None of us is willing to cast the first stone. All of us have known the poverty of the soul as well as the riches. We are in this boat together. So, let mercy rule the day and we’ll leave judgment to the one who knows the hearts of men. For the church this is a challenge to be fully aware of how we treat one another as well as strangers. I have no doubt we will slip here and there but I pray that what persists is a loving spirit that favors no one and exalts all! -DAN
P.S. The picture is of my Dad... O, yes -that's a kissing bandit if I ever saw one!

Immersion

I know some ministers who have a log of all the baptisms they have officiated. I don’t know if it revokes my “man of the cloth” card or not but I’ve never logged in, kept records or counted how many hungry souls I have assisted in their new birth. I’m with Paul, “…I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel… (1 Corinthians 1:16, 17).” However, I do remember some significant moments like snapshots in a picture album. I have immersed people into Christ in pools, baptisteries, lakes, bathtubs and now for the first time last Sunday in a baptistery where I stood outside and the candidate inside the water. It was also the first time that I set aside my planned sermon and spent my allotted time giving witness to the beauty and meaning of baptism… unscripted and from the heart. Rob, a recovering addict seemed to take it all in and after being immersed and standing next to George Moore who had been instrumental in leading him to Christ gave one of those memorable witnesses to the beauty and power of baptism. Rob whispered to George before he prayed over him, “I didn’t realize that I would feel so good!”
New life… the hope of the resurrection inaugurated… sins remitted… and heaven rejoicing filled the air of the evening as one and all embraced our new brother in Christ. However, lingering in the back of my mind ever so faintly was the scourge of legalism that has tainted many a celebration of the kingdom. You see, I was assured that there was plenty of water in the baptistery but the one filling it had forgotten to calculate that Rob being slight of build would not displace as much water as some of us more cheese burger endowed souls. So, when I immersed Rob the tip of his nose did not go under the water. I remember as a young preacher baptizing a young girl in the Navarro river and someone shouting from the bank, “She’ll have to be immersed again her hair floated to the top and didn’t go under!” Whether it was the right thing to do or not, I’m not sure, but I shouted back, “She’ll go to heaven bald!” My point is that even though some know that baptism is not about externals their attention to details makes them swallow camels while they strain out gnats (Matthew 23:24).
Now, do I think that Rob is going to heaven without a nose? The answer is as my granddaughter says, “Silly, silly Poppies!” Immersion is not in exactness or by ritual it is as Peter so succinctly writes, “…baptism that now saves you also –not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand –with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him (1 Peter 3:21, 22)” It’s about submission powered by a heart that’s at peace because it knows Jesus is the way, the truth and the life! -DAN

Skyping On The Floor

During this transition of our move from California to Oregon Pam and I have had to have some time apart while she takes care of loose ends in California. I love living in the information age and therefore able to take advantage of Skyping Pam. When I video call Pam, she is often accompanied by Lauryn our soon to be two year old granddaughter who is precocious and strong willed. Lauryn wants to talk to Poppies on the compooter. Lately she has been insistent that the computer be placed on the floor so she can lie down in front of it. I’m not sure if this about comfort or more about having things on her level? I do know that she is quite comfortable with the magic of Poppies being on the compooter to talk to her and though she stays quite mobile during the call she keeps one eye on the screen to see what I’m doing.
I sometimes wish that I could Skype God… you know so he could be on my level and I could keep one eye on him while I wander back and forth in this world. But then I come to my senses and realize that staying in a prayer frame of mind may not be as exciting or fit my comfort zone but ultimately it is a better connection. It’s a clear channel and the only static, discoloring, freeze frame interference comes from my side of the connection. God is always on the line static free and ready to hear what I have to say, feel, question, gripe, praise or repent. His silent but ominous presence keeps me alert to His will and weighing my own faltering ways with what I know He longs for me to discover. My imagination is a better screen for keeping an eye on Him while He keeps an eye on me. And to be honest I guess I still have some worries over that Old Testament thing about if you see God… you die!
As I write this I am filled with anticipation and can’t wait until it’s time to Skype with Pam and her demanding companion. Which, after all, is probably the most important principle that I should carry over into my prayer life? When was the last time any of us were so excited about slipping away somewhere so we could talk to God? Or when was the last time you thought, “I can’t wait to hear what we pray about at worship today!”? The key here is the joy of communicating with those we love. Sometimes I wish I could Skype God… maybe with special lenses that protect you! -DAN

Void

Have you ever felt the grip of emptiness? You know that hollow feeling where a dark void forebodes in the pit of your stomach and you ache with a desire for something to fill you up or brighten your eyes. You feel estranged from the world and even yourself. This is not just depression or a forlorn desire for companionship… it’s lost in space… unraveled… cocooned in one’s own misery! I recently read an article by a friend of mine, Mike Anderson, who has an excellent blog (http://ourplace-makeadifference.blogspot.com) in which he explored how Genesis one parallels the creative and redemptive work of God in our lives. In the beginning God took a world that was void and without form in which the darkness prevailed and gave it form, shape, life and light. Mike noted that God continues to do that with His creation dispelling the empty darkness that often prevails in individuals lives. God takes our troubled waters and divides them with grace and light that frees us to see His will and direction for our life.
Mike got me thinking and wondering as well. Yes, God often takes the horrible messes we find ourselves in and turns them into a witness of His light. And if Genesis one is as much about how God takes the voids of our lives and recreates us in His Son through His Spirit as it is about creation… then maybe it explains one of those “Hey, wait a minute there” moments in Scripture. Did you ever notice in the Genesis account that God first creates light (Genesis 1:3) and divides it from the darkness calling the result night and day. However, it is not until the fourth day of creation that God creates the sun and the moon and the stars (Genesis 1:14-19). God creates light before the physics of light are given form, that is, all that shines and twinkles was created after light was created. “Hey, wait a minute there… How does that work?” On one hand for those of us who love our awesome God the answer is, “Whoa, Dude that’s awesome!” But the other hand beckons with cautious gesture to suggest it is unquestionably a divine mystery but certainly has explanation.
I think Mike is right about Genesis one… it’s as much about the redemptive power of God as it is about the fiat of creation. Light is not bound by physics or scientific delineation but echoes the presence of God in bringing true light and life to man. The psalmist says, “For with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light (Psalm 36:9).” The apostle John says, “In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it… the true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world (John 1:4,5,9).” Light, Shekinah, Glory and brightness point to the creator and sustainer of all things. God is and creates light for the life of mankind so we may see and know that He is God! -DAN