Deep reflection

Randy and I made the trip to the Apple store early this morning in hopes of getting my darn Ipod to sync with my computer. Well, the trip to Tampa proved to be a futile attempt to bring an Ipod and its coolness into my life. The tech dude hadn't used Windows stuff since 98, so he couldn't do much more than I could. That was information that would have been helfpul if brought to my attention yesterday. Nevertheless, it was good to have someone to whom I could talk and discuss hard life decisions.

But in reflection, after numerous attempts to get this thing to work, maybe the Ipod (for me) is like that girl you wished you could date, but she wouldn't give you the time of day, or just wanted to be friends (even worse!). And to pursue her any longer would be tantamount to stalking. Am I a stalker? I don't want to be that guy.

Maybe the Ipod isn't 'meant to be' for this time in my life....Or maybe this is a sign to get a new computer after 5 years of Toshiba excellence.....Maybe I can see some 'writing' on the wall, but I just can't read it yet. Maybe.

Microsoft Excel in Grace

I've been reading II Corinthians for my morning devotions the past month or so. Today I came across a puzzling passage: "But as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you-see that you excel in this act of grace also" (8:7).

The question I raise is "How does someone 'excel' in an 'act of grace' when Paul begins the passage by explaining that the grace God has given the churches in Macedonia has moved them to give, and even in the toughest situations? I mean if grace is given, then how can someone excel in it?

At first look it sounds like a contradiction. But I think I might at first glance have been falsely dichotomizing two truths. God gives grace and this grace is responsible for any good work in the life of a Christian. Yet we must respond to this grace. Westminster Shorter Catechism question 35 defines sanctification as "the work of God's free grace,(1) whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God,(2) and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness."

God works in us= grace. Because God works in us to will and work for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13), then we do live out our salvation (Phil 2:12). In other words we are enabled by his grace to lay aside our own innate selfishness and follow Jesus more nearly. In order to "excel in this grace" we are then to regularly respond to the grace given to us.

How might we regularly respond? Jesus told the disciples to freely give as they have received. In order to 'excel in this grace' I imagine we would need to actively realize how much we have been given, and actively repent from our own love of money. Of course, who works that repentance in our lives? God in His grace. Fortunately we can pray for a repentant heart.

Did Paul's exemplary church in Macedonia excel in this grace because they simply had 'more grace?' I don't know (I really don't know what that means anyway). But one thing I do know is that a lack of response to God's grace is never blamed on the fact that God didn't 'give' enough grace. Giving is a spiritual gift-and some are more giving than others.

But a lack of excelling in this grace is more probably due to a lack of reflection and belief in that grace. At least for me. So probably I can't use that excuse when challenged to give!

I'm tired of three's

I've been making some bad purchases lately. Although I don't know if I'm worthy of all the blame-certainly not most of it. Now I did buy an awfully made kayak fairly whimsically the other day. However I learned my lesson, did some research, and bought a more expensive kayak which had come well recommended. The only problem with that one was that it leaked. Kind of important for a boat not to leak. Kind of. So I took that one back and bought a third. I should be keeping that one.

Next came the weed whacker. This time I waited for a recommendation: go Electric. So I did, but the spool kept coming off on my first run through. So back to the drawing board. I needed to go Black & Decker said so and so. I did, and when I opened up the box to put it together-alas, behold, or whatever other word you would say-there was no spool or cover at all.

So I took that back today during my lunch break and got the same kind. This time the Lowe's guy opened it up just to make sure. It was there. At least I didn't buy the recalled model.

Well now my Ipod (which I thought was going to be like "A whole new world" for me, some sort of "dazzling place I've never been") won't sync. My kayak would sink, but my Ipod won't sync. A cruel irony. An Ipod that won't sync is like a boat that does sink: worthless. So I'll be driving to the Apple store to see if they can 'sync it up.' If this three part sequence continues, I should only have to drive to Tampa or return the Ipod one more time after this Friday. But I'm hoping to break the sequence. More of a curse really. Hope you don't get struck by the Terrible Threes.

A Hell of a Good Time

I DVR'd a hellish Dateline special about a month and a half ago, and finally got around to watching it last night. The subject matter was Hell.

Different people offered viewpoints, from a charismatic preacher, to a Oral Roberts grad turned liberal, to your friend and mine Marilyn Manson, to a torture victim. Manson believes hell and heaven are simply two ways of explaining the dual nature of man (good/bad). "Its that simple." Some believed that we've created hell on Earth, while others emphasized that everyone goes to heaven.

They allowed everyone from Satanists to evangelicals to speak, and did a fine job representing each party. Here are two things I found worthy of a second look.

First of all, the narrator explained how the former Oral Roberts pentecostal mega-church preacher made his shift to universalism. First he began to see the bible as simply a book about God, written by men. Then came study in original languages, followed by the notion, "I just don't see how a God of mercy could......" He still obviously believes in God, and so asked Him, "Am I doing the right thing in leading people down this path?" God gave him the green light. Of course, without the aid of scripture, God can 'say' a lot of crazy things, and justify a lot of stuff. But the special was beneficial in showing how his metamorphosis all began.

Secondly, a woman who had been tortured by some S. American government, expressed that her only hope in life was that the goodness of humanity would triumph over the evil of it. If humanity weren't in essence good, then she would just give up now. There could then be no hope outside of this truth; it would have 'destroyed her sweater', pulling the proverbial thread as she walked away (hope you enjoyed the Weezer flashback).

Concentration camp survivor Ellie Wiesel expressed similar sentiments. Perhaps that was the agenda of the show? I've recently noticed through several mediums (sports talk, TV) a need for people to reestablish, or personally re-believe in the goodness of humanity. Although this is really anti-post modern, and I thought we were passed that.

Do you encounter people 'pimping' the goodness of humanity? Let me know. It is definitely a bridge to the gospel, but just a different one than I would expect to use. Maybe I shouldn't expect.

Disagreeing with a King

Well, Michael Vick did what anyone would do when facing federal charges, with clear evidence and people willing to testify against him: he pleaded guilty to dog fighting.

And so this story has captured the sports world. Most of the shows and segments on those shows, dealt with the question: where do we go from here? I found one particular segment on "Cold Pizza" quite fascinating. Former Bucs QB Shaun King participated in the discussion and made some fairly bold statements. Apparently Michael Vick didn't "owe anyone an apology."

This 'anyone' did not include, of course, "The Lord." Vick needed to seek forgiveness from God, but really didn't need to apologize to the people he let down (like the fans and his teammates) as well as the commissioner (who he blatantly lied to). His public apology today went a step further in showing his contrition, and proving his forgiveness. These apologies weren't superfluous, but they were not required. He only needed forgiveness from God, and he had that.

I love Shaun King, I really do. Not only because he was a classy Bucs QB (who's job was simply taken away from him), but he is a brother in Christ. And he is very bold with his faith, and I love that. And his point is made that there is forgiveness in Christ. With that being said, I'd like to examine what he said.

Does Michael Vick 'owe' an apology to the fans of Atlanta, and his teammates? His poor decision making not only hurt himself, but also hurt the Falcon's chances (which I'm glad for by the way). But then again, maybe Joey Harrington is the answer there? An apology might not be required, but it certainly seems like there was a lack of concern for others.

Does Michael Vick 'owe' an apology to the commissioner (whom he lied to face to face), and to all those he lied to when he professed his innocence via a statement? Certainly we are forgiven even though we can't go back and tell the truth to all those who we've been dishonest or lied to over the years. That is not a prerequisite for forgiveness.

But how can there be reconciliation without apologies for wrong done to one another? Certainly sins can only be forgiven by God through the work of Christ. But the fruit of forgiveness in a believer's heart is expressed through apologizing to the offended party.

Psalm 51 does show David saying that he sinned only against the Lord. Perhaps this is King's thinking. But is this a correct application? Clearly people do sin against one another. In James 5, we are instructed to confess sins to one another (although very few Christians think James is serious in much of what he says) , and Jesus instructs us to even seek out those who might have something against us. Perhaps we have sinned against them, and an apology is what he has in mind?

I still think that if Uriah weren't killed in battle, David would have 'owed' him an apology for sleeping with his wife. So while Shaun King is by far my favorite 'King,' I will respectfully disagree with my Buccaneer brother in Christ.

Vision from a tuna

Our session (our 6 elders) is going on a retreat this weekend. And I have to say, I'm a bit excited. We'll be taking some time to look at where we've been heading as a church, and hopefully be able to evaluate it.

I think continually reexamining and evaluating your vision (or whether you are actually implementing and applying that vision) in any area of life, be it your spiritual walk, leadership, marriage, business is always a good thing. I'm not saying that I do it often, but I'm learning to.

Why? Well let me sum it up with a short story about a Tuna. I once asked a Hawaiian commercial fisherman how he could catch huge tuna on hand-lines. He told me it was simple. Once you turn the fish's head, you've won the battle. The fish will swim in whatever direction his head is facing (this is not meant to be sexist-female fish do the same thing). It's not hard to bring in a several hundred pound fish when he is swimming right toward you.

Like big tuna, we will head in whatever direction our eyes are fixed upon. Everything from pizza, to sex, to approval, to success vies for our attention. So it is wise to continually evaluate whether your head (vision) really is pointed in the correct, or desired/planned, direction.

Same principle put forth by the writer of Hebrews: "Fixing our eyes upon Jesus"(Heb 12:2 NAS). So ideally, we would like to head in that direction. The neat thing is that as different churches fix their collective eyes upon Jesus, they can still look very different from one another.
Their vision may have them reaching and shepherding different people with different methods.

I think that's pretty cool. There may be different visions as long as its the same Jesus, and the same Kingdom (not your own) going forward.

A Technological Cataclysm

If I look different to you, its because I am. I'm starting to catch up, technologically speaking of course (I've always been hip and down with the times), to the world around me. I'm not going to look like this guy anymore. The balding guy with the old cell phone. Not a good look for me.

I purchased an IPOD today. Yes, an IPOD. You know those things with a ton of Gigs, and memory, and everything. I got one now. I'll still be balding, but I'll be looking good doing it.

I really don't know how to use the IPOD; I haven't exactly taken it out of the box yet (it's only been a few hours though so don't judge me). But I made the first step. One small step for Geoff, one large step for Geoff-kind. I'm sorry that didn't make any sense, but it just seemed apropos.

In addition, I'll be retiring my Motorola phone since Amy and I just purchased new ones. It was actually the oldest working cell phone in Bradenton. Someone called me the other day from a museum and asked for it, but I cordially declined. Big money too. Now if they'll only call me back.....

So to quote Bill and Ted during their Excellent Adventure, "Strange things are afoot at the Circle K." Yes strange things are afoot at the Circle K of my life indeed. I only hope that I can handle the overwhelming flood of new technology. I'll keep you posted, but don't expect a text message or anything. Not yet.