love legacy

Last night's concert on the UNI campus was moving and had a nice cross-cultural mix in the audience. Above are pictures of Brion Martin, Ellaysa Newton, Dante Marcellous (and 3 dancers), and Chassidi Ferguson. All are friends in SHOUT! Ministries and all have encountered the life-changing Jesus. The group spent 75 minutes sharing about Christ's love in rap, mime, music, and a moving monologue. What I believe was so impactful was the power in the testimony of those on stage. More than the God-given talents that they shared with the audience was their witness of a close relationship with Christ and a different kind of life they now live; a life with passion and purpose. In the time together, it was clear that what those leaders had was not "religion" but a very dynamic relationship with a living and active God. They did a great job magnifying Christ through the evening!

classic Saturday

Today's devotional classic center around thoughts from John of the Cross (1542-1591) (I'm noticing that these saints never seemed to live to be very old!) John of the Cross is best known for writing about "the dark night of the soul".

"At a certain point in the spiritual journey God will draw a person from the beginning stage to a more advanced stage. At this stage, the person will begin to engage in religious exercises and grow deeper in the spiritual life. Such souls will likely experience what is called 'the dark night of the soul'. The 'dark night' is when those persons lose all the pleasure that they once experienced in their devotional life. This happens because God wants to purify them and move them on to greater heights."

John of the Cross writes of God purifying the soul by teaching virtue in areas that are likely to become vices. He writes about seven troublesome areas he refers to as "capital sins" that God often addresses in the dark night:

1. secret pride. There's danger for zealous new believers to become satisfied with their religious works and with themselves. God wishes to move people in God's way and counter this pride with humility so that they will learn to think little of themselves and their religious works and will instead focus on how great and deserving God is and how little they can do for him.

2. spiritual greed. The danger is that a person might grow discontented because they have attached growth to feelings they've received from their devotional life. They focus on the affect and not the substance of devotion. God's 'dark night' helps a person set their eyes on God and not on outward things or inner experiences. The outcome is simplicity.

3. spiritual luxury. God strips people of sensory pleasure and downfall caused by temptations and fears. God helps to quiet the flesh, silence the devil, and tame our fears. The result is peace.

4. spiritual wrath. When the soul begins to enjoy the benefits of the spiritual life and then has them taken away, it becomes angry and embittered. When their delight is absent, they may feel frustrated and anxious, many times at themselves, thinking that the loss of joy is a result of something they have done or neglected to do. God grows patience in this person, causing them to wait for whatever God would give them when He chooses to give to them. They learn contentment.

5. spiritual gluttony. "Consuming" spiritual exercises at great length and in great quantity in order to achieve consolation and pleasure from the devotions. People do these things for themselves and not for God. God's 'dark night' will help the person gain perseverance, patience, and humility. 'The truth is that the feelings they receive from their devotional life are the least of its benefits. The invisible and unfelt grace of God is much greater, and it is beyond comprehension." moderation.

6. spiritual envy. People who fancy themselves spiritual are often not pleased to hear about the spirtual growth of others. Their chief concern is to be praised themselves and thought of as the most spiritual of all. This is contrary to love, and God will work to purge this and replace it with joy.

7. spiritual sloth. Souls sometimes abandon spiritual exercises because they are not yielding any consolation from them. They become angry because they're called to do that which does not fit their needs. They begin to lose interest in God because they measure God by themselves and not themselves by God. As they are, these souls are too weak to bear the crosses that are given to help us grow. If a soul will turn toward God in this dark night, it will in time receive strength from God.

Reading through these, it's clear to me that how we respond to these dry valleys and seemingly absences of God is key. Do we turn from God and further take the reins, being led by our feelings and ourselves? Of do we turn toward God in a posture of faith, openness, patience, and surrender of self? Our responsiveness makes all the difference as God works to conform us into Christ's likeness rather than allowing ourselves to be conformed by the world.

finishing well

Characteristics of those who finish well:

1. Personal vibrant relationship with God
2. A learning posture throughout life
3. Christlikeness in character
4. Maintain convictions and beliefs
5. Accomplishes God's purposes for their life
6. Fulfilled their sense of destiny

Six barriers to finishing well:

1. Finances, their use and abuse
2. The abuse of power
3. Inappropriate and self-centered pride
4. Sexual misconduct
5. Problems with family relationships
6. Plateauing in growth

Five enhancements to finishing well:

1. Perspective
2. Times of renewal
3. Spiritual disciplines
4. Learning posture
5. Mentoring

(this information from the book Starting Well, by Richard Clinton and Paul Leavenworth)

Our church offers a 3 year leadership course from a series called "Vantage Point 3". I took the classes from 2004-2007 and found them to be excellent. Last Spring, I found this list above printed on a sheet, leftover from a current class, and laying on a table in one of our classrooms at church. I vaguely remembered the information from when I had been class, and I snatched up the paper and have had it in a visible place at home for some months now.

These are important lists for me to consider. What's needed in my life to grow my relationship with Christ and my ability to finish well in Him and for Him? What's needed from me to ensure that I avoid the pitfalls?

fcs

I spent a little time tonight at www.fcsministries.org. FCS is an urban ministry collective in Atlanta, Georgia. Bob Lupton, the gentleman who came to CF to lead an Empowerment institute in November, has led FCS for years, and is one of my heroes in Christian Community Development. If you get a chance, read his lastest Urban Perspectives article found under the "resources" tab of the FCS website. Some real good words for the suburban church to take heed to...

in Him...

Just sitting in this passage awhile on my way through the book of Acts.

Acts 17:24-28a

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

marathon anyone?

That's right. Last year's marathon was such a high for so many people...physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially....that Don Williams is at it again. He's gathering a 2010 team...there are 130 interested folks so far from all over our community...to run the Des Moines Marathon on October 27. And teammates who are interested can fundraise to build a school with our partner village in Mozambique. How cool is that? We have folks traveling there each year, and I believe Orchard Hill friends sponsor around 200 children in that region currently. As of now, the children meet under a big tree for school. They've tried to build two schools with raw materials, but both have washed away in the rains.

So, interested in running a marathon? If so, email dwilliams@orchardhillchurch.org to get on his emails. No commitment needed to get his informational emails, and no need to be connected to Orchard Hill Church. I believe there was no experience of my life like last year's training experience. The bonds of friendship formed were incredible. The encouragement, the courage and risk-taking as a community, the accountability, the inspiration...wow.

I'm thinking of riding RAGBRAI this summer with my family, and I'll also be on the road two weeks out West, so rather than train for a 2nd marathon, I believe I'd like to train with the team and run the 1/2 marathon in Des Moines that day. If you've ever pondered the idea of a marathon, this might be your year! And if I can run a marathon, anyone can!

fight for joy

Ever have a day when you notice your heart is particularly dark and cold? I do. I recognize it when I realize that I'm being 98% critical, as if there's been a huge joy-suck that has drained my being of joy and laughter and love and hope. Kind of like a Harry Potter "dementor" has gotten to me. Well, I found this list of John Piper's that gives me a few prescription pointers.

How shall we fight for joy? John Piper

1. Realize that authentic joy in God is a gift.
2. Realize that joy must be fought for relentlessly.
3. Resolve to attack all known sin in your life.
4. Learn the secret of gutsy guilt- how to fight like a justified sinner.
5. Realize that the battle is primarily a fight to see God for who He is.
6. Meditate on the Word of God day and night.
7. Pray earnestly and continually for open heart/eyes and an inclination for God.
8. Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself.
9. Spend time with God-saturated people who help you see God and fight the fight.
10. Be patient in the night of God's seeming absence.
11. Get the rest, exercise, and proper nutrition that your body was designed by God to have.
12. Make a proper use of God's revelation in nature.
13. Read great books about God and biographies of great saints.
14. Do the hard and loving thing for the sake of others.
15. Get a global vision for the cause of Christ and pour yourself out for the unreached.