Uncommon Faith

Nothing says goodbye, like a good Gif. After all, how do you best end chat conversations? I always want to get the last word. It feels awkward for me to leave it hanging out there. So either a thumbs up says yep… gotcha or a Gif.

Who doesn’t love a good one?

I don’t know what to say in most cases, but I also seem to want to say something.

So here it goes…

We’ve been in Iowa for 28 years. We’ve been in our current home for 23 years, and now, in less than a month, we are signing off. Not forever, of course, we are going somewhere, but we are turning a page, starting a new chapter in our lives.

I love Iowa, I love the people, the friends, the good times and the bad we have had here. It’s been a good place to live, a great place to raise our children and now we are on to something else. It seems exciting, it seems dramatic, but it’s just life.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA is just another place on the map. It’s a place we are familiar with because we’ve lived there before and Jen grew up there. We’ve vacationed there once if not twice a year for the past 5 or so years. We know people there, we already have a church home there, and family is either there or close to there in AZ.

There are many things I, and we will miss about Iowa, but there are many things we look forward to in New Mexico. It is a beautiful state, it has gorgeous scenery, it has mountains, and it has incredible sunsets. New Mexico has excellent weather, it’s a well-kept secret, and I think I can say Albuquerque has some of the best weather in the country, it’s not extreme on either side.

There is always an upside and a downside at the same time. Nothing is perfect. It’s just life. We will learn to be content in all circumstances because that is what we should do as Christians.

What I’m most excited about is that God has a plan. He will be glorified in us, not because we are anything, but because He is everything. We will struggle in things, as we always have, but ultimately our lives are a reflection of the One that has saved us, for His glory. We can find comfort and satisfaction in that alone.

For our friends here, we really love you more than we can express. Todd, you were way too kind in your article, and it really clarified how the Lord has loved us through friendships and brotherly love beyond our imagination.  Thank you for your kindness, dear brother, and fellowship in the gospel.

We will miss you all so much, please don’t forget us, we have a room waiting if you ever want to come to see us. We promise green chili enchiladas if you visit.

Above all know, Jesus Christ is Lord. No matter where you live, no matter who you are, He is the Son of the Living God, and he saved this sinner from his sin. It’s never goodbye, just, until we meet again.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. – 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Kevin

By most measures what I do for a living is paramount to being a professional carnival worker.  I don’t mean to sound demeaning in any way to “Carnies” as they are known.  I’m a Carnie…  I might be a little more sophisticated or a little more technical but I do exactly what Carnies do.

I go somewhere different each week, setup, participate in the Carnival, tear it down and move onto the next town.  That’s really it in a nutshell.

I’m a professional running race timer, we go to running events across the country, setup equipment and tear it down at the end of the day.  I’ve made a living doing it for 13 plus years or so.  I don’t think too highly of myself in my area of expertise, but I’ve done pretty well at it.  I’ve timed some “big time” events in my day.  Back in the earlier days some of my Carnie life loving buddies nicknamed me WGT.  World’s Greatest Timer…  Yes, it’s pretty funny and I still laugh about it.

In no way, shape or form am I the world’s greatest anything and most especially not the world’s greatest timer, but I’ve done well in the profession.  I’m mostly unknown in the industry but that’s fine by me.  As long as my race directors know and remember me that’s all that matters to maintaining our business.

I’m sitting in an airport right now heading out to Anytown, USA for another event.  The reason I’ve been decent can be summed in one word.  Consistency.  I’ve remained consistent in what I do for all these years and that does get you a reputation of sorts.

This is directly applicable to the man of God.  He must be steadfast and sturdy in times of trouble.  He must have a reputation as a consistent man.  He is consistent in his home, in the way he lives, with his children, with his wife, with his ministry and all things he does in life.  If he waivers and crumbles under pressure he blows it.  This is not to say he won’t blow it at times.  We all will.  We all do.

However, he must have a reputation and be thought well of by those that are on the outside.  This is consistent with leadership for elders and should be sought after by all men that proclaim to be godly men.  It’s straight up easy to understand, but straight up difficult to live out.  You can’t do it in your own power.  Just like I’m not WGT outside other influences in my life.  The guys that slug it out with me day in and day out.  I need their help.

Man of God, you need the power of the Holy Spirit and so do I.  Everyday, every second of every day.  Otherwise, our lives will be inconsistent.  Then we need to explore our relationship with God and the Spirit of God in how we live.  Is it a matter of just being inconsistent?  Is it a “besetting” sin?  Or is an unregenerate soul?  I don’t know, but it’s worth digging into.  Right?

Men, you and I must strive for consistency.  We must be set apart as godly men.  Even if they don’t appreciate your message, they can’t condemn your life.  But if your life is a mess, they will surely condemn your Christ.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things.  Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  1 Timothy 6:11-12

 

Kevin

The world’s best-known evangelism verse is familiar to most Christian’s but I wanted to address what I think is an example of overzealousness. Sometimes.

Let’s look at the verse and see what it says and what it doesn’t say.

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15

We’ve heard this before, many of us have it memorized because if you run in evangelistic circles you must always be ready.  We should always, and forever be proclaiming Christ in every possible circumstance, passing tracts and leaving an aroma of Christ wherever we go and in everything we do, correct?

No.

I don’t believe that is what this text teaches us.  And in this, I believe at times it can actually bring shame to Christ’s name instead of glory.  Of course, I want to be careful here.

This is dangerous ground because I’m not saying we should “never” or “rarely” speak of Christ, we should “never” or “rarely” pass out tracts or “never” or “rarely” do evangelism work.  I’d say more fall into this camp.  But there is a sub-culture, and in fact, I’m part of that sub-culture that is so boldly geared toward evangelism that if they are not engaged in it, 24/7 they carry a burden of guilt.  This is where legalistic tendencies come into play.

They’ll quote Spurgeon, they’ll quote Calvin or Washer and justify boorishness in how they handle themselves.  Again, not always, but sometimes.  Discernment can be lacking.

I want to clarify, I’m not a Hyper-Calvinist.  I believe God uses the means of evangelism and it’s a God-given means to save sinners.  Yes, and amen, but there is also a tact to take at times.  A manner of decent behavior given a situation.  All of it flows from a trust in God to save His people, but a balance between our arrogance thinking it has to be “us” that are the means that saved someone.

While I believe and agree that an unregenerate person cannot be pushed further from God, I believe that our mannerisms can offend beyond what they were currently offended.  Yes, I’ve been accused of it.  And yes, I’ve probably done it countless times and such is a reason for this post.  Because as Peter said, it should be done with gentleness and respect.

This is really an amazing quote by John Calvin and in far less words and far more eloquently gives my thoughts:

…for we then really honor God, when neither fear nor shame hinders us from making a profession of our faith. But Peter does not expressly bid us to assert and proclaim what has been given us by the Lord everywhere, and always and among all indiscriminately, for the Lord gives his people the spirit of discretion, so that they may know when and how far and to whom it is expedient to speak. He bids them only to be ready to give an answer, lest by their sloth and the cowardly fear of the flesh they should expose the doctrine of Christ, by being silent, to the derision of the ungodly. The meaning then is, that we ought to be prompt in avowing our faith, so as to set it forth whenever necessary, lest the unbelieving through our silence should condemn the religion we follow.

Always being prepared doesn’t say we must always speak and herein lies the guilt and the sometimes over aggressive nature of those inclined toward evangelism.  By all means be ready, but if at times you go to a restaurant and don’t pass out a tract to everyone there or don’t preach the gospel at every family gathering it will be okay.  Sometimes you must simply behave like a Christian.  The way you live your life says a lot about you.  I will address the hypocrisy of life in a future post, but for now let’s exercise good discernment and still “always be prepared”.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  1 Corinthians 3:6-7

 

Kevin

Strange title right?

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4 ESV

The NKJV calls the manger a trough.

Have you seen those pictures around Christmas time of the baby Jesus in some sort of a wooden contraption with criss-cross legs and full of hay and such to look all cozy and comfortable?  It always looks so sterile and “folksy”.

A manger is a feeding trough for animals.  In the Proverb being clean is not a positive thing, it’s a negative.  Let’s think about that for just a moment.  When we have a clean barn, a clean trough, or even a tidy desk, so I tell myself, it means were not busy.  Nothing here is really happening.  It indicates a lack of activity.

If we look back to our verse the trough is dirty is because the ox must eat.  He must be fed in order to have the energy to do what is required.  This makes messes.  He comes into the barn, eats, leaves droppings along the way, you get the picture.

Christian ministry is messy.  People are messy.

I’m not implying that a Christian minister should make messes to be productive, but the reality is that it is a messy business.

Imagine a big, beautiful old church building.  Like you see in Europe.  They are pristine in design, architecture and from what I can tell well maintained.  But they are dead.  Dead religion, without activity.  They benefit no one.  Those troughs are clean.

Jesus Christ came into the world as a baby.  Born in the most humble of all circumstances, born in a dirty animal trough.  His mission was to seek and save the lost, and it was an underappreciated ministry.  In fact, so underappreciated they nailed Him to a cross to die a sinner’s death.

But through His life, we have access to redemption.  A way to be at peace with God.  Through the messy ministry of Christ, we can be cleansed from our sin.  We have access to God to restore a broken relationship that has been severed by our sin.

What a contrast.

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  Luke 19:9-10

 

Kevin

 

For the first time in a long time, my wife and I are traveling together.  It’s been a lot of fun.  We went to New Mexico for a quick visit but with the intent purpose to look at homes.  No guarantees at anything just yet, but there has been a desire to come back here for some time now.

I could tell the long story but that’s not the point.

The point here is about trust.  I need to trust God more than I could ever do in my own power.  It seems easy enough to go ride around, look at houses, pick one out and then make an offer, but it’s really not that simple.

I’m finding they are not as easy to find as I had hoped, but a good friend (Pastor Shaan) told me the other day, “It is a seller’s market in ABQ right now and the market has just heated up for the spring, but our God owns all the houses.”

Think about that for just a moment.  He owns everything.  Nothing is outside of an all Sovereign God’s control.  Not one single thing happens outside His intervention.

Why would I worry about it? I know the answer but I don’t like what that says about me.

Today, I need to turn my attention to trusting Him more because He does indeed, “Own it All!”

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.  “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness is mine.   Psalms 50:10-12

 

Kevin