I believe; Help my unbelief…

How many of us believe we are entitled to something?

Let’s look at it from a different vantage point…

How many of you have running water? How many of you have indoor plumbing? A toilet that flushes? A refrigerator/freezer to keep foods fresh?

How many of us can worship how we want without worrying about who is going to persecute us?

Those of us who live in the United States of America are spoiled and and we all think we are entitled to the freedom we have.  This is simply not the case. Many men and women have given their lives so that we have the luxuries that many others in other places do not have. We take for granted the things we have. Running water that is clean and drinkable. A flush-able toilet, a place to keep foods fresh. We have become entitled to these things. Many have suffered so you can do what you think is just every day stuff. We need to remember what has been given so that we have what we do.

And then there is the entitlement our religion gives us. We believe we have the whole story and all of the truth and others must bend to our ways. Read Mark 9:14-29:

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” (Mark 9:14-29 ESV)

Did you see that? The disciples couldn’t exorcise the demon from the boy. Because they did not pray we see at the end. They were not conversing with God and did not understand the needs maybe. But that is not my point. The man whose son is being held by this demon says to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief.”  He said he believes in Jesus and God and knows that faith can do it, but help those places in me that maybe don’t get it. Maybe it is that he believes in the wrong things. Maybe he is looking to the law to set his son free. Maybe he is looking to his beliefs to set his son free. Maybe he is looking to what he can do to keep the law to heal his son. But none of these will. Jesus help my belief to be what it needs to be.

Jesus take my belief and turn it into the faith that you have for me. Help me to move beyond where I am to where you have for me to be. It is like us taking our current circumstances for granted as if we are entitled.  Remember whose you are and that He controls everything.

Investing In Freedom

Below is an article I received from my friend Dave Sather. I found it thought provoking and wanted to share it with you. Remember what we have is a gift given, from someone else providing our freedom, to God who gives us everything we need and more…

Often when people ask me how I am doing my response is that “I am far better than I deserve.” Sometimes that gets a chuckle. However, for a variety of reasons, this is a true statement.

I don’t live in a mansion or drive a solid gold Rolls Royce. There are no private jets and my house has foundation problems like many others.

Rather, I am thankful to have tap water I can drink and a toilet that flushes. I have access to health care, significant educational and training opportunities and can practice any religion I want to. I don’t “have” to go to work; rather, I get the “opportunity” to go to work. And, if I don’t like my job—I have the flexibility to change. Oh, and let’s not forget the ability to speak my mind (I’ve been told I do this quite frequently).

It has always been this way for modern Americans—but not for others. By merely being born in this free, capitalist country, we live a life that is easily better than 95% of the people in the world. That is hard to fathom—especially since I had nothing to do with the elite status that all American’s share. Unfortunately, these freedoms are so commonplace in our country that we often take them for granted.

Obviously, if this level of comfort is so unique in the world—someone made an investment of tremendous sacrifice quite some time ago.

Our founding fathers essentially committed treason to get the ball rolling. If they failed, they would die. In the finance world—this would be considered the mother of all “risk on” trades. The biggest risk I face at work is getting a paper cut–that kind of pales in comparison.

Since the Declaration of Independence was signed, there have been millions of Americans who stood tall to give us the life we have today. Many of these protectors were shot at, disabled or killed many years before I was even a twinkle in my parent’s eyes. There have been, and will continue to be, easier ways to make a living.

As such, we as a nation owe an incredible debt of gratitude to these people. They fight for our country, our people and our freedoms. They understand that freedom is not free and freedom is an investment unlike any other. It is a commitment that has been repeatedly made throughout the years so future generations will have a better life.

And to ensure that it remains, this sacrifice will continue to be made going forward.

As we celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s birth, remember to thank those that have served to make our nation great, especially those that made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom.

Dave Sather, President
Certified Financial Planner

You can’t do that…

Have you ever been told by someone that you can’t do something?  What does that do to your understanding of your ability to do that function?

Usually when people say you can’t do that we believe them. We are frozen in fear and do not even attempt the thing we were going to do because it is impossible for us. We have been told it is impossible for us.

Now some of us feed on this. I remember once I was learning a song on bass and I was motivated to learn it note for note because a friend told me that song was too hard for me and I would never be able to play it. Well I learned it and I felt a rush of accomplishment.

But in today’s lectionary reading from 2 Corinthians 9:1-5 we hear Paul setting up the Corinthians for their ability yo give a big gracious gift for the church to continue. He has been building them up to the brothers and he is writing them to tell them this. Not because he has to but just to give fair warning. He knows they will come through but he wants to encourage them some more by telling them much he has been talking about them and the great things they have done, are doing and will do.

That is where all of us are. We all have the ability to do great things graciously because God has gifted us with talents and resources to use for the advancement of His kingdom. We are going to do great things. It is nice to be reminded though that we have the ability.

So today you saint of God go forth showering others with the blessings you yourself was showered with. Giving to them as you have been blessed. Knowing that God will continue to bless you.

Cry Out

O Lord, God of my salvation;
I cry out day and night before you.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry!
For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am a man who has no strength,
like one set loose among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
for they are cut off from your hand.
You have put me in the depths of the pit,
in the regions dark and deep.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah
You have caused my companions to shun me;
you have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
I spread out my hands to you.
Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
But I, O Lord, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
Your wrath has swept over me;
your dreadful assaults destroy me.
They surround me like a flood all day long;
they close in on me together.
You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness. (Psalm 88:1-18 ESV)

Have you ever felt all alone? Like no one not even God was there?

We have all been there when the world is pressing around us and we can say with the Psalmist, Yes I’ve been there I feel your pain. Where is God? I’m crying out and He is not answering me, He is soo far away does He even care?

Darkness has a way of being all encompassing, of surrounding us and enveloping us in a deep dark hole and the more we push at it for light, the more it seems to come in around us and hold us tighteer and tighter. And we suffer alone, we are assulted alone, wrath sweeps over us in isolation. We feel like there is no escape and no one not even God hears us.

I’ve been there with the Psalmist, but I remember the promise, that even through the darkest valley He is with you (me).

As I read this soong I was reminded of a song by Third Day

12 years…

There is a lot going on today in the Gospel lessons for the fifth of Pentecost.

We have Jesus and the disciples crossing over the sea again! And they meet the leader of the temple in the place they have landed. A Jew of high standing who is in charge of the Temple. He says that his daughter is dying. As Jesus the the disciples follow this man to his house, a large crowd gathers around and everyone is pressing in on Jesus and the group. Then a woman comes and touches the hem of his robe. And in one of the funnier moments in the gospels, Jesus says, “Who touched me.” And the recorded answer is not the smart answer I would have given if I had been a disciple. “Who didn’t touch you! If you didn’t notice Jesus we are just a little crowded here…” But Jesus knew. And so did the woman. Then she confesses, because she knows if she is found out even though she has been healed after suffering for 12 years that she will be stoned or punished in some fashion, because she is a woman in the square without a man, and moving in amoungest the gathering of the ruler of the Temple. Bad news for her, but Jesus says “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Your faith has made you well and be healed. These are 2 different things. Be made well and be healed, or be saved. They are different things indeed!

Then Jesus makes it the house of the ruler of the Temple and those gather say it is too late, the daughter is dead. Jesus says she is sleeping and goes in with the 3 and the mother and father and wakes her up. And it says in the text she was 12 years old. I always found this an odd sentence to include. But a friend of mine pointed out that the woman suffered with the disease for 12 years, and the little girl is 12 years old, there are 12 tribes and 12 disciples… What is the number play going on here?

12 years is important in the text. These stories are meant to lead us to or point us to the messiah to Jesus and the wonderful things He did, and will do for us! You see these stories are our stories. the Bible is your story and my story. It helps us understand who God is in this world that sometimes doesn’t want to know him, but we have a story to share, so go and share it!

What you talkin bout Willis…

What you talkin bout Willis?

Who remembers this?

What was he saying really? I thought of this catch phrase today as I read the lesson from Luke appointed for today. Jesus frees a man from a demon in the temple, and the crowd sees it and says, “What kind of utterance is this?” They don’t understand what has happened. They in unison say what you talkin bout Willis. They are not sure what happened, what was said and that is not a good thing for them.

You see most of us want to understand everything down to the tiniest of details on why something happened. It drives us crazy to not understand why something happened the way it did, or what is going on.

You see though it really isn’t for us to understand. Because a lot of the things that happen are really beyond our understanding. We need to accept them in faith, and walk forward knowing that God will see us through.

excel in this act of grace…

Grace – the final frontier…

Is grace really all it is about? If we could be gracious and merciful giving to everyone as we have been given, no hold on strike that. Giving more grace and mercy to everyone around us than we have been given. That is what Paul tells the Corinthians in the passage for the day from 2 Corinthians.

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 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. (2 Corinthians 8:1-7 ESV)

The Macedonian’s are not the wealthiest congregation. They have been through something horrible, Paul does not say what here, but he tells the Corinthians that they are poor and yet they are sending money and more than they can afford to help keep Paul’s ministry team moving forward.  He lifts them up not to show that they are doing this. Paul lifts them up to show that we all can give and even beyond what we have been given. It is about living a gracious life! It is not about what we get or what we have, it is about giving away graciously what we have been given, knowing that all will be taken care of.

Live a gracious life and excel in living graciously!

mourning into dancing

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
By your favor, O LORD,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
To you, O LORD, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
(Psalm 30 ESV)

The Lord has done great things for us! He has turned our sorrow into joy, and made everything perfect!

Well maybe not perfect as we would think of perfect.  Is there still pain in your life? Is there still hurting around you and confusion in what is happening from time to time? But Psalm 30 tells us that because of His favor He made the mountains stand strong. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. In the light of a new day everything is peachy!

God definitively turned my mourning into dancing; He has loosened my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness, so I may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

This psalm is very prevalent to me today,as today is my anniversary. God blessed me 16 years ago with the love of my life and a wonderful companion to help me on this journey called life. It has not all been wonderful, or without pain. Life is messy. But we love each other and support each other. She is a beacon of hope that helps me remember how I am loved, and where we are going and whose we are! Together with God we can not fall.

So believe that the mourning will not last in the morning, and God does bring joy from sorrow. And happy anniversary to the woman that I was blessed to spend the rest of my life with.

it is I…

ἐγώ εἰμι

I remember when I learned the ἐγώ. (pronounced eg-o’). It was summer Greek or maybe before, I was an over achiever… All I could think of was Let go of my ego!

But what does ἐγώ εἰμι mean? In our lesson from Mark 6:45-52 it is translated in the ESV as it is I. But does this really help with understanding the text?

You see this text is the one where Jesus walks on water out to the disciples, or actually if you read the text closely it says that Jesus was not going to the boat, but He wanted to pass the boat as to beat the disciples to the other side of the lake. Now remember that He was just asleep on the boat when they were getting killed by the storm, and now He is a ghost walking on the water as they are passing over the lake at night.

They saw something and started to cry in terror and the ESV says that He saw this “

for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Jesus saw they were terrified and said take heart, do not be alarmed it is I, or it is me? Now have you ever been terrified I mean really scared out of your wits? Can you hear correctly when this happens? Not always. Did the disciples really know who He was from this? I’m not sure but what Jesus really said probably scared them more than seeing a ghost walking on the sea! You see what we miss in translation is something that would not have been missed in the original language.

Jesus said “take heart, I am!” Yes He said “I am.” Which is of course the name of God given to Moses at the burning bush, the name every good Jew would know is the unspeakable name the name of God! In this statement Jesus calms them by saying that He is God. And the text of Mark says He stepped into the boat and they were utterly astounded or more appropriately they were out of their minds beside themselves, or insane! They were going crazy because the person they are traveling with who is doing things no human should be able to do just said He was God!

But that is comfort isn’t it. Jesus came here to know all about us to live as we do, and to help us understand it is possible to do what God wants us to do and still be human.

So take heart, for Jesus is God, and God cares for you.

fear the Lord

Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.”
(Exodus 9:29-30 ESV)

Do you fear the Lord God?

I always had problems with this especially now as a father. But I think now as a father I understand it more than I did before.

I love my children and would do anything for them. I am what you would call a momma bear.  You can do what ever you want to me, but the instant you go after or hurt my children, the gloves are off and you had better be ready for the fight of you life. I will do anything to protect them. I want them to know this. I want them to know that I love them.  But I also want them to fear me.

Not fear in the sense of a slasher movie fear, like fear for your life. But a reverence, an understanding that I have control over them for their betterment.  Not that I will lord it over them, but the things I do are for the best in their life.

I tell my daughters almost daily that I am the meanest father in the world. When they ask if they can do something, or we can go somewhere and I have to say no, I will say it is because I am the meanest father in the world.  Thankfully they have not yet agreed with me. And respond that I am not and that they love me.

I love them more than my own life, and that is how God loves us. He gave his only Son so that we could be in a relationship with Him. And Moses knew that Pharaoh did not fear the Lord. Pharaoh did not respect God who controls everything even if you do not acknowledge it.

Do you have a reverential awe for God as the loving father who does everything for the best in your life? He is your daddy and momma bear! He has given His life for you and wants the best for you.