MOLTING
I just finished reading a book named - The Emotionally Healthy Church - by Peter Scazzero. The author planted and is pastoring a church in NY City. He writes about the journey of discovery that GOD took him on during this season in life. The main thing he discovered is that most churches provide opportunities for people to grow spiritually by reading the Bible, prayer, worship, serving, etc. While all of this is great, one area we seem to leave untouched is the emotions. That is the reason that some guys can lead a Bible study group and be a terrible dad or husband. They have baggage in their hearts that they never realized. But no one ever helped them discover it. No one ever walked w/ them down the road that reveals the baggage and enabled them to unpack it & cast it out. In other words, you can't invite Jesus to heal what is broken if you don't know what's broken. So New Life Fellowship Church incorporates emotional health into their discipleship program. Obviously it has made a world of difference.
In the last chapter, Scazzero writes about the lobster's "molting." Know what that is? Molting is when an exoskeleton, i.e. lobster, sheds his outer shell & grows a new shell. Scazzero compares this to Christian growth. In order for us to grow, we need to shed the outer hard layer & make room for new growth. Without the shedding, there is no growth.
That is the way I would describe the past 2 years of my life. It has been a time of shedding old thoughts and ideas and plans. It has also been a time of growth - new thoughts, new plans, new ideas. Wonderful right? Not when you are in the molting stage. The past 2 years have been the most difficult time in my life. Scazzero even writes, "For a short time - between the leaving of the old & the hardening of a new one - the lobster is naked, feeling very vulnerable to the elements." Exactly what I have felt - naked, abandoned, uncertain, vulnerable to the elements. But I am no longer who I was. And I do not want to go back. I am still looking toward the horizon of GOD'S future for me, believing with hope that His plans are perfect. And those plans would never have come to pass apart from this season of molting.

Easter! - Luke 24

He is not here; He has risen!

What more can I say?

Heaviness - Psalm 51, Lamentations 3
It's Black Saturday. For the first Christ Followers, it was a day of grief and sadness. They had lost a friend, a very good friend. They had lost their dreams. The darkness of their souls must have been great on this day. I would guess that the heavy sadness must have drowned out any memories of what Jesus had told them about a resurrection.
And yet there is a heavier sadness than that. Psalm 51 is from the journal of a man carrying his own sin. It was from the pen of Kind David. Read his words:
My sin is always before me.
Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Do not cast me from Your presence.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.
And then there are these words from Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:
He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light.
He has turned His hand against me.
He has surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
He has weighted me down with chains.
Even when I call out or cry for help, He shuts out my prayer.
Both passages remind me of the heaviness of sin uncovered. And as I think about Jesus' death and the events surrounding it, I think of how heavy my sin was for Him to carry. More than the physical torture was the spiritual torture of what His death meant. My sins and failures and wrong choices. My harsh words and critical attitudes. My refusals to act when I should. On and on the list could go of all that Jesus paid for - on my behalf. He carried my sins so I would not have to carry them. Jesus knew I would drown in my sins were it not for Him. And so this Easter (like every Easter) brings me back to the simple basics of what it means - I'm forgiven and made new by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The Only Way - Luke 23
What an incredibly long day for Jesus! He had been up all night. He had endured the ridicule and mockery of soldiers and religious leaders. He had faced His executioners for hours on end. He had been beaten mercilessly. And then he walked through the streets of Jerusalem carrying a heavy wooden beam, leaving behind a trail of blood droplets. Until they nailed him to it and dropped the cross into the ground. Then and there Jesus agonized, bled and eventually died. What a welcome relief that last breath must have been to Him. It was over. The long terrifying ordeal was over.
As I read the words of Luke 23, it brought to my memory a recent conversation I had with a young friend. We were discussing the difficult situations GOD allows in our lives and the resulting positive changes that occur in us. And then he posed the question: Could GOD make these changes in another way? The implication being that we should not need to endure such tragedies because since GOD is so powerful, He should be able to facilitate the process of growth in us without so much pain.
And that was my question about the crucifixion: Couldn't GOD have saved humanity in a less painful way? Wasn't there something He could have done that was less stressful and yet still effective in saving mankind from his own undoing? Why the cruelty of an execution by nails?
But then again, I think about how ingrained self-centered thinking and living is. Freeing us from this kind of life requires more than a glancing blow. Getting us out of a life so completely enmeshed in itself calls for a striking blow deep in our souls. GOD'S desire for us was (& still is) to set us free from the bondage of self-focused living and give us the opportunity and ability to live in love.
No, there was no other way. Only something as powerful as Jesus' crucifixion was sufficient enough to do what GOD desired - salvation.

To The End - Luke 22
Today is Maundy Thursday. It is the day many churches remember as the night Jesus ate the last supper with His disciples. I thought about that this afternoon and wonder what it must have been like for Jesus this day. He knew what was ahead. So I wonder if He was nervous or unsure. I wonder if He tried not to think about it. I wonder if the twelve noticed anything about the way Jesus was acting. I imagine the stress was incredible.
But regardless Jesus kept going. He stayed true to His purpose. He kept His eyes fixed on the goal. Nothing would distract Him. Even though He had plenty of distractions. Like Judas betraying Him. Or the eleven debating which one of them was the best. Or Simon's arrogant assumption that he would never deny Jesus. Or the eleven sleeping when Jesus needed them praying. Or them running at the moment He needed them the most. Yep, Jesus had many distractions, namely the fact that at the end of the day no one, absolutely no one, was there for Him. It was just Him and His Father going through hell on earth all alone.
It is Thursday evening as I write this. The sun is slowly fading into the horizon of pecan trees here in Georgia. Night is fast approaching. Nothing can stop it. So it was for Jesus and his destiny. He was quickly coming to His moment of great failure - being executed with two thieves. And nothing could stop it. And He stayed true to the end. And nothing could stop that either.

Bi-Polar Faith - Psalm 22
The words of this Psalm were on the mind of Jesus as He was dying. He quoted the opening verse, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" As I read the rest of the passage, I was somewhat surprised by its back-and-forth swings. On the one hand, I read, "Why are You so far from saving me? . . . I am a worm and not a man . . . you lay me in the dust of death" while on the other hand, I read, "You are enthroned as the Holy One . . . You who fear the Lord, praise Him . . . He rules over the nations." In one moment, this guy is lamenting his sad state of affairs and wondering where the heck God was. Then with the very next breath, he offers up words of greatest worship, adoring God for His greatness. He goes from one to the other. His faith seems a little bi-polar.

Sounds a lot like me. There are moments when I find myself questioning God & wishing He would do something simple - like intervene. And yet in just a few moments, I am in awe of who He is and nothing about my situation has changed. And most days, I am somewhere in the middle of it all. Is God disappointed by my waffling? I don't think so. In fact, I think He expects me to waffle from praise to complaining and back to praise. He knows me too well.
And so as I contemplate this holy week, I think that this is the essence of this thing we call "faith." It's not all about praising God for everything (even the difficult). It is about being realistic about our problems and our pain. And in spite of all we face, still where do we go? Both heartaches and good times find us at the same place - His throne.

The End - Luke 21
Jesus was in Jerusalem every day the week prior to his crucifixion. He would leave town at evening, spend the night in the Garden of Gethsemane and then return to teach the gathered crowds each day. In this passage Jesus was talking to them about signs of the end of the age. He told them about wars, natural disasters like earthquakes, famines and humanity filled with fear and anxiety. He told His followers that they would be hunted down like dogs by religious people, betrayed by family and friends and some of them would die because of it. "All men will hate you because of Me."
And yet these troubling times would be reason to rejoice and celebrate. These "signs" would be indicators that "the Kingdom of God is near." In other words, when things got worse than ever before, then they could be sure that their deliverance was near. The darkness is always darkest right before the dawn.
I think that is true on an eternal scale. I do think that global crises will envelope humanity to the point where only GOD will be able to rescue us. Are we on that road? I have no idea. It sure looks that way to me.
But I also think this is true on a personal level. When life becomes unbearably difficult, that is the moment to look upward and know that my Deliverer is near. And so I learn to endure and wait until His promise comes true. And it always comes true.
A powerful message Jesus was presenting to His followers then & to us, His followers now, is simple - Don't get comfortable in this world. It's not home. GOD created you & me to live in eternity. Everything in this world is far, far, far, far short of the best that GOD offers us. And one day, His best will become a reality for us.

Too Stubborn - Luke 20
This part of Luke tells of Jesus’ days in Jerusalem immediately preceding His crucifixion. He has numerous conversations with people, including the very ones wanting Him dead. He tells a story about some farmers who leased some land from a landowner. Apparently part of the deal was that when the harvest time came, the landowner would get a portion of the fruit as rent. However the farmers had other ideas. When the servant of the landowner came to collect the rent, the farmers beat him up. This happened three times. And so the landowner decided to send his son to collect. “Surely they will respect him.” Unfortunately his expectations were totally wrong. In fact they killed the son.
Luke relates the reaction of the people listening - astonishment! They said, “God forbid that such a thing should ever happen.” They could not imagine people doing something so heinous. (Little did they know that they would be eyewitnesses to this kind of event.)
The most interesting response came from Jesus’ enemies who were also listening. It says, “. . . they realized He was pointing at them – that they were the farmers in the story.” And it says, “They wanted to arrest Him immediately.”
Have you ever had someone point out something about you that you refused to admit – even though they were right? We use the word – stubborn – to describe this kind of mindset. While Jesus’ enemies were willing to admit they were like the farmers, they refused to do anything about it. Nothing would stop them from getting rid of Jesus.
And so it leaves me wondering: Was it the sin of stubbornness that led to Jesus’ crucifixion? Was it their refusal to change that motivated these men in a conspiracy to kill the Son of God? And is that the sin that trips me up - My refusal to change?

Peace - Luke 19
On this Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus' entrance to Jerusalem. He was greeted by crowds of well-wishers. Many of them truly believed that He was the Messiah (but not the kind of Messiah that was in God's mind). Nevertheless they celebrated Jesus' arrival with great anticipation.
And in the midst of the joy & excitement, something strange occurred. Luke records that Jesus wept as He saw the city of Jerusalem from the hillside. Why? Listen to these words: "If you . . . had only known what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes . . . you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." In the midst of a party, Jesus' heart is focused on the anxiety and uncertainty of the residents of Jerusalem. They would fail to see that which would bring them peace and would in fact, reject Him. The one thing that would make life enjoyable and hopeful was right in their midst and they missed it. His heart broke.
And such is the mindset of God concerning Easter. The one thing that will bring hope and peace and contentment to many of us is right before us and yet, we continue on with life as usual missing it altogether. Everyone around us may be having a parade, but for us, life sucks. If our experience is one of angst and striving, perhaps this Easter will be a moment for us to recognize the One who can give peace. And to experience the fullness of His peace on a daily basis. It is Jesus. "For He Himself is our peace." (Ephesians 2:14)

Beyond The Cross - John 16
Jesus was heading toward a train wreck with the Jewish leaders and the Roman government that would result in His crucifixion in a few hours. And the results would be grief and loss for His followers. In fact, He told them, "In a day or so you're not going to see me . . . You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad . . ."
However, beyond the cross was coming a day of hope and joy. No longer would they be sad and grieved and disappointed. The painful defeat and rejection that Jesus would experience at the cross would only be temporary. On the other side was coming joy. Like a woman who endures the pain of childbirth only to experience the happiness of a baby, so the disciples would endure the painful grief of Jesus' death and departure only to see on the other side was a time of lasting joy. The sadness of their dark night would be replaced by the dawning light of a new day. Jesus was giving them hope, something they would need during those 3 horrific days of His crucifixion and death.
I find myself in need of hope often. When I hear of a gunman killing 13 people in New York, I need hope. When I read of 22 year-old with inoperable brain cancer, I need hope. When I see the picture of another young black man wanted for robbery or murder or something, I need hope. And I come back to these words from Jesus in John 16 - "I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."
The trauma and sadness we experience in this world is temporary, just like Jesus' destined defeat was temporary. I am thankful to know that on the other side, the real side of life, is hope and joy that will be lasting.

Fruit on the Vine - John 15
This passage is the parable of the vine & the branches. Jesus said that He was the vine and that His followers would be branches. It is quite a good analogy. Lots of application here. One that impresses my mind is the simple application that a healthy branch always bears fruit. It does not try to bear fruit, but rather it bears fruit. It is in the DNA of the branch. It bears fruit without effort. The only issue is the health of the branch. And for the most part, that goes back to its attachment to the vine. In fact, Jesus said, "When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant."
So the application is quite simple. When Jesus calls a person to follow Him, it is an invitation to a dual focus - Involvement with others on the one hand and loving Jesus on the other hand. And the result is that he/she will live a life that has results - fruit. It is a life of impact. Unless . . . there's something wrong with the branch. Unless the branch is diseased or broken off from the vine. Then no fruit.
These are the words Jesus' followers needed to hear. These eleven were the fruit that had come from Jesus' life. And now they would have the chance to live as a branch, producing fruit. In fact, Jesus told them plainly later, "You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil." They could make a difference with their lives IF they would take care of their attachment to the vine. And so the lesson is clear: If my life is not making an impact, then something is wrong with my connection with Jesus.

A Matter of Trust – John 14
John 14 is a portion of the final recorded sermon of Jesus to His twelve disciples. As I read the passage, one word was repeated over and over – Father. Jesus mentioned His Father twenty times in this chapter. And it left me wondering – Why? At such a critical moment, why did Jesus keep mentioning the Father?
I wonder if He was reminding them that the life they had witnessed was an expression of the Father. It was an incredible life. Jesus lived in complete submission to the Father. The good deeds were not just His works. They were His Father’s works. Jesus’ plans were not His own. They were His Father’s plans. And what they were about to see - His crucifixion - was not just Jesus’ agenda. It was His Father’s agenda. Jesus had trusted His Father this far and now that the crucifixion was before Him, Jesus would need to continue to trust Him still.
Perhaps it is not the miracles or successes that call for greater faith. Rather it is the moments of loss and defeat that take us to a deeper place of trust. For even though Jesus had experienced great success with healing and with great crowds of followers, His greatest moment of trusting His Father was still to come. He had an appointment with death. It was His destiny.

This blog begins a series of daily thoughts from my own personal reading in preparation for Easter. I hope that some of these impressions will bring all of us closer to understanding more clearly this moment from Jesus' life. I am not pretending to explain everything or even much of anything. My goal is simply to raise some thoughts for you.

Destined For Defeat - Isaiah 53
These words were written by a prophet named Isaiah. They were recorded about 800 years prior to Jesus' coming to earth. As I read the words, I thought about how they focus on loss, rejection and defeat. He spoke of Jesus as "no beauty . . . despised and rejected . . . stricken by GOD . . . pierced . . . crushed . . . oppressed." I think you get the idea.
In other words, these prophetic words tell us that Jesus was destined for defeat from the start. There was absolutely no way anyone would mistake Jesus for a successful person. His future was certain. He would definitely fail.
What a lesson. The Chosen One of GOD was destined for defeat. Of all the people to ever walk through the corridors of history, I would never think that the Son of GOD would be a loser. After all, how could GOD reject Him? His only Son?
And as I read the narratives of Jesus' life, what do they testify about GOD'S intervention in Jesus' life, especially His horrific death? GOD did nothing. He let Jesus go through the arrest, trial, beating and eventual execution and did not lift a finger to stop it. He let the prophecy of Isaiah happen.
In fact, we read in Luke 9 that Jesus "resolutely set out for Jerusalem" & GOD did not stop Him nor hinder Him. He was destined for defeat.
Perhaps the lesson in these words from Isaiah 53 is that defeat & loss may be the exact place that GOD wants us.