Hey all!

I was just reminded by a friend that the fact I haven't posted anything in awhile might be an indicator that things aren't cool.  Just lettin' you know that everything's good but I've just been distracted in my times with God lately so I'm trying to get refocused.  So, in the words of Jack Black, "I'll catch you on the flip-flop later! (which I think means, you'll be seein'/hearin' from me soon)"

Time with God

Matthew 18-20 contains so many good examples of what theologians call the “upside-down kingdom”.  In other words, God’s Kingdom is opposite of most worldly kingdoms…the last are first…the greatest are like children…those in the kingdom are supposed to serve not be served…late comers are just as welcome as those who have been there from the beginning…etc.  And, the truth is, when we think of God’s kingdom as an upside-down kingdom, usually we think we like it.  But we don’t really.  We think we like it because in the words of Jack Black in School of Rock, we like the idea of “stickin’ it to the man”.  We think we like it because most of us are not on top in this world and we like the idea of getting back at those who are on top.  But in reality, once we’re done “stickin’ it to the man”, we just want to become the man in their place.  So, in reality, it’s not that we like God’s upside-down kingdom.  We just don’t like where we are right now in the worldly kingdom.

But what if God is right (like that isn’t the dumbest question of the century)?  What if the way life is supposed to function really is what He is describing.  The greatest are the least.  The humble child is an example for all.  Serving and self-sacrificing is better than being served.  Everyone is loved and welcomed no matter what time they join the group.  Maybe the reason why we have so much trouble in this world is because we spend so much time trying to live by its rules.  I wonder what our lives would be like if we really believed God’s upside-down kingdom was the best way to live, and then did it.  I know one thing that would be true…we wouldn’t be ticked about our place in the worldly kingdom right now.  If anything, we’d probably be thrilled because it might just be an indicator that in God’s kingdom, we got it goin’ on!!

Today as I prayed, I prayed through the Lord’s Prayer.  Here’s some of my prayer stuff today…

• Thanked God for being my Dad and for making me a part of His family
• Praised God for who He is
• Asked God to be made holy, for His Kingdom to come (think of that in light of what I wrote above), and for His will to be done in my life, the life of my family, and in our church
• Asked God to help me get everything done today that I need to do
• Asked God to help us with our finances with the different stuff we have going on right now (a house to fix up, our van that just needed a lot of repairs, my school bill, etc.)
• Asked for forgiveness for some stuff I’ve done wrong lately
• Asked God to help me forgive some people who have wronged me lately
• Asked God to help me stay focused on Him and not get distracted by the stuff of this world.  Asked Him to help me make sure I’m spending time with Him and reading for fun about Him.
• Also prayed about a friend starting a new job
• Prayed about another friend who is healing up right now
• Thanked God for my family – they were a delight yesterday

Currently Reading Desiring God By John Piper see related

Time with God

Matthew 18-20 contains so many good examples of what theologians call the “upside-down kingdom”.  In other words, God’s Kingdom is opposite of most worldly kingdoms…the last are first…the greatest are like children…those in the kingdom are supposed to serve not be served…late comers are just as welcome as those who have been there from the beginning…etc.  And, the truth is, when we think of God’s kingdom as an upside-down kingdom, usually we think we like it.  But we don’t really.  We think we like it because in the words of Jack Black in School of Rock, we like the idea of “stickin’ it to the man”.  We think we like it because most of us are not on top in this world and we like the idea of getting back at those who are on top.  But in reality, once we’re done “stickin’ it to the man”, we just want to become the man in their place.  So, in reality, it’s not that we like God’s upside-down kingdom.  We just don’t like where we are right now in the worldly kingdom.

But what if God is right (like that isn’t the dumbest question of the century)?  What if the way life is supposed to function really is what He is describing.  The greatest are the least.  The humble child is an example for all.  Serving and self-sacrificing is better than being served.  Everyone is loved and welcomed no matter what time they join the group.  Maybe the reason why we have so much trouble in this world is because we spend so much time trying to live by its rules.  I wonder what our lives would be like if we really believed God’s upside-down kingdom was the best way to live, and then did it.  I know one thing that would be true…we wouldn’t be ticked about our place in the worldly kingdom right now.  If anything, we’d probably be thrilled because it might just be an indicator that in God’s kingdom, we got it goin’ on!!

Today as I prayed, I prayed through the Lord’s Prayer.  Here’s some of my prayer stuff today…

• Thanked God for being my Dad and for making me a part of His family
• Praised God for who He is
• Asked God to be made holy, for His Kingdom to come (think of that in light of what I wrote above), and for His will to be done in my life, the life of my family, and in our church
• Asked God to help me get everything done today that I need to do
• Asked God to help us with our finances with the different stuff we have going on right now (a house to fix up, our van that just needed a lot of repairs, my school bill, etc.)
• Asked for forgiveness for some stuff I’ve done wrong lately
• Asked God to help me forgive some people who have wronged me lately
• Asked God to help me stay focused on Him and not get distracted by the stuff of this world.  Asked Him to help me make sure I’m spending time with Him and reading for fun about Him.
• Also prayed about a friend starting a new job
• Prayed about another friend who is healing up right now
• Thanked God for my family – they were a delight yesterday

Time with God

Prayer stuff today…

• Praised God for who He is
• Thanked God for how well this past weekend went with my family
• Thanked God for my immediate family
• Prayed for some of our friends who are struggling right now
• Prayed for my Mom
• Prayed for our church
• Prayed for our church leadership
• Prayed for sister and brother-in-law
• Prayed for brother and sister-in-law
• Prayed about our finances and our new house
• Confessed some of my sinful attitudes as of late
• Confessed that sometimes I have a hard time trusting God

Today as I read Matthew 14-17 I was struck by how being in a relationship with Jesus means we’re constantly growing in our understanding of who He is and what He is doing.  I mean, Jesus’ disciples have been hanging out with Him for quite some time, but it’s not until chapter 14 and Jesus walking on water do they realize that He is the Son of God (and this happened after the feeding of the 5,000).  It’s after all of their experiences with Jesus and His teachings to them in chapters 14-15 that in chapter 16 they finally start to realize that Jesus is trying to teach them spiritual truths about God and His Kingdom and that they shouldn’t be solely consumed with thinking about their immediate physical circumstances.  Then at the end of ch.16 they find out that a true Messiah is a suffering and self-sacrificing Messiah who calls people to suffer and self-sacrifice along with Him.  Then in ch.17 some of the disciples truly get a picture of Jesus’ divinity on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Just in the four chapters I read this morning, the disciples grew a ton.  Did they know Jesus in ch.14?  Absolutely.  Did they know Him differently and more completely in ch.17?  Without a doubt.  Did I know Jesus personally when I was 13 and chose to really follow Him with my whole life?  Absolutely.  Do I know Him differently and more completely now that I’ve spent all these years walking and talking with Him and living life alongside Him?  Without a doubt.  Will I know Him so much more 50 years from now?  I can’t wait!!!

Time with God

Prayer stuff today…

• Thanked God for my family
• Confessed some sinful attitudes from yesterday
• Forgave some people in my heart
• Thanked God for helping me get through all the stresses of yesterday
• Thanked God for helping me preach last night
• Prayed for our trip to visit my family this weekend
• Thanked God for providing for us financially so faithfully
• Prayed for the kids in my D-group
• Prayed for the Duzans
• Thanked God for allowing me to read a little more these days
• Prayed for our mission trip
• Spent some time just praising Him for who He is

Today I read Matthew 5-7 which is the famous Sermon on the Mount.  I love this whole section and am always challenged by it.  Today 5:20 caught my eye.  It says that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees.  Here’s what’s weird about that.  The Pharisees were experts at being righteous…at following the law to a “T”.  So, if in order for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we have to be more righteous than the Pharisees, it has to mean something other than being good at following the law.  Then, in the rest of chapters 6 and 7 what is described is a type of person and a way of life so wonderful that someone who was like that would follow the law but so much more.  They would be the type of person that would be Godly and righteous through and through.  They would be the type of person who did the right thing not because they had to but because they wanted to.  They would be the type of person who was completely transformed.  And, the fact that Jesus is talking about that here makes me think that He’s made a way for us to become that type of person…to enter the Kingdom of Heaven starting now.  I don’t know about you, but I want some of that!!