Ministry 101 Catch-22

How can I begin to minister to others when I need constant reminding of the gospel in its two glorious dimensions: accessible to infants and more profound than any human work of art, poetry, and philosophy?

final exam study nugget - on guilt

"Joy is the serious business of heaven." -- C.S. Lewis

Under the topic of guilt, Prof Ed Welch reminds us that confessing our sins should lead to joy. If it doesn't, we are legalistic, refusing to take to heart the attractive beauty of knowing and trusting God's forgiveness. For some crazy reason, we still cling on to being the judge of when/how/whether our sins shall be forgiven, rather than abandoning this to God's complete, surprising, and incomparable justice in Christ. We think there is something still we must do to earn His favor. Joy says to the world, "We get His ineffably enthusiatic forgiveness!"

PS3 and gospel economy

Jayson and I were strolling passed the local Target after our dinner at Thai Bangkok Orchid on Thursday, when we noticed a gang of guys playing video games outside the front entrance.
"What are they doing?" Jayson asked. I walked over to the first set of guys bundled in coats.
"Are these your systems or Target's?" The guy said the systems were theirs. You could see his breath.
"Do you guys typically hang out here playing video games here at night or weekends?" I asked in amazement.
"We always camp out for the latest console."
"Which one is coming out?"
"The PS3."

A handful of souls, playing video games all night outside Target so they can be the first ones in the doors hoping not to miss out on the limited supply. Now those are devout worshippers! They probably wonder what strange world I live in that I hadn't heard the gospel of the coming kingdom of PS3. Would they have any interest in a new world that can't possibly run out of supply? That economic strategy is bound to disappoint any supply-and-demand based worldview of value.

why i am still single :-)

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morning devotional for my software team

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

As we take a closer look today at all that we've been doing, all that we've accomplished, and how we can improve for the future, let's give thanks to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Deism is a constant temptation for us, as we walk in the good works that God has prepared beforehand for us to walk in each day. Though we probably don't imagine God booting up his laptop at 8am every work day, sipping some coffee, and clicking on a shortcut on his desktop so that He can hit the beach for the rest of the day, doesn't our lack of daily thanksgiving suggest that we sometimes do?  We easily forget that God is  the Extreme Programmer.  The Spirit is always faithful to pair with us. Not one line of code is written, compiled, or executed apart from the Father's decree. The Son will not even let one single appointed whitespace or comment pass away until all is accomplished.  Think about all the things we can give thanks for, when we realize He is with us in all of this, for from him and through him and to him are all things .

But what about all those things that seem to get in our way for doing all the good works we've planned?  Surely, God is out to lunch when those happen!  Those twenty emails that arrived after I just caught up. Those jira issues that seem to come in faster than we can fix them.

Our God is not just Lord of the finished product in all its glory, but over the entire process, however frustrating or time consuming it may seem sometimes.  We want all that is glorious now, all at once, apart from inconveniences, apart from pain.  Our Creator is not only interested in our software passing all the tests, but our very hearts.  When push comes to shove, it is our attitudes and character that God gives priority in his heavenly triage. We need constant debugging. He has taken ownership over our development, even when He isn't to blame for the bugs we'd rather call "features" in our hearts, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.

He is much more patient with us than we are with Him.  He is a God who pleases to take His time. He took six days to call all things good, savoring the last day as best. He delighted in the development process, when He could have just clicked on a shortcut. His Spirit took over a thousand years to inscripturate the Holy Scripture. He endured thousands of years of rebellion until time was appointed to labor in birth with His promised Son. The Son learned the obedience of an eternal priest for us through the things he suffered. And it pleased His Father to take time to crush the Son on our behalf. 

Look at the bigger picture now. The whole creation still groans with childbirth pains for our glorification. We are participants in that new creation, the regeneration of all things. Christ is the firstborn and His church is the center of that new cosmos to come. We are the temple from which His glory will fill the earth. Every day, new stones are being made alive, sons of Abraham, crying out, declaring His glory. 

Programming should be for us an act of faith that God is using to build His church. We are not just IT support. We are Holy Temple support. Not only is our software development an act of mercy for missionaries, it is an act of war.  As technology has developed, so has the sophisticated tactics and defenses of our enemy. True, we are not on the front lines, but our tools are being employed for front line usage. Wherever there is development of literacy in the world, Scripture will continue to gain ground through the gates of Hell in hearts that hear.

Can't you hear the Lamb in heaven breaking the seals of His scroll across the globe, shaking all that remains to be shaken? (Rev 5:9) Countless peoples are worshipping God in their own tongue. Praise the Lord!

I am loved

Every so often my friend, Phil asks, "So when are you coming? It's time for you to visit us again." The last time I visited was last year right after Katrina hit. I watched his family mobilize others in the church to house huricane refugees. I was due for another visit.

Phil helped me carry my bags and clothes into the guest room. When we opened the door, it appeared that several items were still on the bed. My initial thought was, "Oh, is this not where I'm staying?" Phil asked his wife Amy. She explained that she had not yet taken the time to cleanup the room after their son's birthday party. I thought it was funny that she had not cleared off the bed in expectation of my coming. I told her it made me feel like I was part of their family that she didn't feel anxious about making everything look all perfect just for me. Sometimes you know you're loved when you don't receive special treatment. I'd much rather people feel they can be "at home" around me than running a hotel in their home.

I am sad.

During Ed Welch’s lectures in Dallas this past weekend, I just heard for the first time that one of my favorite professors Al Groves is in the latter stages of melanoma cancer. I’m not sure how I missed the news. Even when our new professor Adrian Smith prayed with boldness for Al’s health during our Convocation ceremony, I guess I just wanted to believe it was a special prayer for Al’s chronic fatigue.

Dr. Welch spoke of Al most gloriously during his lectures on Suffering. How everyone who visits him goes to encourage and to bless, and leaves surprisingly encouraged and blessed by Christ in him.

My brief conversations and times with Prof Groves seem especially heightened in significance for me. I had the honor providing transportation for him after one of his lecture visits in Dallas. We talked about Sailhamer and movies like Magnolia. I think it was Al who introduced me to Magnolia, which continues to be a redemptive treasure full of treasures.

I’ve been bragging ever since about his Deutoronomic history class. Definitely one of my favorite OT courses. If the Lord ever calls me to be a professor some day, I would cite Al as a chief influence and role model. I am ever thankful that His love for the Lord and intimate knowledge of the Scriptures has overflowed the banks of Philly and spilled down to us in Dallas, as annointing oil trickles down from the head and onto a man’s beard.