I absolutely loved this message.... What a great example of the exposition of scripture.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Following the Leader
The entry for today will be in orange? Why, you ask? Well because Julia, you see that beautiful girl with me in the pictures on my background, has let me know her favorite color is orange. This is relevant because it was a conversation with her that struck the chords of thought in my mind today. So here is a short excerpt of the conversation:
Me: I love exactly who you are babe... Such an encouragement to me.
Julia: I plan to always be a constant encouragement and support to you :)
Me: Well you do just that ;) it's easy to lead someone who is willing to follow.
Julia: It's easy to follow someone who relies on God and has my best intentions in mind :)
This short little piece here is what got me thinking on a much more universal topic that applies to all "couples" in specific to all marriages. As a side note, I am not married, yet, but will from time to time share what I think God has shown me about marriage.
The Picture
A picture? Yes, a picture. Marriage is a picture. We see the evidence scattered all over scripture. What is the picture of? Christ and the church, of course. That loving relationship between a man and his wife is an example to us of the "marriage of the Lamb" where the church is described as "the bride of Christ" and Christ is the perfect bridegroom that has given his life to redeem, win, and swoon his bride. There is much more to be said but I am excited to get to my current thoughts.
The Pattern
So if there is a picture, many times in scripture, there is a pattern to follow. Ephesians 5:25 gives husbands a pretty clear pattern:
Okay. This is where my mind was residing today! I'm sure we have all heard the two previous things before. If I heard that stuff once, I've heard it 100 times. And there is nothing wrong with that as the truth is tremendous and I would listen to it 100 more times more. The principle on my mind today was the idea of "following the leader". In a marriage, or any relationship, the role of a man to be a leader is made much easier by a wife/significant other who is willing to follow. Forgive my crude example to follow (I assure you I have no implications by the things I will say).
There is nothing harder than trying to lead a dog somewhere it doesn't want to go. You are trying to have a nice leisurely walk around the neighborhood and your dog is chasing squirrels, barking at other dogs, running circles around you, and generally going the exact opposite direction as yourself at any instant during the stroll. "Leading" the dog suddenly becomes "pulling" the dog in the direction you desire. The illusions of an easy walk are met by the reality of a constant struggle and you collapse from exhaustion as you fall through the front door. For a man, "pulling" your wife in the direction you desire is quite problematic as well. The marriage becomes a struggle and exhausting. I wonder if this could be a cause to so many marriages ending? Just a thought. The husband gets tired of the constant battle for direction and purpose in the marriage. But what about when the dog wants to follow wherever you go? The walk becomes so much more enjoyable for both the dog and yourself. Both can share in a pursuit in the same direction (maybe the dog will need a bit of encouragement here or there) but what a blessing when the dog wants to follow you! In a marriage, is it really any different? As I said to Julia, "It is easy to lead someone who is willing to follow." When a wife is willing to follow, the role/job of the husband is made so much easier. Both can pursue the purpose of God and go in the direction of God's leading. The husband is given the role of the head of the home and how much easier of a role it is to carry out when the wive is willing to submit and follow his direction.
Now, the other side of the example is the direction you want to lead the dog. If I walk my dog through a group of bigger, stronger, meaner dogs then of course my dog will not want to go the way of my direction. If I am leading my dog on every walk in a way that is dangerous or not in the best interest of the dog, he/she will be much less willing to follow me. Does this also apply to the marriage? Absolutely! As a husband if my direction in leadership is purely selfish, I will not be leading my wife in a good direction. If I do not have her best interest in mind she will not be willing to follow and look for a way to keep out of danger! But, if my direction is to pursue God and his ways, then my best interest, and her best interest is always in mind. I will lead my wife with only her safety and growth in perspective. How much easier will it be for her to follow that kind of leader? As Julia said to me "It's easy to follow someone who relies on God and has my best intentions in mind."
The way a marriage should be.
But that was just the first stage of what I was provoked to ponder. The second half? Oh that is much more universal. I mentioned that marriage is just a picture of Christ and the church. And so it is. Take all these examples and apply them to our Christian life with Christ as our Lord and head! How difficult am I making it for Christ to lead me? Impossible? My willingness to follow directly affects his ability to lead. He will never force me to comply or follow his command. I will never be held against my will and pushed in a direction I don't want to go. Christ is all about submission and willingness. But the flip side has no controversy. A husband may lead a wife selfishly but Christ will never do so! Christ is God and leads as such. He himself was fully reliant on God during his few years here. His delight was to do the will of the Father and he never missed a step. I am thankful that is my Lord. The Son of God who ALWAYS has my best interest in mind. His plan is best and his way is perfect. How easy it should be for me to follow when I acknowledge his character and submit to his Lordship.
I may have to spend some more time just enjoying these things!
Me: I love exactly who you are babe... Such an encouragement to me.
Julia: I plan to always be a constant encouragement and support to you :)
Me: Well you do just that ;) it's easy to lead someone who is willing to follow.
Julia: It's easy to follow someone who relies on God and has my best intentions in mind :)
This short little piece here is what got me thinking on a much more universal topic that applies to all "couples" in specific to all marriages. As a side note, I am not married, yet, but will from time to time share what I think God has shown me about marriage.
The Picture
A picture? Yes, a picture. Marriage is a picture. We see the evidence scattered all over scripture. What is the picture of? Christ and the church, of course. That loving relationship between a man and his wife is an example to us of the "marriage of the Lamb" where the church is described as "the bride of Christ" and Christ is the perfect bridegroom that has given his life to redeem, win, and swoon his bride. There is much more to be said but I am excited to get to my current thoughts.
The Pattern
So if there is a picture, many times in scripture, there is a pattern to follow. Ephesians 5:25 gives husbands a pretty clear pattern:
Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.Ephesians 5:23-24 is pretty clear for wives:
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.And of course, there is Genesis 2:24 as a pattern to both partners:
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.The Principle
Okay. This is where my mind was residing today! I'm sure we have all heard the two previous things before. If I heard that stuff once, I've heard it 100 times. And there is nothing wrong with that as the truth is tremendous and I would listen to it 100 more times more. The principle on my mind today was the idea of "following the leader". In a marriage, or any relationship, the role of a man to be a leader is made much easier by a wife/significant other who is willing to follow. Forgive my crude example to follow (I assure you I have no implications by the things I will say).
There is nothing harder than trying to lead a dog somewhere it doesn't want to go. You are trying to have a nice leisurely walk around the neighborhood and your dog is chasing squirrels, barking at other dogs, running circles around you, and generally going the exact opposite direction as yourself at any instant during the stroll. "Leading" the dog suddenly becomes "pulling" the dog in the direction you desire. The illusions of an easy walk are met by the reality of a constant struggle and you collapse from exhaustion as you fall through the front door. For a man, "pulling" your wife in the direction you desire is quite problematic as well. The marriage becomes a struggle and exhausting. I wonder if this could be a cause to so many marriages ending? Just a thought. The husband gets tired of the constant battle for direction and purpose in the marriage. But what about when the dog wants to follow wherever you go? The walk becomes so much more enjoyable for both the dog and yourself. Both can share in a pursuit in the same direction (maybe the dog will need a bit of encouragement here or there) but what a blessing when the dog wants to follow you! In a marriage, is it really any different? As I said to Julia, "It is easy to lead someone who is willing to follow." When a wife is willing to follow, the role/job of the husband is made so much easier. Both can pursue the purpose of God and go in the direction of God's leading. The husband is given the role of the head of the home and how much easier of a role it is to carry out when the wive is willing to submit and follow his direction.
Now, the other side of the example is the direction you want to lead the dog. If I walk my dog through a group of bigger, stronger, meaner dogs then of course my dog will not want to go the way of my direction. If I am leading my dog on every walk in a way that is dangerous or not in the best interest of the dog, he/she will be much less willing to follow me. Does this also apply to the marriage? Absolutely! As a husband if my direction in leadership is purely selfish, I will not be leading my wife in a good direction. If I do not have her best interest in mind she will not be willing to follow and look for a way to keep out of danger! But, if my direction is to pursue God and his ways, then my best interest, and her best interest is always in mind. I will lead my wife with only her safety and growth in perspective. How much easier will it be for her to follow that kind of leader? As Julia said to me "It's easy to follow someone who relies on God and has my best intentions in mind."
The way a marriage should be.
But that was just the first stage of what I was provoked to ponder. The second half? Oh that is much more universal. I mentioned that marriage is just a picture of Christ and the church. And so it is. Take all these examples and apply them to our Christian life with Christ as our Lord and head! How difficult am I making it for Christ to lead me? Impossible? My willingness to follow directly affects his ability to lead. He will never force me to comply or follow his command. I will never be held against my will and pushed in a direction I don't want to go. Christ is all about submission and willingness. But the flip side has no controversy. A husband may lead a wife selfishly but Christ will never do so! Christ is God and leads as such. He himself was fully reliant on God during his few years here. His delight was to do the will of the Father and he never missed a step. I am thankful that is my Lord. The Son of God who ALWAYS has my best interest in mind. His plan is best and his way is perfect. How easy it should be for me to follow when I acknowledge his character and submit to his Lordship.
I may have to spend some more time just enjoying these things!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Engineering of Mind
I figured I should write a short post about the title of my blog. The title "Engineering of Mind" comes from what I have written as my profession (Mechanical Engineer). I have, what I have labeled, as an "Engineering Mind". Although I tend to be a very emotional person, rare for a male I know, my brain thrives on logic. When I don't know how something works/functions, I will investigate until I understand. When I was just a kid my older brothers four wheeler wasn't running right so I grabbed my dad's tools, took off the carburetor, disassembled it, and discovered that the floats inside were gunked up. After a thorough cleaning and reassembly, the engine was running like new. I didn't know how the engine worked at such a young age, but I had to figure out what was going on. I have always been this way with cars/motors/gears/mechanical systems, which is why I went into the field of mechanical engineering. It just made sense. Maybe I'll throw up some blogs on how to change your oil or replace your engine. However, my "Engineering Mind" extends further than the mechanical systems in this complex world of ours. As I have mentioned logic appeals to my brain. For example, when I trusted Christ as my personal Savior, this wasn't an emotional decision for me. For many years I struggled with the logic of salvation, i.e. "How could this be real". So I had to logically think it out, study, and see things for myself. When I had reached the end of my rope, realized that without God there is no purpose in life, I came to Christ in all of my need as He is the only one "seeking to save". It was a logical decision for me to trust Christ. This same thinking carries over into my everyday life. When my girlfriend tells me something that happened, my "engineering mind" kicks in and I have this desire to figure out "why?" Sometimes it gets on her nerves. I have a difficult time letting go of things people do without knowing the reasoning for it. For instance, she told me the other day about this group of kids that went to a nearby amusement park. The group that she said went included two kids who have their drivers license. However, the mother of a few of the boys drove them there (it is about an hour away) and came home and another one of the mothers would go pick them up. The logic didn't make sense to me. I asked many questions trying to figure it out until I finally asked the right person and found out that the two with the drivers licenses didn't actually go and my logic was satisfied. So, how does this all relate to the title of my blog? Well, I seek to write based upon logic and reason. Sure there will most likely be some emotion as well. But my brain operates on logic and figuring things out. I enjoy life from different angles and want to share the things going through my head. Some may read a few sentences and realize I'm crazier than you'd ever imagined. That's ok. I'm not denying the fact.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Men Pleasers
Galatians 1:10
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Paul's words here struck my heart. I can think of no person in the Bible that was more devoted to his calling to preach the gospel than Paul. Think of his descriptions in some of the epistles:
- Prisoner of Christ (Philemon 1)
- Slave of Christ Jesus (Romans 1:1)
- Bond-Servant of Christ (Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1)
- Apostle of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 1 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:1)
And these descriptions were just in the introduction! Many other times Paul refers to his calling in the gospel and that a life lived doing anything else would leave him miserable and devoid of his purpose. The word used in Romans 1:1 is best translated as "slave", which is meaning that the entirety of the individual is property of the master. How anxious am I to tell others that I am property of Christ? My actions are not my own, my life is not my own, my business is not my own. Everything I am and do is in complete control of my master. If only this were more true in my own life.Now, the reason this hit my heart so heavy was a matter of "revealed truth" and "conviction". Revealed truth is what leads to conviction but they each struck my heart individually.
Revealed Truth
When reading the scripture, and I mean really reading the scripture, God will always reveal truth to the truth seeker. I have found myself reading out of habit with the mindset of "well my little plan here says I should read these chapters..." What a way to come at the scripture. I have also found myself with the mindset of "this is what I think the scripture teaches so I should find verses that give the idea of this theology." Both are mindsets that I never want to have when it comes to the Bible. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2 that all truth is revealed by the Spirit, for only the Spirit knows God (the Spirit is God). Should my attitude then be one of submission to have truth revealed to me by the Spirit? I pray that it is so. Now when the Spirit reveals truth is where my heart was affected. As I am reading and the Spirit reveals truth to me I believe there are three options:
- Reject the Truth
- Delay the Truth
- Obey the Truth
In rejection of the truth, my attitude would be to see what the Spirit is revealing to me and to have the attitude of "no, that can't be what the scripture teaches because I have been taught this... or I think this... or I want this..." What an attitude to have. Now, a side point may be that a young Christian should not dive into the scripture with the purpose of having truth revealed beyond the spiritual growth of him/her. For instance, a parent would not give an infant a nice 12 oz juicy steak for dinner. That parent would wisely know that the child can only digest certain foods until he/she matures and grows and can handle such food. God is the same way with our spiritual appetite. God is the revealer of truth so let Him do the feeding. There is nothing wrong with "studying to make one wise" but allow God to be the guidance for studying. But I digress. The point here is that my attitude can sometimes be to reject truth based on my presuppositions. God is the revealer of truth and I do believe that He inspired all scripture so He knows what truth is contained. Let Him reveal it and do not reject His truth. In delaying the truth, my attitude becomes one of "well I do see that is truth, but I just can't put that into practice yet". Circumstances in life, whether it be a job, friends, family, school, etc can cloud my judgment on how to deal with truth. I can make decisions as to what I should do with truth based on what I think others will say. This is where the verse from Galatians is especially powerful. If my attitude is this "delaying of truth" then I am what Paul says... not a servant of Christ, but a pleaser of men. I am too concerned about what my friends will think, or what my parents will say. I am too concerned about how this will affect my testimony at my job or at school. I see the truth and I acknowledge it, but I am not ready to be "a servant of Christ", I would rather be a "man-pleaser".The final option is then to obey the truth. At this point I am a true servant of Christ. My devotion is first and foremost to my Savior who is the sole owner of my life. I see the truth revealed to me and obey it with no delay. If Paul was to delay the truth revealed to him, think of the amount of Gentiles that would have possibly missed the gospel of Christ. Think of how many local churches would not have been established. But Paul had no delay in the truth revealed to him. He put the truth above family, friends, job, and his own will. He truly became a slave for Christ and was "pedal to the metal" from the moment of conversion. Oh how I long to be like Paul!
Conviction
A conviction is a convinced conscience. True biblical conviction comes from revealed truth. Further, a conviction can only come from truth that is accepted and not rejected. A person that is delaying the truth they see must not have too strong of a conviction about it, or they are going against their conviction for other reasons. This is a dangerous game to play. I will give a personal example. Some time ago, I began to feel convicted about the type of movies I was subjecting myself to in light of Philippians 4:8-9. Many would know this as "the grid". So many of the movies that were passing into my mind were leaving messages, impressing images, and provoking thought that didn't seem to make it through the grid. At first, I was hesitant to obey this conviction. I delayed the truth that I saw. Worried about what others might say when I'm with my friends and they want to watch a certain movie. I didn't want to be the one to say "well I don't actually want to watch that because _____." Then I would be pegged as a "holy roller". So I delayed the truth and put aside my conviction. How unenjoyable movies became when all I could think about was how these movies just weren't lining up with scripture and heavily went against my convinced conscience that it was wrong. Going against a convinced conscience, in my belief, is sin. See here what Martin Luther said:
"Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason. I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen."
There had to come a time where I stood by my conviction because it was laid upon my heart and mind by the revealed truth of the Word of God. My attitude was not to please men, or be accepted by friends/family. My attitude was to please God. This is just one simple example ( I'm sure there are others with much better examples than my own).Some truth will be more costly than others. I have seen truth pull apart family ties, sever relationships,and destroy friendships. But what is my attitude? To please men, or to please God? " If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." Paul tells us straight that we cannot do both. We must make the choice to follow truth, or please men. I pray that in all things I will be able to have the courage and confidence to be marked by pleasing God. That I will be able to say with Paul, "a slave for Christ".
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