This past week I was on vacation. I went back to Kalamazoo to see Dad and Mom for a few days and on Sunday went to church. Over the last few years I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I have been back to Berean (the church I was born and raised in). Over the years we've had several assistant pastors go through but only changed senior pastors twice (during my time there). When I sat down in the service Sunday morning it was the first time in 37 years that I didn't know any of the pastors on the platform and very few people in the congregation. It got me thinking about getting older. Many people had moved on. Dad asked me if I'd said anything to the new pastor. I'd thought about it. But what would I say? "Hi. I'm Gary and Denise Roberts' oldest son. The one you never see and probably will never see again." Another thing I noticed was all the parents of the kids I'd grown up with. The kids,of course, had long since left the nest. It was kind of weird to see the numbers of Berean dwindle that way but I suppose that's part of the growing process at any church.
I went to a Promise Keepers convention this past weekend. Over the years I've heard good and bad things about them. Someone told me once that they were sexist and believed that men were the king of the home. That person didn't understand that Promise Keepers based that on the biblical mandate for the man to be the spiritual leader in the home. It's the way God designed it. We don't have to agree with it and Satan is doing everything he can to change society's perception of men because men are dangerous. As was stated this past weekend, men start revolutions. But make them look weak and cowardly and the perception changes. I was challenged to be a leader. One speaker said that in order to leave foot prints in the sands of time we needed work boots. That same speaker talked about leading from the grave. By that he meant passing on principles (spiritual and otherwise) taught to us by our fathers and grandfathers onto the next generation. I've got four nieces with one on the way but I've also got about twenty nieces and nephews that I've watched grow up over the last ten years living in the UP. What am I passing on to them? I've actually had more of an influence on them then I have had on my own nieces simply because of the amount of time I've spent around them. I've known Kristie Keranen since she was born. I'm not married, dating, or anything but I have a real opportunity to leave a mark on some young lives. What I do with that could make or break some of them. That's a big responsibility and I take it very seriously.
They closed the conference out with a call to commit to standing with the Jews. I never thought I'd see that. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised and I certainly wasn't offended. I think it's great but it was unexpected and very thought provoking. All but two speakers were black which isn't a surprise given we were in Akron, OH. What impressed me was that one of the speakers actually encouraged black men as a minority to not be judgemental of the white man (he referred to them as those of the lighter hue) for being the majority. Basically it was the "Do unto others" concept. It's encouraging to see people of both light and dark "hues" pushing equality from a God based foundation. That is something rarely seen in today's culture.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Monday, November 9, 2009
Air Force vrs Army
Initially, I was going to write this in my "Adventures" blog but I decided against it and it will soon be apparent why. Just a little backdrop. My brother and I went to see the Air Force/Army game this past Saturday (Nov 7, 2009) and before the game started they had several men parachute into the stadium. One had the American flag and I got this picture (as well as others) of him just before he landed. As I looked at this picture today I couldn't help but think about our daily walk. My daily walk. A time may come very soon where I have to decide whether or not I'm going to jump out of the plane, trusting God for protection and I could die. Will I keep the flag fully raised until I am taken down? As an ambassador to the Kingdom am I willing to die for my God? I hope and pray that when the time comes where I have to decide whether or not I stay in the plane or take that jump of faith, I will jump. Paul said it best, "To live is Christ, but to die is gain." That's faith!
"Trust in the Lord with all Thy heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6
Have a good day!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Getting up to date
Over the last couple months I've seen God do some incredible things. He's provided new friendships, new lessons, and a new schedule that will allows me to go to church on Sundays. They just recently started an evening service at New Life and I am helping with that which is just one of the ways I've been able to develop a circle of friends outside of my brother. Up to this point the majority of the people I spent time with were people he spent time with and that has started to change.
I think the one of the coolest things that has happened to me here is the many hours of time and effort I've put into encouraging others over the months and years is now coming back around full circle. People are giving back. One person blew me away when they told me that they would be praying for me and that the request I had shared they would share with two other people they had asked to pray for me! I keep receiving emails thinking me for my prayers and encouragement. That encourages me! I'm really hoping that the relationships I'm building now as well as others that were already there will last for eternity. It's an amazing time! Next to the Upper Peninsula (upper Michigan) this is in the top five of greatest things that have ever happened to me!
I think the one of the coolest things that has happened to me here is the many hours of time and effort I've put into encouraging others over the months and years is now coming back around full circle. People are giving back. One person blew me away when they told me that they would be praying for me and that the request I had shared they would share with two other people they had asked to pray for me! I keep receiving emails thinking me for my prayers and encouragement. That encourages me! I'm really hoping that the relationships I'm building now as well as others that were already there will last for eternity. It's an amazing time! Next to the Upper Peninsula (upper Michigan) this is in the top five of greatest things that have ever happened to me!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Worship and Elijah
Before I share I need to say something. My original plan while reading The Jesus Way was to write a summary of each chapter . However, this was causing procrastination issues so I am just reading the book and when/if I see something that gets me I'll share it....like now.
Eugene Peterson is talking about Elijah right now. Something I did not know was that Elijah means "My God is Yahweh". It is interesting that he appears on the scene as Ahab and Jezebel have taken control. Their god was Baal. Elijah's, Yahweh. After Elijah's prophesy in regards to the three in a half year drought (Ironically Baal was the rain god) he comes on the back on the scene in a head to head face off with Ahab and Jezebel. The situation is this.
"So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." (First Kings 18:20-24)
So the God who wins, will torch the competition. So who will win? The crowd watches in rapt attention. Personally I think some were nervous as they knew they worshipped a false god. Plus there were obviously some there who believed that God was who he said he was. Now look at what happened when the prophets of Baal did their thing:
"And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention." (First Kings 18:26-29)
These prophets resorted to stabbing themselves, yet no one paid attention and no fire came! What intrigues me about this (and now we get to the meat) is the difference in worship. The worship of Baal is much more sensual and was definitely an experience to witness, but God doesn't want our experience. "A worship experience" is something that is said a lot today. I've said it myself and there is nothing wrong with a worship experience. But God wants our worship to be something we do, not experience. Our worship can be a sensual experience but it is not something we experience but something we do. "The experience develops out of the worship, not the other way around" (The Jesus Way, p 111). In order to experience something we have to do it. Without the "do" there can and will be no "experience". So now look at how God used Elijah:
"Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name," and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God." And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there." (First Kings 18:30-39)
I will be the first to admit that doing worship from the as opposed to experiencing it is difficult to separate. I think they are really intertwined. The doing develops the experience. So next time you worship consider it something you are doing, and by doing, experiencing. If I'm out of line on any of this please call me out. I'd like different perspective as well.
Eugene Peterson is talking about Elijah right now. Something I did not know was that Elijah means "My God is Yahweh". It is interesting that he appears on the scene as Ahab and Jezebel have taken control. Their god was Baal. Elijah's, Yahweh. After Elijah's prophesy in regards to the three in a half year drought (Ironically Baal was the rain god) he comes on the back on the scene in a head to head face off with Ahab and Jezebel. The situation is this.
"So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." (First Kings 18:20-24)
So the God who wins, will torch the competition. So who will win? The crowd watches in rapt attention. Personally I think some were nervous as they knew they worshipped a false god. Plus there were obviously some there who believed that God was who he said he was. Now look at what happened when the prophets of Baal did their thing:
"And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention." (First Kings 18:26-29)
These prophets resorted to stabbing themselves, yet no one paid attention and no fire came! What intrigues me about this (and now we get to the meat) is the difference in worship. The worship of Baal is much more sensual and was definitely an experience to witness, but God doesn't want our experience. "A worship experience" is something that is said a lot today. I've said it myself and there is nothing wrong with a worship experience. But God wants our worship to be something we do, not experience. Our worship can be a sensual experience but it is not something we experience but something we do. "The experience develops out of the worship, not the other way around" (The Jesus Way, p 111). In order to experience something we have to do it. Without the "do" there can and will be no "experience". So now look at how God used Elijah:
"Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name," and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God." And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there." (First Kings 18:30-39)
I will be the first to admit that doing worship from the as opposed to experiencing it is difficult to separate. I think they are really intertwined. The doing develops the experience. So next time you worship consider it something you are doing, and by doing, experiencing. If I'm out of line on any of this please call me out. I'd like different perspective as well.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Just a Thought
I'm reading "From Beirut to Jerusalem" by Thomas L. Friedman. He is a reporter who spent ten years in the Middle East. In one of the many stories he has told an interesting thought appeared. "People discovered something about their inner strength when they were tested, like a metal that can only achieve its real hardness at the highest temperature." (Richard Day, p. 45, From Beirut to Jerusalem). As believers in Christ are we ready to prove our strength? Of course. No. Are we really ready to be prove our strength? The only way to really see the strength of metal is when pressure is applied. How much can you bear? Just a thought.
A Promise from God
I had something happen to me this week that really made me sit back and think. I was riding my bike into work the other night and it was raining. Nothing major. Just a steady sprinkle. As I headed up Austin Bluffs (one road I ride into work) I saw the most brilliant rainbow I've ever seen! Did I have my camera? Of course not. It wouldn't fade either! The closer I got the more solid it became. There was a second one as well but that one was quite a bit fainter and eventually the first one started to fade. I reached the road Sams Club is on and as I started riding down it I saw another rainbow of equal brilliance. This one was amazingly solid. However, the cool thing about it was that I also saw one of the best sunsets I've seen (actually the best) since I moved here. Again. No camera. Oh well. As the sun was a setting the clouds and the sun created this gold glow at one end of the rainbow. I saw the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow, or at least the glow from it. An amazing sight for sure! Now to my point. I couldn't help but think of God's promise to Noah. The earth will not be flooded again. My thoughts however moved beyond that. The promise God has made to each/all of us that He will protect us, provide for us, and just plain be there for us. I believe that's what the promise of the rainbow is. What is the moral of the story boys and girls? God is always there to protect us. Oh and ALWAYS have your camera handy! :-)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Chapter 2
Chapter two discusses faith, sacrifice, and testing. The example given is that of Abraham. Abraham What I found the most amazing was Abraham's obedience. He made mistakes. Some small, some changed history and still affect us today. What's interesting though is one event in Abraham's life. Mount Moriah. It's where Isaac was almost sacrificed. God told Abraham what had to happen and Abraham obediently made a three day trip to make the sacrifice knowing full well he was being asked to kill his son. What amazes me though is that not only did he almost kill his son, but when he heard the voice of God telling him to stop, he wasn't surprised. On top of that neither Abraham or Isaac expressed a hint of surprise that Isaac was not sacrificed. I think it is safe to say that Abraham was not the only man of faith that climbed Mount Moriah that day.
In our lives we will be tested. God wants us to grow and in order to do that we will be tested and will have to make sacrifices along the way, some harder then others. It is important to remember the words of Paul in First Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.(A) God is faithful, and(B) he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." It doesn't matter what is thrown at us. God is there right beside us. That makes the sacrifice worth it!
In our lives we will be tested. God wants us to grow and in order to do that we will be tested and will have to make sacrifices along the way, some harder then others. It is important to remember the words of Paul in First Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.(A) God is faithful, and(B) he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." It doesn't matter what is thrown at us. God is there right beside us. That makes the sacrifice worth it!
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