Motivation

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality”--Dante Alighieri

I've started reading A Thousand Days by Arthur Schlesinger. The book details the life of President John F. Kennedy. Schlesinger details that Kennedy was a voracious reader. Words impassioned Kennedy to move to action. It appeared that Kennedy derided passivity. Due to those things, the clarion call to work for positive change resounded in my heart and in my mind this morning.

Thus, I want to resolve early to be more of an active participant in life rather than a passive spectator. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., said, "As life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at the peril of being not to have lived." How do I do this? First, I need to make Mark 12:29-31 a priority. How? By getting into God's word, practicing discipline, and learn to live a balanced spiritual life. Second, the relationships in my life, both personally, and professionally, must be strengthened. I have become involved with the Law-Related Education Committee with the Oklahoma Bar Association, which is an exciting opportunity to round out my professional experiences. I also need to join the Family Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar, since that is an area of law in which I predominately practice. I want to pursue greater depth in my personal relationships, too. They enrich my life so much, it's incredible. My girlfriend challenges me daily to be a better man. My parents provide such great support. My colleagues at work have provided a much needed community. I am blessed.

I am inspired by the life of President Kennedy, my friends, and my family. My desire is to become a scholar and an artist. It is my hope that I can return the gifts that have been given to me to those who have so richly blessed my life.

I am excited about this new year coming.

Father, you desire for us to be actively engaged in the world, to become influencers for your kingdom. You declare that we must make disciples. Father, fan this flame of desire.

Borrowed content

I am comforted by words. Words inspire me. Joe Doggett, a writer for the Houston Chronicle says that well-written words are like days in the sun. I think that's true, particularly since Oklahoma has been dogged by cold, icy, gray days lately.

I found some well-written words by a man who is on staff at Horizon Church of Towson named Mark Stephenson. I frequent Mark's blog because he usually has some thought provoking entries. One such entry on the song "Little Drummer Boy" piqued my interest. I want to share with you the last few lines, where Mark commentates about the little boy playing his drum for King Jesus:

The little boy gets a smile from King Jesus. A simple smile. But that smile
speaks a thousand words. It was as if Jesus was saying that the drumming was the best gift that he got that night. Jesus was more honored by the poor boy who
poured his heart out through his drum than all the wealth in the world. The
little boy didn't have much to offer. All he had was himself. But he gave all of
himself away and received more than he could have imagined.

I am reminded of Mark 8:32-8, where Jesus declares that those who lose their lives for the gospel's sake will save their lives. It is only through total surrender that we see King Jesus smile. Ultimately, all we have to offer is ourselves.

Challenged

Some time ago, I went to the Oklahoma State Free Will Baptist Association meeting. The theme this year was, "Gone Fishing". The theme last night was "Deep Sea Fishing." Mike Cousineau was the featured speaker. Mr. Cousineau heads up the Hanna Project (http://www.hannaproject.com/). I was moved by the images shown on the screen. Mike Cousineau actually acted as the facilitator for the evening. A pastor that I have known for many years spoke on a familiar passage to me: Mark 12:29-31.

The passage is one that has new meaning, since I'm now an attorney. The "lawyer" asks Jesus what is the greatest commandment. Jesus replies by quoting the shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-6, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart mind, soul, and strength." Additionally he quotes Leviticus 19:18, "Love your neighbor as yourself." The passage in Matthew 22 Jesus says that on those two things hang all the law and the prophets.

How did this fit into what moved me at the conference? Well, the pastor, Jimmy Holbrook, made a startling statement where he essentially stated that when I learn to love God with everything I am, I am able to love my neighbor as myself. I begin to learn to be "other-centered." As Rick Warren eloquently puts it, "It's not about me." Grasping that leads me back to Mark 12:29-31 and helps me to be a fisher of men.

New territory

The past few weeks have been intriguing for me. Since my last post, situations breezed through my life and have sparked some interesting thoughts. First, I read a blog post from a church website (www.marshillchurch.org) that is for Christian single adults. The post, entitled, "Stop Test-Driving Your Girlfriend" (www.boundless.org) asked a very poignant question, "Am I the sort of man a godly woman would want to marry?" This takes the focus off me and makes the question more "other-centered" in its approach for not only myself but for the woman, too. The article encouraged me to read through 1 Timonty 3 and Titus 1 and to observe Ephesians 5. Wow! What an awesome responsibility I have as a man. Spiritual leadership carries much more weight that even I knew of beforehand. "Living wisely" has become the statement that has really engaged my mind over the last month.

Thank you, Father, for my new relationship. I pray that my words and actions conform to your standard of holiness. Father, remind me daily to be the kind of man a godly woman desires to marry, and, if I am not, point out any fault that needs to be corrected.

So close...yet so far away

No one ever said life was easy. In fact, Jesus even tells us that we will have trouble (John 16:33). But, man, sometimes I just wish that things came easier. Life has hit me hard over the past few weeks, and, frankly, I'm disturbed about it. Ever get that feeling you're stuck in neutral? That's where I am. Feelings of discontentment, depression, and lack of direction sink to my core.

Shouldn't I be experiencing that "abundant life" Jesus discussed in John 10:10? Yes! Then why am I not? Because my focus is off! Jesus leaves us his peace in John 16:33, but I need to, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." (Philippians 2:12) I love Dallas Willard's quote about grace not being opposed to effort but opposed to earning. It's all in the attitude. To love Christ intentionally requires effort--discipline. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-7, discussed this idea of discipline: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (NIV) This idea of discipline has piqued my interests for a while now on many levels. Hopefully, I can describe some of those to you in later posts.

For now, though, I ask that God may dwell richly in our lives. I hope that, as HIS disciple, I can learn to walk in a manner worthy of being called a disciple.

Where is our focus?

"If you make doctrine the main thing, you are very likely to grow narrow-minded; if you make your own experience the main thing, you will become gloomy and censorious of others; if you make ordinance the main thing, you will be apt enough to grow merely formal; but you can never make too much of the living Christ Jesus. Remember that all things else are for his sake."--Charles Spurgeon

As a believer, where does my focus lie? Do I focus on being or doing? I like what Dallas Willard says in his book, The Great Omission: "Grace is not opposed to effort, but to earning."

How are these two quotes interrelated? What does anyone think?

Creative Extremism

“But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ..." So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremist for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime---the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., excerpt from Letter from Birmingham City Jail

No Rest for the Weary

Physically, I'm tired. Yet, I've felt more fulfilled the last few weeks than I have in a long time. A lot of my fatigue comes from everything feeling new at my office, but that's to be expected since I'm new. I enjoy what I'm doing.

Of course, this gets me thinking about "rest" and "sabbath". We were created for a six-day week and need to rest one. While I know that Jesus discussed that Sabbath was made for man and not man for Sabbath (see Mark 2). The big thing for me is learning to rest in God, like Psalm 46:10 declares, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth."

Father, help me to rest in you. Remind me to listen, to look, and to live in you.

Oops!

Recently, I emailed some friends of mine an article from another blog and asked their opinion. To my chagrin, I was lovingly chastised for sending it. I have to admit that I was shocked for disappointing my friend. However, as the day progressed and we exchanged subsequent e-mails and conversations, my mind slowed, and understanding occurred. The gratitude to God for sending my friend to me replaced those feelings of shame. Why? Because a true friend sharpens the other, like the writer of Proverbs states, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) Additionally, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)

Father, thank you for true friendship. Thank you for their honesty and love. Correction can sometimes be tough, but YOU have shown me that I can learn from each experience.

Good stuff

These lyrics amaze me when I hear them. Reading them a few days ago sent a warmth through my heart:

I Bless Your Name
Words and Music by Elizabeth Goodine

In prisoners' chains
With bleeding stripes
Paul and Silas prayed that night
And in their pain began to sing
Their chains were loosed
And they were free
I bless Your Name I bless Your Name
I give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
I bless Your Name I bless Your Name

Some midnight hour
If you should find
You're in a prison in your mind
Reach out and praise
Defy those chains
And they will fall
In Jesus' Name

We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name
We give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
We bless Your Name We bless Your Name

© 2003 Wayne Goodine Music (ASCAP) (Adm. by ICG) All rights reserved. Used by permission. International copyright secured.

Ch-ch-changes

Things have been wonderfully hectic the past few weeks. Most of you who might read this blog already know that I've experienced some extreme highs--like passing the bar and being admitted into the Oklahoma bar. Wow! God is good. We've started a community group at Council Road Baptist Church (www.councilroad.org), and things are beginning with such promise. Things are really moving forward for me.

God, remind me daily to intentionally pursue you. Without you, I am nothing. If you are not ahead of me, do not allow me to move in any direction.