Author: Wick

On the mens’ retreat last month, we had a morning conversation outside.  I thought I’d be the smart one, and wore swim trunks and an undershirt while everyone else wore layers of warmth.  Thunderclouds were nearby, and I smiled, hoping we’d get drenched and these “men” would try to tough it out in their layers.  Well, the rain came.  The circle of guys moved under shelter.  I was just cold.

But good conversation was still had.  The discussion prompt was asked by our host, “When during your day do you “become Christian” for that day?”  Despite sensing some bit of theology I didn’t like there…I understood what he was really asking.  “When do you spend time with Jesus in a way that matters to how you live?”  We went around the circle.  It was obvious that our host believed this should be done early in the day, so that it offers something for the rest of your hours.  I answered honestly.

I’m a morning person.  I can get up whenever the alarm goes off, usually.  But when we began having kids, it began to change.  If I get up early, it often wakes others up, as they’re curious of the noise.  So I began sleeping until our kids woke us up, and the morning was with them.  I find my time usually later in the day, at work (as a pastor, I can usually carve out a moment), or in the car, etc.

Then he pointed out…wouldn’t I rather my daughters grew up learning their dad spent his first moments of each day with Jesus, preparing for whatever may come?  Yes, actually, I’d love that.

I came back from the retreat, and set my alarm for 6am.  My wife has joined me as well.  I’ll be honest, it hasn’t happened every morning.  But most mornings, it’s been a great way to begin the day.  I’ve tried different things: prayer, scripture reading, writing, reading other things, silence, etc.  I’ve found no matter the avenue, God blesses those moments for the day ahead.  On occasion, a daughter does hear the noise and come out.  “What are you doing?” she’ll ask.  “Spending some time with Jesus” we say.  Then they’ll usually cuddle up on the couch and rest, or grab a book themselves.

This is a good discipline. 🙂

Luke 21:8 “And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he! and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.”

We’ve probably heard these words before, but I believe we usually limit their impact on our lives.  We zoom in on the literal translation, and miss out on what Jesus is actually offering us here.  He was speaking to 1st Century Jews about the coming destruction of the temple, etc.  But His words also carry much into our lives as well.

“..many will come in my name…”  We’ve lost some of what Jesus is saying here, simply because we usually reduce “name” to that which a person is called by or responds to.  The word here (onoma) means so much more than simply someone coming and saying the name “Jesus”.  As I’ve posted before to help understand similar texts in the New Testament, we can think of the word “name” in the same sense as “nature”.  Think about the nature of Jesus.  His nature is to bring healing, restoration, forgiveness, right-ness, and to reveal Truth.  To be something we can put our eternal Hope in.  Jesus is saying here, “many will come saying this is also their nature”.  We see this on a daily basis, in advertising and other areas.  Products, people, powers, situations and systems, and “get rich quick” ideas that all offer/promise to be something it makes sense to put our hope or fear in, and receive life from/be anxious over..

May we not be led “off the path” by these things.

Then he ads an extra blow. “..and say, ‘I am he!’ ”  Most of our translations say “I am he!”  But the actual word here (eimi) does not actually include “he”.  It was added to reinforce the “come in my name” statement.  The word here is the same used in  1 Corinthians 1:28, “God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are (eimi).”

The literal translation of these words, then, is “come in my name and say, ‘I am‘..”, which says much more that our first glance.  It’s not just warning us against people who come and say “I’m Jesus”, or “I’m with Jesus”.  It’s warning us against everything that comes and pretends to BE something to worry/concern/live for/give priority and place in our life.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are on us once again.  We can fly right past being thankful and into the deals, ads, and shopping for gifts, because the Christmas shopping season proclaims “I AM”.  Many of us will spend time with family and friends, and there may be relationship issues and brokenness in our midst that needs forgiveness and healing.  We need freedom from these things in our life that are shouting “I AM!!”.  Jesus offers us that freedom…and community with others who are living as people made free.

In your life this week, what is shouting “I AM!!”?  Jesus offers freedom even now.  May God free us, and may we live as thank-filled…

Recently I was given this “Life Discipler” (follow link for site) to review, along with a letter from its’ creator, Tony Guard.  I was kind of excited at first, to actually receive a small electronic trendy looking device for free, simply for promising to write a review online. 

Then I opened it.  I took their advice and used it for at least 5 days. I even gave it extra time…a whole week. 

I agree that some of the goals are being met here:  It’s cheap, retailing at $29.99.  But it should be, for basically being a calculator that displays Bible verses and has an alarm.  The simplicity of design is nice, with just one central button, and one outer button for navigation.  But the amounts of clicking down and up make me really wish the outside button would spin for a scrolling feature.  I found myself thinking “it’d be nice to read a verse on another topic, but I really don’t want to do all that clicking.”  Yup…I’m thumb lazy.

Being someone that is fond of lamps in my office, the first thing I noticed was the display is very dimly lit.  You need a bright sun, or a very well lit room to use it.  But it is small, and has a ring to be clipped to a keyring or something.  So the presentation is nice.  But with so many teens having iPods and similar gadgets these days, this product seems to be superfluous and uses outdated technology.  Perhaps make them more rugged, and ship them to 3rd world countries?  Although his letter states an elderly woman “over 80” was able to use it…so maybe give some to the local nursing homes too.

Let me quickly go through of the “Important Details” they gave us:
1. Never before seen tool for Christians. (Okay, ice cream cones with Bible verses would be too.  Doesn’t make them necessary, even though they’d obviously be cooler.)

2. You can get God’s guidance immediately, like never before.  (Never before?  I found it much easier to pray, or even open a Bible, than take the time to click through this to find a single scripture out of context.)

3. No searching/No remembering, it feeds you verses using an audible alarm.  (Really?  An alarm to remind you not to memorize scripture?)

4. Keeps you focused on God instead of your problem or the world.  (I could write a lot about this one.  But I will simply say – no it doesn’t.)

In closing, if you’re looking for a gift for your Jesus loving teenager/young adult, or one that you want to encourage in their pursuit of Jesus….this doesn’t seem like the gift.

But if you read this, and still really wanna buy one for that special person in your life…I’ve been authorized to give you a code “GROW20” that will get you 20% off.  Which is really nothing special, since the website has a similar discount offered to anyone.  I will say, Tony’s letter sounds like he cares a lot about “getting Christians into the Word more”. I just don’t see how this product will encourage that, beyond encouraging an “a la cart” approach to scripture and frustrating those of us with dim rooms and lazy thumbs.