Author: Tom

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What Do You WANT?

How many times are you asked the seemingly simple question, “What do you want?”, and struggle to come up with an answer?  I know I do often and for various reasons.  Sometimes the question seems to come out of the blue and I’m not really sure what I want.  Other times, the question seems to be more of a rhetorical question — asked by a person, or in a setting, that has shown over time that what I want isn’t really all that important to them.  Then there are times that what I want seems so outlandish, unreasonable, even impossible, that to say it out loud may well set me up for ridicule and even failure — it’s not worth the risk to reply.  Sometimes the answer is watered down because I settle with giving a compromised answer instead of the real answer to what I want.

I should probably preface this article with the statement that I don’t believe life is all about what I want.  🙂  “What do you want?” is only a good question when it and it’s answer flow fully from the will of God discovered through His Word and His Spirit as they live and work in your life.

Jesus asked that very question, “What do you want?”, several times and I think we can learn much from an interchange that takes place between he and a man named Bartimaeus.  Let’s look at what he got and what he could have settled for.

Then they came to Jericho.  As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”  So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”  Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.  “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.  The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.  (Mark 10:46-52 NIV)

As I look at this text, and life, I see four ways that we could answer the question, “What do you want?”.  Unfortunately, we often settle for one of the first three instead of living with the honesty and faith that was shown by Bartimaeus.

The first way that we often hear the question is “What do you Wish?“.  When we hear this way, our response is often either very hesitant or very flippant.  We’ve not seriously thought about what we want so our answers revolve around wishful thinking and dreams.  The problem isn’t that the answer to this question is always wrong — the problem lies more in our attitude toward it.  When we view what we want as just wishful thinking, we are too easily discouraged and give up.  Bartimaeus had to step up beyond the “what do you wish” to overcome those who wanted him to just be quiet.  Are you living with the “what do you wants” of your life simply as wishes that you give up on because others persuade you it will never happen?

Somewhat related, or at least often a by-product, of “what do you wish”, is “What do you Accept?“.  This often comes after a heavy dose of realism and disappointment.  We examine what we really want and what we really believe is possible and come up with a compromise answer of what we will accept.  What we really want hasn’t happened, sounds so unlikely, or has been turned down so often, that we downgrade what we want and settle for what we will accept.  Bartimaeus was determined to continue a pursuit of what he wanted regardless of how much pressure there may have been to accept less.  After all, he had been heard . . . surely he raised awareness among the crowd of the plight of the blind . . . wasnt’ that enough?  Is your life empty of the “what do you wants” because you’ve been convinced to settle for what you will accept?

Particularly for the realist or pragmatic person, the question, “What do you want”, is often at least mentally substituted with, “What do you Need?“.  This takes the “what do you accept” to a basic level.  Sometimes to want anything beyond the basic needs are seen, and taught, as selfish and even un-spiritual so we settle for what we need in spite of what we really want.  Because begging and receiving alms was the basic means of survival for many first-century people with disabilities, Bartimaeus could have easily settled for a pay-off.  There was a crowd that wanted him quiet.  A crowd that was perhaps uncomfortable with him in their midst.  If he wasn’t so set in what he really wanted, he could have easily changed attention to his immediate needs and perhaps gained the means to survive financially for a few more weeks at least.  Have your eyes become so downcast in regards to what you want that you have begun to settle for another’s version of what you need?

If these other substitutes for the question, “What do you want?”, are empty and unsatisfying, what would be a good view of it?  In considering Bartimaeus and the teachings of Jesus, I believe we give the best response when we hear the question, “What do you want? “, as, “What do you Treasure?“!  That is often the reason we settle for what we Wish, Accept, or Need, because we haven’t learned what we really Treasure.  Bartimaeus was bold enough to pursue Jesus through all opposition in order to state to Jesus, “what I really treasure is my sight!”.  Jesus responds that this man’s faith has restored his sight — not faith in what seeing could do for him, faith that Jesus could, and would, make it happen.  Jesus states that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also.  Could it be that you and I don’t pursue, or receive, what we want because we’ve settled for less or because what we treasure is not always the things of God?

I pray that you and I would hear Jesus ask us, “What do you want?”. 

I pray that our response would move beyond what we wish, accept, or need so that we can receive the great treasure of life eternal and the treasure of abundant life that Jesus wants us to have now.

You see, when our hope and faith is in Jesus Christ and we go for what we treasure, we also get what we wish, what we accept, and what we need!

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Gaining Perspective

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I had the privilege of facilitating some high ropes and low course initiatives for a group from Andrews University last week.  The picture above is from one of my favorite low course initiatives that I facilitate.  I’m not super creative so I simply call it the “Golf Ball Transport”.  🙂  The object is to move a regular golf ball about 20 feet from one over-sized golf tee to another using a small metal ring with ten 12 foot strings attached to it.

While it may not sound all that complicated, particularly if you’ve never tried it, this is a great activity for learning the importance of perspective in our communication and actions.  There are few rules to the activity other than each participant must maintain a hold only on the very end of a string and if the ball falls off the ring and hits the ground the entire activity must start over.

Communicating movement based on your perspective isn’t all that helpful when everyone else sees it just a little bit differently.  In this activity, a simple request for everyone to move left simply results in the entire group moving in a circle because each person’s left is in a different direction relative to the ball and tee.  Eventually groups realize that they need to communicate from a common reference point and that their perspective may not give a full and clear picture of where things really are.

How often in life do we insist that people need to move in a certain way because from our perspective that is what makes the most sense to get them where they ought to be.  Unfortunately, we rarely live in the complete center of the will of God where our perspective is actually the same perspective God has.  We must learn to evaluate our movement and actions based on the perspective of God.  It is only after we draw near to that common reference point of God’s will that we can begin to give helpful direction to lead a life that honors God.

I pray that you and I would gain a Godly perspective on our own life first, and then on the lives of those around us as we seek to serve and honor a God that desires all to come into a saving relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus.

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2 Samuel: Lesson 4 — A Deadly Feud

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Samuel.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

 

A Man After God’s Own Heart:
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A Study of the Book of 2 Samuel

Lesson 4 (A Deadly Feud)
2 Samuel 3:22-39

The Text:

  1. Where have David’s men been?  Who has been leading them?  How successful have they been?  What had taken place while they were gone?
     
  2. When he hears of what had happened while he was away, who does Joab go to?  What are his stated concerns?  What response does David have? 
     
  3. What does Joab have done?  What does Joab do when Abner returns?  Why?  How much of this was David aware of as it happened? 
     
  4. How does David react when he hears of what Joab did?  What is his wish, or prayer, for Joab’s house?  What was the difference between the deaths of Abner and Asahel?
     
  5. What did David require Joab and all those with him to do?  What did David do?  What statement did these actions make to the people?  How did these events make David feel as a leader?

     

  The Application:

  1. How focused are you on being successful at what you do?  What defines that success?  Does it ever seem like what you do causes you to miss things that are important?
     
  2. When you disagree with a decision you had no part of, how likely are you to go to the person responsible for the decision?  How thorough would you be with the real reasons for your concern?  Is an explanation or response from the “other side” important to you?
     
  3. Have you ever gone “behind the back” of an authority that you disagreed with to accomplish what you thought should have been done?  Would it have been helpful to hear the authority out before you acted?  What can be the problem of pursuing justice as you see it?
     
  4. How appalled/accepting are you of sin in the lives of the people closest to you?  Why? 
     
  5. How can you keep the wrong of others from discrediting you when it appears that you would benefit from the wrongdoing?  How does having to address sin in others make you feel?

  

Next Week: Look What I Did!
2 Samuel 4

 

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2 Samuel: Lesson 3 — Changing Sides

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Samuel.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

 

A Man After God’s Own Heart:
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A Study of the Book of 2 Samuel

Lesson 3 (Changing Sides)
2 Samuel 3:1-21

The Text:

  1. How well is the house of David and the house of Saul getting along?  What things take place over time?  Who seems to be the actual leader of the house of Saul?
     
  2. What does Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth, accuse Abner of?  How does Abner respond to Ish-Bosheth?  What does Abner promise to do?  What is Ish-Bosheth’s response?
     
  3. What message does Abner send to David?  How does David respond?  What condition does he place on having a meeting?  What happens? 
     
  4. What does Abner say to the elders of Israel?  What does this statement say about the intentions, or desires, of those elders?  What promise of God does Abner remind the elders of?
     
  5. Who else does Abner confer with?  What was Abner’s purpose in travelling to Hebron?  What request does Abner put before David?  How does David respond?

  

  The Application:

  1. What conflicts exist in your life?  Are there extended conflicts between what you want and what God wants?  What effect does extended conflict have on you personally?  Who is the real leader of the opposition against you?
     
  2. Have you ever been accused of something that seemed to make absolutely no sense?  How does it make you feel?  Have seemingly outlandish remarks from someone ever brought you to the point of doing something you should have already done?
     
  3. When you realize you are on the wrong side of an issue, or relationship, how can you initiate changing sides?  What if changing to the “right side” has a condition or cost, are you still willing to change?
     
  4. Are there people who have followed you that are actually waiting for you to lead them in the way that is right?  What promises of God do you need reminded of? 
     
  5. How gracious are you in hearing out people who have opposed you?  How hard is it to be at peace with someone who has spent much of their life as your enemy?  What things make it easier or harder?

Next Week: A Deadly Feud
2 Samuel 3:22-39

 

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2 Samuel: Lesson 2 — Families Feud

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Samuel.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

 

A Man After God’s Own Heart:
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A Study of the Book of 2 Samuel

Lesson 2 (Families Feud)
2 Samuel 2

The Text:

  1. What does David ask of the LORD?  Where is David when he asks this?  What is the LORD’s response?  Where does David go and who goes with him?  What happens there?
     
  2. What is David told about the men of Jabesh Gilead?  How does he respond to this information?  What is his message to them?
     
  3. Who was Abner and what had been his relationship with Saul?  What is his idea of who should lead Israel?  What does he do?
     
  4. Who gathers at Gibeon?  What is the conflict between the two groups?  What does Abner suggest they do?  What is the outcome?  Who wins?
     
  5. Who is involved in the pursuit of Abner?  What happens?  As the pursuit continues, what does Abner say to Joab?  What response does Joab give?  What was the outcome of this exchange of words?

  

The Application:

  1. Are there things in your life that you need to ask God if now is the time to do them?  Do you consistently ask God for specific direction?  What do you need to seek God about this week?
     
  2. How do you respond when you hear of people doing things that are good and right?  Are there ways that you could thank, or show kindness, to people in your life that have done the right thing just because it was the right thing — expecting and receiving no reward?
     
  3. Are there things that you tend to decide to do your way no matter what?  What does that attitude do to your relationship with God?
     
  4. Do you ever end up in the same place as someone you are in conflict with?  How do you feel?  What should you do?  What is the problem with the “may the best person win” method of conflict resolution? 
     
  5. When you find yourself in conflict, how hard is it to call it off?  Have you ever had to “agree to disagree” — even when you were overwhelmingly in the right?  What does a continued fighting among Christians do to the cause of Christ?  Does knowing that give you motivation to be a more active peacemaker?

  

Next week:  Changing Sides
2 Samuel 3:1-21

 

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2 Samuel: Lesson 1 — A New Mourning

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Samuel.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

A Man After God’s Own Heart:
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A Study of the Book of 2 Samuel

Lesson 1 (A New Mourning)
2 Samuel 1

The Text:

  1. Where was David when Saul died?  What had each of them been doing?  What do you remember about the circumstances surrounding Saul’s death?
  2. As 2 Samuel opens, a visitor arrives in David’s camp.  How is he described?  What does he do?  What news does he have?  How does that compare with the account at the end of 1 Samuel?
  3. What question does David have for him?  How does he respond?  Do you think he knew where David had just come from?  How does David respond to this man?
  4. How does David view the deaths of Saul and Jonathan?  What does he do?  Why does he not want the news told in Gath or Ashkelon?
  5. How does David describe Saul and Jonathan?  What was his relationship like with each of them during their life?  What does this say about David?

The Application:

  1. What do you know about David’s reign as King?  What do you hope to learn or understand more fully through a study of 2 Samuel?
  2. How tempting is it to tell news of an event based on how you believe your listener wants to hear it?  What problems exist with that approach?
  3. Have you ever given an answer to someone when you’ve not known the context of the question?  How hard is it to listen and research before speaking?  Why?
  4. How protective are you of the reputations of your friends?  How about with those who have acted like enemies toward you?
  5. Knowing the relationship between Saul and David through much of 1 Samuel, how hard do you think it was for David to genuinely mourn Saul’s death?  When do you think David’s mourning for Saul began?  How does this show in his words about Saul and Jonathan?  Are there people you mourn for that are still living?  What can you do about it?

Next week:  Families Feud
2 Samuel 2

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Just A BREATH

“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.  You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.  Each man’s life is but a breath.”  Psalm 39:4-5

I’ve thought all day about something to write as the anniversary of my birth rolls by and people keep telling me I’m another year older.  So far my mind doesn’t seem to be putting the thoughts together, so I guess I’ll write a rambling blog post. 🙂

Some days I pray that God would show me my life’s end has arrived, but not today.
Some days I wish that the number of my days were complete, but not today.
Some days I don’t think my life is fleeting enough, but not today.
Today I wonder what makes my life “but a breath” and how can that have real value.

Today, life is just a(n) . . .

Bonus
Reminder
Encouragement
Attitude
Training
Honor

Since none of us really know the number of our days, then we ought to live as if today life is a bonus!  Oh I know, some people are told by a doctor that they only have a certain amount of time to live but in reality even that is just an educated guess not a certainty.  Would our life be lived differently if we knew for certain we were living on borrowed time?  What would we change if we really believed that today was a bonus day of life?  Since God says your life is but a breath, why not live like today is just a bonus!

Life as just a breath means that today life is just a reminder!  The fact that there is a today is a reminder that God is patient.  When people in the first century began to question if Jesus would really return since he hadn’t yet done so, God tell us that He is not slow in keeping his promises but he is patient, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.  Today is a reminder of God’s purpose for giving another day — an opportunity for you and I to share the gospel of Jesus with someone so that they might believe in Jesus, repent, and have their sins washed away.

Knowing God’s patience — his long-suffering on behalf of you and I — should mean today life is just an encouragement!  Even knowing ourself, what an encouragement to experience God showering his love on us that he would call us his children and fill us with his spirit.  Not only is today an encouragement from God to us, it ought to be an encouragement from us to others.  God tells us in the book of Hebrews to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today.”  Live today as if it is just another opportunity to be encouraged and to encourage others.

If today is easy for you, you can be sure there will be a today that is not.  It is especially in those tough times that we can learn from, and lean on, Jesus as we see from his example that today life is just an attitude!  Can you imagine the help wanted ad for the job Jesus came to earth to do?  Who in their right mind would apply?  Paul tells us that we should have the same attitude as Christ Jesus who humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross.  None of us are called to take the sin of the world upon ourself and die — it would really do no good as it would only cover the payment we owe and nothing more.  Yet how hard is it for you and I to take on the attitude of obedience when the day ahead of us looks harder and more painful than we would like?  If today life is just an attitude, why not make it the attitude of Jesus — one of humility and obedience.

It is often said, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”  With that in mind, we ought to consider that today life is just a training for whatever lies ahead!  It  doesn’t matter if tomorrow is another day of serving, ministering to, and loving the people around you or if it is worship in heaven at the very throne of God, today is just a training to prepare you for your tomorrow.  Unless there is internet access in heaven you are still alive here on earth to be reading this so today is just training to help you press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of you.  When today is just training it is not about being perfect today, it is about pressing on toward the mark — toward the perfection, the maturity, we have in Christ Jesus when we see him face to face.

As we consider the task God has given us of sharing the good news of his son, Jesus Christ, with the world, it should be concluded that today life is just an honor!  As I watched some of the television coverage of the Olympic games, athlete after athlete would talk about what an honor it was to represent their country at such an event.  As we consider today life is just a bonus, a reminder, an encouragement, an attitude, and a training, we ought to realize that a life lived in service to the King of kings is an honor.  Jesus said that whatever we’ve done for the “least of these my brethren, you’ve done for me”.  How does that change our approach to today if we recognize our serving of “the least” is really the honor of serving our King?

Today, life is just a BREATH! 

Well, I’ve rambled long enough as the anniversary of my birth draws to a close.  I pray that I can take to heart what God has given me to write down.  I pray also that it is useful to you as you spend time with God and allow Him to evaluate your life and the BREATH that is your today!

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FINAL Words

I had a person tell me yesterday that I was the only person around that they would want to preach their funeral service.  I’m sure it was a compliment, but I have to admit that I was a little taken back by it.  This was a seemingly healthy person but they stated, “At my age, you start thinking about such things.” 

It did make me think — a little about them and what I might say, but more about me and what I would want my life to say when it finally comes to an end here on earth.  As I  thought about that, I remembered a sermon I preached a year ago as we were doing a series through the book of Acts.  The sermon was based on Paul’s final meeting with the Ephesian elders recorded for us in Acts 20.  I think it provides a workable outline for all of us to consider as we think about our FINAL Words.

Familiar.  Meaningful final words will most often be familiar final words.  Paul didn’t throw in any surprises, but gently reminds them of whose he is, what he’s taught them, and how he’s lived and served.  I can picture his listeners all nodding in agreement as he begins the conversation with words that were familiar because they not only described Paul’s teaching, but his life as well.  It is much easier to believe and connect with a person’s final words if they are familiar to how they lived and who they were.

Instructive.  The final words of a life ought also to be instructive.  These words give hope and peace.  While not stated here in the Acts 20 text, Paul’s life was lived in a way that left a clear instruction, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice” (Philippians 4:9).  Paul’s instructive words let his listeners know that he was aware of what was ahead of him — and he was okay.

Necessary.  Useful final words often contain a necessary element to them.  Things that really need to be said but may be difficult to say and/or hear.  Paul uses the necessary part of his final words to issue a warning.  He warns of danger from the outside and even from within.  Paul warns them that even from among those that are there with him, some would arise and seek to draw disciples away from God and to themselves.  Final words can be a good time to say what has to be said no matter what.

Assuring.  Good final words are assuring words to the hearers.  Even with the necessary warning words, Paul assures them that God can build them up and give them an inheritance.  Paul also assures them that he is not asking any more of them than what he has been willing to give himself.  There is something about good final words that assures others that not only are you going to be okay, they are going to make it as well.

Lasting.  Memorable final words are lasting final words.  Most people have some level of desire to leave a legacy.  I believe that if your final words are familiar, instructive, necessary, and assuring then they will be lasting.  Paul left not just the words of his mouth, but the words of his life and they had a lasting influence — so much so that we still read them today and gain comfort, courage, and conviction.

I pray that you and I would take the time to consider the FINAL words we are sharing with others.  Not so much the words of our mouth, but what are the words of our life saying to those who are watching?  May our FINAL words be a benefit for others to the glory of God!