Book Review and Giveaway-Switch!

Switch, by Dan and Chip Heath, is one of the most hopeful, informative books I have read in a while. The book is all about what goes into change-personal, corporate, national, and global. It is laced with stories about people that have inspired and carried out change to one level or another. If you are looking to change something, anything, in your personal life, family, business, or community, this is a great place to start. Of course this is not the end all on how to accomplish change, but it provides a great framework to get started and stay motivated. The stories in this book can't help but be retold. I found myself multiple times putting the book down, and asking Court to listen to a story I just read, almost every time receiving a genuine "Wow" in response. It is a must read. If you would like a free copy of the book, you can either retweet this blog post, e-mail me at waughbash15855@yahoo.com with "I want a book" in the title, or repost this link on your Facebook page (make sure and tag my name with the @ symbol). I will pick someone randomly by 4:00 tomorrow. Good luck!

Thoughts from the heart

I don't want this post to sound like a guilt trip. Just honest thoughts hoping to get you thinking about your own walk with Christ. I realized this morning that I don't really want to know Christ. I used to sing a song as a kid that was taken from Phil 3:10. Part of the lyrics went like this-"I want to know Christ and the power of his rising, share in his sufferings, conform to his death." The song is so happy and cheery that I honestly have never really thought about the words I was singing. "Share in his sufferings, conform to his death!" The actual scripture says, "Become like him in his death." When was the last time I thought, "I want to suffer the way Christ suffered. I'd like to die like he did." And the answer to that question scares me because it is a resounding "Never". But Paul is implying here, if we really want to know Christ, if we really want to know his heart, we must desire this. And I realized this morning, that I don't want that...really. I have never prayed to suffer as Christ suffered. That by any means possible, I want to know Christ. Listen to seriousness of those words, "By any means possible." I don't know if I truly believe that. As Paul wrote in Romans, "What a wretched man I am! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Because it is only by his grace and mercy will I ever have a chance to truly know Christ.

Suffering Part 3

Here is one of the responses to yesterday's posting. This impacted me so much, I wanted to share it with you.

When we're suffering, we typically get on our knees and beg God to make it stop. In Acts 4, when the apostles were publically flogged for preaching the gospel, they went to church, got on their knees together, and prayed that God would make them even bolder and more courageous in their preaching. That blatant difference scares me for a variety of reasons.

But what if we tried something different? What if instead of praying for our sick to be healed, we prayed that God would help them be radiant exemplars of Christian hope and victory over death and dying? What if praying for the safety of our military, we prayed God would raise up missionaries to go into the most dangerous parts of the earth? What if instead of praying for God to end a particular struggle or suffering or persecution, we asked Him to help us to relate more to Christ and His sufferings (and maybe even asked Him not to turn down the heat until we do)? What if instead of asking God to make things easier for us to move around in the world, we asked Him to give us such courage that no obstacle, no matter how daunting, would stop us from going where He sends?

These are all such anti-cultural/anti-church (as in the modern church) ideas. This is so against everything that my flesh screams. And I think it is at the heart of what God wants for his people. God help us as we begin to suffer in a way that glorifies you.

Suffering Part 2

Most of my thoughts today come straight from 1 Peter. I think if it were a book today it might be named "How to Suffer Well-Always for the Sake of Doing Good". After reading this letter through, one could tell Peter has obviously experienced suffering. Peter also has an unwavering hope that all of his suffering was not in vain and ours won't be either...if done right. It is kind of funny writing on this subject because I haven't really suffered. I am so blessed to have a wife, a home, a great family, a job, food, clothing, and both sets of Grandparents still alive. Sure, I've experienced some difficult situations, but none as tough as the Christians Peter was writing to. I feel almost as if I am reviewing a movie that I haven't seen or a book I haven't read. But it is this fact scares/excites/motivates me. I would not by any means wish suffering upon myself or anyone else. I would much rather give God glory in preaching or in leading worship than through suffering. But, if that's what it takes for me to realize that I have nothing without God and cannot place my hope anywhere else, so be it. Peter goes so far to state that "We were called" to suffer for doing good. Put another way, it is God's will that we suffer for doing good. It is God's will that we suffer?! Furthermore, we must give glory to God when we do! I am scared for what God is going to call me to suffer through. I am scared it's going to be difficult. I am scared it is going to test my faith. So my prayer now is, when suffering does come, either for doing good or because creation is subjected to futility, I will give God all the glory for letting me be an instrument of his mercy.

Suffering

This week will begin a new series on suffering. As I wrote last week, I have been reading extensively through 1 Peter which is a letter all about suffering well for the sake of the Gospel. I recently read a blog by Tim Keller who stated the five things the local church needs to address and deal with in order to grow.

-Be in the business of Culture-making not culture following
-A renewal of apologetics
-A greater variety of church models
-Develop a far better theology of suffering
-A critical mass of churches in major cities around the world

I will attempt to tackle suffering this week and hope to get your thoughts on a few of the issues. Today I'll deal with the culture's thoughts on suffering.

Typically, Americans don't suffer well...here in the bible belt anyway (kind of ironic). Suffering of any kind is looked on not as a building of character or integrity, but as something no one in their life should ever experience. For most Americans, even after a natural disaster or terrorist attack, the idea of suffering angers us and causes Toby Keith to write lyrics like, "We'll put a boot in your a@# it's the American way". Suffering is viewed as unjust (more than likely it is), unfair, wrong and blameworthy. However, I don't disagree with any of those ideas, it is the way in which people react to the idea of suffering. People turn to the legal system and sue each other, they resort to irrational behavior and language and find anyway possible to blame whatever they are experiencing on someone or something else. The very definition of suffering has behind it the idea that one is undergoing something difficult. And to me, this screams the exact opposite of our microwavable, "Easy Button" culture. "Anything difficult...no thanks. I'll lie to my spouse, cheat on my taxes, and gossip about my so-called friends. That's easier. I'll avoid any chance that I might actually undergo something difficult." Suffering well is hard. It's not easy. It has caused countless Christians to lose their faith in God. What do you think? Has the church bought into the culture's idea that we should avoid suffering at all costs?

Bible Translations

I grew up reading the NIV. I really never knew anything different. However, the one thing I did know was that the KJV was outdated, sounded ridiculous, and was more difficult to read. Recently I have been listening to a few preachers that study and preach from the ESV (English Standard Version). So, I started reading it and the differences and nuances I found in it were so refreshing. The ESV is actually much closer to the actual Greek translation than the NIV. Let me give you an example. Caleb and Laura and I were reading through 1 John in preparation for LEGO groups this Sunday and the beginning of Chapter 3 reads like this in the NIV. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" Here it is in the ESV. "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God" The actual Greek reads this way, word for word. "See from what foreign origin the love has given to us the Father that children of God we should be called." The translation I just gave you would be considered the Interlinear-word for word in the Greek. The image at the bottom gives you most major translations and where they fall in relation to interlinear or thought for thought. What translation do you read?