Far Away By Lacrea
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Tag: Kingdom of God
“The Lightlings” (A Children’s book Review)
The Lightlings
The book gets really interesting at this point as the story shifts from the comfort of a grandfather telling a story in a home to the magical world of the Lightlings. However the world of enchantment is short lived as the Lightlings disobey their king and run to the darkness to cover their shame. The story of grace and redemption in coming to the light then unfolds.
I really liked this book and where it was headed. The book has a lot of strengths and can open the door for deeper discussion with your children. Perhaps the greatest strength to this book is the list of 13 questions to ask your kids and scripture references that come at the end of this book. This helps ensure that its not only a bed time story, but a teaching moment.
That being said, there are a few things that jumped out at me. I was puzzled why the Lightling creatures needed to be created as fairy like creatures. My daughter already gets fairies and angels a little confused. I think its the wings that do it for her. All allegory breaks down at some point. And while illustrating the run to the darkness, Sproul leaves much unsaid about how or why the Lightlings disobey the Light King. In my opinion, as an allegory this is where the story is the weakest. That being said, all allegory breaks down at some point.
Over all it was a great book and I would recommend it for parents with young children. The Lightlings
Disclaimer: A PDF of this book was provided for review by Reformation Trust Publishing. They will send me a complimentary copy after they see my revies. There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for me to call it like I see it.
Book Review: “Tea With Hezbollah” by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis
Tea With Hezbollah: Sitting at The Enemies’ Table, Our Journey Through The Middle East by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis is by far one of the best books I have ever read. The authors take the reader on a thrilling real life adventure through the Middle East to have tea and discuss what it means to love your neighbor with many of America’s greatest assumed enemies. This book is full of eye-opening encounters that show a softer side of the Middle East not often portrayed in the West.
The interviews and introspection provided in this book are key in understanding the life experiences and mindset of those who live in the Middle East. The book is faithful to seek varied perspectives along the way. The insight gained from this book is key and has helped me personally understand and gain an interest in Middle Eastern affairs. I would highly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in Middle Eastern issues.
This is a very timely and well written book that engages the reader every step of the way. Tea With Hezbollah is a must read for 2010. The retail price is $22.99 (Hardcover) and is worth twice that. It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $15.51. I give it 5 Stars and would give it more. It truly is a great book.
Disclaimer: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for me to call it like I see it.
My Top 5 blog Posts of 2009
I’ve been blogging right at a year now. I really didn’t get serious about it until later this year some time around September. My original purpose was to open the door to share the gospel and encourage others in their relationship with Jesus Christ. So far I have been blessed beyond imagination to start conversations and interact with people I haven’t seen in years or have never met face to face. I have lots of plans about blogging in the new year, but before we go there, I thought I would do a little research and share some of the most popular posts of this past year.
1. 3 things I’d tell my teenage daughter after watching “New Moon”
2. A Few thoughts on Fatherhood
3. My Story (An introduction) … You can catch the rest of the series by following the links
4. Why Santa Clause Doesn’t come to Pensacola
5. 3 keys to a good Disciple Now Weekend … You can catch the rest of this series by following the links
My goal for 2010 is to refine my blogging to three main areas. Based on the response to these blog posts and others I hope to focus on Family, Ministry, and Book Reviews. While none of my book reviews independently made the top 5, I had several that were close and book reviews do make up a great deal of my traffic. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to try some new things in 2010 like contests and giveaways. I look forward to the new year and all that it has in store.
Review: “Spectacular Sins” By John Piper
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the Florida Baptist Convention where I got a chance to buy a copy of John Piper’s book, Spectacular Sins at the Lifeway store. Being a Piper fan and having read most all of his works I set out to read this book this past weekend. I was refreshed with the candor and diligence with which Piper writes in this book. The introduction alone is worth the price of the book.
After establishing a need for a more vigilant Christianity and pleading with the reader to be prepared for the advancing darkness Piper launches into an exposition of several of the spectacular sins that have been recorded in the scriptures. He writes of sins such as the fall in the Garden of Eden, rebellion at the Tower of Babel, selling of Joseph, and betrayal by Judas and how through each rebellious act God was in control, turning evil on its nose and causing great good to come out of acts that were intended for evil.
You can find the book in hard cover it normally goes for $15.99, but you can find it on Amazon.com for $10.87 and even cheaper from Desiring God in paper back for $6.49. You can find our more about John Piper and resources he has written and produced here. The original sermons that have been recorded in print in this book can also be found free of charge here on the Desiring God ministry site.
I highly recommend this brief book (128 Pages) to anyone interested getting a glimps at how God can cause good to triumph over plans that were intended for evil. It is an urgent message that is much-needed in our day. I give it 4 stars.
Review: Five Who Changed the World
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet a few gentlemen from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I was looking down the road a few years and trying to figure out what doctoral work would look like. In the process of conversation the representatives of Southeastern were able to share with me in great detail about the seminary and their president, Daniel Akin, and offered me a copy of his book, “Five Who Changed the World.”
Finally last week I had the opportunity to read through the book. While I am greatly familiar with Christian biographies (I’ve been reading them since I was 16 and helped found and sponsored the Christian Heritage Conference that we held in Mobile for several years), I was blessed to read Akin’s book. Originally each chapter was a missions message delivered in the chapel at Southeastern.
These five messages now written down and combined in book form are challenging and motivating. Though these messages do not contain a great amount of biographical detail they are very motivational and challenging. I was blessed to be drawn to the heart of worshiping God through mission. Each chapter details the life of a missionary (William Carey, Adoniram and Ann Judson, Bill Wallace, Lottie Moon, and Jim Elliot) combined with a passage of Scripture that each missionary illustrated throughout their life.
You can find the book in hard cover on Amazon.com for $15. You can find our more about Daniel Akin and resources he has written and produced here. The original sermons that have been recorded in print in this book can also be found free of charge here on his site.
I highly recommend this brief book to anyone interested in understanding Christian mission. It is a quick read and highly motivational (I was drawn to tears over and over again). I give it 5 stars.
Every Student, Every Neighbor
It was 4 AM and I couldn’t sleep. So I just laid there in bed with thoughts racing through my head about prayer, how to pray, why we pray, why we don’t pray enough and who would be at their flag pole in the morning. I was worried because I am not normally compulsive about simple events like asking students to show up and pray at their flag pole. So I eased my mind and began to call out to Jesus for clarity and for focus. In my heart he began a burden that was more fully realized later at the flagpole that day.
I stood around with a crowd of about sixty teenagers at a flag pole as they prayed. I watched from my huddle of adults as hundreds of other kids piled around the court yard wondering what was going on at their flag pole. My heart broke for the students. Sixty at the pole and about three hundred on the outside watching, more arriving each minute. As I stood there I could see it like a sign over thier heads. People lost like sheep without a shepherd. Words about addictions, struggles, and issues that lead to death filled my mind. Words like anorexia, school violence, drugs, depression, peer pressure, alcohol poisoning, drunk driving, bulemia, abortion, suicide, rape, racism, bullying… lies that people believe. My heart was broken knowing that many have never even heard the name of Jesus other than a cuss word.
Then I called out to God from the noise in my head and pleaded for him to empower these sixty, these few to reach their school for Jesus. Though much of the freedoms once afforded teachers and other adults on the campus were coming under attack in our area, one thing was clear… students still have the freedom to share the gospel and tell their friends about Jesus.
Yet peer pressure stands in the way. That is what kept sixty around the pole instead of in the crowds. Its also what kept students from finding their way to school on time and praying at the pole. The older I get, the easier it is to see. Like going on a mission trip and seeing the need in another culture, I look at students, now that I am a generation removed, and see more clearly than ever their need for the gospel. Indeed, I am a missionary to another culture.
Then it struck home. What about the place where I live? What about my culture? What about my neighborhood just a few blocks away? Do I see the need there? There is a need. Though my neighbors have houses like mine, cars like mine, kids like mine, and experience the same weather I do, many do not know, or have not heard about Jesus.
So I transitioned out of thought and into thoughtful action. Rebekah (my 3 year old) and I are out walking the streets in the evenings meeting neighbors and developing relationships for a bridge to the gospel. My aim is to meet and find opportunities to share the gospel with all of my neighbors.
I am still burdened for our schools and the student culture (and their parents) that I have been called to pastor and be a missionary to. My prayer is that as we pray and ask God to send laborers that students and families would catch a vision for God and He would use them to share the gospel with every student, teacher, and faculty member by the end of the school year.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38 ESV)
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”(Romans 10:13-16 ESV)
What about you? What is your strategy to reach your neighborhood, school, or workplace? Are you partnering with others to see Jesus proclaimed where you are?
Forgiveness
The idea of forgiveness can be a hard one to handle. It is not always easy to forgive or even to ask for forgiveness. Sometimes it seems like it is easier to harbor a grudge or exact our revenge than to forgive. However, forgiveness is not just an option but it is a mandate for the Christian life. We are told repeatedly in the New Testament that we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven in Christ.
Peter once asked Jesus just how often he was supposed to forgive his brother. He thought he was being generous when he asked, “Up to seven times?” Can you imagine his shock when Jesus replied, “up to seventy times seven.” Then Jesus told this parable.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:23-35 ESV)
The point of this parable was to show the heart of God in forgiveness. God does not forgive grudgingly because He is obligated. He gives it freely! Our God is a benevolent God! He lavishes His grace and mercy upon the most unworthy people. Just as the master did not owe his servant forgiveness of the debt, but had compassion and forgave the debt anyway, so God forgives us our debt of sin through Christ.
But when we are recipients of such extravagant forgiveness we are supposed to live with the memory of that forgiveness and let if affect the way we deal with others. This servant got it all wrong when he saw the extravagant grace the master was capable of, yet still forced his fellow servant into prison to pay up. When you receive abundant mercy you are to show abundant mercy.
In the same way there was another time that Jesus told a story of extravagant grace to teach us about forgiveness. Do you remember the story about the lost son found in Luke 15? A young man goes to his father and asks for his inheritance and leaves home. Once he has been away for a while and has spent all his money he finds himself feeding pigs and even eating their slop just to get by. He remembers his father’s house and how well the servants there have it and he determines to go home, not looking for forgiveness, just a place to work so he can be clean and eat a good meal. But when the father sees him in the distance, he runs to the boy and orders a feast in his honor. We understand the father in that parable to be God and the lost son to be a repentant sinner. The boy had taken his inheritance and gone. He did not deserve a feast. He did not deserve a warm embrace. He did not deserve his father’s forgiveness. Yet, when he topped that hillside and the father saw his form in the distance … he ran! When a repentant sinner comes to God, God is always quick to forgive. He lavishes his grace upon us when we do not deserve anything from his hand.
The character of God is marked with the ability to forgive great debts and likewise the character of a Christian is marked with the ability to forgive and seek forgiveness. Paul admonishes the Colossian believers in Colossians 3:13b, “even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.” He also told the Ephesians in Ephesians 4:32, “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Each time the appeal for forgiveness is based on the character of God to forgive us. We should forgive others, because we have been forgiven a greater debt. In forgiving others we are displaying the character of Christ! We are called to a lifestyle of extravagant grace.
We are to be like God in our forgiving. This is tough stuff. It is not really easy. I wish it were. The thing that enables us to forgive is not found with in us, it is rooted in the character of God! I am free to forgive others debts against me because I have been forgiven my debt.
My Story (Part 4): Waking up from a Dream
One night I had a dream. In my dream there stood a small round table with a porcelain stature of Jesus praying. I remembered the statue from my childhood. It was on of the figures that had always been in my parents house.
In my dream there was an open magazine with a picture of Satan. The kind of picture you see at Halloween with a red face, horns, and a pitchfork. Yet the eyes had been cut out and taped on the statue of Jesus.
I was indignant and mad. I can remember saying, “Who has done this thing! Who dares to defile this statue of Jesus? This is blasphemy!” And just at that moment as still, small voice said, “It is you!”
In that moment I understood the weight of my sin before a holy and righteous God and knew that he would be good and right to send me to Hell. I felt in that instant more terror than I have ever known. I was sure that I was going to Hell. Yet I awoke clutching the covers in a silent scream. My mouth hung open, my lungs had sized, my breath was caught in my throat and I was unable to actually produce a sound.
I understood then that I was lost, but tried to rationalize with myself that it was just a dream. I contemplated how silly it would look like for me to admit that I wasn’t even a Christian. Pride keeps many men and women back from what would truly be theirs in Christ.
A while later I was leading a college group through a Bible study on the 7 churches in Revelation. As I studied the scripture I came to the Church at Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22). What I read changed my life. I realized that I was standing naked before God and instead of trusting in Jesus Christ to remove my sin and my shame I was trusting in works that didn’t really matter to God.
I understood it like this. God had given me a conscience and his word that exposed my wrong motives. Like a mirror would show a person that they are naked and need clothes. But instead of Trusting in Jesus and asking God to change my heart I was trying to answer the guilt over my sin by doing good things. That would be like a naked person painting over a mirror. It wouldn’t really change the fact that they were naked, it would just make it harder to see in the mirror. There was nothing I could do to make myself right with God other than go to Him, tell him I was sorry for what I had done, and ask him to change my life.
I shared with Avia that I was lost and she quoted Isaiah 64:6 confirming that there was truly nothing I could do to make myself right before God other than humble myself and ask for his forgiveness. The next day I met with an evangelist to learn another Evangelism strategy. This one was called Christ-Centered Evangelism and rather than focusing on heaven it focused on Christ.
Brother Ed the Evangelist was teaching me about praying for those who have not yet come to God on his terms and lead me to read Romans 10:1-4. As I read, he could tell something was wrong and he asked me if everything was okay? I couldn’t help but blurt out, “by the witness of these scriptures I am lost. I have a zeal for the things of God, but I don’t truly know Him.”
Later that night after searching my heart, I asked Christ to be the Lord of my Life. I told my pastor and came before my church fully expecting to lose my job. I didn’t care. I wanted everything to be right before God and men.
Jesus Christ changed me. He saved he makes a difference in the way I live. I am not a perfect person. I continually make mistakes, but I know God accepts me based not upon what I have done, but what he has done for me. I want the whole world to have peace with God like I do.
- My Story: A Godly Heritage (Part 1)
- My Story: A Trial that Proves a Faulty Faith (Part 2)
- My Story: Lost in a Religious World (Part 3)
- My Story: Living with Passion and Purpose (Part 5)
For more on the Christian message and how you to can have a relationship with Jesus Christ check out 2 Ways to Live
My Story (Part 3): Lost in a Religious World
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ (Matthew 7:21-23).
Lost in a Religious World
I found myself at the age of 16 rejecting an opportunity to attend the Alabama School of Math and Science in order to move with my family to Missouri. I was trying to run from all the bad things I had done and ended up being a self-righteous snob. I had an earnest desire to prove that I was a good person and a secret desire to make up for all the wrong I had done. I was engaged in religious activity and very involved in a student group 30 minutes away from our house (back when gas was $1.16 a gallon).
I also started a small student group of about 8-10 kids in the basement of my father’s new church (an aging 25 member congregation). I was a great self-starter but lacked substance and depth. I learned a lot about student ministry from the way I failed when I was just a 17 or 18 year old kid trying to lead a group of my peers.
In the fall of 1997 I moved to Mobile, Alabama. My first weekend in mobile I was invited to speak to the youth at a friends church in Gulf Shores. The next weekend I was at Lafitte and quickly became a student ministry intern. Things progressed quickly and just over a year later I was appointed associate student minister and then very quickly I was appointed student minister.
Building a Resume of Deeds
I had a passion and a desire for the things of God (Romans 10:2-4), but all the while I was building an impressive resume for God to accept me based on my good works. Not realizing that my deeds did not mean as much to God as my heart (Isaiah 64:6). I worked hard to be a good communicator and studied to know much of the Bible. You would have been hard pressed to find anyone my age more knowledgeable about the things of God. Yet I still missed it.
I became good at telling people how to become a Christian. Most of the places I spoke (outside of Lafitte) would see two or three students make decisions saying something had changed in their life. Every week at Lafitte the same kids were “rededicating” their life and never changing and many of the converts I saw in those early years never became fully devoted followers of Christ.
The saddest part is that I really thought I was a Christian. One of the things I enjoyed doing was learning new ways to present how to become a Christ follower to people. I went through FAITH, EE, and several other presentations. One of the key type questions in these presentations is to ask people “how does someone get to heaven?” I always answered my instructors that it was “by doing good works” and they would correct me. Yet, they never question me further because I was a poster child for someone interested in “Christian things.”
My list of religious deeds was long. I lead a student group. Helped lead and developed a prayer group for reaching international students at UM. I had opportunities to speak at several student events all over Alabama. I helped feed the homeless on a regular basis. I walked the streets of downtown mobile passing out religious literature. I had been on Mission to East Asia. I had spoken in many churches. I partnered in founding a conference that celebrated a protestant Christian History. But without Christ…. I was lost and without hope (Philippians 3:4-11).
It wouldn’t be until I woke up from a Nightmare that I would come to understand just where I stood with God and what needed to be done to set things right.
- My Story: A Godly Heritage (Part 1)
- My Story: A Trial that Proves a Faulty Faith (Part 2)
- My Story: Waking up from a Dream (Part 4)
- My Story: Living with Passion and Purpose (Part 5)
Want to know more about the Christian message and how to become a Christ follower? Click the link below. Be sure to read the whole thing.
The Hill House 