Facing the Giants

I saw the new film this week called Facing the Giants. It is an inspiring story of courage in the face of difficult circumstances. A Texas Christian High School football coach struggles with personal issues and professional failures when he turns to God and simply asks, "why?" The rest of the story is about his revelation about a new life philisophy that turns into a team football philosphy that with God all things are possible and regardless what happens, we give God glory.

It's that attitude that pervades this film, an attitude of hope, an alternative to despair and to the normal reaction to life's challenges. It is a great example of what film can be and should be, telling great stories, reflecting a deep faith in God.

I especially love why it is rated PG, for explicit religious themes. Now that's awesome.

Our church partnered with other churches around this area to bring this film to the Merrillville Showplace 12. It was scheduled for one week, but has been held over for another week and following that will be shown at the merrillville 10 (across the street, the Loews theater). So there's plenty of time to view the film and be touched by this emotional story.

Tickets are still available in the church office (good through Thursday) and at the boxoffice.

I pray you'll take time to see this film. It's why we brought it to town, for you and for this community.

Peace ><>
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Mad at God

I never get mad at God anymore. In fact, I have rarely been mad at God. I know people who are, who have, who do often, though. I understand why some do, especially when something happens to them, to their family and it rocks their faith, their world. Anger is a powerful emotion and it can be unleashed on anyone, including God.

What bothers me (much more than it does God, I'm sure) is people who don't know God getting angry at God. It's the ones who don't pay any attention to God that when something goes awry they lash out, blame God, vow not to trust Him any more (as if they ever did anyway). As a pastor it's these circumstances that are difficult to overcome. When people get the wrong idea about God it's hard to correct and shift perceptions. But again, I'm sure it bothers me much more than it bothers God!

Now, I don't believe that it's wrong to get mad at God. Our big-shouldered-God can handle it. God welcomes this response, too. At least it is a response and sometimes the only response God gets from people. God seeks our passions, even if it is the negatives ones. So God says to us, "bring it on!"

The reason I never get mad is that I've discovered I can count on God. It's not God who has created my circumstances, but me. God doesn't have it in for me (or for you) but is on our side, ready to help. While I still sometimes cry out, "why me?" "why now?" "why here?" I also understand that God may not answer my "why" questions, rather will give me the "what next" answers. These are the ones I need anyway. In other words, most of the time, God answers the questions I should be asking, answers the prayers I should be praying. It's why I count on God.

"I'm singing your prowess,
shouting at cockcrow your largesse,
for you've been a safe place for me,
a good place to hide.
Strong God, I'm watching you do it,
I can always count on you -
God, my dependable love." (Psalm 59:16-17, Msg)

When God becomes to us the center of our passions, our dependable love, we'll also find the resting place, the strong tower, the solid rock, the impregnable castle of God.

Then we'll stop shaking our fists...

...and run into the safe and dependable arms of God.

Peace ><>
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I Want to See

In the world, there are people with disabilities that cannot be corrected. Many of these people live full lives learning to overcome their circumstances with grace and courage. Their lives have become inspiration for families, churches, and some thousands. People like Christopher Reeve, Joni Erikson-Tada, Helen Keller, Rick Hoyt, etc. to name a few. I respect these people as they have much to teach us with our more complete physical abilities. What they do is highlight that it is really we who have the disability.

We're the ones with disabilities that can be healed. The problem is for whatever reason we aren't. Maybe it's because we have become comfortable with our condition. Maybe it's because we believe that we are that way for a purpose, a reason. More than likely we stay the way we are because we'd rather not go through the difficult process of healing.

What kind of disabilities am I talking about? Well, you could probably name your own, but here are a few...


We are paralyzed...from doing that which can make a difference to those who need, from being generous and gracious. We'll work tirelessly for our own causes, but for someone else's forget it. We've become selfish and anodized. We often think, but when is it my turn.

We are possessed...not by demons, but by agendas. And if something doesn't go our way, we rant and rave and throw temper tantrums until we either get what we want or find ourselves on public display, humiliated. Too often, like children, we just keep throwing the tantrums to see if different results happen. (A definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.) What is important to us is not God's agenda, but ours. We ask not what God wants to bless and then do that, rather we decide what to do and ask God to bless that. Whether or not we realize it but our practice of prayer is, "Not your will, but mine be done."

We are blind...to the real needs of people around us. It's not that we cannot see at all, because we see ourselves all too well and what it is that keeps us satisfied, but we refuse to see that which can help those around us. We love our church just the way it is. It fits our needs. I have heard it said several times and it still floors me to hear it, that contemporary worship is not worship, it is not of God and that those who "worship" this way don't really matter. That the church should not cater to such people and in such ways. Yes, I have truly heard it in our church. And it saddens me that we are so blind...to the great need all around us.

A blind man was sitting outside of Jericho and called out to Jesus for mercy. When Jesus asked what he wanted he said, "Master, I want to see."

It was only in his boldness to ask and his humility to recognize his plight that he was granted his prayer. And he saw!

We need the courage to ask and the humility to see our own disability. For only when we cry out to Jesus, "I want to see!" will we be healed.

Peace ><>
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Looking for Inspiration...

I've discovered something about myself. Actually, I'm not surprised by it nor should you be. But I'm not inspired every morning with great and deep theological or practical spiritual insights so share with the world. It's not that I don't think about spiritual things or read the scriptures. Many mornings when I read, I have so many thoughts that run through my head that I can't seem to concentrate on one stream of thought. On other days (more than I would like) I seem to read a familiar story and have no unique thoughts at all.

It's on these days that I haven't been writing in this blog.

But maybe that's where I have failed. It's the days when I am not inspired that I need to blog, too. Reminding me and you that even when we read something familiar with unquestioned elements of faith, it's okay to write about them. We need to remember the basics, too.

I was encouraged this morning when I picked up the Bible reading list and saw we began Proverbs today. I needed a bit of wisdom and this is what I read:

"...if you make insight your priority, and won't take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours; you'll have come upon the knowledge of God." (Proverbs 2:3-5, Msg)

In other words, you only find inspiration, knowledge, wisdom when you are looking for it, digging deeper, thinking harder, questioning yourself and God. It's here that the deep things of God are going to be revealed. If we wait for a day that inspiration simply hits us or understanding just comes, we are going to be waiting a long time and quite possible very disappointed. Inspiration comes because we work for it.

So does the understanding of God.

So, I've been guilty of waiting...but now I'm turning over a new leaf (of scripture) and discovering what I've been looking for. It's been waiting on me.

And it awaits you, too.

Seek it!

Peace ><>
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