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I’m sitting here at my desk catching up on some work after everyone has left the office and listening to the Jesus Lens again.  There’s still so much in this series that I’m trying to absorb.  Its just such a different perspective from my past experience!

Anyhow,  I have a question (as usual).  In the first dialog session a comment is made about reading scripture and the fear of just choosing to read it the way that makes yourself feel good.  I thought about this a while and I have to wonder.

I understand the woman’s concern about just interpreting scripture in a way that makes us feel good and “creating God in our image” as you put it.  However, when I look at how the majority of believers (especially here in the south) look at God and scripture isn’t it really the other way around? Don’t we actually interpret scripture in the worst possible way instead?  There seems to be this idea in the evangelical arena that the most fearful and nightmarish interpretation of scripture is the “safe” one and therefore the “best” one.  It seems to me that our sinful religious tendencies pull us toward whatever interpretation of scripture will affirm us in our fear and shame and it also seems to me that that is contrary to everything Father is trying to walk us out of.    Isn’t using an ultra conservative interpretation of scripture to twist Father’s presentation of himself in the Son into a religious caricature at least as egregious an error as a liberal interpretation that makes God out to be “too nice”?

Maybe the reality is that Father’s grace is so generous and free and his nature so kind and gentle that both ideas offend our religious sensibilities and we run “back to Egypt” so to speak in our interpretation of scripture. From a fleshly perspective we seem to  prefer the terrifying law giver view of God because that gives us a perceived measure of control (do good get good, do bad get bad) whereas grace and mercy properly understood leave us in the wonderful but terrifying position of being completely out of control.  I think the danger of interpreting scripture in a way that makes us comfortable is certainly there but doesn’t it pale in comparison to the danger of interpreting scripture in a way that makes our being with Father uncomfortable?  

All I can say is Yes! Yes! Yes!

As Father wins us into his love and we see him as he really is, you’ll read all of Scripture differently, as if it came from a Father who loves you not a god who desires to condemn and destroy you.

If you haven’t watched or listened to The Jesus Lens, it’s a free resource from Lifestream if you want to stream it, or you can purchase the DVD here.  Here’s what others have said about this series:

THE JESUS LENS material is excellent. Fresh, relevant and anointed.
– David, retired teacher in Ashford, Ireland

I love everything about it, especially what it says about the Bible being a love letter. This has breathed new life into my Bible reading!
– Julie, mother of three in California

These sessions opened up a fresh way of looking at the Scriptures as God’s unfolding love story through the lens of His son, Jesus.
– Barry, retired military in Virginia

I feel like I’ve been handed a missing piece of my heart. (The Bible has often been just another source of shame. Now I can see how God is restoring it to its proper and useful place in my life.)
– Susan, former slave of shame

THE JESUS LENS is an incredible look at the Scriptures. Having read the Bible all of my life, this teaching has endeared me in a whole new way to the amazing story of my loving.
– Dawn, a member of the studio audience

A year ago we offered to see if we could find a million dollars over five years to help the people of Pokot build some infrastructure and seed some businesses that will help them build an economy out of the drought-riddled villages.  We received half of that almost immediately from a single source, and we rejoice that the money continues to come in and the progress that has been made in the villages. Next week our coaches there will receive additional training through Global Hope Network International in Kenya to fine-tune our approach to helping these incredible people. Through it all the Gospel continues to spread in that region as well. Above are pictured some Pokot warriors who came out of the bush to find out what was going on. They listened with great interest as they told their story of their rescue and shared the Gospel with them as well.

Last month Sara and I watched Poverty, Inc. on the recommendation of a friend. (Brad and I also discuss this movie on the current podcast. It’s an eye-opting movie that everyone ought to see about the poverty industry and how worldwide it is structured to benefit the first world far more than the people who actually need help. It shows how our governments and agri-business use compassionate motives to unload our products overseas while destroying the local economy of those we claim to help. It is well worth your time to see it if you care about charity and poverty in the third world.  I am grateful that God provided just the right people over the last two years to help us understand that just giving aid will not benefit people in the long-run, but instead we must work with them to help them find creative, low-tech solutions to their needs and involve them and their creativity in solving the problems they face. We are still learning, but excited at the opportunity we have to affect this corner of the world.

The story that has unfolded here has been amazing, both in the generosity of people to give and to pray for the people in Pokot and our contacts in Kenya. None of this would have happened without you.

Recently we received this report and pictures from them reporting the slow but steady progress of helping a people find their own solutions:

Thank you very much for your support. It has really help us to purchase materials and construct 15 toilets , so far we have cmpleted about 65 toilets. Our coaching team are continuing coaching people the importance of having toilets and they are doing good job, since many hold are working hard to have one. The toilets has really help to curb down the diseases that are caused by lack of hygiene. That is great.  The villagers have embrace this vision and every household are trying to do their best to do their part.

New latrine contracted by the villagers.

On soft loans, they are doing well as new businesses are starting up. This one is very successful as she is now she is able to get food and pay for medication for her children. Our team always goes around to see how they are going and support their work.

Loans have helped these two ladies set up their own store.

Also our volunteering team of nures and doctors , sensitizing the villagers the importance of using safe clean water for drinking and the importance of disposing the waste product to the pit. This also has curb down disease which are caused by micro-organism from dirty environment.

Nurse prescribing the medicine for the villagers.  The number of sick people is reducing, not like the first time. Thank you for the great suppor

So this month the committee together with the villagers and volunteers who went round for treatment has also confirmed that this month they need also to go round for medication and also to construct other latrines which is about 16 in number.

Next month we are expecting our brothers from Isiolo to visit us for one week and add coaching on our team of 9 people including Michael and me.

Yours,

Thomas and Michael

We are excited about the progress our coaches there have made over the last year. These are all indigenous Kenyans, helping other Kenyans build a culture in a forgotten corner of an impoverished land.  To date there is little government assistance or other NGO presence in this area. They are not only helping in practical ways, but sharing about the love of Jesus for them as well.

If you want the backstory on our work in this part of Kenya, you can read this blog that gives a short view of God’s work in linking us up with their need, and people there who are ready to help meet it. If you have extra to pass along for the people of West Pokot you can direct it through Lifestream as contributions are tax-deductible in the US.  As always, every dollar you send goes to the need in Kenya.  We do not (nor do they) take out any administrative or money transfer fees.  If you would like to be part of this to support these brothers and sisters and see the gospel grow in this part of Africa, please see our Sharing With the World page at Lifestream. You can either donate with a credit card there, or you can mail a check to Lifestream Ministries • 1560 Newbury Rd Ste 1  •  Newbury Park, CA 91320. Or if you prefer, we can take your donation over the phone at (805) 498-7774.

My next two trips will take me to the east coast of the US in mid-May and then to Alberta, Canada in early June.  Each of these invitations ha piqued my interest and provide times for others to come and join in if you’d like.  For those who would like to join me in Maryland, Virginia, or Alberta, the links below will take you to the dates and contact details. I not only enjoy the opportunity to help people explore their journey in Christ a bit more, but I love to see these people meet others in the area who are also asking some of the same questions they are.

May 13-22:  Check here for Maryland and Virginia dates near Fredrick, Richmond, and Charlottesville.

June 3-13:  Check here for Calgary, Red Deer, Innisfail, and Edmonton.

And looking really far out, I’ll be taking another tour to Israel in early February 2017.  You can get details here if you’d like to join us.

You can also get all the details on our Travel Page.  And if you’d like to be notified by email when I’m planning a trip to your area you can sign up on our email list and include your address.

Earlier in the week I recommended two books about the tragic loss of a child and how God works triumph out of great tragedy. Today I want to recommend four other books for other books that deserve some consideration for your summer reading list:

Judge Z – Irretrievably Broken by Tim Philpot
(Paperback, 260 pages, self-published)

Who would have imagined that one of the best marriage books would be a humorous and poignant novel about a judge in family court wondering what marriage means in the 21st century?  As it turns out there may not be a better backdrop for this tale than the issues and struggles of those dealing with failed families.  Tim Philpot does a masterful job of combining a fascinating story with some deep thinking about what marriage means under today’s law and in God’s eyes.  He dares to ask what”irretrievably broken” means and whether we take divorce taken too casually when people fight over child custody rather than fight to save their marriage?

There is lots of food for thought here, as well as a delightful peek into the twists and turns of family court from the judge’s perspective. Seeing the devastation of broken marriages in his courtroom every day, Judge Z begins to wonder if there isn’t a better way to help families stay intact and get them on a more healthy footing. Wouldn’t it be in the best interest of society to see if a failed marriage can be rebuilt before we terminate it and ask the kids to pay the price? I enjoyed every page of this book, even when it lapsed into preachers and lawyers discussing various facets of marriage.  You can’t come away from this book not valuing marriage more highly and wanting to find ways to love your spouse more deeply.

And Tim should know.  He’s not only a good friend of mine, but a family court judge himself in Lexington, Ky. I’ve sat in his courtroom watching him sort out what is best for broken marriages, at-risk kids and I’ve been with him in local restaurants as he takes extra time to invest in the broken lives of some of the people who frequent his courtroom.

The Poet’s Treasure by Stephanie Bennett
(Paperback, 258 pages, Wild Flower Press)

This the final installment in Stephanie Bennett’s Within the Walls Triology. I’ve blogged about the previous two installments as Emilya struggles to find true community in a future technological world.  As a tech genius and the key developer of virtual vacations she is part of a mass government conspiracy to keep people content in a virtual world and rob them of the wonder and risk of community. Having tasted of real community in the second novel, Emilya tries to re-engage the virtual one and finds it incredibly complicated and even dangerous for her and her family. The lessons in this book about technology and the power of the state and how they can undermine the community most people desire are fascinating and thought-provoking.

I’ve been intrigued by this tale from the beginning and watched it unfold through Stephanie’s hand. Stephanie and her husband, Earl are good friends of mine and I not only admire her writing, but appreciate their spiritual journeys as well. They walk with honesty, passion and integrity. If you haven’t read the first two installments, you will want to catch up with the story there before reading this one.  You can read my review of the first book in the series here, and the second one here.  You can also find out more about Stephanie on her publisher’s author’s page.

Here’s what I wrote for the jacket of her book:

The Poet’s Treasure is a compelling read about the inner turmoil we all face between the community our hearts crave and the technology that too often undermines it, especially when it seeks to control us rather than serve us. Stephanie Bennett offers up a satisfying end to her Within the Walls trilogy, an incisive story sorts through the most difficult issues of our age.”

The Atonement of God  by JD Myers
(Paperback, 204 pages, Redeeming Press)

What really happened on the cross? Much of Christianity has postured God as an angry, bloodthirsty deity needing to satisfy his justice by crushing the most innocent human who had ever lived.  But what if it wasn’t that? What if Father and Son were working together to destroy sin in the human race, so that we could make peace with God and each other in this broken world?

Understanding the cross as a cure for sin, rather than a punishment of it lies at the core of everything I believe and have experienced about God’s love.  I cover it in He Loves Me and in greater detail in Transitions, free recordings available here.  For those who want to take a deeper and more theological look at a nonviolent view of the atonement, J. D. Myers has written an interesting book to unpack various views of atonement and discuss what a curative view of the cross might look like.

While I wouldn’t support all of the theological interpretations outlined this book, I am in broad agreement with its overarching theme and appreciate the scholarship J.D., has brought to the subject at hand. This is a book worthy of your time, your thought, and your prayers as you seek to understand he atonement in a way that puts God’s love front and center and invites us into a reconciled relationship with him.

Excerpt:

Yes there were disastrous consequences of sin, but those consequences were not a punishment, nor did they come form the supposed anger of God, for God was not angry. This is why nearly every time the angel of the Lord appears to humans in Scripture, the first words out of his mouth are, “Do not be afraid.”  Because of sin, we believe God is angry at us for our sin, but Scripture consistently reveals that God is not angry. The great lie of sin is that God is angry at us because of our sin and that when we sin, we cannot be with God, but must hide from Him.”

Visit Jeremy’s website, RedeemingGod.com

Panic to Peace:  Living Free from the Grip of Fear by Dr. Neil McLamb
(Paperback, 158 pages, self-published)

Only those who struggle with fear and anxiety know the anguish.  McLamb draws form his own battle wth fear and anxiety beginning with his first episode in an eighth grade speaking event to the ensuing panic attacks, which began taking over his life.  Only when he began to view himself through the eyes of his Heavenly Father, did he find a path to recovery.

By telling his story, he hopes to encourage others to find their freedom from the grip of fear and anxiety. Instead of blaming God or feeling guilt he helps people find freedom by knowing how deeply loved they are by God and finding their joy in his unfolding purpose in their lives even in the midst of whatever challenges they face.

I love books that ring with authenticity. This one does.  Here’s my recommendation from the back cover of his book:

Even in the face of your darkest fears, love is greater still. That’s Neil McLamb’s story as he shares in brutally honest terms his long slide into paralyzing fear and how he is finding his way out in the affectionate embrace of a Father who loves us all. Panic to Peace will be of great encouragement and help to those who also battle the lies that drive fear and grasp for the truths that can lead them to freedom.

Visit Neil’s website here.

On Friday morning I was a guest on Vince Coakley’s radio show out of Greenville, SC.  It’s a political talk show mostly, but they often have a faith focus on Friday.  If you didn’t get a chance to hear the show, they posted a podcast of it here.  We talk about thinking outside the box in a growing relationship and how that often contrasts with our religious sensibilities.

Long time visitors to this site won’t find much new there, but if you’re new to Lifestream, you’ll find a good summary there of the passion I take into the world.  Since Greenville is in the heart of legalistic Christianity, not everyone was happy, to say the least!

As many of you know I’m in North Carolina hanging out with lots of people exploring this amazing life of Christ and how we can live more deeply in his love and grace. I’ve had so many great conversations already and so many more to come in the last four days here.

On Friday at 11:05 Eastern time (8:05 Pacific Time), I’m going to join a good friend of mine, Vince Coakley on his daily radio show.  Vince is a talk show host on 106.3 in Greenville and covers political events and current affairs. He was the Republican Nominee for the House of Representatives last election for one of the districts here.  We have been friends over the last eight years and I appreciate his heart and passion, though we don’t always agree politically.  He is a wise and generous-hearted man.

You can find out more about the show here, and if you want to listen in it streams life using the button at the top right of that page.  I’m not sure what we’re going to talk about but it might include the current controversy in North Carolina about bathroom use by transgendered people.  That could be fun…

For the next couple of weeks I’ll be overseas. I’ll touch down in Dublin on Thursday and connect with some dear friends there. Then, I’ll begin a quick swing through the UK, stopping in Northern Ireland  •  Dumfries, Scotland  •  Coventry, England  •  Newport, Wales, and finish up in London.  It’s quite a quick loop before heading home again.  If you’re in the area we still have some room in most of the venues.   Get all the details here. We’ll be talking about the themes hat matter most to be—living in the Father’s affection, exploring relational expressions of community, and finding our freedom in his work in our lives. If you think about me during those days, please pray for me and for Father’s work among the people I’ll be with.  It will be much appreciated.

If you’re looking for more of a thought-provoking blog, I posted a new one over at FindingChurch.com.

In early April I’ll be in North Carolina for 10 days, meeting in a variety of places and venues. If you haven’t got the word yet, here is our schedule.

I’m excited to include a weekend retreat up at Lake James for those who would like a more prolonged opportunity to meet others and process what it means to embrace God’s love in our own hearts, and to share it freely through our every day lives.  If you have the time, and even want to visit from out of the area, you’re welcome to join us.  The contact information is included below if you want to run into me on this trip.

April 2-3 – Charlotte, NC
I’ll be in Birkdale Village the first few days with an open gathering from 1:30 pm to 8:00 pm on Sunday, April 3.  Contact Jeff for the details.

April 4 – Huntersville, NC
Home group meeting that’s already full. Sorry.

April 6 – Charlotte, NC
An evening drop in fellowship near downtown Charlotte from 5:00 – 9:00, including dinner for purchase if you wish. Contact Francie for details and to sign up.

April 7 – Winston-Salem, NC
Small group meeting. Contact John for availability.

April 8-10 – Lake James, NC
For those who would enjoy a more concentrated time processing the journey of living in the Father’s affection we’ll be holding a three-day retreat at Lake James. Space is limited but there are hotels in the area if others would like to joins us. We’ll be meeting Friday evening, throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday morning.  You can come for all or part of our time there.  Contact Francie for details.

April 10 – Rock Hill, SC
Open meeting with a Vineyard fellowship at the Charlotte Avenue YMCA  •  402 Charlotte Ave.  •  Rock Hill, SC 29732  Contact Jason for details.

There is no more important question any of us will answer in our lifetimes, than who is God really? Is he an abusive bully demanding the universe do his bidding, or is he an affectionate Father inviting us into the fullness of his glory? How do we answer it? We sort out the story of Scripture, we look at the reflection of his nature in Jesus, and we let the Holy Spirit unveil him in our hearts. It’s a process that takes a life time. But having been one who lived in the fear of appeasing God every day to one who has lived with a growing awareness of his affection over the last twenty years, I can say sorting that out is life’s greatest adventure. And finding a way to live in his affection 

Last week I exchanged some email with a lady who is sorting that out in her own life. I thought others of you might enjoy reading over my shoulder as this life awakens to a greater reality. This is Joani’s original email:

I’m just finishing He Loves Me and chapter 22 discusses the difference between “save me” prayers and “God glorify you name” prayers.  On page 178 you write, “This is the prayer the Father always answers, ‘Father, may the purpose for which you have created me and placed me where you have in the world be fulfilled completely.'”  How is asking God to fulfill His purpose in us different from evangelical songs asking God to “use” us? I think it’s in your Transition series where you discuss God “using” us as a putrid idea, and you used your daughter coming to you saying, ‘Dad, use me,” as an example to verify “use me” as unhealthy.  I agree with you.  The idea of God using us does seem unhealthy.  

How would you distinguish between the prayer of “God’s purpose” and “God’s using?  I read your prayer on page 178 as passivity but not the “Relax, I’m your heavenly Father and have the best in store for you” kind of passivity. I read it as a prayer of passivity where I’m basically a doormat for God. I come from an abusive background, and have not been won into trust about passivity. Passivity has been a terrible experience in my past. Passivity means I have no voice or value so I’m resisting this prayer of passivity.  So what is the context for the idea of God having a purpose for us? 

My response: Wow! A doormat for God? Don’t know that I’ve heard that expression before. I guess it all depends on how we view God. If he’s a demanding taskmaster who wants to ruin our lives with his “purpose” or exploit us for his gain, then you’re right.  It’s a pretty disgusting notion. But if he’s the Creator, who loves us more than anyone ever has or will and wants us to be a part of his incredible purpose to redeem the world to himself and help set captives free, then who wouldn’t want to be part of that?  I don’t see God’s “purpose” as our obligation at all. I see it as an invitation to fulfill all that we were created for before sin and religion twisted us up.

So I don’t know that your question is about vocabulary here, but about how we perceive God and our place with him. That may be shaded by your background for sure.  I understand why being used by another person or deity for their purposes would be pretty disgusting. But if he knows you better than you know yourself and he wants you to know absolute fulfillment and joy and would never ask anything of you that would violate your personhood or compromise your freedom. Who wouldn’t want to discover what he’s about in the world and join him in it? God’s giving beats our trying to get any day… 

Joani responded:   

You hit the nail on the head about the issue not being about vocabulary. The issue is whether or not we know him, and you’re right — if we know who God actually is then why wouldn’t we want to join him on this journey!  And after reading your email I realized more clearly how I still see God as the family and neighbors I grew up with. In essence, I see God as a dictator, absentee father, bully and constant rule changer so that I never have a chance of succeeding. What an appalling view!

I was brought to tears with your sentence, “. . . (he) . .  would never ask anything of you that would violate your personhood or compromise your freedom.” I found that absolutely remarkable! I didn’t know that about God and putting it in such terms was both eye-opening and heart-wrenching (in a good way).

I’ve almost always viewed myself as insignificant or inconsequential — as a cookie-cutter person or generic box of macaroni (for lack of a better illustration) to be kicked around. I’m starting to see that’s no longer acceptable. I can’t hold my son, for example, as significant and loved by God and claim I’m not.  I haven’t been trying to be stubborn or set myself apart. I was simply thinking like the stray dog — unable to trust or receive love. 

You said in a different way what you’ve always been saying about God’s love, and it’s what I needed to hear.

My heart goes out to people like Joani who are sorting out how God really thinks about them. I know it isn’t easy to see something in your heart that your mind doesn’t fully embrace yet.  I know how discouraging and how scary to think of God as an abusive Father who will exploit you instead of one coming to set you free. So much of religion paints him that way, as an offended, angry deity always disappointed in us. And because of our shame it is easier  to believe that than that he is an affectionate Father delighting in them each day and drawing them ever-more surely into the reailty of his love.

But we have to see that struggle as his more than ours. When I read Joani’s email, I am so encouraged because I see God is unraveling her old way of thinking and that she is getting her ready to see his love in a way that will capture her heart. Every word of her emails breathes with that reality.  

What I wrote her next, I’d want to say to all of you in this same struggle:  

“God is moving something in your heart to a place of greater freedom. It may be taking awhile because the brokenness runs so deep. And I do understand how easy it is to get discouraged with the passing of time and still battling the darkness. But you need to see this not as your responsibility to change your own thinking, but as Father at work in you to win the heart of a daughter he so loves. The struggle is understandable. We’ve all been through it, though certainly at different depths and through different experiences. But you will get through this.  He is winning your heart from unworthy conclusions about him that others have given you to the reality that only he can give.

“He is making himself known to you. As best you can each day, try (however fleetingly) to relax into the trust that he is doing this in you not asking you to do it yourself.  He knows how lost you are.  He knows how painful it has all been, but your desire for him and the reality of his love will win out.  He’s at work already.  The day is at hand.

So when you get discouraged and are overcome with tears, let them flow. It is all part of draining the old lies and wounds and letting you see beyond that into the richness of his love for you. And when you sense that love let the joy flow. It runs in fits and starts as the old gives way to the new.  Let the process play out.  Don’t try to rush it and don’t judge yourself for it not being fulfilled yet. This is in his hands and there’s no better place for it.

His love for you has always been there and no less true today just because you can’t see it clearly. But you when you do you’ll find great joy in your Heavenly Dad.

I’m praying for you…”

And for those who want further help learning how to let God build a relationship with you, Wayne offers a series of short videos to help coach you into responding to what he is doing, rather than trying to get there in your own wisdom or strength. They are called Engage. They are free and you can find them here.  

“Have you talked to Pastor?”

Everytime I hear ‘Pastor” used as someone’s first name, I cringe inside.  My yuck meter goes off because using titles for each other is one of the things Jesus asked us not to do.  Why do we continue to violate it every day?  

I got this quesiton in my inbox the other day:  

Matthew 23:8-112 reads, “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

My Question is how does this apply to today?  And does using titles so as to not offend make sense in Scripture?

How do I apply this today? I don’t use such titles for myself and I don’t use them for others either. If someone is going to be offended if I don’t call them “Pastor” or “Reverend,” I don’t spend a lot of time with such people.  Their love of titles is a demonstration that they don’t have the heart of Jesus.  I’m not saying they are not saved, simply that they are not living very deeply in his reality.

People say they do it only to show honor, but isn’t that exactly what Jesus is talking about? Titles separate us from each other, putting some in a special class.  Jesus wanted us to understand and appreciate that God alone stands above, and all his people stand alongside each other.  Pastor, elder, apostle, may describe a function God has given us in the body; it is not and never can be our identity. Once it is, everything gets twisted.