The Ripple Effect

This is not a post singing the merits of textured potato chips. This is about infectious discipleship. The kind that ripples through the church and spills out onto everyone who is ready for change and growth.

We have been reading books as a leadership team. I have watched some of the individuals on our team totally embrace the concepts that are contained therein. Those who get it have incorporated the language into our vocabulary and have talked about it with passion and enthusiasm such that others get excited about it and are driven to read more. Then, the fresh recruits, in turn, share it with their friends and family and then the next wave catches it and gets excited about the concepts and their implementation.

This is about multiplication. The Christian life is not meant to be lone rangerism. It is meant to be a place of accountability and ripples. As I understand God's wisdom better and make successful, albeit hard, decisions, I share it with those around me. Then, the whole thing goes into other circles and suddenly, I am affecting change and growth in circles that I do not even frequent! God is good! He has enlarged our borders even without daily prayers of Jabez!! :)

NOTE: This post is about celebrating the joy of discovery and watching the aha! moments spreading in the body of Christ. These comments are based on a real situation that was just reported to me! :) YES! Remember to share the good stuff withthose who teach you! Gal 6:6

Sharing with you,
Mike

So What Report Are You Bringing Back?

Do you remember the story of the twelve spies who entered the land of Canaan first? They "scoped out the digs" for 40 days and then returned to give a report on the land before them. They had experienced the promise of God in a limited audience preview. They were the ones who were hand selected to report back on what God had in the immediate future for the nation, the people of God.

Andrew Murray draws on this image as he addresses the issue of the report of a loving community of believers, growing and bearing much fruit for the glory of God, the divine husbandman.

"Is not this [obedience to Jesus' command to love one another] some of the much fruit that Jesus has promised we shall bear, -- in very deed a cluster of the grapes of Eshcol, with which we can proveto others that the land of promise is indeed a good land? Let us try in all simplicity and honesty to go out to our home to translate the language of high faith and heavenly enthusaism into the plain prose of daily conduct, so that all men can understand it."

Abide in Christ, p. 184

What a pity, no rather, what a travesty if we see the love of God, flowing with milk and honey, and report back to others "It's too intense, it will cost you too much to have it, let's just settle for a taste, God can't give that kind of love to us". Or, in my opinion, even worse, report back to those around us -- silence about the greatness of the love of God. It would be the equivalent of the spies saying, "We had a huge cluster of grapes and they were tasty. But we ate them on the trip back from the vineyard and now there's nothing to show to you."

Don't hoard the grapes.
Don't consume all of the fruit by yourself.
Don't miss the chance to use the produce for ministry to others who maybe still don't believe there is a land of promise or a God who has promised it to them.

That I may bear more fruit,
Mike

Falling Into the Abyss

Friends,

I apologize for the long delay. I just realized that the last post was back in October. (That's not exactly true!) This is December and we are closing in on one of the busiest times of the calendar that anyone should be exposed to. Let me catch you up on some really big stuff that is going on right now in our lives of ministry.



1. A DAD&LAD TRIP -- Scott and I went to Erie PA on an overnight Father-n-Son adventure. We took in some lighthouses, shot some digital photography, ate some Chinese, played in the waterslides, ate some hot wings, played chess and ate Timmy Ho's Canadian Maple Donuts!! Oh yeah, we also had a great conversation about coming of age, becoming a young man, and following after God. We used Proverbs 3 to have a "my son" speech of our own. Scott was pretty freaked out by the whole serious conversation thing. But I tried to tone it down when I saw how spooked he got. It was a great weekend, except for being beaten in chess by a teenager!!! :)



2. A DRAMA -- Sue and I are the husband and wife in a family holiday drama called "Baggage Claim". It is an outreach drama with a great message. The family looks the stereotypical part of four people with it all under control. In fact, my character makes a speech to his son about the world respecting a man who has in all under control, who takes charge of his own life, etc. In the end, all of their internal dysfunction comes out and they leave their baggage in the capable hands of the baggage bellhop character. It is a modern day parable of Jesus Christ and his offer of rescue for today. Very good script, very grueling schedule -- very great results?? We are praying to that end.



3. A SEASON of ADVENT -- our church has included the advent candles/wreath in our worship. We light the candles each week and talk about what each one symbolizes. We use this as a time fo rthe kids to come up front and interact with me around the wreath. The problem is that it is all unscripted. And as Art Linkletter (and later Bill Cosby) said "kids say the darndest things". It has been a good time of focus for Christmas for me and for the kids. We are using the nativity poem and characters from Family Life Publishing called "What God Wants for Christmas". It is really neat to watch them open each box. I hope that they get the ending!



4. AN MP3 PLAYER -- I just bought a Creative Labs Zen Stone MP3 player and have been enjoying downlaoding sermons, books, music and other stuff from off of the web. For a guy that loves information, an MP3 player is a very cool toy. I just listened to four pastors on a Pastor to Pastor intervew series with HB London Jr. on the topic of Church Health. Great stuff!



Well, please keep blogging and reading and growing and ministering, even when this page falls silent. Be assured that I have not laid down or fallen off the face of the earth. I also have been blogging with some other sites as a contributor rather than a host. Why don't you drop me a note and tell me what you are doing?

• sites that you have visited in the past 24 hours
• books that you have been reading
• trips that you have taken, plan on taking for Christmas
• ministries that you are involved in
• etc.

I hope that you have not fallen into the abyss of busyness and that if you have that you are climbing out. I hope that you will drop me a note letting me know how you are doing,

Mike

What Did You Learn From Your Pain?

"God uses our suffering to wean us from self-reliance and cast us on himself alone."

Piper, Desiring God, p. 222

So, when I am entering an especially difficult time in my personal life, I must ask myself, "Have I become too self-reliant? Is God attempting to get my attention away from myself and on to him? Why am I trying to handle this myself?"

And when I am in the throes on such a turmultous set of rapids, I must ask myself, "Who has the strength that I need? Am I clinging onto the paddle too tightly, steering us right into the rosks that I want to avoid? Do I need to pray instead of panic now?"

And finally, as I come out into the calm waters below the raging river run, I must ask myself, "How could I have allowed to have more control in that ride? How much better would it have been if I had given him more of the rudder? Did I handle that set of rapids with better skill than the last set (ie did I allow God to have more control)? Am I more confident in my abilities now or God's? Have I praised him for his abundant power, wisdom, care, and control -- after all he did bring you through safely!"

As I tell the story of my extreme experience of suffering, who looks like the hero? Me? or God? Does God get the spotlight or the footnote in the telling of my tale? Am I more or less dependent on Him now than I was upriver?

I want to suffer calmly, knowing that the captain of my ship is not me!

"This is God's universal purpose for all Christian suffering: more contentment in God and less satisfaction in self and the world."

Piper, Desiring God, p. 222
Riding the rapids, learning the lessons, praising the pilot,
Mike

Stuff You Won't See on a BillBoard

"Human beings flee suffering. We move to safer neighborhoods. We choose milder climates. We buy air conditioners. We take aspirin. We come in out of the rain. We avoid dark streets. We purify our water. We do not normally choose a way of life that would put us in "peril every hour." Paul's life is out of sync with ordinary human choices. Virtually no advertisement slogans lure us into daily dying [to self]."

Piper, Desiring God, p. 220

Suffering for Jesus

There is an incredibly hard decision point to be made when considering the texts of Scripture on suffering. What are we to preach to an affluent, propserous Christian in the US or Western Europe? Have we experienced real genuine suffering? John Piper's Desiring God has some incredibly challengeing stuff in his chapter on the topic. But I love this statement about all forms of suffering in the life of the Christian (even the US variety).



"All experiences of suffering in the path of Christian obedience, whether from persecuion or sickness or accident, have this in common: they all threaten our faith in the goodness of God and tempt us to leave the path of obedience. Therefore, every triumph of faith and all perseverance in obedience are testimonies to the goodness of God and the preciousness of Christ -- whether the enemy is sickness, Satan, sin, or sabotage." p. 216



So if I weather the loss of a job well, I am suffering for Christ, even if I didn't lose it because of my relationship with Christ.

How are you doing today? Are you suffering well? Are you suffering for Jesus?

Definitely on the easy suffering path,
Mike

My First Beach Wedding

I just got back from Virginia from a great wedding connected with a pile of firsts.

1. 1st wedding with a condensed pre-marital counseling period (4 sessions in 1 week)

2. 1st wedding on the beach (first attended, AND first officiated)

3. 1st wedding in bare feet (the whole bridal party too)

4. 1st wedding performed out of state (I am now officially registered to perform weddings in VA)

5. 1st wedding with a unity sand ceremony instead of the unity candle (same basic principles)

Overall, it was a great long weekend with Sue at the beach. How cool is that? :) The wedding brought back a lot of memories of our wedding, almost 17 years ago now. We had some good conversation and some special moments together too. Not bad for an old married couple! :)

Still happily married to the wife of my youth,

Mike

Engage and Reflect on the WORD

May I ask you a question? It is from the study of Colossians that we are doing this quarter (and probably next at the rate that we are going at).

Is spiritual growth possible apart from God or His Word?

I believe that we, as North Americans and US citizens, have a huge deposit of truth. I saw a statistic recently about the % of the world's population that is Christian and the % of that number that were in North America. Staggering! We are truly blessed to have such a comfortable state. Yet has it really driven us to contemplative spirituality? By that I mean, have we thought long and hard about what it means to be a disciple of Christ?

We have been given God's Word in multiple translations with cover choices, study notes choices, color choices and even with our names embossed in gold foil. But has familiarity bred contempt or neglect? Can we truly grow without studying and diving into intense mediattion on God's written special revelation of Himself?

Want a place to start? Read Romans 11:33-35. Then think about this very insightful quote,

"What we know about God is only what God reveals to us. To imagine that we can fathom the depths of God is to posit a God too small.
Paul asserts the infinite distance between human knowledge and God's action. Humans do not counsel God. They can only, in a sense, think God's thoughts after God. God is the source of all knowledge and wisdom."

Then reflect on Isaiah 40:13; Proverbs 8:22-31; Job 38:2-39:30. That should sufficiently challenge you to engage in humble worship and a recommitment to growing in the knowledge of God.

I want to know You more,

Mike

Is God a Manipulative Cosmic Bully?

As we study in Exodus for the eX-Men's Bible Study on Wednesday mornings, we have discussed and discovered some amazing truths about men, leaders, and God. We have been spending a number of weeks in the 10 plagues. Normally this study would be at most three weeks long. We have been here a long time.

[sidebar: When one of the men returned from an unplanned sabbatical, he inquired about our location and found that he had not missed too much textual coverage. But he had indeed missed out on some great conversations! This study is as much about accountability to get out of bed and study with one another as it is about material coverage.]

This morning in our discussion of Pharaoh and God (and their lively interchange in light of the impending doom of plague #7, hail), we discussed this question:

Is God arrogant? Doesn't it seem that the reading of 9:14 suggests that God is manipulative and using Pharaoh for his own agenda? Is God posturing in front of Pharaoh or trash-talking him or trying to intimidate him?

I believe that this discussion is helpful when thinking about those around us who reject our evangelistic efforts (technically they are not rejecting our efforts, but our Master's efforts to reach out to them). We must remember that God is longsuffering, while at the same time unwillling to wink at sin or rejection of truth. There are some consequences to rejection. Maybe we should add this after the invitation is given and rejected in our gospel presentation training!

God is unwilling that any should perish. But some are bent on it. Out of rebellious and stubborn hearts, they choose freely the way of destruction. Pharaoh is a textbook example of this posture before a patient God. God has exposed the junk in his life and called for submission. Yet, Pharaoh has refused to submit and has gripped his delegated power/authority even more tightly. In plagues #7-#10, God is beginning to unleash the destruction on Egypt. Even the "wise men"/magicians begin to see that this is a losing battle.

How like us! When God calls us to follow there are two ways, God's way (the better) and our way (the harder). Even though God's way may seem harder (requiring more effort against our old nature) it is always better. Pharaoh would have been better off if he had yielded after the pre-plague signs (snakes from rods). The results are the same -- the Israelites are released -- but the paths are different. Pharaoh could have released them willingly, but instead chose to fight God tooth and nail until the end. Then even after being bested by God, he chased the Israelites right into his own watery grave. The end result is also that Pharaoh yields -- he chooses to do it the hard way.

One of the guys commented, "Sometimes we learn better from our mistakes". While there are benefits to learning from failures, I still prefer to learn from successes! It is always much less painful and much more enjoyable. I choose to pursue excellence and growth through the pains of success than through the pains of failure.

God is not a cosmic bully. He is not simply getting his jollies watching Pharaoh squirm. He is not manipulating Pharaoh.

[sidebar: This understanding of the gods being above men's world but pulling the strngs and watching men dance is the Greek/Roman theology. Zeus is seen as a moody god, threatened in his ultimate leadership and defending it jealously with lightning bolts and bullying force. Zeus is so not my God!]

God is demonstrating a longsuffering and a mercy that is "wasted" on the stubbornness of this pagan king. Yet He still shows His character. Even in rejection, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that God is THE ONE AND ONLY GOD. God accomplishes exactly what He intends to do. Pharaoh misses out on a relationship of joy and contentment and gets the teeth of judgment. His loss. God's plan is not thwarted. God's arm is not shortened (except in His own self-restraint). God's promises are not "fluff".

Yield or be exterminated,
(I choose yielding),
Mike

Vacation Pic

Just to not be outdone by Todd. This is us as we got out at Newaygo after a 3+ hour cruise down the Muskegon River on innertubes!

Kindling for Your Soul's Fire

Great read this morning from the pages of Piper's classic tome, Desiring God. Man, I love to read this book. (This is my second time through.) His chapter on Scripture is subtitled "kindling for Christian hedonism". That is a great subtitle. It draws a great image up in my mind, especially while on vacation. The campfire at the end of the day is a great highlight and it all begins with kindling.

But Piper's point is that the fire needs to be started at the beginning of the day -- probably an allusion to the cooking fires of a day gone by. As the day begins, we must stoke the fires of the soul and plan to keep it burning throughout the day. The utility of such a fire much be highlighted -- warmth, food, and security. Piper's call is to heaping the kindling on through the regular intake of Scripture.

"If you go without the kindling of Christian Hedonism [the Scriptures], the fire of Christian happiness will be quenched before mid-morning."

Of course in the pursuit of happiness, Piper is talking about the kind of soul contentment that the Psalmist sings of in Psalm 1. This kind of soul satisfaction brings forth fruit in its season and does not wither for it finds the kind of nourishment and irrigation that sustains it through the droughts and troubles of the trees lifespan.

1. What Scriptures are you heaping up in a kindling pile to get your fire rip roaring hot?
2. Who or what has really helped nail this truth home with you?
3. Have you thought about how to pass the fire along to someone else today? (Sing a verse of Pas It On here and think of the bonfire at camp!)

Burn brightly in your happiness friend,
Mike

In the Margins

Great quote read this morning, during some quiet time at the Lakehouse retreat we are enjoying, from my brother Oswald;

"I indeed was this and that; but He came, and a marvellous thing happened. Get to the margin where He does everything."

He was referring to the "I baptize with water but he will baptize with the HS" discussion that John the Baptist had in Matthew 3:11. My ministry is so pale in comparison with Christ himself. I must decrease and He must increase. The fact that I am striving for impact sometime is nothing more than me trying to "pad" my ministry portfolio and build my self-esteem as a minister. I really want to get people to the margins where He can take over and really do something extraordinary.

We have taken to calling them "WOW" moments at camp. The moments which are unplanned, unarranged, unprogrammed. Real moments is what Greg Stier of Ministry Mutiny calls them. I am reading this book on vacation. I couldn't put it down this afternoon. I was totally drawn into the discussion.

I just love being stretched and grown.
I want to go wider and grow deeper.
I want to be more in love with Christ than with the ministry of Christ,
Mike

Lead Us Not into Temptation

As Pastor Evans worked through the Lord's prayer (aka the disciple's prayer) on Wednesday nights, he came to this phrase:

"lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"

He read a quote, by an apparently famous person that I should have recognized, but did not, about temptation:

"Temptation excites, gets the blood [and adrenaline] flowing, and enflames the imagination [and passions]."

Wow! No wonder we can't get anyone to resist it. It sounds great! But what is righteous living like? Is it not quite as good as temptation or sin? Is righteous living a drag? If it is then it's no wonder we can't get more people to buy into it!

Pastor Evans suggested that the prayer was a prayer for help; do not allow us to succumb to the temptations; do not allow us to play with sin; lead us away from temptation and its power. I need that kind of prayer. I need to pray the Lord's prayer every day -- maybe not as a rote quote, but in its principle. Will you pray it too?

Deliver me from evil's power,
Mike

A Word from God

I am not a metaphysical person. I don't buy into the whole "God told me to..." movement. I try, in fact, to avoid such speech! I diligently seek to be clear in my speech about the "impressions of the Holy Spirit" and am not a big fan of experiential episodes as the "proof" that something must be normal.

So it will take you by surprise perhaps that I share this anecdote. It has never happened this way before. As I was reading Joshua 6 in preparation for the sermon that I was going to preach, I had a very clear, very articulated statement enter my mind. Again, I never have that happen, I usually work really hard at defining my propositions. And so I wrote it down. Again, I don't proclaim myself as the new prophet, but I definitely feel that this was a key statement so I wrote it down. It is the thought that has been rattling around in my brain ever since.

"Faith is repeated obedience without evidence of impact or effect."

Send me a note about how you have had to apply this concept recently or how this statement starts to rattle around in your head. I hope that it encourages you like it did/does me.

So keep walking around those walls; keep following after God's divine plan; get ready to shout in victory! Roo-ah!
Mike

Joshua's Stonehenge

In the course of the summer, even an associate pastor gets to preach. This is a huge blessing and contains no dread for me whatsoever. I have become even more convinced that, quite simply, I love to preach. This love most definitely grows out of an appreciation of good Bible study.

For the past two weeks, I preached through 3 chapters in 3 1/2 sermons. Here are the residual take-homes for me.

"These Stones Cry Out" Joshua 4:1-24
The stones were probably erected in standing stone fashion and may have been assembled in a stonehenge-like circle. These stones were both a sign and a memorial to the greatness of God. Consider building your own rockpile. Note: Lamoka Baptist Camp has begun to follow this technique at the close of camp each year.

"Emergency Surgery at the Wilderness M*A*S*H" Joshua 5:1-12
This sermon was graphic reminder of the build-up of disobedience and the passing on of wrong attitudes to my kids. We also need to circumcise our hearts of the junk before we try to move forward. We must get ready for the next unknown steps by taking care of the known preparation steps. Your kids' spiritual health depends on it!

"Spiritual Victory: Pulling Down the Fortresses" Joshua 6:1-21
Spiritual victory begins with a close encounter with the Lord of Hosts, means following an unconventional divine battle plan, and are won as the result of an obedient, silent march. I must have and demonstrate full acceptance of God's timing and full assurance that God is still on track to victory (bringing Himself glory).

"and the Lord was with _______" Joshua 4:14, 6:27; others
When studying out the phrase, "and the LORD was with" someone, I found that this expression communicated a deep intimate relationship with God. This was more than knowing the theology of presence of God. When God is with you, things go well for you and God can use you for mighty things. 2 Chron 17:3 formed the applicational section of the message drawing out the reasons why the LORD is with me.

The last sermon was a shortened one at one of our series of "Fire n Fellowships" (an outdoor service followed by a hot dog roast and fellowship picnic at a host home). Thus the 1/2 sermon. All in all I was energized myself by the messages that I was able to preached and felt challenged personally first; this makes for the best sermons!

If any of these abstracts catch you attention, I would love to discuss them some more in detail. Until then, keep growing in the Word and sharing your faith 'til Jesus comes to get us.
Mike

My Life's Spiritual Honor and Duty

Oswald Chambers gave a pretty good challenge yesterday (He being dead yet speaketh! :) ). I, of course, read it this morning as I was previously engaged in regular WyBC ministry happenings yesterday. Nonetheless, this stuff prints/preaches any day of the week/year.

"[in reference to Romans 1:14] Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent his life to express it. ... Every tiny bit of my life that has value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. ... Quit praying about yourself and spend your life for the sake of others as the bondservant of Jesus. That is the true meaning of being broken bread and poured-out wine."

Again, Oz has some pretty amazing insights or thoughts about how this whole thing called "the Christian Life" ought to unfold. His strong grasp of the total depravity of man has some really great applicational thoughts; it's not about me, it's all about Him! I must decrease, but He must increase. Selfless service for the love of my Lord -- the Mary principle in action.

Which Mary? you may ask. Whichever one that you want! Which principle? Each Mary exhibited total surrender of their lives and assets to the worship and celebration of Jesus. These women demonstrated their love for Christ by their honor and duty.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, referred to herself as the Lord's handmaiden, willing to give her womb and her reputation to the Father to be used for His plan. She pondered these things in her heart and meditated on this babe, not her morning sickness or the public ridicule or the pain of childbirth.

Mary Magdalene, the one in whom there were seven demons, poured out a valuable perfume and cried on Jesus in worship. She knew that there was no way that she even gets close to being a duaghter of God except for Jesus is about to do for her. She prepares His body for death/burial/resurrection. Her debt is no larger though than mine!

Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, sat at Jesus feet and listened intently to the words of truth that were setting her free. She focused her attention and time on being with Jesus even with the price tag of ridicule by her sister, Martha. Jesus called her brokenness and humility the better thing choice. She intentionally allowed her time to be absorbed in becoming more like Jesus.

He means so much to me, how can I remain silent about Him? O God, Give me courage to infect those around me with contagious Christianity again today. I pray that I will focus my attention on the praise, honor, and glory that You are so worthy of. You paid much too high a price for me! Yet You did it voluntarily, so I simply respond with a breathed out whisper, "thank-you for the cross" and "there is a redeemer"!

Spiritual Disciplines

"Christian discipline can be of three types: enforced or external discipline, such as we use with children and immature people; self-discipline, which primarily consists of adult attitudes and decisions; and Christlike discipline, based on spiritual surrender. ...
All Christian leaders must come to the place at which they take responsibility for personal discipline rather than always needing the encouragement and push of other people."

Coaching Ministry Teams, p.29

Creativity in Leadership

I was suppposed to get my van's oil changed at the local muffler shop. I had a 9:00 appointment and expected to be in and out with no problems. But I grabbed a book just in case I was delayed. Needless to say, when I got to the waiting area and found that there were no seats, I was worried. But the book that I had grabbed was Kenn Gangel's, Coaching Ministry Teams: Leadership and Management in Christian Organizations. I read portions of it while on internship and figured that it was appropriate for me right now as I wait for a ministry trip to Lamoka in August.

Here are some of the nuggets that I found (or maybe re-found):

"Creative people bring about something unusual... Creative people are dreamers, dissatisfied with the way things have been because there's always the hope they can be better. ... Like leadership, creativity is learned; it often comes down to a restructuring and reforming of
ideas."

Coaching Ministry Teams, p.26

That quote is where I am in my leadership journey. I am so dissatisfied with the status quo that I can barely keep it harnessed. I have a dream, a vision of where the church leadership team could be if we would lift up our eyes and see the harvest fields. If we could catch a glimpse of what it would be like if we got busy about personal spiritual growth, holiness and responsibility, we would all be straining at the reins. And then Gangel did it; he crossed the line.

"Joshua's years of preparation allowed him to enter his leadership role with the important quality of patience, a treasured companion of creativity in leadership." (emphasis by Gangel)

Coaching Ministry Teams, p.26

Oh yeah, patience. It has now officially become my most hated word. It makes my little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I cringe as people use it. I know I should exercise it; but I despise its overuse and the resulting excuse for inactivity. So once agin in the school of pastoral leadership, I am forced to acknowledge my weaknesses. As much as I would like to hitch my wagon to the whirlwind thoroughbreads named Creativity and Zeal, I must keep them attached to the wagon with the riggings of Patience and Timing.

So once again I have to pray,
Father,
Help me to wait upon the Lord to renew my strength, to mount up with wings like eagles and then to run and not be weary, to walk after your ways and not faint in them. Help me to balance the zeal and desire to be passionate about everything I do with the discipline of self-control. Keep me from rejecting and discarding those caught in apapthy. Make me a voice for positive, sensible, Biblical change. Keep me growing personally. Allow me to follow You, as I attempt to lead these dear people that you have entrusted to me today. May my consuming zeal be contagious and attractive inside the fire ring of the Spirit's control and filling. Don't let me be a dangerous uncontrolled wildfire.
Keep me burning til the break of day,
Amen

Great "Get-out-of-bed-hit-the-floor-running" Quote

Hey! Need a get-you-fired-up-and-ready quote for the day? It comes from a great little book called Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray:

"The branch does not exist for itself, but to bear fruit that can proclaim the excellence of the vine: it has no reason of existence except to be of service to the vine."

Abide in Christ, p. 30-31

Trying to grow Vine-glorifying fruit today,
Mike

The Horror Film Plotline in Exodus

This morning in Bible Study, I was dialoguing with the X-men (eXodus MEN's Bible study) about the plagues. We are currently in the plague of flies. It struck me that this series of events that we affectionately refer to as "the Ten Plagues" is really the stuff of horror films. The plotline is so similar that I can't belive that I didn't see it before:

• A. Man is minding his own business out in woods at midnight
• B. Man is confronted with scary creature/villian/terror
• C. Man runs to place of comfort/security, breathes sigh of relief
• D. Man is again confronted with terror in the security of his hiding place
• E. Man grabs at anything to rid himself of terror, deals what appear to be a death blow, breathes sigh of relief
• F. Man is again confronted with terror after apparently being done with it
• G. Repeat cycle to absurdium

Pharaoh is a textbook case. He is confronted with Moses and Aaron who give him a word from YHWH -- "Let my people go". His response was "No" and he went down to the river to settle his accounts with the gods (a method/attempt at security).

Mo and Aaron show up again this time with terror (blood water). Pharaoh runs and hides at court with his magicians who comfort him with a "natural explanation" of the "trick". Pharaoh is secure -- or so he thinks.

He is confronted with Mo/Aaron and more terror.

Do you see the pattern? Again, if we really got the graphic nature of the Bible, we might not be so quick to "dumb it down" to flannelgraphs, finger puppets and coloring pictures. This narrative is really "Nightmare on Nile Street".

The only flaw in the plotline is that God is not the boogey man. He is powerful enough to trump the boogeyman and the monsters on TV and He's watching out for his kids. To those who will receive it, He gives mercy; to the rebellious, He gives judgment.

I wish that Pharaoh had not chosen to keep trying to destroy God. I want to scream into my Bible, "Don't fight Him! You'll only make it worse!". This response is somewhat akin to the reaction of the horror film audience that hoarsely whispers, "Don't go back out there, the thing will get you!" as they watch the protagonist cycle through the plotline.

Where are you today? Are you trying to run from God? Eventually that type of avoidance will kill you. (see Ex. 14 and listen to the hit single that it spawned in Ex. 15) You don't have to live in terror. You can know this God personally and enjoy Him forever.

No longer scared,
Mike