Marathon Finished!

This morning I ran in and completed the Savannah Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.

I'd like to thank all of you who prayed for me. My feet did in fact hurt for over half the race. At one point I prayed to God to relieve the pain. Soon after my lower legs and feet went numb. No joke. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but God's answers to prayers are far wiser than ours would be. Although the feet issue slowed me down a bit, I was still able to achieve both of my primary goals: 1) finish the race, and 2) finish fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2018.

Boston has set standards based upon age and gender. Males ages 45-49 have to complete a marathon in under 3 hours, 25 minutes. This morning I semi-staggered across the finish line in 3 hours, 20 minutes, 33 seconds. Woo-hoo! I came in third in my age group out of 169, and 53rd overall out of 2225.

This has been a journey that began for me in February 2015. That's when I decided to live a more healthy life. One of my first goals was to finish last year's RnR Marathon. However, as I've chronicled previously, the weather last November was so hot and humid on race day that the directors and city officials cut the race short. Ugh. For the last 365 days I've anticipated today.

God delivered an added bonus. Earlier this week it was hot, with high temperatures in the mid 80's. However, this morning it was about 55 degrees with low humidity. I had been praying for weather like that for weeks. Thank you God for answering. It made for perfect race weather.

Additionally, this morning was even more fun because my wife Alice and daughter Mary tag-teamed the half marathon in relay form. Mary ran the first seven miles, and Alice walked the final six (she couldn't run due to an ankle sprain from five weeks ago). They were waiting for me at the finish line. It was awesome.

Thank you again for praying. I very much appreciate it.

OUCH!

Hi, fellow followers of Jesus. Today I'm writing with a specific and somewhat self-centered prayer request.

In two days I'm running in the Savannah Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. This is something that I have been looking forward to for a year. However, my ability to participate at all is now in question.

To put it simply, both of my feet are hurting. Although I do not have a diagnosis, my guess is that my right foot has a case of Plantar Fasciitis. My left foot, on the other hand (please excuse the terrible pun), feels more like Achilles Tendinities. Both stem from over-training.

I'm asking you to pray for me to be able to run in the marathon. I may have to take a break from running for a while afterward. If that is the case, so be it. However, this particular marathon, in my home city, is a goal I've had for 365 days. Please pray that God will extend His mercy toward me by relieving the pain for the race.

I don't want to hyper-spiritualize this event. It's just a marathon after all. However, since it has been something I've anticipated and worked toward all year I would hate to miss it. Thank you so much for praying.

My Wife's Thoughts on Hurricane Matthew

My wife Alice is an awesome woman. Truly she is. God has greatly blessed us with over twenty-five years of wedded bliss.

Alice is also an excellent writer. Click here to read her musings about our night with Hurricane Matthew.

We Survived Hurricane Matthew

The photos I'm posting tell you all you need to know about the situation in Savannah right now. The picture above is terribly ironic; that should be dry ground under the sign. Savannah is currently littered with large, fallen trees. One of our fair city's nicknames is "The Forest City." When a hurricane strikes, some of that forest comes down. The trees are actually a much bigger problem than the flooding, which has been limited. I thank the Lord for keeping anything bad from happening to my family and my home. We are all safe, and we now have power (the electricity was out for about 65 hours). For a litte while early Saturday morning it looked like the large pond behind our house (pictured below) might flood. After much prayer and frequent forays by me into the wind and rain to check, the pond receded. Thank you so much for praying for us. I'm glad that Savannah rarely gets hit with storms like this. I'll be happy to never see another.

Hurricane Matthew Update: So Far, So Good

Hurricane Matthew continues its slow slog up the east coast, with the eye currently south of Jacksonville. On the above map Savannah is located where the black mark is. We are getting consistent rain and some wind. There have been a couple of tornado warnings, but none have been too close to us. So far, so good.

As with most hurricanes, the primary danger is not the wind (even though that's what generally makes the headlines). The real problem is the combination of storm surge and high tide. For the Savannah area that will occur early tomorrow morning around one o'clock. It's difficult to predict how much of the area will see flooding. One nice thing is that the city was originally founded on a bluff above the Savannah River. Because of this, the entire historic district is located at one of the highest points in Chatham County. No flooding for them.

As for our family, we think our home should be O.K. All the projection maps we have seen show us staying dry. Other residents of our fair city may not be so blessed. One way or the other, it's going to be a long night ahead.

I will attempt to update in the morning if we have power.

Thanks again for your prayer.

Hurricane Matthew Approaches

Here it comes.

Hurricane Matthew is gradually creeping toward the southeastern coast of the United States. Although the slow-moving storm could still deviate from its present course, the projections have been fairly consistent over the past few days. Florida is going to take a beating. We in Savannah won't get it that bad, but it's still going to be unpleasant. The worst of it for us should occur between tomorrow morning and mid-day Saturday. We'll almost certainly have at least tropical storm force winds, multiple inches of rain, and power outages.

I'm thankful that we won't have to deal with anything like the poor residents of Haiti. While we may have a hot house for a few days due to a lack of air conditioning, many Haitians probably now have nowhere to live and nothing to eat. In light of that, I'll try not to complain too much.

On the positive side, JCB closed down for today and tomorrow which means an unexpected four day weekend! That means time to hang out with family around the house. Sweet. While some Savannah residents are evacuating, most are going to stay put like us.

Savannah is usually spared from hurricanes because we sit relatively far west. Our longitude is almost the same as that of Cleveland, Ohio. Hurricanes sweeping up the coast almost always miss us as they barrel into the Carolinas somewhere. I guess Matthew didn't get the memo.

I'll likely be off the blogging grid for a few days. Therefore, if you leave a comment please don't expect a quick response. I may schedule some posts a few days in advance, but that doesn't mean I actually have internet access.

I appreciate your prayers to our sovereign God for me and my family. Matthew shouldn't end up being that big of a deal; however, a storm of this nature has the potential for quite a bit of damage, especially from flooding.

Thank you.

On Misunderstanding God's Sovereignty and the Resulting Loss of Hope

Most Christ-followers believe that God is sovereign. I know I do, and I imagine you do as well.

How we define and understand the sovereignty of God are important. If we make an error in this it can lead to a deep sense of hopelessness.

God is indeed sovereign. The Bible shows us that God controls all things. Nothing happens that is outside his divine omnipotence. This wonderful truth ought to give us both hope and peace. It would be an awful and terrifying thing to think of something beyond God's control. If that could happen, then God would not in fact be God at all.

It is easy to cherish the sovereignty of God when things are generally going well in our lives. However, when the trials come (problems related to family, job, money, etc.) doubts may begin to creep in. This is where the danger exists. If we define God's sovereignty as God answering our prayers in the way we want him to, then we are in trouble. This is because God knows much better than we do what we need. We generally desire for God to take away various unpleasant things in our lives. After all, we like comfort. God, however, often uses discomfort to both train us and draw us closer to him.

When God answers differently from what we ask for this does not mean that he has failed to be sovereign. He cannot do that because his sovereignty is one of his unchanging attributes. God applies his sovereignty according to his omniscience. He knows all things, including what is best for us. We are the ones who fail to fully understand how God works out his sovereignty in our lives for his glory. While he may apply it one way, we sometimes think that bad things that happen to us mean God failed in his sovereignty. We are incorrect.

In Romans 8:28 we read, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." God works to bring about what we need, not necessarily what we want. We must not make the mistake of over applying God's sovereignty to areas of our lives in such a way that limits God; we must avoid putting God in a box. More specifically, we have to avoid thinking, "God has to answer my prayer in such-and-such a way or he is not sovereign after all." That simply shows ignorance on our part.

God is fully sovereign. He will act according to his perfect character, will, and goodness. When he responds to our prayers in ways we do not like, let's not fall into hopelessness. God has not abandoned us. Rather, he is helping our sanctification process.

God's sovereignty is a reason for great hope. Let's avoid defining and comprehending that sovereignty in ways that God has not.

Positive Acts - Praying With the Right Priorities

What do your prayers consist of?

Far too often my prayers amount to little more than a quick "Thank you" to God and then a laundry list of requests to make my day go more smoothly. While there is nothing wrong with bringing our personal petitions to God, it is problematic if this is far and away our main focus. When we look at the early church, we see a different set of priorities. In particular, when the church is gathered in Acts chapter 4, we read of them praying for something that we often lack: boldness.

In the beginning of Acts 4 Peter and John are taken before the religious leaders in Jerusalem. The goons in charge command the apostles to stop preaching Christ or else. Peter and John in essence reply that they are going to continue proclaiming Jesus no matter what the leaders say. After additional threats, Peter and John are released; they return to meet with the church body.

Then we come upon Acts 4:23-31 (please click on the link, read the passage, and then come back here).

We learn a great deal from both what the believers do pray for and what they do not. Please note that they do not, at least in these verses, ask for protection from persecution. Frankly, if I found myself in this situation most of my thoughts would dwell on how to avoid pain and suffering. Not so these Christ-followers in Acts 4. They had their priorities straight. Self-preservation was not the priority. Something else mattered more to them.

What did they pray for? In 4:29 we read the following, "And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." They request two specific things. The first is for continued boldness in gospel proclamation. The second is that God would perform signs and wonders.

Wow.

I have to confess that I basically never pray for these things. That's got to change. I suppose one of the reasons we see so few people come to Christ in this country is that we fail to pray for the boldness we need. Additionally, many of us evangelicals act as if God is no longer in the miracle business.

Moving forward I plan to begin praying like the early believers. I desperately need boldness to proclaim Christ. My job has me right in the middle of a bunch of people who need Christ. I have the opportunity, but need boldness. It would also be wonderful if God would perform signs and wonders. Maybe He hasn't because I haven't asked. I intend to start.

Will you join me in praying for both boldness and miracles?

Not Forgotten: The Top 50 Countries Where It's Most Difficult To Be A Christian

"Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" (Hebrews 13:3).

We in the West have life fairly easy as Christians. Quite frankly, I'm not sure that we realize just how easy our lives are compared to many of our brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world. I was reminded of the struggles many Christians face when I read Christianity Today's recent article entitled Not Forgotten: The Top 50 Countries Where It's Most Difficult To Be A Christian. I cannot speak to the accuracy of all the details in the article, but the general thrust cannot be ignored: many Christians in many countries continue to suffer for Christ on a daily basis.

As we are exhorted in Hebrews chapter thirteen, let's be in prayer for the persecuted saints worldwide.

Thanks for Praying! / "What We're For" Update

Over the past four days I have finished editing twenty-two chapters for What We're For. I also just completed writing my own two chapters - one on the topic of forgiveness and one on suffering. That makes twenty-four chapters down, and only two to go (I just have to receive them from the authors and finish a little editing).

Thank you so much for praying. I've felt mentally alert this week. Some of that has to do with getting enough sleep, but I'm sure it's also related to your prayers. I appreciate it a great deal.

Fairly soon I'll be sending the finished manuscript off to Jeremy Myers. At that point his work as publisher begins. We hope to have the book completed by sometime this autumn.

Editing "What We're For" / PLEASE PRAY

Back in January I announced that Jeremy Myers and I are working on a book entitled What We're For. This book stems from a blog post I wrote that simply lists twenty-five things I'm for in the life of the church. I'm the book's editor while Jeremy is the publisher.

Many of you know that my job requires me to work 60-70 hours most weeks. Because of this, I haven't had much time recently to work on the book. However, I have this next week off. Also, my entire family is in New York State on vacation. Therefore, I have a quiet house with not much to do for the next seven days except work on What We're For.

I have two primary tasks related to the book. First, I need to finish editing about twenty chapters. These are in various stages of readiness for publishing. Second, I need to write two chapters myself, one on forgiveness and one on suffering. While I've given these quite a bit of thought, I have yet to compose them.

Please pray for me that I will have clarity of thought and consistent motivation this week. I need both.

Thanks!

ONE

In John chapter 17 Jesus Christ famously prays, "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me" (17:20-23).

Jesus Christ desires that His church be united. The above passage, possibly more than any other in scripture, makes this clear. On the night before His crucifixion Jesus specifically prays for His church to be one. Considering the timing, we see that this is of utmost importance to our Lord.

Too often we act as if unity is optional. We tend to unite with other believers that we already agree with on whatever issues. We shy away from those who differ from us or are just plain different from us. We try to just not really think about them. This is not as it should be. Jesus offers no loopholes for the unity of his body.

In the above High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays the following amazing things:

1. That we (His body) will be one as Jesus and the Father are one

2. That this unity will lead to the world believing that the Father sent Jesus to earth

3. The glory the Father gave to Christ, Christ has in turn given to us so that we will be perfectly one.

4. That the perfect unity will show the world God's love for us


In essence Jesus prays for two main things. First, our Lord asks for perfect unity of His body just as He and His Father are perfectly united. Second, Jesus prays that this unity will be a witness to the world of his truth.

If we ever wonder whether or not unity matters to God, all we have to do is read John 17. Jesus directly connects the unity of His church with the Great Commission. Another way to put it is that our oneness as a church impacts the way the lost view Jesus.

Unity is not an option. Too much is at stake. Therefore, we must put aside personal preferences, live lives of humility, and embrace the perfect unity that Jesus wants for His body.

Let's Pray for a Another Reformation!

The church is in desperate need of reform. It had one in the 1500's. It needs another.

We all have a part to play in this needed reform movement, beginning with ourselves. Even though it may be unpleasant, we all have areas of our lives that cry out for change. Much of this is related to repentance for various sins that we try not to think about (such as complacency, selfishness, bitterness, pride, etc).

Let's pray for God to show us where we need reform in our own lives. Then let's do it.

Reform does not generally occur in large groups. Rather, it happens person-by-person. As we strive for reform in our own lives, we can and should help others do the same. We can most effectively accomplish this in the context of close personal relationships. As we help others reform in their own lives, they will likely do the same for us. This is mutual edification at its best.

Let's pray for God to show us others we can help.

As I discuss much on this blog, various common church structures need great reform. One of those is how church gatherings generally occur. Currently, the vast majority of church meetings do not follow the biblical model, and therefore do not bring about mutual edification of the body. This requires reform. We can help a little with this, but for large-scale reform to happen God will have to do it in the hearts of his people.

Let's pray for God to show more and more of his people the need for reform within church structures.

The way most churches are set up today, the pastors have a great deal of both power and influence. They believe certain things are very important such as worship services, church buildings, budgets, and tithes. They are especially convinced that their preaching of sermons is critical to the life of the church. I know this in part because I used to think this way. I know many pastors who think this way. I've read many pastors who think this way. Nothing we say or write is going to influence the hearts of these men. Only God will bring the change. I know it can happen because God did it to me.

Let's pray for God to show pastors the reform he wants in his church.

Finally, God has commissioned us as his church to take the gospel to all corners of the earth. No matter what it takes on our part, the task must be completed. No sacrifice is too big. Despite this, the church in this country seems somewhat inoculated against the Great Commission. We've heard so much about it that our ears are sort of dulled to it. We need reform in how we think about the Great Commission. Instead of thinking of it as optional, we need to think of it as our duty. Instead of thinking of it as something professional missionary-experts do, we need to realize that we all have a key part to play. Instead of shoving the responsibility off on someone else, we must grasp that we are a part of it.

Let's pray for God to bring about a zeal in the hearts of his church to carry the gospel to all unreached peoples.

The church is indeed in great need of reform. Let us turn first to God, crying out to him to make this reform happen. Then, when he tells us as individuals to change we need to be ready to obey.

Let's Pray for a Christ-Following Pope

Like it or not, the Pope has a huge impact on millions of people. His thoughts, ideas, statements, decrees, etc. impact lives all around the globe. As Pope Benedict departs, the Vatican will have to decide who the next Papal resident of St. Peter's will be.

My gut reaction to all this is to just ignore it. Roman Catholicism is at the other end of the spectrum from simple church. The Pope has no impact whatsoever on what I believe; therefore, as an individual Christian it matters nil to me what the "Holy Father" has to say.

However, I keep dwelling on the millions of people the Pope impacts. What he says, whoever he is, really does matter. While some within Catholicism know Jesus as Lord, my guess is that the majority do not. Keeping in mind that there are over one billion Catholics worldwide, that is many souls who are still apart from Christ.

Instead of ignoring the latest Papal transition, I'm burdened to pray for a Christ-following Pope. Just imagine what a truly redeemed person could do in that position. The impact could be tremendous. A Pope who believes in the biblical gospel has the potential to share the good news with millions upon millions.

I have known a number of Roman Catholics in my life who I know love Jesus Christ. I'm not sure how they deal with Rome's faulty teachings, but they follow Christ nonetheless. Because of that, I assume (I hope correctly) that there are some in leadership positions within Catholicism who also love the Lord. My hope is that one of these will be selected as the next Pope.

Throughout history we've seen God select people for key roles who were unexpected. In the bible we read about, for example, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Amos, many of the original twelve apostles, and Paul. These are not men that we might have expected to be chosen. When we look at church history we see other unexpected people used greatly by God such as Athanasius, Augustine, Patrick, John Calvin, John Newton, William Carey, William Wilberforce, Fanny Crosby, C.S. Lewis, and many others.

In light of this, maybe God will, in His absolute sovereignty, select an unexpected Pope. Maybe God will appoint someone who actually follows God. Maybe God will choose a missionary Pope who will preach the gospel to the masses during the Mass. What a great and glorious day that would be!

Let's all pray fervently that God puts a Pope in place who loves Christ, obeys Christ, and proclaims Christ!

In Chronic Pain

For the past several weeks I've been experiencing chronic pain in my left thigh and lower back. I'm not sure what the cause is, but I believe it has something to do with my sciatic nerve. To be blunt, it hurts a lot.

Compounding the difficulty is that I'm currently working about 60-65 hours per week. Most of that requires me to be on my feet on a concrete floor. I'm grateful for the job, but the combination of (sciatic?) pain and concrete is not a good one. I feel like I should invest in shares of ibuprofen companies.

There are various forms of physical therapy that help relieve this pain. However, they are all fairly expensive. We have medical insurance but have to meet a deductible before it kicks in. Therefore, for now at least I'm not going down that path.

I know God is in control of this situation. He is sovereign. I'm trying not to ask why this is happening, but it can be a struggle sometimes when I can barely do my job.

I'm writing this post to ask for your prayer. Please simply ask that God's will be done. I'd love it if God would take the pain away fully and immediately, but sometimes He has much better plans than that.

The pain has gotten to the point that when I get home I pretty much collapse on the couch. This is not good. I need to be more active at home in the few hours I have with my family.

Thank you for praying.

Missions in II Thessalonians

"Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith." II Thessalonians 3:1-2

Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians is one that we don't generally pay much attention to. When it comes to world missions, is there any connection at all? If so, what is the key thing Paul has to say? (To read the first post in this series, click here).

Paul writes something significant for missions in 3:1-2. The apostle addresses the importance of prayer as it relates to world missions. Paul, who was a gifted man, realized that anything good he could accomplish would come through the grace of God. His giftings were from God, and anyone's changed heart was from God. Success for Paul came only through Christ.

Paul makes some specific requests of the Thessalonian believers. First, he asks for prayer that the gospel message would move effectively to those who need to hear it. He's hoping for no roadblocks. His desire is that the word be honored through acceptance of it. Second, Paul hopes for delivery from the wicked men who are opposing him. We know, based on other passages (for example this), that Paul is not scared of suffering for the gospel. In this verse, he appears to desire deliverance so that his efforts won't be slowed down through imprisonment, etc.

It is somewhat ironic that when we attempt to share our faith, we sometimes take our eyes off Christ. We learn from Paul that it is only through Christ that anything good can be accomplished. This is a solid reminder that prayer should be the first missions activity of the church. We see this in Acts 13 as the church in Antioch first sent out Paul and Barnabas.

Let's all be praying missionaries. All success for Christ comes from and through Christ.


To read any or all of the posts in this series, click here.

A Beautiful Prayer

I Chronicles 29:10-13

Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

I confess to not spending much time reading the Chronicles. However, I recently determined to push myself through them. In doing so, I've come across some wonderful passages, none more of a blessing to me than the above.

The setting for this passage is the collection for the construction of the temple. The people of Israel have just given willingly toward the building. David prays in joyful response to the collection. David's prayer continues after verse thirteen, but it is these first few verses that stand out to me.

David correctly praises the Lord for both who he is and what he has done. David understands God's position as creator and head. God is the giver of all good things. God's name is worthy of praise.

I suppose this is a good reminder to me that even semi-obscure biblical passages hold wonderful treasures for us. This prayer is one of the most beautiful I've ever read. David designs it as a blessing to God, but every time I read it I feel blessed. The reason? I'm reminded that we serve a God who can be accurately described as having, "the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty."

A Job Possibility

This is one of those personal posts.

As many of you know, I've worked several different jobs since resigning from the salaried pastorate a little less than a year ago. My current job with JCB is fine, but the reality is that it simply doesn't pay enough to support a family.

I'm writing in part to ask for your prayers because I've applied for a job that I think might be a good fit for me in many ways. The position is that of academic adviser at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). This job would provide a much better schedule than what I now have and would pay somewhat more. I'd be able to remain in Savannah while being a part of a fascinating art school. As a bonus, I'd be working directly with college students which would be a lot of fun. A massive mission field it is.

Thanks for praying.

On Colossians 4:12

My friend Alan Knox has begun blogging through his study of Colossians.  I encourage you to read it.  It is sure to be good.

His writing reminded me of something that happened this past Sunday during our church gathering.  I wanted to encourage everyone to understand that we all need to teach one another and be taught by one another.  This may happen is various ways, but the key is that teaching is mutual and reciprocal in nature.

In order to do this, I read Colossians 3:16, which says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (emphasis mine)

After reading this, I decided to quietly read through the remainder of Paul's letter. I noticed something I had never thought about before. In 4:12, Paul writes, "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God."

Unspoken

I remember the first time I ever heard an "unspoken" prayer request. I was sitting in a classroom at a Christian school (when in high school) and the teacher was asking for requests. One person said, "Unspoken." I suppose he didn't want to tell everyone else what was going on in that situation.

I can understand why a high school student would say "unspoken." However, it troubles me that in the church we have many problems in our lives that we do not share with others. In fact, we don't even say "unspoken." We just keep our problems to ourselves.

Of course we will share our physical maladies with others. But, will we share our financial problems, marital problems, parenting problems, financial problems, chronic sin problems, etc. with others? Are we willing to get real with others so that they can encourage and pray for us?

On the flip side, do we want others to share their deepest problems with us? Do we even want to know them that well?

If a church is a family, which it should be, then we need to be real with one another. In order to do this, we must be willing to let down our defenses and tell others our struggles.

A related issue is that much modern church structure is not designed to foster family-type relationships. Churches that are large and program-driven often give little opportunity for folks to truly get to know one another at more than a surface level.

So maybe the "unspoken" issue is less a problem with individuals and more a problem with institutional church structure. My guess is that many people who have unspoken prayer needs (whether voiced as "unspoken" or not) would be much more willing to share in a small group, familial, church setting.

What does "unspoken" tell us? Maybe is lets us know that something just isn't right with the way our church operates.