The Branch Church

Cymbala's Excerpt Of Love - Still Relevant to The Church

“One Sunday about 20 yrs ago, back in our days in the YWCA, I said something impromptu while receiving new members into the church that has stuck with us ever since.  People were standing in a row across the front before me, and as I spoke, the holy spirit seemed to prompt me to add, ‘And now, I charge you, as pastor of this church, that if you ever hear another member speak an unkind word of criticism or slander against anyone – myself, another pastor, an usher, a choir member, or anyone else – you have the authority to stop that person in mid sentence and say, ‘Excuse me - Who hurt you? Who ignored you? Who slighted you? Was it Pastor Cymbala? Let’s go to his office right now. He will get on his knees and apologize, and then we’ll pray together, so God can restore peace to this body.  But we will not let you talk critically about people who are not present to defend themselves.’”

“New members, please understand that I am entirely serious about this.  I want you to help resolve this kind of thing immediately and meanwhile, know this: If you are ever the one doing the loose talking we will confront you.’”

“To this very day, every time we receive new members, I say much the same thing. It is always a solemn moment. That is because I know what most easily destroys churches. It is not crack cocaine. It is not government oppression.   It is not even a lack of funds.  Rather, it is gossip and slander that grieves the Holy Spirit.”

“People nod their heads with understanding, and as a result rumor and busy body talk are kept to a minimum.  We have had to confront a few people along the way, of course, but the general concern to live with clean hearts and clean speech before the Lord prevents many problems from ever getting started.”

“I’ll never talk about you, until I’ve talked to you. Then I’ll only talk for you, and never against you.” – Anonymous

Amped

“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death…”
– Philippians 3:10 (Amplified Bible)

"Time To Get 'Writeous' Again"

I keep telling my students how important it is to read, write, and speak. Not only that, I "preach" to them how being a better reader will make you a better writer which will make you a better speaker. The one thing I realized this week was that I'm only doing 2 out of 3. I need (and want) to be able to say to them that I am doing all three right along with them.

It's been a long time since I've consistently "blogged". I'm not even sure if you can call what I do blogging. Its on a blog site, but part of the reason I have been so inconsistent, is that I'm not sure if I've been doing it correctly. It's not even that I have a big audience of readers, so mainly this block is mental.

Starting right now my blog is back on.

Nah... Really Na? A Not So Sweet 16

I like this video because it shows just how bad/frustrating things can get for a professional in their field. I also like it because even at the situation's worst, he finds reasons to smile. I like it because it has an ending, and he moves on. I like it because we can all apply the idea to the various struggles in life that we have.

 

The Little League Temple

    I started playing baseball when I was 7-years-old. I was in the "minors," and played for the Mets. I don't remember much of practice, but I'll always remember my first at bat. I got up to the plate in front of my parents and the rest of the crowd, took my right-handed hitting stance, and stared in the pitcher's direction. The problem? I was in the LEFT-HANDERS batter's box! I heard the crowd laugh. The umpired helped me to my batter's box, and I preceded to strike out.

That moment didn't leave any kind of permanent scar on my psyche, and I turned out to be a pretty good player. I made All-Stars as a starter my last year of "Majors," my only "Junior year," and every year of "Senior" Little League. It was a wild ride from ages 7 to 17 playing baseball, and I will treasure many of those memories.

One of the reasons I think I have fond memories of Little League is because I don't ever remember sacrficing family or church time because of it. Maybe they were the proverbial simpler times, but I distinctly remember my parents making our church and family life the two things that sat highest on the totem pole. I don't remember us having a take it or leave it attitude about baseball, and I made my commitments on time, but there was definitely priority and balance. Fast forward to today. Now, it's me watching my 6-year-old pick up a glove and a bat, whether it's for practice or a game, and beginning his quest toward All-Stardom (or at least at having fun) so that he will build some good memories as well. However...

What I have noticed from a distance before my son officially started playing, and especially now that he is, is how much "emphasis" is placed on Little League. I'm not talking about the kids either, I'm talking about the parents and guardians of the players, as well as the officials who administer the league.

Today's leagues seem to be year-round, week-round, and all around obsessive. One pervasive thought seems to be, "If I dont' get my kid to practice (all 3 this week), work the snack bar, sell the candy bars, do the fundraising, etc., etc., etc., then my kid might have to sit the bench for the game. Another, is the fact that parents are highly comptetive, and want their kids to be. How many instances of parents fighting in the stands (or worse) have we seen in the media over the last decade? There seems to be a certain pride or prestige that comes as a direct result from how "good" your kid is compared to the next kid. (This to me, has satan's grubby hands all over it). Then there is the "what if" factor. What if my kids gets good enough to go pro? Why, that would be like winning the lottery! All of these dynamics and more factor into why such an emphasis is being placed on youth sports. Ultimately, however, like many areas in life, if we are not careful, we will be sorry.

I realize that teaching kids things like community, responsibility, a good work ethic, comradare, healthy competivetiveness, etc. can all be good things. There are, however, valuable life-skills that no amount practice, games, or "kind of sport" variety will be able to teach them, and that I feel/fear are being replaced by youth sports. Without giving a subjective extensive list, I'll just give a subjective two-point list:

1. Emphasizing sports over God, will teach your kids how to priortize God in their life when they get older.  Any sport that you continually show your kids is more important than your time spent in worship, or that you consistently put "over" a healthy regimented church-life schedule, stands a good chance of coming back to haunt you by coming back to hurt them.

By showing them that taking 3 or 4 months "off" from regularly attending church, since it's this season or that season of sports, is a bad move as far as seed-planting in their lives. Spending time showing them that "something else" can easily take up God's time and it's no big deal, will mean that they won't look to God when they need to look for Him later. It means they will look to "something else." Showing them that you can't get up and go to church for 1.5 hours on Sunday, but you can make 3 practices and work the fundraiser for baseball throughout the week, doesn't send a mixed message to your kids, it sends a clear one: God gets the leftovers, if that.

While we're here, I might as well say your kids are also watching as you spend the money to register them for baseball, spend money on supplemental equipment and gear, spend the money for gas to get them there 3-4 times a week, spend the money at the snack bar and pizza party, and their watching when you have little or no money to give to God in worship when the offering plate comes passing by. Our kids are always watching. Even when they don't know they're watching... they are.

2. Emphasizing programs over authentic family relationships, will mean your kids will look to you less (if at all), when they're older and facing the rough storms of life. Andy Stanley talks on this subject a bit in some parenting small-group curriculum I've watched. He notes that as parents, we have a great deal of leverage over our kids from the time they are born, until they become teenagers. Everything from being physically larger, to being the people who control the money factors into that leverage. Obviously, the hope is that we are using that leverage in humility and love, but the fact remains it is there. However, as they get older, the kids stop caring about the leverage as much as they used to. They don't fear the spankings, the groundings, or having the money or car keys withheld. "When this happens," Stanley says, "if you have not built solid personal relationship with your kids - deep and meaningful relationships - you will have no leverage, no influence, and no weight in helping them foster good choices as young adults."

It's scary to think of, but Andy's point is simple: Too many parents are replacing significant and authentic relationships with their kids, by putting in its place program after program after program. Once of his final thoughts on this centers around the fact (not anecdotal bookmark, but fact) that he has never had an adult, or married couple, in his office for counseling who says something like, "Well, my parents never took me to baseball or karate enough." It's usually, "My mom or dad never spent time with me." Which is highly insightful when thinking of the statement: Making sure your kids are on time to all of their games and practices, is not necessarily spending time with them.

Soccer and baseball practice aren't going to teach your kids how to handle the rough years of their marriage. Those programs aren't going to teach them why some of the majorly wrong choices their friends are making are wrong. Only God's word, God's spirit, and God's love working through YOU is going to do that.

I've already been thinking through and putting into practice the fact that our family will not worship at the "Little Leauge Temple." We will be responsble and loving contributors, who are supportive of the team and the league, but we will not be pressured or cornered into placing these things over God or our family. Spending time as a family in the stands watching our kid play ball, or even being on the field during practice working with him and the other kids are all good things. However, they are not substitutes or equivalents to authentic worship and relationship building. Telling your kid you can't make the batting cages trip on Sunday morning because there's no way you're going to miss family time and God time with them, is an infinitely better road to take.

 

Go Francis!

I'm really "feeling" Francis Chan and inspired by what God is doing in his life. He is a great and zealous example for the Christian faith. It's a great mixture of fervor and simplicity that allows him to bring the gospel across to passionately. If there's one thing I've gained from watching him lately, it's to make sure I'm spending time with God. As much as I love Francis, I can't live on His faith. I have my own walk with God. My own purpose. My own work to do as unto King Jesus. I love Jesus with everything in me! Thanks again, Francis Chan

 

Divorce Again - Part 1

There is something about sin, I think, that should make us want to exalt King Jesus even more than we might already be doing. That something, I think, is just how much sin sucks. Not just my personal sin that I regret, but the specks in my brother's eye that I can find pretty easily. Sin hurts so deeply, and the memory of it stains our souls so vividly, that it amazes me, I think, that I/we do not run to Jesus more quickly before we sin so as to prevent us from the pain, or after we sin, so as to get forgiveness and comfort.

Lately, I've been pondering even more, the topic of divorce. I firmly believe that I will never get divorced, and I'm very blessed to also have belief and faith that my wife feels the same way, and that those feelings won't change for either of us. It goes beyond feelings really. I think it even goes beyond committment, and straight into resolve. However, that's not the part I've been really pondering.

The part of divorce I've been turning over and around, is a sense (that's the most I can firmly call it at this stage) that married people who are in the same boat as the committed one I described, rarely get to celebrate their sticktoitiveness and longevity, because about 54% of the people around them have had to go through the gut wrenching pain of divorce. Anyone who is polite, sensible, or just plain human, is not going to want to do anything that is going to "rub their marriage in the face" of a friend or family member whose marriage failed. John Piper says something like, "The physical death of a spouse involves pain, but it is usually 'clean' pain. Divorce, on the other hand, usually involves 'unclean' pain." I understand what he is saying, and so just as someone would not want to convey a message like, "Oh, you're spouse is dead. Well, mine is still alive, let's talk about me," resolute married people, I think, tend to go along being quietly married, so as not to offend or open any wounds.

What is sticking with me, or at least bumming me out, is that although "all sin is sin in God's eyes," (and sinful people like us are quick to point that out), there is something about the permanence of most divorces that parallels death, and this has a great irony.

The irony of divorce, is that the majority of people who get them, do so "quietly." (There is so much more to write here about counseling, or arguing, or stressing, or finances, so I use the word quietly with much sadness, but it's not the main point I'm getting at.) This "quietness" is so much in stark contrast to what started the marriage - the wedding.

The wedding is probably the most exciting, nerve racking, announcing, money spending, inviting, crowd gathering, gift giving, music playing, candle lighting, father giving, holy man reading, everyone praying, cake cutting, rice throwing, limosine driving, time in anyone's entire marriage. It's the sha-bang that sets off the Carpenter's "We've only just begun" tune in our heads. It is, to say the least, a big, big, big, big, big, big, big deal to us. It is a big deal to God.

So when John Piper's only book on marriage entitled "This Momentary Marriage," conveys a passionate thesis that screams: Marriage is not mainly about being "in love," it exists because it is a picture of Christ's unseparating everlasting love for his Bride - the New Testament Church, I'm okay with that. I'm okay with being in love, and I'm okay with staying together for the kids, and I'm okay with sticking it out come hell or high water, so that I can give my two-cents worth of a picture to the world that when Jesus loves you, He loves you forever. He'll never leave you because you slept with His worst enemy, the Devil. He won't even leave you when you commit that adultery so many times you lost count. He won't leave you when you don't spend your money right - and so much so, that you don't have anymore to spend. He won't leave you because you "don't see eye to eye" or because you feel like you started your relationship when you were too young, and didn't know what you were doing. He ain't leaving.

Which brings me back to the thought, I think, that...

1. Married people who plan on staying married need to celebrate this loudly. I'm not saying noone on the planet does, but look at all those components of bells, whistles, and confetti, to celebrate Day 1 of a marriage. Why not at least some whisltes or bells for Day 3001 (8yrs)?

2. I think that people who have struggling marriages need to pull out all the stops to make it work. I could write for days here, but the men who are at fault know their faults, and so do the women who are at fault. We know who and what we are and what we do and what we can change. We just know.

3. I think that people who have gotten divorced should stay divorced. This is the nuclear bomb thought, but I think - and maybe am realizing it for the first time - that I am once again with John Piper who has reminded me that although there is a scriptural provision for divorce, there is not a New Testament scriptural provision for remarriage other than the death of a spouse. In other words, while Jesus does say "sexual immorality" can be used (never says has to be) to exit a marriage, the bible is silent on getting remarried after choosing that exit. It only says a person is free to remarry after the death of a spouse.

I'm good with writing that - although Piper agrees it is a minority view even with some of the most heavy-hitting theologians - because maybe it will at least cause us to look before we leap. If our thoughts go something like, "I know this will hurt - maybe for years - but I'm deciding on the divorce," perhaps we'll have to follow that thought with, "Of course if I do that, I will have to remain single to serve Jesus... possibly until I die or He comes to get His Bride."

Of course, of course, there is a lot of inferring on our part, especially when one spouse does get remarried, leaving the other spouse to infer that they too are free to remarry. However, that ain't chapter and verse. Even Paul writing that an unbelieving spouse can be "let go," he does not go on to write, "so that you may find a new and better companion." It seems extremely conservative to hold to this view, but, I think, conservative, playing it safe out of a love for the King, would say I am not free till my (former) spouse dies a physical death. Chuck Swindoll once said, "I've never regretted playing it safe. I've often regretted playing it loose."

As these thoughts turn to a close for the night, I want anyone reading to realize I am writing first to myself, and second to the majority of marriages. I would not try to apply a one size fits all theology to an extremely battered mother of two, or someone in a worse scenario. There are demonic forces in those cases that go beyond the 90 percentile of divorces that end because of selfishness, rationalization, pride, and all the other soul-staining sin that lead this more permanent Christ/Church-Image shattering sin.

Note To Self

Things do get hard in life. Circumstances can cause worry. Don't keep your eyes on the circumstances. Turn your eyes to Jesus. This means praying. This means reading. This means really praying. This means really digging into His word. It means meditation. All of this will lead to faith. Faith that will conquer what is visually seen, or physically felt. God lords His power over our Sun, as well as every molecule. Give Him the chance to be Lord of your (when compared to eternity) puny circumstances. Paul ended your favorite chapter with these words, "While we do not look to the things, but the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal." This life is the like the first sentence of the preface to a dauntingly thick novel. 80 years here is a blink compared to what GOD SAID is in store for us. Don't be afraid. The verse in 1 John 4 that gave you the courage to propose to your wife (and maybe for her to accept) was this: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." You couldn't afford an engagement ring when God gave you that verse. 11 years later, she still wears the ring you couldn't afford. Trust Him. Remember that He's never let you down. Not one single time. When you wanted your mom healed from cancer, He cured her completely by taking her home to heaven on Easter Sunday in 2001. She's no longer sick. She's better than she's ever been. Remember the lost. Remember to pray for your church. Remember the hungry and the poor. Pack up water bottles, granola bars, make sandwiches, or whatever you can do to help. Load up your car with your family when you guys are sitting around "bored" with your air conditioning on, watching your big tv while flipping mindlessly through shows you've already seen. Take your kids to experience the words of Jesus when Paul quotes Him in Acts: "It's better to give than to receive." Remember that you told April tonight that you think we're going to find out we lived like kings when we get to heaven. We are so rich down here in San Bernardino - that we complain about - and we KNOW, not suppose, but KNOW children are dying a physical death due to hunger. Imagine looking into the eyes of Jake, Chase, or Bailey and not having a crumb to give them. That will make you pray harder. That will make you appreciate what you have. That WILL change the perspective of your circumstances. You'll see them for what they really are. You'll see how the enemy has been lying to you...again. Most of all, David, please remember Jesus loves you so much that He sacrificed His life so that you can remember these notes, and trust that He will A-L-W-A-Y-S come through.

Keeping Our Hearts Close to His

I was so physically tired (not really sure why) after a day of teaching middle schoolers (that may have something to do with it) today. After school let out, I sought to visit with a lady who I have knowing for many years who has cancer, and not many days left. I talked with her son for a bit since she was resting and then headed home to grab a textbook.

Halfway home, I decided to pull into a parking lot and pray and read my bible. As I'm thinking about it now, I see how spoiled we are to have cars with air conditioning. I read Mark chapter 7, and am finding out more and more how rich of a gospel Mark is.

Anyway, what really stuck out to me today was Mark 7:6 which reads: "And He [Jesus] said to them, 'Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.'"

I sat their for a while thinking about a few different people I thought this verse could apply to in my life, and then I shuttered at myself, rebuked myself, and thought, "Dude, God pulled you over to read His word for you, not for someone else." [How often do we read scripture for OTHER PEOPLE?!]

Anyway, what a scary thought to think that Jesus was talking to men - who evidently had a problem with Jesus' disciples not following man-made religious traditions - and told these guys in essence, "You guys profess to the world that you love God, know God, and can teach them about God, but your heart is nowhere near His heart." Yikes. That's nothing to passover and think, "This could never apply to me," because Jesus was talking to me who would probably say the same thing, "This could never apply to me."

I love Jesus. And as I sat there reading the rest of the chapter, and then stayed for a while longer reflecting in meditation, I just kept thinking that I never want to be those guys. I never want to be so stuck to religious ritual and hypocrisy, and have God say to me on the last day, "Depart from me...you're heart was far from me all along."

Ironically - and I suppose it speaks to the infinite grace and mercy of God - I feel like I've done so many dumb sinful things in my life, that I wouldn't even want to try and be like one of those guys. I'd never want to look at someone who isn't following a religious ritual (not that ritual itself is bad, but empty ritual is just that, empty), and then point the finger point the finger point the finger, and then have Jesus say my heart isn't even close to His.

This blog is for me. I want to be accused of loving Jesus with a passion. I want to be accused of following God's word through the power He gives me through His Holy Spirit, and I definitely want to be accused of obeying it. You see, my fear is that too many people can take an instance of Jesus rebuking the Pharisees, and think that is in some weird way a license to sin. Like "we all mess up" is the universal license to disobey God. It's not. "We all fall short," should be the beginning to a prayer that goes something like this:

"God, we all fall short, and so I'm begging for Your mercy today. I ask You to forgive the known sin in my life. Things that are black and white in Your word as far as sin goes, are things I can not chalk up to ignorance. And even when I feel to weak to obey the righteousness You desire, or feel so strong that I want to debate with You and others to make minimal my stab at obedience, I pray that you would give me the balance to get right and please You. I want to please You. I am in love with You, and I want to be used for Your glory. I want more and more people to come to know You. Time is short. I have no time to dilly dally in vomit that I walked away from. Help me to love others as You do. Help me. Jesus in every way, help me."

God is so good. Even now, I can feel Him. He is all around us. He is God.

Learning to Depend on Him

I'm starting to notice that everytime I start worrying about something I can calculate -the old "if we have 2, we have to have 2, or we'll never get 4" mentality - that I'm soon comforted that God is in control of everything. I actually get peace by saying to myself, "If God doesn't show up, I'm doomed."

I guess that's just the thing: God always shows up. If He never does another thing for me, He gave me salvation. Mark 2:1-12