by chrisaiken | Feb 13, 2016 | Pastor's Reflections
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20.
It cannot be a coincidence this morning: Two of the three devotional reads for me related to the influence of parents. I was drawn back to something my mom used to drive me crazy with…”If you hang around with those people, you will become just like them!” I hated that statement. I was such a rebel that I chose to resist it with every fiber of my being. “I will not be a statisitic,” I would say. Well…she was right. 🙂
The facts bear themselves out in life. With limited exceptions, we gain much from the people we asociate with. Hang out with complainers, you’ll soon become one and may not even know it. Hang out with dreamers, you’ll be a dreamer. Hang out with foolish people…and yep, you will become foolish. Finally, choose to hang around with wise people and you will be wise.
Many years ago, Jodi and I were taught by some close friends the positive implications of this verse…only our friends did not put it this way particularly. They told us to take our “counsel” from people who were already where we wanted to be, not where we were presently or where we had come from. In other words, choose to hang around people who inspire you to become more.
Doing so has its own bag of challenges. You will be constantly aware of your shortcomings. You will be ever mindful of the things that others have mastered that you are wrestling with. You will struggle at times. Many of the people where you are will tell you that this adversity is a reason to turn back. ‘You’re not one of them. Come hang out with us and just enjoy medocrity!” (Oh if the temptation were only that easy to spot).
If you want to become more, find someone who already is and choose to discipline yourself to hang out there. For me as a pastor, I have a few guys that I think have it nailed in some areas. I like to hang around them. I know I don’t contribute much to their lives, but I think I do in some ways and they help me tremendously. As a dad, I have a few role models as well. As a husband…yep, there too are some wise voices.
The truth is, you glean from your surroundings whether you want to or not…so you may as well choose surroundings that look like where you want to go.
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by chrisaiken | Feb 12, 2016 | Pastor's Reflections, Uncategorized
The man who believes in the American ideal gives his sons to it. The Christian who believes in the necessity of Salvation as the only cure for sin, bears witness to it. The woman who knows that holiness honors God and promotes life pursues it with exuberant passion.
These are succinct statements that affirm for us that our actions define our ideology more accurately than do our philosophical statements. Please permit me to explain. We can admire a particular philosophy and not live it. Our philosophy even directs our ideology but not vice-versa. Our philosophy may shift, but our ideology is certain and directs our practice. Here is how one writer spoke of the difference:
There are very fundamental differences between philosophy and ideology. Ideology refers to a set of beliefs, doctrines that back a certain social institution or a particular organization. Philosophy refers to looking at life in a pragmatic manner and attempting to understand why life is as it is and the principles governing behind it.
So our ideology determines our actions. A problem occurs when we don’t understand the difference. We think “philosophically” about something and ASSUME we believe it, but act contrary to it. The question is “why?”
I am presently reading for an upcoming assignment. In my reading I have recognized that sometimes OUTSIDE forces affect our actions. (i.e. a robber forces you to give him money that you would not choose to give otherwise). Also, a conflicting nature can affect you (i.e. the sin nature of man warring against the desires of the soul (See Romans 7:14ff). In absence of these circumstance, our actions give indication as to our underlying ideology. Furthermore, when we act contrary to our ideology and recognize those actions as rising from sin or external influences, we struggle against them to return to an action consistent with our ideology.
So, back to my initial statements and the application. Can you really say that you are thankful for and believe in the American ideal without participating in the election process? If you do not vote, do you truly hold that the “representative democracy” form of Government is greater than a monarchy?
A Christian who does not bear witness of Christ (an unimpeachable command) cannot truly argue that He holds to the doctrine of sin and the sovereignty of God…unless he will also admit that he is being swayed by a sin nature or outside influence that wars against his compliance with the Lord’s command. To say, “I do not have to witness” is a far different statement than, “I am commanded to share my faith but I am plagued by my sins of pride and self-interest or by fear of persecution.” The former statement indicates an errant ideology while the latter indicates an accurate ideology but a confliction within the person.
In either case, the thoughts of Emerson ring true, “What you do speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you say.”
Today, examine what you do. Let it be the determiner of what you truly hold as an ideology. Ask, “Am I generous,” and answer by looking at your checkbook to see where you spend your money. Ask, “Do I value prayer,” and answer by looking to see how often you actually pray. Ask, “Do I truly believe in compassion,” and answer by looking to see where you have acted compassionately toward your neighbor and those less fortunate. As you do, you’ll understand your true ideology.
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by chrisaiken | Feb 10, 2016 | Uncategorized
Great thoughts by my wife, Jodi, as she reflects on trusting God’s heart…even when you cannot trace His hand in a given situation! Read and share!
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by chrisaiken | Feb 8, 2016 | Devotions, Uncategorized
Over the past four months or so, I have experienced an increased sense of urgency in my life. A sense of urgency for the Gospel. In me was rekindled an awareness that life is short, death is certain, and then comes the judgment of God for every man.
Now in case you want to write this off as a doomsday article, hear me out. An awareness of the transitory nature of life is not in itself bad or harmful. In fact, it may be the antidote to procrastination.
Every school project I “put off” growing up…was directly related to the belief that I had another day to do it. I have always worked well with deadlines. Saying “get it to me when you can” is like saying, “If you never get to it, it is okay.”
I wonder if one of the contributing factors to the anemia of the American church is a sense of self-sufficiency and no sense of urgency?
The Psalmist thanked God for placing in his heart a sense of his own transience:
“Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am.” Psalm 39:4, NASB.
Truthfully, I think we would all live a little differently if we believed we only had a few and fixed number of days to live. I think we would live better, love more, and seek eternal blessing rather than the temporal distractions of comfort. Frankly, this does not appear to be a new observation. Throughout the Scripture we find a call to urgency and an indictment against pursuing temporal pleasures that wear out, rust out, or are destroyed by the curses of this world.
Today, live like there is no tomorrow. Do it for the Glory of God.
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by chrisaiken | Feb 4, 2016 | Devotions, Pastor's Reflections, Uncategorized
This morning I was reading in the Scriptures and came across this “nugget” that became a point of meditation:
“When I was a son to my father…he taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commandments and live.”
Proverbs 4:3-4
Solomon is writing here to his son about the lessons of King David to Solomon. There are several things about this that resonate with me:
- Fathers are, by design- teachers of their children. It is the father’s responsibility to teach his children, particularly in the area of relating to God. Honestly, by nature of the relationship, a father is always teaching…but it may not be the lesson he hoped to teach.
- Fathers can only confidently teach what they have learned themselves. The reason many dads don’t take a more active role is that they have not devoted themselves to the deep things of God. They know the range and trajectory of their favorite hunting gear. They know the best lure to use for a particular fish. They know the most effective manner to accomplishing their tasks at work. Our relationship and understanding of God deserves no less attention and mastery.
- A Father’s teaching extends to multiple generations. WHat you teach your sons and daughters will be taught to theirs.
- Teaching your children is important. It is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that God directed it.
- Many fathers feel inadequate to teach their children. As such, they desire to farm it out to experts like pastors and coaches and other leaders. We can farm out the task, but not the responsibility. Further, if we deal with our own inadequacy properly (but turning to our heavenly Father in utter dependence) then we will learn while teaching.
- Finally, dads need to lighten up sometimes. You can’t teach your kids to be perfect. You have no experience there. Teach them to relate to God perfectly…which means to learn to depend on Him. Model dependence, repentance, and personal devotion. Show them how to apologize for failure/sin by quickly apologizing. Teach them to be dependent by being dependent.
My dad taught me a lot. Probably more than he intended to. I am thankful for that. I am also aware that not every son has a dad like mine. If that’s you, then hear me: “This is no excuse for your continuation of that legacy.” Choose today to change the course and step up to the responsibility God has laid on you. You are accountable to it anyway…you might as well take it seriously and do it right.
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