Crucible Men's Weekend

It has been said, “You can’t keep going down the same road and expect to get to a different destination.”  Are you tired of chasing down the same road looking to draw closer to God yet still finding the same results?  Are you tired of “playing church” and wondering if God is there?  Are you weary of reading the Bible more, praying harder, listening to the right sermons, reading all the right Christian books, yet feeling you are stuck in the same place?  Are you hoping that it will all just get better?  Have you told yourself something like, “This is just the way it is and I have to have faith to get through it.”? 

As a man, have you or do you feel like you are just not getting “it” right.  Deep inside are you feeling inadequate?  Does it seem like you’ve lost a handle on your anger?  Are you feeling a deep and bitter anger burning just under the surface?  Do you feel like you are way too passive and life around you is spinning out of control?  Do you get the sense that your foundation you have built your life and beliefs upon has cracks and you just don’t know how to start repair on them?  Are you tired of wearing the mask you put on everyday because this is life and that is way you think you ought to act?  Have you worn your mask for so long that you really don’t know who you are anymore?  Are you tired of protecting your vulnerable parts of you with this mask? 

Do you feel you are lacking adventure in your life?  Do you dream of having passion like you once had when you were younger?  Do you wonder, “Where did the faith I had as a young man go?” Are you tired of the hardened shell created by the tough life around you?  Do you ask yourself in some fashion, “Do I really have what it takes…?”

Do you have trouble staying in integrity?  Do you struggle with keeping your word and/or commitments? 

I know there are many other questions like these you (and other men) have been asking yourself for maybe years.  Are you willing to look at those places?  Do you want to make that change?  Do you want to take a risk and go down a new road?  Are you longing for true grace like you have never felt before?  Do you want to experience God in a real and powerful way?  You are not alone.

Many men have gone before you and done just that.  Many men have started a journey down a new road.  I am one of those men.

I have been a Christian 30 years.  I’ve done the Bible studies.  I’ve been to camp.  I’ve taught classes.  “I’ve had mountain top experiences.”  I’ve felt God’s presence.  I’ve heard countless stirring sermons.  Yet, I still felt I was missing something.  I was hiding and covering the wounded parts of me.  I needed a change in my spiritual life.  Along came the Crucible Men’s Weekend.  It has changed my life.  I experienced grace like I never had before.  God touched my wounded spirit and poured His grace inside.  Now I know where my anger resides, and how to use it as God intended.  I love deeper and more authentic.  I am more authentic. And, I have found a community of Christian men who are authentic as well.  Are we perfect?  No!  But we welcome that imperfection and give it true grace.  Can this weekend be just another mountain top experience?  If I let it...  But I refuse.  I cannot let the power of the Crucible Men’s Weekend go to waste.  And neither do the men in the community we have built off of the weekend.  Want to know more? 

There are weekends offered year-round in several locations.  If you have interest click here.  If you want to register, then click here.

 

Overcoming Temptation

The following is another one of my favorite devotional thoughts:

What does it take to overcome temptation?  Really, simply, know the word of God.  Is it really that simple?  I believe it can be.  One of my favorite stories is the one about Jesus going into the wilderness for a forty day fast.  In both Matthew 4 and Luke 4 we read about this story.  Now, for years I believed that the devil tempted Jesus just three times.  As I read the story again I see, especially in Luke, that the devil tempted him the whole time he was in the wilderness.

Luke 4:1-2:  1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.  He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 

So, the devil was working on him from the beginning.  Now, before we move on here, I want to make note of the fact that Jesus has just been baptized and is full of the Holy Spirit.  How many times in my life have I come off of a spiritual high to be attacked very quickly afterward by the devil?  Can you relate?  It happened to Jesus, it will happen to us.

As I read these two verses, I envision a continual battle over temptation.  Now, for any who have fasted from food before…you know this is an added difficulty.  Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline points out how reflective fasting can be:

More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.  This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.  We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface.  If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately.  David writes, “I humbled my soul with fasting” (Ps. 69:10).  Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, they will surface during fasting.  At first we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger; then we will realize that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us.  We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ. (Pg. 55)

Jesus was a man.  He was God in the flesh, yet he lived as a man.  He had to be tempted, deeply and succeed so that we would have an example.  His fasting made it all the more extreme. 

I believe that the three written examples of the temptations were the three types of methods Satan used through out the forty days.  Many Scholars believe that these three types of temptation were equivalent to the types of temptation used by the serpent on Adam and Eve.  Those three types of temptation are:  1. Lust of the eyes.  2.  Lust of the flesh.  3.  The pride of life.  When Adam was tempted, (and I refer to Adam because he has standing with Eve the whole time the serpent was working her [in my blog article Men and Integrity I refer to this]) these three types of temptation were used by the serpent.  Lust of the eyes=the woman saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye.  Lust of the flesh=you will be like God.  Pride of life=desirable for gaining wisdom. (Genesis 3)

Now Satan uses the same three types of temptation on Jesus.  I believe it is no accident that the writers used these three examples.  They knew them by heart for they knew the Genesis story by heart.  Lust of the eyes=tempting him to throw himself down for the angels to guard him.  Lust of the flesh=turn this stone to bread and feed yourself.  Pride of life=worship the devil and he will give Jesus power over-all of the earthly kingdom.  Who knows how many different examples of these three types Satan used during that forty days. 

An interesting twist is revealed through Jesus’ temptation.  Satan uses scripture.  If you think about it…this is a common tool for him.  Most who have been around church can finish this phrase from Romans 3:23…”for all have sinned…”  You are finishing the verse as you read it…”and fall short of the glory of God,”…Notice the comma at the end of that phrase.  Many do not know what follows the comma because I believe Satan has used that verse to discourage us from having joy in the Lord.  Verse 24 finishes that phrase in the positive, “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Satan commonly uses God’s word and twists and perverts it in order to draw us further away from God.  During Jesus’ temptation, Satan used scripture that is quoted in both Matthew and Luke.  Satan took out of context Psalm 91:11-12 concerning the angels.  Satan did the same with Adam and Eve.  He did not have scripture to twist. However, he did twist God’s word.  Notice in Genesis 3, 1b“…Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”  Then again, 4”You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman, 5”for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  And they did not die…right away.  They did die later, which I do not think was the plan.  Satan twisted God’s word.  God did not tell them when they would die if they ate of the tree.  After the fact in 3:19 God tells Adam of his fate by ending the verse with…”for dust you are and to dust you will return.” 

Returning to the original question, “How do we overcome temptation?”  The simple answer is, “with scripture.”  Notice Jesus response to all three examples of Satan’s temptation.  In Luke 4, vs. 4, “It is written:  ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”(Deuteronomy 8:3)  In vs. 8, “It is written:  ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”(Deuteronomy 6:13)  And in vs. 12, “It is said:  ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”(Deuteronomy 6:16)  Scripture is a powerful source of overcoming temptation.  Knowing God’s word, having it written on our hearts, prepares us for the temptations that come our way.  One thing to recognize, it is not always Satan that sends temptation our way.  Many times, temptation comes from within.  It is born from our remnant of sin left from when we became a new creation in Christ (See my article on Transformation Observations).  Either way, scripture is a strong defense against temptation.

So, for years, I would hear, “you need to read your Bible.”  I would feel guilty because I did not read my Bible.  Today, I do not get into my Bible enough.  But, for so long I approached Bible study with an approach of learning and following right from wrong.  I felt like I needed to read it in order to earn some “Heaven” points.  Or, I would read it in order to answer questions and opposition by those who did not believe.  Or, even worse, I would read it in order to have a strong argument against someone who interpreted the word differently than I did.  Years ago I began to recognize the importance of scripture against the power of temptation.  I would find myself avoiding certain situations because of what I knew in the word.  It was written on my heart, even from the little bit I read and from the Bible class teaching I received in my Christian school and college.  The Spirit revealed to me how important the Bible is in the spiritual battle in which I am engaged. It is scripture written on my heart that helps me face my on fleshly desires and Satan’s attacks.  In the last few months I have visited a website called Setting Captives Free: http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/ . This website is dedicated to helping those with several struggles and addictions.  Some of the greatest power in this site and its authors is the push for feasting on God’s word.  This feasting allows for defense against temptation.  The more we know the word, the more access we have to weapons to fight with against the temptations that come our way.  The Spirit works through the word to speak to our spirit to stand strong or even flee. 

My plea and exhortation is to urge all in Christ to stay in His word and gain strength from the knowledge the Spirit instills in us from the word.  Remember I Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.

Scripture gives us that base, that way out.  It worked for Jesus while he was under great duress, it can work for us.

Peace and Grace.

Making deals with God

The following has been one of my favorite devotional thoughts for years.  I have used it in many settings, usually with teens.  However, it is a lesson we all can use and a great reminder to me.

How many times have we made deals with God?  When we were young we would say things like, “God, if you would get me out of this, then I will never sin again.”  Or, “Help me pass this test and I promise I will study from the beginning next time.”  Or, “If you will get me through this situation, I will be more devoted to you.”  The list can go on and on.  Of course, when we were young, many of these deals were the kind we could not keep.  Even though we are a new creation in Christ, the remnant of sin is still being flushed out of our system and we will fail to keep some promises, deals, or vows.  Even now I make my deals with God.  Those deals may not be out loud like in my youth, but they are deals just the same.  I think, “If I just pray more, God will bless me.”  “If I follow this ‘method’ I will draw near to Him and Him to me.”  Maybe this jars some memories for you and your deals with God.  The thing about making deals with God is…He may hold you to your end of the deal.  And sometimes that is not pleasant. 

Several years ago a passage of scripture I had read over many times really began to stick to my heart.  As I re-read and study this passage I continue to gain new insights into God and how he works.  It gave me chills to think about the deals I had made with God.  It is the story of the judge Jephthah (Judges 11 and 12).  Jephthah is about to go into battle with the Ammonites.  Beginning in Judges 11:30, Jephthah makes a vow with God as he enters into this battle.

30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord:  “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

God gave Jephthah the victory he asked for.  In fact, he routed the Ammonites.  God kept His end of the deal…now comes Jephthah’s part.

34When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines!  She was an only child.  Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.  35When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh!  My daughter!  You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.” Judges 11:34-35

Now before I get to the ‘deal’, I want to go down a quick rabbit trail here.  I’m not sure if this is just how it is translated to English or if there is any intent of this phrase toward how I will critique it but notice what Jephthah says, “Oh!  My daughter!  You have made me miserable and wretched…”  Notice how it is phrased.  How many times have I done something rash, and the result made me realize how rash it was, and in an emotional outburst, cast the blame on someone else?  Wow, that one hit me square between the eyes.  Initially, one of God’s appointed did not own his decision, he blamed his daughter.  That phrase is both comforting and scary.  Comforting because I know I am not alone, nor the first, when casting blame in an emotional moment.  Scary because a righteous man of God can fall into that trap even though it is a natural reaction.

Now, back to the ‘deal’ Jephthah made.  I fantasize that Jephthah envisioned that when he would get home coming to meet him at the gate would be one of the sheep or goats or even his trusty dog Rover.  But no, it is his only daughter.  It could have even been his wife.  Jephthah made a deal with God and God kept His end of the bargain.  What is interesting is the vow Jephthah made.  He could have stopped at:  “…whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s…”   It’s a reasonable deal to dedicate whatever he met at the gate to the Lord.  That’s a safe play.  I mean, Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord.  She didn’t get to raise him, but he didn’t die either.  So, why did Jephthah go to the extent of not only dedicating to the Lord, but also offering to sacrifice to the Lord?  Scholars are divided in their interpretation of this story.  Some believe that because the Spirit of the Lord (vs. 29) had come upon Jephthah he could not sacrifice his daughter.  They look at the text as saying just making a sacrifice (burnt offering) in general and essentially cursing his daughter to never marry or bear children the rest of her life.  They also believe that human sacrifice is against God’s law (easy to believe).  However, these same scholars believe that the vow was to sacrifice a human because a dog and/or many other animals would have been unacceptable sacrifices.  Others believe that Jephthah took inspiration from Abraham and how God rescued Isaac from his hand, hoping that God would do the same for him.  Even others believe that he did go through with his vow because he had made it to God and had no choice.  Jephthah also lived in area where the Israelites had begun some of the practices of the neighboring countries and that Jephthah was influenced by them.

Regardless of the interpretation of Jephthah’s final decision, what are some lessons we can take from this text?  One, I must be intentional and discerning about promises and vows that I make with God.  This is God, the one true God that I am dealing with.  As I continue to read scripture, God is a God of mercy and grace.  However, when it comes to oaths, there are many passages where he holds his people to their oaths.  God does not give us a pass on a rash vow or oath.  Jesus talks about oaths and letting your “…Yes be Yes, and your No, No.” (Matthew 5:37)  God takes vows seriously.  Vows to God are not all bad…but what is our intent?  Is it to gain the blessing am I vowing for and is my want misguided to the point that I am not thinking about what I am promising God?  I am not saying “play it safe” here by choosing something to vow that is easy to follow through with.  There must be some sacrifice to a vow of this nature.  What I am asking here is, “What is my intent?”  Is my vow to gain blessing or is my vow to honor God regardless the answer?

Secondly, are my vows rooted in my lack of trust for God?  Am I so lacking in faith at times that I have to make a deal with God thinking it will prompt him to action?  Again, lacking in faith is normal as we have seen in many of the great men and women of the Bible.  Sometimes the vow gives us focus and clarity we may not have had before. 

Third, when I make a vow, I need to follow through in order to stay in integrity.  If it is up to me, I must fulfill the vow.  In some circumstances when obvious blocks to finishing the vow keep me from it (I am not condoning looking for those blocks as a cop out) it must be God either saying, “You’ve done enough” (like I envision he felt for Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac), or, “This is not what I wanted from you.”  Otherwise, I am to finish or keep my vow to God.

Fourth, my vows to God can affect those around me.  Just like making choices can affect my family, friends, and others (even long term), so can my vows to God.  Jephthah’s vow affected more than just him.  Imagine the conversation with his wife.  Wife:  “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”  Jephthah:  “God will take care of me.”  Later…Wife:  “I told you so!”  Jephthah:  “Maybe I should listen to your intuition.”  There are vows to ministries that have affected my family and still do.  My current job is a ministry that puts us in a position that my wife has to work full time.  There are times where that puts a strain on us.  Think long term when considering a vow with God.  It does not mean, do not vow, but be intentional and discerning.

Finally, notice the attitude and submissiveness of Jephthah’s daughter.  Now, I am well aware that the time in history and the Israelite culture was very patriarchal.  Children were trained to be submissive.  However, what an awesome example of submissiveness to authority this example is for us.  Ultimately, we must submit to God’s authority.  Even in times of trouble, like Job, God asks for submission, expects submission.  Some of this submission is out of fear.  Some of this submission stems from faith.  Some of this submission is for our own good…God knows what is best for us.  Some of this submission is so we can understand authority and be in authority ourselves.  God will further His kingdom with or without us.  Our submission allows us to join Him in His work.  I have always been amazed by Jephthah’s daughter’s submissiveness.  I do not know many daughters today who would be that submissive. 

In conclusion, the story of Jephthah and his vow to God is choke full lessons.  I am sure there are many more stories and lessons to be learned out of these few verses in the Old Testament. I encourage all to review Old Testament stories we all grew up with and look at them from more mature eyes.  God has revealed to me many new insights into His nature, character, and personality.  Obviously, I am only scratching the surface of such an ominous God.  But, this little piece draws me closer.

 Peace and Grace