Yesterday I attended worship at the Rock Church in San Diego, CA. Guest preacher Derwin Gray challenged us to write a love letter to God thanking Him for adopting us in Jesus. So from here on that is what this post will do.
Dear Father,
I count it a privilege to call you Father and to be known as your son because of Jesus. This year especially this privilege is a real gift. As you know, a few months back I lost my earthly father. He was a great dad, not perfect, but I am thankful he was my dad. The day after he died, I was sitting alone preparing to take the first of two major tests in Officer's Training and I silently whispered, "Father you are now my only father." And I cried a little. Those tears were because I missed my dad, but also because I knew I would never be alone because you will not ever abandon one of your children. I don't know what it was like for you to have to forsake your son in order to adopt me, but I imagine it must have been extremely difficult. Thank you God for not abandoning me, and thank you Father that no matter what may come I know I will never be alone.
Your loving and grateful son,
Joe
Monday, December 30, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Along the way ... December 24, 2013
"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.
This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"
(Nehemiah 8:10)
Nehemiah says these words as Ezra reads the law and God's people, who have just returned from exile, weep. "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"
Many of us have heard those familiar words before, but what do they mean?
Most Bible commentators imply that somehow divine joy has filled you, so you can be strong no matter what. But that does not seem to fit the context, in my humble opinion. The people are weeping because they have broken God's law, they have offended Him, and they fear He will punish them again. Yet Nehemiah says, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"
This is obviously not some inner divine joy that chases the tears away, rather it is the LORD's joy (the joy God chooses to find; the delight He chooses to take, in His people, in spite of their sin) that is their strength (refuge or fortress).
The same is true for us today!
As we celebrate Christmas, we remember the LORD's joy, the same joy that enabled Jesus to endure the cross (see Hebrews 12:2), is our strength. We can stand before Him and sing praises, we can stand before Him and present our thanksgiving and our requests because His joy is our strength! We are forgiven and forever set free from condemnation because His joy (available to all who believe God's promise fulfilled in Jesus) is our strength!
Merry Christmas everyone, and may the LORD's joy be your greatest strength!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
… Along the way - December 3, 2013
Well it's Christmastime again. As I prepare to celebrate the coming of the King, and anticipate His glorious return, I want to pause to consider the benefit of the "commercialization" of Christmas.
Yes, you read that right the "benefit" of the commercialization of Christmas.
So what possible benefit could there be to the commercialization and apparent devaluing of the Savior's birth?
Well to answer that question, I think we have to consider the benefit of commercials in general.
I recently attended military training, which involved 23 training days. On Day 12 most of us began to recite a GEICO commercial where a camel walks around asking everyone, "What day is it?" The answer of course is "Hump Day" meaning Wednesday. However, in our context "Hump Day" was the halfway point of training.
I tell that brief story to illustrate the benefit or value of commercials. Commercials make us all remember a company's name "GEICO" and their slogan that "you could save 15% or more on car insurance by switching to GEICO", but commercials also give us a common language, a frame of reference from which we can all relate. I did not know any of the other 128 officers before I entered training, we all came from different places, different backgrounds, and even different career fields, yet the GEICO commercial was a common language we all spoke!
This is where I find the benefit or value of the commercialization of Christmas. I think we could call it pre-evangelism. I find that there are a lot of people in my community who would not know the name Jesus except for Christmas. They know the general parts of the story. They know him as a baby born in a stable, visited by shepherds and wise men, heralded by angels, and highlighted by a star! They know the basics of the story because the commercials speak His name!
It seems we may have it all wrong. Perhaps instead of lamenting the commercialization of Christmas, we should take advantage of it! Everyone knows the name Jesus, now they need to know the answer to the question posed in a famous Christmas carol, "What Child is This?" If they can come to know the true identity of the child in the manger, then they can have the opportunity to put their faith in Him - Immanuel (God with us) - the one who came to save His people from their sins!
Yes, you read that right the "benefit" of the commercialization of Christmas.
So what possible benefit could there be to the commercialization and apparent devaluing of the Savior's birth?
Well to answer that question, I think we have to consider the benefit of commercials in general.
I recently attended military training, which involved 23 training days. On Day 12 most of us began to recite a GEICO commercial where a camel walks around asking everyone, "What day is it?" The answer of course is "Hump Day" meaning Wednesday. However, in our context "Hump Day" was the halfway point of training.
I tell that brief story to illustrate the benefit or value of commercials. Commercials make us all remember a company's name "GEICO" and their slogan that "you could save 15% or more on car insurance by switching to GEICO", but commercials also give us a common language, a frame of reference from which we can all relate. I did not know any of the other 128 officers before I entered training, we all came from different places, different backgrounds, and even different career fields, yet the GEICO commercial was a common language we all spoke!
This is where I find the benefit or value of the commercialization of Christmas. I think we could call it pre-evangelism. I find that there are a lot of people in my community who would not know the name Jesus except for Christmas. They know the general parts of the story. They know him as a baby born in a stable, visited by shepherds and wise men, heralded by angels, and highlighted by a star! They know the basics of the story because the commercials speak His name!
It seems we may have it all wrong. Perhaps instead of lamenting the commercialization of Christmas, we should take advantage of it! Everyone knows the name Jesus, now they need to know the answer to the question posed in a famous Christmas carol, "What Child is This?" If they can come to know the true identity of the child in the manger, then they can have the opportunity to put their faith in Him - Immanuel (God with us) - the one who came to save His people from their sins!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Along the Way ... November 22, 2013
It has been awhile since I have written, and for that I apologize. The last 6 weeks or so have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride for me along the way …
Monday October 7, I left to attend Commissioned Officer Training with the US Air Force as part of my training to better serve the men and women of the New Mexico Air National Guard as a chaplain. The training lasted 5 weeks, and was an absolute blast! I had so much fun! Being an Air Force officer has always been somewhat of a dream of mine. So for me five weeks of getting up at 0430, marching to and participating in Physical Training (PT), marching back and forth from here to there, getting yelled at along the way for not giving the proper greeting of the day, or calling marching commands on the wrong foot, etc was all part of me "living the dream"! It really was great!
This was the high point of the roller coaster ride, but like all roller coasters there were bound to be some low points as well.
During my second week of training, I received news that my parents (who are long haul truck drivers) were involved in a serious accident just outside Boston, Massachusetts. My mom had received a broken shoulder, and my dad had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with more serious injuries.
Long story short, three days later my dad died.
Even now it is hard for me to write those words. It still does not seem real. For the early part of my life, my dad was my rock. We hung out together, he gave me guidance, and instilled in me convictions and morals that still direct my steps even today. I will forever be grateful that God chose Mark Clemens Kamphuis to be my dad!
Thankfully, my mom was spared more serious injury, so I still have her in my life. God is good, all the time, and I say that with deep conviction!
The thing I hold onto during this roller coaster of a ride is the promise Jesus made before He ascended to heaven. After giving what is called "The Great Commission" ("Go therefore into all the world and make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you …") Jesus says, "And remember I am with you always even to the end of the age." God with us! He is Immanuel! He is my rock, and it is his promise that I continue to hold onto even now.
I know my dad is with Jesus, which is better by far. Being with Jesus is the goal of our faith, and it is the reason He came. He is "God with us" so that one day we can be with Him for all eternity. May the LORD bless you and keep you as you journey yourself on an occasionally bumpy, roller coaster of a ride along the way …
Monday October 7, I left to attend Commissioned Officer Training with the US Air Force as part of my training to better serve the men and women of the New Mexico Air National Guard as a chaplain. The training lasted 5 weeks, and was an absolute blast! I had so much fun! Being an Air Force officer has always been somewhat of a dream of mine. So for me five weeks of getting up at 0430, marching to and participating in Physical Training (PT), marching back and forth from here to there, getting yelled at along the way for not giving the proper greeting of the day, or calling marching commands on the wrong foot, etc was all part of me "living the dream"! It really was great!
This was the high point of the roller coaster ride, but like all roller coasters there were bound to be some low points as well.
During my second week of training, I received news that my parents (who are long haul truck drivers) were involved in a serious accident just outside Boston, Massachusetts. My mom had received a broken shoulder, and my dad had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with more serious injuries.
Long story short, three days later my dad died.
Even now it is hard for me to write those words. It still does not seem real. For the early part of my life, my dad was my rock. We hung out together, he gave me guidance, and instilled in me convictions and morals that still direct my steps even today. I will forever be grateful that God chose Mark Clemens Kamphuis to be my dad!
Thankfully, my mom was spared more serious injury, so I still have her in my life. God is good, all the time, and I say that with deep conviction!
The thing I hold onto during this roller coaster of a ride is the promise Jesus made before He ascended to heaven. After giving what is called "The Great Commission" ("Go therefore into all the world and make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you …") Jesus says, "And remember I am with you always even to the end of the age." God with us! He is Immanuel! He is my rock, and it is his promise that I continue to hold onto even now.
I know my dad is with Jesus, which is better by far. Being with Jesus is the goal of our faith, and it is the reason He came. He is "God with us" so that one day we can be with Him for all eternity. May the LORD bless you and keep you as you journey yourself on an occasionally bumpy, roller coaster of a ride along the way …
Monday, October 7, 2013
Along the way ... For the week of October 6, 2013
Does God ever use the people we expect?
Yesterday we studied Leah's story. Leah was Jacob's first and unwanted wife. Jacob loved Rebecca best. Yet God did not show the same favoritism. The Bible says, "When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to conceive. Yet Rachel remained childless." (Genesis 29:31)
I am not suggesting that God was punishing Rachel. I, like Jacob (Genesis 30:2), have no idea what God was doing with Rachel. My point is focused on Leah. The LORD saw her need, had compassion on her, and gave her children. God saw Leah was unloved, so He showed her love.
Leah is an example of someone unexpected being used by God.
As we discussed Leah's story we asked if there were other examples of God using unexpected people.
Examples abound. Jacob, Moses, Deborah, Hannah, Ruth, David, etc. As we listed some of the examples, we realized that the question needed to change. Can you think of a time God used so memo we might expect?
It does not take long to realize that God never uses people or circumstances we might expect! Even Jesus was born into a simple Jewish family in humble circumstances. He was not the one we expected either.
So this gets me thinking. Which of us is someone people expect will be used by God? I assume not many of us would say we are the ones people expect will be used by God. Yet this places us in familiar territory. God uses unexpected people to achieve His purposes all the time! So how can you offer yourself to God to be used unexpectedly this week?
I invite you to share your own thoughts and stories as journey together along the way ...
Yesterday we studied Leah's story. Leah was Jacob's first and unwanted wife. Jacob loved Rebecca best. Yet God did not show the same favoritism. The Bible says, "When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to conceive. Yet Rachel remained childless." (Genesis 29:31)
I am not suggesting that God was punishing Rachel. I, like Jacob (Genesis 30:2), have no idea what God was doing with Rachel. My point is focused on Leah. The LORD saw her need, had compassion on her, and gave her children. God saw Leah was unloved, so He showed her love.
Leah is an example of someone unexpected being used by God.
As we discussed Leah's story we asked if there were other examples of God using unexpected people.
Examples abound. Jacob, Moses, Deborah, Hannah, Ruth, David, etc. As we listed some of the examples, we realized that the question needed to change. Can you think of a time God used so memo we might expect?
It does not take long to realize that God never uses people or circumstances we might expect! Even Jesus was born into a simple Jewish family in humble circumstances. He was not the one we expected either.
So this gets me thinking. Which of us is someone people expect will be used by God? I assume not many of us would say we are the ones people expect will be used by God. Yet this places us in familiar territory. God uses unexpected people to achieve His purposes all the time! So how can you offer yourself to God to be used unexpectedly this week?
I invite you to share your own thoughts and stories as journey together along the way ...
Sunday, September 15, 2013
... Along the way for the week of September 15, 2013
This week I was studying the story of the Tower of Babel and was reflecting on the efforts of the people to build a tower that reaches up to heaven.
One of the thoughts that came to my mind is this ... Why do we hate the cross so much? As human beings we would rather find any other way to God than to take the way He Himself has provided, which involves a Roman cross. So why do we hate the cross?
I can think of three reasons why I have a tendency to hate the cross.
First, I have a tendency to hate the cross because it shows me how helpless I really am. At the cross I see the awfulness of my sin, and learn that all my efforts at "self" righteousness fall hopelessly short of the righteousness God requires. I have a tendency to hate being helpless, and thus I have a tendency to hate the cross.
Second, I have a tendency to hate the cross because it seems to offer an inconsistent view of God. When God's justice and mercy are revealed, to me (and my human mind) they look like hate and love. My human intellect cannot find a good reason to crucify anyone, let alone my own child. This tendency has led some commentators to call our view of substitutionary atonement nothing short of divine child abuse. If God is love, then the God who sends His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for sin seems inconsistent. Therefore, I have a tendency to hate the cross.
Finally, I have a tendency to hate the cross because it shows me that obedience to God may involve suffering. I do not like to suffer. In fact, I hate it. Yet when I survey the cross I see that Jesus was obedient to death, even death on a cross. If the cross leads to suffering, then it is one more reason for me to have a tendency to hate the cross.
Nevertheless, with all these reasons to hate the cross, I know that ultimately the cross was for me. It was my sin that Christ healed at the cross, and because of that I love Him. I do not love the cross, but I love the Lord Jesus who was willing to endure the cross and scorn its shame all for the joy set before Him. His cross leads to my crown as a child of the King. His death leads to my life, so when I survey the awful cross I realize that what was done there demands my soul, my life, my all!
So what about you? Do you have a tendency to hate the cross? If so, how do you deal with the scandal of grace that involves a Roman cross?
One of the thoughts that came to my mind is this ... Why do we hate the cross so much? As human beings we would rather find any other way to God than to take the way He Himself has provided, which involves a Roman cross. So why do we hate the cross?
I can think of three reasons why I have a tendency to hate the cross.
First, I have a tendency to hate the cross because it shows me how helpless I really am. At the cross I see the awfulness of my sin, and learn that all my efforts at "self" righteousness fall hopelessly short of the righteousness God requires. I have a tendency to hate being helpless, and thus I have a tendency to hate the cross.
Second, I have a tendency to hate the cross because it seems to offer an inconsistent view of God. When God's justice and mercy are revealed, to me (and my human mind) they look like hate and love. My human intellect cannot find a good reason to crucify anyone, let alone my own child. This tendency has led some commentators to call our view of substitutionary atonement nothing short of divine child abuse. If God is love, then the God who sends His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for sin seems inconsistent. Therefore, I have a tendency to hate the cross.
Finally, I have a tendency to hate the cross because it shows me that obedience to God may involve suffering. I do not like to suffer. In fact, I hate it. Yet when I survey the cross I see that Jesus was obedient to death, even death on a cross. If the cross leads to suffering, then it is one more reason for me to have a tendency to hate the cross.
Nevertheless, with all these reasons to hate the cross, I know that ultimately the cross was for me. It was my sin that Christ healed at the cross, and because of that I love Him. I do not love the cross, but I love the Lord Jesus who was willing to endure the cross and scorn its shame all for the joy set before Him. His cross leads to my crown as a child of the King. His death leads to my life, so when I survey the awful cross I realize that what was done there demands my soul, my life, my all!
So what about you? Do you have a tendency to hate the cross? If so, how do you deal with the scandal of grace that involves a Roman cross?
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Along the way ... for the week of September 1, 2013
I have been thinking, praying, and studying lately concerning a fully Biblical response to those who live with same-sex attraction. My heart goes out to those who live with same-sex attraction and are looking for a proper way of honoring God with their body. (see I Corinthians 6:18-20)
As I was thinking, praying, and studying this week, God led me to consider Jesus; Who He is and What He is like.
I know that Jesus is God because the Bible tells me so. (See John 1:3, 14; 8:58, Romans 9:5, etc.)
and God reveals Himself in Exodus 34:6-7 as "the LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness ..." So since Jesus is God, Jesus is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness ...
But Jesus was also "obedient to death - even to death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8) Jesus was obedient. He did what God said to do even when it caused him pain; even when he had to suffer. Yet Jesus remained obedient no matter what.
Therefore, as those who are called to be like Jesus, we must also be filled with compassion and grace and be slow to anger and abound in love and faithfulness, and we must be obedient; even if we have to suffer to do so.
So what does this have to do with people who struggle with same-sex attraction?
First, we who do not live with this attraction ought to be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love toward those who do. Second, all who are called God's children through true faith in Jesus are called to obedience, even if it means we have to suffer.
Consider two other verses.
In Hebrews 4:15 we read of Jesus, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin." So if Jesus was "tempted in every way" could we possibly imagine that Jesus felt the temptation of same-sex attraction? If He did, the Bible says He was tempted, yet He did not sin. Jesus understands. I don't understand, but He does.
Also in Romans 8:18, Paul writes, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." What "sufferings" was Paul referring to? It is quite possible that besides physical suffering for the sake of the gospel, Paul also understood the "suffering" of dealing with temptation and learning to be obedient. And it was those "present sufferings" that Paul said were not worth comparing to the "glory" to be revealed. So although we may be asked to suffer by saying "no" to temptation and being obedient, we are promised that the "glory" is not worth comparing to the "present sufferings".
I know this does not solve the issue, especially for those who live with same-sex desire, but these are some of my thoughts on the issue. And this is by no means "the last word" on the subject. I am however interested to know what you think. But please, as you comment, remember that we are called to be "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love" just as we are called to obedience. Thank you.
As I was thinking, praying, and studying this week, God led me to consider Jesus; Who He is and What He is like.
I know that Jesus is God because the Bible tells me so. (See John 1:3, 14; 8:58, Romans 9:5, etc.)
and God reveals Himself in Exodus 34:6-7 as "the LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness ..." So since Jesus is God, Jesus is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness ...
But Jesus was also "obedient to death - even to death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8) Jesus was obedient. He did what God said to do even when it caused him pain; even when he had to suffer. Yet Jesus remained obedient no matter what.
Therefore, as those who are called to be like Jesus, we must also be filled with compassion and grace and be slow to anger and abound in love and faithfulness, and we must be obedient; even if we have to suffer to do so.
So what does this have to do with people who struggle with same-sex attraction?
First, we who do not live with this attraction ought to be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love toward those who do. Second, all who are called God's children through true faith in Jesus are called to obedience, even if it means we have to suffer.
Consider two other verses.
In Hebrews 4:15 we read of Jesus, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin." So if Jesus was "tempted in every way" could we possibly imagine that Jesus felt the temptation of same-sex attraction? If He did, the Bible says He was tempted, yet He did not sin. Jesus understands. I don't understand, but He does.
Also in Romans 8:18, Paul writes, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." What "sufferings" was Paul referring to? It is quite possible that besides physical suffering for the sake of the gospel, Paul also understood the "suffering" of dealing with temptation and learning to be obedient. And it was those "present sufferings" that Paul said were not worth comparing to the "glory" to be revealed. So although we may be asked to suffer by saying "no" to temptation and being obedient, we are promised that the "glory" is not worth comparing to the "present sufferings".
I know this does not solve the issue, especially for those who live with same-sex desire, but these are some of my thoughts on the issue. And this is by no means "the last word" on the subject. I am however interested to know what you think. But please, as you comment, remember that we are called to be "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love" just as we are called to obedience. Thank you.
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