What's the Matter?

Sculpture of Einstein's theory in Berlin, Germany

Why don't all tables fall apart?

Seems like an odd question, but I think it's actually a very interesting one.  

When Einstein first proposed his famous theory of relativity it was phenomenal.  It is still phenomenal.  Do you know what it means?  It's an audacious statement that says mass is a component of all energy, and energy is a component of all mass.  That doesn't grab you?  How about this?  Albert Einstein once stated: “Concerning matter, we have been all wrong.  What we have called matter is energy, whose vibration has been so lowered as to be perceptible to the senses. There is no matter.”  No matter, huh?  Then what am I looking at?!  Good question.  Let's explore.  

Have you ever looked at a table top and considered it's properties?  Yeah, it holds my dinner.  No, I mean the fundamental properties of its matter.  We know it's a dense (in relation to air or water) collection of atoms.  What's an atom?  A nucleus with electrons flying around it.  How much space is there in an atom?  A lot apparently.  One site I looked at said 99.999%.  Another site said:  The only time this happens (no space between atoms) in nature is in neutron stars.  To get an idea for what happens when you “deflate” matter: If you were to crush a 50m Olympic size swimming pool into neutron star material, it would be about 0.05mm long, which is about the width of a single hair.  So a table is mostly space.  How does it feel solid?  Frankly, I just don't know.  What I do know is that all of this stuff is just the dust on the surface of the covering of the outer edge of reality.  

We think we're so smart.  
In relation to what?  Each other maybe.  
We keep thinking we find the smallest particle that things are made of, then we find out those are made of something too.  Many things we see today couldn't be visualized with earlier equipment.  What does that tell you?  Some things can't be visualized with today's equipment, so they're currently unknown yet still very real.  

Is there a spiritual application here?  I think so.

First, God is awesome.
What He's made, how He's done it, and what it's here for is mind-blowing.

Second, faith is essential.
How can man encompass all of reality?  He simply can't.
But we see enough to know certain things.
There is a God.  He's done something wonderful.  But we walk around blinded either by familiarity or by ignorance to what is truly going on around us.  Unless...

Unless we take the time to reflect on who He is and what He's done.
Accept by faith what He's said, because we couldn't begin to be cognizant of the big picture with our finite minds anyway.  Celebrate it.  Revel in it.  Shout about it!  

Be who you are.


I saw a video of famous scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about molecules and space recently.  His astonishment at the way things exist and are connected led him to exclaim that it made him want to grab people in the streets and say "have you heard about this!".


Is that how you feel about what God has done?

Spiritual Disciplines - The What and The Goals

This is the second part of a post I put up a few days ago. I might be crazy, but I'm teaching based off of both of these posts tonight at youth group...pray for us :) So, without further ado, here's the rest of my overall introduction to spiritual disciplines.

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What are the Spiritual Disciplines?

The Spiritual Disciplines can be described as a set of “Holy Habits” that are designed to train us in godliness as we follow Jesus. Dallas Willard says,

“We are saved by grace, of course, and by it alone, and not because we deserve it. That is the basis of God’s acceptance of us. But grace does not mean that sufficient strength and insight will be automatically “infused” into our being in the moment of need…We only have to look at the facts. A baseball player who expects to excel in the game without adequate exercise of his body is no more ridiculous than the Christian who hopes to be able to act in the manner of Christ when put to the test without the appropriate exercise in godly living…Our mistake is to think that following Jesus consists in loving our enemies, going the ‘second mile,’ turning the other cheek, suffering patiently and hopefully—while living the rest of our lives just as everyone around us does.”

Often, we miss the point that Jesus practiced the Spiritual Disciplines all His life! Even Jesus realized that preparation, practice, and disciplined living were essential to living a life that is abundantly different than the world’s way of living! With everything else in life we see that hard work + time invested = success. The baseball star puts in countless hours to be able to make the play that sends his team to the World Series. The violinist struggles through thousands of finger drills to be able to make music that amazes and impresses sold out crowds. The soldier endures harsh conditions and pushes his body past it’s limits to be prepared for the time that his and other’s lives are on the line. It’s the same in every area of our lives. Yet, when it comes to our spiritual lives we somehow believe that “effort-at-the-moment-of-action” alone will allow us to rise above temptation. And we’re often left feeling discouraged and defeated when we fail to overcome the same old sins in our lives, time and time again.

Spiritual Disciplines are the habits we can develop to help us get both our body and soul on the same page: God’s page. This process is spiritual growth. It’s something that takes time and effort and abundant amounts of God’s grace, but it is what being a disciple of Jesus is about. To undertake the Spiritual Disciplines in our lives is to recognize that the call to follow Jesus is at least as big a challenge as playing the violin or baseball, and of infinitely more importance.

Spiritual Disciplines aren’t reserved for the super-spiritual. They’re for the entry-level, average Joe who wants to enter into what true Life is; who wants to have the Life of Christ made real in their own life here and now. Willard asks the question, “Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment that began our religious life instead of the daily life we receive from God?” Salvation isn’t just a “once upon a time” thing; it’s continually spreading throughout every aspect of our lives. Salvation isn’t a moment in time, it’s a lifestyle! The spiritual disciplines are tools to allow us to exercise that salvation in the different aspects of our lives.

What are the goals of Spiritual Disciplines?

Spiritual Disciplines are never the goal in and of themselves, they are the tools we use to train our bodies and spirits to line up with God’s will for the Church. If one tool isn’t helping us grow closer to God, maybe we need to set it down for a little bit and try a different one. That being said, here are some of the goals of practicing spiritual disciplines (This is not an exhaustive list)

1. To mature into the likeness of Jesus.

The spiritual disciplines are some of the best ways to mature as a follower of Jesus. A common bumper sticker says, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” While this is true, it also leaves out half the story and can be dangerous. Christianity isn’t just about believing the right things about Jesus, it is also about being transformed into His likeness (Ephesians 4:11-13). God is the only one who can do this in our lives, through the power of His Holy Spirit. But we don’t grow spiritually without joining God and getting to work in our lives. Even though every believer has new spiritual life, it doesn’t mean we can be content to be spiritual babies in Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). There’s no such thing as the couch potato guide to spiritual growth.

2. To clear up space in our lives to connect with God.

God is definitely always at work around us. However, we are not always aware of it. Whether we’ve filled our schedules to overflowing, or there’s too much noise, or any number of distractions, it’s easier to be sidetracked from God and His work than it is to focus on Him. The spiritual disciplines are a great way to intentionally set aside time and energy to focus on hearing God and deepening our relationship with Him. Just like a light bulb is useless if it’s disconnected from electricity, so the Christian is pointless if they are not actively taking time to connect with God.

3. To train our bodies to fight for us and not against us.

When Jesus went up to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before being betrayed, He took His closest disciples – Peter, James and John – and asked them to spend time in prayer with Him. He prayed three times, and each time He came back and His followers had fallen asleep. And Jesus told them, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (See Matt. 26:40-41) There are countless times in our lives where we want to respond like Jesus would in our situation, but our habit is to respond the wrong way.

The goal of spiritual disciplines is to join with God in reprogramming, so to speak, our ingrained patterns of worldly living. The apostle Paul tells us that God wants our minds to be renewed, and for us to offer our bodies up in service to God (Romans 12:1-2). Also, in 1 Corinthians he tells us that we are to discipline and master our bodies so that we can run the marathon of life to the finish. If it makes sense to train our body to run a physical marathon, how much more does it make sense to train our bodies to run with our spirit the race of life? (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

In its simplest terms, spiritual disciplines are a matter of taking the necessary steps to be ready and able at any time to do the will of God in our lives. To reject them is to believe that spiritual growth is something that just happens all by itself.

There are obviously many more goals for spiritual disciplines, but these are some of the most foundational and basic. The more we join together with God in these three things, the more our lives will be shaped and molded to look like Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross to lead the way for us to come into new spiritual life both here and now and on into eternity! (Hebrews 12:1-3)

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What are your thoughts? Do you feel like the spiritual disciplines are necessary or irrelevant? What has been your experience with spiritual disciplines? Which of the goals presented here sounds the most awesome to you? Can you think of any other goals spiritual disciplines can help accomplish?

When Gods Collide

I first heard that phrase in a song by an 80's hard rock band named Thor, and it's the phrase that came to mind when I thought about this Saturday's match-up between Louisville and Kentucky.  You may not consider the UK and U of L basketball teams to be gods, but when you look at the history, rivalry and stage of competition - this is pretty damn epic.  Clark Kellogg said the following:  “When you talk about Louisville and Kentucky playing, that goes to the stratosphere of intensity and history and tradition, ... This is way off the charts.”  And the buzz this week around town coming into the game is probably only going to keep peaking.

So let's talk about it.  As a diverse group of UK and U of L fans, what do we make of it?  What should we make of it?  It's great!  It's scary!  It's unprecedented.  Is it David and Goliath?  Rocky and (opponent x)?  Is it UK's to lose and U of L's to seize?  Should we be full on partisan or politely diplomatic?  

I know that I am experiencing a range of emotions and I'm sure you are too.

Who needs spiritual disciplines?

So I've been kind of consumed with reading about the spiritual disciplines lately. I'm preparing to take our youth group through some of them, but before we do, I'm encouraging my youth sponsors and I to engage in them ourselves. As a result, I've put together an introduction to spiritual disciplines and I wanted to share it with you guys. (Disclaimer - some of this is original to me, much of it is not, the line between the two is vague)

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Why Spiritual Disciplines?

The purpose of this handout is to instill within us as youth workers the importance of the spiritual disciplines in our lives as Christians. We live in a culture that scoffs at the idea of trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. There are even people in churches who think that if someone is changing the way they live - whether it’s by sacrificing time at church, giving money to God’s kingdom, or even going so far as to become a missionary – then they are taking this whole “Christianity” thing too far. I mean, doesn’t the Bible teach us “balance in all things”?

Actually, the Bible never teaches us to be balanced in all things. What it does teach us is that we are supposed to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40) and Jesus said that “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul?” (Matt 16:24-26). Jesus made it pretty clear that our lives should be about loving God and loving others, and denying ourselves so that we can follow Jesus as his disciples.

And there’s the rub. Often in our Western Christianity, it’s easy to look at discipleship as an option, as something that is only for the “super-Christian” or more spiritual. Being a disciple (follower) of Jesus and doing what he did, isn’t an optional thing; it’s the definition of what it is to be a Christian! The word “Disciple” occurs 269 times in the New Testament. The word “Christian” is found 3 times, and always as a name to describe these disciples of Jesus.

In 1937 Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote his classic, “The Cost of Discipleship.” In it, he points out that following Jesus costs everything. It costs giving up my desires to change them to what Jesus desires. But he points out that the reward for discipleship is a life that is infinitely more worth it than any other, and the icing on the cake is spending eternity with God. But that title – the cost of discipleship – turns a lot of people off. But what about the cost of non-discipleship? Ultimately, non-discipleship is even more costly than discipleship. Both will cost everything, but only one has any return on the investment. As we saw earlier, what good is it to gain the whole world and forfeit your eternal soul?

Jesus didn’t come to just die on the cross for our sins. He came to create a new spiritual existence for humanity. He came to make us alive to God and dead to sin. He came to be the first among many who would become the sons and daughters of God – in the mold of the only begotten Son of God. This is why even Jesus placed amazing emphasis on discipleship in The Great Commission when he says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20) Obviously one must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross to save us. We all need a savior. But Jesus isn’t just our savior, He’s our Lord too. Discipleship is all about making Jesus the Lord of our everyday life!

What are the Spiritual Disciplines?

The Spiritual Disciplines can be described as a set of “Holy Habits” that are designed to train us in godliness as we follow Jesus. Dallas Willard says,

“We are saved by grace, of course, and by it alone, and not because we deserve it. That is the basis of God’s acceptance of us. But grace does not mean that sufficient strength and insight will be automatically “infused” into our being in the moment of need…We only have to look at the facts. A baseball player who expects to excel in the game without adequate exercise of his body is no more ridiculous than the Christian who hopes to be able to act in the manner of Christ when put to the test without the appropriate exercise in godly living…Our mistake is to think that following Jesus consists in loving our enemies, going the ‘second mile,’ turning the other cheek, suffering patiently and hopefully—while living the rest of our lives just as everyone around us does.”

Often, we miss the point that Jesus practiced the Spiritual Disciplines all His life! Even Jesus realized that preparation, practice, and disciplined living were essential to living a life that is abundantly different than the world’s way of living! With everything else in life we see that hard work + time invested = success. The baseball star puts in countless hours to be able to make the play that sends his team to the World Series. The violinist struggles through thousands of finger drills to be able to make music that amazes and impresses sold out crowds. The soldier endures harsh conditions and pushes his body past it’s limits to be prepared for the time that his and other’s lives are on the line. It’s the same in every area of our lives. Yet, when it comes to our spiritual lives we somehow believe that “effort-at-the-moment-of-action” alone will allow us to rise above temptation. And we’re often left feeling discouraged and defeated when we fail to overcome the same old sins in our lives, time and time again.

Spiritual Disciplines are the habits we can develop to help us get both our body and soul on the same page: God’s page. This process is spiritual growth. It’s something that takes time and effort and abundant amounts of God’s grace, but it is what being a disciple of Jesus is about. To undertake the Spiritual Disciplines in our lives is to recognize that the call to follow Jesus is at least as big a challenge as playing the violin or baseball, and of infinitely more importance.

Spiritual Disciplines aren’t reserved for the super-spiritual. They’re for the entry-level, average Joe who wants to enter into what true Life is; who wants to have the Life of Christ made real in their own life here and now. Willard asks the question, “Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment that began our religious life instead of the daily life we receive from God?” Salvation isn’t just a “once upon a time” thing; it’s continually spreading throughout every aspect of our lives. Salvation isn’t a moment in time, it’s a lifestyle! The spiritual disciplines are tools to allow us to exercise that salvation in the different aspects of our lives.

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What are your thoughts? What has your experience with spiritual disciplines been? Do you know anyone who practices them regularly?

Tomorrow I might post the final part of the handout - Some goals for spiritual disciplines.

How Strong Are You?

First off - if you are not 'following' this blog, you should sign up with your email at that link on the right.  Then you'll be alerted whenever I post something, or when someone comments on a post and you won't have to randomly check back to see what's happening.

Now, it's time to tackle a tough one.  Ready?  

Feelings.  

I warned you this was coming.  

Yes, we all have them (whether we like to admit it or not) and they are often hurt so very easily.  Why is this?  What is it about our feelings that make them so vulnerable to attack (or perceived attack)?  Are we only hurt by those who 'should know better', or do we find that basically anybody can ruffle our emotional feathers with what we consider a hurtful remark or action.  Do you see the relationship between hurt and anger?  Many times, as men, our 'hurt' is manifested as anger.  If we look a little deeper we will likely find that a wound was inflicted that brought on the anger.  

So what do we do with that hurt or anger when it presents itself?  Lash out at those who did the damage?  Get even?  Eye for an eye?  Do we internalize it, suppress it, maybe leak it out in passive/aggressive ways?  Unfortunately, my observation is that many of us have a very low EQ (emotional maturity quotient).  I googled the phrase 'emotional maturity' and found this piece that I've edited down to 13 of the best suggestions.  It was found in a small tract published by an Alcoholics Anonymous group from Akron, Ohio.  Its author chose to remain anonymous.

EMOTIONAL MATURITY 

The mature person has developed attitudes in relation to himself and his environment which have lifted him above "childishness" in thought and behavior. 

Some of the characteristics of the person who has achieved true adulthood are suggested here:

1. He accepts criticism (being able to assess with an open mind whether or not it is useful). 

2. He does not indulge in self-pity.  

3. He does not expect special consideration from anyone.

4. He controls his temper.

5. His feelings are not easily hurt.

6. He accepts the responsibility of his own actions without trying to "alibi."

7. He is not impatient at reasonable delays.  He has learned that he is not the arbiter of the universe and that he must often adjust himself to other people and their convenience.

8. He is a good loser.  He can endure defeat and disappointment without whining or complaining.

9. He does not worry about things he cannot help.

10. He is honestly glad when others enjoy success or good fortune.  He has outgrown envy and jealousy.

11. He is not a chronic "fault-finder."

12. He has faith in a Power greater than himself.

13. He obeys the spiritual essence of the Golden Rule:  "Love others as yourself."

That's a great list.  However, I think it's a lot easier to say what an emotionally mature person would look like than describe how to achieve it.  Just pull yourself up by the proverbial bootstraps?  For those of you familiar with Mens Fraternity, you know that Robert Louis spends a good bit of time going over the 'wounds' of manhood.  He says that understanding these wounds, and addressing them by resolving them or moving on from them, is critical to being a mature man.

That sounds like a good start.  Assess where we are, recognize our faults, don't excuse them but take responsibility for them - even if they were handed down from our parents/others.

What's next?

How do we learn to respond maturely, or at the least NOT respond immaturely, when we suffer a perceived 'hurt'?  Does repeated exposure to 'hurts' and the practicing of mature responses 'grow' our emotional muscle?  What are the biggest stumbling blocks, or pitfalls, to emotional maturity?  How does the idea of 'mental toughness' factor in?

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