Godly Dimples like Golf Balls

An aeronautical engineer once remarked that a perfectly smooth golf ball would not fly further than 130 or 150 yards.  Over a century ago, golf balls were made by stuffing a small leather sack with as many feathers as could fill a top hat.  The feathers were stuffed into the leather pouches boiling hot and as the feathers cooled they expanded while the leather tightened, created a hard, dense ball.  After some time, golfers began to notice that the balls were nearly useless at first, as they would fly erratically off the tee.  However, once the balls had become dented and imperfect, it was discovered that they flew more controllably and predictably.

The golfers got wise and begin to "age" their golf balls before use in order to make them fly better.  The trend continued and modern golf balls are manufactured with between 250-450 dimples.  The dimples drastically improve the aerodynamics of the balls and make their flight paths predictable and useful for the game of golf.  It seems odd to think that it is in fact the perceived "blemishes" and "distortions" on the balls that makes them purposeful at all.

Humans are like golf balls designed by the heavenly ball designer.  He has put certain dimples and, what we would call, imperfections into our design but only to increase our flight paths.  Each of these is for His purposes and, ultimately, our good.  If we could recognize that God desires to use us for a specific purpose and that He has designed us in such a way fitting that purpose, then we will take joy in who we are, knowing that God has made us a certain way for His reasons.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 139 that, "You (God) formed my inner parts, You knit me together in my mother's womb," and "I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are Your works and my soul knows them well."  If we remember this reality when scrutinizing ourselves or critiquing our exteriors, we will be able to breath and to thank God that He has created us in His perfect way.  Let us then cling to God, pressing into Him so as to receive His revelation as to what purpose He has created us for!

The Holy Standard of God

In 1992, the Rapid City, South Dakota police department arrested Dennis Lee Curtis, a known armed robber.  Curtis had been on a years-long robbery spree and the police were relieved to finally arrest him with relative ease. When the police were filing him at the station, they had Curtis empty his pocket. They were full of the usual stuff: wallet, gum, lint, etc.  But as the officers looked through his wallet they came across a piece of paper with a peculiar list on it:

1. I will not kill anyone unless I have to.
2. I will take cash and food stamps--no checks.
3. I will rob only at night.
4. I will not wear a mask.
5. I will not rob mini-marts or 7-Eleven stores.
6. If I get chased by cops on foot, I will get away.  If I get chased by vehicle, I will not put the lives of innocent civilians on the line.
7. I will rob only 7 months out of the year.
8. I will enjoy robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

Although Curtis was an armed robber, his list revealed that had developed and held to an ethic, a sense of morality that he lived by.  At Curtis's trial, the defense presented this list to the court in an attempt to show that, though Curtis had broken the law, he was not as bad as some other seemingly moral-less criminals.  Needless to say, the judge was not swayed and Curtis was sentenced to prison for his crimes.

The point is that no matter the moral code that we may create to make ourselves out to be "good enough," we are held to the higher, perfect law of God.  In reality, no matter what standard we set for ourselves, it is nowhere near the holy standard of God.  Scripture could not be more unified in this regard.  God is a perfect judge, His law is perfect, and man is unable to meet its requirements (Psa. 7:11; Isa. 64:6; Rom 3:10-23; 2 Cor. 15:10).

This reality should prompt us to humility and to faith in Christ, for only through Him may propitiation for our sins be made.  Recognizing our counterfeit-law is a necessary step in destroying it so as to strive for the highest, holy law of God, which is Christ Jesus crucified.  Let us then empty the wallets of our criminal selves and light our false-laws on fire!

Mining the Gold of Col. 3:1-5

Paul, in Colossians 3:1-5 writes, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and you life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears you also will appear with Him in glory.  Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

Without question, this is convicting and challenging.  Paul is indicting believers.  It should be noted that he is clearly exhorting those who are believers to devote themselves to God in seeking the things that are above and to put to death their fleshly natures.  This is one of the most concentrated, clearest, and comprehensive presentations of the Christian life-ethic, carried forward through 4:6, in the whole New Testament.  Because of this, it seems a good sequence of verses to briefly take apart for their worth.

At the onset, though this is universal teaching, it is a contingent one: "If you have been raised with Christ," contingent upon belief in Christ Jesus.  Though this may seem trivial, it is of significance when we think about whom these verses address and who is to do these things.  Because Paul is addressing believers it tells us two very basic but important things.  The first is that this sort of radical life focus and ethic is for believers alone.  And secondly, as a result of the previous assertion, believers should not expect unbelievers to live up to God's ethical standards.  Even more so, unbelievers not only will be unable to understand what Paul is asking, they will be utterly unable to fulfill it.

Also, a note about the order here; Paul says, "Seek the things that are above," then, "Set you mind on the things above," and then, "Put to death, therefore." The natural reading of this is somewhat progressive, as in, first seek the things of God, then dwell and think about those things, and then put the sinful self to death.  Although this may seem trivial, it could refer to developmental stages of belief.

If one has come to faith in Christ, through belief and confession, then they are just beginning to seek the things of God.  Whereas someone who has believed and sought should be to the point of contemplating the things of God, the things that have been sought.  Once these things have occurred, that person's desire to live godly will be paired with the equipping that comes from understanding and pursuing God.  These are not necessarily separate events but could be simultaneous.  It is more important to indicate that they are separate aspects of belief.

This is a great passage of Scripture from one of the most beautifully concise books in all of Scripture. Its brevity is only surpassed by its density and theological weight.  The Holy Spirit made no mistakes in the inspiration of Scripture, however, sometimes we, as interpreters, need to slow down our reading as to take in each passage for its worth.  When we take on this sort of hermeneutic we will be surprised constantly at the beauty and design of Scripture.

Understanding the Holy Spirit

Throughout the Church, there seems to be much teaching and doctrine about the Father, and certainly the Son, but the work of the Holy Spirit is oddly neglected.  To be sure, it is challenging. For however many and eloquent words we might employ to depict and discuss the Holy Spirit, we are inevitably left using material and human words to describe an altogether un-human being.  This leaves us inclined either to dig deeper into the Scriptures for clarification or simply to ignore teaching about the Holy Spirit entirely for fear of doing Him injustice.  Needless to say, the latter is unacceptable.  Instead, we should look at the opportunity to learn about God, His Holy Spirit, with joy and energy.

At the onset, the Holy Spirit is unique to Christianity.  Only Christianity teaches that God Himself, in His Holy Spirit, will actually descend upon and indwell believers.  This should excite us to know that God desires to indwell us with His very person so as to guide, to teach, and to grow us from the inside-out.  Because we are discussing a Spirit, we should be sure to consider a couple of points of clarification: we are referring to the Spirit not a material substance; we are talking about One who indwells within believers not everyone; and there is an emphasis in the New Testament, particularly Acts, for a baptism of or being filled by the Holy Spirit.  These three basic assertions form a trifecta of foundations supported and supplemented by the Word, specifically the New Testament.

While the Holy Spirit plays a major role in nearly all of the New Testament works, none more so than that of the Gospel of John and Acts.  More than any other writing does John chronicle Jesus specific teaching about the Holy Spirit.  For starters, people are to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (John 1:33), which equates to be born of the Spirit (John 3:5).  This can seem both odd and confusing, and has sparked much debate over what amounts to this baptism.  Luckily, Jesus does not leave us without reference about this, as chronicled by Luke throughout Acts.

In Acts 1:4-5, Jesus tells the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, "He said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'"  Jesus, quite clearly, tells the disciples that, though they had already been baptized with water and were believers, they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Moreover, just before Jesus ascends, in His final words to His disciples, He says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8)."  The event Jesus prophesied is Pentecost (Acts 2:4), accompanied by the physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit, namely speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Much destructive and unbiblical teaching has been done on this subject, to the effect that the Church seems polarized.  In an effort to keep true to the Scripture and reserved, we can point out a couple of clear things about this.  For one, believers are to be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit.  These being two things, they do not necessarily mean two separate occasions; they could be simultaneous.  Secondly, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the power of God.  If we do not have the Holy Spirit, we could believe all the right orthodoxy but never bear fruit.  In this far-too-normal scenario, we need to earnestly pray to receive the Holy Spirit who guides, counsels, teaches, helps us grow spiritual fruit and is the medium of worship (John 4:23; 14:15-18, 25-26; 16:4-15).

The other, and most controversial, aspect of the Holy Spirit that should not be neglected for fear of disrupting our denominational doctrines or sensibilities is in reference to the "sign" gifts: healing, miracles, prophecy, visions, and tongues.  In an effort to let the Word determine theology as opposed to the dire case of the reverse, it must be said unambiguously that these gifts are still in effect today.  We still live in the age of grace, and God still empowers believers who have been baptized by the Holy Spirit with these gifts and He still works in these ways today.

In the end, understanding who the Holy Spirit is, how He is received, and what He does within believers is essential teaching.  Certainly, it is challenging teaching that can convict and push us in unforeseen ways but this should not allow us to neglect it.  In closing, Paul indicates that the Holy Spirit "seals" our inheritance in the Father, and is a "guarantor" of our eternity (2 Cor.21-22; Eph. 1:13-14).  The purpose of this article has not been an exhaustive or comprehensive teaching on the Holy Spirit, but just a taste of the more important things that Christians need to be aware of.  Let us then pray to be baptized by the Holy Spirit so as to be empowered by God Himself!

The Quest for Humility

Facebook has made all the world self-promoters, Twitter has made every one fancy themselves a quick-quipping pun king, and Youtube has made everyone think they should be a star.  We live in a world that spreads self-esteem and expects self-exaltation, making the truly humble heart is a rarity.  But God demands something more, indicating that there is ruin for those who would exalt themselves in haughtiness and pride.

This is a hard but necessary teaching.  Many of us would rather be noticed and heralded, but God asks for something else altogether.  Throughout the book of Proverbs, humility is contrasted to pride just as wisdom is contrasted to foolishness and as godliness is contrasted with sin (Pro. 3:34; 11:2; 15:31, 33; 16:18-19; 18:12; 21:4; 26:12; 29:23; 30:32).  This should be enough in itself for us to know that God demands us to be humble so as to receive His favor and His blessings.

But before we should think that only the Old Testament was concerned with humility, we should be reminded of Jesus very own words: "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:12; cf. Luke 14:7-11 & 18:9-14 )."  We should take Jesus' words with seriousness and sobriety and it should, ultimately, convict us on to humility.

Clearly, humility is a big deal.  However, as mentioned above, it goes against our well-ingrained, western tendencies.  Accomplishing the task of humility is a holistic, full-person endeavor.  To be sure, the quest for humility is a matter of identity.  If we are to be found solely and securely in Christ, then there is simply no room for pride or haughty self-exaltation because we will be looking at our own worth in the light of the Holy Lord.  Let us then look to God to be our identity and our only boast!

Qualified for Eternity

Qualification is an interesting and pervasive reality of life.  Whether one is applying for a job, looking through an online dating profile, registering for classes, or just trying to get into a night club, being qualified means that you meet the requirements necessary for whatever it is you are attempting to do or enter.  Often times, the reality is that if those qualifications are not met then admittance is refused.  And when those qualifying requirements are made plainly accesible, that refusal is just and true.

In terms of eternity, there is a steep qualification that must be met in order to enter into God's eternal presence: sin must be paid for and justified. If sin is not atoned for and propitiated, then we will be unqualified for eternal life and relegated to eternal death.  Sin is univeralsy pervasive, in that everyone is disqualified by it (Rom 3:23).

Additionally, though man would attempt to atone for his sin himself, either by doing good things in hopes that they outweigh the sin or by denying the reality of sin altogether, no one can blot out his or her sin debt; it takes a powerful work of God.  Thus, apart from the work of God in the life of humanity,  sin will remain un-atoned for and eternally damning.

Fortunately, God Himself, through the life and work of His Son Jesus, has atoned for the sin of all mankind (Gal. 1:3-5).  And now, by grace appropriated and applied by faith, humanity's sin has been expunged.  Therefore, man can become qualified to enter into God's holy and eternal presence not by man's work but by Christ's work applied to the believing man (Col. 1:11-13).  Let us then take joy in God who has qualified us by His Son to be in His eternal presence!

Carrying One Stick of Trouble at a Time

John Newton, a sailor and clergyman during the 18th century, has a wonderful analogy of worry and anxiety worth paraphrasing:

All the worries and troubles of an entire year of life are life a giant pile of sticks. And each day, God hands us a single stick to carry for the entirety of the day.  At the end of each day we return to God and return the stick to him.  The next day, we wake up and God hands us another stick.  Each day has its own stick, not more and not less than we can handle.  Occasionally, we come to God and we ask him to hand us today's stick and tomorrow's, and by the end of the day we seem tired and beaten but we return again to God to give him back the sticks.  And some days, we feel haughty and sure so we ask for a week's worth of sticks.  And though God warns us, he hands us the sticks and tells us that he will be there to help us if we can't handle the sticks.  We turn to God, smile, and proceed to take from him the sticks, tie them into a wide bundle, throw the bundle over our backs and leave for our day.  At first, the bundle seems only annoyingly heavy but as the day bears on, the sticks begin to weigh on us as an ever-growing burden.  Thus, by the end of the day, we can barely move and each step feels like a trudge throw the deepest of mired bogs until we finally collapse under the weight of bundle.  As we lay there, beaten under the force of our own troubles bundled beyond our ability to care for them, God comes up behind us and picks the overwhelming bundle of sticks off us us with ease and helps us back to our feet.

The point is that, though our natural inclination is to take on today's, tomorrow's, and next week's challenges and worries, God has ordained that we should not take on more than what we can handle, for each day has enough trouble for itself (Matt. 6:34), and we should only attempt to take on that which God has placed before us for the moment.  God desires that we, in humility, press into Him to cover and care for our troubles and our worries.  Let us then do so with consistency, clinging to Him to preserve us when we would rather pick up the bundle of troubles and to be reminded to carry one stick of trouble at a time.