Duct Tape and Blades Part 2- 10/03/2010

If you have been waiting in great anticipation for the second part of this series and have almost given up on it coming I apologize, but with school work and the rest of life it can be hard to find time for some things.

In a recently viewed episode of "Mythbusters" they did a second special on Duct Tape. One of the segments involved the destruction of a car which was then put back together with only duct tape and then driven through a series of obstacle courses to see how well it would stay together. Amazingly the engine of the car actually gave out before the duct tape because of the abuse of the obstacle course. The value and purpose of Duct tape is in its ability to hold things together or in place. In a recent sermon by Pasotr Jon Cobler about staying seated next to Jesus in the Heavenlies he said "If you have to have a Duct Tape party. Bring your friends over and say listen I am struggling but you tape my arms and legs because I know deep down inside my flesh wants to wander but my spirit wants to stay put." Later in the sermon Pastor Jon talks about using the sword of the Spirit to sever the lures of the devil. It was here in this sermon my thoughts where spurred and my thinking started towards this post about duct tape and blades in regards to us and the community of followers around us.

On with my thoughts regarding Duct Tape and blades. I would like to move our thoughts from the duct tape to blades. Throughout history we have had a variety of blades for different uses. The commonality of all blades other than maybe wiper blades is that they are designed to cut. Some cutting can be useful and important and others can be used for damaged or destruction. It is the handler of the blade who truly determines if the blade will be useful or destructive. The saw blade that the woodworker cut himself on was designed and when used correctly is very useful in building things like cabinets. But when he stopped following safety protocols or using the proper safety procedures the saw blade becomes quiet destructive and could possibly become deadly. If you stop and think you can come up with many different blades and both their good and bad uses.

A sword was a very common blade in the times of the bible. It was used for battle, it became the symbol of strength for many empires and rulers both good and bad. We even see the sword becoming the illustration or symbol that represents God's Spirit and His Word.

Hebrews 4:12New International Version

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

This description of the Holy Spirit sounds very similar to how a surgeon uses a scalpel (another blade) during a surgery such as removing a damaged and so to be deadly appendix or a tumor which could be cancerous from the body. When was the last time you saw a surgeon doing this sort of operation on him self? Would you allow someone who did not have the training to use a scalpel on you for such a purpose or any purpose? Good thing there is no one better trained at the use of the Word than God. But God is not the only one carrying a sword (word).

Proverbs 12:18Young's Literal Translation

A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, And the tongue of the wise is healing.

Our own tongue can be like a sword in the lives of others. In the book of James words are compared to a fire which like a sword, can be very beneficial or destructive depending on the use. We can either do damage or good with our words. We can either pierce and wound some one or be like a surgeon and use or words to bring healing. This is the context for which I wish to direct our thoughts in regards to blades, us and our community. I have seen many a person get hurt by the words of others. I have also seen many be healed by the words of others.

The specific area I felt my thoughts going was in the area of needing others to speak into our lives for the purpose of what is often called edification (beneficial moral or spiritual instruction). There is a line that can be easily crossed when humans try to edify one another. When we cross this line we go from edifying to judging or condemning. Our word are no longer beneficial or uplifting they become destructive. Does this mean we stop trying to speak into each others lives. A verse I commonly see in regards to 'judging' is sometimes know as the 'plank eye' verse or at least I like to call it that, which is found in chapter 7 of the Book of Mathew.

Matthew 7:5-6 NIV 1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

This is the part of the passage you will most often see quoted or referred to. I have seen this used many time personally by people arguing that we are not to judge each people. We should not tell people when they are doing something wrong or that they are living in sin. How does that work with our call to be a body of believers who are building each other up. Why don't we look at the last two verses and see if they help us to see something more.

Matthew 7:5-6 NIV

5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

To me that sounds a little more like edification. When a brother or sister is doing something wrong and they need words spoken into their lives we need to make sure we are in the right place with the right tools. For a little more insight into our role regarding the church I would challenge you to read 1 Corinthians 5. Basically there is an individual who is sinning and the believers in the church are doing nothing about it for whatever reasons they have. But they are told by Paul to judge him and cast him out. This was an extreme judgment and correction which I see as result of it not being dealt correctly. If it would have been dealt with in the beginning it would have likely been resolved with some edification by those around the brother who was beginning down a path to a server fall. A few friends with Duct Tape or a scalpel might have been all he needed.

James 5:19-20 NIV
19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Going back to the example of a surgery to remove a failing appendix we can see and know that the appendix needs to come out or the person could die. But to use a table saw in attempt to remove it would be just as deadly. We don't want to go through and try to remove a bad appendix using the wrong blade. So the key is not in ignoring the problem but in learning to remove our plank so to speak and in learning the purpose and proper use of our blades. Which require speaking the truth in love to our brothers and sisters in the faith and having open hearts to receive their words as well.

I have tried to give all who read my blogs questions to ponder and challenges to accept. So in ending here is my challenge. Are you willing as a brother or sister in Christ to take up your roll of Duct Tap and your Blade and when the time arises to use them to the best of your ability? On the other side for your benefit and growth are you ready and willing for your family in Christ to use their Duct Tape and Blades in your life?

Duct Tape and Blades Part 1- 09/27/2010

When ever you are working with power tools or things with blades it is always a good idea to have a first-aide kit nearby. I am going to tell you a couple of stories and then apply that to life and see if we can find the significance to Duct Tape and Blades.

I remember hearing a story once when I was younger, now I don't know if it was true or not, and it went like this. A veteran woodworker was working in his shop one day using his table saw to cut some wood. When the thing that every woodworker dreads happened. Somehow his finger came to close to the moving blade and it cut deep into his finger. In my memory it had made it to the bone but had not cut all the way through. A wound this deep has a tendency to bleed. Now like every good woodworker does he had a well stocked first-aide kit near by, Not. He had to think quickly and grabbed a near by shop towel to keep from bleeding all over the place. But that wasn't doing enough so what did he do? He grabbed a roll of Duct Tape and taped and cut a section of towel to wrap around his finger and then wrapped the area with duct tape. It was a great first-aide move and he was then able to drive himself to the doctor where they fixed his finger up good.

In high school I did construction the summer after my sophomore year until the summer before my senior year. While doing a remodel on a house outside of the Salem area I had my own Duct Tape moment. Mine did not involve a saw but it did involve a gas powered framing nail gun that used 16 penny nails. I had been nailing angle cut 2 x 4 toenail style to the upright 2 x 4 of a section of wall. Somehow on this one board my aim was off or the nail hit something and curved right into my hand on the back side of the 2 boards I was nailing together. I will save the description of what it sounded like or felt like when I pulled my hand away as it was filled with the pain of the nail being thrust at high-speed into my hand. Of course being well prepared construction workers we had a first-aide kit. Well we did. . . . The problem was that it was kept in my bosses truck and he had left sometime before the accident to run some sort of errand. So there I was no first-aide kit bleeding quiet a bit. I didn't want to risk bleeding all over the floor in the customers house as I attempted to find band-aides in their home. So I went to my car in hopes that I could find something to at least clean up the blood and reduce its flow until my boss got back. Now I didn't find any shop towels but I did have some napkins from some fast food restaurant and upon further looking I found a roll of that multifunctional Duct Tape. I think it was left in my car from a repair of a rip in the back seat. So using the tools at my resources I completed first-aide on myself and was well enough to go back to work until the boss arrived and I could better bandage myself up.

Now My third story doesn't involve Duct Tape but it does involve a injury that needed first-aide in a place that is a little difficult to administer to yourself. A friend of mine and my wife's, she was only friends with my wife at this point because we had just meant. Had somehow stepped on a medal tent stake, we are not talking about one of the nice nail like ones with the plastic near the head but one of those cheap sheet metal ones that the roll up to a pointy tip, and it had ripped out a chunk of flesh on the bottom outside edge of her foot. If you have ever tried this is not an easy part of your body to try and administer first-aide to. Luckily for our friend I am well trained and experienced in first-aide. So using a first-aide kit I was able to clean and bandage her foot quite nicely.

Lets stop here and ponder a few questions. Have you ever done something in your life and after you where standing on the other end of the consequences of the action thought to yourself or asked 'Why didn't someone warn me?'? Or maybe some one did but they were persistent in their warning, or did it in an unloving way and again you end up on the other end of the choice again asking 'Why didn't they try harder?'? Now Maybe the woodworker and the saw wished he would have listened to those who told him to be careful with that saw. Or maybe I wished that there would have been some one there to see my aim was wrong and they could have warned me. Mistakes happen and bad choices occur sometimes with out warning and sometimes with a warning or two. Either case doesn't matter what does matter is that when they do happen that first-aide is needed even if it is just some Duct Tape. From my many experience with first-aide on both sides of the situation first-aide is always easier with the help of another. So that is my second thought is that when the choice is made even if the person ignored your warning we need to be there to help.

So this is the first part of what I believe will be a two part blog. Let me leave you with this from the wisdom of Solomon and my final thought 'How important is it to be a part of a community?'.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (New Living Translation)
9 Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. 11 And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

A delayed post - 09/23/2010

I have been wanting to write on my blog since last week and until today I haven't been able to muster what I needed to do so. I have been feeling very down over the past week and it has opened the door to some negative self talk and a lot of self doubt.

Friday the 17th was a very downer of a day. I was trying to get ready for a camping trip with our very close friends the Rats(The Ratliffs to most). Under the stress of packing and preparing for the weekend I had a few realization that added to the cauldron of things brewing a soup of despair in my heart. It was to this soup that my wife came home to find me near the point of anxiety attack if not in one. She lovingly helped me step back and out of my soupy mess.

So we loaded up the family(the Mats to the Rats) and headed for I-5. For a lot of people there are things that they do that or places they go to help discussion occur. It could be sitting down for a cup of coffee in the morning, going for a walk or maybe sitting in the backyard. The place where most of our family discussions occur, the meaningful and deep life type discussions, on I-5 somewhere between Olympia, WA and Salem, OR. Why those places and why I-5 well it has to do with Family and time spent going to and from visits with them. When you are on the road and it is just the two of you(pre-Jillbacca) and one of you most constantly be talking(just kidding it is not constantly but very consistent) conversations happen. When add the factor that one of you takes along time to process and converse it takes a long drive for those deep conversations to get done. So I-5 has been the perfect place for us to have these conversations to this day. We even lovingly refer to them as our I-5 talks.

We had a good I-5 talk on this trip. I found a lot of comfort and encouragement in the words of my wife and myself as we talked about what was overwhelming me that day, the future, the baby, the growth in us and our walks with God. I did find myself in one of the moments where Mandy was addressing some of the positives of who I am and what has been happening in my life lately. Going through 'The List' of who I am. We had to stop for a potty break(this time more frequent than normal, part of traveling with a pregnant woman) so I wrote down some of the thoughts while Mandy was away. . . . . . . .

How weird I seem to have misplaced the list. I guess it is not important but the list mostly focused on the negatives in my life or the things that I and others would use to lessen my value of myself. I realized yet again that who I am is more than just the some of my past. Yes those are a part of how I have become me but I can't let it stay there otherwise I will never grow, mature or better myself. Imagine what would happen in a kindergartner decided that his time in kindergarten had made him who he was and he could never be more than that, or a high schooler, a bachelor, a college drop out, a drunk or an addict. Most people would look at the kindergartner and say you are too young to stop and same with the high schooler. But is it any different for the drop out or the drunk. There is always the chance for change as long as we are open to the changes.

Just to wrap up a little since I need to stop writing and go on with the day. My wife sent me this email the other day.

Love,
This is from a blog by the wife of one of the lead singer's of Selah. They had a tragedy in their family in 2008. Can't remember where I stumbled upon this blog from but this woman is very wise. I know you don't have the problem of looking back the way that I do, which is what today's post is about. But I still wanted to share it with you as an encouragement. I really spoke to my heart today.
Love you,
Beautiful

Pillar
I sat completely upright, eyes staring at him while I moved food around my plate nervously.

It was our first date and I had decided I was going to marry him. He ordered (delicious) soup for me and opened the car door when I got in and when I got out. I wanted to impress him but I choked on my words as I tried to come up with something less desperate than "Elope or have a wedding?"

Because that's not always a good first date plan.

His eyes lit up as he shared a story he had heard about a little girl at church who had drawn a picture, and he just knew I would get a kick out of it as well.

"So, you know Lot's wife?"

Clearly Lot was a friend I hadn't met yet. I put on my best, "I'm sure I do. Give me a minute..." face and nodded for him to continue.

Was that the guy in Sunday school? Was he on the retreat? Lot. No, I would remember meeting a guy named Lot.

"Well her teacher tells her to draw a picture of what happened to Lot's wife and she drew a salt shaker."

He started laughing.

I laughed too, and shook my head side to side. Those crazy kids.

"Oh, that is great! How funny." I bit my lip and tried to think of a good follow-up condiment story.

Nothing.

"So, Lot..." I just kind of threw it out there. I figured I would give him some room to fill me in on the backstory.

"Yeah, you know, from Genesis? The one who left Sodom and Gomorrah?"

Awesome. Thanks for clearing that up.

Note to self: find Precious Moments Bible that is somewhere in my apartment and find out who Sodom and Gomorrah are.

I nodded again, filling my mouth with pasta so I wouldn't have to drop any more pearls of wisdom before the second date.

A few hours later I found my little Bible and hunted down this Lot guy. He's umm, an interesting fellow, and reading about him next to images of Precious Moments figurines has got to be one of the strangest experiences a new believer can have. Seriously creeptastic.

With that said, I did find it pretty interesting. The gist of it is that Abraham is trying to save Sodom (Sodom and Gomorrah are places, not people. Also good to know for date number two) and kind of negotiates with God about it. This deserves a whole post of it's own, but let's come back to that some other day. Anyway, he works out a plan with God that if there are 10 righteous men in Sodom, God will not destroy it. Unfortunately, this isn't the case and God sends two angels to warn Abraham and his nephew Lot to get out of town before this happens. Lot tries to warn his sons-in-law but they thought he was joking and apparently didn't listen. It says in Genesis 19:16 that Lot hesitated, so the angels grabbed his and his wife's hands and led them out of the city.

As soon as they were safe, the angels said to them, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!" Lot tells them he wants to go to another town instead. And guess what? It isn't in the mountains, it's in the plains. God wants Lot to go to one place, and he believes his idea is better than God's. I read this and shake my head because that just sounds silly to me.

Well, as silly as it can sound to someone who does the same almost every day of her life.

So Lot and his bride head towards Zoar (which was called Bela before this incident), and as they do, Lot's wife makes a critical mistake.

She looks back.

She looks at back at the city filled with sin and wickedness, and as she pauses, God turns her into a pillar of salt (the salt shaker thing is way funnier now).

We don't ever learn her name, but her legacy is one of looking back. She has been rescued from death, from sin and depravity, and there is something that still haunts her enough to stop moving toward whatever is ahead.

Did she want to see if it would really be ruined? Maybe she wanted to see her things one more time. Was she longing for a person? Reflecting on the life she wanted to keep living?

I don't know, but I do know this.

God has been gracious with me for many years in my turning back. A glimpse of what could have been, a temptation that makes me question my faith. An earth-shattering loss that beckons me to believe that the mountain is too far and the valley will be just fine.

I have wandered to the closest city while I know He desires for me to climb, and I have settled there for longer than I care to remember. I have failed Him many times over, head and heart turned, and yet He urges me never to settle. I don't know what you are walking away from tonight, but as I have been praying about what to write the Lord has put this message on my heart so clearly that I had to share it. I want you to know I am praying for you as I write-asking the Lord to remind you tonight that there is a reason you have left that life behind.

It has been swallowed by grace, friend. And you need not miss what He has for you by believing there is something worth going back for. Leave it be. The Lord has told you where to go and it's time to walk. Eyes straight ahead, tangled in the spectacular love of a Savior Who wants nothing less for you than the summit. And as you stare at what might have been, you are immobilized, unable to bring Him the glory He deserves. And also, He might make you salt. Just saying.

It has been almost exactly ten years from the night I went out with Todd for the first time. October will mark a decade of falling in love with the man who has given me five daughters and many, many more dates. No matter how many times we sit together over a meal, I will never forget the first one. The heart-fluttering, life-altering, dream-come-true night when I learned about a woman who loved in the wrong direction.

I still get confused about Bible references. I am the farthest thing from a Bible scholar that could be possible. I can't tell you the Hebrew and Greek roots of words, nor every battle of the Bible or city mentioned in scripture. What I do feel confident saying is actually pretty simple.

He is Who He says He is, and He is whispering tonight if you care to listen...

"Flee, love. Flee and never look back..."

We often find ourselves looking back for very reasons or at various things. It is not a bad thing remember the past and to look at things that you have done and been through. The problem is when what we look back at is the very thing God has told us not to look at or if it is contrary to what he has said. Pray with me for a life focused on God, what He says and promises, on the future and on the possibilities and great things God wants to do in our lives. Pray with me and stand with me looking forward and not looking back.

If the option of being turned into the contents of a shaker interest you go ahead and look back. As for me I think Abraham's results are much more appealing.

Words that struck a cord - 9/12/2010 Part 2

After talking with Mandy, reviewing what I wrote yesterday and reviewing what I had been pondering it became aware that I missed something. So if you have read yesterdays post and walked away scratching your head wondering what I was thinking. Or maybe you just read it and when you finished all you can remember is the head ache you where left with. Okay so maybe you didn't do either but my thoughts were not complete so I hope to shed more light on what I was trying to express.

I feel as if I left everyone with an expression that I that the creation is true and any form of evolution is contrary to the Bible. Now I do feel this way but that was not my point that was not the revelation from my pondering. Lets go back and try to retrace where I wanted to take you in my thoughts.

First point was to realize that when we view the Bible it is a whole unit. It is a complete package. So either the whole thing is historical and true or the whole thing is fiction and false. Why because if one part is not true or historical then the whole can not be historical or true. This is accurate for our view of creation, miracles, the Resurrection, God himself and any other topic or discussion regarding the Bible.

The other point I was trying to express was I realized that this was the stance I had to take myself. For me when I looked at the Bible I had no problem viewing it as scientific or historically true and accurate. Some think that such a view is simple minded and not one based in logic or intellectual reason. For me I don't feel that is at all accurate. I have done my share of reasoning, studying, researching, and intellectual processing to arrive at my point of view. If that is so then what struck about believing the Bible as true.

One of my greatest struggles is seeing myself as God sees me. This was where I needed to decide the Bible was true. I had to decide that what the Bible says about how God views me as a part of his creation and as a part of his people are true for me. I need to hold on to the promises of God in the Bible. Promises like what we find in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 29:11

The Message

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

Is there a part of the Bible you have a problem with holding to as true? If I can help you process and work through it please let me know. I truly feel this is very important topic to wrestle with and come to a decisions about. I hope when you get to the end of the process you will be standing with me holding onto the truth of God's word.