And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly.
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
I find this exchange between Jesus and Peter rather fascinating. Jesus clearly outlined to those close to Him the road on which He was travelling. From the perspective of looking back through history, it seems odd that Peter would rebuke Jesus for embracing the Father's plan. While Jesus spoke of sacrifice, of dying, He also spoke of a miraculous life-giving resurrection.
For some reason Peter apparently never heard the words about resurrection. Why? I think it is because Peter's personal agenda for Jesus did not mesh with Jesus' words. Instead of hearing the voice of the Father in Jesus' words, Peter rejected the plan of God due to his lack of understanding the ways of God. Not only did he reject the plan of God, in his choice to disregard the hand of God, he became a voice for the counsel of Satan.
Unfortunately, the "Peter syndrome" still occurs today. Bev and I have noticed that every time that we have made a dramatic change in our lives in order to follow Jesus, good people have come out of the woodwork to oppose the change. They are not bad people, they simply have no understanding of the work of God. Due to the fact that they interpret life through their own humanistic lens, they can quickly become the accusatory voice of the enemy.
If you are going to follow Jesus, not only in word, but in action, expect this to happen. Look at the words of Jesus - Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
From the perspective of looking back through time, we know that Peter eventually "got it". His mistake was not an eternal mistake. And so it is today. Set your face to follow Jesus. You will be opposed (and sometimes by those close to you) but be of good cheer - resurrection is coming! The opposition by good people does not last forever.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
simplicity
Recently Bev began the process of preparing to move. In the midst of sorting through stuff she came across keepsakes from our wedding. Among the items she found a bulletin from the wedding. As I looked over the format of the wedding service, a song by Don Francisco caught my attention. I had not heard the song in many years. I opened Youtube and typed the song into the search engine. Sure enough I found it.
That song stirred my memory about a number of other songs by Don Francisco. I spent the next 30 minutes or so listening to those songs. There was something innocent and pure in the lyrics and the music. It was refreshing, the simplicity of the words and music spoke of an innocence lost. The songs took me to a place many years ago, a time when I discovered God.
In many ways my journey with God was mirrored in the progression of "Christian" music in the past several decades. The innocence and simplicity got lost in the effort to be "cutting edge". It became more about performance and less about issues of the heart. The clutter and noise of a performance mentality gradually drowned the melody of simplicity from the heart of God.
Fortunately the alive heart can only put up with the external clamor for so long until it longs deeply to be heard. For the past years, I have been on a journey of returning to simplicity. This journey is not about correct theology or about flawless performance of religious duties. It is about something much more basic. Jesus distilled our walk with God into two foundational attitudes - love God and love my neighbor.
As Christ is formed more deeply in our heart, life becomes more simple. There is no longer a need for validation found in being cool or cutting edge. The words and music springing from the heart no longer need anything added to package them into a produced choreography.
Ah yes...it really is that simple!
That song stirred my memory about a number of other songs by Don Francisco. I spent the next 30 minutes or so listening to those songs. There was something innocent and pure in the lyrics and the music. It was refreshing, the simplicity of the words and music spoke of an innocence lost. The songs took me to a place many years ago, a time when I discovered God.
In many ways my journey with God was mirrored in the progression of "Christian" music in the past several decades. The innocence and simplicity got lost in the effort to be "cutting edge". It became more about performance and less about issues of the heart. The clutter and noise of a performance mentality gradually drowned the melody of simplicity from the heart of God.
Fortunately the alive heart can only put up with the external clamor for so long until it longs deeply to be heard. For the past years, I have been on a journey of returning to simplicity. This journey is not about correct theology or about flawless performance of religious duties. It is about something much more basic. Jesus distilled our walk with God into two foundational attitudes - love God and love my neighbor.
As Christ is formed more deeply in our heart, life becomes more simple. There is no longer a need for validation found in being cool or cutting edge. The words and music springing from the heart no longer need anything added to package them into a produced choreography.
Ah yes...it really is that simple!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
life
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
- Jesus Christ
Jesus stated purpose for coming to earth was that we might have life, not just a meager existence but abundant life. The Greek word we translate as "abundant" literally means "excessive, superior in quality, super abundant". In other words, the reason Jesus came was to allow us to experience life far beyond the what we could imagine.
If Jesus came so that we might live life beyond normal, why do so many people live, not in abundant life, but in a dull dreary manner? Why do so many people go to work everyday to a job they despise? Why do people endure boring empty church services? Why do people disregard their God-given dreams, choosing instead the way of safety and boredom?
The Greek word that we translate as "sin" in the scriptures has less to do with a set of actions and more to do with missing the point. In other words, when we choose something other than the abundant life offered by Jesus, we miss the point or mark, we sin.
There are a variety of reasons why we do not embrace abundant life, choosing instead the way of sin. The expectations of people, the fear of stepping beyond our current existance, the need to be in control of our circumstances all contribute to our missing the mark.
I am at the point in my life when I am becoming increasingly aware of my mortality. In all likelihood, I have lived more than half of my life. When a teenager, life stretches before us as a never ending road the disappears over the horizon in the far distant future. For me, the horizon has become much closer. As the last half of my life comes into view, the question of how I shall live my days becomes a very present question.
If I am to experience all that God has for me in the last half of my life, then I must choose life. I am becoming increasingly aware that I really do not have the time to waste on activities and endeavors that do not bring life. "Missing the mark" (sin) always results in death. I don't have the luxury of extra days days to waste in death, in engaging in activities that cause me to miss the mark.
- Jesus Christ
Jesus stated purpose for coming to earth was that we might have life, not just a meager existence but abundant life. The Greek word we translate as "abundant" literally means "excessive, superior in quality, super abundant". In other words, the reason Jesus came was to allow us to experience life far beyond the what we could imagine.
If Jesus came so that we might live life beyond normal, why do so many people live, not in abundant life, but in a dull dreary manner? Why do so many people go to work everyday to a job they despise? Why do people endure boring empty church services? Why do people disregard their God-given dreams, choosing instead the way of safety and boredom?
The Greek word that we translate as "sin" in the scriptures has less to do with a set of actions and more to do with missing the point. In other words, when we choose something other than the abundant life offered by Jesus, we miss the point or mark, we sin.
There are a variety of reasons why we do not embrace abundant life, choosing instead the way of sin. The expectations of people, the fear of stepping beyond our current existance, the need to be in control of our circumstances all contribute to our missing the mark.
I am at the point in my life when I am becoming increasingly aware of my mortality. In all likelihood, I have lived more than half of my life. When a teenager, life stretches before us as a never ending road the disappears over the horizon in the far distant future. For me, the horizon has become much closer. As the last half of my life comes into view, the question of how I shall live my days becomes a very present question.
If I am to experience all that God has for me in the last half of my life, then I must choose life. I am becoming increasingly aware that I really do not have the time to waste on activities and endeavors that do not bring life. "Missing the mark" (sin) always results in death. I don't have the luxury of extra days days to waste in death, in engaging in activities that cause me to miss the mark.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
people that do
I am not easily impressed. However, I have a deep admiration for people whose walk with God consists of action not just talk, and especially those people whose "doing" is not promoted for the world to see. I am impressed with people who quietly and without fanfare do the work of God in the messy gutter of life.
Conversely, I am not impressed by those who continually have to broadcast the news of their ministry. Jesus spoke about people whose actions were driven by a need to be noticed - they have their reward now. Recently, while on Interstate 81 I saw a large billboard proclaiming - Steamtown Church, a church in the city that loves the city. Now perhaps that billboard was placed there by the leading of the Holy Spirit. If so, then the church needed heed the Spirit's invitation.
However, I could not help but be a bit cynical when I saw it. I mean if we love the city, then we just love the city. There is no need to make any kind of proclamation about loving the city. If we love the city, we do not need to say so since the inhabitants of the city will know they are loved. So then what is the purpose of the proclamation? Or is the proclamation an attempt to convince ourselves that we love as we should?
Love requires us to engage with those being loved, not through a program or an event, but through inviting them into our very lives. I am impressed with the young single man who opens the doors of his home to other young men struggling to find their way. I am impressed with the truck driver who visits those in the nursing homes, bringing his infectious laughter into the grayness of their existence. I am impressed by the businessman who will loan money to employees in need, knowing full well that he probably will never see the money again. These are real people in real situations, people who will never be featured on the front page of the religious section of the newspaper. Furthermore, they have no desire to be noticed and applauded. They simply see "the least of these" with a need and meet the need. They are my heroes!
Conversely, I am not impressed by those who continually have to broadcast the news of their ministry. Jesus spoke about people whose actions were driven by a need to be noticed - they have their reward now. Recently, while on Interstate 81 I saw a large billboard proclaiming - Steamtown Church, a church in the city that loves the city. Now perhaps that billboard was placed there by the leading of the Holy Spirit. If so, then the church needed heed the Spirit's invitation.
However, I could not help but be a bit cynical when I saw it. I mean if we love the city, then we just love the city. There is no need to make any kind of proclamation about loving the city. If we love the city, we do not need to say so since the inhabitants of the city will know they are loved. So then what is the purpose of the proclamation? Or is the proclamation an attempt to convince ourselves that we love as we should?
Love requires us to engage with those being loved, not through a program or an event, but through inviting them into our very lives. I am impressed with the young single man who opens the doors of his home to other young men struggling to find their way. I am impressed with the truck driver who visits those in the nursing homes, bringing his infectious laughter into the grayness of their existence. I am impressed by the businessman who will loan money to employees in need, knowing full well that he probably will never see the money again. These are real people in real situations, people who will never be featured on the front page of the religious section of the newspaper. Furthermore, they have no desire to be noticed and applauded. They simply see "the least of these" with a need and meet the need. They are my heroes!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
north country
Bev and I spent the weekend at the Lodge. There is something intrinsically beautiful about the North Country in mid-winter. The snow, the deep blue sky, the snow dusted trees, and the abundance of wildlife all combine for a wonder-filled experience. The sub zero temperatures only serve to make the warm fire in the fireplace more inviting.
I used the snow blower to clean the lane. As I worked (well maybe it was playing) in the snow, my heart felt like it would burst with worship. The words of the hymn played in my mind and made their way past my lips – Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hand have made…Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art… When no one is around to hear, one can sing loudly and without inhibition!
The air feels clearer when it is this cold. Somehow the mind seems clearer as well. My thought process is no longer clouded by the press of details that swirl around me at home. Dreams of the heart become more vivid. Strategy to fulfill the dreams emerges with clarity. Hope arises after being hidden underneath the pressing weight of the mundane.
Creation reveals God, stirring both praise and inspiration. Somehow this weekend, I have joined in more deeply, felt alive more fully! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art!
I used the snow blower to clean the lane. As I worked (well maybe it was playing) in the snow, my heart felt like it would burst with worship. The words of the hymn played in my mind and made their way past my lips – Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hand have made…Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art… When no one is around to hear, one can sing loudly and without inhibition!
The air feels clearer when it is this cold. Somehow the mind seems clearer as well. My thought process is no longer clouded by the press of details that swirl around me at home. Dreams of the heart become more vivid. Strategy to fulfill the dreams emerges with clarity. Hope arises after being hidden underneath the pressing weight of the mundane.
Creation reveals God, stirring both praise and inspiration. Somehow this weekend, I have joined in more deeply, felt alive more fully! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
crossroads
On of the great things about getting older is that you gain perspective. Life is meant to be lived. If we will allow it, it becomes a great teacher. In my own journey with God, there have been transitional times that deeply shaped the coming years. In the mid to late 80's I discovered God to be real, tangible beyond what I could have imagined. In the mid 90's Bev and I left our dreams to follow the invitation of the Holy Spirit. The next 17 years were deeply transformational for me.
Once again Bev and I find ourselves in transition time. This time is a bit different. 17 years ago we heard the voice of God inviting us to a specific path. In the season in which we find ourselves currently, the question we hear from God is, "what do you want to do in the coming years?" We are learning to walk in harmony with the way He created us, with the dreams He placed within us. I always assumed that the dreams we relinquished 17 years ago were discarded by God in some heavenly trashcan of selfish desires. Little did I know that when I relinquished them into His hands, instead of discarding them, He gently cared for them for me.
A bit over four years ago, I realized that I was deeply stirred by something that I thought was forever gone. I remember asking Bev if she thought that perhaps God was giving my dreams back to me. The past number of years the dreams and the strategies to fulfill them began to re-emerge.
In all my years in leadership in the institutional church, I never felt like I fit. Whenever a group of pastors gathered, it seemed to me that I was the only one who did not have a burning desire to be "in ministry". I never asked for ministry position and never felt the need to grasp for it. For 17 years, I have labored primarily in the institutional church, building structures and systems. Yet for the past five years I have become increasingly aware of the problems of "church".
Today, the rebirth of my God-given dreams leads me away from the institutional church to a place of more organic church. I want to be involved with the work of God, not just in the restoration work in the lives of individuals but in the more mundane work of producing food to feed people. I desire deep relationships that demand transformation but I have no desire to attend church functions unless they facilitate the formation of relationships. I have no stomach for the endless meetings needed to prop up the institutional church. I am tired of the religious control that masquerades as accountability. I can no longer tolerate systems and structures that hinder healing, restoration, and ultimately, the work of God.
And so after 17 years, it's over. I will still blog about my observations on my walk with Jesus. As the Holy Spirit leads, I will still teach and preach...I can't keep my mouth shut when a message burns in my heart. But I will no longer give my time and energy building something that does not harmonize with what God is doing in me.
Once again Bev and I find ourselves in transition time. This time is a bit different. 17 years ago we heard the voice of God inviting us to a specific path. In the season in which we find ourselves currently, the question we hear from God is, "what do you want to do in the coming years?" We are learning to walk in harmony with the way He created us, with the dreams He placed within us. I always assumed that the dreams we relinquished 17 years ago were discarded by God in some heavenly trashcan of selfish desires. Little did I know that when I relinquished them into His hands, instead of discarding them, He gently cared for them for me.
A bit over four years ago, I realized that I was deeply stirred by something that I thought was forever gone. I remember asking Bev if she thought that perhaps God was giving my dreams back to me. The past number of years the dreams and the strategies to fulfill them began to re-emerge.
In all my years in leadership in the institutional church, I never felt like I fit. Whenever a group of pastors gathered, it seemed to me that I was the only one who did not have a burning desire to be "in ministry". I never asked for ministry position and never felt the need to grasp for it. For 17 years, I have labored primarily in the institutional church, building structures and systems. Yet for the past five years I have become increasingly aware of the problems of "church".
Today, the rebirth of my God-given dreams leads me away from the institutional church to a place of more organic church. I want to be involved with the work of God, not just in the restoration work in the lives of individuals but in the more mundane work of producing food to feed people. I desire deep relationships that demand transformation but I have no desire to attend church functions unless they facilitate the formation of relationships. I have no stomach for the endless meetings needed to prop up the institutional church. I am tired of the religious control that masquerades as accountability. I can no longer tolerate systems and structures that hinder healing, restoration, and ultimately, the work of God.
And so after 17 years, it's over. I will still blog about my observations on my walk with Jesus. As the Holy Spirit leads, I will still teach and preach...I can't keep my mouth shut when a message burns in my heart. But I will no longer give my time and energy building something that does not harmonize with what God is doing in me.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sweetheart Weekend
February 11-13, 2011
What is a Sweetheart Weekend?
Life has a way of interfering with the heart to heart relationship that makes a great marriage. From time to time it is advantageous to take some dedicated time away from the busyness of life to reconnect on deep heart to heart and romantic level with your spouse. The Sweetheart Weekend is a great way to spend uninterrupted time with your spouse.
Our goal is for good marriages to be strengthened over the weekend. This retreat is not designed for those whose marriages are troubled at this time.
Where and when is it held?
We (Beverly and I) will be hosting it at El-Quest Lodge in the 1000 Island Region of Upstate NY. El-Quest Lodge is a beautiful four bedroom, three bathroom, log home on the shores of Black Lake. The Sweetheart Weekend will begin with dinner on Friday evening and conclude with Sunday dinner at noon. The GPS location is 307 Black Lake Rd, Hammond, NY
How many couples can come?
We have room for only three couples at a time. Spots will be filled on a first come basis.
What will we do?
We will eat together as well as have some time for group interaction. However, the majority of the time will be reserved for you and your spouse alone. There are small quaint towns to explore. The snow covered landscape makes for beautiful long walks. There will be time for reading by the fireplace or for watching movies in the media room.
What is the cost?
The investment into your marriage is $150 per couple. That price includes all meals and bedding (with the exception of pillows). We do ask that you bring your own towels and washcloths. If funds are a problem, the generosity of some individuals has made some partial scholarships available. Additionally, if you would like to sponsor a couple, please contact us.
How do we reserve our spot?
Please contact Glen and Beverly Peachey either via phone or email.
717-436-2476 or glenpeachey@embarqmail.com
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