The Lord's Prayer

When we last met, we concluded our discussions by saying that The Model Prayer found in Matthew 6 was about reconciliation. In truth, this is the heart of prayer, that we come to see the world as God sees it. With that as our foundation, we turn to The Lord's Prayer found in John 17.

Many scholars and commentators would agree that this prayer logically divides into three categories: Jesus prays for Himself (1-5), then for His immediate disciples (6-19), then for the disciples that would follow after (20-26). We will look briefly into each of these three parts.

In the first portion, Jesus prays for Himself. The remarkable thing about this section is that in it He does not pray for His own peace or perseverance. Instead, He focuses on the completion of the work which the Father has given to Him. In doing so, He emphasizes relationship and its effect on life: as Tenney says, He "defines the nature of eternal life. It is not described in chronological terms but by relationship" (162).

Transitioning into the second part of the prayer, Jesus continues to develop this theme of relationship.

"I manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to me, and they have kept Thy word. Now they have come to know that everything Thou hast given Me is from Thee; for the words which Thou gavest Me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send me." (John 17:6-8)

Christ here and in the following verses acknowledges that the disciples have a new identity because of Him. Because Christ came from the Father, they are now able to have relationship with the Father. And it is for the continuation and development of this relationship He prays: "Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as we are" (John 17:11b). With the verses following, Christ shows how this relationship with the Father will change their relationship with each other and with the world.

In verse 20, Christ changes His focus from His immediate disciples to all the ones  "who believe in Me through their word." Even with this, the emphasis remains the same: that these disciples would have a relationship with the Father, an that they may be unified through Christ just as the Father and the Son are unified.

Honestly, I fear that I often miss out on the relational nature of prayer. I believe that this is something that comes natural to us as we continue to wrestle with our own selfishness and vanity. However, as Christ has modeled, prayer is not primarily about us. Instead, it is about our relationship: first to God, and then to the ones around us. This is an incredible thought. Imagine with me, just for a moment, the difference it would make if we approached prayer from this perspective. What would God do through such a mindset? How would He lead us to impact the world around us? How would He change our understanding of those situations in our lives? I do not know the answer to these questions. However, I am eager to find out, and invite you to join with me this week to pray with these things in mind.

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Tenney, Merril C., and Richard N. Logenecker. John and Acts. Ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. Vol. 9. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981. Print. The Expositor's Bible Commentary.

Examining the Example

"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead is into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]"

Matthew 6:9-13

Last week, we discussed Christ's words leading up to this, the Model Prayer. His command was not to pray as the hypocrites; in other words, our prayer does not need to put on a show for God. Instead, we need to come honestly before Him.

In order to set an example, Jesus offered us these words. It's brevity and simplicity stand in direct contrast to that prayer of the hypocrites which Christ had previously described. Saint Cyprian (AD 200-258) left to us an excellent commentary on the Lord's Prayer, noting early on that "it [the Lord's Prayer] is a friendly and intimate prayer to beseech God with His own words, for the prayer of Christ to ascend to His ears" (chapter 3).

Notice, first, the familiarity of the Lord's prayer. Beginning with the words "Our Father," it assumes a close relationship between both the pray-er and God. Cyprian notes that we can only use these words because we have been adopted as sons through the work of Christ Himself; as such, we "ought to remember and to know that, when we speak of God, we ought to act as sons of God" (chapter 11). What a great privilege that we have to approach God in this manner, having been restored to relationship with Him. With this relationship in mind, we entreat "hallowed be Thy name." This can be interpreted both in general (let Your name be glorified) and specifically (let Your name be glorified in me), although the personal nature of the prayer does tend more towards the second.

"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." The heaven/earth language that has been used thus far provides excellent imagery for us showing that, while we have a close relationship with the Father, we have not arrived. Instead, we are still struggling with sin, both internal and external. Addressing this struggle, Cyprian notes that "We seek also that God's kingdom be manifested in us" (chapter 13) and "That we may be able to do what God wishes" (chapter 14). What we seek through this is that our lives may reflect God in every way.

"Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." This bread, Cyprian notes, is both spiritual and carnal (chapter 18). He also offers a connection to the second sentence of this phrase: "After the subsistence of food the pardon of sin is also asked so that he who is fed by God may live in God, and so that not only the present and temporal life may be provided for but also the eternal" (chapter 22, emphasis mine). Carson recognizes this as well, acknowledging that these phrases "are linked in Greek by 'ands,' almost to say that life sustained by food is not enough" (172). This continues into the final petition: "And do not lead is into temptation, but deliver us from evil."¹

In summation, this prayer is about reconciliation. It is, as the apostle Paul would say, about being "transformed by the renewing of your mind, [so] that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). Jesus gives us this model because He is the example. As the Incarnate God, He shows exactly what it means for us to live in right relationship to God the Father.

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¹ I have chosen not to address the concluding Doxology in this discussion, as it was a later addition. For reference, see Carson (174): "The doxology- 'for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen'- is found in various forms in many MSS. The diversity of what parts are attested is itself suspicious (for full discussion, cf. Metzger, Textual Commentary, pp. 16-7; cf. Hendriksen, pp. 337f); and the MS evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of omission- a point conceded by Davies (Setting, pp. 451-3), whose liturgical arguments for inclusion are not convincing."

Bibliography

"Cyprianus: The Lord's Prayer." Documenta Catholica Omnia. N.p., 2006. Web. 27 Oct 2014.

Gaebelein, Frank E., J. D. Douglas, D. A. Carson, Walter W. Wessel, and Walter L. Liefeld. The Expositor's Bible Commentary: With the New International Version of the Holy Bible. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1984. Print.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

The Rev. William Hugh Clifford Frend. "Saint Cyprian (Christian Theologian and Bishop [died 258])." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

Setting an Example

"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead is into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]"

Matthew 6:9-13

Much has been said and written about the Model Prayer. Often referred to as the Lord's Prayer, this passage is deservedly so a staple of the Church's understanding of prayer. For our purposes, we will refer to it as the Model Prayer to distinguish it from the Lord's Prayer found in John 17, which will be our focus in an upcoming post.

Before we get to the meet of the prayer itself, let's turn our eyes to the preceding verses. In Matthew 6:5, Jesus commands His followers not to pray "as the hypocrites." Merriam-Webster defines a hypocrite as "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs." I include this definition simply to give us a frame of reference; we all have our own definitions of hypocrisy, and we all know people that, according to our personal definitions, fit into this category.

To understand exactly what Jesus meant, we need to look into the historical context. Does Jesus tell us anything about who He defines as hypocrites? It just so happens that He does: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 6:1). Paul later expands on this in his letter to Titus, saying "For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain... They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed" (Titus 1:10-11, 16).

So who does Jesus call a hypocrite? Men who put on a show of their righteousness before men, but who are filthy before God. In some instances during His earthly ministry, He directly calls out the Pharisees on this point. In his own time, Paul calls out those who claim to be part of the body of Christ but by their actions they hurt hurt that same body.

I have grown up and lived in the Bible belt my whole life. In all of the churches which I have been a part of, hypocrisy has been present. Thankfully, in some cases, it was a very small influence; in others, it was a dominating force. Truthfully, hypocrisy seems to be a staple feature of the church in America of which all participants, myself included, have been guilty at one point or another.

In preparing for this post, I am trying to hold myself accountable in the same way that I encourage you: as we seek to be honest with God in prayer, we need to acknowledge our own hypocrisy. God sees through my charade. Before God, the masks which we use to hide the real us from men and women are transparent. In many cases, we have worn these masks for so long that we ourselves are deceived; perhaps that needs to be where our prayer begins.

This is not to say that we need to fix ourselves before we come to God. We cannot fix ourselves. However, we can learn a lesson from Jesus' parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14:

And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: "Two men went up into the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other-people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted." (emphasis mine)

Next week we will examine the Model Prayer itself. Until then, as we seek to approach the throne of God in prayer, we need to realize who we are. We also need to realize Whom we approach.

Bibliography

"Hypocrite." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Valleys, Mountains, and Caves

It had been a long week, full of ups and downs. What had started out as an incredible, undeniable victory had turned into chaos faster than he could have ever expected. Now, he was on the run for his life. This is not the way things should have gone. After running for a whole day, he cried out, "Lord, take my life!" Then, exhaustion having taken its toll, he stretched out beneath a tree and fell asleep.

While he slept, an angel of the Lord came twice, giving him food and water, saying, "Eat and drink, for this journey is too great for you." Refreshed he arose; strengthened by this, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Taking refuge in a cave, he heard the Word of the Lord asking, "What are you doing  here?" And he responded, declaring his own accomplishments in ministry, his terror because of his persecutors, and his ensuing depression. Then God told him to step out of the cave. When he did, the glory and power of the sovereign Lord was put on display: a wind which rent the mountains, an earthquake shaking the foundations, and a blazing fire. Then, silence; and in the stillness, God spoke again.

This event, a page from the life of Elijah, can be found in 1 Kings 19:1-18. While the word prayer may never be mentioned in this passage, I could think of no clearer example of the conversational nature of prayer. In the midst of his ordeal, Elijah cried out to God; he was honest before the Lord about everything. He was real about his struggles; then, he listened.

Jefferson Bethke writes that he believes silence is the thing which terrifies our generation the most. I tend to agree with him. He notes that "We fear silence like it's an invisible monster, gnawing at us, ripping us open, and showing us our dissatisfaction. Silence is terrifying" (5). We are uncomfortable with silence. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that we feel we need to talk so much when we pray: we fear that if we stop speaking, we may face only the silence. That, or we will hear what God has to say- a loving voice of discipline which can easily be more overwhelming than the silence itself.

This has been a busy week, and particularly morning, for me. I feel fairly certain that I am not alone in this. Our challenge, however great the chaos, whether in moments of definitive success and accomplishment or falling under the destructive weight of defeat, is to listen. We need to learn to hear as God speaks into our situations.

Bibliography

Bethke, Jefferson. Jesus>Religion: Why He is So Much Better than Trying Harder, Doing More, and Being Good Enough. Nashville, TN: Nelson, 2013. Kindle.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Let's Talk

I recently drove to a conference with a friend. Though we work together, our schedules are both incredibly full; therefore we do not get to visit very often. So as we were driving, we got to talk: we talked about life, our classes, things coming up in both our department and on campus, trips, goals, and more. It was a thoroughly enjoyable time.

At the conference, I saw other colleagues and friends. It was fun getting to catch up and talk shop with those I haven't seen in quite a while. I also met some people for the first time. It's interesting to note how the pace of conversation changes between catching up with an old friend and meeting someone for the first time. The conversation moves, both people involved in a verbal give and take, each one listening and contributing.

As we start a new month, I do not want to begin by overcomplicating things. Prayer, you see, is a conversation. It is a dialogue between us- individually or corporately- and the Creator of the universe. It is opportunity for us to talk, but more importantly for us to listen. We need to hear His voice and be able to respond to Him.

At the same time, prayer is a vast subject in theory and in practice. This is the reason why we will be spending several weeks looking further at it. In his book A Short Method of Prayer, Guyon opens by saying that "Prayer is nothing else but the application of the heart to God, and the interior exercise of love" (107/788). A bit further in the text he says that it "alone can bring you into His presence, and keep you there continually. What we need, then, is an attitude of prayer, in which we can constantly abide, and out of which exterior occupations cannot draw us..." (129/778). 

It is my hope that, as we work in coming weeks, we could learn to truly converse with God. I am no expert, but am still striving alongside you to know Him better through prayer. Next week we will look at prayer in the Old Testament era. Until we meet again, our challenge is to pray. Let's converse with God and let those conversations change us.

Bibliography

J. M. B. de La Mothe Guyon, A Short Method of Prayer and Spiritual Torrents. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle, 1875. Kindle.

The Choice in the Journey

I've always been a fan of adventure stories. Like so many of you, I love the thrill and the possibilities. Granted, yes, there are some similarities and recurring themes/events throughout the genre, but it is the nuances to each story that makes the adventure. One of the interesting things that usually occurs early in these stories, whether film or literature, is that the hero is given a choice. He can continue with life as usual, or he can leave the unknown behind and seek to answer the call which he has been given.

It is interesting to observe the similarities between the Heroic Journey and the call of God on the life of a disciple; one key similarity is that of the choice. I had a professor in college who was fond of saying that "Following Christ is a political decision." What he meant was this: when we choose to submit to Christ as Lord of our lives, when we claim Him as King, we are setting down our claim to the throne. The biggest governing factor in our lives is no longer partisan politics or our own opinions, but rather the voice of the King of Glory as He reveals Himself through His word by the power of the Holy Spirit. This changes everything.

In my last post, our focus was on the fact that we need to be aware of what is going on around us. However, being aware is not enough. The Church, the body of Christ, is called to make an impact on our communities. We are called to be difference makers. That's what is so incredible about the Great Commission. When Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20), He was not giving the command that we should share the Gospel simply for the sake of philosophy. This call imposes a change in the way that we think and the way that we act.

This change will carry over to the ways that we respond to needs. Will we always respond correctly? Will we use every opportunity? No; we are still markedly human. But, as Christ calls and equips us, He gives us the chance to share the Gospel, meeting both spiritual and physical needs in ways that so often depend on circumstance. Some days we will have the money to give and we can supply it. Other days, we may be the driver that pulls over to help out in a moment of distress. Most days, we may just be the friendly voice and ear that someone needs.

Whatever the circumstance, we, as followers of Christ, are called. We now have the responsibility to be difference makers: not for our own glory, not just so that others can benefit, but so that God may be glorified in our actions. But, as all do who take the journey, we must now make a choice.

Bibliography

"The Hero's Journey." TV Tropes. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Awareness

Last Thursday, I was sitting at my desk. As they often do, students came in to my classroom during lunch to eat and visit. I was eating my own lunch and trying to finish some time sensitive work. At one point, a student looked up from talking to one of her friends, and asked me what I thought about what they had just said. "To be perfectly honest," I responded, "I wasn't listening. I'm trying to finish some work; if I need to be in on a conversation, you need to let me know beforehand."

I enjoy having students in my classroom at lunch. Some of the most interesting conversations happen at this time. However, there are times where we just get busy, to the detriment of our relationships.

This is something that has always impressed me about Jesus. Throughout His earthly ministry, He stayed busy and on the move; even in the midst of this, He was always aware of what was going on around Him. He was aware of people and their needs, and He never missed an opportunity to invest in others.

Take a look with me at Luke 8:40-56. 

And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus' feet, and began to entreat Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes were pressing against Him.

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him, and touched the fringe of His cloak; and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" And while they were all denying it, Peter said, "Master, the multitudes are crowding and pressing upon You." But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me." And when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore." But when Jesus heard this, He answered Him, "Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well." And when He had come to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl's father and mother. Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise!" And her spirit returned, and she rose immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.

Notice a few specific details from this passage:

1. In the midst of the multitude, Jesus heard the cry of the individuals.
2. He was aware of something as simple as touch.
3. He sympathized with the woman. He even addressed her as "daughter," a term of endearment that comes from the same Greek word which Jairus, the synagogue official, used to describe his biological daughter.
4. The first thing He did after bringing Jairus' daughter back to life was to order food for her.

Throughout the Gospels, we can find many passages like this one. The point is this: Jesus was aware of the needs of those around Him, and He sought to meet those needs according to the will of His Father.

Next week, we will take a closer look at meeting needs, but for us this challenge is great enough: we need to be aware of what is going on around us. No matter how busy we are, there is opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. God has put us in these times and these circumstances for a reason; let's not waste it.

Bibliography

Goodrick, Edward W., John R. Kohlenberger, and James A. Swanson.Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1999. Print.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Called to Pray

by Joshua Bland

Last Thursday we remembered an event that forever shaped our nation: September 11, 2001. I know that there were many memorials occurring throughout the nation; we will always remember those that were lost, the shock that was felt as the smoke rose, the brave men and women who responded, and the terrifying, humiliating feeling that we were not as safe as once thought.

At Little Rock Christian Academy, where I teach, our weekly Chapel service was the time which we used to remember. The student body sat in silence watching the footage from that fateful day thirteen years ago. After the footage, there were still photos from each of the impacted sites as one of our students sang. As her song ended, the lights went down, and this video began playing:

Throughout the video, students and faculty came onto the stage and began praying for some of the crises which plague our world today. The message was simple: God works in what appears to us as chaos. We, His people, are called to respond: we are called to pray.

As citizens of the world who have, through the shed blood of Christ, become citizens of the Kingdom of God, we are called throughout Scripture to pray for the world. We are also called to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Most importantly, however, we pray so that we may better know God.

As he begins a chapter on the topic of prayer, Richard Foster offers us this: "Real prayer is life creating and life changing" (33). Take a look at what David says in Psalm 40:1-4:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord. How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood."

Where does the change come from? Notice the beginning: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry" (emphasis mine). As we cry out to God, He will hear, and He will use those moments to work His will and power in us. 

To be completely honest, I struggled as I was writing this post. Prayer, you see, is a big topic, and there is so much to say. Beginning in October, we will weekly take a look at prayer here at The Landing: we will study the Scriptures, we will see what men and women of God had to say throughout history on the subject, and we will work to better understand the spiritual discipline that is prayer. I cannot say for sure how long this will be our topic. As we seek after God through this study, I am excited to see just how He will move.

Until then, brothers and sisters, I offer the same challenge to each of us that was given last week to the students: let us seek after God in prayer. Let us wait patiently and cry out, knowing that the Sovereign God will hear.

Bibliography

Foster, Richard J. "The Discipline of Prayer." Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. 20th Anniversary Edition ed. San Francisco: Harper-Collins ebooks, 1998. 33-47. Kindle.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Time to Grow

by Joshua Bland

While preparing to write this article, I decided to Google the following phrase: "time it takes to become an expert." Take a look at some of the results from the first page:

I remember hearing the 10,000 hour "rule" growing up. It was discussed periodically in school, and was mentioned specifically in relation to artistic expertise in music, theatre, or visual arts. However, as I read through a number of these results, what I found was relatively consistent: it takes time, yes, but time alone may not be enough; expertise, according to these writers, relies also on intelligence, personality, and natural talent.

In college, I was taking a class that I was not particularly excited about. It ended up being a great experience. I remember the teacher, an instructor I had for many other classes, one day telling us that many of the big names in music entertainment did not necessarily have tons of talent. I, along with the other four students in the class, chuckled when he said this. Instead, he said, what they had was decent musical ability combined with opportunity; they were the right musicians with the right skills in the right place at the right time.

Paul writes to the church at Ephesus, saying "For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Ephesians 1:15-17). In the early portion of this letter, Paul starts by acknowledging the accomplishments of these believers (i.e. their faith and love); he then follows that by showing them, in a remarkably loving way, that there is still room to grow.

As we look briefly into this passage, there are a couple of words that I want us to look at more in depth. Paul prays that God would give a spirit of wisdom. This particular word for wisdom, sophia, can be used to convey either secular or divine wisdom. The word for revelation, apokalypsis, in the New Testament refers "to God making information known, especially to His close associates" (Goodrick), directly implying divine wisdom. As such, Paul's prayer for these believers is that God would give them wisdom for life in general and, more specifically, for their relationship to Himself.

Then we come to the final phrase, much connected to the preceding discussion of apokalypsis: "in the knowledge of Him." The NIV renders it a little bit differently: "so that you may know Him better." This, my friends, is my prayer for each of us. God has given to us a remarkable opportunity, and we have the chance to work at it every moment of every day. Each choice that we make contributes to accomplish this end.

You see, I know that there will always be something new for me to learn. Even after 10,000 hours, even despite my intelligence or talent, there is still room to grow, both in fields of academia and in my relationship with Christ. May God give to each one of us that same spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul wanted for the Ephesians. As we daily come to better know God, the overflow of this relationship will further influence every aspect of our lives.

Bibliography

Goodrick, Edward W., John R. Kohlenberger, and James A. Swanson.Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1999. Print.

"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

NIV Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Print.

The Ground and The Deer

by Joshua Bland

Sicut areola praeparata ad inrigationes aquarum sic anima mea praeparata est ad Te Deus.

This verse comes from the Latin Vulgate. It is, according to its numbering system, Psalm 41:2. Translated into English, it reads: "As the ground is prepared for the irrigation of water, so my soul is prepared for You, God." In our modern translations, this is Psalm 42:1: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God."

My wife and I have a cat named Buttercup. Sunday morning, as I was getting up, she was making constant, obnoxious noise. Upon inspection, I found the reason for her whining: she was out of water. I picked up her water bowl; she was at my feet meowing with every step I took. As the faucet ran, her cries continued. She found no relief until her water bowl was back in its rightful place filled with fresh, cool water.

Not having water was a source of distress for Buttercup. She thirsted for it. Hers is a more domesticated image, but the message is the same. Without water, the animal withers. Even after getting a drink, eventually the thirst comes back. Water is necessary for life and growth. God is the same for our souls.

We thirst for what only God can give. Jesus said that He would give water and that whoever drank from this supply would never thirst again (John 4:13-14). He spoke not of the literal water which could be drawn from the well; instead, His parable gave an image of the source and hope of life with God, a life that has both present and future implications. In the next verse, the woman to whom He spoke eagerly asked for this water. We have the same opportunity. There is, however, a flip side to this: we can choose not to drink. Our rational minds, to our detriment, can convince us that we will be fine without the water.

This brings us back to Jerome's Latin interpretation. When I read this several weeks ago, it struck me as incredible. You see, when we know we are thirsty, we often choose to go for other things. I am a fan of Dr. Pepper, as well as a variety of hot teas. I choose them, knowing that they may not always be the best drink for me. The imagery which Jerome uses is striking because of its implications: as the farmer prepares the ground to receive water, so our souls must be prepared. The ground can only prepare itself to a certain extent, and it has no control over how much water the rain provides. The farmer takes all things into account and gives the necessary water source and supply for growth.

The amazing thing is that God does just that. Whether you prefer the illustration of the deer to that of the soil, the point is the same. God is the source of growth and hope. Without the water, the deer cannot survive. Without the water, the ground cannot produce.

We need to thirst daily for this water which Christ gives, water which will become "a well of water springing up to eternal life."

Bibliography

Biblia Sacra Vulgata: The Latin Vulgate Bible. Kindle.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

No Excuses

by Joshua Bland

We have all made excuses.

I teach high school. Periodically, my students will come to me having had some issues completing their homework assignments. Some favorite examples are: "My computer was not working," "I forgot," "I left it at home," or "You never said that..." (this last despite the fact that everyone else in the class heard me say it). I have even been given the classic "My dog at my homework" on several occasions. One student was wise enough to bring me the demolished shreds of said homework as proof.

While only one student was wise enough to bring evidence, it is quite possible that some of these other excuses were legitimate. The computer may actually have not been working, or perhaps in the busy-ness of the day you actually forgot about the assignment. What is common, regardless of the truth of the excuse or not, is our tendency as humans to make excuses when we find ourselves in trouble.

We use excuses to try and ease up the trouble or burden which we have to carry. This is a learned trait which we can trace all the way back to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. Making excuses is not strictly an individual phenomenon: we can see it present everywhere from a group of kids on the elementary school playground to the highest levels of government.

With this abundance of excuses, it should not surprise us that we do the same thing with God. We think that we are too ill-equipped or unworthy to answer the call of God. We tell God that He could not use us because of what we have done; that our past is too dirty. We challenge God when He calls us to something hard because we do not like what it will cost us (financially, socially, or in any number of other ways).

A classic example of this can be found in Exodus 3-4. God was calling Moses to be His servant, to go "to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt" (3:10). This was a very specific purpose. If you read through the rest of these chapters, you will find Moses doing the same thing that we so often do: he made excuses based on his insufficiency. Each time, God challenged Moses with a divine response.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 writes that he was given a thorn in the flesh. He begged God that it would be taken away from Him. God's response can be found in verse 9: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

Here's the point: those things which we use as our excuses may be the very things which God wants to use for His glory. The call which He places on our lives may seem scary, and often we will not be good enough to fulfill it on our own, and that is fine- He wants to make us good enough. He wants to use our lives as examples through which to demonstrate His own strength.

Our challenge this week is quite simple: NO EXCUSES. Let's have courage to trust God as He leads, not relying on our strength but His.

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

The Next Steps

by Joshua Bland

Life involves change. While most of the details of life are somewhat inconstant, that particular fact is not. Everything changes: we grow, our families grow, our jobs change, our interests and hobbies change, and we move.

It is amazing to me to think that God is working change in each of our lives. He is the sovereign Lord of all creation, and He knows every detail long before we do. David writes: "O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art intimately acquainted with all my ways" (Psalm 139:1-3). A few verses later he notes that "Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them" (Psalm 139:16).

As I am writing, my wife and I have been discussing what we are going to have for supper. In the big picture, this dilemma seems to me to be quite trivial. Since God knows all of my days before one of them came to be, He knows our present discussion, both its debate and its outcome. He has long known of the passions and opportunities which He has set before us, and is intimate with the details of my life. This becomes even more incredible when I realize that I am not the center of God's attention: the same way He saw the life of David, He sees and knows each one of ours. He knows all of our meal dilemmas, as well as everything else about us.

Recently, the Landing underwent an address change. This has occurred for several reasons. For quite some time, God has been guiding my heart and passion more and more towards educational ministry. This meant balancing time between family, school, and pastoral responsibilities. In recent months, He has affirmed and reaffirmed my calling to teach. After much prayer and consideration, I have resigned from my pastoral duties at Ouachita River Fellowship.

This change brings about much opportunity. For myself, my family, and my scholastic roles/responsibilities, this will open up many doors to serve and grow. However, it also offers a new dynamic to ministry. While I will no longer be a pastor at ORF, I will continue to write here at The Landing along with Thomy and Wade. Though the situation has necessarily changed according to the leading of the Holy Spirit, my commitment to sharing the Gospel and helping the Church grow in faith and ministry has not.

Knowing that God is omniscient, that He sees our every step and so much more, we are faced with an interesting question: will we trust Him as He leads? Will we step out in faith to answer His call in our lives? I can honestly say that I am no perfect example in this, but that I am eager to see how God will work in the days ahead. I pray for each of us that God would give us both discernment to hear His voice and courage to follow wherever He leads.

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

by Joshua Bland

"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation."

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

We have all been hurt by somebody. Perhaps it was intentional, perhaps not. Regardless, throughout the course of our lives, we get hurt and we are changed by that hurt. We may not always recognize the last part of this, but it is true. Sometimes this hurt leads to drastic changes in our character or behavior; at other times, all it does is cause what relationship existed to erode away bit by bit.

When I was younger, I was occasionally picked on. Even as I sit here writing now, I can remember their faces. I remember the names, the taunts, and the laughter. I remember how much it hurt. I remember trying to solve it by taunting back, by pushing them the way I was being pushed. It never worked. I also remember the first day of high school, several years later, when some guys tried to start it up again. We were standing in the lunch line as our freshman year began and I heard them in line behind me. I remember turning around, laughing with them, and asking how their summer had been. I did not know then the importance of that single moment, but it was the catalyst that God would use over the next few years to lead to mutual respect through reconciliation.

The Bible has much to say on this topic. Murray J. Harris defines reconciliation as "not some polite ignoring or reduction of hostility but rather its total and objective removal" (353). As Paul writes to the Corinthian church, he describes how divine reconciliation works: though we had committed the offense, God, through Christ, reconciled us to Himself. God then calls us to the ministry of reconciliation. We are made, as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

We, as disciples of Jesus Christ, are called to reconcile others to God. We are His agents of reconciliation, seeking to help all mankind return to a right relationship with our Creator. We represent Him.

In the fourteen years since the story I told you earlier, I have both hurt others and been hurt by them. Though we are Christ's representatives, there are still things in our lives that we need to work on, and these works can only be accomplished by His power. Reconciliation, as Harris notes, "is a continuing process as well as an accomplished fact" (354). Paul writes in other passages of the ongoing struggle between our flesh and the Spirit. Daily we must allow our spirits and minds to be reconciled and renewed in Christ Jesus.

Something interesting happens in the midst of this. If I am being reconciled to God and you are being reconciled to God, we are inherently being reconciled to each other. Whatever our differences, we are being made one in the body of Christ. This does not mean that we are perfect or that we are not going to have our differences, but by the example of Christ we are reconciled also to each other. Our relationships with one another are redefined and we can begin to challenge each other positively towards growth in Christ.

Just as God, despite our offenses, sought to reconcile us to Himself, we should strive for reconciliation with those who have offended us and with those we have offended.

Bibliography

Harris, Murray J. "2 Corinthians." The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. By Arthur A. Rupprecht. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1981. Print.

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Standing?

by Joshua Bland

The song included above, Coat of Arms, has become very important to me as of late. This has been a challenging year for me, and I have learned much pertaining to both academics and life in general. However, as of late, there has been a particular challenge that has been impacting me. Take a look at some of the lyrics from the chorus:

What do I live for?

Can you tell on my face what my heart beats for?

Do the words that I speak show it to the core?

Does my glow outshine the stars?

Can you see my coat of arms?

What do I stand for? When I ask this question, it is not, as is often considered in American society, directly referring to a political stance, although that certainly would be the logical conclusion. Instead, the heart of my asking is this: what ideas and worldview and I going to represent? If I am completely honest, I feel that many days I take a somewhat passive or even negligent approach to this.

You can learn much about a person through their actions. While this is certainly the case, I know myself to be a creature of habit. There are things that I do because that is the way I have always done them. Going through the mechanics every day has a tragic side effect: I forget to really, deeply evaluate the cause. Do I get the door for someone because I usually get the door, or do I get the door to show that they matter? Is my action just that, an action, or is it done with the purpose of showing others the love of Christ?

So is every little thing I do going to be done to share the Gospel? Because I am still human, the answer is a resounding no. The point is this: we need to be intentional. Paul writes to the Colossian believers, saying, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity" (Colossians 4:5). Curtis Vaughan offers the following in his commentary: "To 'be wise in the way you act toward outsiders' is to show practical Christian wisdom in dealing with secular society. Paul's words imply that believer are to be cautious and tactful so as to avoid needlessly antagonizing or alienate their pagan neighbors."

And there, my friends, lies the challenge. We need to think about what we are doing and the impact it is having on those around us. No man is an island, and no action goes without interpretation. By simply going through the mechanics, no matter how nice we may be, people will just see the action. Love must be intentional. Living and acting out of love for others must be even more so.

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Vaughan, Curtis. "Colossians." The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. By Arthur A. Rupprecht. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1981. Print.

In Memoriam

by Joshua Bland

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting the World War II memorial in Washington DC. While there were other things going on during my time in the capital, this was the one stop to which I was most looking forward. Because of delays, it was removed from the itinerary of the group with which I was travelling; thankfully, on the last day I had some time on my own to make the trip to honor all of the soldiers of this era in general and one in particular.

My Papa fought in the Pacific campaign. He returned home to the States and worked hard to make a life for his family. He lived on the same street his entire life; and for the majority of my life, I lived right across the road from him. I can not begin to estimate how many times my sister and I would visit him after school or have lunch with him on weekends, holidays, and during summer break. While I am unable to count the number of times we talked as he sat in his recliner and smoked his pipe, I can remember the conversations and the impact he made on my life.

Several months ago, we laid my Papa to rest just a few miles from home. He received full military honors. It was an incredible honor to serve as one of his pallbearers and to participate in the ceremony. At the time, I already had my DC excursion on the calendar; that very day, the summer trip took on a whole new meaning for me.

Going to the World War II memorial became a personal mission to pay further respect to my grandfather and the men and women who served alongside him. The desire to honor our predecessors and heroes is natural to us. It is ingrained in us by American culture, although this is not strictly an American idea. Instead, it takes varying forms throughout every culture in the world.

In the Bible, building memorials had a twofold purpose: (1) to remember men, women, and events, and (2) to acknowledge the work of God in history. Building memorials is especially prevalent in the Old Testament, though we do see references to this cultural tradition in the New Testament. Let's look briefly at one biblical memorial described in Joshua 4:1-7:

"Now it came about when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying 'Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.'' So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; and Joshua said to them, 'Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.'' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever."

The construction of a single memorial is here described; yet, look at all of the things it stands for: the twelve tribes of Israel, the waters of the Jordan being cut off, the Israelites' passage through the Jordan, and the camp site where the Israelites stayed after crossing. If we look back into the previous chapter, we find that there is even more symbolism: "And Joshua said, 'By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite" (Joshua 3:10). This event signifies a promise of the inheritance of the promised land by God's chosen people.

We could look at many more examples. In many cases and across many cultures, memorials are physical, constructed by man for a specific purpose. Memorials may also be ritual. A biblical example of a ritual memorial is that of the Passover, which is described in Exodus 12; this ritual is redefined under the New Covenant, and the apostle Paul gives a discussion over it in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34.

Whether edifice or ritual, building and keeping memorials is vital to our existence. It is a part of our personal, as well as social and cultural, heritage.

Our challenge today is to take time and remember. I know you're busy; I am too. However, there have been many people and events which have remarkably shaped each one of our lives. Perhaps this means taking a few minutes to look at some pictures you haven't seen in a while, or making a phone call, or paying a visit to a place that was dear to you. Perhaps, instead, it is as simple as being still and reflecting. Today, let's remember, and let's thank God for the men and women that He has put in our lives to shape us. Let's honor God for His work in and around us.

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Church Member?

by Thomy Green

Somewhere along the way the definition of church member changed to look more like country club member.  Shame on us.  For many American Christians the most important question they ask regarding church is, “What’s in it for me?”  This runs contrary to the real question, “What can I put into it?”

The church is about service, just not you being served.  Rather it’s about you serving.  Everyday we should look for opportunities to serve those around us.  Those people include other church members and non-church members alike.  We must remember that it is not about us.  We are all a part of something much bigger.

Together we make up the body of Christ.  Are you a hand, foot, arm, or some other part?  As we continue to grow in number it will become increasingly difficult to fight the urge to not be a come and be served church.  We MUST also be a come and serve kind of church.  Why?  Christ taught us how to serve.  Let us follow Jesus’ example and make a difference in the lives of those around us.  Search for ways to be a game changer in the life of someone God will put in your life. 

Reign in Me

by Joshua Bland

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord. How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse in falsehood." (Psalm 40:1-4)

The Psalms offer us a glance into many facets of Hebrew life in antiquity. We are able to see glimpses of events in the lives of individuals and the community through their eyes; beyond that, we can begin to see how they viewed those events in light of God's work in the world. We also get glimpses into their theology.

This particular Psalm has always been one of my personal favorites. "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction... and He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord." When God works in our lives, He does so for a reason. Despite what my selfish nature would like to think, that reason is not just for me alone. God's works in our lives are not to be hoarded as something we can possess for ourselves, but instead are meant to be proclaimed and shared. The difference He makes in us should lead us to make a difference in the lives of others.

Reign in Me

Mighty Father, reign in me

You who gave the breath of life

From the first You brought to be

a creation free of strife

When we turned and ran away

You pursued us for Your own

Longing just to bring us home

Mighty Father, reign in me

Dearest Jesus, reign in me

Take me back to Calvary

Where You died and set us free

Gave us fresh new life in Thee

As we all in sin were bound

and could not escape its chains

In Thy love, redemption's found

Dearest Jesus, reign in me

Holy Spirit, reign in me

for the glory of Your name

Take my life and let it be

one that ever brings You praise

Though I fail these countless times

Your great love remains the same

Guiding Light, my Hope always,

Holy Spirit, reign in me

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Reign in Me by Joshua Bland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Running and Crawling

by Joshua Bland

From time to time, I feel inspired to write poetry. It is an exercise which challenges the linguist, the disciple, the teacher, the artist, and the human in me. I find that it helps me to reflect on what God is doing in the world, as well as on how I see Him working in my heart and mind.

Poetry has a beauty to it. However, this beauty does not always mean happiness; it often takes a much more realistic view on the struggles and consequences of humanity.

Peccatum curro ad Rapuit meam vim Me ferus haurisit Cultero pungente Dentibus seratis Sed in mea desperatione Dominus servat me Vitam meam mutat Animadvertite: Peccato curro ab Repo ad Te

I run toward sin It seized my soul The savage devoured me by the piercing knife by sharp teeth But in my desperation the Lord saves me He changes my life Observe: I run from sin I crawl to You

Here's the honest truth: I, like everyone else, struggle with temptation and sin; this is a fact which we recognize to varying degrees. For the disciple of Jesus Christ, this becomes a more accentuated part of life. Listen to how the apostle Paul describes it in Romans 7:14-25:

"For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin."

Jesus Christ died as the atonement for our sins. In other words, He paid our debt: yours and mine. For the disciple of Christ, there is redemption. He did not, however, remove us entirely from sin. Notice Paul's final words in the preceding section: he strove to serve the law of God with his mind, but his flesh was constantly wrestling with the law of sin. This is true for us all. We still find ourselves running to sin.

How then do we wrestle this natural inclination within us? How do we find victory over the sin which ensnares us? John Owen, reflecting on the biblical ideas of the law of God, writes the following: 

"Afterward God renews this law, and writes it in tables of stone [the Ten Commandments, representative of the Old Covenant]. But what is the efficacy of this law? Will it now, as it is external and proposed unto men, enable them to perform the things that it exacts and requires? Not at all. God knew it would not, unless it were turned to an internal law again; that is, until, of a moral outward rule, it be turned into an inward real principle."

In other words, we can not seek simply to follow rules. We, especially as Americans, are socially conditioned to be independent. We will follow rules when we must, but there is a tendency in us to want to cross that line, pushing the limits placed upon us. If we use Scripture or personal philosophy to try and establish boundaries for our actions, counting on these boundaries to keep us from sin, we will fail.

Instead, we need to be changed inwardly. External motivators, while effective for a time, will not have the lasting impact of internal convictions. Thus we hear another challenge from the apostle Paul: "I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2, emphasis mine).

What we need, my friends, is not a new set of rules, but a complete change of heart.

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.

Owen, John. Indwelling Sin in Believers. Louisville, KY: GLH, n.d. Vintage Puritan Ser. Kindle.

Peccatum curro ad by Joshua Bland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Freedom?

by Thomy Green

I once heard Merle Haggard give an interview where he talked about his early run-in with the law. He commented that had he had a good lawyer he probably would have gotten off. He went on to say, “Freedom’s only free if you have enough money to pay for it.” Those words have stuck with me.

We live in the greatest nation in the world but we too often misunderstand the concept of true freedom. Society wants to define freedom as the absence of laws. People ought to be able to do what they want. When they say that they really mean, “I ought to be able to do what I want.” No one wants their neighbor to do everything they want. They only want their neighbors to have “freedom” so long as it does not interfere with their own life choices.

The Bible paints a very different picture of freedom. Paul writes often about believers being slaves to Christ. That does not look like any picture of freedom that I have seen. So what is freedom in the Christian sense? Freedom is used to talk about our freedom from sin and the power that it holds over the unbeliever. Christ died to give us freedom but far too many of us want to live in the old life because it was easier or more familiar. Remember the slaves that Moses led from Egypt quickly told Moses that they should just go back to Egypt and into the slavery there. They assumed that the life of a slave was better than the life of a free person. As believers we have the freedom to serve God with all of our heart, mind and body. We are not free to make ourselves happy. We are free to make God happy. At this time of year remember that our freedom was not won fighting the British. Our freedom was paid for on a cross just outside of Jerusalem. Because of that freedom we can make a Kingdom difference.

Keeping Perspective

by Joshua Bland

I recently got to visit with some former students about perspective. As we all know, life is full of ups and downs. Things too often change much faster than we would prefer.

As a high school teacher, I know that this time of year is full of many, many changes for my students and their families. The term is drawing to a close; new activities will soon occupy their time. Some may begin summer work; others may be welcoming a brother or sister home from university.

The pace also changes for teachers. Summers are spent with family; many do reading, research, or seminars to help as we strive to continue learning.

In all honesty, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Life happens. Jobs change, people move, and loved ones die. As we approach these situations, we find ourselves in the constant question: will I allow God to lead and receive the glory, or am I in it for me. You see, the answer to this question is vital to determining our actions and responses in any given situation. I do not think like God does; my ego still wants, nay craves, authority and glory. Redemption and sanctification are a process of us submitting ourselves anew to the Lord's call to follow Him.

As we move through these times of change following in the command and ordinance of God for His own glory, we need to remember the word of the Lord found in Joshua 1.9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be troubled or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Concerning Discipleship, Children, and Student Ministry

by Wade Overturf

As I thought about what I should say in my first article in the first ever Ouachita River Fellowship newsletter, the only thing that I could think about was sharing my heart for ministry.  The Great Commission tells us to "Go and make disciples", but we sometimes miss the true meaning of this phrase.  What Jesus was saying with this statement in Matthew 28 is that as we are living our lives we should be showing others around us what it means to be a disciple of Christ.  This, in turn, helps those who don't have a relationship with Christ more fully understand what happens to your life when God takes over control.

        If I could say one thing that sums up who I am and what I am about it would be that I strive everyday to be walking with Christ so that others can see Him in me.  My goal as Youth and Children's Pastor is
to pass this practice down to the next generation.  If we can instill this principle in the students and children at ORF then the difference that they can make is unbelievable. Please pray along side of me for the youth and children of Ouachita River Fellowship that God may use their lives in a mighty way!

The Beauty of Uncertainty

by Joshua Bland

A while back I got to have supper with one of my best friends. We met at Waffle House and enjoyed some time visiting, talking about whatever we needed to; no wives or crowds, just two brothers sharing each other's joys and burdens. I have continued thinking about our discussions and have become all the more impressed with something that I had been pondering for several days before: uncertainty is a beautiful thing.

When this thought first crossed my mind a week ago, I thought it to be madness. After all, if we're completely honest, uncertainty is quite possibly one of the most frustrating things in our lives. I cannot even begin to recount all of the times that uncertainty has pushed me to the limits of reason and character. I've done stupid things, said things that I've regretted, and more all because I have been bogged down in uncertainty.

But what if we looked at uncertainty from a different perspective? Instead of it immediately foreshadowing our own doom and destruction, what if we saw uncertainty as an opportunity to marvel at the character, grace, and provision of God?

Think of Abraham: God had provided a son to him in his old age, and some time later asked Abraham to sacrifice that same son (Genesis 22). Or take Joseph: sold by his brothers into slavery (Genesis 37:12-36), later put into prison in Egypt (Genesis 39-40). Another Joseph also comes to mind here: his fiancé becomes pregnant through no fault of his own and then an angel appears and tells him that the child is the son of the Most High (Matthew 1:18-25). For each of these men, uncertainty perhaps caused fear, hesitation, or doubt; with full assurance, in the same situations I know these would be things that would cross my mind. I would imagine that I’m not alone in this.

We could then look to the disciples. They walked for years alongside Jesus, seeing His earthly ministry. They had heard the message, seen the miracles, and distributed food from meager supply to the massive crowds. They had seen Jesus crucified, and with Him their hopes and dreams. Yet even as they hid away for their own safety (John 20:19-20), the plan of God was at work. The uncertainties of man were foreknown completely by God.

I do not wish to deny the power of uncertainty. It can be a daunting, overwhelming entity. However, since God is omnipotent and omniscient, uncertainty has no power over Him. We can trust, even in our moments of greatest struggle, that He has a plan. Through these times, God can lead us to greater faith and reliance on Him, to greater understanding, to greater humility; what beauty is found in the midst of uncertainty. If there is nothing else in the world to give reason, we can praise Him and find hope because “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

Living the Commission

by Joshua Bland

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” American church culture has often interpreted the process of going as primary in the Great Commission, found Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB). While this is not a bad thing, we perhaps have missed part of the original meaning: the Greek word here rendered “go” is not a command, but a participle. By shifting our emphasis to the sole command to disciple, we are actually afforded a greater amount of freedom to be the witness of Christ in the world.

Think of it this way: it takes time to prepare for international missions. To pack up one's life and move to another people group for the purpose of sharing the news of Jesus Christ is a large commitment of time. Mind you, this is a noble cause. But it is not the only mission field which is available to us. It also takes time to go to school, to work 40 hours a week, to shop at Walmart or Kroger, and to survive the daily grind. This may not sound nearly as glorious as moving to an exotic land for the Gospel, but there is the same need and hunger for the Gospel in these situations as there is elsewhere.

How then do we live the Great Commission? A more literal interpretation of this command is: “As you are going, make disciples.” Have you seen the beautiful freedom afforded here? As you go to work, make disciples. As you shop for groceries, make disciples. As you study for school or spend time with your family, make disciples. The command to make disciples is supplemented by the phrases regarding baptizing and teaching. Baptism serves as a visible symbol of new life in Christ, and teaching means that the journey does not end here. Once someone chooses Christ, we as disciples have the commitment to continue helping that person to grow. Given the exact same situation, you and I may make disciples differently because we are different people.

You have gifts which I lack; the reverse may also be true. This flexibility allowed by the Great Commission seems to foreshadow the announcement made by Paul: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, NASB). Because we are different and have been differently gifted, we are able to disciple in different ways.

Despite our differences, our goal must be the same; ours is the message of the cross, that salvation is only available through Jesus Christ. As announced by Christ, “No man comes to the Father except through Me.” While I write these few thoughts online, you may be verbally telling someone of what God has done in Christ to demonstrate His love for them. Or perhaps you are showing with your actions what it means to be a Christ follower. And God is using us both for His glory.