Pretty Graphic! (seriously be warned)

I know that I post a lot of things that are silly & stupid & funny and just sort of represent a lot of what goes on in my life.

BUT TODAY & RIGHT NOW that element could not be FURTHER from the truth.  What I am about to share with you is EXTREMELY SHOCKING & DISTURBING

13) Beautiful Baptism!

Join me as I take a walk through the pages of Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John, (aka the “Gospels”) in a Chronological Order and try to grow closer to, and learn more about Jesus.  Feel free to go back and read the INTRO ABOUT THIS SERIES to understand where all this came from for me.

Today’s episode is a pretty short one – although it is found in 3 of the Gospel accounts: Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; and Luke 3:21-22.  It is short & sweet & to the point!  They basically all give the same account which centrally focuses on the Baptism of Jesus.

I love that John was sort of taken back by Jesus wanting to be baptized by him, and that he instead claimed Jesus should be baptizing him.  Then Jesus makes an interesting statement –  “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then we find that John went ahead and baptized Jesus.

I love the power & beauty of the last couple verses – I think it is so easy to skip right over because I know I often don’t stop to TRULY think what it would have been like to be there!  So check the scene – Jesus comes up out of the water after being baptized, then like the sky splits open and a dove (which it tells us is the form of the Spirit of God) comes and lands on Jesus (wonder if it was like the whole “Mr. Bluebird on my shoulder” from the song Zippity Doo Dah???)

Finally as if it is a last act of complete affirmation – the voice of God rings down from heaven saying “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” – man what an AWESOME SCENE!!!  We see here the full circle of what is called the “trinity” – God the Son as Jesus walking the earth and being baptized, God the Spirit coming down in the form of a dove, and then the voice of God the Father showing His deep love and affection for His Son Jesus and the obedience that Jesus is showing!

In this day and age there is a lot of discussion, dispute, and dissertation that follows this idea of baptism – but I just sit right now and marvel at the beauty of this scene at Jesus’ own personal baptism.  I wonder how much more simple things might be if we simply followed in the sandaled footsteps of Jesus – which I guess is exactly what I should be doing if I deem myself a true “CHRIST-FOLLOWER”.

Remembering Kay Yow – Coach & Christ-follower!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today the campus and community of NC State University, as well as women’s basketball, basketball in general, the sports world and the country has lost a rare gem.

The powerful opponent known as cancer has claimed another battle against a LEGEND within the community of NC State University Athletics.  Just as Jim Valvano succombed to the horrific disease back in 1993, the terrible disease has struck again by taking the “physical life” of Coach Kay Yow.

(I am reminded of the words of Jim Valvano in his famous ESPY’s Speech – “Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever. I thank you and God bless you all.”)

Please see the following articles that tell a great deal more about her wonderful life!  Kay Yow on Wikipedia; Kay Yow on the NCSU Athletics Site; ESPN’s breaking news of her death; A Tremendous Article on ESPN by Mechelle Voepel “Yow’s Considerable Efforts Will Live On”.

Much will be written and spoken about the LEGACY and CAREER of this incredible woman and COACH.  She will be forever known as “COACH YOW”, but I would like to also share another aspect.  She would be the first to let you know that she was first and foremost a CHRIST-FOLLWER and then a COACH.  

Let me also inform you I have never been a big “Wolfpack” fan – I was born and bred a DIE-HARD Tarheel, growing up near the coast of wonderful North Carolina.  I did have the privilege of working @ NC State University in a campus ministry setting for 7 years.  It was always exciting being a big Tarheel fan, while living in the land of the rivals of WolfPack Country.  I also had the EXTREME pleasure and privilege of meeting Coach Yow, and after that meeting it made it a great deal tougher to EVER pull against the Lady WolfPack.

A couple years ago she was planning to come meet with our campus ministry organization one morning.  I had heard a good bit about her and her LEGENDARY status as a GREAT COACH, but was also aware of her “touted” fame as a solid Christian as well.  Sometimes when I hear about “high-profile” people having a strong-faith, I tend to get a little skeptical.  Not because I do not believe these people love the Lord or would serve His purpose in their lives, but because I know how we as Christians sometimes tend to work.  We often times are looking for some “hero” or person to hold in high esteem that has an awesome faith, so that we feel better about believing in something that gets so much criticism in this world.  

We often times can “over-inflate” the actual strength of faith or depth of belief in these “high-profile” Christians.  So to be completely honest there was a part of me that wanted to meet Coach Yow to see what the hype was all about.  Let me say in short that I was GREATLY ENCOURAGED.  This was a true woman of faith and love for the Lord.  Her witness and testimony was so strong and authentic.  She was a very REAL and GENUINE person.  She loves the Lord and loves people and left a path of people that saw something VITALLY different in her life.  I sat and listened to her share about her battle with cancer and how God was using her through these tough times to be an encouragement and a strength to others.

She did not back down from the tough days ahead of her and she was truly grateful for the days she had already come through.  She was living life to the fullest.  She took hold of so many opportunities to give God the Glory and Honor that He so RIGHTLY deserves.  She was truly an inspiration.

So even as a Die-Hard Tarheel – I wanted to take a moment of Pause and Reflection for this FINE, UPSTANDING WOMAN – who truly has impacted the lives of hundreds and thousands in the WolfPack community – and there are SO MANY countless lives who are better for having known her and having come in contact with her.

Let us take some time to honor her tireless efforts to be a teacher and a friend to so many young ladies through basketball and the university setting, for her integrity and authenticity as she lived out her Faith in her everyday life and for the impact she made in raising funds and awareness for CANCER RESEARCH.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, and the NC State Campus community – and my Praises and Thanks go out to God our Creator & Sustainer for allowing us to have spent time getting to know such a wonderful woman!

I just came across this video of Coach Yow sharing her faith and decided to add it to this post – it runs about 9 minutes long but I invite you to watch it – it is from back in 2007 when her cancer had just returned.  Some really good stuff!

Please feel free to leave any thoughts/comments/stories about this outstanding woman known as a Christ-follower & Coach!

Convertible Theology????

So I have some good friends from back in NC – Doug & Bonnie.  This couple has always been a huge encouragement & help in my life and ministry (more than they will probably ever know).  I love hanging out with them cause they both have an extreme love for the Lord, each other, their family & friends, God’s Church, and just life in general.  

If you have ever met Doug & Bonnie you also know that they are unique individuals (especially Doug, not sure if there is anyone else like him ha ha ha – may be good may be bad – you can decide)  They are exactly who they claim to be and just enjoy life to the fullest.  I bring all this up because I started thinking about this idea of “convertible theology” because of Bonnie’s love for driving her convertible.  She LOVES that thing, so much so that when she was devastated after wrecking one she found another almost exactly like it – it was great.  Doug & I always pick on her cause I fully believe she feels like driving around with the top down can make ANY DAY better.  I think she would (and has done so) drive that thing with top down in about any weather.  Just to feel the wind blowing through her hair (Doug loves the feeling of the wind chapping his scalp ha ha sorry Doug) and smiling and loving life.

Now as much fun and as great as that mindset is for cars and the enjoyment of life.  My fear is that too many of us that claim to be “Christians” and way too many that take up residence in the church live in a detrimental state of “convertible theology” – we feel as though life IS BETTER lived with “top-down” decisions being made for us.  Let me explain.

I think there are too many of us out there relying on SOMEONE else to raise us up, challenge us, teach us, change us in our Faith.  We try to rely on decisions about morality and what we “should” or “should not” do to be made by someone else and handed down to us.  While I believe firmly that God has given some more of an ability to lead and shepherd and guide, I also believe that we are EACH as INDIVIDUALS responsible for being in a close relationship with Him through Jesus, and through that will bring growth and knowledge and a deeper understanding and love of Him.  It is time we EACH take it upon ourselves (granted this is best done in community where we interact WITH others and DO LIFE together, but not allowing our growth to HAVE TO ATTEMPT to come from someone else) to experience that growth with God.

I liken this to the political term that seemed to be thrown around a lot during the Reagan years of “Trickle-Down Economics” where financial & economic decisions and plans were put in place at the top and then it eventually trickled down to affect people on lower levels.  My fear is that often times we do the same thing in church – we wait for someone else to introduce a “trickle-down spiritual economics”.

Some of this has been brought on also by a recent study through the book of Daniel (our church is doing a series on it during the month of November).  I have watched how both King Nebuchadnezzar and King Darius each had moments after doubting the power of the TRUE God and getting people to worship themselves only, to see the one TRUE GOD show up – they then would declare “decrees” for people to only worship this TRUE GOD of Daniel and his fellow friends.  (See Daniel 2:46-49; 3:28-30; 4:33-37; 6:25-28 )  Each time though, this “DECREE” (from Top-Down decision making) did not last long and we find another episode of these kings turning away back to their old, power-struggle pride-filled lives.  Then something big happens and they return and then make another decree, it was this vicious cycle.

I see this playing out in our lives, so often we just want so bad to have “Christian Leaders” take over our nation.  We see battles waging and venomous arguments between Christians over which candidate is a “man or woman of God” and will restore all things to where they need to be.  Now please understand that I do feel it is very important for leaders to be Christians, but as much as I feel it is important to understand that everyone has a soul that God loves, and has redeemed through His Son Jesus.  God desires that NO ONE SHOULD PERISH.  So sometimes I believe we have “bought into” this same “convertible theology” of life being better with the TOP DOWN decisions being made for us in the spiritual realm.  When instead I believe that God wants us to help promote the change of this world from the bottom up.  I think that is why we see it say in 2 Chronicles 7:14

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

It doesn’t say – well if we can ONLY get a Godly King, President, House, Senate, etc then the land will be healed.  No I believe it is up to each of us, to start from the bottom up – from getting face-down, humbled, ready to seek HIS FACE, turning from our wicked ways – then God brings the healing.

I think we can look at some of the countries today that are experiencing the greatest movements of God in His church – places like India and China, places that are also experiencing government and leaders that have NO DESIRE for the things of God.  These people in these places are not relying on a “convertible theology” to make decisions from the top that will “trickle-down” and allow them to be “better Christ-followers” – they are humbled, broken, sold-out, servants of the MOST HIGH GOD – committed to Him and to His WILL – whatever it takes and whatever may come.  It is through that mentality that God is doing a great work and is growing His Church and moving HIs people to do mighty things.

So yeah – maybe riding around in life in a convertible does make your physical day a better one and brings a lil more joy to this life, let me beg you, challenge you, encourage you to not fall into the trap of “CONVERTIBLE THEOLOGY” as we look to live our lives for the ONE TRUE LORD!