A Fistfight with God

It's been a few years, but there was a point in my life when I challenged God to a fistfight. Can you imagine? What gall. What pride. What arrogance. But I was so angry at Him (for reasons I won't disclose here) that I challenged Him. "Show me your face," I said, "and I'll punch you in the nose." Well, I'm over it now. God, in His gracious and merciful way chose not to pummel me with something as simple as a breath, but instead chose to humble me. Heal me. Love me. What an amazing God. And I have found that my struggles now aren't so much with Him, as with myself. Oddly enough, I opened my Bible this morning and found a section of scripture from Romans that I can really relate to. Thought I'd share it.

For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,

But I see another law in my members,

warring against the law of my mind,

and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin

which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am!

Who will deliver me from this body of death?

-Romans 7:22-24 (NKJV)

I think Paul and I must've had a lot in common. I wrestle daily with myself. But I take some solace in the very next verse he wrote:

I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God

but with the flesh the law of sin.

I find comfort in knowing that, even though he struggled with sin, Paul's mind was on God. Paul's mind was on the one who conquered sin. And I pray that I'm able to keep my mind there too.

Joel

Confession time: I was sitting in church a couple of weekends ago, listening to pastor Eric teach out of Matthew, when he made a reference to the book of Joel. "Joel?" I thought. "I don't remember a book in the Bible named Joel." I sheepishly thumbed through the Old Testament, having no idea where to find this book--certain that Eric had made a mistake. "Surely he meant to say Job." I've been a Christian since I was 16. Trust me, that was a looooooong time ago! I read the entire Bible in college. Start to finish. (Not a very effective way to do it, but I did nonetheless.) And this incident in church was a reminder to me that not every bit of it sank in--obviously. Or at the very least, Joel needs a better PR firm. I'm reminded of the verse in Psalms that says:

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." -Psalm 119:11

Ouch! So I guess maybe it can get so hidden that even I can't find it! So I decided to check out this book of Joel. Three short chapters--only takes a few minutes to read. But it's very interesting. Basically, the entire book talks about desolation and destruction...how the kingdom of Judah was being punished for sin...the pastures burned away, water sources dried up, three different kinds of locusts destroying the land. At first glance, not a very cheery book. But in the midst of all this desolation, Joel shares the message of God.

"'Now, therefore,' says the Lord, 'Turn to Me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.'" Joel -2:12

And, when the fasting, weeping and mourning are done, God promises restoration. One of the most powerful sections, in my opinion, is found in chapter 2, verses 25 and 26.

"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust,

my great army which I sent among you . You shall eat in plenty

and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who

has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never be

put to shame." Joel 2:25-26

What a message! Now there's one that I want "hidden on my heart!" God lays out the formula for restoration in this short, rarely publicized book of the Old Testament.

If you're at a point in your life where you feel like everything is dried up. When it seems the world around you and all you care about is dead or dying, cry out to the Lord. Fast. Weep. Mourn. Turn to Him...and not only will He take away the desolation, but He'll restore the years that were taken from you.

Imagine that! He'll take away the years that you've lost!!!God's grace is like anti-aging cream!

And not only that, God says you will be satisifed. You will praise Him...thanking Him for bringing peace in the midst of turmoil. You will be restored.

Amen!

Speaking of Children...

This weekend, I had the privilege of speaking to the Mesquite Texas Council of PTA's Annual Founder's Day event. It was a nice dinner event, with over 400 people in attendance, in the Poteet High School cafeteria. (Best meal I've ever had in a school cafeteria I might add...the roast beef just melted in my mouth!) The title of my speech: Children Are Not Our Future. The premise: We must stop thinking about children as "tomorrow" or "someday" and start thinking about them as "today." Today is the time to shape them. Today is the time to encourage them...etc. It was my first time to speak to an audience and not be able to use the Bible as a resource. (Since the PTA is a secular organization, they asked me to refrain from making my speech overtly religious.) The Bible has a lot to say about why children are important. The challenge was conveying that message without quoting Scripture. But as it turns out, the Mesquite PTA is chock full of powerful child advocates. I was preaching to the choir! There was a state senator there who authored Jessica's Law for the state of Texas. There was a volunteer who reads to kids, tutors and assists in school programs--5 days a week! And there were hundreds of parents who were there just because they want the best for their kids. Yeah, these guys already get it. Overall, it was a great event. Thanks to Lois Buford for being a wonderful host. Now, if only someone had told me that I had food in my teeth when I went up to the podium to speak...

Today

Today is the day to stop caring about the things that don't really matter. Today is the day to make the appropriate things a priority in my life. Today is the day to put God's will first. Today is the day to quit worrying about my future and start living for today. Today is the day to start being more productive at work. Today is the day to start being better about reading Scripture. Today is the day to make prayer a priority. Today is the day to thank God that there is a today.

Taking Back the Rainbow

I was talking to Becky, my co-worker the other day about rainbows...and wondering how they came to be the symbol for the gay and lesbian movement? When she said, "I think we need to take back the rainbow!"

In Genesis, God tells us that He created the rainbow as a reminder that He will never again flood the earth with water:

I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be

for the sign of the covenant between Me and

the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud

over the earth, that the rainbow shall be

seen in the cloud; and I will remember My

covenant which is between Me and you

and every living creature of all flesh; the

waters shall never again become a flood

to destroy all flesh. ---Genesis 9:13-15

So how is it that the rainbow went from representing a promise from God...to representing the gay and lesbian movement?

I think it's time we took back the rainbow.

"I don't like people."

If you've spent any time with me at all, you've probably heard me say it: "I don't like people." It's not really true. I like people enough. I just don't like crowds. I'm sure it's probably a control thing...but few things make me more uncomfortable than being stuck in a crowd. Ride in a car while I'm driving and you'll find that I will do whatever it takes to get in front of everyone. I'll show up either extremely early or extremely late for a concert or other event, just to avoid having to mingle in a crowd. Sometimes, I will choose to not attend an event if it's a surefire bet that there will be a large crowd there. I haven't ever had a panic attack in a crowd, but I've been close a few times! On the rare occasion that my wife can actually convince me to go to places like WalMart or Home Depot, I often quote the scripture, "Yea, tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." as I'm walking into the front doors. And it does feel that way to me. It's hell. But something that's just as uncomfortable for me is what I like to call "forced socialization." Let me explain: Some of the most dreaded five words in the English language, to me anyway, are:

"Let's break into small groups."

UGH! I absolutely hate that! No seriously...hate is not too strong of a word in this instance. If I'm at a conference or an event that calls for breaking into small groups, I will sneak out of the room. My attitude is that if I want to make friends, I'll do it on my own pace...when I choose to...and with whom I choose. I don't need to "pair up with five people you don't know" to learn whatever the teacher has to say. I am perfectly content to hide in my office at work and not talk to a single person face-to-face all day. In fact, I'd love to work from home so I don't really have to socialize at all. I love sites like myspace--they are about as far from really "socializing" as you can get. You make "friends" that you'll probably never meet. And if you decide you don't want to be "friends" anymore, you just delete them. (It's funny, they call these "social networking" sites. But there's really not anything social about it at all. It's about as impersonal as you can get--and I have to admit, there's a huge part of me that absolutely loves that!) So then I start to think: I don't like crowds. I don't like small groups. Hmmm. Maybe I don't like people. So...what's wrong with that? Well, other than the fact that I'm a music artist that relies on people to buy his product and come to his concerts, there's this verse in Scripture that has really convicted me lately.

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

-John 13:35

The reverend Peter Scholtes put it this way in his famous worship hymn:

"They will know we are christians by our love."

Ouch.

I honestly don't have any idea why I am this way. But it's something I've done since I was a child. I didn't have many friends growing up and I don't remember ever having a friend come over to my house to play. I do remember taking my G.I. Joe into my room and playing for hours...alone...and being perfectly content with it.

Still, I am convicted. I know this is something I need to work on. It will be tough to teach this old dog new tricks, but I am willing to try. Just don't expect any miracles overnight. One step at a time. I'm not gonna go get all warm and fuzzy on ya just yet!

Remember the King

My favorite pair of jeans is in such bad shape. They're just about an inch too long, so each cuff is constantly getting caught under the heels of my shoes. Those cuffs are torn, tattered, and frayed beyond repair. But I don't really care. In fact, that's part of what makes them my favorite pair of jeans. They're worn...but oh so comfy. The other day I was sitting down, staring at the floor, when I noticed those long, stringy white threads shooting out in every direction from under my shoes. They looked beaten...from the countless hours of pounding my 190 pound frame on top of them...scraping them along sidewalks, carpet and tiled floors. So much abuse these jeans undergo!

As I was staring at my cuffs, I realized how much I feel like that some days. I'm worn out. I'm tired. I feel like bits of me are scattered in so many directions that I don't even resemble myself anymore. I'm frayed. But beyond repair? I hope not.

Jesus said,

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened...and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

I suppose we all get to that point of needing to rest in our savior. I've definitely been there lately. Wouldn't it be nice to take a break from the world and just cuddle up next to God? How I'd love to take a "time out" from life! It's those times that we need to call on Him. But I'm also reminded of the troubles that Jesus himself dealt with...and mine seem so miniscule. One of the most recent songs I've written serves as a reminder that, when life is tough, remember the One who took all of our sin and suffering upon himself. It's called Remember the King.

Are you broken, broken, wounded by the world? Lost, forgotten? Hiding in your hurt?

Come together, children of the fray Past behind you, forward to today. Just remember the King knows your story remember the King is on your side And the King laid down His Glory to become the sacrifice. When life begins to hurt, forget about the world... and remember the King.

I'm encouraged that, no matter how tough life gets, Jesus had it tougher. Every pain, every hurt, every disappointment and frustration that I've encountered...He did too. And not just His own...but everyone's. I can barely handle the heartache of my own sins. I can't imagine being responsible for everyone else's too. So today...a reminder...to remember the King. For more information on Tim Glenn, go to www.timglennmusic.com tim glenn