Every Good Endeavor (book review)

I am amazed how God constantly shows me the theme of freedom in Christ. The point of Every Good Endeavor, by Tim Keller is that the gospel of Jesus Christ sets the believer free finding identity in career or work. The freedom declared in Galatians 1:1 is applicable to the bondage of self-condemnation and false identity: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
There is a temptation in any job to fall towards pride or shame. Many experience shame from their past which has prohibited opportunities for a particular career. In the words of pastor and counselor Jack Miller as quoted by Keller, “Cheer up: You’re a worse sinner than you ever dared imagine, and you're more loved than you ever dared hope” (p. xix).
Finding identity work is also a deception as true identity is found in the fact that all humans are created in the Imago Dei - in the image of God regardless of what they do for a living. Keller says, “all human work is not merely a job” but a calling by and to God (p. 2). His book reiterates that since all are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-28) and all gifts/talents are given by God (1 Cor 7:17), christians should not make distinctions between “christian work” and secular work (p. 187); All work is God’s work.
This book is valuable for a myriad of young professional blue and white collar: Janitors, MDs, PAs, RNs, JDs, assistants, CPAs, entrepreneurs, academics, students, fast food workers and stay at home moms/dads (aka. Domestic engineers) just to name a few. People can easily fall into the pride/shame spectrum and put their identity in work. The enemy is relentless in this regard.
Keller points out that a doctor or pastor may be prone to feeling prideful or morally superior whereas someone who does menial work may feel inferior and shameful. Both are wrong because all work is God’s work and it is deception for Christians to believe they are superior because of who they are or because (and I think this is true of most denominal churches in America) that we are doctrinally superior. We must accept this liberating truth: “our work” is not about us; it’s about how God is using our work to restore what was broken in the fall; shalom.
I am in full agreement with Keller; we cannot emphasize the message enough that true identity is in Christ. What we do for a living is NOT our identity. And those with “intellectual” or “important” jobs by worldly standards should not get preferential treatment (see James 2:3). These books influence how I introduce myself: “My name is Ryan. I work at Starbucks versus, “I am a Barista.” Making coffee may be what I do [for work], but it will never be who I am. I am who I am base on my birth not by how I make money.
Lastly, Every Good Endeavor is another book that confirms my calling in life; namely, that I am to be an ambassador for the abundant life of freedom in Christ. A life of freedom from what others think about me; freedom from what I think about me; freedom from what others think of my job; freedom from what I think of my job. I am completely free from me because I am completely free from people. I need nothing from others, but opportunities to love and and serve others. I only care about what Christ thinks about me. Now I am ready to serve wholeheartedly expecting nothing in return. And that my friends is true freedom.

Spiritual Formation Retreat (Day 3)

It’s day three and I have no idea what day it is!  This day has been a tremendous reminder of just how much I am in desperate need of the community.  There is no freedom apart from the community (i.e. the body of believers, which fosters confession and communal putting to death of the flesh).  My wife and I are all caught up on sleep deprivation.  It is really hard for me to think of catching up on sleep as obedience to God.  But it is!  If I am called to be ready for whatever God has for me for the day (and it probably has something to do with being an attentive and present listener to another person), then I must be operating at optimal health.  I must eat, exercise, rest, and repeat so that I am at optimal health.  And that is what we did this morning.  We caught up on sleep.

It wasn’t too long into the day before I felt my flesh start to kick.  That silly old enemy told me to become angry, but I preached the gospel to myself and renounced that old idol of control and conform.  This half ounce of anger in my heart was a distraction in the morning worship.  I dozed off for a second during the reflective music portion.  By the time we transitioned to the male/female breakout prayer session I felt that my attention was back in tune with the Spirit.  I was focused.  I said to myself, “I’m back.  Here we go, thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness.  Let’s do this!”  We were guided to form a circle and silent pray for the brother on the right.  No words were spoken, just prayer to the living God for 1-2 min and then to move to the next person until all the men were covered.  The words came to me for each brother.  The Spirit was at work in my soul and giving me exactly how to pray.  

This morning session enabled me to experience the “Kairotic time,” which was explained to us as a mix of kairos (appointed time/season) with chronological (sequential time).  A kairotic time is a time where heaven and earth intersect.  Hence, a time “here on earth as it is in heaven!”  I love this idea because it is a reminder of what the Gospel is; namely, experiencing the freedom that we can look forward to in heaven, but here on earth. Where in the world did we get the idea that I have to die in order to experience freedom?  Does not the gospel mean that I can experience heaven here on earth?  I think so.  I think the gospel is that “good.”  We don’t have to wait.

There was a portion of one of the sessions where we covered many Bible passages and even broke them down exegetical/hermeneutical style.  I have to admit, I get excited when we tap into disciplines with which I am familiar.  I’m a bible study junkie and trained in systematic theology.  But the phrase that knocked me upside the head was, “It’s not whether or not you know these things, it's whether or not you are living them out.”  Wow!  How easy has it been for me my whole life to be comfortable in knowing versus living/application?  

Throughout the discussion on getting to root causes and breaking down common lies that the enemy feeds us all: The fear of exposure, the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of condemnation, and the fear that nobody understands are all mitigated with truth.  The exercise included taking a sticker dot and placing it on ourselves for every lie that we have believed.  For every lie mentioned in the lecture, we were to put a sticker on ourselves if we had ever believed it.  I was covered in stickers!  Then we listened to a reading of Max Lucado’s “You Are Special.”

After the exercise, we broke into two groups - men and women.  As the contemplative music played in the background we began to pray for each other and, as priests, took off each other’s dots.  As I took dots off my brothers I declared truth!  “you are holy…you are clean…you are healed…you are a child of God…you are perfect.”  As the men finished up I looked over to the women and rejoiced at the sight of women surrounding my wife and with tears in all of their eyes, embrace each other celebrating and rejoicing in the truth that there are no more dots!

This is what community should look like.  Kinda like the Wesleyan group method of gathering and simply discussing the condition of the soul.  How are you doing? is a very powerful question in a roundtable of believers who are not afraid to be broken with others.  And Spiritual Direction is embedded in the true community.  Unfortunately, post reformation, the reality of spiritual direction began to dwindle.  Not to mention the fact that the advent of the printing press/Gutenberg press privatized Christianity.  Pre-Gutenberg, communities had to gather to collect and hear stories of how the Lord was working in and through each other.  I can imagine the revelation that came as a result of the printing press (yes! Now I can have my private devotional time anytime I want!  This is great!).  Little did the Church know what impact the convenience of a printed book would have on the “gathering” of the saints.  But God can redeem and revive community for today. Amen!

The day concluded with the “Family Sculpture” exercise.  Several of us formed a live sculpture of our family background.  I had several people play a scene that is taking place in my family right now.  There were three family members on their knees facing the cross with arms around each other.  There was one family member about to join the group before the cross and there were others in the background.  It was a picture of imminent revival that is coming to my family.  It is a picture that briefly mentions brokenness, but quickly highlights divine redemption and restoration that takes place when people are obedient and postured to allow God to have his way.

This is always explained better over a cup of coffee :)

Remembering Who We Are and Living Free...

My wife sent me this today.  Not sure who wrote it, but it's truth for today.  So, I should just say it belongs to God.

Why is it Christians have such a hard time pretending they have it all together when they don't, depending their love on reciprocity, defending themselves against accusations and offending people regularly!?

Why are my non-Christian friends and family members often better representations of godliness than my Christian friends?

And why am I regularly guilty of all the above?

I asked all these questions to one of the men in my small group the other day (when I totally lost it with my family) and he replied, "Brother, you just forgot who you are.  And that's what i'm here for.  You're a Child of God."

There are very few things in life that cannot be solved with gospel-rooted community.

Live, Love, Listen, and Speak truth my friends...

Work As Unto the Lord

This is a classic "coffee cup" verse.  It wasn't until recently when this verse really came alive to me.  When I realized how this looks when lived out.

Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..."

Tonight, our friends had a going away party.  My dad taught me well.  I have never been to a party where I didn't see my dad either setting up, breaking down, taking out the trash or doing something with his hands.  Not to mention truly engaging people face to face and telling corny dad jokes.

As the party ended, I found myself in "dad mode" as in acting like my dad and breaking things down and recruiting other capable and free men.  There were several things that went through my head.  I thought to myself, "this is going to make our friends night so much easier." "my dad would be pleased," "this is good training for my kids," and even sinful thoughts of, "why isn't everybody helping!?"

It wasn't until I got home when it hit me.  I shouldn't have cleaned up the party and put away table and chairs for one reason and one reason only; namely, to please God the Father - thats it.  And here's the test to see whether or not my motivation was righteous: was I mad at anyone for not helping? was I feeling good about myself?  was I feeling good about how others saw me?

When we "work as unto the Lord" we are set free from all forms of validation, verbal appreciation, any type of pat on the back and even sinful thoughts of pride and judgment on others who happen to be doing something else.

The Gospel sets us free from working for men.   It sets us free from getting irritated or impatient with other people.  It sets us free to work as unto the Lord with no desire for the praises of men.  AMEN!

It is Finished (cover)

A friend of mine sent me a text asking him to pray for him during a time of testing - a "battle." The first thought that came to my mind was that Jesus not only goes before us in battle (Deut 20:4), but the battle belongs to him (2 Chron. 20:15) and he doesn't lose.  He defeated sin and death (1 Cor. 15).  He has won the war!  What we must do is to continue to wear the Armor of God for our protection (Ephesians 6) and speak the sWord of God to combat the enemy who is alive on the prowl seeking people to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

I thought this cover of "It Is Finished" (originally by Dustin Kensrue) was very cool on several levels.  First, I can just tell this couple is totally in love. Silly/weird? but so rad to see.  Second, this is a powerful song pointing believers to the truth that we have victory in Christ because of what he has done.  Enjoy.


It Is Finished Lyrics
There's no deed that can redeem us
There's no rite, no magic word
Only by the work of Jesus
Can salvation be secured

It is finished! He has done it!
Let your weary heart rejoice
Our redemption is accomplished
Raise a shout with ragged voice

And go bravely into battle
Knowing he has won the war
It is finished, lift your head
And weep no more

There's no sacrifice to offer
There's no penance to complete
Freely drink of living water
Without money come and feast

Let every sinner rejoice
Hear the dying victor's cry
Raise up your voice
Sing it out through earth and sky

*written by Dustin Kensrue

"Made Alive" by Citizens & Saints

What a great song to complement our current study concerning our Identity in Christ!

Made Alive lyrics

I once was dead in sin
Alone and hopeless,
A child of wrath I walked
Condemned in darkness,
But your mercy brought new life
And in your love and kindness,
Raised me up with Christ
And made me righteous.

You have bought me back
With the riches of,
Your amazing grace
And relentless love.

I'm made alive forever,
With you, life forever
By your grace I'm saved,
By your grace I'm saved.

Lord, you are the light,
That broke the darkness.

You satisfy my soul,
When I am heartless.

If ever I forget
My true identity,
Show me who I am,
And help me to believe.

You have bought me back,
With the riches of,
Your amazing grace
And relentless love.

I'm made alive forever,
With your life forever,
By your grace I'm saved,
By your grace I'm saved.

My sin has been erased,
I'll never be the same.

My sin has been erased,
I'll never be the same.

You have bought me back,
With the riches of.

Your amazing grace,
And relentless love.
I'm made alive forever,
With you life forever,
By your grace I'm saved.

You have bought me back,
With the riches of.
Your amazing grace,
And relentless love.

I'm made alive forever,
With you, life forever,
By your grace I'm saved,
By your grace I'm saved.

Our Identity In Christ - Colossians 3:1-11

For All Believers: If we want to know who WE are, we simply need to understand who HE is. Because WE are in HIM.  And where HE is WE are.  And where WE are, there HE is.  The times that we stop acting like Children of God are the times we forget who we are.

Colossians 3:1-11

"If then you have been raised up with Christ, 

     keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

  2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 

            3 For you have died and 

                     your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

                                     4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then 

                                         you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to
                    immorality, 

                    impurity, 

                    passion, 

                    evil desire, and 

                    greed, which amounts to idolatry. 

            6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, 7 and 

                      in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 

            8 But now you also, put them all aside: 

                    anger, 

                    wrath, 

                    malice, 

                    slander, and 

                    abusive speech from your mouth. 

                    9 Do not lie to one another, 

                                        since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and 

                                        have put on the new self who is 

                                                            being renewed to a true knowledge 

                                                            according to the image of the One who created him 

                                                                     11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between 

                                                                                Greek and Jew, 

                                                                                circumcised and uncircumcised, 

                                                                                barbarian, Scythian, 

                                                                                slave and freeman, 

                                                                                but Christ is all, and in all."

-----------------------

We must always connect our identiy with who we are in Christ.  Our practices and perforamance as Children of God hinge on whether or not we are seeing ourselves for who we really are; namely, in Him.

Our Identity in Christ:
-We were buried with Him.
-We were raised with Him.
-We are seated with Him.

Our Identity in Christ - Galatians 2:20

In Galatians 2:20-21, the Apostle Paul says this:            
20 I have been crucified with Christ and

                  I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

                                             The life I now live in the body,

                                              I live by faith in the Son of God,

                                                       who loved me and gave himself for me.

              21 I do not set aside the grace of God,

                  for if righteousness could be gained through the law,

                        Christ died for nothing!”

The Context: A bunch of Gentiles were eating with Peter. But when Peter's own people showed up, Peter withdrew and became a hypocrite (pretender).  Thus, Paul opposed him to his face because behavior like that is an insult to the truth of the Gospel.  The gospel breaks down racial barriers and reconciles the children of God. Anything that divides or segregates works against the Gospel.

We are currently in a study on "Identiy in Christ" at the Gospel community group that meets at my house on Tuesdays.  For the next few weeks we will concentrate on our identity in Christ. 

I am willing to say that the majroity of the time we choose to sin, it is because we have lost sight of our identity in Christ.  Why would a Believer choose racism or bigotry?  Becuae they have forgotten their identity in Christ.  And I am reluctant to say that church goers who are racist or have racist ideology prove themselves to be non-believers.

Consider this: Free Gracers are the first condemn Lordship Salvation for tying assurance to works  because the Lorship Salvation view states that a person is sure they are saved by what they do, which leaves them with no possibility of assurance of salvation at the moment it is received because there has not been enough time to do something or see if there has been a legitimate change in behavior.  And what would be the rule, if any?  30 minutes to test the conversion?  30 hours?  You see how troublesome it would get to "test" whether or not a person was "truly converted"?

But even among the free-grace camp, there is the great danger of associating identity into performance, which confuses the notion of identity. 

I am my Father's son by birth. On a bad day I am my Father's son.  On a good day I am my Father's son.  On a mediocre I am a son becuase my sonship has absolutely no connection with my behavior or performance whatsoever.

The BEST sinner in the world/the most righteous living non-believer, is totally unacceptable to God.  The WORST believer/the most unrighteous living believer, is totally accepted by God.  Why? because of the Beleivers relationship to God through Christ.

God revealed to me recently after studying this passage, that I cannot even find my identiy in the ethnicity.  My ethnicity is NOT my identity.  Peter's identity was not to be found in his ethnic roots.  There is no expection for us.  My identiy is in Christ as a Child of God, period.

Bottom line: Our birth determines our identity. When we loose sight of our birth, we will identify ourselves in terms of our performance. But once that occurs, if our performance is not up to par, then we become confused in our identity.

All in all, keep your eyes on the King, the Lord Jesus Christ.