Not long ago, under the leadership of Ariel Sharon, Israel began a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and certain settlements in the West Bank in yet another “land for peace” deal. There were images on the news of Israeli settlers being pulled forcibly from their homes by Israeli Forces. They felt betrayed by Sharon, who himself promised their safety in these very settlements. At the time Sharon called it a "bold move to end the stalemate in the peace process."
It was a cutting edge plan because historically it has been accepted that there must be peace and security and then we’ll have a plan for borders and settlements. This plan was “bold” because it gave up land with out having a deal. The idea was that giving up this land would cause peace and security.
3 years later and so much has transpired. Sharon has since fallen ill and slipped into the grips of a coma, and Gaza has fallen and slipped into the grips of Hamas, a popular Islamist movement inside Palestine. Instead of the peace that was hoped for, what appears to have happened is Hamas got a closer shot at Israel with their rockets. (rockets that have no guidance system. They just shoot them randomly hoping that they hit something with no discrimination between military and civilian targets)
Like the Madrid Conference in 1991 and the Oslo Agreement in 1993, this one also has failed to bring peace. There have been official talks that have failed to produce peace such as the Israel-Syria talks in 1991, the Camp David talks in 2001, the Saudi Peace Plan in 2002 and the now infamous “Roadmap To Peace” put together by the European Union, Russia and the United States that our very own Condi spent a lot of time promoting.
None of these have brought peace. They have not brought peace because organizations like Hamas and countries like Iran don’t want peace. They want Israel gone.
SIDEBAR: It’s my personal opinion that this impossible feat is the very thing that Antichrist will use as leverage in becoming a world leader. It’s my opinion that he will bring a peace plan that actually seems to work to this impossible situation that has bruised the shins and egos of every American President since Carter. Whoever can do this would trump every other national leader who has tried and failed. Now back to our regularly scheduled blog.
The coming days and weeks will no doubt bring suicide bombers in the cafes, restaurants, buses and other public places of Israel filled with civilians. It will no doubt include images on the evening news of the destruction brought about by Israeli airstrikes inside Gaza. There will be civilian casualties as well as military.
Some military analysts see this as a proxy war between moderate Arab regimes such as Egypt and hard line states such as Iran and Syria, which support and back Hamas. This most recent “truce” was brokered by a more moderate Egypt. Ending it like this could easily marginalize Abba’s Fatah movement and its Western and moderate Arab backers. Simply put it is good business for the hard liners to have a war.
With a nuclear armed Iran and Iraq that will no doubt fall into a state of disarray as President Obama pulls our troops out it’s anybodies guess how that will all play out. Israel has already privately sought the blessing of the Bush Administration in bombing Iran, a blessing that was not granted.
Now, I’m no Hal Lindsay or Jack Van Impe or Tim LaHaye, but as I look at the events unfolding on a global scale it would seem to me that the return of Christ is imminent. As I cross reference the Bible with the news on CNN there seems to be a lot of moving parts that have fallen perfectly into place setting up a stage upon which the final act will be played out.
So what to do in the meantime?
Psalm 122:6 records that we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It’s somewhat apparent to me that this prayer will ultimately not be answered until the return of Jesus, He will set His foot on the mount of olives, split it in two changing the topography of Israel, and set up His Kingdom from Jerusalem. In the mean time we must pray.
In Matthew 25, Jesus unfolded the parable of the talents in the larger conversation with the Disciples about the signs of the end. It was a story of a “master” going away and leaving his possessions under someone else’s stewardship. What pray tell would it look like on a practical level of using those talents, that investment that the Master left for you and me?
He went on to use the metaphor of the sheep and the goats. It is inside of this vignette that we get the picture that serving the physical needs of “least of these” is high on the priority list for our Lord. I would suggest that using the gifts God has put in us in serving the “least of these” is the gold standard.
Right in the middle of Matthew 24 and 25, in the context of the “signs” of the end, Jesus brings this picture of feeding, clothing and visiting the least of these. I’m not suggesting that things like going to church aren’t important, but that’s not what Jesus chooses to use as the litmus test for the work that was done in our hearts at salvation. If the King has other questions for us on judgment day Jesus doesn’t bring them out in this picture.
Maybe this is why John and James who were both there for this teaching would later go on to emphasize caring for those in physical need in their epistles.
It's important to consider that the parable of the talents uses money as a metaphor. A talent is an amount of money. I think it's appropriate to apply it to the gifts that God gives us, but I also think it's crucial to not forget that He's talking about money. Especially when you look at it in the bigger picture and see what He's saying about taking care of the "least of these". Providing clothes, food and provision requires a financial commitment.
This money that we have whether it's little or much is not our money. It's Gods money entrusted to us until He returns. When you donate to an organization like Conduit you aren't just giving your money, you're investing money that was given to you by the Lord and earning a "profit" for Him upon His return.
And when He does return, like the guys in the parable of the talents that actually invested their gifts for the Master’s benefit, we will be greatly rewarded. I don’t know what the crowns and rewards will look like, I’d honestly be OK with the simple “Well done, my good and faithful servant”. (matt 25:21)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Conduit Dec 23- Apocalyptic Stomach Virus
The thing that they don’t tell you in all the child preparation classes you get before having a baby, and it’s a shame that they don’t, is that these little gifts from God, your little precious child whom you love in a way that is more profound than you can properly articulate, this individual whom God knit together in the womb of your wife and knew before the child was born; This creature will get you sick. Sometimes profoundly sick.
They spend way too much time in the personal space of their friends or go out and lick the yard and then come back inside with lots of hugs and kisses for mom and dad. It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase spread the love. (Growing up my father was never very affectionate as far as hugs and such, in hindsight it seems that maybe this was more strategic than it was dysfunctional)
I woke up at around 3am following Conduit last Monday in a sort of suspended gastro animation. It was crystal clear that some sort of launch code had been initiated but I wasn’t sure of the exact lift off. The suspense was killing me. I had a sort of knowing that something was coming, but I had no idea from what orifice it would originate or with what kind of velocity. I would soon find out.
To spare you all the detailed descriptions and word pictures that I could paint, suffice it to say that it began a week that my wife would rather forget. This apocalyptic stomach virus systematically and purposefully picked off us off one at a time and mercilessly attacked each of my four children in addition to myself.
If this is some sort of biological warfare that it must never get into the hands of the wrong people. It was truly a weapon of mass destruction. At the risk of sounding conspiracy theorist I think that there were black helicopters in the cool springs area last week. I’m just saying.
There is one interesting silver lining to report. As of this writing, my beautiful bride who served as a sort of Mother Teresa of puke this past week was not stricken with this plague. Considering how many bed sheets, blankets, toilets, puke bowls and towels she had to clean it is absolutely fascinating that she did not fall ill. Some might even say miraculous. I’m quite certain it had nothing to do with my threats to the Lord that I wasn’t going to tithe for two weeks if she got sick. (it was late and I was down trodden and in despair)
For a brief moment I thought about contacting the Vatican and submitting her as a candidate for sainthood. She had the qualifications such as acts of selfless kindness and even the hard one: a confirmable miracle. It is not hyperbole or exaggeration to suggest that it’s a miracle that she didn’t get sick. This thing was a conscious and calculating life form sent from the pit of hell. She resisted it with a spiritual finesse that must be recorded for the generations to come.
That being said, after realizing that there was no cash prize for sainthood (Nobel prize winners get $1m) and coming to the sobering realization that if She was a saint I couldn’t enjoy some of the finer benefits of being married I decided to buy her flowers.
It’s hard to believe it’s Christmas already. Since it’s Jesus birthday that we’re celebrating it seems appropriate to give Him something . What to give though to the guy who truly does have everything? He made it easy though, and said that what He wants is for us to feed and clothe those who are called “the least of these”. He said that when we’ve done it unto them that we’ve done it unto them.
If you feel led, you can go to www.conduitmission.org and click on the “donate” button. Maybe you could get Jesus a handsome new “feed a child for a month” for His birthday. It’s only $15 and is indeed the gift that keeps giving.
Blessings,
Darren
www.conduitmission.org
www.darrentyler.com
They spend way too much time in the personal space of their friends or go out and lick the yard and then come back inside with lots of hugs and kisses for mom and dad. It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase spread the love. (Growing up my father was never very affectionate as far as hugs and such, in hindsight it seems that maybe this was more strategic than it was dysfunctional)
I woke up at around 3am following Conduit last Monday in a sort of suspended gastro animation. It was crystal clear that some sort of launch code had been initiated but I wasn’t sure of the exact lift off. The suspense was killing me. I had a sort of knowing that something was coming, but I had no idea from what orifice it would originate or with what kind of velocity. I would soon find out.
To spare you all the detailed descriptions and word pictures that I could paint, suffice it to say that it began a week that my wife would rather forget. This apocalyptic stomach virus systematically and purposefully picked off us off one at a time and mercilessly attacked each of my four children in addition to myself.
If this is some sort of biological warfare that it must never get into the hands of the wrong people. It was truly a weapon of mass destruction. At the risk of sounding conspiracy theorist I think that there were black helicopters in the cool springs area last week. I’m just saying.
There is one interesting silver lining to report. As of this writing, my beautiful bride who served as a sort of Mother Teresa of puke this past week was not stricken with this plague. Considering how many bed sheets, blankets, toilets, puke bowls and towels she had to clean it is absolutely fascinating that she did not fall ill. Some might even say miraculous. I’m quite certain it had nothing to do with my threats to the Lord that I wasn’t going to tithe for two weeks if she got sick. (it was late and I was down trodden and in despair)
For a brief moment I thought about contacting the Vatican and submitting her as a candidate for sainthood. She had the qualifications such as acts of selfless kindness and even the hard one: a confirmable miracle. It is not hyperbole or exaggeration to suggest that it’s a miracle that she didn’t get sick. This thing was a conscious and calculating life form sent from the pit of hell. She resisted it with a spiritual finesse that must be recorded for the generations to come.
That being said, after realizing that there was no cash prize for sainthood (Nobel prize winners get $1m) and coming to the sobering realization that if She was a saint I couldn’t enjoy some of the finer benefits of being married I decided to buy her flowers.
It’s hard to believe it’s Christmas already. Since it’s Jesus birthday that we’re celebrating it seems appropriate to give Him something . What to give though to the guy who truly does have everything? He made it easy though, and said that what He wants is for us to feed and clothe those who are called “the least of these”. He said that when we’ve done it unto them that we’ve done it unto them.
If you feel led, you can go to www.conduitmission.org and click on the “donate” button. Maybe you could get Jesus a handsome new “feed a child for a month” for His birthday. It’s only $15 and is indeed the gift that keeps giving.
Blessings,
Darren
www.conduitmission.org
www.darrentyler.com
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Conduit Dec 15- Who's My Neighbor?
There is a sort of unspoken yet widely known benefit of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie being together. (aka Brangelina) Whenever they appear on the TV together; you as a husband you get to look at Angelina and not get in trouble. This is mostly because your wife is too busy looking at Brad Pitt to notice. (this is also true of Tim and Faith)
And so it was that I was watching Brangelina on Larry King Live in early summer of 07. They were talking about the stuff that they were doing as far as raising awareness, bringing change, giving money towards the cause of the poor and vulnerable around the world. I was watching a couple of folks who for all intents and purposes probably don’t know the Lord and might not even like the Lord, but they were doing the very things that God had called “true religion” in the book of James.
I sat there thinking the things that people think when watching rich and/ or powerful people do something impacting and world changing. I was thinking, “if I ever get rich or powerful then I would do the same thing”. It’s interesting that I would think this when you consider the encounter that a rich man had with Jesus in Matthew. (Matt 19:16-26)
Jesus would tell him that he should sell all he had, GIVE IT TO THE POOR, and follow Christ. This was too much, the rich man walked away. If he had followed Jesus command he wouldn’t be rich any more. The irony is that Jesus told this guy he could make an impact by becoming poor and I wanted to make an impact by becoming rich. Yet another paradox brought to you courtesy of the God of all the Universe.
It was in this vignette that Jesus would say that it’s impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Of course the Disciples were kind of panicked thinking if this guy couldn’t get into heaven then whom? Jesus goes on to say with man it is indeed impossible but with God all things are possible. For you and I that live in America, and are in the top 5% of the world’s wealth, that is especially good news.
That night watching Larry King Live God started to do something in me. In between clips from Mr and Mrs Smith and Lara Croft Tomb Raider God was doing something in me. It wasn’t Damascus Road Pauline style or whatever, but something started in me that night. I initially used the metaphor that God had downloaded something into me, but I have come to realize that is not the right picture. What really happened was that God planted seeds inside of me. The parable of the Sower in Luke 8 says that the seed is the Word of God. The Word of God was planted in me.
When seeds are planted they do their initial and most dramatic work under the surface and out of sight. They begin to disrupt the ground around them as they grow and push soil out of the way creating the life giving, anchoring foundation of roots. Things were changing inside of me, my soul was being disrupted, displaced and filled with something else. Eventually the plant breaks through the surface and ultimately there is fruit. This process takes time. It takes patience. The Bible says that Love is patient. Good thing.
As the seeds have slowly but surely grown in me I started to realize the flaws in MY plans and MY logic of how I would serve the Lord. I was spending so much time and energy building towards this seemingly noble goal that always seemed to lie just out of reach. How many years would I spend building a fortune compared to how many years I would have left to devote to following the Lord. In the mean time I would be missing out on the opportunities that are right in front of me. I was spending so much time asking what about then, that I forgot to ask what about now.
In truth I was like the folks in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The two guys that walked on by were a priest and a Levite. They were folks who were in the ministry so to speak. It’s always my tendency to try and relate to the guy in the story or parable that does it right, but as usual I had way more in common with the guy blowing it in the story.
Jesus told the parable to a religious scholar; to a guy who would have related to the Levite or the priest more than the half-breed marginalized Samaritan. He was schooled in the law, the law being the Mosaic Law. Like me he would probably have been very busy with the programs and rules and regulations and striving to be good and tithing and etc. So busy that, just like the priest and Levite he too would walk right by someone in need.
It’s easy to assume that they walked by because they were jerks. It’s easy to think they were so religious doing the work of ministry that they weren’t feeling the heart of ministry, which is a word that simply means to serve. Maybe it was because they didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to help, felt unqualified or inadequate. Jesus doesn’t say why, only that they did, and that it was an unacceptable response.
The religious scholar had asked Jesus who was HIS neighbor was in a sort of ploy to narrow the definition of neighbor. How did Jesus define a neighbor? Seems to me that the parable indicates whoever comes across our path in need is our neighbor.
The part of that story that stands out to me was that the guys that walk by did see the guy who was beaten and left for dead. They knew. They saw the need but for whatever reason walked by. They distanced themselves physically and emotionally and kept going. (luke 10:30-37)
Here’s a twist. In our modern world our sight line has expanded greatly. Because of things like Cable News and the Internet you and I get to see people in need that previously we might not have known. We are able to encounter people whose lives are ravaged by poverty, war, and injustice. To put it simply, “we know”. Jesus seemed to define neighbor as anyone that comes across our paths. Does it count when I see it on the news or in a documentary? I suspect it does.
What are we to do with those that we encounter? For too long I didn’t know what to do, didn’t feel qualified to do it, and so I turned the channel or went to a different website. I distanced myself physically and emotionally and kept going. Not anymore. The Conduit is a rallying point for us to work together serving our "neighbors". It's a platform for us to stand side by side and bandage up the wounds of those that God has brought across our paths. The Samaritan not only physically took care of the needs, but He used his own money and resources to provide the care.
It's so much more fun to relate to the right guy in the story; to be on the right side of history; to live as Jesus commanded.
Tomorrow night is somewhat of a work night at Conduit. We’re going to hit Exodus 6, and we’re going to dig deep, but we’re also going to put together gift bags. We’ve got stuff for 20 gift bags for residents at Place of Hope. Many if not most of the patients there are without families and / or money and their Christmases tend to be a little sad. We’ll work as a group to stuff the bags that’ll be delivered to them on December 21. If you happen to have 20 of something such as CDs, shirts, etc please feel free to bring them. We already have quite a bit of stuff, but more is always welcome.
We’re back at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at The Factory in Franklin at 7:30pm. It’s our last Conduit gathering of 08, I hope to see you there.
Blessings,
Darren
www.conduitmission.org Thanks to those of you who have joined with us. We put your money to work immediately. Everyone is volunteering at Conduit and we put your money right into the hands of those serving on the front lines. Remember that $15 feeds a child for a month in Haiti.
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com teachings from Monday nights here.
And so it was that I was watching Brangelina on Larry King Live in early summer of 07. They were talking about the stuff that they were doing as far as raising awareness, bringing change, giving money towards the cause of the poor and vulnerable around the world. I was watching a couple of folks who for all intents and purposes probably don’t know the Lord and might not even like the Lord, but they were doing the very things that God had called “true religion” in the book of James.
I sat there thinking the things that people think when watching rich and/ or powerful people do something impacting and world changing. I was thinking, “if I ever get rich or powerful then I would do the same thing”. It’s interesting that I would think this when you consider the encounter that a rich man had with Jesus in Matthew. (Matt 19:16-26)
Jesus would tell him that he should sell all he had, GIVE IT TO THE POOR, and follow Christ. This was too much, the rich man walked away. If he had followed Jesus command he wouldn’t be rich any more. The irony is that Jesus told this guy he could make an impact by becoming poor and I wanted to make an impact by becoming rich. Yet another paradox brought to you courtesy of the God of all the Universe.
It was in this vignette that Jesus would say that it’s impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Of course the Disciples were kind of panicked thinking if this guy couldn’t get into heaven then whom? Jesus goes on to say with man it is indeed impossible but with God all things are possible. For you and I that live in America, and are in the top 5% of the world’s wealth, that is especially good news.
That night watching Larry King Live God started to do something in me. In between clips from Mr and Mrs Smith and Lara Croft Tomb Raider God was doing something in me. It wasn’t Damascus Road Pauline style or whatever, but something started in me that night. I initially used the metaphor that God had downloaded something into me, but I have come to realize that is not the right picture. What really happened was that God planted seeds inside of me. The parable of the Sower in Luke 8 says that the seed is the Word of God. The Word of God was planted in me.
When seeds are planted they do their initial and most dramatic work under the surface and out of sight. They begin to disrupt the ground around them as they grow and push soil out of the way creating the life giving, anchoring foundation of roots. Things were changing inside of me, my soul was being disrupted, displaced and filled with something else. Eventually the plant breaks through the surface and ultimately there is fruit. This process takes time. It takes patience. The Bible says that Love is patient. Good thing.
As the seeds have slowly but surely grown in me I started to realize the flaws in MY plans and MY logic of how I would serve the Lord. I was spending so much time and energy building towards this seemingly noble goal that always seemed to lie just out of reach. How many years would I spend building a fortune compared to how many years I would have left to devote to following the Lord. In the mean time I would be missing out on the opportunities that are right in front of me. I was spending so much time asking what about then, that I forgot to ask what about now.
In truth I was like the folks in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The two guys that walked on by were a priest and a Levite. They were folks who were in the ministry so to speak. It’s always my tendency to try and relate to the guy in the story or parable that does it right, but as usual I had way more in common with the guy blowing it in the story.
Jesus told the parable to a religious scholar; to a guy who would have related to the Levite or the priest more than the half-breed marginalized Samaritan. He was schooled in the law, the law being the Mosaic Law. Like me he would probably have been very busy with the programs and rules and regulations and striving to be good and tithing and etc. So busy that, just like the priest and Levite he too would walk right by someone in need.
It’s easy to assume that they walked by because they were jerks. It’s easy to think they were so religious doing the work of ministry that they weren’t feeling the heart of ministry, which is a word that simply means to serve. Maybe it was because they didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to help, felt unqualified or inadequate. Jesus doesn’t say why, only that they did, and that it was an unacceptable response.
The religious scholar had asked Jesus who was HIS neighbor was in a sort of ploy to narrow the definition of neighbor. How did Jesus define a neighbor? Seems to me that the parable indicates whoever comes across our path in need is our neighbor.
The part of that story that stands out to me was that the guys that walk by did see the guy who was beaten and left for dead. They knew. They saw the need but for whatever reason walked by. They distanced themselves physically and emotionally and kept going. (luke 10:30-37)
Here’s a twist. In our modern world our sight line has expanded greatly. Because of things like Cable News and the Internet you and I get to see people in need that previously we might not have known. We are able to encounter people whose lives are ravaged by poverty, war, and injustice. To put it simply, “we know”. Jesus seemed to define neighbor as anyone that comes across our paths. Does it count when I see it on the news or in a documentary? I suspect it does.
What are we to do with those that we encounter? For too long I didn’t know what to do, didn’t feel qualified to do it, and so I turned the channel or went to a different website. I distanced myself physically and emotionally and kept going. Not anymore. The Conduit is a rallying point for us to work together serving our "neighbors". It's a platform for us to stand side by side and bandage up the wounds of those that God has brought across our paths. The Samaritan not only physically took care of the needs, but He used his own money and resources to provide the care.
It's so much more fun to relate to the right guy in the story; to be on the right side of history; to live as Jesus commanded.
Tomorrow night is somewhat of a work night at Conduit. We’re going to hit Exodus 6, and we’re going to dig deep, but we’re also going to put together gift bags. We’ve got stuff for 20 gift bags for residents at Place of Hope. Many if not most of the patients there are without families and / or money and their Christmases tend to be a little sad. We’ll work as a group to stuff the bags that’ll be delivered to them on December 21. If you happen to have 20 of something such as CDs, shirts, etc please feel free to bring them. We already have quite a bit of stuff, but more is always welcome.
We’re back at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at The Factory in Franklin at 7:30pm. It’s our last Conduit gathering of 08, I hope to see you there.
Blessings,
Darren
www.conduitmission.org Thanks to those of you who have joined with us. We put your money to work immediately. Everyone is volunteering at Conduit and we put your money right into the hands of those serving on the front lines. Remember that $15 feeds a child for a month in Haiti.
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com teachings from Monday nights here.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Conduit- Can't Take It With You (cont'd) Food For Famine
We use the word “spending” when referring to how we use our time. I believe this is an appropriate word because time is a commodity that we have a limited amount of in much the same way money is. My only real currency in this life is time. How I spend each minute investing not only in the world I exist but investing in my ultimate "retirement" in the Kingdom of God.
We have the chance to not only spend our time, but invest it. I have a finite amount of time here on this earth. Ephesians 5:16 says that I should “redeem” time. Redeem is an accounting term. It’s financial in nature. When I redeem a coupon or gift card I hand it in and get something in exchange for it. That’s the picture that Paul is painting with redeeming the time.
I have spent money on some stuff that was worth it, and I have spent money on stuff that wasn’t. (Anyone ever order those fat burning pills from the infomercials?)
Each and every minute I have I am spending on something. Following that metaphor I get something in exchange for that time spent. I spend that minute on something that brings joy or on something that brings pain. I spend it at my job being productive or being wasteful. It might be something that entertains or exhorts or something that focuses or distracts. It’s a minute spent that either brings reward eternally or is a minute that 2 Cor 5 says will be burned up. The stuff that is left behind, that doesn’t burn up, that’s the pure stuff, the gold, the time well spent.
Jesus said who by worrying can add one moment to your life? (Matthew 6:27 New Living) That’s an interesting thought. Adding a moment to your life. At 7:53am on Aug 14 I understood perfectly the desire to add a moment to life. That was the minute my mom breathed her last breath. It was a poignant thought because my mom was a worrier. And all of the worrying in fact did not add a minute to her life.
Her time was up at 61 years and 7 months. For those keeping track that’s:
22,475 days
539,400 hours
32,364,000 minutes
It all seems like so much; until you’re 32,363,999 minutes in.
In the last couple of weeks of her life I found myself wanting to spend as much time as possible with her. I knew she was dying and I had this desire to be there as much as possible night and day. Ultimately I wanted to make up for lost time.
I learned something. I couldn’t. That time that was spent was gone. There was no going back and scrounging up more time. There was no way to call redo. It was made bittersweet by the fact that she was in a medically induced coma. She was there, but she wasn’t. I had squandered many opportunities because of pride, arrogance, or just plain selfishness. The time I had left with her was well spent, but to say I wanted more for my money would be an understatement.
I think what I learned but couldn’t necessarily articulate was that I have an amount of time. I don’t know how many minutes I get, but once they’re gone it’s over.
Jesus made that statement about adding a moment to my life in the context of not laying up for myself treasures on earth. It was in the context of not worrying what I will eat or drink. It was in the context of no man serving two masters. It’s interesting to note that he sets up the juxtaposition between God and mammon (money) and not between God and Satan.
I find it personally appropriate because when I think about the things that God has put on my heart I wonder how I could accomplish it, or how I could feed my family if I did that, or what if I end up doing this for the Lord.
It’s easy to spend my minutes chasing provision but Jesus is suggesting that is not time well spent. Even the pagans do that He said. Instead I should spend my time pursuing Him and He’ll take care of the rest. I see how it looks when I take a step back and read chapters 5, 6, 7. (AKA The Beautitudes) I see that my time is well invested in loving my wife and being faithful to her, in being salt and light to the world, in giving to the needy, in praying, in loving.
One day it’s guaranteed that you and I who have followed Christ will stand before Him as our judge. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul uses the metaphor of the Bema seat, the place where a judge would sit on the finish line of a race and declare the winner. It’s not a throne of punishment like the Great White Throne spoken of in Revelation but this is a throne of reward.
I am about 19,879,200 minutes into this life. I have invested some of that time wisely. They are the minutes I’m the most proud of. The times that I have invested for the Kingdom, the times I’ve spent with my children modeling Christ for them, the times I have loved my wife well as an ambassador of Christ to her, the minutes I’ve spent praying and seeking the Lord, the time in Africa or in Columbia, TN, the time I’ve spent giving my money. To put it simply the times my life has matched up with Matthew 5-7.
I have invested too much of it poorly with works that Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 that will be burned up in fire; it’s the hay and stubble. It’s worthless. Paul says that what is left after this fire is the purity. The gold. It’s the stuff from Matthew 5-7. That’s what I’ll be rewarded for in Heaven.
The Bible says that Jesus will wipe away our tears in Heaven, it does not say there won’t be any tears. What pray tell would we have tears over? Perhaps over all the minutes wasted.
If I’m lucky enough to get another 19,879,200 minutes then I pray I’ll spend them better than I spent the first 20 million.
Monday night at 6:30 we are gathering at New River Fellowship for Food for Famine. Admittedly I'm personally biased, but I think this is a good use of your time. For $10 a person you get a great meal and great entertainment AND you get to know that your money will feed children in Haiti. (kids are welcome at $5 each) It's a great way to spend the night and you'll know that not only will your belly be full, but so will the bellies of some of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
If you can't make it but still want to participate you can go to www.conduitmission.org and hit the "donate" button. Just put Haiti in the subject line when sending payment. In less than month your money will be at working feeding those who can't pay to feed themselves. Just $15 feeds a child for a month. Pray about it.
Hope to see you tomorrow night.
Darren
www.conduitmission.org
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com (the podcast for monday nights teachings)
We have the chance to not only spend our time, but invest it. I have a finite amount of time here on this earth. Ephesians 5:16 says that I should “redeem” time. Redeem is an accounting term. It’s financial in nature. When I redeem a coupon or gift card I hand it in and get something in exchange for it. That’s the picture that Paul is painting with redeeming the time.
I have spent money on some stuff that was worth it, and I have spent money on stuff that wasn’t. (Anyone ever order those fat burning pills from the infomercials?)
Each and every minute I have I am spending on something. Following that metaphor I get something in exchange for that time spent. I spend that minute on something that brings joy or on something that brings pain. I spend it at my job being productive or being wasteful. It might be something that entertains or exhorts or something that focuses or distracts. It’s a minute spent that either brings reward eternally or is a minute that 2 Cor 5 says will be burned up. The stuff that is left behind, that doesn’t burn up, that’s the pure stuff, the gold, the time well spent.
Jesus said who by worrying can add one moment to your life? (Matthew 6:27 New Living) That’s an interesting thought. Adding a moment to your life. At 7:53am on Aug 14 I understood perfectly the desire to add a moment to life. That was the minute my mom breathed her last breath. It was a poignant thought because my mom was a worrier. And all of the worrying in fact did not add a minute to her life.
Her time was up at 61 years and 7 months. For those keeping track that’s:
22,475 days
539,400 hours
32,364,000 minutes
It all seems like so much; until you’re 32,363,999 minutes in.
In the last couple of weeks of her life I found myself wanting to spend as much time as possible with her. I knew she was dying and I had this desire to be there as much as possible night and day. Ultimately I wanted to make up for lost time.
I learned something. I couldn’t. That time that was spent was gone. There was no going back and scrounging up more time. There was no way to call redo. It was made bittersweet by the fact that she was in a medically induced coma. She was there, but she wasn’t. I had squandered many opportunities because of pride, arrogance, or just plain selfishness. The time I had left with her was well spent, but to say I wanted more for my money would be an understatement.
I think what I learned but couldn’t necessarily articulate was that I have an amount of time. I don’t know how many minutes I get, but once they’re gone it’s over.
Jesus made that statement about adding a moment to my life in the context of not laying up for myself treasures on earth. It was in the context of not worrying what I will eat or drink. It was in the context of no man serving two masters. It’s interesting to note that he sets up the juxtaposition between God and mammon (money) and not between God and Satan.
I find it personally appropriate because when I think about the things that God has put on my heart I wonder how I could accomplish it, or how I could feed my family if I did that, or what if I end up doing this for the Lord.
It’s easy to spend my minutes chasing provision but Jesus is suggesting that is not time well spent. Even the pagans do that He said. Instead I should spend my time pursuing Him and He’ll take care of the rest. I see how it looks when I take a step back and read chapters 5, 6, 7. (AKA The Beautitudes) I see that my time is well invested in loving my wife and being faithful to her, in being salt and light to the world, in giving to the needy, in praying, in loving.
One day it’s guaranteed that you and I who have followed Christ will stand before Him as our judge. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul uses the metaphor of the Bema seat, the place where a judge would sit on the finish line of a race and declare the winner. It’s not a throne of punishment like the Great White Throne spoken of in Revelation but this is a throne of reward.
I am about 19,879,200 minutes into this life. I have invested some of that time wisely. They are the minutes I’m the most proud of. The times that I have invested for the Kingdom, the times I’ve spent with my children modeling Christ for them, the times I have loved my wife well as an ambassador of Christ to her, the minutes I’ve spent praying and seeking the Lord, the time in Africa or in Columbia, TN, the time I’ve spent giving my money. To put it simply the times my life has matched up with Matthew 5-7.
I have invested too much of it poorly with works that Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 that will be burned up in fire; it’s the hay and stubble. It’s worthless. Paul says that what is left after this fire is the purity. The gold. It’s the stuff from Matthew 5-7. That’s what I’ll be rewarded for in Heaven.
The Bible says that Jesus will wipe away our tears in Heaven, it does not say there won’t be any tears. What pray tell would we have tears over? Perhaps over all the minutes wasted.
If I’m lucky enough to get another 19,879,200 minutes then I pray I’ll spend them better than I spent the first 20 million.
Monday night at 6:30 we are gathering at New River Fellowship for Food for Famine. Admittedly I'm personally biased, but I think this is a good use of your time. For $10 a person you get a great meal and great entertainment AND you get to know that your money will feed children in Haiti. (kids are welcome at $5 each) It's a great way to spend the night and you'll know that not only will your belly be full, but so will the bellies of some of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
If you can't make it but still want to participate you can go to www.conduitmission.org and hit the "donate" button. Just put Haiti in the subject line when sending payment. In less than month your money will be at working feeding those who can't pay to feed themselves. Just $15 feeds a child for a month. Pray about it.
Hope to see you tomorrow night.
Darren
www.conduitmission.org
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com (the podcast for monday nights teachings)
Friday, December 5, 2008
Save The Date!- Monday Night Dec 8
This morning I took it over to Alpine Bagel with Jeremy Hezlep and had me the good morning camper with cheddar, sausage and eggs all on a toasted sesame seed bagel. It was lightly browned, perfectly warm, and bursting with freshly salted cured meat flavor.
In Haiti, Charlene Dumas woke up and along with her baby boy enjoyed the buttery salty goodness that can only come from dirt cookies that She is surviving on in Haiti. Made from the finest butter, salt and yellow dirt that Haiti has to offer. She would have loved to have a bowl of rice, but that wasn’t an option in a country where food costs have skyrocketed and personal income is zero. These “dirt cookies” are the only food available to her and her son.
This past summer, the country of Haiti was hit by 4 hurricanes that stripped them of their food supply until Spring. In a country that is already destitute and desperate these Hurricanes were just a giant insult on top of the injury. I would like to use the word “dire” in explaining the circumstances but that isn’t strong enough. If someone thinks of one, please feel free to let me know.
Like me, I’m sure you want to do something about it. I’ve got great news.
On Monday December 8th, The Conduit (conduitmission.org) will be hosting a special dinner to raise funds that will go directly toward feeding the people of a mountain community that we visited, and was hit particularly hard by the storms.
You know you're going to eat out during the week, so why not come with that group of friends, or donate your date night to a worthy cause? Seating starts @ 6:30pm, but come anytime and stay as long as you want. The cost for the evening is $10 for adults and $5 for children, and includes dinner, dessert, entertainment and a chance to relax during this hectic holiday season. We also ask that you bring one or more articles of gently used men's, women's or children's clothing.
Please spread the word. If you or anyone you know is unable to attend but still wants to give, go to www.conduitmission.org, click on the 'Donate' button at the bottom of the page, and include Haiti Food in the memo. We want to enable as many people as possible to be a part of bringing the hope that Haitians so desperately need. Thanks and hope to see you there!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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