ken castor

mobilizing others in ministry

This is the graphic from the first slide for my session at the Minnesota Church Expo tomorrow.  The workshop will focus on "how to mobilze your church for personal outreach".  Should be an encouraging, and hopefully radical (in the real sense of the word), look at "outreach" and our tendency to do it alone... or not do it at all.  Some of my favorite topics such as Cultural Intelligence, Romans 16, St. Patrick, Generational Transference and Active Listening will be explored... maybe... if time allows.  Can't wait!  Come on by!

GROW DOWN message @ Crown College Chapel

Had a great time sharing  one of my favorite themes with the students of Crown College a couple days ago.  I've written many times on this site about the concept GROW DOWN as God's pattern for our lives as opposed to the world's perspective of growing up into adulthood.  Over the last several years I've spoken on this topic more than 2 dozen times in various settings in 3 different countries and in various ways (large and small gatherings)... and it just keeps getting fresher for me personally each time.  I pray that I will be organized enough and be given the opportunity to write it down in book form soon... but the prodding in my heart hasn't hit hard enough quite yet. For now... please have a listen and provide any encouraging/constructive feedback.  I pray this talk encourages you: iTunes link--> GROWdownCrownCollege or mp3:

2011-1-31 Dr. Ken Castor

ps. Thanks to my friend Ronald Danatus for the photo...

 

all wrapped up in myself...

I can get all wrapped up in myself.  That's a strange thing to say from a language perspective... and perhaps an even stranger thing to say from a life perspective. 

From a language perspective, if I'm wrapped up in myself then it sounds as if I myself am holding myself... or I myself am containing myself.  In which case then the wrapping is the same substance as what is being wrapped. Effectively (or ineffectively actually), I serve as the wrapping of myself.  In which case there is truly no wrapping other than that which is being wrapped.  Make sense?  No, you're right, it doesn't!  This is no way to live!

Which is why from a life perspective, it does us no good to wrap ourselves up in ourselves.  It provides us no freedom to be bound up within ourselves.  To wrap ourselves in our own affair is to become inward and immobile and adulterous to others whom we are to love.  The selfish, arrogantly anxious wrapping we use is ultimately ineffectual as a wrap- as it provides no true layer of presentation.

So it is that most people who are wrapped up in themselves must adhere a secondary exterior.  For anyone who is wrapped up in themselves can attest, they are unconcerned with present-ing (gifting) themselves to others... but they are remarkably concerned with representing (showing) themselves to others.  Therefore, a person who is wrapped up in themselves must put on another outward display... a demonstration, a projected layer that allows their egotostical self to remain in itself unaffected by others.  This secondary exterior usually reflects the grander aspects of the self-wrap, minus the gnawing defects that create the anxious arrogance of the self-wrap in the first place. 

I'm struck by Jesus who wasn't wrapped up in himself when he present-ed (gifted) himself to us.  He could have wrapped himself in majesty and strength and light (etc etc etc - even though with integrity he truly could have presented himself this way).  Remarkably, Jesus chose to wrap himself in swaddling clothes, both in birth and in death (Luke 2:6-7; Luke 23:53).  He offers us a humble present-ation (gift giving) of his inner self.  And in the humility of his offering, we are drawn into the depths of wonder and love that are self-contained within him.

I'm also struck by Jesus who longs to be wrapped within us.  Colossians 3 reminds us that we are to allow Christ to "rule in our hearts" and to "live in us".  Christ's words are to be alive in us. 

Profoundly, as Jesus lives in us, we are to let go of our own anxiety in ourselves and allow Christ to wrap us up in him.  Colossians 3 encourages us to strip off (cast off, throw off) the false image of ourselves that we demonstrate.  We are to "clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience... forgiveness... [and] love."  In other words... we put on Christ.  We are to wear Jesus inside and out.

We are supposed to wrap ourselves in Jesus... through and through.

nekrosate

Hiker who cut-off arm tells his story

A few years ago there was the story of the hiker, Aaron Ralston, who cut off his arm in order to save his life. His right arm became trapped under an 800lb boulder while hiking alone. For days he lay dying, unable to get free, unable to be found by searchers. His arm was pretty much dead... and if he didn't get free from it he would soon be dead himself. He finally got to a point in his mind where he knew he had to do something drastic. In order to live, he had to cut off his arm. Aaron Ralston said that his decision gave him life.

It's an amazing story. And I couldn't help thinking about it as I read through Colossians 3:5 today. Paul talks about getting rid of the part of you that leads to death. Jesus also talks about it in Matthew 5:30. These passages talk about sin, not boulders... But as I read these passages I couldn't get the image of Aaron's struggle with the boulder out of my mind.

Paul says in Colossians that we are dead in our sin. And because of that, we should get rid of those things that keep us trapped in sin = death. Too often we read passages like this like they are a list of rules. This just can't be true. In the section just before this, in Colossians chapter 2, Paul talks about how "rules" are useless and just create problems. In Christ we are free, Paul says. And because we are free from rules, we shouldn't live enslaved to the rules of sin. It's that simple, and yes, that mind-transforming. Christ is your real life, Paul says (Col 3:4). Sin is not your real life. It is fake. It is enticingly false. Sin is a way of thinking you are alive, but it's all a falling trap.  Your real life is free, Paul says. So cut off what traps you.

In Colossians 3:5 Paul uses the word, nekrosate (nek-row-saw-tae), which means "make dead" or "kill completely". Paul encourages us to kill off the influence of sexual sin (pornea), of impurity, of lust (pathos), of evil desire, of greed, and of idolatry. This isn't a list of heaviness or negativism. It is a reminder of the things that can get us stuck. But the Good News is that we don't have to be stuck by them! In Christ we are free. In Christ we are a new creation. In Christ we live abundantly. So why would we be satisfied with being trapped? It just makes freeing sense that in our attitude and actions we should be willing to actually make dead the things that will, left unchecked, be the death of us. It's a hard step of faith, and it's a hard decision, and it's an attitude of desperation, and it might be excruciating. But we must decide to cut off what so easily entangles us and what slowly leads to our death.

Hmmm. Just a thought this morning.  

crashers

The whole nasty neighborhood seems to come in some days.  Pride is a frequent visitor.  He talks a lot and looks down on others... and no, he's not the best guest.  Then there are Selfish and Grumpy, who always seem to show up together and demand to crash over for a bit.  They have a habit of overstaying their welcome.  Ah, there is also Pleasure.  She's nice to have over, for a while at least, but then the perfume and makeup wear off and she emits a nauseous odor and turns hideously ugly.  Foolish can really get a party going... but he can be really annoying.  Who invited him anyways?  He seems to always be around when these others are.  Jealousy is over by the fridge, eating everything so that no one else will.  Hard-Heart and Lies come in later, after things have died down a bit.  They're no fun and they drain the life away from everyone.  On the couch, asleep, is Apathy.  Oh yeah, he's full of joy.  Inevitably, Darkness and Despair come mingling in, late, when everyone is tired.

Why do we let these characters have free space in our hearts?!   Why do we let these freeloaders steal from our soul?  They don't pay rent.  They eat everything up.  They don't fix what they break.  They make a mess of our souls and they don't take responsibility when trouble comes.  They blame and they hurt and they don't care about us at all.  They attack and cramp up our hearts.

Colossians 3:5 says to send these crashers away.  Don't let them in.  But if they've found their way in, then use force as necessary to drive them off.  In their place, fill your life with Christ.  In stunning contrast, Colossians 3:15-16 says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly."

Kick the crashers out so that the creative, life-giving, light of Christ can live within you.   His Peace will restore your soul and annoint you with blessing, even while all those nasty characters look on.  His Word will breathe life into you, lift you up, give you laughter and joy.  Both will give you confidence and strength and teach you to sing.  In exchange for letting him live within you, God rewards you abundantly, overflowingly, eternally with life.

** image taken from http://www.wardjenkins.com/

Rooted Faith: Go Out (part 4)

(...continued from yesterday...)

4. ROOTED FAITHFULNESS PRODUCES AN OVERFLOWING LIFE.
The Great, encouraging News, however, is that we don’t have to be fruitless.  We don’t have to be stuck in our fruitlessness.  A person who is rooted in faithfulness in God will produce an overflowing life.  Rooted faithfulness produces an overflowing life.  (Notice I didn’t say a comfortable life, or a no-problemed life; I said an overflowing life.)  Those who dig themselves down deep into the Lord and establish themselves in him will stand tall in his strength and will flourish and be fruitful in the freedom and the fullness of God.

 That’s why Colossians 2:6-7 says what it does.  “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.  Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.”   We start with our lives based on CHRIST.  We GROW DOWN into him, and we DRAW UP nourishment from him.  We root our lives completely in Christ and tap into all he has at his infinite disposal and draw up that fullness from him until we can’t contain what begins to happen in our lives and we overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.  We GO OUT from ourselves and proclaim the goodness of God.  We can’t help but to talk about what we have seen and heard.  Everything that we are drawing up is too much for us to contain!  The fruitful life just happens then.  It isn’t nearly as concerned with the exterior appearance as it is with the filling and overflowing that comes from a life lived in him.  It’s can be a little out of control; it leaves fruit all over the place.

But that’s good!  It is about Jesus producing good works within you.  It is about Jesus shaping you from the inside out.  It is about accepting Jesus as your Lord and living like it.  It is about living in him and for him and through him.  It is about obeying him.  It is about letting Jesus fill you up and plan your life and make you wise.  It is about doing what he wants you to do and going where he wants you to go.  It is about admitting that you need Jesus desperately and that he has saved you.  And as you add a another ring of life every year and as your bark ages and you show the wrinkles and scars of life, it is about letting Jesus grow you to be more and more strong and vigorous in the truth that you’ve been taught.  And it is about recognizing that you are not worthy enough nor are you able enough to contain the fullness of God within yourself.  It is about daily digging deep into him and drawing up from him more than you need so that you stand tall in his truth and go out into the world around you spilling him on everybody and everything you contact.  Rooted Faith places priority in a nourishing relationship with Jesus that just naturally ends up leading to a fruitful life.

Don’t get caught fruitless!  Paul says to another vibrant group of new followers of Christ, in the city of Philippi, in Philippians 1:9-11- “I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding.  For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns.  May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”

Romans 11:17 says that “if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be too.”  Galatians 5:22 says that when God’s Spirit directs our lives, he will produce an abundance of fruit- the product of our rooted-ness in God.  The fruit of God’s Spirit are life-and-world-changing seeds like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) – all those things that our world needs but seems to have a shortage of is produced within you when you live with a rooted faith.  The Bible goes on to say that “those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit” (Gal 6:8).  And it also says, “What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people” (Gal 6:15).  Colossians chapter 3 says that we should be clothed with all those things that God produces from within us; mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and especially love and peace in your heart, and always be thankful.  Brentview, are you changed?  Are you different?  Are you fruitful?  Grow Down.  Draw up.  Go out.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.  And he has done a lot!  In this generation, let there be fruit.  Amen. 

BENEDICTION - Ephesians 3:17 says, “May your roots grow down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love… Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

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Full audio version of this sermon.  Download June 21 09 Ken Castor 

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Rooted Faith: Go Out (part 1)

I believe that our churches in North America today really struggle to have an overflowing life.  I think we have become quite good at containment; keeping our faith within ourselves and our spiritual fruit to a minimum.  Yet the whole goal of our relationship with God, as far as God is concerned, is that we will overflow with his life; that we will have an abundance of the product that comes from having God’s life within us.   John 15:16 – Jesus told his followers, in John 15:16, “I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last.”  The product of our faith is supposed to be overflowing from us.  And for some generations of Christians, this was their experience.  Consider the different dynamics of the first generation of Christianity; Think about our faith for a minute and then think about the faith of the first century believers:

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Full audio version of this sermon.  Download June 21 09 Ken Castor

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1.  The First Christians were abundantly fruitful.
Here is how Colossians starts: chapter 1 verses 1-6:  “This letter is from Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.  It is written to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.  May God our Father give you grace and peace.  We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard that you trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all of God’s people.  You do this because you are looking forward to the joys of heaven- as you have been ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.  This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world.  It is changing lives everywhere just as it has changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners.”

From the time that Jesus died, something funny happened on the way to the forum.  Christianity, which began as a small gathering of 120 people on Pentecost Sunday in Jerusalem, exploded onto the world map.  Within 30 years the seed of the Gospel had rooted itself significantly in the city of Rome and had become a powerful force all over the Roman Empire.  They were stirring up so much commotion that the government felt the need to try to contain the spread of this movement.  Paul, in fact, most likely wrote this letter to the Colossians, while he was in prison in Rome for talking about Jesus.  Something had made this young, pumped-up Pharisee so dramatically change the course of his life that he logged thousands of miles of travel; endured scores of beatings and imprisonments; he zealously spoke to large crowds, politicians, and kings; not to mention that he broke through ethnic and gender and slave and economic barriers along the way.  Even under arrest, Paul continued relentlessly sharing his faith with prisoners and guards, with judges and rulers, and writing letters to new groups of Christians all over the place.  And he wasn’t alone.  Numerous others did virtually the same thing: people like Timothy and Titus, Barnabas, Lydia and Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos, and many more.

The Colossian church itself had become a growing movement of Jesus Followers.  Colosse was a small city, in what is now Turkey, immersed in pagan festivals and the worship of Roman gods.  The Good News about Jesus came into this city by a guy named Epaphras.  Colossians chapter 1 verse 7:  “Epaphras, our much loved co-worker, was the one who brought you the Good News.  He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us in your place.  He is the one who told us about the great love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.”

Now I know I’m only giving a snapshot here, but just think about this for a second.  Before this group of believers gathered in Colosse, there was no church in that city.  None.  2000 years later, this is hard for us to understand in North America because we’re used to churches existing on virtually ever corner of a city and we’re used to our society traditionally being somewhat Christian-ish.  We’re used to First Baptist and 2nd Baptist and Fifth Baptist of the 12th Split and Twentieth Baptist Church of the 1875 Convention of the Immaculate Postmillennialists… or something like that.  Back then people didn’t church shop.  Back then people didn’t go somewhere because they liked the preacher better or because it was a more comfortable time or because they had the best looking drapes or the best music program or kids ministry.  Back then people heard about Jesus and they had to make a decision:  Am I going to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord?  Am I going to lay my life on the line to follow this man?  People were introduced to Jesus and were faced with a dilemma:  Am I going to worship Jesus and obey him rather than Caesar?  Am I going to risk my career?  Am I going to risk alienating my family?  Imagine yourself in a city where the message about Jesus Christ had never been heard before.  Imagine yourself in a city that is filled with other gods, other options, other systems, other ways of doing life and you decide to commit yourself to a growing movement based on a personal relationship with the living Christ- not because your family had always gone to church on Christmas or Easter, but because you yourself became so gripped in the core of who you are that you had to give your whole self over to Jesus.  It’s interesting to note here, that things now in North America are actually similar in culture to the way things were back then.  Most people today are not from church backgrounds anymore; our society today is filled with other gods, other options, other systems, other ways of doing life than Christianity.

The difference today is the Christians.  Something made Paul live like he did.  Something made this guy, Epaphras, go to his hometown of Colosse and start telling people about Jesus.  And something made thousands upon thousands of people in this first generation of Christians absolutely change their lives by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord. All over the world, the Gospel was spreading and it was changing lives everywhere.  People were realizing “Wow, this Jesus, he is amazing and I need him.”  And within a very short while, Christianity had gone out and taken root all over the world.

For instance, in Acts chapter 4, Peter and John got arrested for healing a man and telling people that the healing was done in the power of Jesus Christ.  When the authorities told them to stop talking about Jesus or else, they said they couldn’t stop.  “No, you have to stop!” the frustrated rulers demanded.  “No,” Peter and John said, “you really don’t understand.  We really can’t stop.  We can’t help it.  It just overflows from us.  We can’t contain what’s inside of us!  We have to let Jesus out!  If we don’t we’ll burst!”  They said literally, “We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard.”

It seems that back then in that time there was a freshness and an incredible power to the Christian faith.  It seems that people let their lives grow down into Christ and be so dramatically changed by God that they couldn’t contain the life that was drawn up inside of them.  The first Christians were abundantly fruitful.

rooted faith - draw up (part 4)

The Good News, everyone, is that you can make it through anything you are facing or will face if you draw up nourishment from Christ because Christ is the source of all life, of all strength and of all truth.  So as you place your footing in him, you will not be moved by the winds that blow against you because CHRIST can not be shaken by them.  As you let your roots grow down into him, you allow Christ to accomplish his plan for you, in you, and through you.  He builds you up in strength.  Psalm 33:11 says that “the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.”  Well, when you faithfully live in Christ you become one of his plans!  You become his intention!  And as his plan, as his intention, you will stand firm!  As you live in Christ, he shapes you by his hands and builds you up for his purpose and for his glory.  As you grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, he enables you to stand strong in his power.  And his power is the strongest power!  No wind can shake the foundations of heaven let alone rattle God.  No economic crisis can unnerve him or cause him worry about his retirement account.  No storm can cause him fear.  No illness can wreck God.  No enemy can surprise him.  No situation is too stressful for him to handle.  So cast your burdens upon him.  Lean into him.  Christ cannot be shaken… so let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him so that you can stand firm in his truth.
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Full audio version of this sermon.  2009-06-14 Rooted Faith - Draw Up - Ken Castor

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Paul said in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.”

Psalm 93, says, (from memory NIV) The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.  The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.  Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.  The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.  Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the Lord on high is mighty.  Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord.

If you are being blown about today, let your roots grow down into Christ. The unshakable God is here today for you to draw up the nourishment and strength that you need.  You might be realizing today that you need Jesus… that you really can’t stand forever on your own… that you really don’t want to be like a tumbleweed and you really do need to put down some roots into something and you really do need to stand tall and strong and you really need to stop getting blown about by the things that hit your life.  You can do this by inviting him into your life and receiving him as your Source for living. As we pray in a minute, just ask him to make your life secure in his.  The Good News is that as Jesus comes into your life you will begin to draw up everything you need to stand passionately and powerfully.  And as you grow down more and more into him, you will be filled from the fullness of God and you will overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.

Let’s pray:  Dear Lord, let us live in obedience to you.  Forgive us for standing on any other ground than the truth of your foundation.  Lord, let us put ourselves down deeply into you, more and more, and seek after all we need to truly live by growing deeply into you.  Lord, for those who need to accept you as Lord, we pray that you would help them to trust you now.  Let them put their roots down into you.  Let them pray: “Lord, sorry I have been living my life on my own and in my own power and not focused on you.  Forgive me.  I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for absorbing my fallenness and brokenness on the cross.  Thank you for letting me lean all of myself on you.  Your scars are beautiful… and I accept you as my Lord.  Please, Jesus, come into my life and let me grow down into you more and more from this day forward. Help me to draw up from you all that I need at all times.  Fill me now and forever, Lord, to overflow with thanksgiving for all you’ve done.” Amen. 

BENEDICTION – Philippians 4:19-20 says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.  Now glory be to God our Father forever and ever.  Amen.”

rooted faith - draw up (part 3)

Jesus tells this story, found in Matthew 7:24 – “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock.  But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  When the rains and the floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash.”  (Matt 7:24-27 NLT)
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Full audio version of this sermon.  2009-06-14 Rooted Faith - Draw Up - Ken Castor

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There is the idea that storms reveal the true wisdom and strength of a person.  The wise person will have their life rooted down and built up in such a way that when storms come they will remain standing strong… and even grow from it.  Those who secures themselves down into Christ will draw up strength to stand in even the most torrential rain or winds.  Proverbs 10:25 says that “Disaster strikes like a cyclone, whirling the wicked away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.”
 
There is no other noun that we should base ourselves on than Jesus Christ.  There is no other person, no other place, no other thing, and no other idea that should ever serve as an alternative to Christ as the foundation for our lives.  It’s like the old hymn sings, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand!  When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand!

The Good News today is that you can dig your roots down deep into Jesus and you will not be disappointed because there is no more secure ground in which to be established.  In Christ you will draw up all the resources you need to stand firm through anything.  That’s why the Psalms begin the way they do: with such hope.  Psalm 1:2-3 says, “Oh, the joys of those… [that] delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about his law.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.  Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.”  And in Psalm 52 we get the picture of sturdy contentment that results from a life that is faithfully rooted and drawing up nourishment from God: Psalm 52:8-9 says, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.  I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever.  I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done.”

rooted faith - draw up (part 2)

But to stand firm in this truth and overflow with thanksgiving is not an easy task.  (I bought a tree and planted it on Friday… and then our dog dug it up!)  It’s like when you try to get your life rooted, something comes along and tries to uproot you!  On all sides of Colossians 2:6-7 are verses that indicate that faithful living will be under attack; the pressure will be to adulterate our faith to other ideas and pursuits that in the end cause us to go astray from our love in God. 

 - - - - - Full audio sermon from June 14, 2009, Brentview Baptist - 2009-06-14 Rooted Faith - Draw Up - Ken Castor - - - - - - -

In chapter 1 verse 23, after Paul has just described how amazing Christ is and how he died on the cross to reconcile us to God, Paul says, “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly.  Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.”  And in verse 4 of chapter 2, Paul says, “I am telling you [all these things] so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments.”  And then in verses 8-10, Paul encourages the Colossians: “Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty sounding philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.  For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, and you are complete through your union with Christ.  He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.”

It’s as if some strong winds of ideas and diverting thoughts are storming in and battering against the Colossian believers.  The situation is serious. We face this sort of storm against our faith all the time.  For these winds cause damage and thrash apart lives and tear through the faith of some people.  But like I said last week, more often than not, the winds are not the terribly destructive gusts of tornadoes and hurricanes, but are usually the steady, blowing winds of the prairies, that slowly over the years wear against a person’s stamina and endurance.  In the end, the diversions of this life that blow against us constantly, can eventually knock us off of our foundation, erode our faith, and uproot us.  If any of you are like me – and most of you are (and no that’s not an insult to you!... or to me!)- then you are hit daily it seems with the pressure winds of this life: big decisions to make, bills and mortgage to pay, kids school activities, soccer practices, yard work, illnesses, busyness, worries, stress, ahhhhh!!! The last two months have been among the craziest busy of my life as I’ve traveled all over for my school research and have dealt with a broken-down minivan and helped coach my son’s soccer team and been busy here in the meantime and on and on and on.  I’m exhausted and have realized on many occasions in the last two months that I couldn’t keep going in my own power.  You know, even the winds of the pressures of time have been taking a toll on me personally lately--- as I keep losing hair on top of my head and I keep finding it reappearing in my ears and on my lower back!  I’m feeling some strong wind burn here!

And in the worst of times, like when Kathy was sick a year-and-a-half ago and I was scared for her and for our family, and during a few other really intense seasons of gut-wrenching agony and soul-searching and decision-making, I have learned that in Christ we can draw up all the nourishment we need to be built up strong in his truth so that we are able to withstand anything that comes our way.  In fact, sometimes the wind, though it thrashes against us, can actually serve as an opportunity to grow down deep in faith even more.  I remember back to my childhood (which is seeming further and further away from me now!).  In the woods next to our house was the greatest tree I have ever known.  I have no idea what kind of tree it was, only that it was the coolest tree ever.  It was on the edge of the forest and had branches that were perfectly spaced for my short kid legs and perfectly sized for my small kid hands.  I would spend hours climbing all over this tree, enjoying every branch, resting in the leaves, going all the way to the wee green branches on the top and holding on when the wind blew.  This tree was secure and it wasn’t going anywhere and I remember as a kid being in love with that tree.

But I also remember that not everything was perfect about that tree.  Some branches had been broken off, either because it had been hurt by someone or it had suffered some damage during a storm.  I remember after one thunderstorm another tree had fallen over and crashed against my favorite tree.  The collision had created about a five-foot gash in my tree and had ripped off several branches.  But I remember finding it really interesting that the fallen tree, in its brokenness, had been caught and had come to rest by leaning on my favorite tree.  It’s as if the strength and security of my favorite tree had absorbed the pain of another tree and was now offering comfort and hope to it.  I remember being so proud of my tree!  No matter the circumstances, no matter the storm, no matter what hit it or what winds or pressures blew against it, my favorite tree stood firm.  And I’ve got to tell you, the scars on that tree became part of its beauty to me.  Every scar and wound and knot became a mark of beauty as that tree continued to draw up nourishment and be built up in strength and to stand strongly as a pillar in a broken, stormy world.  Since then, this tree has become a symbol to me: a symbol of how if I am rooted in Christ and drawing up nourishment from him I can stand strong through anything and even then become a source of uplifting strength to those around me when they get blown around or lose their footing. Those who dig themselves down deep into the Lord will stand tall in his strength.