pReformed Theology

I think a lot about my wife.  I have a special relationship with her. I love her in a unique way.  I would never base my relationship with her on what other people say about her.

I might have considered their comments in the beginning when we had first met (… if you know me… you know I really didn’t… I fell hard for this woman!)…

And as we grow closer, and intimacy deepens… I am constantly seeing her in new ways…  constantly learning more about her…

Falling more in love with her.

It is real.  And it is amazing.

Quick pseudo history lesson… back in the day…  it was a Wednesday, by the way*… the Church went through what has come to be known as the Protestant Reformation.  While Martin Luther is lauded as the champion there were actually six different movements during that time to essentially rethink the views and teachings that were being implemented in Christendom.

One of the schools of thought that came from this movement was known as Reformed Theology.

They were re-forming what had been formed over centuries of growth… assimilation… corruption… complacency… laziness… deep thought… prayer… you name it.

Whatever your thoughts on their efforts or conclusions… consider that their intentions were good.

They didn’t want Preformed Theology.

Cookie Cutter Christianity.

Production-line pastoring.

They didn’t want to base their opinion on God… their thoughts on God… solely on the opinions and thoughts of others…

They wanted to think for themselves.

We are called to look in to the Word of God for ourselves. (2 Tim 2:15)  Cautioned not to teach as God’s word the traditions and practices of men. (Matt 15:9)

We can appreciate them… even practice them… but we need to know why we do.  We need to make a decision… not have it made for us.

I have a lot of thoughts on and about God.  And I share them.  But they are my thoughts.

Get your own ;-)

Seriously… don’t be a preformed theologian.  There are a lot of wrong opinions on and pictures of Who God is, How Jesus loves, What He would do…

Don’t just accept what others say…

Think for yourself.  Get in to the Scriptures.  Build your relationship with Jesus.

Go deeper.

Make it real…

It’s amazing.


*that little shout out was for you DC fans.

SDG

A Seek/Shall Attitude

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6: 15 (regarding Abraham.)

When we have prayers that are unanswered… when we are in difficult situations… when it seems that we are at the mercy of the enemy…

And the enemy shows no mercy…

Do we wonder if the skeptics might be right… that we’ve been left here on our own to fend for ourselves.

Do we start to think of God differently?  Do we think He isn’t the type to bother with us… that there are bigger things He is concerned with… that we should actually be happy that it isn’t worse?

That we were crazy to think that He would do… whatever?

Or do we fight it?  Do we endure?

I admit that sometimes… did I say “sometimes”  I meant to say “often…”  I get impatient with God.

Fruitless fig trees and saying what you would see

You might be familiar with the story of Jesus and the fig tree found in Mark 11:12-25.

 

To summarize, Jesus is hungry and He sees the leaves of a fig tree in the distance so He makes a b-line to it only to find that it doesn’t have any figs.  So what does He do?... He curses the tree.  Yep… He basically says that no one will ever eat from the tree.

 

The next day when He and the disciples are walking back from the Temple they see that the fig tree is withered and they draw Jesus’ attention to it.

 

His response, “Have faith in God.” V.22

 

I’ve always had a weird feeling about this passage.  I didn’t like Jesus cursing things.  It didn’t seem right.

 

I certainly didn’t want Him cursing me.

 

And I am pretty sure with all of their fibery goodness and future fame as part of the figgy pudding carolers desire to be brought… it wasn’t that He has something against figs.

 

I think it was a lesson.  After all, He was being watched by His disciples… those who were trying to learn and mimic His disciplines.