Entropy.

I like this word. What do you know that is entropic? Numerous things occur to me.

A trend to disorder? The school system. The mind of a 13-year old. My mind for that matter. My office.

The degree of disorder or uncertainty in a system. Government, any government, you name it. Churches too.

Available energy, not being used. A measure of disorder. How about your walk with God? How much entropy is there? I must take a self-examination on that one. I know God's energy and power is boundless. Mine is definitely finite and limited. His power is there for me to access. How much I do not use is a measure of my spiritual disorder.


Now that puts another slant on things, doesn't it? How much entropy is there in my relationship with God? I've been reading Max Lucado's Cure for the Common Life: Living in your Sweet Spot. I definitely need to finish that book...today.

Available energy, not being used. On this hot, sticky day in the midwest I'm on my way to investigate. Just how much unused energy is available to me?

Yes, I like that word: ENTROPY

en·tro·py

Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -pies

1 : a measure of the unavailable energy in a closed thermodynamic system that is also usually considered to be a measure of the system's disorder, that is a property of the system's state, and that varies directly with any reversible change in heat in the system and inversely with the temperature of the system; broadly : the degree of disorder or uncertainty in a system

2 a : the degradation of the matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inert uniformity b : a process of degradation or running down or a trend to disorder

3 :Chaos, Disorganization, Randomness

- en·tro·pic /en-'trO-pik, -'trä-pik/ adjective
- en·tro·pi·cal·ly /-pi-k(&-)lE/ adverb

Life is never smooth!

Inside the Looking Glass?

"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise." -- The Duchess to Alice

Alice In Wonderland

by Lewis Carroll

I can totally identify with Alice and her upsidedown, insideout, backward world. With visitors from Central America, I've been miscommunicating, misunderstanding, misunderstood and in general living on two separate planes, trying to find one another.

There's a marvelous little book by Sarah A. Lanier called Foreign to Familiar: A Guide to Understanding Hot - And Cold - Climate Cultures. She then divides the world's cultureds into two basic categories (hot climate and cold climate) and then discusses the differences in the categories. While it is not, nor does it pretend to be, a definitive text on cross-cultural communication, her anecdotes and explanations ring true.

An example that most people are aware of is that time designations are different. In a cold climate culture, time is of the utmost importance. Two p.m. means two p.m. not two-thirty or three, anyone who has missed a doctors appointment and been charged accordingly understands that. In a hot climate culture, a two p.m. wedding begins (at two p.m.) when the bride starts to dress, the guests start to get ready for the wedding. What a cold climate person would consider to be the "real" event (the bride walks down the aisle) might not begin until 3:30 or 4 p.m. A Norwegian would be on the steps of the church at 1:50 p.m. waiting for a 2 p.m. wedding to start, while the Jamacian (for example) would know to start getting ready at two p.m. Isn't that an interesting look at it?

Another difference is that in a hot climate culture, one person (the highest ranking one) speaks for the group. While in a cold climate culture decisions are made by collaboration. Even in the situation where one person is responsible for the decision, a wise leader consults his team members (listens carefully to their ideas and then informs them of his decision) before making a committment to a particular course of action. But in a hot climate culture, team members may not particularly want the responsibility of offering suggestions. They would lose face if a final decision were different that their opinion, so the decision is left up to the all-wise (we hope) leader. On the other hand, in a cold climate culture decisions are made by collaboration while in a hot climate culture, one person speaks for the group. Which would mean that an American pastor's family who is told by a "Hot Climate" bishop just as he's departing for a week in another state, "we've decided that my wife will stay in your house for a week because she is afraid in the [lovely, spacious] house you've provided for her to stay with our two grown sons [a twenty-three year old and a fifteen year old]" is expected to say "Mi casa es su casa."

Whoops! Anybody who knows me will know they picked the wrong pastor's family to try that on. While I do understand the cultural differences, I shall try to educate that bishop. (Did I really say that??) My logic being that if he and his family are traveling in the U.S. for extended periods of time, it's important that he learn the ways of this land (A cold climate culture) and make some accomodations. Flexibility is the name of the game.

But dancing these kind of relationship dances is not my cup of tea. While in another country I make every effort to flex to the culture there, (four hour services every night, conferences every day with thirty minutes to freshen up; the main meal after service each night, about midnight and be ready to give conference classes by 8 a.m. the next morning) I must, in the name of sanity, insist on some flexibility in return whenever they are visiting in our (cold climate culture) home.

And while in the words of Alice I "never imagine myself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what I was or might have been is not otherwise than what I had been would appear to them to be otherwise." I shall proceed with utmost caution and (I hope) humility, I shall proceed.

Toward cross-cultural communication!

PJ

"He restoreth my soul"

Psalm 23:2

On June 22 (Tuesdays are Terrific) I wrote about Pastor Michael Cole's sermon on restoration and described the life of a man being restored. Tonight Pastor Cole was back again for "Tuesdays are Terrific." Tommy had served God with this congregation in the 70's then fallen away, fallen on hard times and has come back to God. He's struggling; the battle is fierce, but we serve Jehovah Nissi, "God is our Victory".

Tonight another young woman was here. She received the Holy Spirit in the 80's, was a vital part of the youth group here for several years, and tonight she returned. Jehovah Nissi, "God is our Victory." God is calling. God is restoring.

Joel 2:25

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Prior to this promise, there was an instruction:

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, . . . Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? (Joel 2:15-17)

And then still later in the chapter is the scripture that Peter used to preach on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16), "This is that that was spoken by the prophet Joel,

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29 AND Acts 2:17-18)

As surely as he has poured out his spirit in the past, he is doing so again today! He has done great things and continues to demonstrate HIS power.

Tuesdays are Terrific!!

(For Heritage week events, see www.jccelgin.org)

Harnessing the Power of the Human Spirit

The human spirit is such a powerful force. Finding a way to harness that power is much like discovering how to make an internal combustion engine and unlease the power of gasoline. David did just that with his heartfelt Psalms. He wrote openly and honestly about his desperation and distress (See Psalm 77, this blog) but he also learned how to progress beyond that despair.

Psalm 63 is a good example of that progression:

Psalm 63

O God, you are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you,

my body longs for you,

in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary a

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

He begins with a lament colored by the situation in which he finds himself, in the Desert of Judah. "I thirst for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land."

He then remembers what God has been to him in the past, "I have ... beheld your power and your glory."

Next he recognizes what God is to him in the present and makes a commitment to praise God, "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."

Finally he can lift himself above the present circumstances and declare, "I will praise you as long as I live."

He also commits to a physical action to praise God "and in your name I will lift up my hands."

This progression of lament, praise, and physical response to God can be seen through the book of Psalms in varying patterns. David was called "A man after God's own heart" in spite of grievious sin. He also had to pay a consequence for that sin: He was not allowed to build the Temple.

This ability to raise above circumstances through prayer and praise served David well. He also was able to recognize his errors, accept responsibilty and carry his grief to God. We see his repentance clearly in Psalm 51. It is often said that the major difference between David and Saul was David's ability to accept responsibility and to repent for his mistakes.

David knew the secret to harnassing the power of his human spirit. He took his trouble to God; he acknowledged God's past intervention in his life and then was able to praise God, usually in a physical way. With praise for God on his lips, David could then reaffirm his faith that God would continue to direct his paths.

David often speaks of praising God with a "new song." I particularly like Psalm 149:1-9:

Praise ye the Lord.

Sing unto the Lord a new song

And his praise in the congregation of sants

let Israel rejoice in him that made him

let the children of Zion be joyful in their King

Let them praise his name in the ance

Let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp

For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people

he will beautify the meek with salvation

let the saints be joyful in glory

Let them sing aloud upon their beds.

So for this week, let us follow David's pattern. When the stresses of life hit:

Let God know, loud and clear your feelings on the matter

Then move to thinking about what God has done for you

And Praise him for that

Choose a physical method of praise:

lift your hands

clap your hands

sing

dance (no one is watching)

Then acknowledge God's presence in your present situation

Allow His presence, His Spirit to flood your spirit

His peace will come!

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord,

Searching all the inner depths of his heart

Psalm 18:28

For Thou wilt light my candle

The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness

So often we use our human spirit for anger, stubborness, rebellion. It takes a concerted effort to harness that power in praise. BUT...marvelous things happen when we do.

Be exuberant in Praise

Bask in His presence

Live Joyfully in spite of it all!

******

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Psalm 77

The Message

Verses 1-6

Listen, dear friends, to God's truth, bend your ears to what I tell you. I'm chewing on the morsel of a proverb; I'll let you in on the sweet old truths, Stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother's knee. We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation— God's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done. He planted a witness in Jacob, set his Word firmly in Israel, Then commanded our parents to teach it to their children So the next generation would know, and all the generations to come— Know the truth and tell the stories so their children can trust in God, Never forget the works of God but keep his commands to the letter.

*****Then, the people disobeyed God. He forgave them. They still transgressed. Finally God had enough.***

Verse 65-72

Suddenly the Lord was up on his feet like someone roused from deep sleep, shouting like a drunken warrior. He hit his enemies hard, sent them running, yelping, not daring to look back. He disqualified Joseph as leader, told Ephraim he didn't have what it takes, And chose the Tribe of Judah instead, Mount Zion, which he loves so much. He built his sanctuary there, resplendent, solid and lasting as the earth itself. Then he chose David, his servant, handpicked him from his work in the sheep pens. One day he was caring for the ewes and their lambs, the next day God had him shepherding Jacob, his people Israel, his prize possession. His good heart made him a good shepherd; he guided the people wisely and well.

"But I don't Feel like it"

Did you ever have one of those days in which everything felt wrong, yet there was really nothing major amiss? A dizzy day, an anxious day, a down day, a negative thought day. I had one last week.

For no real reason, I couldn't sleep, couldn't think, couldn't function normally. Several times that day, I went over to the church for awhile to play the piano, to meditate, (my state of mind wouldn't even let me pray) just to calm myself down.

That day I was positive that nobody loved me, not even God, for after all if I was so unlovable to myself, how could anyone else stand me. Fortunately, I knew that it was only a battle, only a day (or sometimes a few). I knew to hold on. I knew that, I could "lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber." (Psalms 121:1-3)

I knew it, but didn't feel it. It felt like God was on vacation, or at least taking a nap. Our culture has served us badly by placing so much emphasis on the feeling of a situation or a time, or an era. We are regularly encouraged by popular culture to follow our feelings while scripture exhorts us to follow knowledge and obey. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (for the weapons of our wafare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds); casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:3-5)

What "imaginations" need pulling down today? What feelings have exalted themselves against the knowledge of God? What thoughts need to be taken captive?

Prayer: Today and everyday, God, help me to remember that the major battlefield is that of my mind. Give me the courage and wisdom to recognize the battle and take action.

Thirty-Seven Cents

Thirty-Seven Cents

God uses the simplest things to teach me. Not long ago we had a couple of new children for a children's activity. They had recently moved here from out of state and were excited about the trip here. The family didn't yet have a car, but their dad had walked them to the activity and walked to get them at the end.

Because it wasn't a regular church service, the teachers didn't do an offering time in the classes.

At the end of the activity before they left, they tentatively approached the pastor saying, "Our Dad gave us money for the offering, but the teachers didn't take one. Will you be sure that the church gets this?" And with outstretched hand they offered thirty-seven cents.

And I wonder, how long has it been since I offered anything so valuable to the Lord?

PJDH