Wanna Feel Close to God Even When He Feels Far.....Far..........Away? (Part 1 of 2)

Ever since the shattering brick of sin crashed our world, the sweet song of shalom (the Hebrews called this wholeness or all-embracive closeness to the creation and creator) has become a moan of separation and painful distance. 

Sorry for being such a downer.

Some of you want to remain insulated from fragmented reality inside of the thin bubble of your distractions and fragile defenses.

So do I. 

It’s comfy inside our bubbles of make-believe wholeness.

We construct artificial nearness through evaporating embraces (usually through the misuse of substances, stuff and sex) instead of experiencing solid nearness with God.

I spend so much energy manipulating and manufacturing in my little world so that it feels like a hug rather than hell.

Don’t you?

Don’t despair!

God buried a treasured line from an ancient lyric (Psalm 145:18) to act as a pin to pierce and pop our pretending related to the world being made whole (shalom) by our own efforts.

Let’s read the lyric, and in this post simply swim in the embrace and nearness of God.  

In the next post we will emerge from the near embrace of God and have a conversation covering four specific ways to connect to those that are far away from—disconnected from God.  

Here is the lyric:  ESV Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Two sections of this song will disclose the closeness of God:  

Here is the first:  “The Lord is near to all who call on him.”

Calling on God is the lever that brings God near.

This reminds me of a story.

Have you ever used a call bell in a hospital?

Before I became a pastor I spent many years answering call bells as a nurse.

As I sat at the nurse’s station trying to decipher the difficult handwriting of a doctor, the moans of the sick ricocheted down the halls.

Ding.  Ding.  Ding.  Ding.  Ding.  

A steady ring would ding and ding to call me to the bedside

Listen to the lyric again:

The Lord is near to all who call on Him.

Distance is destroyed by the simple calling out to God.

He is near--As near as a nurse holding your hand, ready to hear your concern.

Are you like me?

I rarely call on God.

And I wonder why God feels so far, far away.

My patients over the years would often call because of pain.

Pain pounded on them and in them and they could not stop it or control it or placate it.

They pushed that call bell to experience the presence of another.

I would enter their pain with my presence (and if they were lucky a syringe of pain-eradicating happy juice).

God does this with us.  

He comes near when we call and enters our pain with his presence to bring shalom.

Secondly, calling on God is to be continuous not sporadic.

All of us are to call on him in truth.

What does that mean?  “In truth.”

A Jewish person would use this phrase if something was to be done over and over and over and over again.

It does not mean truth instead of a lie.  

Instead “in truth” means continuous and constant rather than sporadic or occasional.

The phrase was used of an artist’s hand that continuously and steadily painted with precision and patience.

Do you call out to God in this way?

I sure don’t.

I usually call out when the going gets tough.  When my self-manufactured, manipulated bubbles burst and I want a solution.

We were made for so much more than an episodic embrace by our good God.

We can and must call on Him constantly to discuss every detail.

When we call, he cozies up to us like a dad with his little daughter or son and soaks in our every word.

Call out to Him today.

Then call out to him in the middle of the day and at night and tomorrow.

I can already sense His nearness.

Gotta go.  I want to luxuriate in the nearness of God by calling out to Him.

Don’t you?

Howard Cole
Senior Pastor
Metro North Church

Brilliant Men, Beautiful Women and GOD - Part 5 of a 5-part series of the Five Aspects of Manhood

Have you ever been grabbed by a thought that takes hold of your mental steering wheel and crashes your initial, superficial understanding of an idea?

Caution! 

Please read the next line sitting down and buckled into a safe chair, while you brace for impact.

·         A man is the image and glory of God (1 Corinthians 11:7).

Did an airbag go off when you crashed into the concept of glory?

“Uh….nope.” you probably answered.

Maybe the concept of glory doesn’t buzz and zing because you’ve never considered glory as deep beauty.

Thomas Aquinas, the brilliant 13th century theologian said that something is beautiful if it consists of three things:  Wholeness, harmony and radiance.

Before we crack open these three concepts, we have to ask, “What does this have to do with Biblical manhood?”

Everything. 

I just finished meeting with a bunch of dads and their sons where we discussed five Scriptural aspects of manhood. 

We travelled through the first four (see the last four blog posts for specifics) and got fired-up about men being

·         Lords:  Initiators and rulers of a specific slice of creation, under the ultimate Lordship of Jesus.

·         Husbandmen:  Not just starters, but caretakers and cultivators of the things we initiate.

·         Saviors:  Guys who take sacrificial responsibility, where we are willing to bleed for those whom we love.

·         Sages:  Guys who aim for the best goal with the best method at the best time, depending on God’s best wisdom.

Glory is the final and crowning aspect of manhood because God clearly reveals that “a man is the glory of God” (1 Cor 11:7).

The Hebrews used the word glory when they saw something deeply beautiful.

As we have seen, beauty involves wholeness, harmony and radiance.

·         Let’s consider what each of these mean and how they relate to manhood.

First, something is beautiful when it is whole.

Whole means nothing is missing.

·         A new truck is not missing a tailgate or an engine.

Wholeness also means nothing is added that does not need to be there.

·         No one looks at the Mona Lisa and says “that lady needs a mustache.”  The picture is complete.

A man is to image or reflect the deep beauty of God by his wholeness.

What might that look like?

When a man does a job, does he cut corners and leave important things out?

When a man speaks to a friend or a woman does he add things that really don’t need to be added?

I speak a lot, to a lot of people, and fail to say things I should of said (I leave things out) while usually saying more than should have been said. 

This is not a good reflection of the glory of God.

But I am in Christ. 

He is the very glory of God.  2 Corinthians 4:6 expresses, “God.. has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Second, something is beautiful when it expresses harmony.

Harmony is all about all of the parts relating to each other in the right way.

Think of a rock band playing a song.  If three singers decide to sing their parts in a way that don’t complement each other, you would have unpleasant noise.

When three singers decide to submit to each other, as they focus on the beauty of the song by singing in harmony, we experience a sense of joy and internal pleasure.

Men, we reflect the glorious harmony of God when we remember that God is a Trinity or a harmonious community.

A key reason I joined the Presbyterian expression of the family of God is because men lead side by side in submissive harmony rather than hierarchically. 

Real manhood submits and brings out the best in the other guys to the glory of God.

Third, deep beauty consists of radiance. 

Just think of God showing up as a radiant cloud, a burning bush, or a transfigured Jesus.

Beautiful things glow and sparkle and dazzle.

·         This is why the word beauty is derived from the Greek word kalen (to call).

When we see a beautiful woman or hear a beautiful song or see a beautiful Jesus, we feel like the beauty is calling out to us.

Beauty radiates towards our senses and then magnetically pulls us toward its source.

And a man is the deep beauty or glory of God.

When people look at you as a man, do they see radiance and luminous energy in your work, words and ways?

God gifted me with the glory of three sons. 

Even though I am dull and sunless in many ways, I am now in the brilliance of Christ. 

He gave up his glory so that I could enter into his glory. 

His willingness to embrace anti-glory expresses the fullness of his glory.

My hope is that my sons, along with all men, will embrace our roles as lords, husbandmen, saviors, sages and glory-reflectors of Jesus.

And ladies, thanks for patiently allowing me the time to address the glory of men over these last five posts. 

Want to hear something glorious?  A woman is called the glory of man (1 Corinthians 11:7)…and Jesus is the glory of God.

And that is why a woman is truly the quintessence of beauty.

For the beauty of Christ,
Pastor Howard
Senior Pastor
Metro North Church

Four Ways to be a Sage in a Stupid Age - Part 4 of the Five Aspects of Manhood

I’m a fairly stupid guy sometimes.

I didn’t say totally stupid-I said fairly stupid.

Some people suffer from temporary insanity.

I’m different.  I suffer from temporary stupidity.

Let me prove it.

Just the other day my wife asked me to remove all of the wasp nests from our front porch.

I spotted an angry looking yellow jacket perched upon his nest.

Rather than grab a fly swatter (the intelligent thought never crossed my raison-sized brain)
I grabbed a broom stick.  

I aimed the end of the stick (the end that you normally hold) at the buzzing bee and began jousting.

I missed the bee over and over and over.

The bee realized its advantage, (he was jousting with a stupid guy) hovered up and over my head, and then flew away, free as a bird.

Let me define stupid.

A good definition acts like a fence.  Some concepts are kept in while others are left out.

Stupidity is a lack of smarts.  

Smart people know things, exercise good judgment and live intelligently with wisdom.

Stupid people know little, fail to exercise good judgment and choose unwise methods to kill bees.

And yet, maybe my admission of stupidity is my first step towards becoming a sage.

When a person exercises wisdom that comes from age, failure and experience he is called a sage.

What are four things a man can do to become a sage in a stupid age?

First he can appreciate that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

Wisdom has always been about not only choosing the right goals in life, but also the right methods to reach those goals at the right time.

Men, we are to fear God first if wisdom is to ignite.

But what is fear?  

Fear is the explosive intermixture of intense desire to get closer to beauty, while at the same time wanting to sprint as far away from beauty so as not to get sizzled by its supremacy.

Need an example?

When a guy sees a new truck or a lovely lady or a breathtaking mountain, he simultaneously wants to get closer and farther away.

He wants to get closer, cause he really wants that truck or girl or challenging climb up the mountain.

He wants to get farther away cause he knows he does not have what it takes to get any of these (I’m too poor, not in her class, unable to climb to the top).

What’s this got to do with being a sage instead of a stupid guy?

Everything.

When we start with God (he is more valuable than a truck or a lady or a mountain) and get close enough to him to submit to his wisdom, while staying far enough away to admit our dependence on him, we actually begin to become wise.

God always has the right goals, the best methods and perfect sovereign timing.  Fear him and you will take the first step towards being a sage.

Second, spend tons of time mastering skills that fire you up.

Men have different likes and dislikes.  Pursue your likes and get some know-how.

Do you like to tinker with engines?  Get your hands greasy, make mistakes, and grow in wisdom.

Do you like to read?  Read good books, think, make some mental mistakes, and grow in wisdom.

After years of tinkering away at a skill, you’ll be sought out to serve others with your sage advice.

Third, beware of abusing your growth as a sage.

Remember Solomon? He is considered the wisest man that ever lived.

God clearly commanded Solomon to fear him by refusing to stockpile gold and wives (Deuteronomy 17:17).  God wanted Solomon to trust and depend on him alone instead of money and ladies.

Solomon acted the fool and his kingdom fractured.

As we acquire and then master skills and know-how, we need to trust God’s goals, methods and timing, so that we do not abuse everyone around us.

Fourth, beware of abandoning your call to be a sage.

Do you habitually read God’s word which reveals God’s goals and methods for living a life of high adventure?

How do you spend your idle time?  Do you fritter it away with the escape of entertainment?  

Look.  I know life is hard for us guys.  

The stresses and strains are knee-buckling.

Life regularly punches us in the face.

But you are a Jesus-man.  

Jesus is called “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).

As we live united to him, following and fearing his goals and methods, we will become truly wise.

Life is a 15 round fight and you are not in the ring alone.

Don’t escape from the ring of life and hide in the playground of pornography.

Have you heard all of the stupid exuses?

I’ve heard them all:    

It releases my sexual tension

Everyone involved is enjoying themselves

It will make me a better lover

My wife is tired

I'm single

Guys, these excuses are beef-brained and we know it.

Instead, let’s get back in the ring of life with Jesus and other guys by our side, and become sages who fear God.

Get trained by wiser men than you.  Laugh at your stupidity as you resolve to rely on the grace of God alone for your salvation.  Pray for wisdom to be a sage in a stupid age.

Howard Cole
Senior Pastor
Metro North Church

Three Signs that Signal When a Boy is Switching over to be a Manly Savior - Part 3 of the Five Aspects of Manhood

I recently had the honor of having lunch with a local fireman. 

As I talked with him about the war he waged against fire, the picture of a man as a savior materialized in my mind.

Remember the danger and drama of September 11th, 2001? 

When everyone rushed out, the firemen rushed in.

Why?

·         Because saviors save.

In the last two blog posts we learned the following:

Mirroring his maker, a man initiates as a lord then cares for what he creates as a husband.

In this third post about Biblical manhood we examine man as a savior.

·         But what exactly is behind the action of a man’s role as a savior?

As a savior, a man wars against evil at the risk of his own life for the sake of the one he loves.

While he depends fully on the saving grace of God, he pushes against danger until the evil is vanquished.

Here are three signs that signal when a boy switches over to be a manly savior.

First, a boy is often cowardly in the face of harm and hostility, while a man is courageous.

Way back in Genesis 3:15 God responds to the treasonous trickery of Satan by promising this to Satan: “I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel."

The complete story of Scripture explains this mystery descendent who would crush Satan’s head with hostile force as Jesus.  Men that are joined to Jesus, join the war and confront the hostility of Satan, sin and evil.

A man notices that a real spiritual war is going on all around him and even inside of him.

A boy is helpless in the face of this hostility. 

He yields to fear, pain or the threat of harm.  He runs to others for protection.

A man in Christ is not cowardly but courageous. 

How so?

Surprisingly, not by internal fortitude or positive thinking.

Consider Iron Man.

In the Marvel Comic, Tony Stark suffers a deadly chest injury and constructs a suit of armor to save himself.  As long as he is inside of that suit he can courageously challenge hostility and save others.

A man admits his helplessness and rather than constructing a suit of armor (his personal performance) he receives the righteousness of Jesus and wraps it around his life forever.

Living inside of that salvation, he can exercise mental and moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear and difficulty on behalf of others.

Second, a boy bullies others while a man benefits others.

Because of our indwelling sin, men can abuse the desire to save with selfish fighting.

A savior does not bully.  He confronts evil in order to benefit the ones that he loves.

Intimidation, the act of frightening into submission by inducing into another a sense of inferiority marks the bully. 

A savior does the opposite. 

He comforts and encourages those that feel stuck, hopeless and weak.

Young men, do you speak to your sisters, “friends that are girls” and moms with a tone of comfort or cruelty?

Young men, you need to know that bragging (voicing your strength to others without any sacrificial results to show for it) shrinks your manliness in the eyes of the ladies in your life, while quietly benefitting others expands it.

Third, a boy begins to discern virtual good from evil and enjoys competitive gaming and sports, while a man actually sacrifices, with painstaking perseverance, to defeat the real evil all around him.

Boys can be found playing endless virtual wars by means of video games and community sports while men enter into the real flesh and blood harms and threats in their community.

Gaming and sports are a helpful catalyst for a boy to begin the push against the enemy.  But when a boy becomes a man a real sacrifice occurs in the daily battles of life.

A sacrifice is an actual giving up of something of value (your time, money, health, goals, comfort, etc.) so that evil is displaced.

I have struggled with being a savior.  But that’s just the point.

A savior, mirroring the ultimate savior and empowered by the Spirit, leans into struggles against cowardice, bullying and spending endless hours in virtual contests while actual responsibilities are neglected.

What are two things a man can do this week to grow into the savior role?

·         First, just as King David killed real lions and bears that threatened the sheep under his care, go fight a real threat to the people, places and things that you deeply love.

Do you need to weed your lawn, write your congressman, challenge a spiritually wandering friend, correct a child, fight against the status quo in your church or neighborhood, or protect a friend or family member from an abusive person or situation?

·         Second, take the time to look inside.  Sin lurks in the cracks and crannies of your heart and seeks to overpower you.  If you are in Christ the savior, his Spirit is in you and can demolish twisted sin with acts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control.

And remember that God did save you, is saving you and will save all that put their trust in Him.

Pastor Howard
Senior Pastor
Metro North Church