Gospel – Joel's Travels https://www.joelstravels.com Theology | Bible Study | Leadership Sun, 21 Aug 2016 00:49:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.28 3 Lessons Learned From Narnia https://www.joelstravels.com/3-lessons-learned-from-narnia/ https://www.joelstravels.com/3-lessons-learned-from-narnia/#respond Wed, 28 Oct 2015 18:12:25 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=583 We are in a really fun season of parenting. Liam and Levi love to read and watch movies. They are finally in a season where we can start working through chapter books. Brittany and I decided to start working our way through the C.S Lewis books. The boys happened to see that the books were […]

The post 3 Lessons Learned From Narnia appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
C.S. Lewis Quote

We are in a really fun season of parenting. Liam and Levi love to read and watch movies. They are finally in a season where we can start working through chapter books. Brittany and I decided to start working our way through the C.S Lewis books. The boys happened to see that the books were made into movies so we started watching the movies. As we we jumped into the story of Narnia, I spent more time watching the reaction of my boys than actually watching the movie. Their eagerness to understand why Edmund would betray his family and even more incredible, their eager anticipation to see this majestic lion named Aslan. There is so much that I was reminded of by watching my boys response throughout the movies, and even more encouraging, I began to relive and recollect that simple wonder and awe that my kids were experiencing. As I reflect on what we learned as a family from C.S Lewis, we came across the following.

Eager Anticipation:

The opening scenes of the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe leads us on a journey to find this majestic and powerful lion named, Aslan. Every scene and at the turn of every corner we are anticipating the return of Aslan. Each character that we meet describes Aslan in a unique manner, but they all conclude that he is the only hope for the tragedy and turmoil that Narnia is in. Then, it happens! We see this large, glorious, beautiful, and fierce lion. Aslan is both terrifying and loving at the same time.

So what did the anticipation cause in us? It caused us to be sharp and aware because we didn’t want to miss when he came. As we unpacked this with my boys we discussed how we are now waiting for Jesus to come back. Jesus is even better than Aslan. He is coming back to live with us so we could enjoy Him forever. Our anticipation of Christ coming back causes us to consider our life. I am reminded of Phil 1:27 where Paul calls us to live a life worthy of the Gospel.

Phil 1 27

As we wait in eager anticipation for Jesus we can reflect on our life and are motivated to live in light of the goodness and mercy of Christ. Further, our anticipation causes us to be diligent and fruitful with our time. We don’t know when Christ will come back, and we have much to do today to advance the Gospel. There are real hurting and broken people that are in desperate need of the Gospel. Therefore, our anticipation causes us to be faithful to the great commission.

The Failure To See God:

In Prince Caspian we came across another interesting twist. Lucy see’s Aslan and as she tries to tell her siblings that he is in fact there, they tell her off. Why is it that Lucy was able to see Aslan but the others were not? We find that that the kids, like all of us, were motivated and driven by their own desires. It’s dangerous to pursue our own desires. While Peter was consumed with proving himself as the famed “High King” he neglects Aslan and pursues his own selfish motives. Something we can all relate to. Augustine says it well, “For men see Him just so far as they die to this world; and so far as they live to it they see Him not.”

The more we live our lives for our gratification, motives, desires, and wants we will see less of God. This extends to hearing from God. I hear so often, “I just don’t hear from God” or “I don’t know His will for me”. I’ve said this! The reality is, in my life, one of the key problems is the distraction of my selfishness. Matthew 16:24 speaks to this reality. That our pursuit must be Christ. As we deny ourself, carry a cross, and follow after Him, we will see him clearly.

Meditating On The Sacrifice of Christ:

As we were leading up to the moments when Aslan was preparing to sacrifice himself for Edmund my wife and I looked at each other with panic. We remembered how hard it was to see this beautiful, powerful, Aslan subject himself to this wicked witch and get slain. We quickly looked at each other and began to debate over whether or not the kids should see this. We ended up coming to the realization that they should, and we had to clearly communicate what was happening. Needless to say, there was crying, sobbing, anger, so many pure emotions from a little 4 and 2 year old. I can’t begin to describe how awesome it was to see them respond when Aslan comes back victorious. As we talked about what took place with Aslan we told the boys that this is what Jesus literally did for us. We were just as guilty as Edmund, and Jesus was perfectly innocent. However, he sacrificed himself willingly on our behalf. But he didn’t die! He conquered sin and death and promised to come back for us. What a simple way to explain the doctrine of substitutionary atonement to a 4 and 2 year old (thank you C.S Lewis!).

We have to keep the reality of Christ’s sacrifice in front of us. This is why I think its wise to do communion each week. We are putting into practice a system of remembrance that causes us to consider, think, and thank God for his goodness and sacrifice. Further, we can take hope in His promise to come back as a victorious King to reconcile his people to Himself.

If you are a parent, I would highly recommend that you take some time to read through the Chronicles of Narnia. If your kids are old enough read as a family with them. However, don’t just enjoy the literary excellence of the book without meditating on the beautiful Gospel themes that C.S Lewis implements so intentionally.

 

The post 3 Lessons Learned From Narnia appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/3-lessons-learned-from-narnia/feed/ 0
The Danger of Pursuing Your Desires https://www.joelstravels.com/the-danger-of-pursuing-your-desires/ https://www.joelstravels.com/the-danger-of-pursuing-your-desires/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:23:27 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=567 After a few years working in the marketing space I’ve come to pay close attentions to ad’s, commercials, billboards, and pretty much anything that is trying to sell or communicate something. The common thread in everything that I’ve come across from the print billboard on the highway to the 30 second add on Hulu is […]

The post The Danger of Pursuing Your Desires appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
The Danger of DesireAfter a few years working in the marketing space I’ve come to pay close attentions to ad’s, commercials, billboards, and pretty much anything that is trying to sell or communicate something. The common thread in everything that I’ve come across from the print billboard on the highway to the 30 second add on Hulu is the motivational factor that informs and drives the message. What is it you ask?

Desire.

After just a little bit of consideration you will find that the best commercials speak to the hidden desire that fuels the person. These desires include:

  • The uncontrollable need to have or acquire something
  • The desire to consume and fill, many times feeding the desire of food or hunger
  • The pursuit of material possessions
  • Being placed in a position where you don’t have to do anything and can live a luxurious life
  • Getting a sense of justification
  • Discontent of what you have and wanting what others can provide
  • Whatever can life you up and make you seem better then everyone else

If you stopped right now and turned on your TV and really analyzed the commercial that is in front of you, you would see one or some combination of the previous motivations being played out in the commercial. For the perceptive reader going through the list, you would have probably recognized that the list can be simplified and categorized as:

The 7 Deadly Sins:

  • Lust
  • Gluttony
  • Greed
  • Sloth
  • Wrath
  • Envy
  • Pride

I was at a conference in California and was listening to a panel of leading technologists in the Christian space. One of the guys is a former executive of a large technology company. He said that in every marketing meeting and conversation of new product development the question that was asked goes something like this, “Does this product or campaign feed into one of the 7 deadly sins?”.

Ultimately, they found that the 7 deadly sins sell.

If we are not careful, we will find that the motivational factors behind our desires can also be categorically placed within one or some combination of the 7 deadly sins which is counterproductive and dangerous in every way to the believer.

A Theological Perspective of Desire:

Don’t get me wrong, having desires and motivations are great! In fact, it is a necessity for so much of what we do. However, without looking at the motivating factors we can find ourselves in a very dark and dangerous place. We don’t need to turn much further than the very opening pages of Genesis. We find in Genesis 3 the danger of desire being played out with an epic consequence for all of humanity. Specifically, in Genesis 3:4 we find that sneaky serpent exposing the idolatrous desire of Adam and Eve (the text says Adam was WITH her, so he is in every way guilty) to be “like God” and to “know good and evil” and to have their “eyes opened”. Sadly, when their eyes were opened, they came to see and realize the slavery that they subjected themselves to as a result of their disobedience and distrust in the goodness of God.

We’re No Better:

Don’t think we are any better. In fact, in many ways we have become much worse and more depraved as time has passed. We are able to creatively package ancient sin in new way’s which ultimately leads to our own slavery and demise. Take a look at Ephesians 2:3 and we find ourselves picking up where our first parents, Adam and Eve left off.

However, desire in itself is not bad. The object of our desire determines the positive or negative outcome.


However, desire in itself is not bad. The object of our desire determines the positive or negative…
Click To Tweet


How the Gospel Informs Our Desires:

As we understand the Gospel and it does a work in our lives we are left in awe and amazement at how a righteous and Holy God would intervene in our depravity, and rescue us from sin and death to place us at the right hand of the father (Col 1:13). This deep and intimate understanding of the Gospel begins to inform and mold us into the image of Christ. Our depraved self is destroyed and we are made new in Christ. We begin to think, live, love, perceive, and act in a way that is reflective of this Gospel that has definitively transformed us. Our motivations come into alignment with the desires of God, therefore, our desires are really God’s desires.

I think Martin Luther says it much better.

Martin Luther Quote

Therefore, when the object of our desire becomes Christ himself, the outcome of our desires become Gospel saturated and God honoring.


Therefore, when the object of our desire becomes Christ himself, the outcome of our desires become…
Click To Tweet


 

****

Further Reading – To dig deeper into this topic I would highly recommend Dr. John Pipers book, “Desiring God”.

 

 

 

The post The Danger of Pursuing Your Desires appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/the-danger-of-pursuing-your-desires/feed/ 0
Planned Parenthood: The Elephant In The Room https://www.joelstravels.com/planned-parenthood-the-elephant-in-the-room/ https://www.joelstravels.com/planned-parenthood-the-elephant-in-the-room/#respond Sun, 04 Oct 2015 20:49:15 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=524 There’s an elephant in the room and no one wants to talk about it. It’s huge; ridiculously large. This particular elephant has tusks that are massive. Still, no one wants to acknowledge it. This elephant sits within the space of every conversation, debate, and discussion of planned parenthood, their processes, policies, methodologies, fiscal responsibility, and […]

The post Planned Parenthood: The Elephant In The Room appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
Planned Parenthood

There’s an elephant in the room and no one wants to talk about it. It’s huge; ridiculously large. This particular elephant has tusks that are massive. Still, no one wants to acknowledge it. This elephant sits within the space of every conversation, debate, and discussion of planned parenthood, their processes, policies, methodologies, fiscal responsibility, and so on. So, what is this elephant?

It’s. Our. Morality.

Fair warning, what I am about to discuss does not involves details or debates about processes, policies, methodologies, and fiscal responsibility. Rather, I want to deal with the moral issue that must be considered first and foremost before we engage in conversing the latter.

I have both experienced and watched others engage in conversation about planned parenthood and I am amazed the issue of morality is not one that is taken seriously. This is not simply a political or religious issue, its a moral issue. Well, what is the issue? It can be summed up with the following question.

Question: Do you believe it is ok to murder an innocent unborn child or not?

I can already feel, hear, and anticipate the uproar that is coming my way.

It’s not that simple.

It’s more complex.

You don’t understand.

You’re naive, and an idealist.

All of that may be true, however, it does not stop us from answering the question and living behind our answer. I believe that it’s this core question that has to inform every decision, practice, policy, and method.

We have to match our methods and practices to our convictions


We have to match our methods and practices to our convictions via @Muddamalle
Click To Tweet


Rather then trying to rationalize and mask our convictions in such a way as to condone our practices. Further, I recognize that Planned Parenthood does some great stuff and provide some incredible resources and services. However, they also abort and kill innocent children, which is being funded directly or indirectly from federal tax dollars. Is it ok to neglect an evil that is being done because there is also good? Just a brief stroll down history lane shows us the results of such thinking. Namely, slavery, Hitler, wars, murder, and genocide in the name of religion!

The moral issue surrounding the sanctity of life, in my opinion, is the moral thread that will unravel everything. When we are unwilling to stand up for and fight for the lives of innocent unborn children things are going to get bad, really bad, really quick. They already are, just turn on CNN for five minutes.

The Practical Side:

Let me touch briefly on the practicality side. There are so many other options that are out there for services similar to and better than what Planned Parenthood provides. Further, if federal funding was adjusted and made available to such services we could see a scalability that would fit within an uncompromising moral framework. Also, it’s a mistake to think, assume, or neglect the reality that with decisions such as abortion comes immense guilt. We need to provide counseling services to these ladies and let them know that there is hope, restoration, and healing. Maybe even more important, why let it get to that? Why not provide counseling and support prior to such a drastic decision and provide viable alternatives such as adoption? Someone asked me, “how is it fair to ask a women to go through the trauma of a full term pregnancy in the case of rape or incest?”. I’d ask the same question of the unborn child. How is it fair for that unborn child to be murdered for something the child had no control over? Rather, doesn’t it seem to make more sense to provide counseling for the women, deliver the baby and give it up for adoption, and provide on going care for the women? In this instance the women does not need to add murder of an innocent unborn child to the already serious trauma she is dealing with.

My position can be summed up in this simple statement:

We have a moral obligation to defend the lives of unborn children and find another way to meet the needs of people without excusing the killing of innocent unborn children. People can accuse me of being an idealist, but I’ve chosen my side.

“You may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say you didn’t know” – William Wilberforce

Wiliam Wilberforce

The post Planned Parenthood: The Elephant In The Room appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/planned-parenthood-the-elephant-in-the-room/feed/ 0
3 Ways To Pray For Baltimore https://www.joelstravels.com/3-ways-to-pray-for-baltimore/ https://www.joelstravels.com/3-ways-to-pray-for-baltimore/#respond Thu, 30 Apr 2015 00:14:30 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=405 It’s making the headlines everywhere your turn. Your favorite news app, the tv, the newspaper, and any other place where information is being shared, the Baltimore riots. While many are writing about various aspects of this issue, I simply want to encourage Christians to respond in a thoughtful, gospel centered, and God honoring fashion. First, […]

The post 3 Ways To Pray For Baltimore appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
Pray for Baltimore

It’s making the headlines everywhere your turn. Your favorite news app, the tv, the newspaper, and any other place where information is being shared, the Baltimore riots. While many are writing about various aspects of this issue, I simply want to encourage Christians to respond in a thoughtful, gospel centered, and God honoring fashion.

First, the affects of these riots will surpass just the city of Baltimore and will be the baseline that others will turn to as tragedy occurs in other cities just as Baltimore is responding to the events surrounding Freddie Gray’s death. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr helps us understand the rationale for riots as he states,


A riot is the language of the unheard – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Click To Tweet


In regards to the limitations of riots Dr. King states further:

The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves and emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of futility. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Therefore we are always faced with the question of response. How do we respond in light of such tragedy, pain, and heartache? I believe the mandated response for all believers is – Prayer.

Unfortunatley, this may be the most overlooked or assumed response. In fact, many of us say we are “praying” but never actually spend time in intentional prayer for all those affected by the riots. This may be partially because we lack a proper understanding of the theology of prayer. What actually occurs when we pray? Let’s start with a definition of prayer. Harpers Bible Dictionary states:

Prayer is – the act of petitioning, praising, giving thanks, or confessing to God; it is expressed by several different words in both the OT and NT. Prayer can be individual or corporate, audible or silent. It is conditioned by the biblical understanding of God as a personal being who hears the prayers of his people. 

If we believe that our prayers are heard by the creator of the universe who is personal and takes active part of human history, this should motivate us to spend dedicated and intentional time in prayer. Here are 3 ways we can be in prayer for all those affected in the Baltimore riots:

1. Pray for the family of Freddie Gray – This family is hurting, confused, and dealing with so much pain and agony. Pray that the Holy Spirit would bring comfort, understanding, and peace to this family. Further, pray for salvation and the Holy Spirit’s effectual calling of these family members.

2. Pray for the police and law enforcement – Police and law enforcement have put their lives on the line and their bodies in danger to protect the city and other people. Pray for peace for the families of these officers. I can only imagine the countless wives, children, husbands, mothers, and fathers that wait anxiously for their loved ones to come home.

3. Pray for the Gospel to transform the city of Baltimore – While this riot is a poor attempt to cause transformation and force politicians, judges, and law enforcement officials to hear the voice and concern of those rioting, the only true source of change and transformation can be through the power of the Gospel.


The Gospel is the ONLY means of effective transformation for the city of Baltimore via @muddamalle
Click To Tweet


Finally, pray that the Gospel would invade the lives of every person living within the city of Baltimore. Pray for the pastors and churches in the city that are facing the daunting task of shepherding and counseling countless families.

If you made it through this entire post, pray right now. #PrayForBaltimore

 


[1] Paul J. Achtemeier, Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature, Harper’s Bible Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985), 816.

The post 3 Ways To Pray For Baltimore appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/3-ways-to-pray-for-baltimore/feed/ 0
3 Things Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood Taught Us About Evangelism https://www.joelstravels.com/3-things-vince-gill-and-carrie-underwood-taught-us-about-evangelism/ https://www.joelstravels.com/3-things-vince-gill-and-carrie-underwood-taught-us-about-evangelism/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2015 19:40:53 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=334 Many of you may have seen the video of Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood doing a stunning rendition of the classic Christian Hymn “How Great Thou Art”. If you haven’t take a look. When I first saw this I found myself simultaneously stunned, in awe, wonder, and captivated by the talent of both of these […]

The post 3 Things Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood Taught Us About Evangelism appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
Many of you may have seen the video of Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood doing a stunning rendition of the classic Christian Hymn “How Great Thou Art”. If you haven’t take a look.

When I first saw this I found myself simultaneously stunned, in awe, wonder, and captivated by the talent of both of these artist’s which lead me immediately to being thankful to our great God who gives us such incredible talents and gifts. I can’t imagine the risk that Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood took as they collaboratively decided to do this particular song on such a large stage. Their example gives us some important reminders about evangelism and the importance of presenting the gospel in a variety of ways to a variety of people.

Excellence:

Excellence is important. One of the things I love about this video is the response in the crowd. As they listen to these epic words that have been sung by countless christians throughout the decades, the audience is first impacted by the excellence of musicianship and the vocal ability. This excellence paves a path for the reception and consideration of the words of this hymn. In fact, towards the end of the clip you see some famous artists moved to tears. This pursuit of excellence is important for every christian. The way in which you share the gospel can be multi faceted. This can be done through speech, music, the arts, and more. Therefore, pursuit of excellence should be a priority for believers.

Conviction/Execution:

They followed through with both conviction and executed flawlessly. There was not a hint of hesitation. Possibly the most crippling challenge for anyone is the lack of conviction which results in the in ability to execute. We all have great ideas when it comes to evangelism and how we can share Christ with those that we love, but how often do we actually execute that idea? Being able to follow through is important. This simple act of execution is crucial for everyone.

Boldness:

This song choice was not without risk. Both Vince and Carrie knew the possible negative press that could come from their song choice. In fact, I can imagine some PR specialists asking them to reconsider the song based on recent events with religious freedom and the issue of homosexuality in Indiana that has hit the front page of news. Regardless of the potential risk, both Vince and Carrie were bold in their decision and followed through with excellence. At times the possible negative outcome can sway our decision making process. In fact, it can cause us to question not only our decisions but our motives and beliefs. Acts 4:29 is worth noting, the first century church believers plead with the Lord to give them boldness as they speak truth about what Christ has done. Therefore, it would be wise for us to echo this same prayer for our lives.

acts 4 29

 

The post 3 Things Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood Taught Us About Evangelism appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/3-things-vince-gill-and-carrie-underwood-taught-us-about-evangelism/feed/ 0
Should Christians Do Easter Egg Hunts? https://www.joelstravels.com/should-christians-do-easter-egg-hunts/ https://www.joelstravels.com/should-christians-do-easter-egg-hunts/#respond Sat, 04 Apr 2015 21:25:58 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=324 Easter is literally around the corner and in many homes there is a frantic rush to prepare for an epic Easter egg hunt. Interestingly, there seems to be a debate amongst some people if Christians should participate in Easter egg hunts. Some of the rationale stems from the following arguments: Why NOT to do an […]

The post Should Christians Do Easter Egg Hunts? appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
Easter Egg

Easter is literally around the corner and in many homes there is a frantic rush to prepare for an epic Easter egg hunt. Interestingly, there seems to be a debate amongst some people if Christians should participate in Easter egg hunts. Some of the rationale stems from the following arguments:

Why NOT to do an Easter egg hunt:

  • It puts more emphasis on getting candy in eggs than the real reason to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ.
  • The focus becomes a bunny and not Christ. Some even say this is a form of idolatry.

There is definitely a concern that the focus of Easter can easily be directed towards candy, eggs, and bunnies and not the atoning work of Christ. However, I would argue that the issue here is not the activity of an Easter egg hunt but the intentionality of parents. The responsibility to place the focus on Christ lays solely in the hands of parents. Further, something as simple as an Easter egg hunt can become an incredible way to share the Gospel.

Why we should do an Easter egg hunt:

Engage a cultural norm:

Something as simple as an Easter egg hunt is a cultural norm. This is one of the few holidays that religious background is super imposed by a fun activity. So why is that important? As a kid I remember my Hindu and Sikh friends coming over to do easter egg hunts at my house or at the church. These friends would never come for a church service or even for youth group, but something like an Easter egg hunt was not even a question, of course they would come to find candy in these colored eggs. What an incredible opportunity to engage an activity that our culture has embraced to connect people to the Gospel. I agree with Tim Keller as he unpacks the importance of active contextualization in a balanced approach.

“To contextualize with balance and successfully reach people in a culture, we must both enter the culture sympathetically and respectfully (similar to drilling) and confront the culture where it contradicts biblical truth (similar to blasting). ” – Tim Keller

Opportunity to proclaim the Gospel:

Just because we leverage an Easter egg hunt to engage our culture does not mean we do not boldly proclaim the Gospel. In fact, in our bold proclamation some may be offended. I am thankful that it is our responsibility to clearly and boldly proclaim the Gospel and that the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts of sin and does the work or regeneration and sanctification. In fact, proper contextualization and gospel proclamation produces a scandal.


Proper contextualization means causing the right scandal – the one the gospel poses to all sinners…
Click To Tweet


I believe most of us fall short in this area of Gospel proclamation. Therefore we begin to say the issue is the Easter egg hunt, when the issue is our inability to boldly proclaim that while the act of finding eggs is fun, the hero is not a bunny but Jesus Christ who conquered sin and death and made it possible for us to live in right relationship with God who created us.

1 Corinthians 15:19–20 [widescreen]

 

Related Posts:

Why I Love Exodus: Gods and Generals

What Can 50 Shades Teach Us? 

The post Should Christians Do Easter Egg Hunts? appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/should-christians-do-easter-egg-hunts/feed/ 0
The View Never Saved Anyone https://www.joelstravels.com/the-view-never-saved-anyone/ https://www.joelstravels.com/the-view-never-saved-anyone/#respond Sun, 29 Mar 2015 21:44:16 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=268 As beautiful as the view was, it wasn’t enough. I woke up at 5am with my friend Jason so we could hike up Hanauma Bay Ridge in Hawaii. We wanted to see the sunrise before we left Hawaii after the conference we just attended. By the time I got to the top and watched the […]

The post The View Never Saved Anyone appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
The View

As beautiful as the view was, it wasn’t enough. I woke up at 5am with my friend Jason so we could hike up Hanauma Bay Ridge in Hawaii. We wanted to see the sunrise before we left Hawaii after the conference we just attended. By the time I got to the top and watched the sunrise I was stunned. It was breathtaking. The warm orange glow began to burn through the dark clouds. In an instant it burned right through and lit up the bay in front of me. And then I had the realization. As powerful as this view was, it was not enough. This view in and of itself did not proclaim the Gospel to me. I began to consider how many people have hiked up to this very same point, surveyed the beauty in front of them, and then walked down without ever hearing the beautiful proclamation of the gospel. That God not only created all this but Christ  conquered sin and death that he might restore us in our relationship with God.

What Does Creation Do?

It causes us to ask questions. How did something so beautiful come into existence. Who crafted such beauty? John Calvin is correct when discussing creation he states, “The clarity of God’s self disclosure strips us of every excuse”. The excuse he describes is the acknowledgment that there is in fact something greater than us. We must consider and come to the realization of our finite stature in the midst of this creator. However, in regards to our ability to take the next leap in knowing God, Calvin rightly states, ”

“But although the Lord represents both himself and his everlasting Kingdom in the mirror of his works with very great clarity, such is our stupidity that we grow increasingly dull toward so manifest testimonies and they flow away without profiting us” – John Calvin

Calvin

I fell trap to this stupidity. Almost immediately as I walked down away from the sunrise and the view, I began focus on everything except that which would profit me. As soon as I realized this was happening, I came to the conclusion that the scenic beauty was not enough.

What Creation Does Not Do:

  • Proclaim who Jesus is
  • Declare that God created all things simply by speaking it into existence
  • Identify our great sin and need for rescue
  • Proclaim the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ
Creation does not Proclaim the Gospel to us, but when we know the Gospel; creation becomes so much more impressive.

As we understand the Gospel and the goodness of God we tend to grow in our appreciation for all created things. Not only do we value creation but we are lead down a road where we realize that God values us even more than creation. Unlike creation, in Genesis 1 he blesses man and gives man dominion over created things.

Clear and Bold Proclamation of the Gospel is Necessary:

If creation is not enough, than the responsibility falls on Christians to clearly communicate the goodness of the Gospel.


It’s not ok to wait and hope that someone else will share the gospel. – @Muddamalle
Click To Tweet


Or that creation itself can do the work of gospel proclamation. That is our job. We declare the goodness of the gospel and then rely on the Holy Spirit to do the work of conviction, restoration, and sanctification.

Enjoy the goodness of Gods creation. And allow the next sunrise or sunset you see to remind you of the opportunities that you have to share the gospel.

Hanauma Bay

The post The View Never Saved Anyone appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/the-view-never-saved-anyone/feed/ 0
Being Road Sick https://www.joelstravels.com/being-road-sick/ https://www.joelstravels.com/being-road-sick/#respond Sat, 21 Mar 2015 20:01:33 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=250 I get hesitant to tell people what I do for a living. No matter how I phrase it or describe it people always leave thinking that traveling around the U.S and even to international locations is so incredible. They all think I must be living the life. For those of you that travel for work are already thinking, “they […]

The post Being Road Sick appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
Being Road Sick
I get hesitant to tell people what I do for a living. No matter how I phrase it or describe it people always leave thinking that traveling around the U.S and even to international locations is so incredible. They all think I must be living the life. For those of you that travel for work are already thinking, “they have no idea what they are talking about”.

HONESTY:

I’ll be honest. Traveling is fun. I get to meet a lot of incredible people and see some pretty awesome places. However, the average trip for me goes something like this.
  1. Wake up at 3am to catch a shuttle to Seattle (2.5 hour shuttle ride).
  2. Catch a flight from Seattle to (name the location).
  3. Land and grab a rental car
  4. Drive to the hotel and check in
  5. Head to the conference venue to set up and test audio and video
  6. During the conference I am up at 6:30am and back to the hotel (as I was writing this I actually called the hotel “home” thats how bad it is!). I repeat this while I am at the conference and have to find some time to grab some food.
  7. Drop off the rental car, catch a flight, catch a shuttle, and get home usually around 11pm.
Glamorous enough for you? If you answered yes, Faithlife is hiring.

MY LITTLE SECRET:

Now for the little secret…there are parts of the job that I really love. When I get on a stage and present Logos in front of crowds up 10,000 people it is a thrill. Even better is the response from the crowd when I nail a joke or illustration and they are blown away by how easy it can be to study God’s Word. Some of these things are addicting and there is an adrenaline rush that I can never adequately describe. The only way to experience it is to do it.
Then I get home. I am greeted by an incredible wife that has held down the fort for the last 3-4 days while raising our three kids. Now, when I’m home there is not the same adrenaline rush. There is no place that I would rather be, but the experience of travel can create a false sense of reality. Sometimes I lay awake and begin to dream about the next big conference. And then it hits. I’ve not only created a false sense of reality I am waiting for the next experience.

REALITY:

The conference life and travel is NOT the real world. It is a job. My life is at home and my joy and satisfaction comes first from my understanding of who Christ is and what he has done. Second, it comes from my loving wife, adorable three boys, and even a naughty dog.
Every time I catch myself being road sick I literally preach the Gospel to myself. I have to remember my priorities and what real living is. Authentic relationships with my family and friends.
Some of you may be reading this and are thinking that this may not apply to you, but it does. When was the last time you found yourself dreaming about that dream job, house, career, or anything that is not your identity in Christ and the joy you get from your family? It’s in these times when you begin to long for something that will not satisfy you. In fact, its a cheap substitute that always leaves you empty apart from the greatness of knowing Christ and being known by him.
Philippians 3:8 [widescreen]

The post Being Road Sick appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/being-road-sick/feed/ 0
My Centrality Leads to Brokenness https://www.joelstravels.com/centrality-leads-brokenness/ https://www.joelstravels.com/centrality-leads-brokenness/#respond Sat, 21 Feb 2015 16:32:21 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=235 I was fifteen years old watching Passion One Day. I had just finished listening to incredible worship with Charlie Hall and Chris Tomlin, and then it was time for the preaching of the Word. In walks an older gentleman in a three piece suit. He was introduced as Dr. John Piper. I thought, time to […]

The post My Centrality Leads to Brokenness appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
I was fifteen years old watching Passion One Day. I had just finished listening to incredible worship with Charlie Hall and Chris Tomlin, and then it was time for the preaching of the Word. In walks an older gentleman in a three piece suit. He was introduced as Dr. John Piper. I thought, time to leave and take a break. By God’s grace I sat through and listened to this amazing man of God preach on the centrality of the Gospel and the supremacy of Christ. The most important question that he asked rings in my head today and I would ask you to consider it now.

Are you more satisfied in Christ when he exalts you, makes much of you, and in your exaltation he is glorified. Or are more satisfied in Christ when he destroys you, breaks you, the world will never know your name, and in that you bring utmost glory to God?

Take a moment and really consider this. It’s a question I ask of myself continuously and it is a sobering reminder of my pride. I am reminded that there is a part of me that attempts to dethrone the creator of the universe and replace His centrality with my own. Yet, the honest truth is that when we attempt to become central in all things it only yields to utter brokenness. We are not capable in the slightest to fix ourselves, our families, our world, or our culture. And the fact that our behavior proves that we think we can is evidence of our pride and our lack of understanding the greatness and majesty of God. There is no need to turn any further than the very first sentences of Genesis 1.

In. The. Beginning. God.

Prior to all created things, existence, nature, matter, there was God. And God in the beginning God initiated an action, he created through his breath and His Word, all things to come into existences (John 1, Col 1:15-20). Therefore, the center piece and focal point of all creation and history is contingent upon God. He is preeminent in all things and our right understanding of who He is and what He has done shifts our perspective of ourselves and our capabilities.

Take a moment to meditate on these scriptures:

John 1:1 [widescreen]

Colossians 1:16 [widescreen]

While my centrality leads to utter brokenness and failure, the centrality of Christ leads to salvation, freedom, and true liberation.


While my centrality leads to utter brokenness and failure, the centrality of Christ leads to…
Click To Tweet


The post My Centrality Leads to Brokenness appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/centrality-leads-brokenness/feed/ 0
What Can 50 Shades Teach Us? https://www.joelstravels.com/can-50-shades-teach-us/ https://www.joelstravels.com/can-50-shades-teach-us/#respond Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:40:26 +0000 http://www.joelstravels.com/?p=224 Answer: That our culture, society, and world is in desperate need of Jesus. First, if you want to read a great post about 50 shades here are two that I would recommend Kevin DeYoungs Post – Gospel Coalition Nitty Gritty Love Now, an encouragement and word of caution. In all honesty I don’t know how […]

The post What Can 50 Shades Teach Us? appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
50 Shades

Answer: That our culture, society, and world is in desperate need of Jesus.

First, if you want to read a great post about 50 shades here are two that I would recommend

Kevin DeYoungs Post – Gospel Coalition

Nitty Gritty Love

Now, an encouragement and word of caution. In all honesty I don’t know how much mental focus and time 50 shades deserves. Actually, I do..not much. There are certain things that our culture produces that we need to simply reject. 50 shades is one of those things. It is not helpful, meaningful, nor does it provide any benefit for us or our society at large.

However, 50 shades can teach us something. It can teach us what our society and culture is longing for. The underlying themes and motives for the fanaticism around this book/movie seem to be a desire to find a sense of freedom, liberation (sexual, emotional, relational), and ultimately a desire to be wanted uniquely and intimately. I can think of no other message than the Gospel for these needs. The fact is true freedom and liberation is found when we submit ourselves to the perfect kingship of Jesus. The sacrifice of Christ was great and His work in rescuing us from sin and death was final. Colossians 1:13-14 explains what took place on our behalf for the glory of Christ.

Colossians 1:13–14 [widescreen]

Finally, lets spend less time talking about this book/movie and more time figuring out how we can engage this dark world with the message of the Gospel. Here is one practical thing I plan on doing.

  • I have three sons. I want to model to them what it looks like to be Godly men. My aunt Michelle wrote a post I referred to earlier. In it she says that girls seem to want Mr. Grey’s not Mr. Darcy’s in todays culture. I’m planning on raising 3 Mr. Darcy’s #TeamDarcy. But really, I want to raise three boys that grow up to be men of God and reflect the character and nature of Jesus. None of which is embodied in Mr. Grey.

Now, what can you do?

The post What Can 50 Shades Teach Us? appeared first on Joel's Travels.

]]>
https://www.joelstravels.com/can-50-shades-teach-us/feed/ 0