Jonathan Edwards – Joel's Travels

3 Important Lessons I Learned in 2014

Joel Muddamalle — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 23:39:43 +0000

As the hours go by we are getting closer to the beginning of 2015. It is typically in these moments that many of us are reflecting on important events, moments, and lessons learned in the past year. I’ve always loved history and I am strong advocate of studying history in order to ensure that we don’t make the same mistakes of those that came before us. The same principle applies to reflecting on our own history in order to learn from and avoid making the same mistakes. So here are three important lessons that I learned this past year.

1. Time management is more important than we think

As you’ve read before on this blog I’ve done over 150,000 miles of air travel. Life has gotten more busy, there are more conferences than I could ever imagine, my kids are getting older and seemingly growing up in front of my eyes. This year I’ve learned the importance of time management. I’ve also learned the importance of being effective and efficient. Things that I wish were taught in more detail in school. Building effective time management skills will pay dividends to you in every area of your life. Its important, and something that I wish I learned and valued earlier on in life. Today, the most important area of my life is being a husband and dad. Learning to intentionally prioritize and be there for my family is of utmost importance, especially since I travel so much for work. You can read more about how I pursue this here.

If you want to read a great gospel centered book on being effective and efficient I recommend “Whats Best Next” by Matt Pearman. This book has been a lifesaver for me this year on so many levels!

2. Be the light and defend the light

I recently read a quote by a well known pastor that said, “our job is not to defend the light but to let the light shine through us”. I understand what he is trying to say but I believe the implications of this type of evangelism are detrimental to the believer. It is our responsibility to both BE the light AND defend the light. Using our mind in the defense of the gospel while living the gospel is always the most effective method of evangelism.

Using our mind in the defense of the gospel while living the gospel is always the most effective…
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I’ve seen this play out every time I am in an airport, shuttle, hotel room lobby, or restaurants eating. It is a given that I should treat those that I meet in a christlike manner. But more important, is for me to verbalize and clearly communicate the gospel to them. Lets not assume gospel, but be intentional to communicate it. An easy way to engage our culture with the gospel is to leverage what is happening in our culture. Recently, I wrote a post about Exodus: Gods and Kings. I was a little “edgy” with the title of the post and called it “Why I love Exodus: Gods and Kings“. Let me put it plainly for those that may have been upset with that title and didn’t take the time to read the post. The reason why I love the movie is not because of the movie but because of the opportunity the movie provides for us to engage our community with the Gospel. One critic commented and said, “why would we want hollywood telling the story of the Bible?”. I think the bigger question is why don’t Christians have non believer friends in their life so they can both be Christ and communicate the truth of the gospel to them? You can read the post here.

3. Don’t stop learning

One of the things that I love about working for Faithlife is the emphasis that is placed on ongoing education. Every year we have a program where employees are encouraged to read books that deal with their area work and we get paid for each page that we read. 2014 has been filled with reading for me. I find my self getting sucked into books and “binge” reading. I love focusing on different categories and genres of literature. Here are the categories and books that I’ve read this year (not including books I’ve read for seminary).

Theology – Desiring God, To Live is Christ, Religious Affections, Edwards on Beauty, Authentic Christianity, Recovering Redemption, Spectacular Sins.
Fiction – Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit, Chronicles of Narnia, Game of Thrones (books 1-3)
Biography – Bonhoeffer, 7 Men, Phil Jackson: Eleven Rings

2015, see ya soon!

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4 Ways My Affections For God Were Stirred Through Lucas’ Birth

Joel Muddamalle — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 02:43:14 +0000

It feels like it was just yesterday that I was in a hospital in Roseville, CA waiting for my first son Liam to be born. Fast forward four years and I found myself in a hospital in Bellingham, WA on December 2nd at 8pm waiting for my third son Lucas. And then he came. My wife is incredible. As I learned early on, she is not the norm in terms of child birth. Actually, her first doctor in Roseville said that she was designed to have babies. Brittany’s active labor’s have all been under 10 minutes. This recent one was 7 minutes.

I have been contemplating what occurred in those seven minutes, and found that at the end, in the beginning, and during, my affections for God were stirred. When I say that I mean, I found myself in awe and wonder of God through the process of Lucas coming into this world. Lucas’ birth did following within me:

1. It magnified the creative brilliance of God

It literally blows my mind to consider that two people can come together to produce life. Even more incredible, is that our ability to produce life is predicated on the creative brilliance of God to create us in a way to allow this. Often times we are short sited in our perspective of the incredible. Its incredible that Brittany and I could produce life, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. The real magnificence is the one who designed humanity. From conception, 39 weeks of pregnancy, labor, and finally the entrance of Lucas, I can’t begin to imagine that this was not with design. That by chance molecules, genetics, and DNA all came together to allow child birth doesn’t really make sense. Rather, we are forced to consider that there was a master creator that designed all this to work in such a perfect way to allow life come into existence. And it leaves us with a sense of appreciation for the creative brilliance of this creator. Its in these moments that we can relate with the psalmists as they declare

Psalm 8:3-4

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Psalm 33:6-9

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host
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.

⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
he puts the deeps in storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

The creative brilliance of God is constantly on display throughout all of creation. Next time you walk outside take a moment to enjoy the experience. If you are in Chicago in the bitter cold and snow, appreciate the concept of snow, and how cold the environment needs to get to sustain snow. Even, better, have hope for the fading of snow and when the sun shine and warmth returns. Jonathan Edwards was famous for scheduling times in the day to go on walks and horse back riding. These times were devoted to enjoying the beauty around him and to be reminded of the grandeur of God and his creative work.

2. It stirs the affections of human wonder of God

My affection for God were stirred. When I say affections I mean a multitude of emotions. My love, sheer awe, wonder, fear, reverence, respect and so much more. Some of you may find it strange that I include fear in my list. However, it seems right to be in holy fear and reverence of the one who is able to speak existence into being and fashioned man kind in His own likeness and image.

It is not possible to experience the creative brilliance of God at work and NOT be moved
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As my affections are stirred I am reminded of the goodness of God. This remembrance causes me to worship and bring to recollection the goodness of God in all of life. It also causes me to have right perspective of our God. I am reminded of the line in the C.S Lewis novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as the children begin to learn the character and nature of Aslan. The kids did not have a full perspective of who Aslan really was. And when they considered him to be “safe” Mr. Beaver responds,

““Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

C.S Lewis masterfully captures the tension that lies in the goodness of God and his “otherness”. At times we only look at a specific attribute of God and view that as who He is in totality. But God is much more complex. As my affections for God lead to worship, it becomes clear that we need a full perspective of the greatness of God which results in a multitude of emotions (awe, wonder, fear, amazement) as we enter into worship of who He is.

Ready for the next 2 ways? Be on the look out for the next post!

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