A Dime A Dozen - Vision

"Visions are born in the soul of a man or woman who is consumed with the tension between what is and what should be."

If this definition of vision is in the ballpark, then I have tons of it. However, I seem to lack the ability to either step out in faith or cultivate direction in which to push forth vision. Throw on top of that the issue that every single person is viewing the world through different eyes (essentially their "vision") and that getting people to latch on to your "eyes" is a tough sell...

One might envision reaching the streets of Phoenix. One might want to pioneer into inner city Providence. A person might feel the call for the election of someone other than McCain or Obama. A Progressive might try to make poverty a bigger issue than it is. Someone has a vision to reach the Middle East for Jesus. Another envisions a socialist America.

This generation, the postmodern generation, in which I am especially connected to, has no lack in vision. What they lack, what I lack, is the means to make the vision happen. I have a bunch of different causes...many of those seen above...so one day I feel like I need to proclaim the Revolutionary Way of Jesus, His egalitarianism, His love for the poor...other days I want to take it to Washington! Then some days I want to sit with Muslims in a far off land and hear their story..then I also have times of heartache for my brothers and sisters doing ministry right here at home who need community, teammates.

So this "vision" can pull me in so many directions that what ends up happening is that I have ultimately no vision! Amazing how that works!!

Oh God, cast my vision, let it be one with Yours. Direct my paths, lead me in the Way.

Hypocrisy Defined

John McCain, " Wall Street is greedy, and full of corrupt excess....."

This is coming form a guy who owns 7 houses.

Judah John Walsh - 08.21.08

A New Life

Parenting

This week I am speaking on parenting at my church. Having been through an adoption, passing of my father, divorce, and meeting my birth parents, I feel like I am tackling an issue that is important to my heart and to who I am, but also an issue that is hard….

It’s hard to ever really know if you have fully comprehended in your heart major trials and tribulations that happen in your life. I mean, I believe that I have gotten past these hard issues because of Jesus and time, but can you ever really know? I also believe that I have conquered my addiction to gambling through the Spirit, but every time I see a casino that thrilling sensation comes back…but, I just push it aside. Recently, the wifey and I went to the Jersey shore which was literally blocks away from Atlantic City. The casinos loomed large over the city and were never outta my line of sight. The urge to sit down at a table, or bet on the NBA playoffs came rushing back. I would say, no. I have a wife, a kid on the way now, and am a 30 year old adult..In my mind, I told myself, “grow up!!” Then, I would quickly think of something else, but inevitably my flesh would drift back as soon as I lost focus. By God’s grace I didn’t place a bet that weekend, and I have been gamble-free for a while now…but I know this is something I will always struggle with, at least for the foreseeable future…so back to my childhood. If gambling is till in battle between the world/flesh/Satan and the Spirit, how much more would my childhood identity issues?!?!?!? After all, my childhood is much more inherent to who I am. I then contemplate if I really have gained victory over this as well.

Maybe I will never know the answer. I do know one thing: because of my childhood I have always had this insatiable desire to be a good father. I believe this is one way God has redeemed me here on earth from this checkered past. I do know that full redemption, which I am looking forward to, will happen when I take my last breath, but also believe God intends to partially redeem my life story by being a father.

So, this Sunday I will be speaking on parenting. I have been studying a lot recently about parenting. I have talked to many Believers about the subject to further my understanding, have poured over the Scriptures, and listened to my Spirit….and it makes me think….you know, I love the way God works sometimes…he takes fishermen to be His disciples, reaches out to the outcasts of society, touches lepers, eats with heathens, makes covenants with sinners, rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, and has Grant Walsh give a sermon on parenting….God, you are amazing.

Turning 30 (and there's nothing I can do about it)

I'm turning 30 this week. The anticipation of this day has loomed large over me for a while now. It probably started back when I was 26, passing the big two five and on towards the big three oh. God has wired me as a person who reminisces much, and contemplates the past often. I like to see where God has taken me, where He is now in my life, and where He is going with me. But I have to admit, I have feared this day for a while. 30. 30 is a big milestone. Other milestones (in no particular order) include your first day of school, first day of high school, 16, 18, high school graduation, first day of college, 21, college graduation, 25, marriage, becoming a Follower (not just a Believer), and alas….30. I can say I have lived a full 30 years thus far. I can also say that many of those years were not living for God and done in vain. I only can thank Him and praise Him that He did not leave me dead to my sin, but that He redeemed and adopted me into His Family.

I feel like an adult now (and I am not sure how I feel about that..). And of course, one could say that adulthood happens at 18 or something, but I am talking about REAL adulthood. Maybe I was an adult at, say, 24, but only insomuch as I made decisions for myself, but I was still learning about myself. Although I do not believe learning about oneself is ever over, I do feel that I have a good, core understanding of my gifts, failings, and identity. Being a husband and a soon to be father only expounds the issue.

They say that life truly begins after 30. Should I believe them? When I was younger I knew it all, and they said I didn’t know it all..they were right. When I was younger I said I wanted to be rich, they told me that riches weren’t everything (or anything)…they were right. When I was younger and had my life all planned out, they told me “you never know”…they were right. But what about life beginning at 30, are they right about that? Well, if life truly begins at 30 then I am in for a heck of a ride. Because I liked my younger days, and they were definitely filled. Would I have changed a lot? Probably. But as THEY say, those events shaped me into the person I am today.

So, 30 here I come. But I will still look back. Back to high school football games, 3-on-3 basketball tournaments (in which my missed 15-foot jumper is still stuck in my head), summer camps, choir tours, Argentina, the Group, “I Got Five On It”, proms, car accidents, chromies, Independence Day, Taco Bell (every day), Wednesday nights, Ben/Julie/Kulia, arguing over sports teams (Go Devils, Cowboys, Cubs, and Wolves), Les/Tyler/James Mc/Lynch/Tiwa, The SCR, bouncing, Vegas, Conversion, Seminary, overseas/over there, my supporters, finding Sweet Baby, marriage, the baby….Yes, I will still look back. But I try not to look with a gazing eye, wishing for those times again because they were so good (who can argue that life revolving around Taco Bell, hanging with friends, not needing to make money, etc isn’t good??!??!…). But rather I will use those memories to reflect on the journey God has me on, what His purpose was in that, and how to learn from it….

My journey has reached 30. Thank you Lord.

Spirit vs. Flesh: Spiritual Gifts

Lately, addressing the issue of spiritual gifts has come up in my life. I can say that although I periodically have theological shifts, evangelism theory shifts, and callings, I have noticed that my spiritual gifts have remained constant, only changing in how I administer them.

One spiritual gift that I have that is not specifically laid out in Scripture is: encouragement. I have felt the Lord use this many times in my life and as I interact with others. I have come to see that this gift of encouragement generally comes from my overly optimistic view of life and of others. I have finally realized that this gift manifests itself in the Biblical gift of: exhortation. Exhorting can be both for admonishment and encouragement; for building up or confronting. Life has been a fascinating journey with this gift.

I would generally say that exhortation is my main gift, the one I am most comfortable with, the one that come naturally. Other gifts that I use here and there include: discernment (which can go hand in hand with exhortation) and shepherding.

Recently I have been enlightened about the severe nature of spiritual gifts. I hope that you who reads this will ponder and think about what I am about to say if you haven’t already…but, I am guessing you have all have thought about it before, and thus I pray this serves as a reminder of the battle between Spirit and flesh.

I remember recently times when I was exhorting. I was talking about the Scriptural example of Economical Jubilee. I went round and round with this guy, sometimes coming to agreement, sometimes not. In another example, I can remember exhorting a loved one to godly living. I have also exhorted Christian leadership back to a life of prayer. The list can go on and on. As I reflected back on these instances where I think I was using my spiritual gifts, what I realized is that I often slipped into the flesh when exhorting. I ended up sinning as a result of trying to administer a spiritual gift! This confounded me! I then began to realize that there is a fine line to administering our spiritual gifts for God’s glory, or Satan’s. I have learned a hard lesson. I have learned that if I do things without love, the Spirit, grace, mercy, the fruits of the Spirit, then even when I think I am using the gifts God gave me, I am actually denying Him, being self serving, and sinning because I am doing them in the flesh.

So, I can either exhort someone in love and Spirit to follow God, or exhort in judgment and sin of the flesh.

I can either discern the path of Truth thru the Spirit, or lead astray in the flesh.

I can either shepherd in humility and meekness of the Spirit, or in the self-righteousness of the flesh.

God help me to overcome myself and administer gifts from your Spirit of love and give me eyes, wisdom, and a oneness of your Spirit to know when I am slipping into my sinning flesh.