the uncommon life

James 1:25

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

It is tragic (and probably partially causal) that calling people to be hearer's and doer's of Jesus' Word has become a cliche in our generation. I caught myself the other day apologizing for saying, "...the Bible says..." because I could see the semi blank stare (and eye rolling) of the people (Christians) I was talking to. Afterward I began reflecting on a couple things that stood out to me in our conversation...

First, I was struck by the fact that it seems today that we are so often inclined to talk about the latest great book or idea BUT wary of going to the Bible for the exact same idea. And the same could be said for any number of spiritual disciplines or "habits". I guess it is because they seem to have become common to us.

Second, I was embarrassed (and angry at myself) that I had apologized for using the Bible to support a relevant idea. I was embarrassed because I felt myself giving in to what is truly common... and becoming like everyone else. This got me thinking about a quote I had written down several months before from A.T. Pierson's biography of George Muller called, George Muller: All Things Are Possible:

The most intimate knowledge of God is possible on one condition - that we search His Holy Scriptures, prayerfully and habitually, and translate what we find there into obedience. (pg 50)

Men like Muller lived lives that were marked with a different set of convictions, a different set of values, and that resulted in strange uncommon habits and priorities. They were driven by a focus on Jesus, generous to a fault, surrounded by simple men and women (like them) building a simple kind of church. They fought with passion for a holy life and often fell on their faces in humble prayer and intercession... and they read their Bibles... oh did they read... over and over... front to back... on their knees... through tears... and with many prayers. That my friends today is uncommon. It would seem that if we are to live the life that follows Jesus whole heartedly we will find that we are in a different sort of company... uncommon not just in the world we share but in the faith we profess.

Lord... I want to be uncommon. Strengthen my "hind feet". Prepare me for battle. And give me courage to live and speak for you any time, any place, at any cost. Amen.

Strange pictures...

For any of you who may have seen some strange pictures on my blog recently...
I am sorry!
I had an auto flicker going with the key word sun rise...
Apparently that means different things to different people!
My face is a little red right now...

faith

Matthew 17:18-20

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

My family has walked through a lot this past year... as have many of you who read this BLOG (all three of you ;) ). After a while you begin to ask yourself the "faith" questions... why won't these mountains move? ...where did all these mountains come from in the first place? ...what's the matter with me? ...what's the matter with my faith? You begin to wonder why, if only a small amount of faith is needed to move mountains, do I seem so unable to even open a door?

Many of us have been in situations where we HAVE believed God and found ourselves in the strange place of actually seeing what we believed Him for materialize in front of us - as this man's sons healing did. It is amazing. It can take your breath away... praise God for those moments.

BUT

Many more of us have found ourselves in that place of believing God for something that did not materialize. We are left standing at a closed door. We know the "right" answer... that God's answer is always right (which I believe to be true) but we can't seem to reconcile these types of verses with our realities. We may have even found ourselves hearing (in our head OR in our ears) the voice of doubt or shame... "obviously we don't have enough faith". Hmmm.

One thing I know "for sure" is that I don't have enough faith. I don't believe enough. The disciples didn't have enough (Luke 17:5-6) and they walked around with Jesus right in front of them. Enough... what does that even mean? As if there was some magical quantity that gives you some sort of super power to do whatever you want... for Jesus of course.

BUT

I want to...

I want to be able to move these mountains AND I know that God can... I wonder, is that faith?

A "wee" update from the McDonald clan

I thought I might include a recent email we sent out to our prayer support team updating what is going on in the McDonald house hold as of late!

Hi everyone,

WOW is time flying by... we move in less than 2 months and there seems to still be so much to do. It has been way to long in writing this email but we have had the privilege over these past many weeks of hosting close friends (while Tim traveled to India with The Berean Way), Britany's mum and sisters and traveling to South Africa ourselves for a Nieucommunities conference. We have been very busy.

In the midst of all this Britany went back to the hospital for a day of "final" tests... at least that is what we thought. They did an ultrasound on her heart and were not happy with what they saw. They are not sure BUT seem to have found a valve in her heart that is leaking and want Britany to come back for more tests. So, on May 8th, Britany will return to the hospital for more tests on her heart (including a heart echo - which will include putting a tube down her throat). Britany is not very excited for that test but we are thankful that they have been so thorough and we feel blessed to have walked this journey with the same doctors. Our prayer is that we would have the results WELL before we are to leave. But, this has created a new set of questions as to whether we should be leaving in the midst of these tests or not? Our thoughts are no (in light of seeing the tests and treatment all the way through), but our tickets home say yes! We believe that God will provide the perfect path for us AND we will follow it. Britany was hesitant about us even writing about these tests because it feels like it never ends with us... BUT we know how much we are going to need you all and your prayers now and in the months ahead.

Another area we could sure use prayer for is with our finances. We have amazing supporters and have never gone for want... God is our provider! We will write more in our next letter (coming soon) but through a series of different and difficult circumstances we have had a significant drop (%35) in monthly support. There are many things before us (Britany's health, our family move, new ministry role, etc.) but this was not an issue we thought we were going to need to deal with. So, our prayer is that God will use this as a reminder of our total dependence on Him - a path we have walked down numerous times over these last years (like when we moved over to Scotland in the fist place). We know that our mighty God is faithful.

Thank you once again for continuing this journey with us... you all are a gift to us.

God bless you all as you live life where God as placed you,
The McDonald Clan

Found this little plaque...

on my recent travels... made me think about my BLOG.

Been busy with friends, family and God... but I think I'm back.

:)

the weight

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

the weight

to lose oneself under the weight...
to wane...
to fade...
to dissipate...

to become less and then made more,
to be raised and then to soar.

timothy mark mcdonald

"The Peril of Prayer" 2

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

I've always struggled with knowing how to balance a hidden life of prayer with a community life of prayer. Some of the most powerful times of prayer I have been a part of have been with a few of my closest friends on a poorly carpeted floor around a couple candles. It seems that God's presence is increased in some special way "when two or three are gathered" in His name. And if you consider the idea that I mentioned in my last post - that it is as possible to dishonor God alone in prayer as it is with a group - it gets even more complicated. How are we to pray in ways that make much of God and less of us? How are we to pray NOT like the hypocrites but LIKE the tax collector?

It would seem that the real issue is not one of place - though that can definitely help and is an essential part of a Christ followers journey - but more one of heart... what is the status of your heart as you pray?

Which is a complicated question for sinners like us.

Tozer's thoughts from "Keys to The Deeper Life" are:

"What then shall we do?
We must deny self, take up the cross and count ourselves expendable.
We must cease to exercise the world's judgments and try to think God's thoughts after Him.
We must reckon ourselves dead to gain and glory and allow ourselves to become inextricably involved with the cross of Christ and the high honor of God." pg66

Simple enough...

;)

but what does that look like?

"The Peril of Prayer"

Matthew 6:5

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Recently I read an incredibly potent little book by A.W. Tozer called "Keys to The Deeper Life". More of a collection of thoughts, it is filled with amazing (and challenging) quotes and ideas. One idea specifically was in the area of prayer:

"Nothing is so vital as prayer, yet a reputation for being a mighty prayer warrior is probably the most perilous of all reputations to have. No selfishness is so deeply and dangerously sinful as that which glories in being a man of prayer. It comes near to being self-worship; and that while in the very act of worshiping God." pg65

Oh the hidden dangers of "being spiritual".

The truth is... I love to pray. By myself walking down the street, on the floor of my bedroom, in the morning with a couple of my closest friends, before a service at RE:hope... or lying beside my wife just before we go to sleep. BUT, I know this danger that Tozer refers to well. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about what I think others will find interesting as I pray OR I hear the phrase "I echo my brothers prayers..." and a little pride seeps in OR (if it wasn't my prayer) I think about why my prayers were just as valuable as "my brothers" OR (and this is probably the most dangerous) I think about what I think God wants to hear... hmm... how do you spiritually "butter up" an all knowing completely majestic Lord of the universe?

The REAL truth is that there is a part of me that wants to be known as a "mighty prayer warrior"... a part of me that wants to look more worthy than I could ever be... a part of me that wants to hear "well done" not JUST from my Father in heaven, but from my brothers and sisters in Christ... a part of me wants... to steal... just a little... wee bit... of glory... for myself.

I know... I'm a sinner.

But the problem is... I want my reward - the promised one from that passage in Matthew 6 - and glory seems as good a reward as any. And I want it today, on my terms with payment in full in the here and now... did I mention that I am a sinner.

Fortunately, the Bible (and Tozer) has some thoughts on this very situation.