10+ favorite books

My friend, Sarah Sumner, just e-mailed me asking: "What are your 10 favorite books? I'm developing a 'Read before you die' list for myself."

Sooo, here's my best attempt (in random order) . . .

*Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

*Everything by C. S. Lewis

*The Bridge To Terabithia by Katharine Patterson

*To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

*Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

*The Bridge Across Forever by Richard Bach

*The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck

*The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

*Watership Down by Richard Adams

*The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien

*Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

*The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

*The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

*Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

Okay, a few more than 10 and done very quickly.

Now, what are the best books you've ever read?

Hearing from God

When I'm not sure I'm hearing the voice of God or just had bad pizza the night before . . .

1. Continue to pray and listen. When it is a significant decision I include fasting (typically from 1 to 3 days).

2. Make sure everything is in line with the Bible. The Holy Spirit will NEVER contradict God's Word.

3. Ask people I trust to pray and fast with me. There is wisdom in many counselors.

4. If hearing from God effects others than myself I always involve people that I know are Godly to help me discern God's will.

Filled

I have a confession to make: I have grown up a bit "Spirit-phobic."

My church background and seminary training both taught me that the Holy Spirit no longer works the same way he did in the Book of Acts (the cessationist view). That if people were taught about the full empowerment of the Holy Spirit then pretty soon they would be barking in our church services and chewing on the carpet--of which I want no part.

Sooo, I've done a pretty poor job over the years of teaching about the third person in the Trinity. BUT, this weekend we're beginning a new teaching series called Filled. Yes, filled with the Holy Spirit.

I would love to hear from you . . . What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit?

Prone to wander

We're probably all familiar with some type of image of a shepherd carrying a sheep around his shoulders. The truth is that it is not an uncommon way for a Bedouin shepherd to carry one of his flock.

But the image has a deeper meaning . . .

I was in Bethlehem at the traditional site where the angels would have appeared to the shepherd announcing the birth of the Messiah. Our local guide shared with us some very meaningful knowledge about the normal practices of the shepherds. In particular about why a shepherd would carry a sheep on his shoulders.

Lambs are prone to wander--to wander away from the flock--to wander away from the safe care of their shepherd. Because the shepherd cares deeply for his flock, when he finds a wandering lamb he intentionally breaks one of its legs. Then, for the next six months, the shepherd carries the lamb on his shoulders while the break heals. During this time of healing a deep bond is formed between the shepherd and his wandering lamb. The lamb becomes intimately aware of the voice of the shepherd. By the end of six weeks the lamb is very unlikely to wander into danger ever again.

Having traversed the rugged hillsides in the wilderness of Israel I gained a greater respect for the shepherds and their care for their sheep. I had to wonder if a shepherd might think, "Not again. Now I have to carry this animal on my shoulders for six weeks!"

If a shepherd didn't highly value a lamb I doubt if he would go through the personal agony of breaking its leg and then lugging it around for a month and a half.

I wonder how many times Jesus, as my Shepherd, has had to do the same with me? I am prone to wander.

Lessons from Israel

I'm still processing my pilgrimmage to Israel. In fact, I'm sure I will still be processing for weeks and months to come. But, here are some lessons I've learned so far . . .

1. I cannot fully understand the teachings of Jesus without knowledge of the geography of Israel.

For example--when Jesus (in the Sermon on the Mount) told his hearers that they must "love their enemies," he was speaking from a hillside that would have directly overlooked the city of Tiberias less than three miles away. Tiberias was a Roman city. A city which housed the Roman military. The Roman military that was oppressing the Jewish people. The Roman military that was the bitter enemy of the Jew. When Jesus said, "You must love your enemy," it was nothing short of revolutionary with the enemy in sight.

2. I cannot fully understand the teachings of Jesus without understanding the Jewish religious system.

For example--Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi . . . a highly esteemed position of learning. For Jesus to undercut (undercut is too gentle a term). For Jesus to provoke, attack, dismantle the religious leaders of his day was to sign his own death warrant. A fact I am sure of which he was aware.

3. I cannot fully understand the teachings of Jesus without understanding the culture of the Jewish people.

For example--When Jesus spoke of a sheep knowing the voice of its shepherd, he knew the culture and responsibilities of a shepherd. If a sheep was prone to wander away from the flock the shepherd would break one of the sheep's legs. The shepherd would then carry the sheep over his own shoulders for the next six weeks until the leg was healed. At the end of the six weeks there would be a deep bond between the shepherd and the sheep which had been carried. The sheep would know the voice of the shepherd. Most often, the sheep would never wander again.

Jesus was Jewish . . .

For now

I am sitting in an internet cafe in Old Jerusalem drinking a Turkish coffee. This is my third day in this amazing city.

I have enjoyed many cross-cultural opportunities and this one certainly ranks as one of the most intense. 35,000 people live within the city walls encompassing 6 tenths of a square mile. The city is divided into four quarters--the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Arminian. All are getting along reasonably well . . . for now.

This morning we walked the 14 stations of the cross ending at the empty tomb of Jesus. It was a very meaningful experience. This evening we will watch the Sabbath come in at the Wailing Wall.

To walk where Jesus walked is difficult to get my arms around. I'm trying to let it all flow over me and into me. It will be interesting to see what difference a pilgrimmage of this magnitude makes in the long run.

For now, I will simply let my heart be filled, my eyes be opened, my mind be renewed.

USA Mary

Israel is one of the only countries to which I have traveled where I actually resemble the local ethnicity--which can be a bit challenging. Everyone assumes I speak Hebrew and Aramaic. I say the only word I know, "shalom," smile and keep on walking.

Yesterday we visited the Church of the Annunciation. It is the traditional site of Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah. One of the really cool aspects of the church was the 50+ mosaics around the walls depicting Mary and the baby Jesus in the ethnicity 50+ different countries. Japan, Thailand, Guatemala, India, etc. The depiction of Mary from the USA was inside the church. It was nothing short of imposing. Unfortunately, USA Mary looked angry and aggressive in all of her glory. AND, no Jesus in the picture. Hmmm.

Today, on our free day, three of us rented a car and drove up Mount Tabor (the traditional site of the transfiguration when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus). I have always wondered if the other disciples were jealous of Peter, James and John when they got to go up the Mount with Jesus. Now I'm not so sure. The climb was a seriously long one up the side of a small mountain. Now I wonder if the other disciples were relieved that they didn't have to make the arduous journey.

Tomorrow we leave Galilee and head to Jerusalem . . .