Recently I heard a sermon where the pastor encouraged his congregation to hold on to God. At first, I didn’t really know how to process this idea; my mind went to the Biblical instances that taught seemingly the exact opposite: that it is God who holds on to us. To cite just one Biblical example, in Psalm 73, the Psalmist says these words to God: “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand” (verse 23).
God does hold us, and I firmly believe that He will never, ever let us go. But, interestingly enough, the Bible also encourages us to hold on to God as well. I want to be clear here: this is not a contradiction. This is essentially two sides of the same coin. Let me paint two scenes that will help illustrate my point.
Scene #1: Picture a parent who is with their young child at a mall, or some other crowded venue. The parent is holding the child's arm tightly, but the child isn’t staying close to the parent. The child wants to run off and see all of the attractions. The grip of the parent remains tight and secure, but he has to occasionally pull the child closer to him, so that he or she won’t get lost in the crowd. The parent does this out of love, of course, so the child will remain safe and protected from roaming the busy mall all alone.
Scene #2: Picture a boyfriend with his girlfriend (or a husband and wife) in a mall. The two are walking through the attractions and they are holding hands. They are walking together, simply enjoying being with each other and spending time together. There’s no reason for one to yank on the other to stay close; this couple is in love and they want to be close to one another.
These scenes show that God is holding my hand, and also the way I hold on to Him. In scene #1, God’s grip is tight and constant, but my grip, for all intents and purposes, is absent. In scene #2, God’s grip is tight, but I’m holding tightly on to Him as well. Boiled down its essence, the main difference between these two scenes is the closeness I have with God.
The Bible says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). It is a compelling thought to daily choose to say to God, “Lord, I want to hold on to You today. I want to be close to You. I want to be like that couple in the mall, holding hands, simply enjoying a close, loving companionship with each other.”
Let me be candid with you. As I continue to process this subject matter, I must admit that I get a little overwhelmed by this whole idea. You see, too often in my life, I’m like that child in scene #1. God’s hand tightly grips mine, but I’m far more interested in checking out all the attractions, and He has to gently pull on me to get closer to Him. Why is this? Because my heart really is, as the old hymn puts it, "Prone to wander." I want to be close to God; I want to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him, but I also know how sinful and fickle my really heart is. Perhaps you can relate!
Therefore, it is important for us to be reminded that it is unrealistic to declare that will never again veer away from God. There will be both good days and bad days in this venture, and no one will live this out perfectly. It is not possible to live a life of sinless perfection. But, at the same time, it is a worthy aspiration to desire to walk closer with God and we shouldn’t allow the fact that we will occasionally fail in this goal to stop us from trying altogether. That would be a tragic mistake.
Kevin
Friday, June 27, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Checking in with the Batman/Superman movie
I’ve previously blogged about the Batman/Superman movie that is supposed to be coming out in 2016. Apparently the official title is “Batman Vs. Superman: The Dawn of Justice.” This is a movie that is technically supposed to be a sequel to the movie “Man of Steel” which starred Henry Cavill as Superman. While Cavill is scheduled to return in this film, he will have to share the spotlight with many other new heroes.
You see, they decided to introduce Batman (who will be played by Ben Affleck) in this movie. Then they stated that Wonder Woman was going to be in the film. Of course, what they are trying to do is duplicate Marvel’s success of “The Avengers” and eventually have their own “Justice League” movie, where all of these heroes team up, like "The Avengers" did.
I really haven't been keeping up with the newest developments lately. But just recently they announced that Jason Momoa is going to be playing the role of Aquaman. This goes along with other additions that I hadn’t heard, such as, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. Yes, that right, Cyborg. Because I’m a superhero fan, I know who the character of Cyborg is, but I don’t think the average moviegoer will have the faintest idea who he is.
I’ve mentioned this in this blog before, but I have to say again that I don’t like the direction this movie is taking. I thought from the very beginning that Superman should have his sequel, not have it hijacked by a new Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and of course, Cyborg.
This Batman/Superman movie is trying to introduce too many new characters all at once. There comes a point where a movie has too many characters. Spider-Man 3, for example, was criticized for this; while I’ve actually blogged about the good points of Spider-Man 3, I would have to agree that there were too many characters in that movie.
That’s what this Superman/Batman movie is planning on doing. While I try to be a positive, the glass is half-full kind of guy, I have to be realistic and declare that this Superman movie could easily lead to a box office flop. Don't get me wrong, I certainly hope it doesn’t. I wish this upcoming movie success, but it’s not looking good to me. What Marvel did with "The Avengers" was special, and I don't know if it can be duplicated.
Kevin
You see, they decided to introduce Batman (who will be played by Ben Affleck) in this movie. Then they stated that Wonder Woman was going to be in the film. Of course, what they are trying to do is duplicate Marvel’s success of “The Avengers” and eventually have their own “Justice League” movie, where all of these heroes team up, like "The Avengers" did.
I really haven't been keeping up with the newest developments lately. But just recently they announced that Jason Momoa is going to be playing the role of Aquaman. This goes along with other additions that I hadn’t heard, such as, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. Yes, that right, Cyborg. Because I’m a superhero fan, I know who the character of Cyborg is, but I don’t think the average moviegoer will have the faintest idea who he is.
I’ve mentioned this in this blog before, but I have to say again that I don’t like the direction this movie is taking. I thought from the very beginning that Superman should have his sequel, not have it hijacked by a new Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and of course, Cyborg.
This Batman/Superman movie is trying to introduce too many new characters all at once. There comes a point where a movie has too many characters. Spider-Man 3, for example, was criticized for this; while I’ve actually blogged about the good points of Spider-Man 3, I would have to agree that there were too many characters in that movie.
That’s what this Superman/Batman movie is planning on doing. While I try to be a positive, the glass is half-full kind of guy, I have to be realistic and declare that this Superman movie could easily lead to a box office flop. Don't get me wrong, I certainly hope it doesn’t. I wish this upcoming movie success, but it’s not looking good to me. What Marvel did with "The Avengers" was special, and I don't know if it can be duplicated.
Kevin
Monday, June 23, 2014
Discussing my life verse
Hello everyone. I almost feel like I should apologize, but after another month away from this blog, I’m finally back. I try to post something at a minimum of once a week, but lately that hasn’t worked out too well. Life gets busy, and blogging is put on the backburner. I’ve said this before but I have a friend who will announce, “Look, so and so is alive,” after seeing someone who she hasn’t seen for a long time. So, don’t worry; I’m alive!
Today I want to talk about the idea of a life verse. I first heard about this notion when a pastor named Rick Ferguson asked his congregation, by a show of hands, how many people had a life verse. He went on to explain that he meant by the term “life verse” a Bible verse that has become so important to you that you rehearse it nearly every day of your life. He went on to state that his life verse was John 15:5. Rick went home to be with the Lord in 2002 (wow, has it really been that long?), but he left behind a legacy of love, faithfulness, and a commitment to the truth of the Bible.
Returning to the idea of a life verse, I want to share mine. There are, of course, many verses and passages from the Bible that are vitally important to me, but if I had to choose just one as my life verse, I would say it is Proverbs 3:5. Proverbs 3:5 reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”
There are many things in my life that I don’t understand. Further, there are things that I’ve gone through, seasons of life that I’ve had to endure, that have left me perplexed. For example, I mentioned Pastor Rick Ferguson earlier. Rick was only 46 when he died. He was seemingly in the prime of his life, but a car accident ended his time on this Earth. His death hit his congregation very hard (I know; I was part of that congregation).
That’s just one example of the point I’m trying to make. Consider some other examples that we might go through that leave us confused: you feel you are more than qualified for the promotion at work, but instead it goes to someone else. A friend unexpectedly betrays you. Your good health suddenly fades away. That job search seems to go on and on. Your child inexplicably becomes rebellious and defiant.
What are you tempted to do in these situations? You are tempted to lean on your own understanding. God doesn’t offer explanations, and we shouldn’t expect them. His ways are not our ways, and if He were to explain why He permitted this and that it would be beyond our comprehension anyway. He asks us to simply trust Him.
I don’t know what I would do without my firm assurance that God is worthy of my trust. He is the one who is in charge; He knows exactly what He is doing; His way and plan is best. It is the wisest course of action to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” and to “not lean on your own understanding.”
Kevin
Today I want to talk about the idea of a life verse. I first heard about this notion when a pastor named Rick Ferguson asked his congregation, by a show of hands, how many people had a life verse. He went on to explain that he meant by the term “life verse” a Bible verse that has become so important to you that you rehearse it nearly every day of your life. He went on to state that his life verse was John 15:5. Rick went home to be with the Lord in 2002 (wow, has it really been that long?), but he left behind a legacy of love, faithfulness, and a commitment to the truth of the Bible.
Returning to the idea of a life verse, I want to share mine. There are, of course, many verses and passages from the Bible that are vitally important to me, but if I had to choose just one as my life verse, I would say it is Proverbs 3:5. Proverbs 3:5 reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”
There are many things in my life that I don’t understand. Further, there are things that I’ve gone through, seasons of life that I’ve had to endure, that have left me perplexed. For example, I mentioned Pastor Rick Ferguson earlier. Rick was only 46 when he died. He was seemingly in the prime of his life, but a car accident ended his time on this Earth. His death hit his congregation very hard (I know; I was part of that congregation).
That’s just one example of the point I’m trying to make. Consider some other examples that we might go through that leave us confused: you feel you are more than qualified for the promotion at work, but instead it goes to someone else. A friend unexpectedly betrays you. Your good health suddenly fades away. That job search seems to go on and on. Your child inexplicably becomes rebellious and defiant.
What are you tempted to do in these situations? You are tempted to lean on your own understanding. God doesn’t offer explanations, and we shouldn’t expect them. His ways are not our ways, and if He were to explain why He permitted this and that it would be beyond our comprehension anyway. He asks us to simply trust Him.
I don’t know what I would do without my firm assurance that God is worthy of my trust. He is the one who is in charge; He knows exactly what He is doing; His way and plan is best. It is the wisest course of action to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” and to “not lean on your own understanding.”
Kevin
Monday, May 26, 2014
Heroic servanthood
I’ve used this quote by Arthur Ashe before, but it bears repeating. Ashe said, “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve at whatever cost.”
This past weekend, my brother, Mark, provided an example of heroic servanthood that Ashe is describing. The sink at my house wasn’t draining properly. I’m next to useless when it comes to such projects. My dad is the handyman, so he and I were toying with it, but there came a point where Dad had realized that even he was not going to be able to fix it. Enter my brother, Mark.
On Friday night, Mark was able to pinpoint the problem: there was two decades worth of buildup from the kitchen sink. It was built up in an area that was not slanted in the proper direction, so the drainage had been going uphill, so to speak, for all those years. Because of this, all of the food was getting clogged at that spot. The next day, Saturday, with my brother’s expertise and know-how, the problem was finally resolved.
I am so grateful to my brother for sacrificing his comfort, his time, and his energy to help unclog this problem drainpipe. He certainly didn’t have to do so, but he heroically chose to give of himself. It’s remarkable to me to think about the fact that my brother didn’t take any money for this job, a job that took something like 15 hours to complete. It was Memorial Day weekend; had my brother been busy, I don’t even want to think about how much money a plumber would have charged!
This example I’ve shared is heroism. No, this isn’t giving your life on the battlefield, but this is still heroism, in my book. This is heroism that is "remarkably sober [and] very undramatic" to quote Ashe again. Incidentally, this is not an isolated event. Day in and day out, my brother selflessly serves, protects, and provides for his wife and family.
Kevin
This past weekend, my brother, Mark, provided an example of heroic servanthood that Ashe is describing. The sink at my house wasn’t draining properly. I’m next to useless when it comes to such projects. My dad is the handyman, so he and I were toying with it, but there came a point where Dad had realized that even he was not going to be able to fix it. Enter my brother, Mark.
On Friday night, Mark was able to pinpoint the problem: there was two decades worth of buildup from the kitchen sink. It was built up in an area that was not slanted in the proper direction, so the drainage had been going uphill, so to speak, for all those years. Because of this, all of the food was getting clogged at that spot. The next day, Saturday, with my brother’s expertise and know-how, the problem was finally resolved.
I am so grateful to my brother for sacrificing his comfort, his time, and his energy to help unclog this problem drainpipe. He certainly didn’t have to do so, but he heroically chose to give of himself. It’s remarkable to me to think about the fact that my brother didn’t take any money for this job, a job that took something like 15 hours to complete. It was Memorial Day weekend; had my brother been busy, I don’t even want to think about how much money a plumber would have charged!
This example I’ve shared is heroism. No, this isn’t giving your life on the battlefield, but this is still heroism, in my book. This is heroism that is "remarkably sober [and] very undramatic" to quote Ashe again. Incidentally, this is not an isolated event. Day in and day out, my brother selflessly serves, protects, and provides for his wife and family.
Kevin
"Everybody loves a hero"
Even though the Spider-Man franchise has been rebooted with Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and company, I must admit that the previous Spider-Man series with Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man and Sam Raimi as director will always be the Spider-Man franchise that is my favorite.
There’s a marvelous scene from the movie Spider-Man 2 that recently came to my mind. I was recalling a touching moment between Aunt May and Peter as she eloquently speaks to Peter about the virtue of heroism. This is a topic that everyone should be thinking about on this special day that we honor the memory of our fallen heroes.
Let me give you the context of the scene of the film. Peter Parker is fed up with being Spider-Man. He sees it as a thankless chore. He announces: “I’m Spider-Man no more” and throws his Spider-Man suit into a dumpster. It's not clearly stated how much time passes, but crime steadily begins to go up in New York in Spider-Man's absence. Peter feels torn between his responsibility and his desire to live a normal life.
Peter decides to go visit to his Aunt May. He discovers that May is moving and that Henry, a young boy from across the street, is helping her. In the course of their conversation, Aunt May says that Henry misses Spider-Man; and that he eventually wants to be Spider-Man himself. Peter asks her why. Here are her words in reply:
“He knows a hero when he sees one. [There are] too few characters out there flying around like that saving old girls like me. Lord knows kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their name, and years later they’ll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them to “hold on” a second longer. I believe there’s a hero in all of us; that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride.”
Aunt May’s words inspire Peter to resume his role as Spider-Man, but her words inspire us as well. Today I want to remember the brave men and women who are heroes in every sense of the word. They are “courageous, self-sacrificing people”; they are “examples for all of us.”
Kevin
There’s a marvelous scene from the movie Spider-Man 2 that recently came to my mind. I was recalling a touching moment between Aunt May and Peter as she eloquently speaks to Peter about the virtue of heroism. This is a topic that everyone should be thinking about on this special day that we honor the memory of our fallen heroes.
Let me give you the context of the scene of the film. Peter Parker is fed up with being Spider-Man. He sees it as a thankless chore. He announces: “I’m Spider-Man no more” and throws his Spider-Man suit into a dumpster. It's not clearly stated how much time passes, but crime steadily begins to go up in New York in Spider-Man's absence. Peter feels torn between his responsibility and his desire to live a normal life.
Peter decides to go visit to his Aunt May. He discovers that May is moving and that Henry, a young boy from across the street, is helping her. In the course of their conversation, Aunt May says that Henry misses Spider-Man; and that he eventually wants to be Spider-Man himself. Peter asks her why. Here are her words in reply:
“He knows a hero when he sees one. [There are] too few characters out there flying around like that saving old girls like me. Lord knows kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their name, and years later they’ll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them to “hold on” a second longer. I believe there’s a hero in all of us; that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride.”
Aunt May’s words inspire Peter to resume his role as Spider-Man, but her words inspire us as well. Today I want to remember the brave men and women who are heroes in every sense of the word. They are “courageous, self-sacrificing people”; they are “examples for all of us.”
Kevin
Thursday, May 22, 2014
A special day (part 2)
Last time, I mentioned how it has been a busy month of May for me so far. The first big event in May was my CCU graduation. Today I want to talk about the next big event (or special day as I’ve entitled it) that happened in May.
This past Saturday, the 17th, I had the tremendous privilege of attending a Christian writer’s conference. I wasn’t able to attend all the festivities of this writer’s conference, as it started on Wednesday the 14th, but being present for just Saturday was such an incredible gift.
Candidly, I’m having some trouble conveying just how incredible this writer’s conference was to me. How can I capture the magnitude of this event in a few short paragraphs? It seems almost impossible to do. But, in a nutshell, I felt fortified. I felt empowered, strengthened, and uplifted by God. It felt like a divine appointment as well as an energizing retreat.
The main message I received is a reminder that God has given me a gift for writing. I am to use that gift for Him. This is a challenge that I willingly committed to afresh. I want God to use me as a tool to show others how great and glorious He is.
Kevin
This past Saturday, the 17th, I had the tremendous privilege of attending a Christian writer’s conference. I wasn’t able to attend all the festivities of this writer’s conference, as it started on Wednesday the 14th, but being present for just Saturday was such an incredible gift.
Candidly, I’m having some trouble conveying just how incredible this writer’s conference was to me. How can I capture the magnitude of this event in a few short paragraphs? It seems almost impossible to do. But, in a nutshell, I felt fortified. I felt empowered, strengthened, and uplifted by God. It felt like a divine appointment as well as an energizing retreat.
The main message I received is a reminder that God has given me a gift for writing. I am to use that gift for Him. This is a challenge that I willingly committed to afresh. I want God to use me as a tool to show others how great and glorious He is.
Kevin
Sunday, May 18, 2014
A special day (part 1)
After a month away from blogging, I’m finally back. It feels good to contemplate sharing my thoughts with you again. In short, I have been busy. It’s particularly been a busy month of May so far.
One of the events that occurred is my CCU graduation! If you are a regular viewer of my blog, you know that I finished all my classes back in October, but the official graduation ceremony was this month. What a special day! It was fun to go and celebrate the closing of that season of my life.
The most memorable aspect of the event was probably when I walked across that stage. I must admit I was a little nervous. For one thing, I was concerned that they were going to butcher my last name. My last name is Bauer. Believe it or not, it has been mispronounced numerous times in my life (although the influence of the character Jack Bauer from 24 has helped in that regard. In fact, I’m often jokingly asked if I’m related to him). Thankfully, my name was pronounced correctly. And, I’m happy to report that the whole event went quite well.
Although if I’d had the presence of mind, I would have pointed up like Christian athletes do as I was walking across the stage. I say this because I attribute all the glory, honor, and praise for my educational achievement to God. In fact, on the back of the graduation announcements that I sent out, I cited a verse from Psalm 115. This verse is the heartbeat of my entire life. It reads, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1).
Moreover, as I look back on the closing of this chapter of my life, I am grateful to God that He orchestrated it that I could go to a God-honoring college. It was such a blessing to go to a university that boldly taught from a Biblical worldview and unashamedly prayed in Jesus’ name. I’m proud to be a graduate from such a great school.
Kevin
One of the events that occurred is my CCU graduation! If you are a regular viewer of my blog, you know that I finished all my classes back in October, but the official graduation ceremony was this month. What a special day! It was fun to go and celebrate the closing of that season of my life.
The most memorable aspect of the event was probably when I walked across that stage. I must admit I was a little nervous. For one thing, I was concerned that they were going to butcher my last name. My last name is Bauer. Believe it or not, it has been mispronounced numerous times in my life (although the influence of the character Jack Bauer from 24 has helped in that regard. In fact, I’m often jokingly asked if I’m related to him). Thankfully, my name was pronounced correctly. And, I’m happy to report that the whole event went quite well.
Although if I’d had the presence of mind, I would have pointed up like Christian athletes do as I was walking across the stage. I say this because I attribute all the glory, honor, and praise for my educational achievement to God. In fact, on the back of the graduation announcements that I sent out, I cited a verse from Psalm 115. This verse is the heartbeat of my entire life. It reads, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1).
Moreover, as I look back on the closing of this chapter of my life, I am grateful to God that He orchestrated it that I could go to a God-honoring college. It was such a blessing to go to a university that boldly taught from a Biblical worldview and unashamedly prayed in Jesus’ name. I’m proud to be a graduate from such a great school.
Kevin
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