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Yesterday’s post was about living a Christian life. Here’s a guy who’s actually doing it. Check out an interview with him on Meet the Press:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34193069#34193069

Who? The Ephesians that’s who.

My men’s group is studying the book of Ephesians right now and tonight was just a dynamite study. It’s really cool when you can sit with a bunch of dudes who are trying to follow God. Even though some of us (me) have really screwed up histories, it’s awesome to get together, read the Word together and help each other become better men every week.

So we’re on Ephesians chapter 5 and it is such a powerful chapter where the apostle Paul really just lays down how Christians, and I think specifically Christian men, are supposed to live. It’s powerful because it becomes clear what our responsibility is as Christian men. We are to be imitators of God. We are to be an example for others to follow. It’s our responsibility to show what Christ’s love is all about.

And this is where it gets tricky. I think many Christians think that means we just point out how screwed up the world is. We must point out the flaws of the world so that they may be fixed. This is so far from the truth.

In fact, the bible says it is “shameful to even mention what the disobedient do in secret”. Instead, it says that we should live as “children of light”, or in other words, we should live as Christ said we should live. And through living as a pure example, then the bad things (things outside of God’s plan for us) of this world will become obvious in comparison.

So let’s take an example. I hear my fellow Christians belly aching about gay marriage and the straight marriage divorce rate all the time. Yet what if the Christian divorce rate was 0%? Wouldn’t people take note of that? And wouldn’t’ they be interested in seeing how that works? That’s what is mean by the phrase “living for Christ”. Though our example, people end up seeking out Christ.

So this is great stuff, because first of all it means we aren’t responsible for “fixing” the world. In fact we’re not remotely capable of it. But we are called to be that example, and we do have control over our own actions. Of course the problem with that is now I’m forced to look at the mirror and address my shortcomings (which are many. Heck, the post right beneath this one is calling out the Twilight Moms for being horny cougars!) So obviously I’ve got a ways to go, but  that’s what’s so great about studying the Bible, and doing it with my bros. We can correct each other, help each other understand, and help each other grow.

Good times with the Ephesians.

Ephesians 5

21 Years. That’s how long Michelle and I have been married. It’s kind of an insane amount of time when you think about it. How many people under 45 have been involved in any one thing for that long? Or look at it this way; I’ve now been married for over half of my life. Wow.

So inevitably people ask me, as if I have some incredible insight, how I managed to stay married for so long. What I’ve discovered is that each year I have a slightly different answer, and I think it’s slightly different because each year I get a little older, and a little more experienced. I’m able to look back and see where I screwed up to be honest, and that’s a good thing. The opposite side of that is that I realize now matter how long Michelle and I are together, we still have more to learn about how to get along and relate to each other. There’s still growing to do. Nobody ever has it totally figured out.

I will say though that over the past four or five years especially, I’ve really learned that marriage is not just about “Me”. It’s not about what I can get out of it. It’s not about how it pleases me. This was kind of a huge revelation for me because I think so many marriages fail because people view their marriages like they view buying a car. How will I look in it? How will it make me feel? How will it benefit me? The problem with that is, cars lose their luster over time and then you want a new one.

So how should we view marriage? Well, since God created marriage, you have to go to God to find out. Ephesians 5:25-30 says:

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself: for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church; because we are members of his body.

That’s some powerful stuff right there. Love your wife as Christ loved the church (church meaning us). So how did Christ love the church? Well, most notably, he died a horrible death for it. That’s some pretty serious stuff. But he also taught it, he cared for it, he led it, he set an example for it. He didn’t show it off, or demand pleasure from it, or demean it, or exploit it, or ignore it. He served it. Wow.

So we are called to do that for our wives. How many of us really view our marriages as an opportunity to lead, to teach, to set an example for, much less to die for? What about the part about loving your wife as you love yourself? How many of us guys can honestly say we care about our wives as much as we care about ourselves? Think good and hard before you answer that.

There’s some choice stuff in Ephesians for you women too. But I’ll let you look that up for yourselves because I honestly believe that the majority of marital problems start with us men. Looking back at 21 years of making mistakes in my own marriage, and looking at the marriages of my friends, I can say that with complete confidence. If only us guys got ourselves in line with Christ’s example, I would bet that the divorce rate would drop from 51% to probably around 20% or less. It’s on us guys. Time to step up.

So those are my thoughts for year 21. Wow, year 21. I am incredibly blessed.

This weekend was #2 of a four part series at church on navigating through tough times. Every week we’re featuring a song from Journey to highlight the message and so far it’s been awesome. This weekend I got to play drums on “Anyway You Want It” and I gotta say, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Our regular worship set was killer. We did Sing to the King which is one of my favorite songs. So powerful, especially at the end. It goes into this little drop down with hi-hat and vocals, and a single note on the bass and then builds into a monster chorus to finish out the song. FAT!!! Then we busted into some Journey, and while the song itself is probably the most uninteresting song from a drumming standpoint, it really rocks.

If there’s one thing Journey understood, it was the need to keep songs catchy, and simple. Songs like that just stick in people’s heads and make them memorable. The other good thing is that a simple song can really be rocked out. As a drummer you can almost kick into auto-pilot and just really pour yourself into the vibe and not have to worry about parts so much.

So it was a fantastic worship set. Now I need to go download the sermon so I can enjoy the message too!

Hope everyone has a rocking week.

My posts here have been kind of slacking. There’s just not that much going on. Summer is winding down, it’s starting to cool off, winter is fast approaching and I’m sure I’ll be dropping into my sunshine deficient depression any day now. I really dislike the winter time.

However, there are some things to talk about; Journey. Yep, the band from the bay that we all love, or love to hate. Personally, I love them. I think they rock. Not in the bang your skull against a brick wall kind of rock that I normally dig, but more of a feel good, get in your Pontiac Trans-Am with T-Tops and crank the cassette deck while driving real fast with your feathered hair girlfriend kind of rock.

OK, when Journey was huge I wasn’t old enough to drive a Firebird, or have a girlfriend with feathered hair. But my brother did, and he loved Journey, and I looked up to him, so that’s the image that pops into my head whenever I listen to them.

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because our band is rocking Journey songs every weekend for the month of October. And where are we rocking said songs? Church. Yes, we are rocking Journey songs at church, which honestly, I think is the coolest thing on the planet.

Let’s face it, hymns are cool. Acoustic guitar sing alongs have their place….. ok maybe not…. but anyway, to the non-christian walking into church, those things are kind of creepy. Why? Because nobody in the everyday world sings hymns or does accoustic sing alongs! We’re rocking out in the real world, man! So this gives us the opportunity to give people something familiar. Make them feel welcome. And it also helps us old rockers get our rock fix.

So I’m on the schedule this weekend. The band and I will be busting out “Anyway You Want It” and our pastor is going to continue his fantastic series of talks on navigating through tough times. It’s going to be a great weekend at Clovis Hills Church.