Messy Sacrifice

I was reading through Leviticus, and it struck me as to how messy and bloody the Old Testament sacrifices were.  Can you imagine slaughtering an animal every time you sinned?  It’s just crazy to think about how many lambs and rams were torn apart and burned on the alters of old.  I wouldn’t recommend eating while reading those stories (I was).

Now, we are still called to sacrifice, just in a different way.  The revelation I had while reading this passage was that sacrifice is supposed to be messy – even today.  We may not have to slaughter animals (thank you Jesus, literally), but we must die to the things of this world everyday.  It will be messy, it will hurt, but it is what we as followers of Christ are called to do.  We must allow ourselves to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Rom 12:2), and that takes daily discipline.

To Settle or Not to Settle?

The simple answer is yes.  To live the life that God has planned for me, I am convinced that I must both settle and not settle simultaneously.  In order for me to illustrate this, let me tell a story – a family story.

There once was a family who came together to form a business.  They were living out the American dream by meeting a need in their community while making a healthy profit doing so.  The focus of the business would change over the years in order to keep up with the times, but there was a strong culture and a strict code that kept everyone focused.  As the scope of the enterprise grow, individuals within the family would soon begin looking to increase profits by making side deals and cutting corners, but as long as the money kept flowing to the top, no fuss was ever made.  What the elders of the family did not realize was that the younger members no longer respected those who had gone on before them, and this would eventually cause the bottom to fall out of the family business.  As those younger members took their fathers’ places of leadership, greed, not respect, was the law of the land.

This story is, of course, the story of the American Mafia.  I’ve always had a soft spot for mob movies, and a common theme revolves around the take down of a greedy mob boss by a super dedicated prosecutor/agent.  Neither the mob boss nor the prosecutor/agent ever settle in these movies.  One would not rest until he held all power and the other until evil was vanquished.

My point is this, the life of a Christian is to be a life of balance – “to be in the world but not of it” as Jesus would say.  When it comes to our worldly desires, we must settle.  A good example of this can be found in the term “settling down.”  To settle down and have a family rather than living a vagabond lifestyle is considered a good and mature thing to do.  However, when it comes to becoming the man or woman God created you or I to be, then there must be no settling – we are called to be disciples for a reason (note the root word “discipline”).

Do not fall into the trap of believing the root of fulfillment is in money or power, nor fall into the trap of believing that you weren’t created to make a difference.  The Bible tells us that we were created for a reason and that we are to live life to the full – but it also warns us not to let the things of this world tie us down.  So yes, settle all accounts when it comes to worldly things, but always keep the book open when it cones to heavenly things.

What Can We Give to an Almighty God?

We live in a society that often asks “what can God do for me?”  But rarely is it asked “what can I do for God?”  This has left us with a culture in the Church that is full of consumers rather than producers.  Let’s face it, we have raised a generation in the Church that would rather be entertained than do work. I’ve heard countless stories of local churches that struggle to find volunteers to do the ministry that they are called to do, and it breaks my heart. If the mission of the Church is rob”equip the saints for minsitry,” his do we buck this trend? What message can be preached that will rekindle the fire that is felt upon conversion?

Christians often refer to God as our “Heavenly Father,” but do we really view Him as a father? A (good) father delights in the affection and efforts of his children. A (good) father is willing to give up everything in order to lift up his children. A (good) father’s number one reason for existence is to provide and to protect his children. Do we view God in this way? Do we view Him as a Father who sacrificed everything in order that we may find eternal life? Do we view God as our Father who desires and deserves our love and devotion?

You may be asking what this all has to do with the title of this post, and I promise I will get there, but first, imagine this picture. A man is at his workbench building a birdhouse when his child comes up and offers to help. Would a good father turn down his child’s offer even if it would be easier for him to do it all himself? I have thought long and hard about what we as children of God can give to our Heavenly Father, and I have come up with one answer – empty hands. With empty hands (and a willing spirit), God would be more than delighted to include us in His handiwork. Why do we feel the need to make it more complicated than this?

I believe this is part of what Jesus meant when He said we should be more like children. We should be running to our Heavenly Father begging Him to include us in what He is doing. We should be so desperate for His affection that we can’t take our eyes off Him because of our wonder and awe of who He is. I know I don’t always look at God that way, but imagine for a second what the Church would look like if we all did. This is my challenge to myself and to anyone reading this – let us each grow to become obedient and devoted children of the Almighty God.

What Does the Cross Mean to You?

I was reminded the other day about the significance of the cross.  It seems, unfortunately, that the symbol of the cross has lost its power in our culture today.  In the first century, the cross was a symbol of death and shame, but today, it’s been diluted and even turned into jewelry.  When we, as believers, see a cross today, it just does not evoke the feelings that it should.  Our Lord and King gave Himself over to face such a torturous death that was saved for only the worst of criminals.  Jesus committed no sin, yet He willingly bore the punishment for all our iniquity.  Every ounce of His blood was poured out for you and for me.  He was beaten, bruised, broken, and pierced so that our relationship could be restored with His Father.

After His death, the followers of Christ took up the symbol of His death as their own.  This was not done out of some sort of misplaced pride or simple memorialization, but out of pure reverence.  They took up the cross as a symbol of themselves dying daily to the things of this world.  When Jesus said that we are to be in the world rather than of the world, He meant it.  We are to take up our personal cross each and every day so that our worldly desires can be crucified with Christ.  The life of a Christian is to be markedly different from those who are living for themselves, but that is not what I see when I look at the Church in America today.

The arts of self-denial and self-discipline seem to have been lost in a culture that is all about individual gain and material possession.  I have also witnessed a growing number of local churches that are struggling to find enough volunteers to make ministry happen.  Jesus knew this would be the case when He said the “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.”  Why is this?  Why do we cheapen the sacrifice of our Savior by playing games with our faith?  Don’t get me wrong; I am asking these questions of myself as well.   Am I as devoted as I should be?  Does the way I spend my time and my resources reflect the faith I claim to have?  What does the cross really mean to me?  These are questions that I want to challenge every Believer to ask themselves each and every day.

I believe a revival is coming.

Is the Church ready for a harvest?

Are you?

Am I?

God is.

A New Year, A New Chapter

It’s amazing how every December 31 I think back and ask, “where did this year go?”  Then I think back to where I was back on January 1 and marvel at this journey that I’ve been on.  On this day in 2011, I was sitting in my office hoping that one of the several business deals that were on the table would go through so that we would be set-up to grow our team and fill our recently expanded office space.  It would come to pass that not only those deals would fall through but our current business clients would dry up as well.  At the same time, I was also dealing with a labor situation that was threatening our sports ministry program – and that was only the first week of January!

2011 was a year of challenges and lots of low valleys that I had to walk through.  Support came and went via relationships new and old, and I truly am thankful for those people.  God always put the right person at my side at the right times when I needed it the most.  He is always faithful.  Eventually, God led me to where I am sitting today, living in the dorms of an international boarding school where I get to live with and work with dozens of high school students everyday.

CLAY is also growing – even despite my best efforts, God has always blessed CLAY.  This is where my new chapter begins, this is my new mountain to climb.  2012 has long been targeted as the year to take CLAY to new communities and into new sports, but the vision doesn’t stop there.  2012 is set to be the culmination of everything we have been working on for the past 8 years.  This road will be tough, and it will likely hurt, but if this is God’s will, then it will be done.  Please pray for focus and diligence as I try to balance everything the God has laid on my heart.  CLAY Team Sports was first, CLAY Connect was second, and…

…you’ll just have to stay tuned for what’s coming next…

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

Yesterday the world lost one of its greatest leaders.  This man ruled no nation and commanded no armies, yet he wielded the power to change lives.  He was a simple American businessman who came from humble beginnings and died as the chairman of the most valuable company in the world.  Steve Jobs was the man behind both Apple, Inc. and Pixar Animation Studios – quite possibly the two most creative companies the world has ever seen. 

His commitment to innovation and excellence in customer experience have made him a legend in some eyes and an arrogant enemy in others, but even his staunchest critics cannot doubt the influence he has had on my generation.  Thanks to Apple’s visionary leadership, my generation grew up using Macs in school everyday to access the vast knowledge base of the World Wide Web.  And now, because of that same visionary leadership, we can now browse the internet from anywhere we are with our smartphones and tablets.

Apple may not have always been the first at embracing new technologies, but they almost always not only offered the best product but also the best customer experience.  Jobs knew how to take care of his customers, and yet he was never afraid to go against the crowd when it came to predicting the future needs of Apple’s consumers.  However, after a seven year battle with cancer, his mortality has been realized, and my generation should stop and reflect on how we are living our lives.

The innovations of Steve Jobs have opened up many doors to previously unimaginable technologies and tools that we all too often reduce to simple entertainment devices.  Sure, Apple has made tons of money in the market of consumption, but the real legacy here is the power of production that my generation has that no other generation in history could even dream of.

I am a member of the last generation that can remember life before the family computer.  We grew up alongside personal computing, and we are now jumping on board with the new movement of mobile computing.  The limits of this world continue to shrink the stronger our connection to each other becomes through the internet.  However, this comes with extreme risk as it also becomes easier and easier to satisfy our perceived need for instant gratification.  Stop and reflect on what the world was like before Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube…  That task becomes harder with every passing moment, doesn’t it?  A little temperance and self-control can go a long way to making sure we do not become slaves to technology.

Anyway, the purpose of this reflection is not to preach but to reflect.  Steve Jobs would have likely never reached the heights he did had he not been fired from his own company back in 1985.  He needed that experience much like I believe I needed the experience of RCTI Business Resources failing – if that is what you want to call it.  The spirit of RCTI lives on in the renewed vision of Right Choice Today, Inc. – to reach, connect, transform, and inspire – and in the new CLAY Connect Network.  However, the strain of a failed business plan goes far beyond the pocketbook, and this past year has been a time of real soul searching for me.

I have learned an awful lot about life, love, and leadership through my recent trials and am extremely excited to see what God has in store for the next chapter of my life.  I remain committed to growing CLAY Team Sports Ministry and Right Choice Today, Inc. – the best days for both are most certainly yet to come.  Much more is coming soon, so please stay tuned to the official CLAY blog as we get ready to make some very exciting announcements about our vision for 2012.  Thank you all and God bless.

Reflection – The Imitation of Christ

The Imitation of Christ is about living out the teachings of Jesus by following His example. So much of it is based upon where your heart lies – if you love Jesus, then you will be drawn into following Him and desiring to be more like Him. In order to follow Him, you must give up your own life as a sacrifice and accept the Father’s will for your future. This can only occur if your heart desires heavenly things like love and peace rather than earthly things such as power and monetary wealth. Living a life that is directed towards heaven is not easy, you must take up your cross in order to follow Christ. Strict spiritual training is required to take on the image of Christ in your own life. You will be tempted to give up or take short-cuts, but those roads will not lead you to the eternal prize that awaits those whose names are listed in the Book of Life.

Many of the insights of this book can be applied directly to our lives today. We live in a culture where everything is broken down into “old sayings” and anonymous proverbs. We think we know everything, but we have forgotten far more than we know. The beauty of Christianity is that its truths have been true for thousands of years and have crossed all political, ethnic, racial, social, etc. boundaries that we have built up. There is much to learn from the great cloud of witnesses that have gone on before us. This life is not about living comfortably; it is about sowing the seeds of Christ in our culture by first allowing the seeds in us to be nurtured and harvested by the Holy Spirit. We must learn from the past in order to grow in the future; we must humble ourselves in order to lift up those who need the hope that can only be found in the cross. This was a refreshing read for me personally because it shows a true devotion and true humility that is lacking in the American church today. We need to get back to the essence of our faith; we must learn what it means to truly be set free from this world by the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

Always True

I’m sure you have heard what’s been said,
That it is all just in your head,
And they ignore what they have read,
And refuse to get out of bed.

You just gotta get up and go,
Something’s not right, that you know,
So hard to live against the flow,
You’re not alone, He’s there also.

CHORUS
No matter what your point of view,
There’s one thing that’s always true,
Remember that God loves you,
Let Him in and light your flame anew.

All around you, it’s dark as night,
It’s such a fight just to live right,
Decide to reflect His light,
It shines so bright, a beautiful sight.

CHORUS x2

(Copyright: 2008 Dustin Craig)

Christmas Time

It’s now Christmas time
Looking for the perfect rhyme
Between family time
While saving a dime

For this Christmas season
There is a good reason
It needs some believin’
He came to save, no teasin’

‘Tis a time of great joy
No, I don’t mean the toys
Not just the girls and boys
Joy to all, rich and poor

Just think about that night
Must’ve been quite the sight
The coming of the Light
Sent to make all things right

(Copyright: 2007 Dustin Craig)

Live Life

Questions of right and wrong,
Answered with the same old song;
What ifs and fantasies,
Almost like it’s a disease.

Hard to concentrate,
Just can’t get your head on straight;
Watching from the sidelines,
While everyone continues to climb.

REFRAIN x2
When nothing seems alright,
Forgot the cause for which you fight;
When it is all just a blur,
Can only hope for a cure.

Always feel lost in the crowd,
Only peace when the noise is down;
Rather sit in the darkness,
Than venture into the fullness.

REPEAT V3

REFRAIN

CHORUS
Just gotta stop over thinking,
Learn to let go and just be you;
Stop watching and comparing,
And just go out and live life.

CHORUS

TAG
Live life

(Copyright: 2007 Dustin Craig, Created… Music Project)