Bud Lamb Talks

We often think there comes a point where it’s too late. We've learned from fathers, mothers, friends, co-workers, and neighbors that, yes -- it’s too late. You’re overdrawn. 

We think that since people treat us this way, that’s the way God works, too.

That’s not the way things work with infinite God toward us finite humans.

Jesus demonstrates it’s not too late.

When most exhausted, beaten to a pulp, and about to die hanging on a cross with two other felons, one of the felons asked Jesus if it was too late for him. Jesus told him, “it’s never too late.” Luke 23:40-43 (BLT)

It’s not too late…

To start over and begin again.

To change something or quit something.

To come home (to yourself or others) -- again.

To tell the truth or say “I’m sorry.”

To forgive or to receive forgiveness.

To be a friend, pursue a dream, start a fire, light a fuse.

To risk big and make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings and never breathe a word about your loss. (If, by Rudyard Kipling)

This side of death we can come home, pursue a dream, start over with just about anything. 

But on the other hand it is true that time runs out to come home to God. When we die, what’s next depends on how we respond to Jesus’ offer just like the guy in Luke 23.

Don’t wait. Time is short. 

Come on home. 

Prayer

Father, please give me the courage to recognize that it’s not too late and to do something about it.  Expose my excuses for what they are and enable me to take that daunting and long-overdue first step.

PS If you have questions about coming home to God for the first time or hundredth time - give me a call anytime 831-566-4131. Bud

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Hey Guys - The title for this week is Stretching it Out - if you’re a runner, athlete of any kind, or spend time in a gym I think you’ll get it. It applies to spiritual fitness as much as it does physical fitness, The bible says.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NASB)

The Apostle Paul uses running as an image for living and the idea of winning to illustrate following Jesus. I’ve been running for almost as long as I’ve been following Jesus -- 43 years. God has used this verse to inspire me to get up after I’ve been tripped up, to get going after a lazy layoff, and to begin again after an injury.

It was 9 weeks after symptoms of the wicked respiratory bug appeared that I went for a run of one mile.  

One mile was all I was planning. One mile to begin again, to regain a lifestyle characterized by daily runs. One slow but steady mile, paying close attention to how my lungs were doing, to my energy, and to my stamina. As Jesse says “Listen to your body.” And I was.

After a quarter of a mile, the hip flexor in my left hip began to tighten up and so I dropped to my knees and stretched it out. As I was stretching I realized I had not stretched before I started. After I worked it out I finished without it acting up. In a sense, it was a winning run in that my body responded well with today’s short, slow but steady run.

It’s been like this in many areas of my life where I have been tripped up, lazy for a season, or wounded in body or soul that getting going again often meant I needed to stretch something out.

This “stretching it out” can be something painful like working through an issue with your spouse, taking a look at your finances, or getting back to basics with God. When we feel these hip flexors acting up, we need to stop, drop, and stretch it out in order to get back to that one slow but steady walk with God which is called “today.”

We can do this. You can do this.

Listen to your body. Listen to your heart. Listen to the voice of the Father calling you home.

Pray

Yes, God, I’ve been feeling some pain and hoping it will go away on it’s own. I’m not sure how to stretch it out. Help me stop, drop, and pray - then get up and finish today strong. Thank You!

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Trust in God with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Growing up, my family took road trips. Often we would return home at night. As an 8 year old, I never doubted that Dad had enough money to buy gas. I never doubted he knew where we were going.

I had complete and total trust. Not a hint of doubt. Just simple trust that Dad had it handled.

If we could free ourselves from insisting on answers from God, second-guessing the route He has chosen or being on hyperalert to make sense of these dark days, we would discover that the essence of biblical faith lies in trusting God.

For many of us, we’re on a road trip and it’s dark... And either God is at the wheel or we think we are.

“Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God. Fear (or doubt) of the unknown path stretching ahead of us destroys childlike trust in the Father’s active goodness and unrestricted love.” -- Brennan Manning in Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin’s Path to God (Page 6)

Ruthless Trust:

It is ”When all else is unclear, the heart of trust says ‘Into Your hands, I commit my spirit’ Luke 23:46. (Ibid Page 6)

It “is the defining spirit of authentic discipleship” -- of being a follower of Jesus.” (Ibid Page 4)

It is in the midst of tragic events that leave us bereft of understanding. Trust does not demand explanations, but turns to the One who promised, “I will not leave you as orphans.” (John 14:18a NASB)

It is a decisive conversion from mistrust to trust which must be renewed daily -- moment by moment. It becomes an acquired lifestyle.

Growing Trust:

...this kind of trust is acquired only gradually and most often through a series of crises and trials” which is called “life.” (Ibid Page 9) “In order to grow in trust, we must allow God to love us precisely as we are (warts, secret sins, and all) (not as we want to be or were told we should be)”. (Ibid Page 16)

Trust is the remedy for our addiction to clarity about what’s next. The antidote for parent’s fearful hearts for our kids., The elixir for whatever it is that keeps us awake at night.

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Pray

Help me learn to trust in You throughout the darkness of my illness, divorce, under or unemployment, aging body, shame, and regrets. God the list is seemingly endless.

Help me trust You have it handled and resist pushing You out of the way so I can drive the car. Help me banish any and every thought of doubt. Teach me the way of ruthless trust. Break me of the habit of thinking it’s all up to me. Help me know You better -- not simply know about You -- but know and enjoy You.

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When we admit to God we’ve wandered away in thought, deed, and lifestyle, He forgives the offense -- and more! He pursues us to clean us up over time and make us holy. 1 John 1:9 BLT [1]

At one time I referred to this verse as the “get out of jail free” card from the board game Monopoly. And in a sense, it is.

Jesus paid a debt He didn’t owe for my debt that I couldn’t pay.

The way God goes about helping us get to “no regrets” cost Jesus His life. So it isn’t cheap like Monopoly money. It’s so opposite to how the world works. Consider His offer here: There is…

- No solitary confinement

- No “go to your room!” (with anger and negative emotion for emphasis)

- No penalty box

- No “show me the money!” as though you should be able to pay the penalty

- No powering up demand - “What were you THINKING!???”

- No “This is it! We’re finished!”

- No withdrawal of love, acceptance, or presence.

When the prodigal son returns (Luke 15:11-24), it’s all about homecoming, celebrating, and a fresh start.

All it takes for us prodigal sons and daughters is to turn in the homeward direction, and say “I’ve messed up” honestly and without blame or rationalizing--and BAM! “God forgives!”

Reflection

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

~ Psalm 51:10-12 NASB

Prayer

I’m tired, God, of lugging this bag of regrets around God. (Take a moment and name them - or jot them on a napkin) Weary is a better word. They are what they are--things I did, thoughts I entertained, or words I said that are not fitting one of Your kids. Help me get back on the right track with things. And, thank You Jesus for paying the price I couldn’t pay. Amen

[1] Bud Lamb Translation

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"…my soul gives credit to God alone, for God is the source of my anchored optimism." Psalm 35:9 BLT [Bud Lamb Translation]

I often underestimate what Jesus faced in the wilderness of Luke chapter 4. Jesus experienced 40 days of starvation and dehydration before He faced off with satan. Certainly, Jesus is/was fully God - but/and fully human.

His humanity must have crippled Him with a limp or crawl through those final days when the liar satan attempted to entice Him with an easy way out.

I used to think Jesus rebuked satan with a thundering voice but I’ve changed my thinking. Emaciated with hunger and thirst, through parched lips, skin dry as a bone and His head baked to near hallucination I can imagine the best Jesus could do was a whisper.

So too with my wilderness journey - every day my heart is assaulted with lies and offers of an easy way out.

I would like to see myself as powerful in my faith, thunderous in my rebuke.

The truth is I am weak, wavering in my faith, and the best I can do is whisper “I rebuke you in Jesus name! Jesus have mercy on me!”

And with this whisper of a holy rebuke my soul gives credit to God alone, for God is the source of my anchored optimism.

Grow an intimate moment-to-moment reliance and awareness that you are not alone, God is always near, He will help with just a whisper.

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Prayer

Oh God, my help in time of need, help me not be surprised if later today the perfect storm presents itself. That I would be alert to lies and rebuke the enemy with a whisper calling out Jesus have mercy on me!

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“Next” Adapted from Chasing the Sage by Bud Lamb

The BIG IDEA

Chasing the Sage is about the slow, painful, magnificent process of the Fathering of men by God, Who offers us His blessing with no strings attached.

Living out of the Sage for us mortals, we find is a long discipline in the same direction. We fall and get up again and again.

Take pains with these things, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all…persevere in these things; for as you do this you will ensure salvation for yourself and those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:15-16 NASB

Our progress is not linear. We find these movements to son, to man, and chasing the Sage are mystical as much as they are intellectual.

This gives the journey the wonder of the unknown calling us into the mist while looking for scraps of the map to guide us forward.

We find ourselves letting go of long embedded once useful ways which are now dead weight. As we let go we become open and available to new ways -- new wineskins in which the wine of a life well-lived is carried and given away.

Our lives are a long uninterrupted line of squiggles, starts, and stops, dips, and divots, all kinds of weather, friendships that come and go. The only constant is ourselves and our God.

Our progress is marked with struggle, with failure, along with the hard-fought fruits of endeavor.

Chasing the Sage, we become what we believe in faith, and practice. We survive the journey as Proverbs 24:16 men who fall down and get up rain or shine. We become men who follow their hearts, learn to love like Jesus, and know God as a Friend.

We emulate God as we become the imago dei as kings, warriors, holy men, and lovers equipped to carry our own cross and encourage others with theirs.

Chasing the Sage we find purpose and passion as we become more and more comfortable living in our own skin, communing with God, and loving others.

We find knowing and enjoying God to be the Pearl of great price which the merchant sold everything to acquire.

Lock arms with a few trusted friends who share the journey. Dig into the Bible together, be authentic with your progress, and invite others to join you in expanding Jesus’ presence in this world.

Those haunting questions - Who am I and what am I doing? They answer themselves as we chase the Sage.

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“The Daily Core Four” Adapted from Chasing the Sage, by Bud Lamb

The BIG IDEA

What got you here won’t get you there.

The habits and life tools that got us here won’t get us where we want to go. We need to learn new habits and get new tools for life.

These simple tools work...if you work them.

…discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 1 Timothy 4:7-9 NASB

I’ve found four tools in particular that God has used to help me chase the Sage for almost 40 years. These have become indispensable to me.

Not a day passes without beginning with them. They place me in the soil where God grows a great soul; reminding me who I am and what I am doing here as He reminds me Who He is and What He is doing here.

I believe Jesus practiced these tools daily to help Him keep on purpose and fueled with passion.

Invite God into each element of the Core Four as a matter of conversation and inclusion.

Do the Core Four each morning before you get going. It will take you about 20 minutes. In doing so, you will enter the day focused on the right things and inspired to be the man God created you to be.

1. READ: Reading the Bible every day will expose you to timeless truth in a timely fashion.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

2. RECORD: Keep a journal by recording your thoughts, your dreams, and your goals. Include scribbled notes on lessons you are learning, quotes that inspire you, and things you want to remember. Record what is going on in your heart.

Michael Hayatt reminds us that what happens to us is not as important as the meaning we assign to it. Journaling helps sort this out.

3. REFLECT: Reflect daily through meditation and prayer, remembering who you are and where you are going. Reflect on your dreams and goals; the events in your family, work, and world. Do this with God in a conversational manner.

Few things have impacted me more as I chase the Sage than s l o w l y reflecting on the Serenity Prayer on a daily basis.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is;

Not as I would have it;

Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

4. REVIEW: Daily go over the to-do’s on your list. Put things in your calendar so you won’t forget them. Review your calendar with God; your “to-do” list for family and work. Ask yourself “What’s most important for me to do or be today/this week/this month?”

By implementing the Daily Core Four, you will start each day focused, refreshed, and with a plan. You will come to know and enjoy God on a deep and enduring level. They can help you achieve your goals, and be a better husband, friend, and member of your community.

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“Defining Moments” Adapted from Chasing the Sage, by Bud Lamb

The BIG IDEA

God is God, He can use any number of ways to create defining moments that catch our attention.

As C.S. Lewis tells us, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

When the Lord saw that Moses had turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the (burning) bush, and said “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Exodus 3:4

Moses was chasing the Sage and, like us, didn’t know it. I bet that after his burning bush experience and the intimate conversation with God that followed, Moses began to be open to something new.

God called to Moses in the burning bush and Moses moved closer. The trajectory of his life changed in that defining moment.

It is as though Moses was in the biggest poker game of his life and God was inviting him to push all his chips in on this one BIG hand and trust Him.

I can relate to the story of Moses. Moses was minding his own business on the far side of the wilderness. He was alone. He was at an all-time low point in his life -- nothing was going right. He was starting over -- not at the top of the management rung, but at the bottom.

It may be burning in you today -- right now! Something you’ve been dreaming, thinking, and praying about.

Don’t freak out! Our God knows our hearts and is working behind the scenes in us to advance His Presence.

Look at it - the mystery of spontaneous combustion is the spontaneous Presence moving in your heart.

Listen to it - the small voice you just heard in your gut whispering YES to a dead or dying dream.

Lean into it - respond to it as Moses did: Not knowing where He will lead you -- just say ‘yes!’

Linger in this look, listen, and lean into this season. Be wary of the temptation to quickly name it and move on or to share it with others too soon.

PRAY - Father I hear You. I am stunned, shoeless on holy ground. The Thy Kingdom comes, in my life. Thy will be done. Here. Now.

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“Monk’s Retreat” Adapted from Chasing the Sage, by Bud Lamb

The BIG IDEA

I went on retreat to the Little Portion Monastery and Hermitage deep in the woods of rural Arkansas.

I felt God was calling me out to go deeper or to come closer and to make some changes and so I set off on a spiritual field trip -- to experience, observe, and discover how others practice their faith.

I knew God would meet me on this adventure -- and He did!

Why did I go?

I had been hearing God calling me away from trying to multitask my spiritual life, to slow down, to go deeper, and to really enjoy God and others. I was captivated by the ideas of excelling still more, and having my ambition to be less hurried and yet to still be active in my work. (see 1 Thessalonians 4:10-11)

I had been tinkering with my quiet time and wanted more. More intimate conversations with God, slowly soaking in His presence -- as compared to praying a dutiful, quick, albeit heartfelt prayer, and then moving on to “more important” stuff.

In reading the parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46) I discovered that to me “the Pearl” is knowing and enjoying God.

I came to realize I wanted more than anything to know and enjoy God, to love like Jesus, and to follow Him with all my heart.

When I returned I found myself drawn to a more simple and deeper relationship with God -- I knew that unless I changed my style of living, the chances of getting something else in return was wishful thinking.

I began to develop some ideas about my future lifestyle - that is, how I wanted to move through the day in a clear, well-defined style of relating to God, people, and my work.

I returned willingly to pursue and be pursued by this Pearl of Great Price -- this God of all creation, one moment at a time. I began to slow down and do one thing at a time with a growing awareness that God is in me, with me, and for me. Yes, to let this soak in, and leak out.

Over time I learned how to integrate prayer and work, reflection and relationships, rest and activity in a way that is sustainable and life-giving.

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“Deep Discipleship” Adapted from Chasing the Sage, by Bud Lamb

The BIG IDEA

Deep discipleship -- our lifelong process of God conforming us into the image of His Son, leaching out all that needs to go, chiseling out character defects, refining all that remains, and healing our masculine soul. Man, it is a lifelong process!

The Bible says...Husbands, love your wives… Ephesians 5:25 NASB

Typically God uses marriage to get at those places in me -- those places I try, without success, to hide. This is God’s agenda from the get-go, but he will not override our resistance.

Sooner or later, when the pain of our disease becomes greater than our fear of the remedy,

God begins this deep work in us. It truly is deep discipleship.

As a husband, I’ve been a very slow learner.

A year ago last summer, on a three-month road trip with my wife, I slammed into the truth. Yes, I mean the truth that I did not know how to love well. It was so painful, yet cleansing, to say it out loud to me and eventually to Lea Ann.

The words I chose were I am having a hard time loving you. I didn’t say, You are a hard person to love.

The misunderstanding came out of the blue and created a hard few days or weeks until we both came to see that it was a statement about me and not her.

The first thing I did was memorize 1 Corinthians 13:4-11.

Yes, memorizing this was painfully slow - it took me almost two months to get it down. It became my daily reading and reflection and over time my head became familiar with the rhythm and flow of what is commonly referred to as “The Love Chapter.”

More importantly, my heart began to beat, yes, to beat to the rhythm of love.

Over the next ten months, via daily reflection and pursuit of learning how to love like Jesus, I began to make micro-movements as I began to become patient, and kind…

I came to understand Jesus’ teaching on love truly was/is designed by Him to become our way. His Way is to become our way.

Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40

Jesus’ Way is to work on my side of the street, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, extend forgiveness, see myself as a broken person in need of a Savior and all others the same way. Practice compassion as a style of living. Be generous.

The funny thing about this way of navigating love is that loving like this is impossible for an orphan or a boy-man.

Why?

Because we orphans and boy-men are so preoccupied with hiding our wounds by busyness, medication, and blame.

When we hit the wall of love and hear the voice of the Father inviting us to navigate toward His Way, then we have a chance to get it right.

Chasing the Sage is learning to love like Jesus.

Husbandship, loving our wives as Jesus loves us, is the final exam in the school of Sage. We can’t move into Sage if we avoid the test of love.

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