"Tidbits" for the Road

Journey Lorena's Fourth Gathering

2011-08-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

Well, God just continues to bless our work in Lorena, Texas. We are still in the beginning stages of building a launch team. As such, we have still not done any PR or marketing in the area. Anything we have done up to this point has been strictly word of mouth. And still...God continues to send new faces and new energy our way! I am completely humbled at how God works in His people.

Last night we had our 4th gathering in our home at 111 Northern Star. We kicked everything off at 6:00pm. And only about 30 minutes into our evening, I began to look around the room and see that it had filled up rather quickly. We had 45 people in our home last night, all united together to worship the Lord and study from His Word. The crazy thing was that we had at least 7 that were out due to illness or having to work late. In the picture above, you can see how full our living room is at this point.

Our original plan was to spend our time, until November, building our launch team and establishing various ministry teams. We didnt' plan on moving into the school until the first of November. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this plant growing so quickly. As such, we have had to move up our timeline...TWO MONTHS ahead of schedule. We have absolutely no more space in our living room! If we are going to continue to grow, we are going to have to make some adjustments. There are several families that have said, "I have some people that would come and check us out if I invited them, but honestly, where would we put them?" That is a great question ;-)

So, we have entered into an agreement with the High School, and we will be renting the High School Commons, or cafeteria. It is a sizable room that will give us quite a bit of time to grow and continue reaching people in Lorena and the surrounding communities. Last week, I was able to finalize our insurance and set the opening date for our first morning worship service on September 11th, 2011...our new 'soft lauch' date! GOD IS GOOD!

Now this creates some problems, but they are good problems to have. Since we are growing quickly and having to move into the school, we are now in need of items that we were not expecting to buy until middle to late October. So, we could sure use your prayers! Journey Lorena could use some additional funding. If you, or anyone you know, would like to help support the work in Lorena, please contact me by email: cory.journeylorena@gmail.com.

God is working in some amazing ways right before our very eyes. I am so blessed to be a part of this work in Lorena. I am also very blessed that God has sent those that he already has as partners with us in this work. I want to say a huge "THANK YOU" to the following families. They have officially committed to being a part of the Journey Lorena Launch Team! So "Thanks" to:

David and Melissa Middlebrook, Corey and Lindsey Freed, Rick and Gloria Cobb, Mark and Cassie Williams, Scotty and Bobby Jo Wilhelm, Nick and Crystal Radke, and Chad and Rachel Fineski.

I will continue blogging to keep you informed of all that is going on with Journey Lorena! We ask that you would continue to pray for our team; that God would watch over and protect each of us and our marriages and our families. Please continue praying that God would put people in our path who need to hear the story of Jesus. Please continue praying that God would open doors of provision for us as we seek to obtain the things that we need to begin meeting in the school come September 11.

Thanks to all of those who are already financially supporting Journey Lorena. Thanks to all of those who spiritually support us by praying for us on a daily basis. May the Lord shower you with his riches blessings of love, grace, and peace!

Journey Lorena's Third Gathering

2011-08-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

I cannot wait till tomorrow! I had to write about our gathering tonight! I am so very excited about what the Lord is doing through Journey Lorena. I wrote briefly just a few weeks back about our first gathering. We had 30 people. It was awesome! Our second gathering was just as great, and we only had 15 people. Three families were all gone on that same weekend. However, they were all back tonight for our third official gathering. ;-)

Tonight was such an amazing experience. All three of those families were back tonight, along with a few new families that we didn't expect. We had a total of 40 people for our gathering tonight. We had three new families that joined us for worship and Bible study for the first time. What made it so very amazing, two of the families that visited announced that they wanted to be a part of our Launch Team...on their very FIRST night! God is so amazingly awesome. The third family hasn't committed yet, but they said they would definitely be back. On top of all of that, two other families from our original first group announced tonight that they were officially "IN" as a part of the Launch Team. This now makes 8 total families on our Launch Team! Wow! God is amazing.

We had a great time in worship tonight! As usual, David Middlebrook, our Worship Pastor, did an amazing job! He put together a great worship set tonight and everyone was engaged. We had a great Bible study from John 5. We all soaked up the fellowship after the Bible study, several families staying for quite some time. The numbers naturally guided our conversation to a vision for the future. If we are going to have 35-40 people on a consistent basis, we really need to consider a bigger space. Can you believe that!? We have only had our third official gathering and we are already talking about outgrowing our living room. Have I mentioned how amazingly awesome God is?

I love what God is doing! I love the people that he has already introduced us to! I love that they are on fire for God, and passionate about His mission! I love that fact that they already have a vision for the future! I love where God has placed me at this time in my life!

I would like to ask that you pray that God keep us focused on His mission. Pray that he gives us a heart for the lost. Pray that he protects our families, our marriages, and our ministries as we proceed with our planting plans. Pray God's richest blessings on Journey Lorena!

First Journey Lorena Gathering

2011-07-13T11:48:00.001-07:00

Well, I promised a detailed description of how our first Journey Lorena gathering went...so...I will deliver!

First of all, I want to take a moment to say a huge "Thank You" to Mark and Cassie Williams for opening up their home as we begin our church plant in Lorena, Tx. Their generosity is overwhelming, and it is a blessing to have them share in this experience.

So, we met in a home for our first official meeting. We asked everyone to be there at 6:00pm, and the fellowship began immediately as everyone began to trickle in. From what I could tell, everyone seemed to connect with one another from the beginning. I saw hugs, handshakes, and many conversations taking place. It didn't take long to notice that we had 30 people gathered together for our first meeting, because the living room was shrinking as people continued to arrive. Out of those 30 people, there must have been about 10-12 kids - looks like a healthy future for Journey Lorena!

We began the evening by letting the kids go outside for some activities, while the adults remained inside. "Thanks" to Gloria and Leslie for volunteering to take care of the kids for the first evening together. The adults discussed the Mission/Vision and Core Values of Journey Lorena. We talked about what kind of church we sought to be, who we sought to reach, and how we hoped to get there. We also discussed John 4:27-42, asking God to give us the eyes of Jesus.

Following our study, we invited the kids back in for our time of worship! David Middlebrook, our Worship Pastor, did a wonderful job leading us in our time of worship. With his guitar on his knee, he lead us in some wonderful songs which helped us focus on Jesus, the one who loves us unconditionally. Great job, David! When the time came, Leslie led us in our thoughts for the Lord's Supper. She fittingly discussed the unity and fellowship of the first century church, focused on a resurrected Christ. A great way to start off Journey Lorena!

As we wound up the evening, it was awesome to see how no one was in a hurry to leave. There was still a lot of fellowship and relationship building taking place. I feel so blessed to be a part of this experience, and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for Journey Lorena. Thanks to all of our financial partners, and thanks to all of those who are covering Journey Lorena in prayer!

New Beginnings

2011-07-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Well...to say it has been a while since my last post would be huge understatement. However, I believe that it is time to try and get back into this whole blogging thing. Why? Well, Leslie and I have recently accepted the call to plant a church in Lorena, Tx just south of Waco. This is just as good a place as any to share stories from our journey in church planting. So, I hope you might enjoy keeping up with us and what God is doing in and through our family.

To begin, we moved the first weekend of June to China Spring, Tx to live (temporarily) with my in-laws while we are trying to close on a house in Lorena, Tx. I will spare you the details of our experience in buying a house - for I do not want to bore you, nor do I desire to relive the frustration. In short, after many headaches we should be closing on Friday morning on our first house!

We have spent the last month making contact with several families, sharing the mission/vision of Journey Lorena, hoping they will become a part of the Launch Team. We also have spent a great deal of time incorporating Journey Lorena and non-profit, obtaining a Federal Employer Identification Number, and have now begun the process of securing Tax Exemption Status.

Leslie has begun her new teacher training for her new job at La Vega Junior High within Waco ISD. She found out she has 13 days of training before she begins her new job the second week of August. She feels like school has already started for her!

We are excited about what God is already doing...the doors he has already opened...the contacts we have made...and the blessings we have already received.

Stay tuned, I will share very soon how our first official gathering went in detail. It was amazing!

Be Encouraged

2009-10-15T14:45:00.001-07:00

Why do we not study the Bible more? Why is it so easy to let our Bibles rest on the shelf, alongside all of those novels we promised ourselves we would read?

I ran across Romans 15:4 and it struck a chord with me this week. Paul writes, "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. Why do we not want to learn? We go through life asking so many questions, seeking answers, and getting frustrated when we come up short. It might very well be possible that many of the answers we seek are sitting in the one place we so often refuse to look.

Through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope…Wow! What two things did Paul just say about the Scriptures, the Word of God? They have endured! After all of these years, the Word of God is still here…still being printed…still being translated into various languages…still available. After all of these years, this book is still changing lives for those who would risk opening it!

Paul also said that the word encourages! Very few people in my lifetime have ever mentioned reading the word of God and walking away discouraged. These pages are full of hope…full of promise…full of love…full of grace…full of, well, I could go on and on. Rather, I will let you find encouragement in these words from Psalm 34:17-18; 22…

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit…The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him."

As the Scriptures endure…so shall we! As the Scriptures encourage…be encouraged! Read the Bible daily and discover the hope that it offers.

Blessings…

Priority Confusion #3

2009-10-06T12:21:00.001-07:00

Part three and the final in this series. I have struggled each week with each one of these articles. I understand that they will not be popular for the most part. We generally do not like to be told that we fall WAY short of God's expectations. Although subconsciously we already know it, for that is why we need Jesus, it is still not comforting when are flaws are laid bare for all of the world to see.

This week's article deals with the many things that we put ahead of our relationship with God. When God said, "You shall have no other Gods before me," and "Do not make for yourself an idol," what did he mean exactly? Many are led to believe that as long as they do not have some little figure cast out of metal or wood sitting on their mantle, then they are honoring these commands. When will we realize that ANYTHING we place priority on over our relationship with God IS an idol?

For instance, how many parents go to great lengths to make sure their children do not miss practice (i.e. football, basketball, soccer, band, etc.), and many times, over going to church or a church sponsored event. As a minister I have often wondered how our churches might change if many parents were as passionate about their child's spiritual formation as they are their athletic development.

How many times have parents allowed their children to stay home and finish homework, rather than attend church? Don't misunderstand me here; I realize the importance of an education in today's world and culture. However, I am certain that all of the physics, chemistry, English, geometry, etc., is going to be a big help for the Second Coming Final. What about studying the Scriptures, growing in our relationship with God, and fostering relationships that provide strength and encouragement for daily Christian living?

How many times have we chosen to sleep in, or go home and rest, because we were just too tired to attend church? Sorry, but all I hear is, "I'm tired…and my rest is way more important than my time with God." I know you may have had a rough day. When I have a rough day, the one place I look forward to being…in church, among brothers and sisters, worshipping a God that loves me, promises to carry my burdens, and is the only one who can provide true rest and peace.

How many parents give their children the CHOICE to attend church? When I was growing up, attending church was not optional in my house. You can call that authoritarian, oppressive, mean, or whatever, but that has impressed something upon me. How? Well, when it is Sunday or Wednesday, you will always know where to find me!

I read this article this morning in the Christian Chronicle and I thought I might share it with you. This is to all parents who might struggle with whether or not it is imperative that you attend church as a FAMILY (in other words, "the attendance without an option", option). Colt McCoy, starting quarterback of the University of Texas Longhorns, was interviewed recently concerning his beliefs and the spiritual influences in his life. It was said of him, "McCoy is much more than a gridiron great. He rarely misses a Sunday service – even when his team returns late from an away game the night before." When asked about his influences when it came to attending church, he said, "We didn't have much of a choice when we were young. We were at church every time the doors were open – and sometimes when they weren't. It was not an option to miss church for anything." Reread that last sentence, then read this one, "Those priorities made a big impression on me and my brothers; being in worship was always a priority."

I know I have picked on parents a lot in this article, but I will not apologize for that. God entrusted us with our children for a reason. He gave us the task of parenting because he knew that our children were not spiritually mature enough to make those decisions on their own. And here we are, giving them the option of missing out on becoming spiritually mature. Does that make sense? Parenting is not a popularity contest. Requiring your family to attend church together will certainly not always make you the popular parent. BUT…It is not every parent that could release their child onto the campus of UT Austin and feel confident that they will excel spiritually. Colt McCoy has, and I would bet that parents, Brad and Debra, do not regret one minute the priority they placed on attending worship in their home.

Blessings…

Priority Confusion #2

2009-09-30T07:43:00.001-07:00

Well, here we are for round two. I am going to try and keep this one short and simple. Let's discuss punctuality. Over the last several years of being a youth minister and now a preacher, I can assure you that this is not just a youth problem. As a matter of fact, I would say that kids are only modeling what they have learned from their parents. The adults are just as guilty, if not more.

On average, I would say that adults and teens are at least 15-20 minutes late to Bible class/church on Sunday and Wednesday. On Sunday mornings the most common excuse… "I just couldn't get up in time" or "I just couldn't get ready in time." Really? We start Sunday morning Bible class at 9:30am. Worship at 10:30am. The average student and adult must be to school and work by 8:00am. So, are we really trying to make the argument that we can be ready and to school and work by 8:00am 5-6 days a week, but we can't make to church on time; which starts an hour and a half later? Or, if it is just worship, two and half hours later?

No one wants to be late to work and face an upset or angry boss. No student wants to be tardy to school and face detention or possibly even Saturday school. But who cares if we show up late to church. God is merciful, forgiving, and gracious, right? God is not at all offended or hurt when we show up late on the day we have set aside to worship him.

I know, I know…you are thinking that I am too harsh, too blunt, or too personal. Well, I do take it personal; and not because I am a preacher. No, I take it personal that we would rather give more priority to our own personal lives than to our spiritual lives. It never ceases to amaze me when I watch so many give so little to their own spiritual growth and formation, then to seem so confused when their relationship with God is weak and their spiritual lives are in so much disarray.

Priority confusion…How would our churches change if we were hungry for God? What if we showed up early to pray with friends? What if we showed up early to greet guests? What if we showed up early, just because?

Priority Confusion #1

2009-09-23T13:43:00.001-07:00

Okay, here is the first thought in a series of thoughts on priority toward our spiritual formation.

There are 24 hours in a day. 7 days in a week. So, there are 168 hours in a week. If we work an average 8 hours a day for 5 – 6 days per week, then we work on average 40-48 hours per week.

This leaves us with 120 – 128 hours. If we follow the recommended pattern for rest, then we get 8 hours of sleep per night. This leaves us with 64 – 72 hours for personal, family and/or leisure time.

For the purposes of this discussion, the average "dedicated" churchgoer attends church, or church related Bible studies, about 4 hours per week. 4 hours! Out of 64 – 72 hours, only 4 of those are devoted to church. Comparatively speaking, that is a very minimal amount of time to give to the one who created you, saved you, and loves you.

Okay, I am serious here. I recently received a complaint from a member of my church that the service was too long. Seriously!? On average, our Sunday morning worship runs about 1.5 hours. The member that complained, very seldom if ever comes to worship. Dare I say I can't even remember the last time I saw him/her in a Bible class. So, in short, out of a whopping 64 – 72 hours left over in his/her week, 1.5 hours was too much to devote to worshipping God. Is that asking too much, really?

Priorities…how can we ever expect to deepen our relationship with God if we can't even worship him for more than an hour per week!? The sad part…this isn't the first (nor will it be the last) time I have heard this complaint from a member of my church.

Change: I need it!

2009-09-22T11:36:00.001-07:00

I realize that it has been quite some time since my last post on this site. I guess in many ways I have been struggling with whether or not the things I write mean anything to anyone but me. That is one of my greatest downfalls in life. I have for many years struggled so much with what others think of me. That little nugget of realization and confession has caused me more unnecessary grief than you can possibly imagine.

This blog is going to change. I have put myself under so much unnecessary stress in an effort to write "articles" that I believed people would be interested in reading. Only to find out, I am really not a good consistent writer. I am more of a random thinker. So, in that same spirit, I want to change "Tidbits for the Road". Who knows what will pop up on here? It may be a Scripture for the day, for the week...it may be a joke or a story...it may be a poem...it may be a video or audio clip...it may be an "article." Who knows? What I can assure is that I will only post it if I believe it has something to do with our spiritual journey as followers of Christ. You may enjoy reading it, and you may not. My prayer is that it will benefit those who read it in some way, form, or fashion.

With that being said, I am about to begin a series of posts (undetermined in number) entitled "Priority Confusion." I invite you to follow and read the series. I invite you to share your own thoughts and insights. Each one of these does affect our spiritual journey, so feel free to share your tidbits concerning the topics of discussion.

Deny Thyself

2009-05-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

In Mark 8:31-33, Jesus informs his disciples that he is about to suffer many things, be rejected by the leaders of Israel, and be killed. After three days he will rise again. Peter, expecting the warrior Messianic King, does not like this news and he decides to pull Jesus off to the side and rebuke him. In turn, Jesus rebukes him in front of all of the disciples. Then Jesus has some interesting words for all who are thinking about following him…

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Jesus has just told them that he will give his life for the sake of the gospel. Now, he tells all who want to follow him that they must be ready to give their own lives for the sake of the gospel. “Deny ourselves”… our lives are not our own. If we, in an attempt to save ourselves, choose a life of comfort, ease, security… a life without risks… then we will ultimately lose our lives. However, if we are willing to sacrifice our lives for the gospel of Christ… living dangerously, courageously, and boldly… then we will ultimately live forever (immortality at its finest). Jesus’ message to those who would follow him, “Life without Jesus and the gospel… zero dollars. A life lived following Jesus for the sake of the gospel… priceless.” Erwin McManus nailed it when he described accepting the call to follow Jesus as living “the Barbarian Way.”

It is high time for us to step out of the comfort and complacency of our Sunday morning experience and truly live. We must stop waiting for people to take a risk and come to us. Jesus asked his followers to take the risk. Jesus asked those who would follow him to step out in faith. Jesus was crucified because he was seen as a threat to Jewish leadership of his day. His movement was making waves. People wanted to follow the way of Jesus rather than the ways of old. I have to ask myself, very convictingly, is the Christianity of today a threat to the leadership of today? Actually, the leadership of our world today is stomping out Christianity. Why? It is happening…slowly but surely. What are we as Christians going to do? Will we sit in our pews comfortably every Sunday and Wednesday offering our sacrifice of praise? Will we live our lives quietly minding our own business, afraid to disturb someone else with our Jesus? Will we continue to tell others that if they want Jesus they must come to us?

I often like to dream about how this world might change if we actually understood what Jesus meant when he said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me (to death)”… parenthetical words are mine, of course. I am just as guilty. I sit in my office each week preparing for the next class or the next sermon. I realize that at the end of the day… I have risked absolutely nothing for Jesus or his gospel. What have you risked today?

I will close with these words from Thomas a Kempis… “Jesus has many who love his kingdom in heaven, but few who bear his cross. He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share his feast, but few his fasting. All desire to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for his sake. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup of his passion. Many admire his miracles, but few follow him in the humiliation of the cross.”

May the Lord grant me the strength and the courage to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow him. May I live dangerously for the sake of Christ and his gospel.

Perspective

2009-05-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

I read something today that has really got me thinking. It spoke to me and wanted to share it with you. When I first read it, it made me kind of angry, defensive. I had to go back and re-read it several times. Then I had to put the book down and think on this for a while. I had to consider the possibilities. I had to put it into perspective. The more I thought, the blurriness of these words began to come into focus. The more perspective I gained on these words, the more I began to understand why they made me a bit defensive. These words convicted me. What about you? Take a look at these words taken from Rob Bell’s book, Velvet Elvis…

“The Bible is not pieces of information about God and Jesus and whatever else we take and apply to situations as we would a cookbook or an instruction manual.

And while I am at it, let’s make a group decision to drop once and for all the Bible-as-owner’s-manual metaphor. It’s terrible. It really is.

When was the last time you read the owner’s manual for your toaster? Do you find it remotely inspiring or meaningful?

You only refer to it when something’s wrong with your toaster. You use it to fix the problem, and then you put it away.” (p. 62)

If you are like me, you have used the owner’s manual metaphor when referring to the Bible. Surely I am not the only one that has told someone that God’s word is like an owner’s manual…instructions for living. While it is true that there are instructions for living within the Bible, think about what he is saying for a moment. As you are contemplating these few words, take note of the very next sentence he writes (p. 63)…

“We have to embrace the Bible as the wild, uncensored, passionate account it is of people experiencing the living God.”

Oh man, I am going to be praying with all that I am that these words convict me. The Bible is alive. It is inspiring. It is meaningful. This story (the Bible) is my story. As I read, may I experience the living God. As you read, may you experience the living God.

Blessings…

Crazy Love

2009-05-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

Love…it is one of those words in our culture that we have devalued. In our world today, we toss that word around far too easily and carelessly. In our own selfishness and sinfulness, we have weakened the impact of love. I get confused today when I hear parents tell their children, “You don’t even know what love is.” Even though that may be true, I struggle with this because I believe there are many adults in our world today who do not even know what real love is. For many in our world today, love is such a relative term. We say “I love you,” so easily, but what we really mean is, “I love you as long as it is convenient for me.” When pain surfaces, when restlessness sets in, or when it just no longer feels right, then we believe we have the right to quit. We convince ourselves that we have the right to choose to love someone else.

That is not the way love was meant to work. Over 2000 years ago, love made is greatest move; love gave its greatest demonstration. Love as it was intended was defined by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That is love, “crazy love.” It is so simple and has become so common that I am afraid we are missing the total and awesome impact of what this verse it actually saying. The only reason we know what love is, the only reason we have a clue, is because we have seen it in Jesus Christ. This love is insane, foolish, and it turns our world upside down. This love is so crazy that the world cannot grasp it, does not understand it, and does not promote it. Unfortunately, I am afraid that even Christians are beginning to lose their grip on the impact of God’s crazy love. My prayer is that all followers of Christ, all over the world, will be re-enlightened to the crazy love of God. For us to once again appreciate the awesomeness that is God’s love, we must understand a few things.

First, may our hearts be enlightened to the crazy love of God. Check out these passages of Scripture (Romans 5:5-10; 8:35-39; Ephesians 3:17-19 look this one up in the New Living Translation if you have one available). At just the right time, while we were still sinners, enemies of God, Jesus Christ gave his life for us on the cross. That act was God’s greatest demonstration of his love. In Jesus’ death, God poured out his love into our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. That is “crazy” love. Paul explains that very rarely would anyone die for a righteous man. Some might even consider dying for a good man, someone they believe is worth their time. Who, though, in their right mind would die for a selfish, inconsiderate, and sinful, enemy? Jesus did! Paul also explains that if Jesus has gone through all of that for us, then we can be sure that there is nothing in this world, or even beyond this world, that can separate us from the love of God. In Ephesians, Paul prays that our roots would go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous, God’s crazy love. He prays that we might experience the love of God, even though it is so crazy that we will never fully understand it. As we begin to understand the crazy love of God, it will change the way we love God in return.

We should have a crazy love for God. As we come to understand that God’s love is undeniable, unconditional, and unchanging, how can we not love God back? Jesus said in Matthew 22:36, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind.” It is so simple that I cannot for the life of me figure out why we try to make it so complicated. Jesus didn’t ask for our time, money, possessions, or our position. He didn’t ask for those things because he knew that if he could get our hearts, our crazy love in return, he would get all of those other things as a by-product of our love. For God so loved the world…and all he wants is for the world to love him back. Here are a few simple questions to answer that will help determine if you have a crazy love for God. Who dictates your schedule? If you have a crazy love for God, you will use Sunday and Wednesday to schedule your other appointments instead of allowing your other appointments to dictate whether or not you are able to attend church. Who dictates the prioritizing of your time? If you have a crazy love for God, you will be early for worship rather than late; and it will not bother you if worship takes one hour or even two. With a crazy love for God, you will want to soak up every single minute worshipping the Lord and fellowshipping with his church. Who dictates your finances? If you have a crazy love for God, you will make absolutely sure that God gets the first fruits of your labor rather than the leftovers. As we receive God’s love and practice giving that love back, it will change the way that we love others.

We should have a crazy love like God’s. This is by far that most difficult for us to practice. It is much easier to love God sitting in the building and singing praises to him than it is to have God-like love in the world for every single human being. This is not a new problem. Take a look at these New Testament passages where even some of the first disciples of Christ were struggling with this same issue (Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; John 13:34-35). Jesus knew how difficult it was going to be for us to move ourselves aside and love others with the love of God. He indicated that in the second greatest commandment, “Love our neighbors as ourselves.” Ahhhh! That is a problem for us, though, isn’t it.

We all have those lines in the sand when it comes to loving others. Because we are human, we judge others based on our own style, our own tastes, and our own standards. We are willing to love others up to a certain point, but then we make rationalizations for not going any further. We shy away from them because they don’t match up with our standards. For some it is tattoos…for some it is body piercings…for some it is drinking and/or smoking…for some it is dirty, ratty, or tattered clothing…for some it is what side of the town you live on…for others it is race (yes, unfortunately many are still there)…and for some it is what church they attend (have you ever wondered what Jesus really thinks when he looks at this world and notices how many different denominations we have divided “his” church into).

Praise be to God that Jesus doesn’t love us this way! Aren’t you glad he doesn’t love you based on conditions or standards. Jesus is perfect, holy, righteous, blameless, and sinless. If Jesus loved us on those conditions and standards there is not one of us that stand a chance of ever seeing eternity. With God’s crazy love there are no limitations. God’s crazy love is unconditional. It is refreshing and calming to know that no matter how imperfect I may seem in the eyes of the world, I am always perfectly lovable in the eyes of God. We will have a crazy love like God’s as soon as we admit and accept the fact that we are just a bunch of imperfect sinners just like the rest of the world. The only difference between us and them is that someone took the time to tell us about the crazy love of God. Doesn’t the rest of the world deserve the same chance?

Live with Crazy Faith. Hold on to your Crazy Hope. And love with world with a Crazy Love.

Crazy Hope

2009-04-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

"Hope"...this is another word in our culture that has really lost its meaning. In many ways, we have really devalued the word hope. We use the word now when we speak of things that we believe to be beyond our control or our power. For example, we say things like, "I hope I get that promotion"... "I hope I pass that test"... "I hope the falling stock market doesn't completely destroy my retirement." It really breaks my heart to hear people use such a powerful word in such an unpowerful way. For believers, hope is not uncertian at all. On the contrary, hope is certianty. Hope is confident expectation. Hope is the fulfillment of God's promises to his people. Hope is what God gives, and hope is what sustains.

There are two different aspects of Christian hope. For us, our hope is a definite, present reality. And, hope is a confident, future anticipation. Within both aspects there lies a power from God that is very real, yet because of our humanistic worldview, for many of us it is not fully realized. We as followers of Christ need to recapture the extraordinary, remarkable aspect of hope we have in Christ. We must reclaim our "Crazy Hope" so that we may find the strength and courage to persevere within a fallen world.

Read: Ephesians 1:13-2:10

Our crazy hope is rooted in a crazy powerful God! Paul speaking to the Ephesians (and to us), is reminding us that as we believed in the gospel we were marked with a seal. That seal is the promised Holy Spirit which guarantees our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession. The Holy Spirit is our mark of hope. In this hope, Paul prays that we might also come to realize the riches of his glorious inheritance and his incomparably great power. What about this power?

Well, this power is the same mighty strength exerted by God when he raised Christ from the dead...placed him in the heavenly realms at his right hand..."far above" all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given...the same power that put everything under the feet, under the lordship of Christ. The idea here is that no matter what kind of god or celestial being you and I might believe exists, no matter what kind of god or celestial being we might be able to dream up, no matter what kind of god, being, or thing we might believe deserves our worship, none of them could ever have, or will ever have, more power and authority than Christ.

Here is the best part! Notice in vv. 22-23 of chapter 1 where all of that power and authority is being concentrated. It is all given to Christ for the church! The church is us, right!? That same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated him next to God in the heavenly realms, and placed everything under his feet; that same power lies within you and me. That power is ours for we are the fullness of Christ and Christ fills everything in every way. It is Christ that we serve, and it is his church he fills! Because of the incomparably great power, we rejoice in some amazing blessings that are already fully real.

Our crazy hope is a present reality! There are promises of God that have already been fulfilled. There are blessings from God that are already a very real part of our everyday lives. These promises and blessings provide for us a present hope that gives us a confidence and certianty that all of God's future promises will be reavealed. Take a look at the following verses (Eph. 1:3, 5, 7-8, 13-14; 2:5, 6, 10). Pay particulary close attention to verse 6 of chapter 2. Paul writes that we are already raised with Christ, we are already seated with him in the heavenly realms. Paul reassures us that as the church, Christ is in us and he fills us in every way. If Christ is in us and Christ has already been raised and seated with God, then in some sense we too have already been raised and seated with God. Our reservation has been made! Our hope is already secure! Our eternal home is a sure thing! With these blessings and Christ's power, Satan cannot take away what Christ has already shed his blood for! So, just tell Satan to back off in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ! We do have great blessing that are completely and fully real, but we also eagerly anticipate some amazing blessings that are not yet fully realized.

Our crazy hope is in our future glory! With a strength and power that is beyond the world we live in, we are able to overcome each day's struggles as we realize what has already been done for us. We are also able to live powerfully for what lies ahead because of the confident expectation of what we know will also be done for us. As human beings we must deal with the present reality of the world that we live in. As disciples of Christ, we can long for, dream of, and hope in a future glory that far outweighs anything this life has to offer. Look at these verses (Eph. 1:18; 2:7). Beyond this life lies the riches of his glorious inheritance. Beyond this life lies the incomparable riches of his grace. As followers of Christ, we have have grace beyond grace, love beyond love, wealth beyond wealth, and life beyond life. We too should pray daily that God lay on us his Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we might know him better. We too should pray daily that the eyes of our heart are enlightened that we may understand the hope that we have, as well as the hope to which we have been called.

Believers in Christ rejoice in a new life in Christ, but we await eternal life at the feet of Christ. We know that we have been raised with Chrsit, but we eagerly await the final resurrection. We know that we have been saved, but we are awaiting our salvation. We know we have been adopted, but we anticipate the day we are fully revealed as sons and daughters of the King. We know we are transformed, but we are waiting to be fully changed. Each day we experience the glory and power of God, but we anticipate the day when God's full glory and power will be revealed. What a God! What a hope! May prayer is that all believers, every day, will be able to live confidently because they have a "crazy" hope in a "crazy" powerful God.

Blessings.

Crazy Faith

2009-04-20T07:39:00.001-07:00

I started a new series this Sunday entitled "Crazy." Over the next three weeks we are going to look at what it means to have Crazy Faith, Crazy Hope, and Crazy Love. I must say, I really loved this Sunday morning. The worship was amazing, I really felt the Spirit moving through me as I shared my thoughts on Crazy Faith. I can't speak for anyone else, but I thoroughly enjoyed this Sunday.

Crazy Faith...why "crazy." The meaning of a word can change, and has changed, with each passing generation. For example, when my parents were kids, the word "bad"meant just what you might think it should mean; not good, spoiled, or rotten. When I was a kid, the word "bad" meant something totally different; awesome or amazing. The word "crazy" has gone through a similar transformation over the years. At one time, the word crazy meant that something or someone was insane, ridiculous, or foolish. Now, crazy has come to mean that something is exceptional, extraordinary, or even remarkable. So, the idea is that as followers of Christ, we must exhibit a crazy faith as we learn to live within a fallen world.

Paul was probably the greatest example of one who lived a life of crazy faith despite his circumstances. Read: 2 Corinthians 4. Twice in this passage (v. 1 and v. 16) Paul says that believers should not lose heart. We should not lose heart even when what is seen leads others to believe that our faith is "crazy." Paul did not lose heart when his message and his ministry were rejected. Many thought Paul was crazy, or foolish, for preaching Christ. For, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. Paul did not lose heart when he faced pressures, set-backs, persecution, and even death. If anyone had reason to lose heart, it would have been Paul. Notice all that he went through for the sake of the gospel and those he preahced the gospel to...read: 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. All of these we may very well face in life and ministry. If we cannot focus on anything else but the bad economy, unemployment ratings, falling stock market, nuclear threats, and excessive government spending, then it would be easy to see why so many preach a message of gloom and doom. It is easy to see why so many are discouraged and hopeless. In fact, by worldly standards, if we focus on only what we can see, we have been pretty unsuccessful as of late.

But Paul says, "we do not lose heart" because it is what is unseen that convinces us we must have a "crazy" faith. Paul recognized what he had in the gospel of Christ. He considered the gospel to be his treasure. It was that threasure that got him through all of the struggles, set-backs, and persecutions in his life and ministry (ref. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12). Paul was remarkably confident in the future that existed for him beyond this life. We, like Paul, must not allow our present circumstances to overshadow our future glory. Paul calls himself, and us, jars of clay. Clay jars were probably the most common household item of the day. There was nothing special or spectacular about the jar itself. No, what made it special was the contents within it. We, too, need to realize the treasure that lies within us. We must find our strength in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been redeemed by the blood of a crucified Savior! Our future has been secured by the life of a resurrected Lord! Because of that, we can live a life of confidence, certainty, and sureness, just like Paul...using words like "I know..." and "I believe..."

As followers of Christ, "we do not lose heart" because our "crazy" faith is the result of a "crazy" faithful God! Paul lived unashamedly for Christ. His testimony to the world is that he didn't measure his success by the same standards with which the world measures success. He says, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Paul lived a crazy faith because he understood he had a crazy faithful God. Notice what Paul says about God in 2 Corinthians 1:18-22. No matter what promises God has made, they are all "Yes" in Christ Jesus. That is why we too can live a life of Crazy Faith. We press on for the inward strength, joy, and peace that he has promised us if we stay connected to him. We press on because of the certain future destiny we have in Jesus. We live out a crazy faith as shining examples of patient endurance, sharing the treasure that lies within us, because we serve a crazy faithful God!

Ever Been There?

2009-04-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been forever since I have used this blogsite. In many ways I have even forgotten that I had it. I could probably come up with a million excuses for why I haven't been on here in a while (and I have some good ones). Honestly, however, that is all that they are...excuses.

I thought I would just throw out some randon thoughts today. I am about to explode, so I had to find a place to expel what's on my mind. This seems like the place for me to do that...although I might come to regret it later.

I recently have taken on a new role in my job. I am no longer just a youth minister (haven't been for quite some time). I am no longer an Associate Minister. I am now the Preaching Minister at my church. I truly feel called to be where I am...but I in no way was truly prepared for the task that still lays before me. I can't even begin to express how frustrated I am with the work that I have taken on. I am sure any other preachers out there will understand where I am coming from. I took over this position within a church that has seen its fair share of struggles. I was, and still am, convinced that the Lord called me to this position. However, I am still trying to figure out how in the world that God is going to, or possibly could, use me to make a difference.

Our church has experienced a split, a church plant, and an earth-shattering change in leadership...all within the last four to five years. I must say that no church should ever be asked to endure so much in such a short amount of time. As a result, we have lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 100-150 members. Not all of those left in the initial phases of each experience, but if you have ever done any work within the church, you will understand how the after-shock of each event still seems to claim its victims. No matter how hard I have tried, there still seems to be a lingering since of frustration and resentment with some. There are times that I still wonder if I am even making a difference. Ever been there?

I have kept quiet about this as long as I possibly can. I have tried to keep it to myself, but I can no longer do that. I am hurting...I am stressed...I am frustrated...I am constantly seeking God's guidance and direction because I know, and have always known, that the task of rebuilding this church is far beyond any skills, ablilites, and talents that I might possess. In many ways we are working from the ground up...rebuilding, redirecting, renovating. It has become a much bigger task than I have ever imagined. I am still up for the challenge, but something continues to haunt me. Over the last year, I have watched various leaders cut their ties with our church and move in different directions. All of them have their share of frustrations with the way things have seemed to go over the last few years. All of them wishing that things never happened, believing that things could have been avoided, wanting things to be different. I have always wanted to ask, but never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings... Why not stay and lead, helping us to improve the things that need improving? Many of these people are my friends and have no desire to hurt them; and that is why I never asked the question. Ever been there?

I have been in ministry for almost 12 years now. All of that time I have only worked within four churches...in this particular church for 8 years this summer. I know that four churches is not that much in the big scheme of things. However, I can honestly say, even through all that this church has been through, there is not a more loving, generous, and caring group of people in the world (understanding that this is solely my opinion). I know that we have been through a lot. I know that I am tired, frustrated, stressed, and at other times depressed; but I know what this church is made of. I know what it was, and am confident of what it can be again. In the midst of all my frustrations, I can't help but love these people. All I want is to inspire them beyond our present pain. All I want is to motivate them to accept the ministry with which they have been entrusted. All I want is to see them make a difference in the lives of others. I want them to discover again the joys of mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Ever been there?

"Heroes of Faith" - Moses

2008-11-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Faith and determination can inspire us to do some pretty amazing things. The king of Egypt was growing increasingly threatened by the growth of the Hebrew nation. He was afraid that they might grow large enough, organize, and eventually overthrow him and his kingdom. He ordered that the Hebrew nation be forced into more harsh labor to kill their spirit, and he ordered that all male Hebrew infants be killed at birth. Two people had enough faith and determination to ignore that order, spare their son, and hide him from the king for three months. Their act of faith would prove to be just the thing the Hebrew nation needed to break the power of the pharaoh’s reign and open the door to their rescue.

Moses’ parents understood that faith triumphs over fear! Despite the king’s edict that all Hebrew male infants were to be killed, Moses’ parents believed that he was destined for great things. Josephus, the first century writer of Christian history, seems to believe that Moses’ parent received a direct revelation from God that Moses was destined to be the leader of the Hebrew nation. They saw he was no ordinary child…Moses was an extra-ordinary child. Like Moses’ parents, we need to believe that our children are destined for greatness. I have heard, on more than one occasion, parents say that they would not want to have to raise their children in today’s world. Why? I would say that now more than ever, our world needs strong, believing parents raising strong, believing kids to become the leaders of tomorrow. We have the ability and freedom to influence our children for the sake of Christ. We need to teach them whose they are, what they have been called to, and what reward awaits them if they faithfully answer that call. We must constantly take advantage of the opportunities to convince our children that because God lives in them, they are destined for greatness.

Because of the influence of Moses’ parents, he grew up understanding that faith triumphs over power. It is a given that because Moses’ mother was employed by the pharaoh’s daughter to nurse him and help raise him that she was taken advantage of every opportunity to remind him of his destiny. He became so confident in who he was, and what he was to do, that he realized he didn’t need anything from the pharaoh. He refused all of the pleasures and treasures of the palace. He refused to be recognized as the son of the pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to identify with his Hebrew brothers and sisters for the sake of Christ. He chose suffering, slavery, and hardship because he was looking ahead to a greater reward. Like Moses, we must understand that we are children of a greater king! We are part of a much more royal family with a greater name, and a kingdom that fights for a much greater cause. We must believe that we have the rights to a greater treasury far beyond anything this world can offer. If we can come to believe this, then we can come to realize that this world has nothing to offer us.

Because of Moses’ influence, the Hebrew nation came to understand that faith triumphs over time. Moses fled Egypt because his own people did not, at that time, understand who he was and what he was to do for him. The whole time he was away from his home and his family, Moses never lost sight of his calling because he was able to see him who was invisible. God continued to reveal himself to Moses in his own way; constantly encouraging and uplifting Moses until the time was right to send him back to Egypt. When he returned, his faith and reliance on God inspired a nation to move against a system that had oppressed them for years. Like Moses, we must learn to see God, even when we can’t physically “see” God. We must believe that our acts of faith can and will inspire others to act in faith. We must believe that our faith can inspire a nation into action. Our faith in God can and will make a difference.

Our present circumstances are not a recipe for defeat, but an open door of opportunity. We have been called by God, rescued by Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We too are destined for greatness. One man’s faith inspired a nation and caught the attention of the world. Do you believe that your faith can make a difference? If we are going to influence the world for Christ, you must believe that your faith makes a difference. In you, people need to see a God worth getting to know. In you, people need to see a God that can make a difference. In you, people need to see that God is never going to abandon us, but is going to give us the strength and endurance necessary to stay the course and rise to the occasion. We press on because like Moses, we know what treasures await us. Be a hero of faith…

"Heroes of Faith" - Noah

2008-10-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

The writer of Hebrews defines faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” (11:1,2) The writer would also say later, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (11:6) In Hebrews 11 we are treated with an extensive, but not inclusive, list of men and women who truly were “Heroes of Faith.” These men and women faithfully and willingly walked with God when no one else would. They believed in God, and they were sure that God would provide for them just as he promised.

In Hebrews 11:7, the writer tells us of Noah: “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

If you have time, brush up on the story of Noah by reading all of Genesis 6. Mankind had become so selfish and sinful that God’s heart was literally broken. God is love! God created the human race so that he could share this love. Many of us, at some point or another, know exactly what it feels like to love someone with all your heart only to be crushed when you realize that they do not love you back. It is devastating. Humanity had become utterly sinful. Our sin is destructive and devastating. It separates us from the presence of God (Isaiah 59). We had become so evil that God’s heart hurt and he wished that he had never created us. He was completely ready to wipe us from the face of the earth. Jesus’ interpretation of this time in history is found in Matthew 24:38, 39: “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.” Everyone in that day was living by the philosophy, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow will take care of itself.” What if there is no tomorrow? You see, sin is not breaking God’s law; it is breaking God’s heart.

Just when God was feeling completely rejected, he caught a glimmer of hope in the life of Noah. We are told that Noah was a righteous, blameless man, and he walked with God. One of the things that caught me in this story was the fact that God had lost hope. Many times we don’t think of God as one who is capable of losing all hope. However, when we look closely at the story, we see that this is the case. Mankind had become so selfish and sinful, that God was ready to wipe them, and all other creatures, off the face of the earth. He obviously felt defeated. He obviously felt that there was no way that humanity would ever live completely for him. And just when he was about to follow through on his plan, he saw this man named Noah. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah’s righteousness was a reaffirmation of God’s love and patience. When God saw Noah, it reminded him of all the reasons why he continues to love us and wait on us. Noah’s faith and perseverance had given God hope.

Just like Noah, we must walk with God when others will not! We must believe and not doubt. Noah believed, trusted that the flood would come just as God said that it would. What are we sure of? What are we certain of, even though we cannot see it? Jesus promises us a resurrection. We have not yet seen it, but in faith we believe it is coming. We believe it is coming because we believe in Jesus who died for it. Remember, in faith we believe he exists and that he will reward those who earnestly seek him. We continue to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, even when others may not follow us, because we believe that our faithfulness will be rewarded in our resurrection and eternal home in heaven. Life lived in the eternal presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even if we are standing alone, we must never believe that all hope is lost. Our faithfulness gives hope and assurance to God.

Looking Forward: Never Back

2008-10-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, “This one thing I do: Forgetting what his behind and straining toward what it ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

In many ways, Paul writes this letter showing his brothers and sisters in the faith how they might experience joy in the midst of adversity. A key to finding joy in life is to forget what lies behind so that we can truly live for what lies ahead. It is hard for us to focus on the future when we are carrying around the burdens of our past. Think about an athlete running a race. The track is laid out in a circle. If the runner is looking over his shoulder from the moment the race begins, he will never know when to turn through the curve and he will eventually run off the track. That same runner will also never be able to run his best race if he is loaded down with weights.

Paul encourages us to throw off the weights of the past so that we can run a better race now. Paul encourages us to forget what lies behind (live forward) so that we can focus on our future. He knows that he is not perfect: “Not that I have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on.” This reminds me of Paul’s words in chapter 1 and verse 6, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” We will not obtain the prize for which God has called us heavenward until the day that Jesus Christ returns. However, the joy in the Christian life is living with the confidence that it is already there, secured by Christ, waiting for us the day he comes to take us home.

We can break the power of the past by living for the future. We must surrender our past to the cross of Christ. We do not completely erase those moments from our memory because that would be impossible. What we must do is release those moments so that they do not consume our thoughts and rule our hearts. We must release those moments so that they do not manipulate our lives any longer. Our past can be either the lead weight that holds us back, or the inspiration that speeds us into our future with God.

Paul also writes, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Another key to finding joy in life is to keep our mind on heavenly things. Paul cautions the Philippian believers that there are some who live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their minds are on earthly things; their destiny is destruction; their god is their stomach; and their glory is in their shame. We must become allies of the cross of Christ. Our mind must be on heavenly things; our destiny is perfection; our god is the only true God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe; and our glory will be in the resurrection.

We live our lives focused on our promised resurrection. Paul reassured the saints in Rome that if we are united with Christ in his death (through our baptism), then we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. That is something worth living for! What on this earth could bring anyone more joy than to know that when they die it is not the end of their journey, but the beginning. As believers in Christ, we need not fear death, for it has no mastery over us. Because we have released our past to the cross of Christ, and Jesus has washed us clean, Jesus will return and we will participate in the resurrection.

We live our lives focused on our promised eternity. Jesus himself told his disciples that his Father’s house had many rooms, and he was going to prepare a room for them. And he added that if he was going to go to the trouble of preparing a room for them, he would certainly come back to get them. We are not promised anything on this earth. If there is one thing that life in this world has taught us, it is that there are no guarantees. That is one thing that changes when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are guaranteed a resurrection. We are guaranteed that life after the resurrection will be eternal and lived in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. All we have to do is get there and check in! How much would our lives and attitudes change if we chose not to be weighed down by the burdens of our past, and we instead decided to rejoice and look forward to our guaranteed future?

Life lived in the past is not life at all! Living in the past, haunted by the things we cannot change, will certainly rob us of our joy and kill our witness as followers of Christ. To achieve and experience true joy in this life, we must be people that are always looking forward: never back!

With Unveiled Faces

2008-09-23T09:31:00.001-07:00

“If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness. For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.” – 2 Corinthians 3:9, 10

Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been granted a glorious life through the power of God. The old covenant (the law) is holy, righteous and glorious because it comes from God. However glorious it may have been, all that the law did was expose the sin in the lives of God’s people. The law made it plain to God’s people where they fell short of God’s glory, but the law was powerless to help people overcome sin. The ministry of the old covenant brought condemnation because it pointed out sin and its tragic consequence: death; but the ministry of the new covenant brought righteousness and life. The law was necessary, but it was never intended to be permanent. God’s people had to experience condemnation so that they could appreciate God’s mercy and forgiveness. His people had to experience death so that they could appreciate the life-giving Spirit. The new ministry of the Spirit is even more glorious. The changed hearts and lives of believers is an even more miraculous work of God than lightning, thunder, and earthquakes.

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.” - 2 Corinthians 3:12, 13

Because of this surpassing glory, we live our lives unveiled by the power of hope. Paul seems to believe that Moses covered his face because the radiance of God would fade after he spoke with the Lord. Paul thinks that this action kept the Israelites from understanding that the glory of this old covenant was only temporary. In Christ, the veil is taken away. Because we know, and have experienced, the glory of God we have an everlasting hope. We believe and confidently, boldly profess that our God is a God of his word. Through Jesus Christ, we are directly connected with God and his glory. Because of our confidence in the glory of the new covenant, we live our lives with unveiled faces. What we know and what we profess is nothing to hide. We should not be afraid to see where God can take us. We shouldn’t allow our comfort and apprehension to cheat us out of experiencing God and his all-surpassing glory. We must boldly let God use us as his servants in his way, letting God’s glory take us places we may never have imagined.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17, 18

As we are strengthened by hope, we are also transformed by the power of the Spirit. Numerous places in the scriptures refer to freedom as freedom from death, sin, law, and condemnation. In this context, for Paul, freedom is the removal of any barriers that might hinder spiritual understanding. As for the Jews, their diehard dependence upon the old covenant and its ways became a barrier that separated them from God and his ever-increasing glory. They were unable to recognize Jesus as the glorious Messiah that all of their beloved scriptures were pointing to. Therefore, they were unable to accept Jesus and ultimately their hearts became hardened, which resulted in their being even further separated from God.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Those 10 words can and will forever change your life. When Christ died for our sins, and was resurrected, the veil was removed. Now, we are free, nothing stands in our way of our experiencing God and his glory to the fullest. That is, nothing but ourselves. We must choose live in this freedom. We mustn’t let fear imprison us. We mustn’t let doubt enslave us. We mustn’t let the way we have always done things become the barrier that prevents us from experiencing God and his all-surpassing glory. Paul refers to this glory as “ever-increasing.” This implies an ongoing, never complete experience. As the Holy Spirit works through our lives, we step by step come closer to God’s perfect way of living. It happens little by little as the Holy Spirit points out more areas of our lives that need to be submitted to God’s will. As the Spirit is changing us, the glory of God is reflected in our lives as a beacon of light and testimony to the world of God’s greatness.

Unveil your face and allow the glory of God to be witnessed in your transformed life!

The Greatest Love

2008-09-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to us. It is a really amazing thing to think about, isn’t it? I mean who could possibly love me (you) so much that they would willingly put their one and only Son in harm’s way to protect me (you)? God does. And God does love us that much because that is God’s nature. God so loved because God is love. This great truth is the motivation of God’s plan. 1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” In his book "3:16", Max Lucado writes the following about John 3:16… “If you know nothing about the Bible, start here. If you know plenty about the Bible, return here. John 3:16 is a 26 word parade of hope; beginning with God and ending with life, urging us to do the same.” We must realize our need for such a gift as this. “For God so loved”…because of God’s great love for us, we must realize one very important truth: Sin is not breaking God’s law, it is breaking God’s heart.

Because this very precious gift is free, we are left with the greatest choice. God’s gift…Jesus’ sacrifice…challenges us to a decision. Because God has gone to such great lengths to protect us from ourselves, we must choose to either accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, or reject him. John’s gospel teaches that Jesus does not come to condemn the world or judge the world. Jesus doesn’t need to condemn anyone. If we refuse God’s precious gift, if we refuse to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we call judgment and condemnation on ourselves. We have to choose Jesus for ourselves. Blaise Pascal once said, “If I live my life like there is a God, and find out in the end that there isn’t, I have gained much and lost little. But if I live my life like there is isn’t a God, and find out in the end that there is, I’ve gained little and lost everything.” We choose to believe Jesus is the Christ, and by believing we choose life.

Once we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our choosing Jesus is God’s greatest glory. God’s power is revealed in those who come into the light and live by truth. Again, we have a choice. Some people choose darkness. Immersed in their own wrong behavior, they have no desire to be disturbed or change. Those enveloped by the darkness avoid the light for fear of having their darkness exposed for what it is, rebuked for what it is…SIN. But those that choose Jesus? Those who choose Jesus are allowed the “shine” so that the power of God may be revealed in their transformed lives. Stepping out of the darkness and into the light is not something that comes naturally for us (see Rom. 7:15, 18b, 21). We can, however, choose to follow Jesus. Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

We can choose to follow Jesus and have the darkest corners of our lives illuminated by the light of life. Once that happens, Satan has no power there anymore. That part of our lives he once controlled, he no longer controls anymore. It is under the lordship of Christ! For God so loved…and perfect love drives out fear. Free yourself from the oppression of darkness and evil. Step into the light and let the love of Jesus warm your heart and soul. Darkness does not have to be your lord and master anymore. Where ever you are in life, Jesus loves you right there, and he desperately wants to set you free.

Why would God sacrifice his one and only Son? Two reasons:
(1) God loves you with the greatest love.

(2) You can’t enter eternal life without God.

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

2008-08-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago I began a journey, a journey that I mistakingly thought would only take me three years. I began work toward my Master’s degree. When I began the program, I was under the impression that if I devoted my time and energy accordingly, in three years I would complete a Master of Arts in Religion from ACU. Time, life, and the will of God have a way of changing things. That three years came and went. Tack on another four years, and now here I am…I HAVE ARRIVED!

I wish that I could say that the journey has been an easy one. I can say, however, that it has been a rewarding one. I have been able to take classes from 3 different institutions, learn under an amazing list of professors, make some life-long ministry friends, and watch God mold me and shape me in some mind-boggling ways. I am exhausted, but to tell you the truth, I am so excited right now that I don’t feel it. I am so pumped to be where I am.

Tomorrow is the big day! I am leaving tomorrow morning for Abilene, Texas. When I get there, I will purchase my academic regalia…black robe and hat, maroon tassel and hood. I will meet my parents for a nice graduation dinner…Texas Roadhouse, here I come (nice big and juicy steak)! Then I will wait patiently for 7:30pm when the ceremony will begin. When they call out the “S’s”, I will walk across that stage and receive a piece of paper from ACU signifying that I have acquired enough credits to be awarded a Master of Arts in Religion. To me it will be so much more than a piece of paper. To me, it is seven years of love, encouragement, and patience from so many in my life. To me, it is knowledge that can never be taken from me. To me, it is seven years worth of a journey that has brought me closer to God than I ever thought possible.

I have so many people to thank. I first want to thank my wife. She has been my cheerleader when I wanted to quit; she has been my compass when I was distracted by so many things; she has been my reminder when I seemed to forget why I was doing all of this; and she has been my best friend, constantly pushing me when I needed to be pushed, and listening to me when I needed to vent. I want to thank my kids. They always seemed to understand when daddy needed to go to the library, or the church building, so that he could find a quite place to read, study, and write. I want to thank Kimi for being excited about my graduation and encouraging me to go through with it. I want to thank Jace for always greeting me at the door and being so excited that I was back from a class or a study session. I want to thank my mom and my dad for constantly telling me how proud of me they are, and constantly encouraging me to finish what I had started.

And I can’t end this without thinking my leaders and friends from the Kaufman Church of Christ. I want to thank the elders for financially supporting my education. I am so relieved that I never gave up, and I pray every day that I can prove to them that it was money well spent. I owe so much to this church that I will forever be in debt to them. I want to thank the elders for the constant patience and flexibility, letting me have the necessary time off to drive to Abilene or Austin for a week here and two weeks there for classes. I appreciate the prayers and the slaps on the back as they pushed me to complete my work. And I want to thank my church family. None of this would have been possible without the massive amount of love and encouragement that I have felt from all of them. I have always known, no matter what, that this family would always be there for me.
I HAVE ARRIVED!!! Just continue to pray for the safety of me and my family as we travel to Abilene and back tomorrow. Thanks again to all of you!

Faded Leather or Faint Heart

2008-06-11T14:31:00.001-07:00

Like I said in my previous post, I am in Austin finishing up a graduate class. I have had the opportunity to stay with this awesome family, Dean and Mary Johnson, while I am here. On the way home from class yesterday, Mary (who is taking the class as well) and I were sharing little things that had blessed us in our lives. One of the things she shared with me was a small quote, “A Bible that is worn out usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

This quote got me to thinking. Keeping it in mind, take a look at this passage from Psalms 119:9-16…

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all of my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands

11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O Lord;
teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

How can you keep your life pure? By living according to the word of God. One thing you discover about the writer of this Psalm, is that there exists within his heart a deep love and appreciation for God. If you read on through Psalm 119, life experience has taught this writer that dependence on God has proven to be an ally in life. For him, there is something to knowing God and knowing God’s heart. Therefore, he meditates on God’s precepts and considers his ways. He doesn’t just read the word of God, he meditates on it and tries to make sense of what it means for him and the way he lives his life.

Such meditation pays off in other ways. With his lips, he can recount all of the laws that come from the mouth of God. For some, this may seem like a cumbersome task, to be able to recite all of the laws of God. Before you become too dismissive, do you remember when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert? It was the recitation of Scripture that rocked Satan back on his heels, and reminded him of his place in the kingdom of God. Paul says in Ephesians that we should take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; our only offensive weapon in this spiritual battle.

Maybe that is it…maybe the reason that some of us are so worn out is because we are not fighting back. Our Bibles are not worn. They are not being used. Instead we keep them in their leather sheaths, never exploring God’s precepts and ways, and missing out on the edge that God has honed for the faithful. Maybe we should wear out the leather a bit more in our daily lives. We should open our Bibles more so that we may be equipped in this battle against Satan and the powers of darkness. Then we can be the ones giving, rather than taking, the beatings.

Is your Bible worn out, or are you?

He Answered...Setting Me Free

2008-06-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it great how the Lord just swoops right in sometimes and gives you exactly what you need at just the right time? Well, this week I have been in Austin taking yet another grad class on the road toward my Masters degree. I have been at this since 2001, working as a full-time minister and dad. There are no words that are capable of expressing just how badly I want to be done. Seriously, I have been going to school and doing homework since I was in Kindergarten. And just so you know how painful that is for me, I am now 31 years old. I am not going to tell you why it has taken me this long, so don’t ask.

Anyway, now that the light has broken at the end of the tunnel, I have acquired what can only be explained as a serious case of Senioritus. Just when this bug had to bite me, I had to have one of the most difficult classes of my educational career. It is not difficult because of the content. The class is The History of Christianity in America, and I am more than interested in the topic. No, the class is difficult because of the work load. Forgive me while I whine a little. Within this two week course I must read two books and complete a Group Project, take two major exams at the end of each week, and read 5 books and write a book review for each.

I cannot even begin to tell you how overwhelmed I feel right now. I am away from my family during the week. I am away from my church family and closest friends. I am tired, worn out both mentally and physically, and ready to come home. I know, when is he going to stop whining and get to the part that is supposed to be good? Well, as I was feeling really bummed last night, I just went to God in prayer before falling asleep. I asked God to give me the strength and encouragement that I needed that would help me complete these two weeks and move on with life. That is when I decided to open up the Psalms and read for some inspiration. I mean, David, and others, went through some really rough times. Most all of them recorded in the Psalms how God came to their aid and gave them hope. That is when God led me straight to Psalm 118:5-7, 14…

5 In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. 6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

How beautiful is that?

Wounded Healers

2008-05-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

I just read in a book by Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, this excerpt:

“So it is with the minister. Since it is his task to make visible the first vestiges of liberation for others, he must bind his own wounds carefully in anticipation of the moment when he will be needed. He is called to be the wounded healer, the one who must look after his own wounds but at the same time be prepared to heal the wounds of others.”

This description of pastoral care in ministry is so true. Ministers hurt. Ministers have wounds. Yet at the same time they are, in many cases, expected to bandage their own wounds as they run out the door to tend to the needs of others. I am not saying that others, the members of our churches, are naïve to the fact that we have wounds that need tending. No. What I am saying is that this is the ministry to which we have accepted a calling. We have accepted such a calling because we are compassionate about the needs, hurts, and feelings of those around us. We want to help. We desire to see Christ and his love usher the hurting past the conflict in their lives into a pure sense of healing and forgiveness; redemption.

But I also want to point out an interesting role reversal of this thought that I have seen in the church with which I am currently serving. Many of our members have become ministers of pastoral care; wounded healers. Within the past few years, I have watched many of our members who have struggled with their own turmoil, bandage their wounds and rush to the aid of those who were hurting in many of the same ways. Before their own wounds were completely healed, they wrapped themselves up, rushed to their friends, and became a rock and shoulder to lean on in the midst of the pain.

This is not so surprising to me, however, because it is exactly what Scripture teaches. We are told to make disciples, empowering others to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We are to empower them not only for the ministry of evangelism, but also for the ministry of healing. Paul also indicated that this ministry of wounded healing is the ministry that we as Christians were called to:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

That, my friends, is the beautiful thing about being a part of a community of faith. Yes, we have a wounded healer in Jesus Christ; one who shed his blood to redeem us from ourselves and give us the hope of eternal life. We also have a whole family of wounded healers; those who have been there and can understand our pain. They understand and they can, because they have been there, help provide for us comfort and suggestions for the road of recovery. We must open our own hearts to their care and concern, accepting their help and beginning the healing process.

Praise be to God for our own…Wounded Healers.

Slow Fade-Casting Crowns

2008-05-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

As I have seen marriages torn apart lateley with issues such as this, this video ripped at my heart. Watch the video, pay attention to the message, and try to hold back the tears with the little girl at the end.

Marriages, Families, Men are not destroyed in a day. It's a Slow Fade.

Please stop at the end of this video and just say a prayer for those in our churches, our lives, and our world. Pray that the God of all Power and Comfort will give us all the courage and strength to honor the commitments we have made to love our spousese for the rest of our lives. Pray that we will all have the strength to live everyday like Jesus has called us to live.

Casting Crowns Slow Fade Music Video on Yahoo! Music

Confined Within Walls

2008-02-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

The following quote was taken from the book that I am currently reading (Organic Church):

The Gospel says, “Go,” but our church buildings say, “Stay.” The gospel says, “Seek the lost,” but our churches say, “Let the lost seek the church.” - Howard Snyder

Within the same book, author Neil Cole shared this little slice of humble pie:

“Someone once said that we shape our buildings and then they shape us. It is not just the fact that buildings hold back our growth; they also hold back our understanding of the Kingdom of God. Our minds can be held captive behind four walls as easily as our actions are.”

Okay, let me begin by repenting. I have been very, VERY, guilty of this mentality. I have read books, magazines, and attended seminars in an effort to find out the next big “thing” I could do to make my ministry more appealing. All of it so that people from the outside would look at my ministry and become convinced it was THE place to be. Too often I have wasted hours sitting in my office contemplating what I could change that would bring more people into my church. It scares me to think about the countless people I might have influenced had I invested those hours into people rather than programs.

Think about a church building for a moment. I am going to risk pointing out the obvious here…we can only be as big as our building. If we build a building that only seats 600 people in a community of over 6,000, what does that say exactly? I almost wonder if that is not what actually cripples the church? Let me explain. If we focus on the building and the programs, then all we have to do is sit back and wait for the building to fill up. The problem here is that the longer we sit back the more comfortable we become, and when outsiders actually do come in we become restless because it messes with our structure and makes us uncomfortable. What if we took church to the people rather than expecting the people to come to the church? The gospel says, “Go!” The gospel says, “Seek the lost!”

I believe that the church is caged behind the walls of the building. I fear that we have come to believe that the only place we can worship God, talk about God, and celebrate God is behind these four walls. It is almost like we have convinced ourselves that this is the only “safe” place to be Christian anymore. We want people to want what we have, but if they want it, they are going to have to come and get it. I agree with Mr. Cole. In that case, these four walls have completely crippled our understanding of the kingdom of God. We are equipped with spiritual gifts, we carry within us Christ’s Holy Spirit, and we are armed with the sword of the Spirit. Let me ask you…knowing that we have been given these things, does it make sense for us to sit behind four walls and wait for the masses to come to us? We have been equipped for battle, and we should be on the front lines! We should release ourselves from this prison and experience what God is truly capable of through us. You see, outside these four walls we no longer have the safety and comfort of our building…we must depend completely on God and one another. That ought to redefine “church” for us, shouldn’t it? Out there we get to see God’s real power, but we also get to be a part of the experience.

I am beginning to believe that we don’t get off of our pews and out of our building enough. I can’t help but think about that old saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Do people in this community really believe we care about them if our inactivity in their lives implies otherwise; “If you want to get to know us, YOU are going to have to come to us.”? Jesus always went where the people were. Interestingly enough, the more he went, the more popular he became, and the more popular he became, the more people began to seek him out. Does anyone else see a pattern developing here?

Penny for your thoughts…

Dare to Live

2008-02-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Keeping this verse in mind, take a look at this quote from Brennan Manning in The Signature of Jesus:

“If we dare to live beyond self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were counter cultural t our nation’s lunatic lust for pride of place, power, and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the wall of indifference to Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of such servants would overwhelm the world. Christians filled with authenticity, commitment, and generosity of Jesus would be the most spectacular sign in the history of the human race. The call of Jesus is revolutionary. If we implement it, we could change the world in a few months.”

Jesus said that he came that we may have LIFE, and have it to the full. What would it take to motivate Christians out of complacency into life?

I dare you to live…

The Pain of the Mundane

2008-01-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

I have recently been wondering about life, relationships, and family. Without going into much detail, many close friends in my life have been struggling with their faith and their marriage. Some say that they can’t quite pinpoint what the problem is, and others feel as though they know exactly what they problem is, but they just don’t know how to fix it. Why is it that our relationships begin to crumble? Why is it that struggling with these relationships and struggling in our relationship with God, typically go hand-in-hand?

I wonder if we haven’t created this problem out of our mundane routines and habits. Let me explain. Before you read the next sentence, let us just agree that there are always exceptions, but generally, this is too true. I believe that if you walked into most any Church of Christ in the country on any given Sunday, you would experience pretty much the exact same order of worship. If you are a member of the Church of Christ, you know what I mean…Welcome; Songs; Communion; Songs; Sermon; Invitation. The format is completely predictable. I wonder, though, if it is so predictable that it has actually become detrimental to our spiritual vitality.

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I have driven this road day in and day out for the last _____ (you insert the number) years, I could drive it with my eyes closed.” Or maybe you have heard this one, “I have done ________ (you insert the task) so many times, I could do it in my sleep.” Routines and habits can be helpful in some cases, but I am beginning to seriously question if they are not actually more harmful. I experience the same worship format week in and week out. I look around at all of the faces and I see zombie-like expressions. By the facial expressions, or lack thereof, I see people that are there because they feel that they have to be, or know that they need to be, but they are certainly not engaged. I look out while we are worshipping, and I notice that only about 30-40% of the congregation is actually participating. That means 60-70% of our people are not even engaged in the worship. Have we done church the same way for so long that we have arrived at the point where we can “do it in our sleep” or “with our eyes closed?”

Sadly, I believe that is exactly what is happening. I am afraid that many of us have lost our spiritual fervor for God. I fear that worship has become mundane and boring for many in our fellowship. I believe that it has become so predictable and unexciting that we literally sleep through worship. Time and time again I hear people who are not engaged in worship admit that they are not reading their Bibles or praying to God on a regular basis. If they are not growing with God on their own, and they are not growing with God through worship, when and how are they growing at all? And, if they are not growing in their relationship with God, how do they expect to grow in any other relationship in their lives, marital or cordial? The moment we begin to struggle in our relationship with God, that is the moment Satan steps in and takes the opportunity to break down other aspects of our lives; jobs, finances, and of course, marital relationships. The more pieces he can destroy, the more doubt he creates in our hearts and minds about God, and he in turn expands his power in this world. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

I wish we could “liven” up worship. I wish we could “shake” things up. However, when a worship leader finally gets the courage to “change” things up a bit, he usually gets his feet held to the fire. People typically don’t like things that make them feel uncomfortable. And we usually keep the uncomfortable ones “happy” because they are usually the loudest. I wonder though…

What if we started worship by taking the fellowship meal together?
Although we like to act like it is, the Lord’s Supper is not a funeral. Jesus asked his disciples to practice it in remembrance of him. In remembrance of what, exactly? Just his death! Maybe that too is part of our problem. We take it every week, focusing only on his death. We need to be reminded, I guess, that three days later he rose from that grave. He is alive! We eat and drink in honor of the “good news”; the death, burial, AND the resurrection. Wouldn’t it be great if we started one Sunday with the Communion, and didn’t tell anyone? That might surely shake things out of the mundane.

What if we started the worship service one Sunday with the sermon?
There is a slight possibility that if we were reminded about the grace of God, how much he loves us, and the extent to which he proved that love, it might actually improve the quality of the worship if it followed the sermon. Also, what if someone in the crowd heard the sermon, responded in baptism, and then was able to share in the Communion feast with the entire congregation? That too might also serve to “liven” up the worship that would follow as the whole church worships God in “celebration” of a redeemed brother and/or sister in Christ. The congregation as a whole might develop a whole new appreciation for worship, and a new love and respect for God.

At the risk of sounding overly critical…What we have been doing doesn’t seem to be significantly or spiritually forming. If that is true, then why are we so afraid to try something different? Meanwhile, we sit and wallow in our reluctance and watch our friends and families crumble around us because they know God, but do not truly love him.

Be a Good Ship

2008-01-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

“A ship in harbor is a safe ship, but that is not what ships are for. Be a good ship.”
- Secretary of the Navy to Annapolis Midshipmen

Battleships are built for battle. What good is it to spend all of that time, money, and energy outfitting a battleship if it was never intended to join the battle? Battleships dock long enough to get refueled, re-armed, and re-stocked so that they can do what they were intended to do. Battleships were not built to sit in the harbor.

You and I are God’s vessels in the wide open seas of worldliness, materialism, selfishness, and anti-spiritualism. In some ways, you could call us God’s battleships. In other ways, you might call us God’s rescue boats. Either way, we were not equipped to sit in harbor. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) We do not come to harbor (worship) to escape the world, but to get refueled, re-armed, and re-stocked so that we may re-enter it. We are meant to navigate and patrol the seas; watching for the enemy and rescuing those that are lost and abandoned by the world. We are battleships, meant to engage the enemy (Satan); “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph. 6:11)

There are those that live under the false impression that sitting in harbor protects them from the enemy. I believe that history has proven that this is not necessarily the case. I truly hope that we do not live under the same false notions in our spiritual lives. We sometimes come to believe that coming to worship and refusing to engage the culture around us will protect us from adversity and spiritual warfare. That is simply not true! Satan can and will attack us wherever we are most vulnerable; in our selfish and worldly desires or in our quite and seemingly humble religiosity. The truth is, the longer we just “sit” in the harbor, the more vulnerable we become. In port, we relax and drop our defenses. Subconsciously, we believe this is the “safe” place to be. The smart, strategic enemy will attack his opponent when he is most vulnerable. And believe me, Satan is a smart adversary. When we are navigating the open seas, our defenses are up and we are alert! We should be patrolling, looking for those moments when Satan drops his defenses. We should engage!

IF we were meant to engage the culture, why does it so often seem that we shy away from doing so? It seems that many of us come in, attend a Bible class, sit through worship (notice I didn’t say participate in worship), and go home. Are we afraid? Are we apathetic? The church is not something we are supposed to go to. No! The church is something we are supposed to be! We are God’s vessels, God’s battleships. You can’t captain a ship when the crew is hiding below deck.

Be a good ship!

Unspiritual Religion

2008-01-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

- Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)

By definition, the Pharisee is the most religious of the two mentioned. He is the one that not only follows the law, but even chooses to go beyond what the law requires. He kept to the daily practice of prayer, the weekly practice of fasting, and he gave the Lord the first ten percent of everything he acquired. How often do we approach our religion with the same attitude? Let’s go through the checklist…___attended Bible class; ___attended worship; ___took communion; ___gave my 10%; ___attended small group; ___attended Wednesday night; ___daily Bible reading; ___daily prayer. I must be a good and faithful Christian, right? In many ways, all of us aspire to achieve such dedication and devotion to God. However, Jesus implied that the Pharisee’s prayer was not heard. He, unlike the tax collector, did not leave the temple justified before God. Why? What makes the tax collector so much different than the Pharisee in this case?

The attitude of the heart; an attitude of gratitude. The Pharisee may have longed to honor God with such strict adherence to these religious practices, but he failed to honor God with his heart. The purpose of these disciplines is freedom. “Our goal is the freedom, not the discipline. The moment we make the Discipline our central focus, we turn it into law and lose the corresponding freedom.” (Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 110) Such was the problem with the Pharisees. Instead of experiencing freedom, they had become enslaved by their own self-righteousness. To the Pharisee, salvation is not the surrender of your heart to God, but complete surrender to the laws of God. They had become so focused on themselves that they could not even see God right before their very eyes. Jesus scolded them in Matthew 15:7-8, “You hypocrites (Pharisees)! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.’”

The tax collector had no credentials. As far as his society was concerned, he was the scum of the earth. As far as God was concerned, he was a model student of the faith. He probably wasn’t tithing. He probably wasn’t fasting. He probably took more than he should have from those he met that day. However, he approached God humble, broken, and penitent. The only achievement he acknowledged was his failure to honor God with his life. He had but one request, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Father, forgive me for acting religious. Humble me and help me see that you are the focus of my faith, my worship, and my life. Destroy any arrogance and pride I may be tempted to display. Help me read, pray, fast, and tithe so that I may be liberated by your wonderful mercy and amazing grace. God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

You may have given your heart to your spouse, your children, your job, or even your religion; but, have you given your heart to God?

"Merry Christmas"

2007-12-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day is quickly approaching! I love the Christmas holidays…cold weather, snow (sometimes), lights, music, trees, and yes, presents. Who doesn’t like presents? I have gotten some really great gifts for Christmas in the years past. I can remember my first bike. It was a blue frame Huffy bike with yellow rims. I can even remember my first stereo. It was a Sony with a double tape deck, and it had detachable speakers. As we are all swamped with gifts, shopping, family, and friends, I want us to remember the real reason that we celebrate Christmas.

Micah 5:2-5a
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. 3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth to her son. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. 4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD's strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored all around the world. 5 And he will be the source of our peace.
(New Living Translation)

Micah was a prophet whose prophesies promised both judgment and deliverance for Israel. In earlier chapters he tells Israel that God will bring punishment upon them because they do not honor God in their heart or with their life. God does not even accept their sacrifices anymore! Then, you have this passage. Here, when things seem so dark and hopeless, Micah gives the nation of Israel a little ray of hope to hold on to. God’s kingdom will not completely pass away, but will actually reach newer and greater heights through the coming Messiah. This Messiah will be born in a small town called Bethlehem. We see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 1 and Luke 2. The birth of Christ renewed the hope of Israel and restored life and vitality to the people of God. Through Jesus Christ, we too live with an unfailing hope in our eternal future with our Lord God.

Jesus truly is the greatest gift that we have ever received. My mom used to always tell me that Christmas is more about giving than receiving. I never understood why moms and dads would torture kids with that great little one-liner. Until now! Now, I have my own kids and I find myself saying the same thing. But today, on this blog, it is about what you have received. I want to hear from you. Take a moment and share with me (aside from Christ), “What is one of the greatest gifts you have ever received?” I’ll start…

Even though it was December 28th, one of the greatest gifts I have ever received was my wife. We will be married eleven years this year, and she truly is my best friend. I have never met anyone with such a patient, caring, and self-sacrificing attitude. She has put up with so much due to my little “quirks” and “inconsistencies.” Why she continues to put up with me I will never know. But I am, and will be, forever grateful that she said, “Yes,” and that she continues to help me grow into the husband and father that I long to be. (I can write all of this about her because she doesn’t read this blog!)

Your turn! “What is one of the greatest gifts you have ever received?” Blessings…

Spill the Beans

2007-12-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Confession. Boy, has that word begun to hold some negative connotations. The accused, a lawyer, a couple of police officers, a legal pad, and a pen all sitting in a room around a little bitty table trying to uncover the truth. Here confession is the admission of guilt and the beginning of indictment. In this context we understand confession to mean that one realizes he or she is left with no other alternative. They have been caught “with their hand in the cookie jar” and all of the evidence is stacked against them. At this point, the best thing for them to do is admit their guilt and beg for mercy.

“He confessed!” When you hear words like that you begin to think that some ugly, guilty, despicable person has finally been caught and will soon get what they have coming to them (justice). When you put it that way, no wonder we think so negatively about confession. But that is what the world, and worldly values, tend to do to some very healthy and beautiful components of Christianity.

Confession was actually meant to be a good thing; one broken sinner, standing before a forgiving Father, pouring out his heart begging for mercy. Here confession is the admission of imperfection and the beginning of absolution. In this context, we understand confession to mean that one realizes he or she is only human. We are not perfect! No matter how hard we try, we are going to find ourselves in those moments when we fail. At this point, the best thing for us to do is acknowledge our imperfections and beg for mercy.

Think about these two very different views. Christians have even been guilty of leaning on the more negative view. There are so many people in our churches today that are hurting, deeply hurting, but no one is going to know it because they are not going to tell. They will not “confess” because they are afraid of judgment and embarrassment. We do not usually know that anyone has a drinking problem until they have hurt themselves or someone else. We do not usually know that someone has financial problems until they file for bankruptcy. We do not usually know that someone has marriage problems until they file for divorce. How did we come to the point that people feel so guilty about their “issues” that they feel too ashamed and embarrassed to ask for help? I wish we could all just come right out and say that struggling with temptation is normal…struggling with finances is normal…struggling with marriage is normal…there is no shame in that!

I wonder if it is possible for us to restore the beautiful, positive connotation of “confession?” I like the way that Webster defines confession. Confession is ‘a disclosure of one’s sins in the sacrament of reconciliation.’ Confession is the beginning of reconciliation. We cannot be truly restored until we “spill the beans.” Disclosure is a scary word for some. I looked that up too! The first definition I found listed was, ‘to open up.’ Just open yourself up to God and watch the healing begin.

Take a look at these words from David in Psalm 32, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Do you hear that? When we keep silent about sin, struggle, in our lives it eats us away from the inside out. Our silence saps our energy. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people struggling with sin say, “I just can’t go on. I am just too tired.” Huh, I wonder why? When we bare our soul before the Lord (when we hide ‘nothing’), David says that is when we find forgiveness. I want you to notice though that David points out something really interesting here! We are not only forgiven of our sin, but we are also forgiven the guilt of our sin. Whew! Not only can I let go of that ugly thing in my past, but I do not have to carry around the worry that goes along with it.

May we all find the courage to practice “confession” and practice it regularly. We need to admit that we are human, fallible, and imperfect. We need to quit pretending, in our moments of absolute weakness, that we are strong enough to conquer sin and its guilt on our own. Find comfort and inspiration in David’s very real experience. Whatever it is that is eating you away from the inside, let it go. Give it over to the Lord! I said earlier that Christian confession is a broken sinner, standing before a forgiving Father, pouring out his heart and begging for mercy. The cool part is we beg for mercy, but the forgiving Father grants us GRACE! Experience true relief, true grace, and true forgiveness; “SPILL THE BEANS.” Blessings…

"Four Weddings and a Funeral"...A Look Back

2007-12-05T06:19:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a year! I really don’t know what else to say. It hasn’t been terrible. It hasn’t been burdensome. It has just been wild. I have actually grown a lot throughout the last year. When someone goes through a whole lot of change in a short amount of time, I have heard it said that they have been “baptized by fire.” Let me tell ya, it has been hot! Good!...but HOT! I have learned so much about myself this year. As I look back, I am and will be eternally grateful for the challenges that the Lord has presented me with over this last year. Within this last year, I have seen a lot, experienced a lot, and taken a lot. I like to call this last year in review, “four weddings and a funeral.”

Within this last year, I have taken on a massive amount of preaching responsibilities. You know that old saying, “Be careful what you pray for…you just might get it!?” Well, I have been itching to preach, and buddy, have I had ample opportunity. It has been fun, too! Our last preacher has accepted the call to plant a church in a growing community just to the north. While our church began the search for our next pulpit minister, I opened my mouth and told my elders I would like a crack at this preaching thing. I have certainly enjoyed the time in study, reflection, and prayer as I prepared for each sermon. I have preached more in the last 12 months than I have in my last eight years of ministry. Exciting, huh! I feel that God and I have developed a much closer relationship in these last 12 months.

To add to the excitement, I have actually done “four weddings and a funeral.” I have had the privilege of performing the first wedding ceremony of one of the kids that grew up in my youth ministry. Let me just tell you, it is one thing to watch them grow up for six years in your ministry; but, it is something else entirely when one of them calls one day and tells you they would be honored if you would perform their wedding. They would be honored?! Man, it was so cool to be able to perform their wedding and participate in such a special day. I was able to cap the year with three more weddings for some who were members of our church, and some who just had past ties to our church. For one, I actually got the honors of performing a wedding for one of my past youth ministry interns.

The funeral was very humbling. Have you ever wondered why God places you in certain situations when he does? Well, this funeral was one of those moments. When this family called and asked for me, I kept asking myself, “Why me?” I really didn’t know them. They really didn’t “know” me. They had seen me upfront regularly because I work for the church, but we did not have a deep relationship with one another. After I had the opportunity of meeting this family, God began to reveal to me why he was asking me to do this funeral. As I began to visit more and more with the family, I began to realize that this man was so much like my granddaddy. As I said before, I really didn’t know this family all that well. However, the more and more I listened to them talk about him, share stories about him, and remember him, the more I saw my granddaddy sitting beside me in the room. When I began to put my thoughts down on paper for the funeral, it became very apparent to me what I was going to say. And going into this experience I was terrified because it was my first funeral. I believe the Lord knew what he was doing.

So there it is…my year in review. It may not be very exciting to you, but it was a ride for me. There is so much more I could tell you, but these are the most exciting highlights. What has the Lord done for you this year? What were some of your most exciting moments? What were some of your most terrifying? Somebody be brave and start the sharing! Blessings…

"Confidence in Solitude"

2007-11-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

Greetings! I trust that all of you had a wonderful thanksgiving holiday. It was sure wonderful spending time with my family.

Well…I have been involved in a very fulfilling study with my HomeTeam. We have been studying through Richard Foster’s, Celebration of Discipline. Each week we are taking a look at another one of the spiritual disciplines in the life of a disciple of Christ. This last week we studied about the discipline of “solitude.” While in this study, Foster led us to an interesting verse in Isaiah the 30th chapter, and then he followed that with an interesting question. I wanted to share the verse and question with you, as well as some of my insights as I have struggled to answer this question.

Here is the verse from Isaiah 30:15 (New Living Translation)…

“The Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, ‘Only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.’”

Foster asks the question, “How does solitude produce confidence?” I have really wrestled with my answer to this question. This morning as I was having some solitude, I believe the Lord began to reveal to me an answer (Ironic? I think not!) Solitude is what I like to call “God Time.” There are no other distractions. For 30, 45, or 60 minutes (you choose), it is just you and your heavenly Father…Sovereign Lord…the Holy One of Israel. Solitude doesn’t mean silence! Solitude simply means that you are controlling the environment around you to maximize your time with your heavenly Father. For you, worship music in the background may help you make the most of your time with God. For you, singing some worship songs may help you maximize your time alone with God. For you, maybe complete silence and solitude go hand in hand. Maybe, just maybe, the quieter it is, the more fulfilled you become in your time alone with God.

At any rate, as we practice the discipline of solitude, we pause to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and hear the voice of God. It is here in this solitude that our relationship with God is deepened, and the deeper we go, the more confident we become. Why? Well, I liken it to the confidence of a young boy around his Father. I consider my son a brave young lad for sure, but it is amazing to see just how brave he becomes when dad is standing by his side watching. All of a sudden, that ball is not so hard to kick…that ball is not so hard to hit…that height is not so high after all…and that water isn’t so deep after all. For him, it is almost as if he is saying, “With my dad here, I can do anything?”

For me, that is how I see solitude building confidence in the believer. As we spend more time in solitude, as our relationship with our Father grows deeper, as we feel him getting closer, we become amazingly more confident in our faith and life. All of a sudden, that darkness isn’t so dark after all…that mountain isn’t so hard to climb…that gift isn’t so hard to give…that enemy isn’t so hard to love…and that gospel is all of a sudden so much easier to share.

My encouragement for you this week, friends, is to discipline yourself to make time in your day for the discipline of solitude. Go off somewhere! Sit in a chair in your backyard. Take a walk in your local park. Drive out to the lake. Whatever you need to do, just spend about thirty minutes to an hour in solitude with the Sovereign Lord. Listen for his voice. Drink in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Get to know the Holy One of Israel for Jesus himself has said…

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
- John 17:3 (NIV)

As you grow deeper and deeper in your relationship with Almighty God, may he inspire you with the confidence that moves mountains. Blessings…

"In Spirit and In Truth"

2007-11-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

Jesus meets a Samaritan, tells her everything that she ever did, and offers her living water; water that will become in her a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Now she wants to change the subject. “I can see you are a prophet,” she replies. She realizes that Jesus knows entirely too much about her life and her choices to be anything else. Since you are so smart, Jesus, let us talk about an “issue” that has been plaguing the Jews and Samaritans for quite some time. She asks, “Are we supposed to worship in the temple, or are we supposed to worship on this mountain?” Is she genuinely interested in getting the answer to this question, or is she trying to avoid any more unpleasant talk about her sin and poor choices.

Either way, Jesus obliges and continues to have a very meaningful conversation with her. He replies, “A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” Okay, let me say something here…both the Jews and the Samaritans are at fault in their worship. The Samaritans have missed the mark because they worship God, but they do not truly understand God. They accepted only the Pentatuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy), therefore, leaving out much of his revelation in the prophets, they really knew little of him (i.e. his character, his nature). The Jews truly knew God, and the Messiah was even to come from Jewish lineage; but, they missed the mark because their religious experience up to this point was confined to a building (one that was soon to be destroyed and what then?). Both groups had a thing or two to learn about worship!

Jesus defines it for her, and certainly later defines it for all of John’s readers (that includes you and me, by the way). Jesus says, “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” Think about that for a second! Jesus just said that there is such a thing as a “true worshiper,” which also implies that there are people out there who do not truly worship. You mean, there are people out there who get together, they know God, but there is the chance that God does not accept their worship? Apparently so!! Why? Well, they are not truly worshiping God because they are not worshiping him in spirit and in truth.

God is spirit. Do you realize what that means? That means that God is everywhere. He is not a physical body that is tied down to any type of physical structure (mountain or building). God is spirit, therefore, he cannot be contained. He is everywhere and can be worshiped anywhere. Jesus has just redefined the location of worship. We cannot put ourselves in a position to dictate “how” or “where” we worship. We must only come in the way the spirit of God opens for us. God is to be worshiped in the place he is present. I once heard a man say, “God is not nearly as concerned with the ‘tune’ of worship, as he is with the ‘tude’ of worship (attitude/heart).” I truly believe that there is much truth in that.

This “truth” Jesus speaks of, what is it? I believe that he is speaking of worship that is done in a true way, worship that is genuine. A people who worship in truth are ones that recognize God, his character, and his nature. They also equally recognize their need for him. These people worship “in truth” because they worship what is true (Jesus, John 14). They approach God with an attitude like this, “Thank you for understanding where I am; I can hardly wait to be where you are!”

All of these thoughts bring me to ask a question, “Do we worship with instruments or without?” Does it really matter? But then again, thinking along the lines of this story, why do we get so wrapped up in asking such a question? Sometimes I wonder if we are not a lot like the Samaritan woman in this story. She, I believe, changed the subject to worship because she was tired of being confronted with the unpleasantness of her sin. I wonder if we like to focus so much on “issues” because we are afraid of confronting the real issues in our lives…pride, passion, arrogance, prejudice, hate, lust. It is so much easier to focus on some other “issue” that will soon be a matter of little consequence. I mean really, when Jesus comes back is he going to care whether we are worshiping with a piano, band, or a cappella? Or, is he just going to be ecstatic that he finds his church worshiping in spirit and truth upon his return? I mean, after all, he is coming with trumpets, right?

In closing, I want to leave you all with a passage of Scripture that I hope encourages some serious reflection from all of us. It comes from 2 Corinthians 3:17 and reads, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” What if we spent less time disputing the issues and more time swimming in the springs of water welling up to eternal life? Life in Christ. Let’s LIVE!

"A Crippling Fear"

2007-11-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a while since my last post, but I have really been struggling with how to say what it is I have to say. As you read the following, I pray that you read it in the spirit which it was written.

I am well aware that the Bible tells us that we should have a healthy fear of our Lord God. The question I guess that has been plaguing me is, “Is it possible to be so afraid of God that it actually keeps you from experiencing God in the greatest possible ways?”

For years, the two passages I have most often heard recited to me to support the view of a cappella worship only have been the following:

19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 5:19-20 (NIV)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Col 3:16 (NIV)

I have really tried to wrap these two passages around my heart and mind for some time, but the more I read them and think on them, the more I come to believe that they are the furthest thing from proof texts for the a cappella only view. Let me make something very, very clear. I love a cappella worship, and some of my fondest and most meaningful worship experiences have come while worshipping without instruments. However, at the same time, I do not at all believe that a cappella is the only form of worship that is acceptable to God, nor do I approve of any who condemn others for worshiping with instruments.

I do not believe that either of the passages above is dealing with how a church should or should not conduct themselves in their praise and worship. So, to say that these verses support a cappella worship, and at the same time, condemn instrumental worship is a complete and irresponsible misuse of the text. Both are in the context of relationship. Paul is not instructing us on how or how not to sing to God, he is instructing us on how we should speak to one another, teach one another, and live with one another!

I am still looking, but I have not yet been able to find a Scripture that very explicitly condemns the use of instrumental praise and worship. I am also aware that there is not a Scripture in the New Testament that explicitly states that you can worship the Lord with instrumental music. But I have been able to find many passages in the Old Testament that inform us that God’s people worshipped him the instrumental music.

This now brings me to some thoughts and a question. My thoughts: God did accept worship with instruments in the Old Testament. Many of the psalms were written to the tune of instruments. Then when we get to the New Testament there never really is a clear position on worship with our without instruments. My question: If God accepted it in the Old Testament, but then decided after Christ that it was irreverent and unacceptable, why did he not provide some clear, concise instruction on how we should worship him (whether in the teachings of Jesus or the inspire writings of others)? Maybe someone can help me with this.

I understand the desire to avoid instrumental worship because the Scriptures never openly say that you “can” use instruments in worship. What I do not understand is how and why the use of instruments in worship has become a salvation issue. Many have said, quite harshly and confidently, that if you use instruments in worship you will lose your salvation. How does anyone get that from the Scriptures? Maybe someone can help me with this one too.

Do we lean so heavily on the view that God is this Almighty Judge that we are afraid to “experiment” with the grey areas for fear that God will crush us with his hands of justice? There were times that God’s justice and God’s wrath were necessary, but in all of those cases, God’s children had turned their backs on him and had begun worshipping idols and others gods. Should any of us be judging the hearts of those worshipping with instruments? What if this is their way to connect with God and use the talents he has given them to his glory? I said before that it is healthy to fear God in many respects. Is it possible to fear God to the extent that your fear is crippling you from experiencing God in new and powerful ways? I do not believe that God is going to dismiss sincere men and women of the faith on judgment day because they used instruments in their worship.

I prefer to see God as the All-Forgiving Father. That is the picture of God I believe Scripture paints clearly for us. I do not believe his forgiveness is a license to sin, but I do believe there is “grace” in areas where there is not much clarity given in Scripture. Just notice how many times God forgave his people for their selfishness. I have worshipped in churches that are instrumental. I have watched the lead singers, members of the band, and the other members of the church, and I have been impressed with the conviction and heart with which they praise God. I understand there is a risk when using instruments of becoming more concerned about the “show” than you are about the worship. But I truly believe similar risks are involved even in a cappella worship.

Please understand that I worship in a church that practices a cappella worship, and I enjoy the worship. I am not, however, willing to jump on the band wagon that condemns other brothers and sisters in the faith for worshipping with instruments. I just don’t understand how some have come to make this an issue of ones salvation when I see no evidence in the Scriptures that supports such a claim. I pray that one day we can all move past this “issue” and focus on those around us that still have not yet met the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Childish or Child-like"

2007-10-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Which church is the "right" church? What makes "that" church the right church? Has Jesus left us with any indication about what kind of person makes the "right" kind of disciple? Take a little bit and wrestle with these questions before moving on.

Mark 9:30-37
As Jesus and his disciples are traveling, Jesus attempts to inform them of his coming suffering and resurrection. But they do not understand. This is Jesus’ attempt to connect the dots for his disciples. This king that they serve and follow is not a military king, but a suffering servant. He was sent to the cross for their sins, our sins, the world’s sins. They miss the point.

We know they miss the point because the very next paragraph shows an interesting teaching of Jesus to his disciples. It starts with Jesus sitting his disciples down and asking a very interesting question, “So tell me, what were you arguing about on the road?” And the next verse reveals to us the answer to that question. They had been arguing about who was going to be the greatest when Jesus re-established the kingdom of God. There is something heartbreaking in the thought of Jesus going towards a cross and his disciples arguing about who would be greatest!

Instead of seeking a place of service, they were seeking positions of advantage. Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. They were to have servant attitudes, being not "childish" (arguing over petty issues), but "childlike," with humble and sincere hearts. Seeking honor, respect, and the attention of others runs contrary to Jesus' requirements for his servants. An attitude of service brings true greatness in God's kingdom.

Notice what happens next! John still doesn't get it...he misses the point big time!
Mark 9:38-41

For John, it is still about place, position, power. Can you hear him, "But Jesus we saw a man driving out demons, using your name, and he is not one of us, the Twelve, the chosen ones." I love Jesus' response..."Do not stop him! For anyone who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us." (emphasis added) Wow, I love this!

Friends, how many times have we pulled this? How many times have we excluded, slandered, and confronted a brother, sister, another denomination, etc. because they don't "do church" the same way that we do? You know, they don't worship like us, they don't "partake" of communion the same way we do, and they don't share the same slant on women's role. We cry out to God and to one another, "We confronted them and told them to stop, because they were not one of us!" For years many in my fellowship have refused to participate in community activities all because another denomination that they don't agree with is involved. They have refused to because the people involved were people they just didn't feel "comfortable" with. What would Jesus say to that? I have a pretty good idea! I don't believe one's theology should get in the way of them helping those in need. Have we forgotten the "Parable of the Good Samaritan?"

This passage from Mark 9 has forced me to ask myself a very important question...Who is my 'real' enemy? Friends, I am arriving at a different place in my ministry than many of the ancestors in my fellowship. My enemy is not the Baptists, the Assembly of God, the Methodists, the non-denominationals, no sir!! My enemy is "Satan!" I would imagine Satan himself is reveling in the fact that churches are fighting against each other. I would imagine he smiles as brothers and sisters from the same congregations argue and fight over "petty" differences...most of which have "absolutely nothing" to do with salvation.

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't these men and women from these other denominations, or non-denominations, fighting the same evil I am, you are, we are? Their enemy is my enemy, Satan! Don't they preach Jesus as the Son of God, hung on the cross for my sins, and resurrected on the third day? I believe they teach this same Jesus as they door to salvation. According to Jesus himself in Mark 9, that makes them my "ally."

I know this is gettin' preachy, but let me share a couple of passages with you before I close.

The first Scripture is…
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
- 1 Cor 12:12-13 (NIV)

The second Scripture is…
4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
- Eph 4:1-6 (NIV)

Jesus' followers did not and will not all look the same and belong to the same groups. However, Jesus' followers do all have the responsibility of building up the kingdom of God. We should and must cooperate. I am done fighting over petty differences. Let us unite together, in one Spirit, through the bond of peace. Let us band together to fight for the lost and hurting of this world, rather than fighting with each other. It is time for us to stop being so "childish" and start being more "child-like."

I close with the words of Paul...

2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified…
- 1 Cor 2:2-5 (NIV)

May God grant us the wisdom to see what is most important in this world. May he open our eyes to the real enemy. And may he bless us with the compassion and patience to work with one another in the struggle to share Jesus with those in need.

"Is the Church Missing the Point?"

2007-09-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, friends, back to the book! Today’s thoughts are taken once again from Reggie McNeal’s book, The Present Future. Remember, I am sharing thoughts from the book that struck a chord with me, personally. I am interested in hearing what some of you might think about these issues as well.

Reggie makes a very interesting observation in his book. He says, “Church leaders seem unable to grasp this simple implication of the new world – people outside the church think church is for church people, not for them” (pg.10). Later he would make this comment, "In North America the invitation to become a Christian has become largely an invitation to convert to the church” (pg.11). Have we as a church missed the point? I wonder at times if we have become so over-focused on doing church right, that we have missed out on being the right kind of church.

Let me explain. All of my life I have grown up in the same church. The whole time I have watched many churches in my fellowship squabble over the “right” way to do church. Some of these discussions have become so intense, that men and women who claim to love and serve God have become some of the most unlovable people and said some of the most ungodly things. Wasn’t it Jesus who said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:35)? I mean seriously, what message are we sending the un-churched around us when we fight like this amongst ourselves? I will tell you what I have been hearing. “Come and join our church because we are the ones that do church right?” But again, I come back to a strong point that I believe, as my grandma used to say, gets stuck in our craw every time we try to swallow. I believe Jesus gave us a mission to be the church, not do church!

Sometimes I believe we are so busy “doing” church that we miss out on the golden opportunities to be the church. What if, instead of fighting about how to do church, we were in the community fixing houses, fixing cars, mowing lawns, raking leaves, painting fences, helping people move in or out, picking up trash, supporting our local schools, etc.? What if, instead of fighting over our church service that we expect people to come to, we were taking church services to the people of our community? I wonder what would happen if a small group of people just started to host an evening worship service in their back yard on Sunday evenings. Does that make somebody’s blood boil? See, I know of some men that I have served with that would be so put out that I wasn’t worshipping in “the building” that they wouldn’t think twice about the people we could possibly reach. Why? Because we must worship the Lord in a church, at least that is what they would say.

Okay, forgive me for taking the bait on this one. If that is true, then let us examine the New Testament church in Acts for a moment. Yes, they did meet together in the temple courts to fulfill the Jewish custom of praying three times a day. I am sure that while they were there, they even praised God. However, the Scriptures also tell us that they meet in each other’s homes enjoying fellowship and praising God. So, if worship has to be in “the temple,” does that mean God did not accept the worship they lifted up in their home’s in the evening? I have served with some that I truly believe would answer “yes” to that question!

Reggie made me think! I wonder if he is making you think. Have you ever considered the number of people that won’t come to worship on a given Sunday; not because they don’t believe in or worship the same God that you and I do, but because they are working? You know the convenient store workers, restaurant workers, grocery store workers, utility crews, and public servants that work so that you and I can selfishly enjoy our Sunday’s. We show up to church and expect the lights and air conditioners to be working. We expect the gas stations to be open so that we can fill up and make it to church. We expect the restaurants to be open so that we can go out and eat rather than cook on Sunday afternoon. “Who is going to be the church to them?”

I know that I have gotten on my soap box about this, but I believe the North American church is missing the point of Jesus’ call to “Go” and make disciples of all nations. Enough from me, for now. What are some of your thoughts? I do want to know, whether you agree or disagree. Are we way off base? How do we fix it? What are we going to do?

"My Dream vs. His Call"

2007-09-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Dreams. Do you still have those? We all have hopes and visions of what we want our life to look like. As children, we all dream of what we will be, where we will live, and what we will be doing. Some of us dream about being presidents, doctors, lawyers, managers, etc. “Are you just where you believed you would be?”

When I was a senior in high school, my preacher asked all us to write down some information. He wanted to know where we saw ourselves in five years; where will you be, what will you be doing, will you be married, and how many children will you have/do you plan to have? He informed us that he planned to file them away and mail them to us in five years. Naturally, I filled it out but never believed that I would ever see it again. Here were my answers…in five years, I believed that I would be graduated from college and coaching junior high basketball in a smaller West Texas town. I believed that I would be married and even said that I planned to have at least two kids some day.

When I got this envelope in the mail, I opened it up and read it, and wondered how I came to be where I was in life. You see, I was just about to walk across the stage and receive my bachelor’s degree. I wasn’t even thinking about coaching anymore. I had felt called into the ministry and was currently serving as the youth minister in a small West Texas town. I was married, and my wife was pregnant with our first child. Some of the things had gone my way, but why not the career. I had loved sports all of my life. Just ask my dad! My whole life I had always said that I was going to teach physical education and coach basketball. I had it all planned out, too. I was going to coach junior high.

So, what happened?! Why didn’t I end up where I just knew I was going to be? I have to admit, there have been times that I wondered what kind of coach I would have made. I have to admit, there have been times that I wondered if I was really in the right place. I, like many of you, have looked toward the heavens and asked God, “Why me? Why here?” The greatest answer I have ever received from the Lord came when I was on a journey through the book of Proverbs. I ran across this verse, underlined it, and it has become a part of me ever since. Proverbs 19:21:

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Even now I am writing it without looking it up because it has become such a part of who I am. Coaching was my plan! Living in West Texas was my plan! But, I wound up in youth ministry right out of college. I wasn’t coaching basketball with junior high kids, but I was teaching (coaching, if you don’t mind) teenagers how to grow and mature as disciples of Christ. The Lord’s purpose prevailed over mine. I was still working with kids, but in God’s way, not mine!

Ever since that day, I have faithfully, joyfully, and willingly answered God’s call to serve others. Why? Because I took a good look at what I wanted…Contemplated where I actually was…And finally realized that this is definitely where God wanted me to be. I don’t know for sure if you ever question where you are in life, but I want to encourage you to ask yourself a couple of questions: (1) Are you still living for yourself, focusing on your plans within your heart? (2) Or, have you surrendered to the “purpose” of God, submitting faithfully, joyfully, and willingly to his lordship in your life. It is in true surrender to the Lord that you will find true peace and never ending joy. Share: In what ways has God empowered you in your profession to share the gospel and his grace with others?

"Expecting Forgiveness"

2007-08-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

I have to share a story with you today about my son. This incident occured this last week, and it reminded me of how we have come to approach God so many times in our lives. It made me laugh, and I hope it makes you laugh too!

Last week, my kids were up here with me at work while I was finishing up a couple of things. A co-worker, and friend, asked if it would be okay for her to give the kids a few keys that she believed didn't go to anything important anymore. Before agreeing, knowing my two kids very well, I sat them both down and we had a talk. I said, "You may have those keys to play with as long as we understand that we don't put those keys in any doors around the office, or any doors around our house." They smiled and quickly agreed (should the smiles have given anything away?). She gave them the keys and we went home.

The next morning my son comes into the room and says, "Hey dad! Guess what? (He's very excited!)" I said, "What?!" He replies, "You know those keys that we got yesterday? Well, two of those keys, fit my door. And dad, one of those keys...it even locks my door (he says as he is shaking his head and smiling with total pride and confidence)." I just stared at him for a moment. Then I calmly asked, "So, are you telling me that you took those keys I specifically asked you not to put in any door in the house, and then you put them into a door in the house?" (My son tells on himself all of the time.) He dropped his shoulders, stuck out his bottom lip, and quietly bowed his head. Then he mumbled, "I'm sorry daddy."

I was trying so hard not to laugh at this point. "Go get me those keys," I told him. "Why? Are you going to take them away?", he asked. "Absolutely," I replied. "I specifically asked you not to put them into any doors and you disobeyed me. So, now those keys are mine." He slowly, and very reluctantly, retreived and passed over the keys. He began to walk away sad and defeated. Then, all of a sudden he turned to me and said, "Dad, could you please come unlock my door?" I lost it! I could not help but laugh. I tried so hard (unsuccessfully) to keep a straight face, but it was too funny.

As I thought about it over the weekend, we are so much like this with our heavenly father. There are so many things in life we know we are not supposed to do, but we do it anyway. I believe Paul says it best in Romans 7:18-20 (NLT):

"No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it."

The things we know we should do (being obedient), we don't. The things we know we shouldn't do (being disobedient), we do. And every time we do what we shouldn't, we hear that little voice within us (as if it were God) saying, "So, you did just what I asked you not to do?" And just like my son, we turn to God and ask, "Can you forgive me anyway? Can you come unlock this door that I seemed to be trapped behind? Can you let me into the room filled with your love, grace, and mercy?" My son knew that he had done the wrong thing, but he still expected to be forgiven and set free anyway. How many times do I, do we, approach God with the same kind of attitude? I know I have done the wrong thing, but I expect he will forgive me anyway.

Interestingly enough...he does! We serve an amazing, loving God don't we. By the way, after I stopped laughing, I unlocked the door. God bless you guys and have a great week!

"Driftwood"

2007-08-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

I have been reading through Hebrews lately. I have read through it many times before, but it hasn't ever caught my attention the way that it has this time. You understand how that happens, right?! Anyway, I read this passage from chapter 2, and I have been going back to it about every other day; pulled back to it. I keep asking what God is trying to tell me, and today I began to see it a bit differently.

"So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. The message God delivered through angels has always proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law and every act of disobedience. What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak, and God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do so." (Hebrews 2:1-4 NLT)

So, I have been thinking alot about what it means to drift away from the "truth." Have you ever thrown a piece of wood into a stream of water and watched it "drift" downstream? The current "pushes" the wood in whatever direction, and at whatever speed, it so chooses. Provided it doesn't get caught up in the dead stuff, or rocks (which is a whole other metaphor), it doesn't stop until the water is done pushing it. If we don't hold on to the truth (the gospel: death, burial, and resurrection of Christ), the current of popular culture is going to push us around until it is tired of pushing. Or, we get caught up in the "dead stuff" hanging out in the water. That can't be good either because it isn't moving at all.

This passage tells us that the law, given by God, has held true to its word since it was given. Those who violated it were punished accordingly. It seems as though the writer is telling us that this "great salvation" that we have now is so much greater than the law of the Old Tesatement. So, if people received due punishment for violating that law, how much worse will it be for us that ingore the truth of this great salvation and just drift around in the current of popular culture? The writer says that the apostles were messengers who verified this truth from Christ because they saw it first hand! We are also told that God further verified his truth with signs, wonders, miracles, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever noticed that 99 percent of the time, driftwood is "dead" wood? So this brings me to my real question for this devotional thought today. Are you just dead wood drifting downstream, pushed every which way by the current of popular culture? Or, are you alive and well, determined to swim upstream and fight the current to avoid just being pushed around? As I read this passage, I was forced to ask myself a question. I challenge you to do the same! What "signs" is God using today to verify his message to me?

God bless you all and have a great weekend!!

A GREAT READ!

2007-08-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

As you may have learned from my profile, I am a minister. But what does that mean anyway? All of us who have accepted the lordship of Jesus on the throne of our hearts are ministers, right?! I guess, really, all that title means is that I get paid for the work I do in expanding God's kingdom. Which is funny, when you think about it. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am very grateful, proud of the calling, but it is the Lord that is doing all the work anyway. Praise Him that he allows me the opportunity to reap the financial benefits of making such a job my career.

Moving on...I recently read a book, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church by Reggie McNeal. If you are in ministry, leadership, or you are just a layman interested in chewing on the miserable failings of institutionalized church and its struggle to survive, you should pick up a copy and read. Very challenging! Very pointed! Watch your toes!!!

What I would like to do over the next few days, weeks, maybe months is share thoughts from the book that have struck a chord with me and see what some of you may think. It will be interested to see what others of us have to think about the observations of Mr. McNeal. If you have read the book let me know; I am curious to see who all may have participated in this engaging material.

Let's get started...In the opening chapter, Reggie shares results from several different surveys and studies to show that church attendance, and members claims on their church attendacne, are not all they are cracked up to be. He makes the observation that all is not well with the North American church, in its institutionalized form. He says, "A growing number of people are leaving the institutional church for a new reason. They are not leaving because they have lost their faith. They are leaving the church to preserve their faith. They contend that the church no longer contributes to their spiritual development. In fact, they say, quite the opposite is true." (p.4)

So, here we go! What do you think? Do you agree, disagree, or does his comment just plain irritate you? Why, please explain. I'll wait to hear from some of you, then I will share some of my own thoughts.