Tuesday, November 4, 2008

"Heroes of Faith" - Moses

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…

Monday, October 20, 2008

"Heroes of Faith" - Noah

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.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Looking Forward: Never Back




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!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

With Unveiled Faces


“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!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Greatest Love


“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.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Tomorrow is the Big Day!


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!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Faded Leather or Faint Heart


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?

Thursday, June 5, 2008

He Answered...Setting Me Free


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?

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Wounded Healers


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.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Slow Fade-Casting Crowns

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

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Confined Within Walls




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

“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…

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Pain of the Mundane



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.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Be a Good Ship


“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!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Unspiritual Religion

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?