Moving to the Big Boy Bed

We had a transition happen this week at home. On Monday afternoon Canyon climbed out of his baby bed and moved immediately to his "big boy" bed. We now have no more "babies" at the house and at my old age, maybe that is good.

What makes the transition so good is that we have subsequently put him in bed for nap and a full night of sleep and we just put him in the bed and he stays just as he did in the baby bed until we come to get him out. We are hoping it stays this way. So far so good in his next step toward maturity.

It has caused me to think about the transition that is to take place in the believers life. The writer of Hebrews wrote about spiritual maturity and the steps that we all should make, but sadly many believers do not make. Far to many stay in the realm of immaturity. Look at these words from Hebrews 5:11-14
"About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you our to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who are mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
Let's look at a couple of these things in regard to our lives and keeping us from maturity.

• Becoming dull of hearing prevents maturity. Not hearing and obeying the word cannot ever mature us. Ignoring the Word means we ignore the truth and we only become dull, boring and ineffective.
• Whenever we become dull, we need to start at the basics again. It means that are no longer fit to take on the solid food of good doctrine and challenging messages. Look what the scripture says - you live only on milk, we will be unskilled in the ways of righteousness. We will not be able to discern who is right and one stays a child. This is where far to many seem to stay. If you do not like messages that challenge you, then you are immature, because a person who is mature wants deeper and deeper truth. When you are a child, you act like a child - gossip, throw fits, manipulate, lie, etc. If this is you, then it is time to grow up.
• Solid Food is for the Mature. Maturity brings discernment, that when practiced, allows us to really discern what is good and evil. There is a perspective that comes from eating solid food of doctrine and deep truth that equips us better for life.

Have you moved to the "Big Boy Bed" spiritually? If not, it is time.

The New Normal

Pam and I were talking yesterday and we finally think we have something figured out. Living in a day and time where there is not such a clear cut and dry standard for what shapes how we live our lives or what shapes a society, the natural result is that everyone is free to do whatever they want. After all, my life is my life and I should not be told what to do as I live it and I should be free to make decisions regardless of what others really think about me. "I am you know, the center of the universe" - so we often think and live. Call it postmodernism or me-centered living, but it has definitely become the mainstream and the NORM.

There was a time in our society in the not too distant past where this life view was considered foreign. Yes, one could argue that life in the 1940's and 50's was a bit stuffy, etc., but one can also not deny that children and communities had a much better understanding on how to love and care for one another than we do now. There were also life and behavior standards that communities and society at large considered NORMAL. Those certain ideals shaped family, church, government and community life and honestly, gone are those days. The days of respect and mutual accountability to certain standards that were acceptable before no longer really exist. There was, even with the flaws of that generation, something NORMAL to their existence. And if you did not live by those standards, then one was seen outside the NORM and excluded from the group. Certain important ideals were embraced and we have lost those today.

The new normal is now this: Everyone is Normal. Everyone who lives gets to be considered the NORMAL and the new NORM is whatever you may want to do. No matter the choices one makes, no matter the value system one holds, no matter who you may affect - we all have the right to do as we please because what we do is normal. Everyone gets included in the NORM because everything is normal. Obviously I am not talking about breaking the law, as that still carries a penalty, but I am referring to how we talk and treat police officers, teachers, parents, neighbors, coaches, family, and etc. The new NORMAL gives us the right to say and do whatever we feel is right to them and anyone else who may get in our way. These questions must be asked: How is this working for our society? Are we friendlier and more joyful than the previous generations? Have we moved into a higher plane of respect and honor for others? Of course not!! Everyone being NORMAL is not a good thing and our current culture is proof. Accepting and placing anyone and everyone under the NORMAL banner is scary!

I don't like the new NORMAL, in how I live it out at times and how people treat me because they are infected by it. Somehow I don't see that the new NORM has made us more content or loving. We are worse off than ever. Some abnormalcy to the NORM is in order. Anyone want to join me? Maybe we could form a support group called the ABNORMALS.

Let's keep in mind these words of Jesus in John 15:19 - "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you". Let us live in such a way that the world's NORMAL does not get our NORMAL and in so doing we find we are living for the glory of Christ.

Are you normal or abnormal?

Samual Adams quote

The quote today is quite timely for our county.

"Is it not high time for the people of this country explicitly to declare, whether they will be freemen or slaves? It is an important question which ought to be decided. It concerns us more than any thing in this life. The salvation of our souls is interested in the event: for wherever tyranny is established, Immorality of every kind comes in like a torrent. It is in the Interest of tyrants to reduce the people to ignorance and vice. For they cannot live in any country where virtue and knowledge prevail. The religion and public liberty of a people are intimately connected; their interests are interwoven, they cannot subsist separately; and therefore they rise and fall together. For this reason, it is always observable, that those who are combined to destroy the people's liberties practice every art to poison their morals. How greatly then does it concern us, at all events, to put a stop to the progress of tyranny."

Leadership Disappointments

I have learned this quite awhile ago, but it is still not always easy to face when it comes. As much as I might try to make people happy and on board with what we are doing and where we are going, sometimes it is just not enough for them. People get upset, blame you, talk behind your back and sometimes they leave. Though it may not have anything really to do with you as a leader, the blame lies with the leader anyway.

Pleasing people is not our job, but the relationship and love we have for them never makes it easy as they go, but at the same time, we cannot succumb to their whims just to keep them around and happy. Obviously, if we are at fault, we should do everything we can to make it right, but the reality also is, is that some people are just never going to be happy and we cannot curtail ministry just to make them happy. That can make ministry man-centered, not God centered. Disappointment and rejection come with the job and we are not alone in this. Everyone who has gone before us in any kind of ministry have dealt with this.

In fact, Jesus faced it his whole 3 years of ministry. Remember these from his life:

• Rejected and run out of his hometown.
• His family members thought he was crazy.
• His closest disciples all ran away when he needed them most.
• When he needed them to pray in the garden, his inner circle fell asleep on Him.
• "He came to His own and his own people did not receive him." John 1:11
• Rejected at every corner by the religious and traditional establishment.
• Told he did his miracles by Beelzebub, not by the power of God.
• He was accused by being a drunkard.
• John 6 tells us that after a difficult teaching many of the disciples left and no longer followed anymore.
  
• He was rejected and despised by men according to Isaiah.

The list could go on and on. Since it is going to happen to us, how can we best deal with it? John records these words in chapter 2. Here they are: "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man". John 2:23-25

The crowd wanted Jesus to do what they alone wanted but He knew He can come for another reason. He knew the fickle nature of man and that they did not have in mind the things of God for him or for the kingdom. They were selfish and had in mind the things of man. We are not Jesus, but the implication applies to us in ministry. We are to do what God wants us to do and in doing that, it can cost us plenty.

People will leave, reject us, falsely accuse, manipulate and the like and we have to keep our eyes on Him or we will get swallowed up in all the expectations that are not of God, but of man. Also, in these moments of brokenness, we have to run and hide in Him. It is the only real place that can keep us focused and to get us through the disappointments of people.

Being a Fool for Christ

1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

Being a fool for Christ means that we are secure enough and passionate enough in our faith that we simply don't mind looking a bit foolish in the eyes of other church members, family, neighbors, and co-workers. This term of Paul's is not so much discussed today, but was easily understood at the time Paul wrote. Back then, being a believer was not so mainstream and it meant that you were fully out of step with all of the societal norms of the day. It is what is needed today.

Being a fool for Christ meant ministering to prostitutes, the poor, Samaritans, lepers, and other morally unclean people. Doing these things would be seen as foolish by fellow church members or by the standards of the society at the time. How are you and I seen by others?

Paul is simply saying, that those who choose to live for Christ are willing to risk reputation and status for the express purpose of pleasing God above all things.

Leadership among the Thessalonians

In 1 Thessalonians Paul writes unique insight about leadership. He clearly sets forth how he did ministry among them and how we should do ministry among people. Since we definitely hold Paul in such high esteem, we ought to maybe pay more attention to what he says he did, instead of so much that is out there today in regard to leadership. Here are his words:

1 Thessalonians 2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Here is how he explained how he ministered among them.

• vs. 1-2 - Extending the Gospel is not done in vain - We are a part of something bigger than anything in the world
  
• vs. 3 - We make the appeal to people so they will know God and truth - There they will find hope.
  
• Ministry Looks Like this among those we serve:

1. We have to be approved by God - This is not an occupation, but a calling. vs. 4a
2. Those approved, are allowed to be entrusted with the very gospel of God. vs 4b
3. Those approved and entrusted - have to live to please God, not men. vs 4c
If we do not then we will not be able to overcome the pettiness of people and will succumb to their wishes and not God's.
4. Leadership is more about authenticity than fancy words. vs. 5-6
5. Be Gentle, yet strong. vs. 7
6. Share Yourself and the Gospel. vs. 8
7. Be a Hard Worker. vs. 9
This does not mean to just be busy, but to work effectively and efficiently alongside others.
8. Incarnational Ministry is the most effective Ministry. vs. 10-12)
We should set the course for how all this works.

Let's line up with scriptural teaching about leadership from the best church planter in history.

The Missing Link in Passing on Faith

These inspired words of Asaph are the key to re-establishing a stronger church, community and nation. The real question is: Where are those who will establish the family as the central place of seeing significant revival in our land. There are to many passages in the Old Testament that lay this forth as the key place of authentic faith.

I will let them speak for themselves. This is Psalm 78.

78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God,but keep his commandments;8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Loving the city of Jerusalem

Cities have always held a special place in the heart of God. Yes, they can be a place where there is so much crime and evil, which in all reality simply reveal they are places of great great need. Cities have governments that are either for the people or they are against the people. Some are small. Some are large. Some are considered mega. They are places of history and places desiring a great future. Of all the cities in the world, one stands out above them all - Jerusalem. Even today it has such significance, for the Jew, the Muslim, and the Christian, it is an important city.

This week there has been a turn in our current administrations view of Israel and the land that is rightfully theirs, promised and given to them by God. It is a dangerous thing to be against Jerusalem. If you do not believe me, listen to the prophet of Zechariah. I don't know where you stand on Jerusalem, but I hope you pray for its peace and long to see the Jews come to faith. Look at the words of Zechariah and let them speak for themselves.

"I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people, and all that burden themselves with it will be cut to pieces.." Zechariah 12:3

Rated R Post - Top 50 Internet Acronyms Parents Need to Know

1. 8 - Oral sex
2. 1337 - Elite -or- leet -or- L337
3. 143 - I love you
4. 182 - I hate you
5. 1174 - Nude club
6. 420 - Marijuana
7. 459 - I love you
8. ADR - Address
9. AEAP - As Early As Possible
10. ALAP - As Late As Possible
11. ASL - Age/Sex/Location
12. CD9 - Code 9 - it means parents are around
13. C-P - Sleepy
14. F2F - Face-to-Face
15. GNOC - Get Naked On Cam
16. GYPO - Get Your Pants Off
17. HAK - Hugs And Kisses
18. ILU - I Love You
19. IWSN - I Want Sex Now
20. J/O - Jerking Off
21. KOTL - Kiss On The Lips
22. KFY -or- K4Y - Kiss For You
23. KPC - Keeping Parents Clueless
24. LMIRL - Let's Meet In Real Life
25. MOOS - Member Of The Opposite Sex
26. MOSS - Member(s) Of The Same Sex
27. MorF - Male or Female
28. MOS - Mom Over Shoulder
29. MPFB - My Personal F*** Buddy
30. NALOPKT - Not A Lot Of People Know That
31. NIFOC - Nude In Front Of The Computer
32. NMU - Not Much, You?
33. P911 - Parent Alert
34. PAL - Parents Are Listening
35. PAW - Parents Are Watching
36. PIR - Parent In Room
37. POS - Parent Over Shoulder -or- Piece Of Sh**
38. pron - porn
39. Q2C - Quick To Cum
40. RU/18 - Are You Over 18?
41. RUMORF - Are You Male OR Female?
42. RUH - Are You Horny?
43. S2R - Send To Receive
44. SorG - Straight or Gay
45. TDTM - Talk Dirty To Me
46. WTF - What The F***
47. WUF - Where You From
48. WYCM - Will You Call Me?
49. WYRN - What's Your Real Name?
50. zerg - To gang up on someone

www.netlingo.com/top50/popular-text-terms.

Lessons from Luke on Communicating the Gospel

Honestly, Luke is my favorite Gospel as I really like the way he communicates the story of Christ. As he begins the book, he sets forth several things about why he was writing in the manner in which he did. Luke's style offers us some clear ways to understand how we can better communicate the Gospel. Here is what Luke says was his intent in writing:

"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught". Luke 1:1-4

Here are the things we can learn about communication of the gospel story:

• Details Matter - Luke says that he had followed all things closely for a while. The details of the story of Christ matter. Don't skip over things. Knowing the details allows us to communicate more effectively.
• Incarnational Communication - Luke says that the message came from eyewitnesses who had already started compiling a narrative about Christ's life. This is not some made up story we have faith in but came from those who saw and heard it all and passed it down to us. The gospel is told best by a life that is living out faith.
• A Story for Future Generations - The eyewitnesses told the story and it has come to Luke who is in turn passing the story on to Theophilus. Here we are 2000 years later continuing the story.
• Long View of Evangelism - Theophilus may have still had questions or doubts so Luke took the next step in the communication of the story by writing it down for him. As we tell the story of Jesus to those we know, it is important for us to find new ways to communicate the story to those we have met. Don't give up so fast on them but find new ways to invest and speak.
• Establish a Certainty of Faith - Luke wanted his friend to have a certainty about the things he had been taught. That is the goal all of us in ministry must strive for - that those we lead to be sure of what they believe.

These things can help us be much better in leading our ministries.

A Sign of our Times

If you have a clue, it is clear that our society has officially embrace rude as a natural expression of who we are. All of this stems from a man-centered thinking where we are at the center of things.

3 things this week to verify this:

1. Serena Williams at the US Open
2. Joe Wilson - Republican yelling out during the President's Address
3. Kanye West at MTV Awards

I have a suggestion to us all. Shut up! We are not the center of the world.

God has a few suggestions:

James 4:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Proverbs 12:8 A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised.

Proverbs 16:5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

Who wants to live in a society where respect is gone? As Christ followers, let's not get caught up in this.

Lessons from The Prophets to our Generation of Ministers

I have some sobering thoughts for our current generation of workers both here in the USA and those serving around the world. Why do we do what we do? What is our motivation in being one who proclaims the gospel to the nations? Do we get it? I mean, do we really get what we are called to do in our days hear on earth. Yesterday, I began to walk through 1 Peter with our Life Group and was really struck by the prophets of the Old Testament. They got it and there are some things we should embrace about them. They did not Twitter and have Facebook where they spent a lot of time sharing with the world what they were doing. (Do we really need to know what some people are doing 6x a day? I know that I am not that interesting.)

They did not spend their days communicating about themselves, but communicating about the greatness of God. Here is how Peter shared about the prophets: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to your through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 1 Peter 1:10-12

They never saw Jesus, heard Him preach or saw Him perform a miracle and yet they lived to proclaim the message. Peter says that they did not do what they did to serve themselves, but those who came after them. They loved the kingdom so much that they did not do what they did to advance themselves, but it was done to for the good of the future generations yet to come.

So, who do you serve? You, your advancement, your next bigger position, a book deal, a conference to speak at, etc. etc.

They served not themselves, but for those who came after them. Whether it brought them fame or success in their lifetime, they looked much further into the future and saw all who were yet to believe.

Do we love our church, cities, people groups enough to proclaim Christ for their benefit of others while we lay aside any desire for personal gain? Maybe this is what is missing in the effectiveness of our ministries.

Ronald Reagan in 1961 - Socialized Medicine

Now back in 1927 an American socialist, Norman Thomas, six times candidate for president on the Socialist Party ticket, said the American people would never vote for socialism. But he said under the name of liberalism the American people will adopt every fragment of the socialist program. There are many ways in which our government has invaded the precincts of private citizens, the method of earning a living. But at the moment I'd like to talk about another way because this trip is with us and at the moment is more imminent.

One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can't afford it.

Now, the American people, if you put it to them about socialized medicine and gave them a chance to choose, would unhesitatingly vote against it. We had an example of this. Under the Truman administration it was proposed that we have a compulsory health insurance program for all people in the United States, and, of course, the American people unhesitatingly rejected this.

So with the American people on record as not wanting socialized medicine, Congressman Ferrand said, if we can only break through and get our foot inside the door, they can we can expand the program after that. Well, let's see what the socialists themselves had to say about it. They say once the Ferrand bill is passed, this nation will be provided with a mechanism for socialized medicine capable of indefinite expansion in every direction until it includes the entire population. Well, we can't say we haven't been warned.

James Madison in 1788, speaking to the Virginia Convention said: “Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

Now in our country under our free enterprise system, we have seen medicine reach the greatest heights that it has in any country in the world. Today, the relationship between patient and doctor in this country is something to be envied any place. The privacy, the care that is given to a person, the right to chose a doctor, the right to go from one doctor to the other.

But let’s also look from the other side, at the freedom the doctor loses. A doctor would be reluctant to say this. Well, like you, I am only a patient, so I can say it in his behalf. The doctor begins to lose freedoms; it’s like telling a lie, and one leads to another. First you decide that the doctor can have so many patients. They are equally divided among the various doctors by the government. But then the doctors aren’t equally divided geographically, so a doctor decides he wants to practice in one town and the government has to say to him you can’t live in that town, they already have enough doctors. You have to go someplace else. And from here it is only a short step to dictating where he will go.

This is a freedom that I wonder whether any of us have the right to take from any human being. In this country of ours, took place the greatest revolution that has ever taken place in world’s history. The only true revolution. Every other revolution simply exchanged one set of rulers for another. But here for the first time in all the thousands of years of man’s relation to man, a little group of the men, the founding fathers for the first time – established the idea that y ou and I had within ourselves the God given right and ability to determine our own destiny.

This freedom was built into our government with safeguards. We talk democracy today. And strangely we let democracy begin to assume the aspect of majority rule is all that is needed. Well, majority rule is a fine aspect of democracy, provided there are guarantees written in to our government concerning the rights of the individual and of the minorities.

What can we do about this? Well, you and I can do a great deal. We can say right now that we want no further encroachment on these individual liberties and freedoms and that you demand the continuation of our traditional free enterprise system. You and I can do this. The only way we can do it is by writing to our congressmen, even if we believe that he's on our side to begin with, write to strengthen his hand. Write those letters now. Call your friends and tell them to write. If you don't, this program, I promise you, will pass just as surely as the sun will come up tomorrow. And behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country... until one day as Norman Thomas said, we will awake to find that we have socialism. And if you don't do this and if I don't do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it once was like in America when men were free.

Living for the Gospel

"Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him." - 2 Samuel 10:12

The setting of these words is quite a remarkable story. David has sent delegates to expresses his sympathy for the death of the former king. Upon their arrival, the advisors around the new King, Hanun, whisper in his ear that the delegates have come to spy and get word back to David. In an act of utter humiliation, half of the representatives beards are shaven off and their clothes are cut off at the hips by the Ammonites. They leave and word gets back to David who sends Joab to battle against the Ammonites. In the meantime, Hanun the king of the Ammonites has enlisted the Syrians to help him against Joab and the mighty man. As Joab and the warriors arrive, they become surrounded in the front and rear. Facing real death, Joab says to his brother Abishai the words above.

So here they are, facing death in the eye, and they see and know that they are living for something bigger than themselves and do not walk away, but get more courageous. How do we do this? How do we see the gospel as so valuable that we are willing to die for it? 3 key things are found in the verse:

1. Be of good courage - What Joab is saying is "Be strong in God". Let what we do today not be based in past experiences in the battle or in our strength but let us rest in God today. Only he can pull this off so all of our focus must be on Him. Where is your strength today? In you or in God?

2. Courageous for our People - Joab calls the men to fight for the good of God's people. He calls them to lift their eyes off of the impossible task before them and the potential slaughter of their lives to the people who are God's people. He calls them to look beyond themselves and fight for others.

3. Love and fight for our Cities - The reality is that the people of God should love their city more than anyone else. Government never will love the city the way the church can and should. If we would take our eyes off of our buildings, budgets and the how many butts we have in the seats, we could go out better into the actual streets where people live. Would you say your church calls your people to be at the building more or in their neighborhood more? I recall Jesus one time saying in Luke 14:21-23

"23 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

For the first time in my life, I learned what loving a city meant when we lived in Duesseldorf. I loved it so much (still do) that I think of it everyday. After 4 years of walking the streets sharing, praying, building relationships I learned to love the city and hope Christ offers. It is what I am beginning to really feel for the cities of Collin County.

I pray we all love our city and are willing to invest and fight for its good even if it costs us our life.

You Can Come Along God, if you want

If we were all real honest, we would all admit that we move on without God at times. We decide our way, and if he would like to come along, he surely can. It is in this mindset that we get to a place where we are out there and we think he has led us, and truthfully, he has not. A couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of something that happened in the life of Moses that we can learn from. Look at his conversation with God below about never moving on without God...

12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

Moses confesses to God that he did not want to do anything if God was not going to be a part of it. Moses knew that walking to a place without God would not hold the life and the purpose God wants for us. Where do we really arrive at if God has not led you where you arrive? Do we really want to be at that place? Moses in his mind walks down the road of what arriving somewhere without God would be like and he wanted no part of it.

Q: Does a fear of this grip those in ministry today? Do we want God to lead so much that we will wait until he does lead? or Does our pride or pressure from the church get us to move to fast? Why do we plan more based on our creativity and very little through fasting and prayer? Why do we read the latest book first of the latest new speaker instead of getting in a closet with the Bible, pen, and notebook?

You see, Moses knew that God must be present and leading us or we will fail? Our mode of operation today is that huge numbers constitute success. Moses could have taken large numbers into the promised land, but without God. He wanted no part of it. Large numbers do not mean God has lead. So, what is it going to be for us? Do we want God's leading or what we can come up with?

Prosperity Gospel

I just watched something on Joel Osteen and listened to the message of how by just believing and being positive that God is going to bless so much in such a way that brings stuff and a comfort we have ever known.  I immediately thought of something the scripture records about the Apostle Paul and how this mindset would apply to his life.  Look at what he wrote of his life in 2 Corinthians 11:

23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food,in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.  

Did you see all the things Paul describes in these verses?  I wonder why  he could never believe enough to get to a place of comfort and ease.  What problems of faith Paul must have had!!  He ultimately is beheaded in Rome and never experienced the message of the prosperity gospel.  He must have never been able to figure out how to be positive enough to be free from trouble.  Obviously, based on the life of Paul, the prosperity gospel is shattered.

  We will never be free of trouble, and simply because it comes into our lives does not mean that some thing is wrong with us or that we do not have faith enough in God.  So, the ultimate question comes, was Paul prosperous?  I think he would say that he was, for to him knowing Christ was the ultimate experience and reality for him and everything else paled in comparison to that.  That is what is truly prosperous. 

Message to Men

We have now been back in the states for 1 year and one of the things that has become apparent to me is the void of spiritual men in our land.  I am referring to men who fight for injustice, truth, their family, who are servants, full of integrity, and are willing to lead their families instead of their wives.  This could very well be the real crisis of the church and why our culture has the issues that it has.

About 10 years ago, my grandfather gave me a book that had impacted him significantly during the middle part of his ministry years.  I have not looked at it in about 7 years until last night.  As I read some of it this morning, I was struck by the words from Leonard Ravenhill in his book "Meat for Men".  Read this quote from page 19.

"God hungry men find God.  As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so the souls of the Upper-Room crowd panted for the living God.  Spiritually naked, they fled to Him that they might be clothed upon with the blessed Spirit.  Empty, they craved to be filled.  Powerless, they tarried until they were endued.  Bankrupt and beggar-like, they pled the riches of His grace.  Then this fear-filled crowd became fire-filled messengers.  Though swordless, these soldiers of Christ fought the might of imperial Rome and won.  Though without ecclesiastical prestige, they opposed the frozen orthodoxy of sterile Judaism and pierced it to the heart.  Unlettered, they unblushingly declared the whole counsel of God and eventually staggered the intellectual Greeks.  Without question, the greatest need of this hour is that the Church shall meet her ascended Lord again, and get an enduement that would usher in the revival of revivals just before the night of nights settles over this age of incomparable corruption."

We need to become men as described above.  Our churches, communities, and nation need men who pant for God and who are empowered with God to win the cultural and spiritual battle we face right now.  Where are these men?  I want to be counted among them.  How about you?

Be Careful Who You Get Advice From

Since we live in a day where so many Christians are seeking advice from pastors, counsellors, books, medication, etc., etc., is there a way we can make sure that what we are seeking is the right kind of advice that lines up with scripture. After all, if our desire is to get the help we need, then we should not just seek out anyone, but the right one who gives counsel grounded in truth. While reading through James 3 this morning I came across some great counsel about counseling. Here it is:

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." - James 3:17

The wisdom that we need and can make a difference for us has to come from above, not from earth. The wisdom from above is saturated with several important things and if the advice we are getting is not characterized by these, then we need to walk away. Here is what James says the wisdom from above is known by:

- Pure

- Gentle

- Open to reason

- full of mercy and good fruits

- impartial

- sincere

Though I have never been in a counseling class, I wonder if this is what is taught to those who are studying it. The reality is that the only way we can give or get advice like that is to be totally immersed in the truth of God. The working out and expression of wisdom from above is characterized by those 6 things. We should not sit under any instruction for our life that is not known for pure, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.

Finishing Well...I Never Thought I Would...

Have you ever said about an area or issue of your life, I never thought I would have done... (fill in blank).  We most likely all have and the real question is, how did we get to a place we said we would never arrive at?  The life of Solomon speaks to this reality.  

1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.

This is quite a long way from the day where he asked God for wisdom so that he could govern God's people well in regard to what is good and evil (1 Kings 3:3-9).  What brought about this change for Solomon?  Here are some thoughts:  1.  Live with a vision for the last day of our life - "When he was old".  If we do not live with a vision of finishing well, we will not make all the right decisions along the way to get there.  2.  Who we Surround ourselves with can make all the difference- "his wives turned his heart after other gods".  It does not appear that Solomon surrounded himself with men who would keep him living in the right way.  

It is here where it all fell apart for Solomon.  The road to compromise will always lead to a cliff and as crazy as it may seem, some are willing to step off the cliff for the thrill of whatever it is.  It never ends up well either. This I have found to be true in my life and in the lives of others:

What we tolerate - We eventually will approve of - then, ultimately we will participate in   

When we leave God out of our lives we will be capable of doing anything, even that which we never thought we would do.  Solomon's prayer to God early on was to govern people with an eye on what is good an evil and in his old age he threw all of this out the window.  In his old age he allowed that which was evil to be established throughout Israel as he allowed the worship of Chemosh and Molech.

So, what is the answer to finishing well?  It lies in worship and the nearness of God.  We are capable of anything if we do not live in the nearness of God.  Let us draw near today and stay there, live there, breath there and die there.  That is how we can finish well.

Fresh Thoughts from a Pro Life Worldview

Here are some thoughts from Kathy Ireland about being Pro-life:  (found this on Fox News)

"My entire life I was pro-choice — who was I to tell another woman what she could or couldn’t do with her body? But when I was 18, I became a Christian and I doveinto the medical books, I dove into science," Ireland told Tarts while promoting her insightful new book "Real Solutions for Busy Mom: Your Guide to Success and Sanity."

"What I read was astounding and I learned that at the moment of conception a new life comes into being. The complete genetic blueprint is there, the DNA is determined, the blood type is determined, the sex is determined, the unique set of fingerprints that nobody has had or ever will have is already there."

However Ireland admitted that she did everything she could to avoid becoming a believer in pro-life.

"I called Planned Parenthood and begged them to give me their best argument and all they could come up with that it is really just a clump of cells and if you get it early enough it doesn’t even look like a baby. Well, we’re all clumps of cells and the unborn does not look like a baby the same way the baby does not look like a teenager, a teenager does not look like a senior citizen. That unborn baby looks exactly the way human beings are supposed to look at that stage of development. It doesn’t suddenly become a human being at a certain point in time," Ireland argued. "I’ve also asked leading scientists across our country to please show me some shred of evidence that the unborn is not a human being. I didn’t want to be pro-life, but this is not a woman’s rights issue but a human rights issue."

Ireland also asserted that she believes "no justification is adequate" (for an abortion) unless another the mother's life is in danger.

"In that instant, your intention is not to kill but to save the life of another. If we’re about to demolish a building we make absolute certain there are no human beings in there before we take a wrecking ball to it, but the unborn doesn’t have a voice so it's up to us to speak for them," she added passionately. "If I see someone abusing a child I am going to stand up against that, and that’s how I feel about abortion. Women are not given all the facts, they’re told it is a harmless procedure and now it has turned into such a political football."

"You have to figure out your own values and why you have them. People are going to try and push and pull at your convictions, so you have to have boundaries and put them in place," she said.

Marketing Strategy of Jesus

In a day when so much focus is placed on how we market our local church, how should we best do that?  Mailers, radio, TV, door hangers, billboards, etc.  have become the norm for getting the word out.  They work to reach a some and are effective for name recognition, but can also be expensive and not the best use of funds.  There is a strategy that Jesus has for the church and it does not require money, but authenticity and an incarnational life.  

In John 13:34-35 Jesus says these words, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another".  

Jesus issues a command, not something that is optional in regard to our relationship with one another.  First we need to see how he loved: 1.  Life investment in them  2.  Loved them in spite of their issues 3. Ultimately he laid his life down in death. --- That is how we should love one another.

If we love and live like him, "all people will know that you are my disciples".  It will be clear to our communities that we belong to Christ when we love one another like he loved.  On the flip side:

When we don't love like he did, people will be confused about who we are and who God is.

This is where we are today - the culture don't get who we are and it is not because we don't have nice buildings, programs, or marketing strategies, but because we have not loved one another the way we have been commanded.

The clearest evidence we are his has nothing to do with buildings, denominations, location, music style, age or race makeup, economics.  This is where much of our focus goes and it is not the answer to effectively making it clear who we are as believers and who  God is.

The local church should be the most loving place in town, not the local bar or other secular organizations.  

The greatest challenge for the local church right now is to become the most loving place in town. 

Are we up to this?