The Phinehas Life

Worshipful Silence

2012-01-30T14:04:00.002-06:00

Through the years, possibly mainly because I lived in Germany and it is a land I deeply love, but I have become more and more enamored by Dietrich Bonhöffer. His 39 years of life were full and would amount to the lifetime's of 3 or 4 people. In 1933, he gave a series of Christology lectures at the University of Berlin. Here is a quote from those lectures about worshipful silence.

"Insofar as the church proclaims Christ, it must fall down in worshipful silence before the unspeakable. God's word is unspeakable. Speaking of Christ is the ground of speech. This is what it means to make an obedient response to the revelation of God that occurs in the Word. The speaking of the church through silence is the proper proclamation of Christ. Prayer requires both silence and crying out at the same time, both in the presence of God and in response to God's Word." Who is Christ for Us? Dietrich Bonhoeffer p.31

Ponder that a bit in view of the reality of church life in year 2012.

Is it the Spirit or the Word

2011-12-20T09:53:00.004-06:00

I have been contemplating much about the Holy Spirit lately as a men's group I am a part of is walking through the the gospel of John. One of my newest thoughts is this:

It is clear that the Holy Spirit moves in us and around us We have when we are in the Word of God, but sometimes I wonder which moves more? Not that it really matters, but it is just food for thought with me. So here is my thought:

"Is it the Spirit moving because I am in the Word or is it that the Word is awakening the Spirit's movement in me?"

This thought comes from this passage in John: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you." John 14:13-15.

The Holy Spirit plays such a role in the deepening of our faith and we should pay attention to His role of ministry in our lives. Look at these important things:

He is the Spirit of Truth - Everything He does is to connect us to the truth. Where do we find the truth? The Bible! His ministry is to be active in moving when we are in the Word of God. He Guides us into all truth, not just some of it. We are the ones who keep ourselves from knowing more of Scripture. His aim is to guide us all into ALL truth.
He shines the light on the Glory of Jesus - How does He do this? Jesus says by taking what is Jesus' and declaring it to us. The Holy Spirit, according to Jesus, wants us to know things about Jesus who is the Living Word (John 1:1).

So it is obvious that it is both. The Spirit moves us to be in the Word. The Spirit moves us to know more of Jesus. Being in the Word moves us to greater knowledge of God.

It is heard often today about Christ-Followers talking about experiencing more of the Holy Spirit and what that might look like. In our current church culture, we want the Holy Spirit more in terms of an emotional experience. I think the greater reality for us lies not in an emotional experience, but rather in a deeper reality of knowing Christ.

For deeper knowing results in deeper reality and we should never forget that.

That should be why we want more of the Word and of the Holy Spirit. That is the deeper reality for us all.

The Falsehood of the American Dream

2011-09-19T08:01:00.002-05:00

There is no other passage that highlights the failure of the American Dream than Luke 12:13-21. Let me put it here for us: 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, ’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Before we look at the lie of the American Dream, let's look at what is the American Dream.

Wikipedia says, "The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth". While there is nothing in and of itself wrong with being blessed, this should never be seen as equal to the will of God for our lives or God's ultimate plan for our lives.

Here is the falsehood found in the American Dream found in Luke 12.

The Amount of Possessions Equals Life (Luke 12:13-15) - Jesus says here that life does not consist of possessions. This should be enough for us to shift our thinking away from the pursuit of things to surround our lives with.
Bigger, Newer and More Always Means Better (Luke 12:18) - The man kept none of his old barns, but he needed bigger and newer barns. There was nothing wrong with the old barns, he could have built a few more smaller ones or even figured out a way to give away his abundance. This thinking never entered into his view of things.
Comfort is the Ultimate Aim of our Lives - (Luke 12:19) - Instead of continuing to be a man who worked hard, he decided comfort was better and that he deserved a life of leisure and relaxation. The whole focus of his quitting from working was that he could become the center of the fruit of his labor.
All of This is Solely Mine - (Luke 12:20) - The man thinks it is all his, but really it is not in two ways: 1. Belongs to God 2. Someone else in the end gets it - "and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" We better be careful how strong we all our hands to grip things.
Consumerism and Stuff Protects our Soul - (Luke 12:20) - The only thing that can protect our soul is being rich toward God. How does one do that? Foundationally, one has to trust in Christ alone for salvation. Being rich in this life does not tip the scales in our favor for gaining salvation.

Don't let the falsehood of the American Dream grip you so strong that you never see your life being rich toward God.

The Necessity of Light

2011-09-14T08:10:00.002-05:00

Light is a must for almost all of life. In simplistic understanding, we need it to see where to go, where things are, to see the beauty of life or the faces of our family. The bible speaks of light in many ways and its necessity to us. Here is one of those in Matthew 6:22-23:

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

The eye is the window or gateway into our soul. It is the beginning place where things come into our lives. We better beware what "our little eyes" see. We need the light else we will remain in darkness. While that is true, Jesus also says here that the condition of the lens matters greatly. If it is clear then light comes in freely and fills the room. If the lens is dirty, colored, or distorted, then the light stays outside of the room.

The quality of the light of Christ that comes into our heart is totally dependent on the condition of our spiritual eye.

What then is the light that needs to be let into our lives?

Matthew 4:16 "..the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned."

John 1:4 "In him was life, and the life was the light of man".

John 8:12 "...I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life".

The light is Jesus. That is what we need in our lives more than anything. Knowing Jesus as the light will bring understanding to our life that is in line with Jesus.

Jesus next indicates that the amount of light has a direct influence upon the quality of our spiritual life. If only a little light gets in, then there is little influence Jesus has in our lives, which therefore results in a spiritual life that has no power. The more light , the closer our values will be in line with the values of Jesus. On the flip side, when our values are wrong, then the natural course is more darkness.

How do we best do this, to have more light? Since we have two eyes, why does Jesus say singular "eye". The emphasis is that we must be "single-minded" in our pursuit of the light. We must have one treasure (6:19-21), one light (6:22-23), and one master (6:24). One thing matters and that is the pursuit of the glory of God.

Let's pursue!

What Owns You?

2011-09-09T10:43:00.003-05:00

Is there anything in this world that owns you? You know, something like a job, a relationship, or the pursuit of things. Last week I spent time looking at the familiar story of the Rich Young Ruler and it occurred to me that his issue was that he never saw the things that his money and position gave him from the perspective of stewardship.

Matthew 19:20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will havertreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

He did not see that it was God who blessed him, but he felt he had earned it all himself. Since he saw his "stuff" as his and what he alone had accumulated, he could not let go of it. The very thought of giving it up made him sad. This reality proves that his stuff "owned" him - That is why he could not let them go. Is there anything that possesses you?

If we don't see things in light of stewardship - meaning that what we have has been given to us from the Father of Lights (James 1:17), we will hold onto them as if they give us life. We must get to a place when we can let go of anything from our spouse, our kids, our job, our car, or our money. They all belong to Him.

What also stood out to me about him was Jesus invitation. He was invited to come and join Jesus in going throughout Israel ministering to people and extending the Kingdom of God on earth. He chose the security of things as to a life near Jesus. Can you think of anything more sad than wanting to be near our stuff compared to depth of a life in the circle of Jesus and the disciples?

**Instead of seeing God as great, he sees his possessions as greater.**

Let us all not make this tragic mistake. Life is found when we are owned by King Jesus.

Are We Grateful as American Evangelicals?

2011-08-30T08:32:00.002-05:00

I just taught on the Disicple's Prayer in Matthew 6 and when I came to this phrase, "Give us this day our daily bread", I had to pause and really think through this and ask myself this question: Do we as American evangelicals understand what to do with instruction to pray about asking for daily bread? I thought much about whether I have ever prayed a prayer in this manner and honestly, I never have.

I imagine that most of us could right now go look into our pantries and refrigerators and freezers and see that we have enough food to make it for at least a week. Though we would not necessarily eat what we might fully like or want for that meal, we would at least have enough food to make it with some creativity. Again, I ask the question, "Do we even have a clue what the reality of this part of the prayer really means?" I think we don' really get it mainly for this reason - we complain to much about the food we have and we are never really satisfied with the quality and amounts. You cannot be grateful when complaining and dissatisfaction is involved.

So what do we do since we have so much and don't have to ask for our daily bread when we have about a week's worth tucked away in safe places? We should be so humbled by God's graciousness and goodness of His provision unto us. His bountiful gift should lead us to worship. I think it says a lot about us that we complain at restaurants about our food or even if we have to miss a meal. The fact that we have money to go out and eat should move us to worship.

Can you fathom what someone from the slums in India or someone from Afghanistan would think if we took them to Chili's and spent our time complaining about the temperature of the food, the air temperature of the room, the location of our table, the quality of our Dr. Pepper, or how frequent our waiter came to the table? The reality that we can go to Chili's should lead us to humbly praise Him.

As you go into your pantry today and sit around a table with your family, truly thank Him for His goodness.

A Lesson from Watering a Small Plot of Land

2011-08-23T08:26:00.003-05:00

Texas has experienced a really difficult stretch of drought this year that has affected much. A very small piece of land that has been affected is the one right outside my office that sits in between our worship center and our youth/children's building. This area has taken a beating from our youth boys playing an interesting baseball type game and the ever incessant brutal heat of a star we commonly call the sun. Over the last couple of weeks, I decided to see if I could at least green this area up again since it is the first thing people see as they walk up to our buildings.

What I have noticed and am currently right now witnessing is an interesting gathering outside my window. Every time I run the water, a gathering of birds come and just sit on the grass and let the water fall on them as they drink and enjoy the refreshing reality of water. As I type this, I see Mockingbirds, Sparrows, Cardinals, Hummingbirds, Crows, and sometimes a Blue Jay or two sit and soak themselves. This thought came to me this morning: This small strip of land is a picture of how the church should be and in certain places - actually is.

Jesus said these words at a very strategic festival in Israel: "If anyone thirsts, let Him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'." (John 7:37-38). Thirsty people long for water, and when they find it, they get in it and let it wash all over them. They will even gather with others who are of different sizes, types, and colors. The birds outside don't seem to mind they are around others who are different from them. It is their thirst for the water and the enjoyment of it that makes them in common with one another.

This common thirst for real life is one of the main reasons I love the local church. Thirsty people for the presence of God and for something bigger than us, this thirst moves us to come together in a certain place. Even with all of our different backgrounds , races, and experiences that out in the world seem to divide us, they now fade away in light of the greatness of Jesus and the all satisfying nature of who He is.

The birds are getting their fill and in a few minutes when I turn the water off, they will move on to wherever it is they normally do life. They will move on though, filled and equipped to live life in a more satisfying way.

This picture today also reminds me that as a pastor, I must lead in such a way that the all satisfying nature of Jesus is why people gather at LifePointe. If the gathering is about anything else, then we will not unite and get filled by the only thing that lasts. Church must be about Jesus and helping people come to him so they can drink. It is in the drinking of His nature and belief in Him that will lead to the Holy Spirit to awaken the flow of the river of God in and out of our hearts. This is my aim in my calling. Anything less than this will not satisfy and should not take a prominent place in the local church.

I pray we never lose sight of this.

Being About What Jesus Was About

2011-08-10T15:08:00.002-05:00

Today some thoughts ran through my head about Jesus, that originally started with some words from Paul that having been rummaging around my heart and brain. Paul wrote these words to the church that resided in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I have been thinking about what this might look like within the context of ministry. Paul made an intentional decision to make the primary focus of his ministry to be about only knowing Jesus Christ. Nothing else mattered. I thought about all the pressures and pulls upon me in ministry and just about everyone of them, want to pull me away from that which is most important - knowing Christ. From cleaning a building, air conditioning issues, trash, buying supplies, getting the mail, email, busyness of life or upset people - all of which vie to distract from having the time to fully live out Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 2.

My contemplation on that verse led to my question today, "What was it that Jesus was about when he was here on earth?" What do the gospels tell us about Jesus? Here is what they say (not necessarily completely exhaustive). Did these things shape everything Paul did?

1. Jesus only did what He saw and heard from His Father

John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father [4] does, that the Son does likewise.

2. He valued those who were lost, hurting, and without a shepherd.

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

3. He taught and proclaimed the truth everywhere He went

Matthew 7:28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

4. He poured His life into His Disciples

John 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

5. He cared about the physical needs of people

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

6. He was moved when He saw authentic faith

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

7. He consistently sought His Father in prayer Luke 5: 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

8. He confronted hypocrisy at every turn

Luke 12:1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

9. He modeled and embrace servanthood

John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

Since Paul only sought to know Jesus and this is who Jesus was, this has to be what shaped Paul. It must be why he was so effective everywhere he went. He lived as Jesus lived among people and it influenced everyone around him.

I am going to refocus things in this direction. It is Biblical and what our world needs to taste and see.

The Gospel of the Bible Belt

2011-08-09T11:30:00.003-05:00

Having been back from Western Europe for 3 years where I had clearly seen the results of rejecting the gospel outright and what that rejection has brought upon a continent, I have in these 3 years back seen another rejection that is having devastating effects upon this land. Whether the gospel is rejected outright or twisted in falsehood, if it is not truth, then it is not the gospel.

Here is the heart of the gospel in 2 Corinthians 5:21: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

God alone has done this work on our behalf and there is no other act or truth on earth that will free our souls than the reality that Christ became sin on our behalf so that we can become the righteousness of God. This is the heart of the gospel. Those who are undeserving and enemies of the gospel have, through Christ, become the very righteousness of God. Wow!!

In the south though, in the heart of the Bible Belt, we have twisted the greatest story into something else. Since I have been back and began observing those who claim to be Christ-Followers, I have seen and heard what I call the gospel of the Bible Belt. There are 4 pillars of this false gospel. The gospel is about Jesus period. It is the story of his life, work, death, and resurrected life. It is not about anything else.

The Gospel of the Bible Belt

1. Jesus plus something else.

Though we claim it is all about Jesus, Christians still seem to live as if there must be more that we need than him. The plus consists of things like this, Jesus + church attendance, good works, money, status, blessings, etc. etc.

2. Salvation = Fire Insurance.

The gospel of the south has unfortunately reduced the great and grand story of the gospel to only avoiding going to hell. While that is definitely to be avoided, seeing the gospel as only Fire Insurance fails to lead us to see that salvation means knowing Christ deeply here. Salvation is now and in the future and it is knowing Christ. It is not just avoiding another destination.

3. The Gospel is simply behavior modification.

Far to many here spend so much energy trying to look the part over actually living the life. We have gotten to a place where we think changing outward behavior is transformational, that is only modifying behavior, not transforming our heart. Following Christ is an inward to outward relationship, not an outward to inward relationship. It is backwards here in the south. The reason so many of us here are so tired is that our faith has gotten to the place where it is all about trying really hard to maintain a behavior, not deepening a loving relationship. It is in a loving relationship where we come alive in all that He is.

4. Jesus is about me, therefore I am entitled.

The narcissistic nature of our culture has infiltrated the church where we have reduced the gospel of Jesus love to mean that we are the center, not His glory. Though Christ so wants to pour out blessing upon us and does pour out his blessing, he does so that he gets the glory in all things. Our faith is not about our gain, but his glory. Our faith also must be about community over individuals. The word church also carries the idea of us, not me. If Jesus is about me and my desires, then I am entitled to certain things. I have found that it is from this view of entitlement that leads to the pervasive expression of pettiness that grips far to many Christians in the Western World.

These things are contributing to the church in the USA being so out of step about what real faith is and we must get back to it being about the Lord Jesus.

Thoughts on Usama Bin Laden

2011-05-02T22:31:00.002-05:00

Ezekiel 33: 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

A Picture of Hungering and Thirsting

2011-04-29T17:08:00.002-05:00

This post is written by my godly word loving wisdom filled wife... I am blessed

Perspectives from Josiah's life:

2 kings 22:2 "He did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight and followed the example of his ancestor david. He did not turn away from doing what was right."

So...here we have a godly young leader who wanted to get judah back on the right track. What was he to do? He had no bible training to lean on. His father (amon) and grandfather (manasseh) for sure had not given him any kind of model to follow. He grew up in what i would call a spiritually messed up and confused and biblically illiterate culture, but yet deep within his heart there was a longing to know God.
After finding and reading the Word of God, he longed for righteousness in his own life and in judah.

Remember, judah had gone through half a century of rebelling against the Lord and His Law. So, God's law wasn't going to go over to well with the people. God's Law condemned most all things manasseh, amon, and the people had been doing. Priests during manasseh's reign had probably ignored the scripture for fear of their lives. If the priest would have preached from God's word they would've had to say there is one living God. That would've led to trouble just as it leads to trouble today. So, the high priest had probably locked it away in the temple somewhere and just gave short encouraging talks to the people (what they wanted to hear 2 tim. 4:3...they will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.") Now 50 years later this new generation of God's people didn't know God's Word and had no idea what righteousness was.
That's what's going on today- people don't want preachers that talk about righteousness. Lot's of people today look for pastors who tell a few stories, a few jokes, and then give a "5 steps to a healthy marriage" or "6 steps to a successful life" or 5 steps to a happy family" etc etc etc.. kind of sermon You don't need the Bible to do that. BUT, if a church does this, then in a generation they'll have young people like josiah growing up, who long to know God, but don't know where to find Him, because they're sure not finding Him at church. That's where Josiah was-until age 26- longing to know God but not knowing where to find Him.

Then...... the Bible was read to him and "...when the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair."
(2 kings 22:11)
He took the Bible seriously. When the commandments were read to him he said, "we are not doing this". (vs.13). How could God's people have gotten so far away from what God required? Without God's Word, people have no standards for telling right from wrong. So, they just operated on "what does this generation of people want?" and that changed with every generation. During the time of Manasseh, it was sometimes right to put your children in the fire.
Righteousness is shown to us in God's Word.
Josiah heard the Word of God, took it seriously, and then said, "this is how i'm going to live!" (vs.23:3). He did more than read the Bible. He put it into practice and began with his own life. He lived it out loud. He listened to the Scriptures and wondered what it would be like if he and God's people lived in complete obedience to God's Word. So, he got all the people together from the least to the greatest at the temple. Then the king read the whole book of Deuteronomy to the people and then he stood by the pillar of the temple and made a personal and public committment to obey the Lord. (23:2-3). Then he had the rest of the people make the same commitment. (2 Chron. 34:32).
Then Josiah went through the country trying to reform the whole land. He completely destroyed every altar, Asherah pole, and every kind of idolatry in the land. He destroyed all of Solomon's altars (that had been there for 300 years (no other kings would get rid of them). Then he went to the North (Israel) and destroyed all the altars. There had been other kings who had said "Let's worship God", buy none of them (in the North or South) had ever had the courage to destroy all the other pagan altars in the country.
God honored Josiah's leadership (22:18-20) and held back His judgement on the nation during Josiah's lifetime.

But there wasn't much change in the hearts of the people during Josiah's reign. Most of the change came from Josiah himself. He personally destroyed the altas and got rid of the pagan priests. He MADE everyone renew their committment to God. (2 Chron.34:33). But as soon as Josiah died, the people went back to their old ways.

Why?
"....Judah had never sincerely returned to me. She has only pretended to be sorry." (Jeremiah 3:10).

A good leader can change laws of the land, but he can't change the hearts of the people. It's not hard for us as Christians to act like we're EXPECTED to act with other christians, but as soon as we're with a different crowd or culture, we'll act like them.

Righteousness MUST come from the heart!

Ezekial 36:26-27
"I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you and MOVE you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

God would change the people's hearts so they would WANT what God commanded. They would hunger and thirst for righteousness!

When we come to Him, He puts a desire for righteousness in us. He gives us more than His law, He gives us Himself! That's His promise of the new covenant.
A hunger and thirst for righteousness is one of God's greatest blessings. It will fill and satisfy us, not leave us empty and frustrated (like when we go after worldly things).

God's purpose for us is not to always be keeping His laws on the outside, but to have a deep inner desire for righteousness. This is the Holy Spirit's work. He changes our hearts and gives us a hunger and thirst for righteousness and makes us ABLE to live a life pleasing to God.

God's Plan for Spiritual Formation

2011-01-22T19:22:00.002-06:00

The nation of Israel was about to finally step into the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham and onto the actual land. Before they went in, Moses shares the most pivotal things they were to do as they began to live in the promised land. This whole chapter gives the Spiritual Formation they were to embrace in the land. I will not give much detail, but over the next days, I will write about each of these as they show us the Spiritual Formation Process we need to embrace.

1. Aim Your Life After God's Commands
6:1 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
We are all going to aim at something and if it is not God's Word, then we are really wasting our time.

2. A Faith That is Solely God-Centered
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

3. The Home Would Be the Primary Setting for Discipleship
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

4. Embrace God as the Sole Provider for our Lives
10 “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

5. Obedience is the Only Way to Take Ground and Take Back Lost Ground
16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers 19 by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has promised.

6. Know and Declare the Story of Our Faith
20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’

As I said earlier, I will unfold these in detail in the days ahead. In closing for today, I just have this question for us all. Does your discipleship consist of those 6 primary principles? If in any way they do not, then it is time for an adjustment and a return to the original blueprint given to a nation about to be birthed.

The Citizens of Heaven

2011-01-18T13:01:00.002-06:00

With all of the yuck that our lives go through, it is the thought of heaven that for me, brings some perspective to not only the mundane, but also the days that make this life downright depressing. My thoughts of heaven help me remember that this life is so short and that the life on the other side, in His presence, will never end. Heaven's reality calls us to live a grander and bigger life since we know that our ultimate destination is there, not here.

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ". Philippians 3:20

In writing to the Philippian church, Paul reminds them of something they truly understood from their citizenship in the Roman Empire. Philippi was a Roman colony made up of many soldiers, who after serving 21 years in the military, were given full citizenship. Wherever one of these colonies were found, one would see Roman dress, customs, religion, education, language (Latin), morals, and Roman justice. These places were just other versions of Rome someplace in the world. So when Paul calls them to remember that just as they were Roman colonists/citizens and could not forget it, because it permeated every aspect of their lives. He makes the same inference to them that Christ Followers are citizens of heaven and that they cannot forget that they belong to heaven. You see...

Our conduct will always match which citizenship we are embracing.

What are the implications for us in regard to heaven? There are many, but here are four:
1. We do not belong to this world. We are here for a short bit, just passing through to a land that is beyond our wildest imaginations.
2. We will never find that earth fully satisfies. Life here can be so awesome, but nothing compared what the kingdom of God gives us.
3. We will never find the world to be loving and loyal to us. This world will turn on any and everyone at a moment's notice. God said he would never leave us nor forsake us. This world is bent only in using us until it is done with us and then it just moves on.
4. We get the full privileges of Heaven. Citizens have the full rights to that citizenship. We should take full advantage of that.

Paul said this also in 1 Corinthians 2:9 - "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him."

Heaven awaits and I so long for its coming.

When Faith Deepens...

2011-01-05T11:40:00.002-06:00

In these recent days the subject of "Depth", "Deepening" or "Deep" has been at the center of many of the conversations I have had. Much of them have come from men that I know who have grown weary of lives that seem shallow and lifeless. This same desire and longing for more has been stirring in my heart. I have some thoughts that have risen to the top concerning the longing for more.

Q: What happens when faith deepens in a person or in a church? What results manifest? Here are a few thoughts:
1. There is an embracing and enjoyment of deep and challenging teaching.
When spiritual depth plants itself in a seeking heart, that heart wants the sharpness of God's shovel to move through the rock and clay that may be there. We welcome the pain or breaking of our heart because we know it means more of His presence being established in us. Run from a church that does not offer challenging teaching.
2. There is a brokenness over sin and a hatred of it.
Biblical holiness always results in a brokenness and hatred of those things that God himself despises. Again, this comes about from the teaching of the Word of God as it is.
3. There is a moving beyond self-focused faith to an others focused faith.
Knowing God in depth means that we are making less and less of ourselves and that naturally opens our eyes to those around us, both those in the faith family and those outside of it. Nothing is more crushing to a faith family than faith that centers on self and not the Spirit.
4. There is an outpouring of the Spirit's power.
There is no better place to be than where the Spirit is moving in the hearts of holy men and women.

Churches that do not focus on depth find themselves only finding and teaching truth that makes us feel good about things. There is no focus on shaking up our lives to holiness, but making sure our injured souls get enough comfort to make it through the day. We are called to so much more than that. We are called to live a life that is much much bigger than our selfish interests. We should abandon any church where depth of faith is not valued, where there is never any brokenness of sin or where it is taught that faith means you just focus on yourself.

May depth be the sincere cry our our heart.

My Hopes for the New Year

2011-01-01T10:58:00.005-06:00

Now that 2011 has come, I have this prayer for my life. My prayer comes from this passage in Luke 24:13-15 - "That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them".

These are the prayers for my life as 2011 begins:
1. Movement - I want to be moving forward, going somewhere - into cities, villages, and homes.
2. Walking with Deep Spiritual Companions - I am tired of having petty conversations that have nothing to do with Jesus and His Kingdom with petty people who think only of their little kingdoms.
3. Conversations about the Spirit's Movement - (Luke 24:14ff) These two men centered their conversations about all the events of the preceding days concerning Jesus and His work.
4. Walking with Nearness of Jesus - As they talked Jesus drew near and He went with them. I don't want to do anything or go anywhere this year if it includes anything where He is not.
5. Full Understanding of the Heart of the Gospel - The two men still had some confusion and doubt about all of the events of the previous days and it kept them from fully seeing. I don't doubt the heart of the gospel, but it is not always as front and center as it needs to be. This too, keeps me from fully seeing what God is doing and wants to do.
6. A Heart that Burns within from Opening of the Scriptures - After they realized it was Jesus, this is what they said "...Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?"
7. A Life that Tells the Story to Others - (Luke 24:33-35) The world is lost and needs those with burning hearts to tell the story.

Those are the 7 prayers I have as 2011 opens. I pray that God grows a Big Life in me this year.

What Are We Waiting For?

2010-12-13T14:06:00.002-06:00

The most pressing question in my life at the moment in regard to my walk with God is this one: What am I waiting for? This question has come from a careful analysis of Paul's conversion in Acts 9. The passage has always intrigued me, and in these last weeks, I have read the story with fresh eyes that resulted in fresh impact.

As Paul is headed to Damascus to continue his attack on the followers of Jesus, Jesus interjects himself in the life of Paul. God is always the great Initiator of life. There was a way that seemed right to Paul, but its end for him would be death as he had based his whole life in the pursuit of a man-centered righteousness. Then after meeting Jesus, he comes to the great realization that none of that was enough to get salvation. Acts 9:9 tells us that after his encounter with Christ, "And for 3 days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank". It was in these 3 days that Paul makes his decision and his life goes in a new direction. He did not wait more than 3 days until his decision was made.

Now look at what he began to do in Acts 9 after his decision was made to live for Jesus.
---Acts 9:8 - Immediately gets up and goes into the city as told by Jesus. He obeys from the begining.
---Acts 9:18 - Immediately he was baptized
---Acts 9:20 - Immediately begins to proclaim Jesus
---Acts 9:21 - His life change is immediately seen by all
---Acts 9:22 - Immediately he starts growing and moving forward in his faith
---Acts 9:23-25 - Immediately the Jews start to seek to kill him
---Acts 9:26 - He does not fit in the establishment at first.
---Acts 9:31 - His passion influences how the church walks with God

Paul did not wait long to decide if he was going to really live it. All of this happened without going to a discipleship or evangelism seminar. It was enough for him to decide to follow and then actually do it.

So, I ask us all again: What are we waiting for? Do we think something better is going to come along? Do we think something else is required? For Paul it was enough to simply walk with Jesus. The great pursuit of his life became one thing - to know the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Nothing mattered more than this pursuit.

What are you waiting for?

Fan or Fanatic

2010-12-09T10:17:00.004-06:00

Over the last several weeks I have been contemplating this thought: Am I a fan of God or am I a fanatic follower of God? As I look around I wonder if we have reduced our faith to one where just like a post on Facebook, we simply in our hearts click a like or dislike to the things of God. It is as if as His followers, it is our place to interject our view on subjects that He has been clear on for thousands of years. I wonder of myself and those around me: Who do we think we are? The Bible is not like facebook where "friends" give the thumbs up or thumbs down to what is written. The Word does not need our opinion about it, it needs to be obeyed. This is where the "Fan" idea has come to me.

Fans can be fickle and fairweather. They have enthusiasm and they can be very critical with their "boos". Some fans change their lifestyle and attire to be in line with their favorite team. Some fans are devastated with a loss and elated with a win. Still others want material icons to show their love of team and have them placed in special places at home or on the car. And, others join a "fan club" and pay a monthly due to get the inside information for the upcoming weeks game or season. Fans sit in a stadium or in a living room or bar and watch from the outside those who are actually playing the game.

For far too long what I wrote in the above paragraph has become true of those who claim Christ's name as theirs. We have become just like a fan. We like God, so long as it is all going in the way we want it to. Though we may be in the "fan club" and pay some monthly dues with money, time, or enthusiasm, I wonder if we stop and wonder how crazy it is to think that God is looking for fans. He is not!! He is seeking those who will worship in "Spirit and Truth".

Followers follow. No matter how it is going, where it leads, or what may come - they follow and trust.

The original word in Latin where we get the word "fanatic" is "fanaticus". "Fanaticus" meant 'insanely but divinely inspired'. Over time in the English language, it was shortened to what we now use, "fans". The original meaning has been lost, but it carries a beautiful description of who you and I need to be as His followers.

I want to be 'insanely but divinely inspired' as I live for my King. Do you? It is time we all move from being a fan to being fanatic. Fanatics are followers who are moved by the Spirit to walk with God no matter what comes.

So, what will it be for us?

Why I Am About Mission

2010-11-29T22:42:00.002-06:00

Over the last several weeks, I have had several conversations with other Christ-Followers about why I preach the way I do, why am I so serious about the gospel and why is mission an almost consistent theme in my communication? I like talking about my passion for God, but it is the last question that seems to bring a sadness to my heart: Why is mission a consistent theme of my whole life and ministry? The questions and tone of the conversations carried the idea that I somehow did not fully understand how to communicate the heart of God or understand the purpose of the church. The fact that a Christ-Follower would ask this question shows how confused we have made the mandate of God to other believers. So, here are a few thoughts about why the church is to be about mission and hopefully all of us will move more in line with his heart.

Genesis 3 - After the fall of Adam and Eve, God comes to the garden approaching near to the ones who had rejected his glory and were separated from Him. In doing this, God shows his heart from the very beginning is one of "being on mission".
Genesis 12 - God tells Abram to go to a land that God would show Abram and that through Abram, all the families of the earth would be blessed. Further evidence that early on God's heart was on mission.
In Exodus God tells Moses that God would deliver Israel from the hand of Egypt. Here, God is on mission to redeem and save the Hebrews.
Isaiah 61:1-2 - "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." Here is a prophecy about the coming mission of Jesus.
In Matthew 9 as Jesus was going along he calls a tax collector named Matthew to a life of freedom and purpose.
Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, he said these words in Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,". This is so clear, this is what we are to be about. There should be no controversy or question about that.

I could go on and on. These are just several of so many. The church is more than a place to socialize, hang out, hide, make sure we are never offended, etc. Today's church encourages the pursuit of stuff in the name of Jesus, but sadly it also teaches us that our feelings, happiness, and self-esteem are most important. None of those things will fix the sin problem the heart is corrupt with, only Jesus blood will.

So why am I about mission? Because God is about mission. If we seek a church that is not driven by the same mission God is, then we must evaluate why we are going there. We should get away fast. The mission of God must remain at the forefront of the message to proclaim.

I will be about mission no matter what people think about me. I will side with what the scripture says about God. He is missional.

Preaching so as Not to Convert Anybody

2010-11-29T16:52:00.002-06:00

A friend of mine sent the excerpt below to me. May all of us who preach or teach stay true to the word. The stuff below comes from The sermon is entitled "Creatures Born to be Killed, Part 2" and can be found at www.gracetoyou.com by John MacArthur.

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"Over a hundred years ago, an article by Charles Finney was entitled, "Mastering the Art of Preaching so as to Convert Nobody." In it there were some ways to be sure you could preach so as to convert nobody. I paraphrased some of them. Here's a few.

Let your supreme motive be to secure your own popularity and success. If you preach that way you're not going to say anything to offend and if you don't offend you can't convert anybody. Aim at pleasing for money and sexual favors, rather than correcting for holiness. Let your sermons be literary, flowery, ornate, flowing beautifully so your hearers never remember the lack of content. Be sparing of thought lest your sermon contain enough truth to convert someone. Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive to the carnal mind. Deal with sin in the abstract and make no allusion to the sins of your audience. Preach salvation by grace but ignore the condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he should understand what you mean by grace and sense his need of it. Make no appeal to the fears of sinners, but make the impression that they have no reason to fear, God loves them. Preach the love of God and ignore the holiness of His love. Do not rebuke the worldly tendencies of the church, lest you should hurt their feelings and convert some of them. Select your themes and so present them as to attract and flatter the wealthy, aristocratic, self-indulgent, extravagant, pleasure-seeking classes and you won't convert any of them to the cross-bearing religion of Christ. Ridicule solemn earnestness in pulling sinners out of the fire and recommend by precept or example that jovial, fun-loving religion and sinners will have little respect for serious preaching. Cultivate fastidious tastes in your people by avoiding all disagreeable allusions to the last judgment and final retribution. Treat old and uncomfortable doctrines as obsolete and out of place. And so exhibit religion as to encourage the selfish pursuit of it. Make the impression upon sinners that their own safety and happiness is the supreme motive of being religious. And see to it that you say nothing to any of your hearers to demean him or her, but only what is flattering.

That's the way they preach. You have to listen carefully to be able to discern it. Words full of nothing that convicts and nothing that converts. And nothing of truth that changes lives. And they entice, people are sucked up in masses to their empty wells."

The Freedom of Being All In

2010-11-15T21:50:00.002-06:00

This past week I had one of those moments in the scripture that is still affecting me and it came from a passage that at first I did not think was all that insightful. Isn't that the thing with God's Word? Even the places that have not been deemed so important are still "living and active" and I should have known better. As we have been walking through the letter of Philippians, we came to the place where Paul gives some detail about the deep value that Timothy had in his life. Here are the words Paul uses of Timothy - "For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ". (Philippians 2:20-21)

Paul is in Rome and he has other committed Christ-Followers around him, but as he ponders who in the entourage would willingly go to Philippi for him, only one person stands out. One person is dependable and trustworthy and that is why Paul says "For I have no one like him". No one was his equal. No one was more like minded with Paul than Timothy. Paul knew this deep in his soul. No one around him would love and minister to the Philippians like Timothy would. Timothy is the real deal.

Then Paul says the amazing thing, "They all seek their own interests, not of those of Jesus Christ". Here he is surrounded by people who love Jesus and the gospel, but he describes every one of them as those who seek their own interests compared to Timothy. Those around him were interested in the kingdom and their own interests, and that can only choke the gospel out in our lives and leads to lukewarmness. This thought begs the question, "Why was Timothy so unique?" "What had he already decided that set his life apart? So, Timothy is uniquely dependable, trustworthy, genuine, and single minded.

Though I have never played poker in my life, I have seen it in the movies. When someone has the "hand of hands", they push all of the chips to the center and say "All In". Timothy was all in with the kingdom of God, only he had not pushed poker chips into the middle, he had pushed his life into the middle and was going for broke for the kingdom.

Here's why Timothy stood out to Paul and I wonder if these things are true of us. I call them the Triad.
1. Timothy was willing to go anywhere.
2. Timothy was willing to serve anyone.
3. Timothy was willing to sacrifice any and everything.

I believe that when these 3 are settled in us, then we begin to really live in the only real freedom that can be known. Freedom is not found when we are in control of our lives, but when we are willing to go anywhere, serve anyone, and sacrifice everything. For when we live out those 3, we have surrendered control of our lives to God. The church landscape in our day is filled with those who love God and talk of the realities of gospel sacrifice, but their lives are marked by their "own interests". That is not a life that is "All In".

I am a Triader. Are you? That does not mean that we are to go overseas. It could mean that we stay right here where we are. It does mean though that we are willing to do all 3.

World View and Purpose

2010-09-27T09:38:00.002-05:00

At LifePointe we are currently walking verse by verse through the letter to the church at Philippi. Though I have read it countless times in my journey with God, I have never really studied it. It is a book depth written by a deeply passionate man. God is using it to move me to a deeper place.
This week, I have seen in a real clear way what shaped Paul's world view and why he never strayed from the purpose he was entrusted with. 2 things primarily shaped his world view and show us why he saw the world in the way that he did. He saw everything through the lens of these 2 things. Here they are:

His life was not his own. He belonged to Christ, not Paul. So when something happened or did not go his way - he just accepted it. There was no pouting and feeling sorry for himself, but he embraced whatever it was that came his way.
His purpose was advancing the gospel. As long as that was taking place then he was good about whatever he was forced to go through.

Everything was literally seen through the lens of these two important things. They kept him focused and on task with his life. Here are 2 passages that bring confirmation concerning the "shapers" for him.

Philippians 1: 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
The gospel was advancing and it was clear that his imprisonment was for Christ. So in spite of being in a Roman prison, Paul embraced his circumstances as okay because his life was not his own and his primary purpose was the advancement of the gospel. That is why he rejoiced in a Roman prison. He trusted in the sovereignty of God leadership.

2 Corinthians 5: 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
He concluded that because Jesus died and Paul had believed that was the only way to live, then he would not orchestrate his life for his comfort and pleasure but his life would live for him who died. Whatever that might mean or bring.

These 2 are the only ways to get through the things we face. Our lives are to be for Him and as long as we are living as if our lives are not our own and that the gospel is advancing, then we are right in the middle of God's will and able to see clear in the midst of the chaos of this world.

Is this how you see the world? It is why Paul made an impact in his culture and handled his persecutions and struggles with rejoicing. I want this for me.

The Stirring of God

2010-09-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

In my heart I am a writer, not necessarily a good one, but when I write I do feel alive. It seems that I write when God is stirring and when God is going to bring about change in my life. Change is needed, just not sure what that change will be, where it will lead, and what form it will take.

The stirring began a couple of weeks ago and I am being drawn deeper in my pursuit of God that I have not known in quite some time. I am tasting that He is good and drinking in the goodness of fellowship with Him.

Here are the ways God is moving:

Hunger to read the word has greatly increased.
Engaging in more spiritual conversations with people.
Deeper insight as I read, study, and prepare for Sundays.
Deeper hatred of sin and love of righteousness.

Change come on. God stir my love and passion for you to new places.

Here I am, send me! I will go.

Faith and Noah

2010-06-21T12:46:00.002-05:00

You know, there are some stories in the Scripture where we have in a sense relegated to the category of Children's Stories. The story of Noah is such a one but it is anything but that. His life of faith is one that is amazing and very unique. I would like to put forward two specific things about his faith.

He had faith in God before he knew of the coming doom of the flood

In our day and time many people get what we call "fire insurance" that will help keep them from going to hell. While I believe a fear of hell can lead people to real faith in Christ, only the days and months after that decision will show whether they meant it or not if they start walking and seeking God. Faith in Christ means change. Noah had real faith before there was a fear of believing in God because he needed some "flood insurance". He treasured God before he knew God was angry and was going to destroy the world by water. He alone was found worthy in his generation as the only one who genuinely walked with God. Faith in God is the one thing that can transcend every situation or circumstance. In faith we find that which is most secure - God and His truth.

2. He had faith in God when no one else did in his generation.
Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Can you imagine the reality that never in your lifetime would there be another person or family who would go to church with you? You would have no other members of your bible study but your family. In a culture where everyone at all times in their heart only thought about evil, Noah's faith thrived. He just kept having faith regardless of the reality that no one else was interested in walking and knowing God. We struggle keeping our faith when there is a good church on every corner and we can fill up our calendars with a group of believers every night of the week. We struggle spiritually with so much at our availability and Noah just kept on having a faith that thrived with nothing encouraging his walk except God.

I pray for that kind of mature faith.

Thoughts on Malachi

2010-06-15T09:32:00.002-05:00

As a church we are walking through the book of Malachi this summer. I have read it before, we never examined to fully integrate and adjust my life to its truth. What a great little book. Here are some highlights and things I learned in chapter 1.

The Priests

The religious leaders had allowed things in regard to worship to really fall apart. While they were still going through the motions of worship and the sacrifices, they were not doing them as God had instructed. They were offering garbage as a sacrifice and calling it okay. A question for us all: Where are you and I offering garbage to God in our worship and calling it okay? Will we do something about it?

The Love of God and Loving God

We so often ask God, "Do you love me"? We usually ask this when things are not going our way, because if God really loves us then He would see that things go our way. You know, we are the most important thing to him? Do you ever wonder why we so seldom, if ever, ask God the question, "Do we love you, God"? "Is it clear to you God that we love you authentically"? Furthermore, we get mad at Him when we haven't loved Him nor obeyed Him and He is not blessing us. Do you find it as interesting as I do that the Father loved us so much to send us Jesus and to see His one and only Son brutally murdered and we have the gall to ask, "God, do you love me"? He has made it clear. We are so messed up!

Mediocrity at the Top of Spiritual Leadership

The priests allowed the sacrifices that were garbage and since they did not take serious God's Word, the people eventually did not take God's Word serious either. Mediocrity at the top will drift down, but a passion for holiness will lift the people up to the standard. The problem in the church as a whole today is that we don't value the character of the ministers more than we care enough that they can perform and get it done or that they have a winsome personality. Further proof how we do not get what he is about and what he values. Also, I think that some spiritual leaders do not keep the bar of the truth set high because people complain, talk behind your back, and are simply not wanting to follow God. We as spiritual leaders cannot lower the bar even if it means that it makes you unpopular.

God does not Accept Mediocrity

As much as it may make us feel good to ignore what God says about the issues of our life in His Word, we need to remember that He does not ignore us when we ignore Him. If our worship is just an afterthought, then we are not offering God our best.

I love that the word of God is still absolutely relevant to our time today after thousands of years. It is further proof that God's Word is eternal.

New Impressions on the Heart

2010-06-01T14:01:00.003-05:00

From time to time, God moves in our hearts and gives us a focus either in the area of our prayer, scripture, a discipline, etc. This is happening in my heart right now. Here are 3 things God is moving in me right now in regard to life and ministry.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to come in power, then things will change.

Without a move of the Holy Spirit then everything will stay the same. Nothing changes without the Spirit's presence. Jesus said it in this way about the Holy Spirit in John 16: 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
We need the Holy Spirit to come and convict, judge, and bring about righteousness in our lives, communities, and in the church.

Our lives would be marked by a desperation for the Spirit of God.

The western church is desperate for so many things other than pure Jesus and the Word, it is time for a core of believers to be really desperate for the presence of God. Those with this kind of desperation are few in our world, but they do exist. My prayer is that they be fruitful and have many more opportunities to share and run into those who are outside of the faith. My prayer is also that our worship services and small group gatherings would be permeated by those who are desperate for the move of the Holy Spirit.

Our World is impacted best when we focus on making disciples.

This is the task Jesus left us with in Matthew 28: 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Believers who know God deeply are ones who lives spill out God and seek to see His kingdom established on earth. This task of making disciples needs a much needed new focus.

These are my 3 new impressions that I am asking God to bring about. Join me in the prayer.

Serving Means Following

2010-05-29T08:24:00.002-05:00

Jim Elliot, the famous missionary to Quichas Indians (Huaorani) wrote these words after many in his American congregation told him it would be to hard and that he should not leave his comfortable church setting:

"So what if the well-fed church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures, Moses, and the Prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers. American believers have sold their lives to the service of Mammon, and God has His rightful way of dealing with those who succumb to the spirit of Laodicea."

Jim and his colleagues would eventually die at the hands of those Indians. So, who was right? Those in his congregation or Elliot? Of course Elliot was as he was in God's will and therefore right in his choice to serve and follow Christ to his death. After his death, it was his wife, Elizabeth, who was a part of seeing the people of this tribe come to know Christ.

Remember these words of our King:
"Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eterrnal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
John 12:25-26

Real life is not going to come at the hand of the American Dream, but in following Jesus to wherever He is leading!

Make it your pursuit today!

The Preacher

2010-05-27T09:14:00.003-05:00

I am walking back through one of the most significant little books for those who are called by the name preacher. Sadly, the term preacher is not such a relevant designation in today's world of Lead Pastors, Teaching Pastors, and other names that may be used. EM Bounds wrote a little book entitled "The Preacher and Prayer" and it is being a firm reminder of the calling on my life.

Often, I am humbled and overwhelmed by the calling and wonder if I am any good at it. What I have found in these days, is that the role seems much more important and much more difficult. After talking with some friends, we have come to see that there is so much expectation, little encouragement (unless it is going really well), such joy and at times disappointment, times of fruit and times of feeling lost in what we are doing. We love and treasure the calling.

No man call fulfill all the expectations of the calling in his own power and that is why so many have resorted to being personality driven, technology dependent or taking the step to water the message down and make man central to the message instead of the gospel being center to everything. If the course of our ministry takes us away from making the gospel central, then it is short of the true calling we have been entrusted with. We will all go one way or the other and you will choose a church that has made a choice about how the gospel fits and is embraced.

Here are some thoughts from EM Bounds:

Preaching is not the performance of an hour. It is the outflow of a life.
The gospel of Christ does not move by popular waves. It has no self-propagating power. It moves as the men who have charge of it move.
The real sermon is made in the closet. The man - God's man - is made in the closet.
Every preacher who does not make prayer a mighty factor in his own life and ministry is weak as a factor in God's work and is powerless to project God's cause in this world.

The reason this view of the preacher is not the norm, is only natural in a culture that treasures "self "so much. This man-centered view of life has influenced the church as well. The man of God who does not make man more central in the church can at times, depending on the church, find himself in direct opposition to those he is leading. The gospel does not always lend itself to making people feel good and that can be where the preacher and people experience the conflict with one another.

Bounds also said, "The energy of self-denial must be his being, his heart and blood and bones".

This was also John the Baptizers view of life when he said, "He must be more and I must become less."

I want to crucify myself and experience the words of Jesus when he said that whoever loses his life for my sake will find life. Why live any other way if we claim to be a minister of the gospel.

It is a unique time, for far to long the gospel has not been central in many ways as we have made music, media, personalities, good feelings, buildings, and far to many other things as almost equal to the gospel. We need a real return to simplicity of the gospel message. Our future depends on it.

I want to be a preacher of the gospel. I am okay to be called that. How I might be seen by church members or others I cannot control and I also will not stand before them to give an account when my days here are over. So I will choose to pray, love people, share Christ, and be a preacher of the gospel.

I want to live the words of Paul to Timothy because they are biblical. It is enough to live in these 5 verses regardless of what anyone may think.

II Timothy4:1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Entitled to Slander and Gossip

2010-05-25T07:56:00.010-05:00

I've read a few things in the last days in the Bible about 2 issues we can all potentially struggle with. I want these 2 issues to be right in my life and I hope we all do. So...here we go.

Our tongue is an evil and causes most of the relationship issues that we all have. One of the things that can really cause harm to others in our lives or in the church is when those who feel they have some entitlement to slander and gossip work their magic. Through all of my 24 years of ministry I have never seen one time when the slander and gossip of the "entitled" has brought about healing and unity. It only destroys. Here are a few verses in regard to these two problems with our tongue.

1 Timothy 5:13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.

Proverbs 10:18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Proverbs 11:13 13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Titus 2:3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

Why some think they get to ignore the scripture and speak evil behind the back of someone else is beyond me. It is though, just like most things, where we simply choose to ignore what the Bible says as it does not fit into our lifestyle choice of some particular sin. We think it is not a big deal to God. Here are some thoughts from my experience with people like this:

They think they are entitled because they are better than other people
They are prideful and arrogant as to the issues of their lives
They usually have low self-esteem and that is why they must put down and destroy others
They have to be in the know, therefore they must share what they know. Often it is "spiritualized" from their slant of things and at times it is spoken by way of prayer request.
They always change the perception of both the person hearing the slander and how people see the person who is being slandered
Gossipers and Slanderers think the taste of evil words is sweet to the tongue, therefore revealing their hypocrisy and love of evil
Their mouth reveals the true condition of their heart.

James said it in this way in James 3:10 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

If this an issue that is strong or an occasional problem for you, I would say these words to you:
Shut Your Mouth, Hold your tongue, Shut your mouth, Bite Your Tongue, Shut Your Mouth. Speak well of people and do not speculate about them in your mind or with your words before other people and consider it "your duty" to inform. It is sin and it is evil.

Remember these words from Jesus in Matthew 15: 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Our mouth is a tattle tale as to the true condition of our heart and if someone gives false witness of others or slanders them, then according to Jesus, those things defile us.

We also should not stand there and listen to that kind of talk either when we know it is wrong.

It is amazing how we just can't love others, forgive them, extend understanding, be not so quick to judge, and to decide instead to not say anything at all if we can't say something nice. I think my mom told me that when I was little.

Jesus said that people will know us by our love. Is it loving to speak evil of someone, malign their motives or automatically doubt and discount them and then share those doubts with others.

It is loving to guard our tongues, be kind, forgiving, and to be understanding. Maybe this is one of the main reasons people don't know about the love of God is because we have given a wrong picture of our love for one another by our words.

After all, it is "His kindness that is meant to lead us to repentance" Romans 2:4b.

Maybe the people in our personal world today could really use a little kindness in the harsh world we live in.

Living to Please

2010-05-04T09:47:00.003-05:00

For every person on earth, we have to make decisions about how we are going to respond to the people who comes across our path. We all have values and depending on how much we really embrace them, they will either be followed or discarded. The decision we make can often be based on whether we want to please the people we are with or hold tightly to our values. The name we most often call this is people pleasing and it is not good when we live this way.

John 6 deals with this issue. The popularity of Jesus was greatly increasing as John 6:2 says "2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick."
Everyone in ministry would love to have a large crowd, but crowds are always fickle and the love from them can quickly fade.

Jesus feeds the 5,000 and the crowds grow in their respect of him: 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself." Ministry is going well for him as they are wanting to see his fame increase, but Jesus withdraws as he was not going to fall prey to doing only that which the crowd wanted. They do not have the best things in mind for him.

Later, as they find him across the Lake, Jesus says to them, "26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” They now are following him for another reason and it is not because they love him - He is a food provider now. In just a few minutes they turn on Jesus after they have difficulty embracing his teaching. Here is what they say,

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
52 And then the crowd responds this way, "52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this?
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

It is at this point, as people are leaving, that the temptation to change the message, tone it down, and make sure the crowd feels better about things could take over. It was not Jesus way.

Jesus though, did not have to have everyone happy with him. As they grumble and leave, he does not back off of the truth and tell them what they want to hear.

Do we want to please others so much that we will back down to keep them around? Pleasing others at the cost of our integrity and standards is not living.

Just a Voice

2010-04-12T10:48:00.002-05:00

Ever since I was a kid, my whole environment in regard to all of my relationships, have been pushing me to be someone. You know, to make something of my life. For we men, we are defined on where we have been, what we have done or are currently doing, are we headed somewhere significant, etc. etc. to the place of utter ridiculousness. We get defined in these pursuits and it falls short of how we ought to be defined. For those of us in ministry, we get defined by where we have served, how many people come to our services, are we at a big church or a small or medium one. On and on it goes.

John the Baptizer had an incredible ministry. He set up shop not on a strategic street in Jerusalem where everyone could see the building, but he set up his ministry out of the city where people would really have to travel and go out of the way to be a part of his ministry. As his ministry started to really thrive, the curiosity of who he was, was really getting to those in the religious circles as to who John was, they came to him one day and this is what happened,

"And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you? He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of on crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."

They come to him, wanting to define who he is. John does not and will not play their game and does not attach himself to any names other than the one that is really most important. He just says, "I am only a voice". He defines himself only as a voice. He speaks to what was going to define him more than anything. He does not put forward his credentials in regard to his ministry numbers, his fame, his on the edge clothing, etc. He is just a voice.

I wonder if our ministries might be different if we just wanted to be a voice and let that activity define who we are and what we do daily.

Who wants to be a Voice?

Convinced to a Point

2010-03-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

For 2,ooo years things have really not changed much concerning Jesus. During his day and all of the generations since, we can find many convinced to a point concerning who Jesus is. In John 3:2 we find the Pharisee Nicodemus having a conversation with Jesus. Here are his words:
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him".
Let's break this down:

Rabbi - sign of respect to Jesus coming from a Pharisee, who were known as being very self-righteous. Jesus has broken through to him.
You are a teacher - you words are persuasive, moving, fresh, inspiring, convicting, etc.
No one can do these signs that you do - what you do is evidence that God is with you
Unless God is with him

Four things moved Nicodemus to be convinced to a point, but not quite ready to step in and go all the way. Here are the four things:

What you are....Rabbi
What you say....your words are holy
What you do....works separate you from everyone, including the Pharisees
What empowers you....unless God is with Him.

Nicodemus is moved to a certain place close to trusting in Jesus, but not quite there. He still needs some of his questions answered and clarified. Like I said, nothing much has really changed in the last 2,000 years. This is where many are today. His curiosity and longing for real truth only brought him so far and he needed some help taking the next step. Jesus helped him take it. This is what we are to do now as well and that is why we should be both students of the heart of man and the Word, so that we can bring clarification to people's search.

It is knowing the word that will make all the difference in bridging the gap between what they are wondering about to actually seeing them making a decision for Christ and convinced for life.

Why We Open the Scriptures

2010-03-25T08:39:00.003-05:00

Why do we teach the Bible and not some other things when we gather together? Sadly, some places do teach other things and it all falls short of what needs to be front and center when a body of believers come together. There is this great passage after the resurrection that shows why are to open the Scriptures.

Luke 24:32 "They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"

We all want to see people's hearts burn and come alive when we teach the Bible as it means that the Spirit is moving in them. Three thoughts stand out here about the Word:

It is the Scriptures that move the heart - Not us, our creativity, fame, etc. Only teaching the truth "burns the heart" and moves people into a deeper love with Christ. Self help stuff will only go so far as the Scriptures alone have the sustaining power for people. Preach to honor Christ and aim for the heart.
Where His Presence is, God Will Be Speaking - On the road, in a car, at school, over coffee or running, God is speaking. For these 2, it was on the Emmaus Road. It is only going to happen when we are going His way as it places us in the path where He is going.
Therefore, Open the Scriptures - Teach, teach, teach the Scriptures. Do so with passion, creativity and honesty and God will honor the work.

What We Can't Stray From

2010-02-22T15:05:00.004-06:00

How do you know if you really love Jesus and it is not just words that you say? Jesus himself answers that in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments". Pretty straightforward from the one who alone gets to define what it means to be His follower. No one else gets to define this but Him. Not the traditionalists, emergents, the liberals, or those of the seeker persuasion - He did not give us any kind of authority to redefine what loving Him looks like. Why then does it seem that this is some kind of debate today? Have we become so enlightened in our day that we have discovered something new? If loving Him is truly seen by walking, talking, and living in obedience, then we should preach the word, hold out the commandments, and implore all Christ followers to be keepers of the truth.
If we in ministry are not pushing this with the people we are servant leaders of, then it is short of what the gospel teaches. It is actually not the gospel. Keeping commandments means embracing the rule and reign of God and it happens because we love God much. How we got away from this aim is in large part why we have such confusion in the church today about who God is and what he desires of our lives.
Leading people to walk in obedience is the great task of the minister of the gospel. Paul said it to Timothy in this manner, "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed" (1 Timothy 4:6). If our aim is to be a good servant of Christ Jesus, then we will make sure all things from Jesus are taught.

We cannot stray from this aim.

The Content of our Message

2010-02-17T15:56:00.003-06:00

JC Ryle was the first Aglican Bishop of Liverpool. He said there were seven characteristics of the preachers during the great awakening of the 1800's. They are listed below.

1. They taught the supremacy of the holy Scripture. 2. They preached the total corruption of human nature. 3. They taught that Christ's death upon the cross was the only satisfaction for man's sin. 4. They preached the doctrine of justification by faith. 5. They taught the universal necessity of heart conversion and new creation by the Holy Spirit. 6. They spoke of God's eternal hatred against sin and of God's love for sinners. 7. They preached that there was an inseparable connection between true faith and personal holiness. If one lived an ungodly life, then that was evident that there had been no true conversion as being converted means being changed.

What are we doing if we are not holding the supremacy of Scripture and the gospel as central to everything we do?

Even Paul, with his creativity in Athens and at the Areopagus (Acts 17:16-34) spoke of these things:

vs 16 - Spirit was deeply bothered by idols
vs 17-18 - Reasons with them about Jesus and the resurrection

Those 2 things show he watered down nothing. The gospel was his original message with them.

vs 23-28 - Clearly portrays who Jesus is
vs 30 - Tells them they have to repent
vs 31 - a day of judgment is coming

This passage is championed by those who are calling for the church to communicate the gospel in new ways, but just look at the content of Paul's message and what happened during the 1800's. The content is really not that different.

What does that mean?

It means we should stay with the same message regardless of the disappointments with the church as an institution or postmodernism call for change. The content must not change. Do not change the content. There is something seriously wrong if we want to change or water the content down. It is this same Paul who said these words to his disciple in 2 Timothy 4:2-3 "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teaching to suit their own passions."

Preach the Word, in its entire content. We are deeper in a time of the gospel "being out of season" in our culture, I think that is clear. So, what do we do? Paul says preach the Word anyway and still reprove, rebuke, and exhort. Those 3 indicate that our job is not to make sure everyone always feels good about everything. A rebuke does not bring encouragement unless it lands on a spiritually wise person.

The content of the gospel must not be altered for any reason.

Shaping the Identity of Church

2010-02-11T09:42:00.002-06:00

Every local church or ministry needs an identity and will naturally have one. The problem at times is that some choose to allow themselves to be shaped by the wrong things or they fail to know what they need to do to be shaped by the right things. I want to offer what could help in this process.

Rules - For church to be church we have to follow what the Bible says about the both the bride and life. Let's face it, the word rules is not so popular today, but there are standards that have to be embraced and followed. Call them what you want, but they are rules. Rules are not bad, really they aren't. As parents we set standards for our kids to follow and we don't bend them. Culturally, people may not like to be told what to do, oh well! Rules are a part of all of life and they make things better. They also help define the expectations which aid in building identity. One thing about this, the rules have to only come from scripture, not culture. Scripture over culture.
Responsibilities - As rules are settled, the next important thing for shaping of identity is for the members of the church to take on personal responsibility for the best of the church and the glory of God. Do we really love our church if we do not take responsibility for it? If we don't, we just an attender and like so many other people in the church. When the majority of the members take responsibility then you have a strong church. When they do not, then you have a weak church.
Relationships - We are so shaped by those around us. Unhealthy relationships will produce dysfunction and this is true for the church. Relationships within the body shape who a church is and where they are going. Is gossip, envy, jealousy, or impartiality present in your ministry? or Does evidence of love, unity, forgiveness, and inclusiveness dominate the life of your body? How the relationships function will shape the body. The leadership must model this.
Rituals - The church needs to be about certain things that they do in both private and public expressions of personal faith. Yes, rituals is not so popular and in some ways I get why, but it is really a good word. Every group has rituals whether it is a spiritual one or not. You see this in sports, music, or preparation for a test. They all have some sort of a ritural. Why should a church not have rituals that define who they are? Obviously, the rituals need to be embraced by the people, if they are not, then they need to be thrown out. Consistent rituals build identity and they need to be in line with scripture.

Hope these are helpful.

Moving to the Big Boy Bed

2009-11-21T09:30:00.002-06:00

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

2009-11-16T10:15:00.004-06:00

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

2009-10-21T16:27:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-20T11:34:00.007-05:00

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

2009-10-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-07T08:04:00.010-05:00

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

2009-10-05T13:09:00.005-05:00

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

2009-09-27T22:25:00.004-05:00

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

2009-09-24T12:54:00.001-05:00

8 - Oral sex
1337 - Elite -or- leet -or- L337
143 - I love you
182 - I hate you
1174 - Nude club
420 - Marijuana
459 - I love you
ADR - Address
AEAP - As Early As Possible
ALAP - As Late As Possible
ASL - Age/Sex/Location
CD9 - Code 9 - it means parents are around
C-P - Sleepy
F2F - Face-to-Face
GNOC - Get Naked On Cam
GYPO - Get Your Pants Off
HAK - Hugs And Kisses
ILU - I Love You
IWSN - I Want Sex Now
J/O - Jerking Off
KOTL - Kiss On The Lips
KFY -or- K4Y - Kiss For You
KPC - Keeping Parents Clueless
LMIRL - Let's Meet In Real Life
MOOS - Member Of The Opposite Sex
MOSS - Member(s) Of The Same Sex
MorF - Male or Female
MOS - Mom Over Shoulder
MPFB - My Personal F*** Buddy
NALOPKT - Not A Lot Of People Know That
NIFOC - Nude In Front Of The Computer
NMU - Not Much, You?
P911 - Parent Alert
PAL - Parents Are Listening
PAW - Parents Are Watching
PIR - Parent In Room
POS - Parent Over Shoulder -or- Piece Of Sh**
pron - porn
Q2C - Quick To Cum
RU/18 - Are You Over 18?
RUMORF - Are You Male OR Female?
RUH - Are You Horny?
S2R - Send To Receive
SorG - Straight or Gay
TDTM - Talk Dirty To Me
WTF - What The F***
WUF - Where You From
WYCM - Will You Call Me?
WYRN - What's Your Real Name?
zerg - To gang up on someone

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

Lessons from Luke on Communicating the Gospel

2009-09-22T09:08:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-15T13:51:00.003-05:00

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:

Serena Williams at the US Open
Joe Wilson - Republican yelling out during the President's Address
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

2009-09-14T11:34:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-09T09:01:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-01T20:29:00.003-05:00

"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

2009-08-12T08:24:00.003-05:00

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

2009-08-04T13:17:00.003-05:00

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

2009-08-03T10:11:00.004-05:00

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

2009-07-06T10:07:00.003-05:00

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...

2009-06-16T08:35:00.004-05:00

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

2009-04-27T22:47:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-25T09:05:00.004-05:00

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?

Something From the Past

2009-03-21T22:48:00.003-05:00

This week we went to Waco to see my parents for a couple of days. We had a great time and I was finally able to get all of my old files, tucked away in storage. Rummaging through one of the files I came across a quote I had once read from Abraham Lincoln. Enjoy and ponder the significance of his words:

"It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, who owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by a history that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. The awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become to self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God."

Abraham Lincoln, April 30, 1863 - on a day he designated as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer.

Navigating Well in These Times

2009-03-09T21:48:00.003-05:00

Society has shifted and sadly, in turn, so has the church. The growing influence of secularism is taking such a toll upon our nation and barring any revival, it is going to get worse. In some ways, we have gotten to this place because Christian leaders have not navigated the changing landscape well. Evidence of navigating this landscape well is not found in how big one grows a church or ministry, but rather in how well we grow disciples who authentically walk with God. The crisis we face now is whether or not we will lead in such a way that keeps people grounded firmly in the truth, regardless of the shifting of our society. How does one do this? Here is what Paul said to Timothy:

¹In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ²Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Could the reality of so many walking away from the faith and not persevering stem from our failure to preach the Word in every season? Since we live in a day where people want to be told what they want to hear, we must "keep our head in all situations, endure hardship, and do whatever it takes to fulfill our ministry". This is no easy task today, especially when people do not want sound doctrine. Doctrine means embracing truth and postmodernism says there is no real truth but our own. Since Jesus is the truth, it is he who must remain the center of all we do. We must embrace our calling to do all of our duties of our ministry.

Security in the Aloneness of Preaching the Word

2009-03-01T21:52:00.007-06:00

I have been spending time reading through the letters from Paul to Timothy. There are no better books for pastors than the Timothy letters. For me, Pastoring again has led to want to make sure that I am fulfilling the Biblical mandate of the calling. There have been times after I have preached or during a sermon where I felt alone in my embracing and communication of truth. There is an aloneness in preaching that can come when you point out the faulty thinking and practices of American evangelicalism or the sin nature that we can all embrace. Not many understand the enormity of calling the church to be only biblical in its functions and in these days I am feeling the weight of my call. It wakes me up in the middle of the night to pray, forces me to my knees, and moves me to seek Him more in more in the Holy Writ. Here is what Paul said to Timothy in the 2nd Letter:

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

The most important thing for me in my calling is to preach the word, when it is popular and when it is not. It is what will chart the right course for the church. This is no easy thing, but I would not want any other calling. In a day where church can be about giving people what they want to hear, I am determined more than ever to proclaim Christ as central to everything and fulfill my ministry.

I have found a security in the presence of God and Christ Jesus when I am fulfilling my calling to speak the truth people may or may not want to hear. There is a security in the aloneness of preaching the word when the desire is to say what God wants said regardless of what itching ears long for. It is the sober-minded who can navigate a body of believers to embrace fully the whole counsel of God and stay away from myths. That is my prayer for my life.

Preaching Advice

2009-02-23T07:11:00.001-06:00

I think we need a new generation of preachers who are not only open to new light that God may shed upon his word, but are also suspicious of their own love of novelty and are eager to test all their interpretations of the Bible by the wisdom of the centuries. - John Piper

Keeping the Gospel Central

2009-02-19T06:51:00.005-06:00

Being in Baptist circles I have heard many sermons about Acts 6 and the reason we have deacons. Not only have I heard countless sermons, but I have had many conversations about the role of deacons in the church. Please keep reading as my point today is not Deacons. Currently I have been teaching at our church through the major themes from Acts. This past week we came to Acts 6. My studying led me to an interesting conclusion, the main focus of Acts 6 is not the establishment of deacons, but there is something deeper happening in the church.

The church is growing and there comes to be a real issue between the Hellenist and Hebrew parts of the church. The issue was real and needed attention and this issue alone led to the establishment of the role of deacon. The apostles did not get to a place where they needed an advisory board, etc. The original deacons were chosen to wait on tables, to be servants, not decision makers. This ministry and role in the church was instituted to be a servant role, to take care of a portion of the body. We have drifted from the original intention.

The deeper reason behind the decision to have deacons was for this reason:

"It is not right for us to give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables." The apostles are not downplaying servanthood, but rather making sure that the teaching and proclamation of the Word of God continues to get the highest nod in the church. This whole decision to start deacons was so that those who taught and led the church would have the time to prepare and teach the Word to the body of Christ.

The proclamation of the Gospel, keeping it central to body life was why the apostles met and decided the best thing to do was to get men of good reputation, wisdom, and full of the Holy Spirit to be servants, who oversaw the distribution of food to the widows.

The church must make every decision it does based on that biblical foundation. Keep the gospel of Jesus Christ central to everything. That is the point of Acts 6. As a result of this decision, Acts 6:7 says, "And the Word of God continued to increase, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem."

The foremost decision in every church is to make sure those who teach the Word of God do not have things that hinder them in this ministry. Both ministries were important, but one is central to everything the church does and that is to be guided by the Word. When feeding widows or any other ministry becomes more important and takes away from the proclamation of the gospel, then the church has moved away from being a gospel centered church. All of those things are important, but they must flow out of the foundation of proclaiming the story of Christ.

Who Gets to Narrate the World

2009-02-11T07:46:00.002-06:00

I do not ever do this, but I want to recommend a book to you. In a day where there are in my opinion to many Christian Books that espouse ministry philosophies, Emergent Church, and books with Christian Labels that are really no more that "self-help", etc., etc., I have an exception to the vast array of books that don't challenge and call us to live with passion.

If you are in ministry in what is known as the West, mainly, I am writing to those in Europe and the US, you need to go out today and buy a book entitled, "Who Gets To Narrate the World?" by Robert Webber. It is 137 pages of truth about where we are in the West and what is needed.

I read a lot and I have not read anything more significant for those in ministry in the West than this book in a long long time.

If you are not in full-time ministry, get this book and call your church, Life Group, family, Sunday School class to be the ones who engage culture with the gospel.

Get this book and get it today.

The End of Days

2009-02-10T08:19:00.006-06:00

For several days now, I have had this "something" inside me that I could not quite figure out what it was. It was finally this morning that I understood the "something". In our day of focusing on daily survival, self-gratification, and life in the now, we, or I should say, me, have lost sight of the bigger picture of our world. As a kid and a teenager it was so cool to talk about the book of Revelation and the end times. Though I have throughout the years thought about the end times as I looked at the world, it has been in the last several days that "something" in me has started to grow and it is related to the end times. For the first time in a long time, I have asked myself this question, Could we be living in the End of Days? Could the culmination of God's plan for the world be unfolding in our lifetime? I know that it would be so great to live in a world where everything is peaceful and without worry or stress, but we need to get real and be reminded that is not how all of this ends up. It ends in war, with God and His people winning. We live in a war zone regardless of geography because there is a heavenly war that rages daily. Let's get real about this.

In case you did not notice something last week, Iran successfully sent a rocket in space with a telecommunication satellite. The same Iran who has threatened to wipe Israel off the planet and is building nuclear capabilities. Think through the possible implications

I know that every generation has asked this question, and to be frank, every generation should. The reality is though, the past is the past and the future is not here yet, and the End of Days will happen in some generation. Since we are the only ones alive in the unfolding of God's Story, it could very well happen in our days. Why not at least think about its potential reality and live with an awareness that makes us ready if it comes?

Friends, we live in a time that has never had so much uncertainty in the world, and we as believers should of all people be in tune with the current conditions globally. So, I have gone back to the words of Jesus, who gave us perspective for "end of days". Here are his thoughts in Matthew 24:36-44.

36"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Jesus said to be ready for his coming. Are we?

It Can't Love You Back

2009-02-01T15:39:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine has led me to check out a site called the simple dollar. This is a post from a couple of days ago. Very poignant

It Can’t Love You Back 37comments

January 31, 2009 @ 11:00 am - Written by Trent
Categories: Getting Started
Bookmarks: del.icio.us, reddit

A few nights ago, my wife had to work late, so I was charged with an evening at home alone with my three year old and one year old.

We did the usual things. We ate dinner together (spaghetti - my son’s favorite food). We played with his train set. I read several books, mostly selections based on my daughter’s whims since she’s just discovered the fun of having books read to her.

Eventually, we decided to watch a nature show. The three of us cuddled up on the couch. All three of us were tired - I could have easily nodded off right there. My son leaned in close to me on the right, and my daughter nodded off in the crook of my left arm.

It was easily the best evening I’ve spent in a very long time.

Before my children were born, I used to obsess a lot over the things I could accumulate. I’d buy video games and DVDs and gadgets. I surrounded myself by tons of things - and they were a source of personal pride to me.

At some point, though, I realized something about all of that stuff I had accumulated: I loved it, but it didn’t love me back. It never can and it never will. I can’t build a healthy, happy, mutual relationship with the things I had purchased. All it could really do is rub a bit of salve on an emotional or psychological wound, but at the end of the day, I was left empty.

There is no material item on earth that can compare to being cared for by others - and caring for them, too, in a mutually healthy relationship. The feeling I get when my wife cuddles up next to me in bed just as we’re drifting off to sleep. The happiness I felt when those kids snuggled in with me on the couch. Even simple things, like a nice phone conversation with my mom or a note sent by a close friend.

Realizing this brings about a sea change in how you spend your money. Instead of spending your money on gadgets and cars and other things that serve as a salve on your feelings, you want to instead use your money to protect the ones that you love the most and provide them with happy experiences. Instead of spending my checking account down to the minimum in order to acquire a new gadget or program, you want to keep some in reserve to protect those that you love.

Many single people will read this and assume that I’m talking mostly about married people and people with children. I’m not. Single people without children have opportunities to be involved with as many or more powerful relationships with others than married people or parents do. One of my closest friends spends most of her waking hours working with the mentally handicapped and their families. Another close friend of mine is a hospice volunteer. In both cases, they’ve had the opportunity to build strong relationships with others - and in both cases, the people involved have come to find that accumulating stuff really doesn’t matter that much.

In the end, things cannot love you back. They can’t provide you with the sustaining, loving relationships that we all need. Instead of chasing that sweet new car or that amazing home electronic setup, why not consider shoring up those relationships that bring love into your life? The best first step you can take is getting your own financial house in order - and opening yourself up to those simple moments with the people you care about, like my evening cuddling with my kids on the couch.

Good luck.

www.thesimpledollar.com

Looking Back Over Our Lives

2009-01-27T09:42:00.003-06:00

Today I got a phone call at work from Agnes. She lives in Oregon and was wanting some help getting her phone problem cleared up so that she could talk to a nephew who is in the Oregon Penitentiary. (Until there is enough $, I am having to work at a company that supplies phones, etc. to many of the prisons in the US). Agnes is 94 and has a strong European accent, one that I recognized immediately. We got to a point where I did not understand a number on her credit card and she said "null". My hunch was right, Agnes was German. I asked if she spoke German and she said fluently. I told her that we had lived in Duesseldorf for the last 4 years and that we had recently returned to the US. The next thing that happened surprised me - Agnes started weeping. After about 30 seconds, she was able to control herself and shared briefly her story. My job is not to be a counselor, but to troubleshoot and help our customers, but God today, had another thing in mind for me. For several moments she shared how before WWII she was an OBGYN just north of Frankfurt in a small village. During the war she helped with the Allies by being a doctor and nurse and ended up marrying one of the American Soldiers she helped to get well. Agnes is 94 and looking back over her life, she told me that her life did not turn out like she had desired. She says she is a happily naturalized citizen in the USA, but wishes that she had never left her homeland. Looking back over her life, she feels as if all the years she has lived have been in many ways, "wasted". We spoke German for a few minutes (yes, I still can!!!) and I really enjoyed that. I tried to encourage her and that God was for her and to trust in him for comfort. As we said our goodbye (Aufwiederhören), I began to reflect upon what I had heard and experienced with her. What can we do to make sure we do not get to a place where we have lived 94 years and see it as regret. This thought staggers me that this can happen. I am 43 and do not want to look back over the span of my life with regrets. If I will live in passion today for Christ, I will experience more than I could ever hope for. I have learned this to be true.

Life is about Christ. That is all that I can really say. Some people gain the world and forfeit their soul in the next life as they spend eternity separated from Christ. Some loses themselves for the name of Christ and find life both here on earth and on the other side. That is truly the only way to live.

Invited or Inviting Yourself

2009-01-25T20:08:00.002-06:00

There is this great story in Luke 7-36-50 (please read if you get a chance). A Pharisee named Simon has initiated and invited Jesus into his home and that is about as far as he goes. In those days, when you invited someone over to your house is was a sign of friendship. When the guest arrived at your house a couple of things always took place: 1. Greeted with a kiss 2. Water to wash the feet with a towel. 3. Perfume/oil was put on the head. Jesus comes into the home willingly and none of these are done to him. Jesus makes himself comfortable at the table though, regardless of the welcome he did not get. There, in a setting of friendship, with an opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ - Simon keeps his distance. He has invited Jesus into his home, but not his heart.

Another person enters the story, and it is a woman who is most likely a prostitute. She discovers that Jesus is in town and she decides that she will invite herself into the meeting in Simon's house. The house is full of people with whom she is completely opposite of morally, but she does not care. Somewhere she has either heard of Jesus or seen him and she knew she had to be near him, to be in his presence. She comes in, kisses his feet, pours out her tears on his feet, and wipes them dry with her hair. Get this --- Jesus lets her come near and stay. A woman whom most of us would never even talk to, buy a meal for and Jesus lets her pour out her heart in the worship of him.

Do you see this picture? A God-knower keeps his distance and the neighborhood whore draws near. I ask us all -- Who understood Jesus more on that day?

The depth and power of God's grace is available to the most godly person and to the most scandalous. Are we okay with that? And that is why I think she burst into the room that night --- She knew that she could come and not be rejected. She saw her need - Simon did not see his and that is the major difference between the two.

The manner in which we respond to Jesus is connected to whether we think we need him or not.

How is it with us today? Do we think we need him? We are invited to him and it is also okay when we invite ourselves.

Wisdom from the 19th Century

2009-01-24T13:21:00.003-06:00

"Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature ... If the next centennial does not find us a great nation...it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces."

-James Garfield, 1877. 20th President of the United States

The Change We Need

2009-01-23T15:28:00.006-06:00

It has been quite a while since I have had time to write and I don't know if I really do today, but my engine is revving over a cultural issue. All through the Fall we heard from our new President that serious change is needed to right things that have gone wrong in our nation. I agree that things are not right in this nation culturally, with government, etc. That we need change is evident, but what kind do we really need? So, in the last couple of days, we have the first evidences of the coming change:

1. No one can be tortured who is a terrorist combatant against our country because that is cruel and inhumane. (I am not making a statment about Guantanomo here). Those people are filled with hatred and are bent on killing. Many of them are just plain evil.

Today's Decision:
2. Our taxpayer funds are going to be released according to Executive Order to go to foreign lands to fund abortions in those countries. This procedure, done against innocent and unborn children, I guess, is HUMANE, and should be done, not stopped. Those being aborted are innocent and have no say in the matter.

I am not advocating the torture of adults, but think about this for a moment. One of these continues to allow someone to live and the other actually kills life. I am continually amazed at how these two issues are seen by people in this country and around the world. We have really gotten to this full blown place in our land where people cannot see the total irony of their viewpoint.

Could some kind of common sense enter the picture? Are we really serious that one of these is okay and the other is not? Those who embrace this ideology are so blind to their very own argument. Blind guides leading the blind. Is it any wonder we are where we are?

Which of the two is the greater injustice? Which is, honestly?

Proverbs 22:8 "Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail."
This is where we are!!!

This is what we need to do:
Proverbs 23:23 - "Buy truth, and do not sell it, buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding."
We would not have the financial, social, and knowing God issues if we bought the truth and sought wisdom with all our hearts.

That is the only way we will be able to navigate the waters of our culture.

I feel better now.

A Shepherd's Story

2008-12-22T07:04:00.000-06:00

I knew you wouldn’t believe me and I guess I was prepared for that. After all, it was the night of nights in my life, but yet, also still so unbelievable. It is still like something out of a dream, only that I know it happened – for I was there. As with all the epic stories of history, some people believe them and some people do not – even though there are so many eyewitnesses. Sadly, it seems that has already happened with this story. For me though, I will forever be different. Sometimes, it takes something extraordinary to make our ordinary lives special and help us find purpose. As I said, I am now completely different because I was in the presence of the king.

Because I cannot help it, I will attempt to tell you once more what happened to me that night, and I simply ask you to listen carefully to all I say, and consider the truth the story tells, for it could change your life as well. As you know, the Shepherd’s life is pretty ordinary. Day in and Day out I live among our sheep making sure their needs are met. At times it can be interesting, then on other days completely uneventful. I have sensed that our Father trusts me more now. He sees that my older brothers are now more interested in other things rather than the sheep. I do think that my brothers have noticed as well as they keep giving me more responsibilities. Shepherding can really be such a monotonous job and boredom can be a reality. I am thankful for the Roman Census as it has made people be on the move as we see more and more heading to their hometowns.

On that particular night I was busy and had not even noticed how bright the night sky was. I have found that life can really be that way. We our stuck in the ordinary of our lives and seldom notice the things significance around us. It was simply another night that looked liked the one before and the one before that. I think I have missed so much in my life because my life’s perspective was always focused on me. My world, my time, my family, my job, my desires, and my everything else was all I ever saw – until this night.

As I was in this field watching over the flock, someone came and stood right before us. I cannot explain it, but it happened immediately. Right in front of me and my brothers was an angel of the Lord. He had come into the ordinary of our lives with the glory of the Lord. I had gone from seeing a life only about me, to seeing a glimpse of God’s kingdom. How can I best explain what I saw? The best words I can use are these: “the glory of the Lord shone around us”. To be honest, I was really scared. Before I knew it, the angel spoke to us and told us to not be afraid. In that moment peace came over my life and I felt secure. Have you ever had a moment like that? A place where you were so scared, but the words of someone calmed you in the midst of your fear. I had always just heard about it, but in that moment I knew it to be true. Looking back, I now know what calmed me, it was the words of the angel. The words though were not his, but he spoke the very words of God. I now know that God’s word has that power. God’s word is alive and goes to the deepest part of our hearts to awaken something there. All I know is that something that was dead in me, was now alive.

What did he say? He told us to not be afraid, but to look and see something with the eyes of our heart. He brought us the news of joy that would be for all people – a king had been born. This news, that would change the world, he gave it to us – simple shepherds. I have thought about this for weeks now, and I still cannot believe it. God sent his message to us simple, ordinary shepherds in a field. He did not go to the palaces to announce the coming of this king, but to us in a field. Why? Because God treasures the ordinary and simple. God came to all people and he does not base his kingdom on power, but rather on the truth of us knowing who we are before him and knowing that he alone is God.

I was the first to leave and my brothers followed quickly behind me. We ran as fast as we could to Bethlehem to see this child wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger. Oh, I almost forgot to say this: Before we left, more and more angels than I could count, came and began praising God with these words: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Imagine that, peace on earth on whom his favor rests. Jesus came to bring peace and his favor to all mankind. As they left, we went immediately to see what we were told with our own eyes.

I was so excited that I ran all the way and never got tired. As I went inside I saw everything the angel said. It was all true. There I was, standing in the presence of God, who had come down and entered the world in a body. He came to those he loved. He came to us. What have I been doing since then? Exactly what I am doing now – telling the story of my experience. As we left that night, we began telling the story to everyone that God had now come to man. They also were amazed at our words. Later that night as we went back to the sheep, we found that we went differently as before. We went glorifying and praising God.

It has been several weeks since the experience and I have noticed that my brothers do not think as much about the baby or about God, but me, I cannot do anything but reflect on the meaning of his coming. God had come into the World to be with the ones that he loved. As I began to think about this, I have realized that truth includes me.

God came to be with me. You see, the story has a very personal angle. God loves me and has a plan for my life. He wants to be with me and pour his love over me. That is why I still worship him today. My God, the baby Jesus, drew near to me to give me all that my heart needs.

What will you do with the story that I have told today? Will you be like some, who say it is not true or will you worship, bow, rejoice, and tell the great story of the birth of Heaven’s King.

Response to Newsweek Article

2008-12-10T13:33:00.002-06:00

Newsweek has written a spread on the evangelical/christian/catholic view on the same/sex marriage issue. As a believer, I encourage to get the magazine, read it and get a good understanding on where our world sees us in regard to the issue. On a website today, one person wrote a response to the magazine in regard to the issue of tolerance. It is simply written by someone who calls themself "Unfettered Candor". What he/she wrote is below. It is stated well.

The last virtue of a degenerate society is TOLERANCE – you tolerate my immorality and I will tolerate yours.
Christianity is an absolute religion. No other religion can claim that.
Without the absolute authority of God recorded in Scripture, mankind is on their own with their sinful, finite minds. On our own, we will come up with anything and claim it good and right to satisfy our carnal propensities.
Society, with its cunning sophistry concerning “tolerance”, may claim that the tolerance of anything is a virtue. God tells us that anything against His will is vice/evil. Living in vices and promoting it has eternal consequences. God will NOT “tolerate” vice/sin. Unrepentant sinners will be separated from God for an eternity of continual suffering. The good news is that, in His love for us , God has provided a way to forgive us and justify us in His sight……trusting in Jesus Christ as making payment for your sins and for all of mankind. This is the love that should be focused upon!
Just for the sake of unprofitable argument, let’s say that those who reject God’s will and plan for mankind is right and I am wrong. What have I got to lose after I die? Then let’s say I am right and the “rejecters’’ are wrong……they will have EVERYTHING to lose [their soul].
We are all in the same boat. We need God to guide us into His truth about living a peaceful life and where we will spend eternity.

Well said.

Random Funny Solutions

2008-12-05T11:35:00.002-06:00

A friend of mine sent this to me today - They made me smile.

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES!
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop.

Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

For high blood pressure sufferers: Simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives; then you'll be afraid to cough.

You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the Duct Tape.

Remember:
Everyone seems normal until you get to know them!

If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

Imagine

2008-12-02T06:45:00.002-06:00

Imagine the scene for a moment. You and your friends have spent 3 years following the leadership of a spiritual man. During that time, you saw and heard things that made you believe that he was everything he claimed to say about himself. He was the Messiah, no doubt. It was all true und you had witnessed it. You yourself have actually done amazing things like the time he sent you and your friends out to do ministry. While you were in the cities of Israel, you healed people, preached, raised people from the dead, and even cast out demons. Your life would be forever different, wouldn’t it?

Imagine that you had just a couple of days before this spiritual leader was arrested, tried, and sentenced to die between two thieves. You saw him hanging there. You saw him hang his head and die. You knew that some of your friends and acquaintances buried him in a tomb just before the Sabbath was to start. Now it is two days later and some of these same friends have come to you with the news that this man’s tomb was now empty, the body was gone, and some of them even claimed to have seen him and talked with him. Could it be true?

Imagine you are walking on a road with a friend as you together are going to a village outside of Jerusalem. You and he cannot talk about anything but the last several days and 3 years. You would say something then he would say something and the whole time you are absolutely astounded at the events in Jerusalem and how now, the death of this man has changed your life. In the midst of the conversation, someone joins you on the road and innocently asks, “What are you talking about?” You and your friend stop and look at him with sad looks and can’t believe this person has not heard of the events of the last days. The whole city of Jerusalem is abuzz with the news, so how could this person not know. Do they live in a cave?

You briefly tell the story to the stranger to catch him up and it is obvious in your words and body language that you are devastated by what has happened. To your surprise the fellow traveler begins to speak the story of God from Moses to all the prophets. For about 5 miles or so he clearly speaks of the Messiah and you are moved by the man’s knowledge and understanding of the scripture. You are so moved that you ask the man to stay with you in Emmaus since the day was late.

Imagine you are in a room and eating bread and the man takes the bread, blesses and breaks it, then hands some to you. In that moment you see clearly, the stranger is Jesus and you have spent several hours of your day with him and did not even know it. This you now know – Jesus is alive.

You turn to your friend and tell him how you felt during the time with Jesus. While Jesus spoke of all the truths from Moses to the prophets, your heart burned and was alive as you came to a better realization that everything about Jesus was completely true and you were a witness. You did not imagine it, for it was true.

How can one sleep after this, so you and your friend arise immediately, no longer tired and go the 7 miles back to Jerusalem and found the 11 Apostles and you tell them that you have encountered the risen Christ.

This story is found in Luke 24:13-35 and is an encounter of these men had with Jesus not long after he rose from the dead. This is the one event that shows Jesus is above all religious leaders in the history of the world. He conquered death and the grave and lives still. That is why he is unique and above all.

The LIfe of a Democracy

2008-11-18T07:06:00.003-06:00

Around 1787, Alexander Tyler wrote about the life of a democracy, including its birth, middle age, and eventual death. Tyler said that it takes about 200 years for a democracy to reach its highest height before it then reverted back to bondage:

Here are his observations:

From bondage to spiritual faith
From Spiritual faith to great courage
From Courage to liberty
From Liberty to Abundance
From Abundance to Complancency
From Complacency to Apathy
From Apathy to Dependence
From Dependence back into bondage

"Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." John Adams, April 15, 1814

"I have long been convinced that institutions purely democratic must, sooner or later, destroy liberty, or civilization, or both." Thomas B. Macaulay, May 23, 1857

Lessons from Rome

2008-11-17T06:42:00.002-06:00

Edward Gibbon's six-volume The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is one of the premier books and a classic in the realm of history. His first volume was published in 1776, with the remaining volumes following over the next 12 years. In all, Gibbon spent 26 years working on Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Gibbon's careful scholarship and exhaustive research have survived the test of time. His facts and observations have truly stood the test of time.

Here is the summary of the reasons that Gibbon gives for the demise of Rome. See if they sound familiar.

Five basic reasons why that great civilization withered and died:

1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society.

Rapid rise of divorce
Homosexuality considered more mainstream

2. Higher and higher taxes –the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.

3. The mad craze for pleasure, with sports and plays (arts) becoming more exciting, more brutal and more immoral each year.

4. The building of great armaments when the real enemy was within –the decay of individual responsibility;

5. The decay of religion, faith fading into mere form—faith losing touch with daily life and whose leaders lost touch with life and their power to guide.

It can be said of our nation that we are seeing all 5 of these happening. I share this for you and I to be informed people, who know the signs of the times and recognize things for the reality of what they truly are. Pray for your city, state, and nation that a true move of God would come upon the people of God. That is where the real change needs to begin.

Belief in the Son of God

2008-11-13T07:07:00.002-06:00

One of the things that we definitely all know well is this: Everyone we know, including ourselves, believes in something very strongly concerning life. For some it is the the cause of the environment, for others it is government, while for others it is their own self determination, for some it is good works, and for many, they have some type of a religious belief system. Everyone has some kind of belief system that guides them and shapes how they embrace and live it out life. What would you say yours is? What guides you toward purpose everyday when you get up in the morning? What gives you strength to make it through when the storms of life roll in and come crashing down upon your world? We all have a belief system and is yours strong enough to bring security in the deepest part of your life? This is the topic for today. Here is our passage of scripture for the week: 14Andas Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Manbe lifted up, 15that whoever believesin himmay have eternal life.16"ForGod so lovedthe world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should notperish but have eternal life. 17ForGod did not send his Son into the worldto condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has notbelieved in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:14-18 (emphasis mine) The true test of our belief system, I believe, is whether or not it is strong enough sustain us in every moment of our lives and free us from the condemnation that sin brings. 3 places here in these verses, we can see what belief in Jesus Christ can bring and we must ask ourselves whether or not our current personal belief system can bring these things that Jesus claims he can do. I want to list them here for us to see better so that we can examine our belief system up against them. Here we go:

1. Belief in Him brings Eternal life – The bible says we all have eternal life, but the question is, where will our eternal life be spent, with him in heaven or in hell separated from Him. For so many people today, they think that life on earth is the full extent of who we are, so why not live life to the fullest and do whatever you want to do. But according to this passage, eternal life is completely based upon who we believe in and the person who it says we must believe in, is Jesus Christ. It is not our good works or determination, but it is belief in him only.

2. Our Belief must rest in Jesus Alone – Those who receive God’s eternal life, it comes when our faith in placed in Jesus alone. It is not Jesus plus something else, but it is faith in him alone. Where does your life philosophy rest?

3. Belief in Him frees us from Condemnation – This is significant as it speaks to something we all desire. We want to know if God truly loves us and has a plan for us or are we, even if we have a personal relationship with Christ, consistently “in trouble” with him because we do not always make perfect decisions. Do our wrong decisions place us immediately back in the path of his condemnation or are we protected from his wrath through the life and death of Jesus? Faith in him brings freedom from condemnation and that is something that we all need to know. That is what Jesus says here.

Those things alone are enough to say to us that we need a personal relationship with Jesus. He alone is God and it is he who died, rose, ascended, and is coming again. No one else has done this or is coming back. Let’s remember that our faith must rest “in him” alone and enjoy the freedom we have as we live in his love. Are you “in Him” today?

Boldness in Prayer

2008-11-06T06:46:00.003-06:00

Jesus once told a story of how important it is to be bold in prayer. Here is the passage in Luke 11:5-8:

"Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me 3 loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him'. Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything'. I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs."

The friendship between the two mean was not enough to move the man to get up and share his bread. It is something more that moves him to act in behalf of his friend. It is the boldness of the friend that made all of the difference. The man gets up and gives his friend as much as he needs. For me, I ask this question: Are my prayers to God marked with this kind of boldness? Where I am not afraid to come at anytime to ask God to move and act? That is the point Jesus is making. Are we going to quit praying because God has not yet moved? or .. Are we going to move him to action with our boldness?

Jesus now says this in verses 9-10, "So, I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened".

Jesus emphasizes that God is about answering, but are we going to ask, seek, and knock? I am asking God for these things: 1. Work full-time at the church ASAP 2. Reach the lost and disillusioned of our area 3. LifePointe would champion the glory of God and the down and out of our area. These are the bold things I am coming before God about and I will not let up.

Scriptural Perspective

2008-11-04T21:49:00.008-06:00

I have been thinking of this blog for a couple of days and I honestly will not write much, but let the Word of God speak for itself. As we look at today's events, we need to be reminded that whether things turned out the way we wanted or not the way we wanted - We need to remember that our hope rests alone in who Christ is. Candidates cannot bring the real change our neighborhoods and our nation needs. They never have been able to change the hearts of people. Only Jesus can and in him our hopes must rest. We should also remember that God did not want Israel to have a king, as he wanted to be their king and ruler alone. When we allow him to rule, a person, a state, and a nation can find the real hope it desperately longs for.

We still have the same issues this morning as we did yesterday as a nation, that only our sovereign God can heal and fix. People will murder today, divorces will be finalized, adultery will be committed, angry words will be spoken, promises will be broken and people will lie straight to our face. The hearts of man cannot be changed by earthly kings. So, what do we do?

"So let us look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God". (Hebrews 12:2)

So, here are some verses to remind us that our hope is in God.

"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of his glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage."

Psalm 33:12

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."

Proverbs 14:34

"I lift my eyes up to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

"God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne." Psalm 47:8

"The King's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will."

Proverbs 21:1

Being Reminded in the Garage

2008-10-31T23:47:00.010-05:00

At around 10:15 tonight, I was going through some boxes I brought back from Waco several weeks ago from my parents house. In one of the boxes are a series of books that are sermon compilations from the 1920's. I started glancing through them and was reminded of something in my garage. The last 3 weeks have been tough for me, as I am having to work a full time job to make ends meet as we start the church. With my commute and the hours worked, well, let's just say that many hours are being logged and they are not in the area of my calling and gifting. I so want to work full-time at the church, but we are simply not there yet. I don't know how it is with you, but when we find ourselves in a different place that is really stretching us, it is good to get reminders of what Christ's purposes for us are. I needed one and got it. It was nothing magical and no bells went off in the garage, just the booming voice of God in my heart as I read the pages of one of those books. In 1926, the 2nd president of Southwestern Seminary, L.R. Scarborough, wrote these words:
"The preaching of the gospel is probably the most potent factor in human society, aside from the immediate hand of God. The voice of the preacher is heard around the world in every circle or uplifting life. The proclamation of the Good News by faithful preachers is the mightiest human power aided by divine strength against sin, for righteousness and world betterment. The preacher is God's key-man in the saving agencies of this world. He is needed today as never before. His office rightly filled outrules kings and outwars armies. The force or program that corners or belittles gospel preaching is the enemy of God and man. Any power that furthers good preaching is God'sagency for bringing in the universal rule of righteousness."For me, these words serve as a reminder of the calling upon all of our lives to be the people who herald the gospel story to a lost world. I was reminded tonight, in my garage that there is a call upon my life that is bigger than me and that I must, above all things, embrace the truth of God and be a passionate pursuer and proclaimer of his glory.

The Legacy of 90 Years

2008-10-28T22:00:00.003-05:00

Last Friday, I drove to Waco for the celebration on the 90th Birthday of my grandfather. He is a WWII Veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and someone who has walked with God and invested his life for the last 50 years to the cause of Christ. I wrote him a letter expressing my thoughts upon his life. I hope someone one day writes of me the way I did of him. I want my life to count - not for that which fades, but continues on well after I leave. Here is my letter:

Paw-Paw,

First of all, I wanted to wish you a very happy Birthday.

I wanted to express from my heart today how thankful I am that you are my grandfather. You have been one of the best models for ministry that I could have ever had. As a kid coming to Amarillo for two weeks every summer allowed me the opportunity to watch and learn how to be passionate about preaching the word of God. I believe that my passion to preach the word has come from seeing and hearing you preach so much as I grew up. Thank you for instilling this passion in me.

When I think of the years you have lived, I cannot help but think of Deuteronomy 6. You and MeMaw both exemplified the truth of this passage.

1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

You have taught your children to walk with God, they have taught their children, and now your grandkids are teaching their children to walk with God. You have lived a life that fulfills this passage. Of all of your accomplishments and praises that you have been given during your time on earth, this one, in my opinion stands above them all. You have established a spiritual heritage that has been and is being passed down to the generations and will continue on after us all.

Thanks is not enough, but know that my thanks to you comes from the depth of who I am.

What will live on after we have gone? That which we have invested in our families and friends.

What will you and I live for?

Book Recommendation

2008-10-28T21:31:00.004-05:00

I wanted to recommend a great read to you. With my current schedule I have not been able to read as much as normal, but back in early September I began a book that I finally finished today in my lunch hour. It is a biography of the life of Rich Mullins. I found myself so moved as I closed it today at around 1:40pm. Wow! I don't recommend books much, but you should go by the book and allow a man who lived simply and passionately for the greatness of the glory of Christ, impact you and challenge you to live as he did.

The book is called - An Arrow Pointing Toward Heaven by James Bryan Smith.

It is worth every sentence.

Friendship with God

2008-10-23T20:42:00.003-05:00

In the middle of Jesus longest recorded discourse in the gospels (John 13-17), we come to a place where Jesus offers up his view of what friendship with Him looks like. Here are the 4 verses: John 15:13-17 - "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you . No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask in my name, he may give it to you."

Jesus is doing the defining of what friendship means. It means we...

1. Do what He says (vs. 14)

We are not to talk about it, write books about it, have conferences about it. We are to do what he says. How this would fix most of the issues in our lives, if we would be obedient.

2. Acquainted with what He is doing (vs. 15)

Do we know what he is up to in our cities or the nations? We as his friends should be intimately acquainted with what he is doing both in us and around us. We should be concerned about this.

3. Live with a "Going" Mindset that bears fruit (vs. 16a)

We are not to simply exist, but to live in such a way that bears the fruit resulting from obedience. We are to do this "going", not just being lived out in the confines of the safety of the Jesus Bubble.

4. Bear Fruit that Remains (vs. 16b)

This one is important. So much of our lives are up and down and a re-learning of things we should know by now, but seem so often to forget. Friendship with Jesus results in fruit that remains and continues to have impact. How is this in our lives where we have been and served? Do people think of us? Does our investment continue to shape their relationship with God and how they are investing in the world? Sobering questions.

5. Ask for things that are in line with His name (vs. 16c)

Friendship with him means that we can freely ask the Father to do things in the name of Jesus and Jesus says that the Father may give it to you. The request have to be in line with his name (his will), and when they are, he gives his friends what they ask for. Just think of the implications.

So, what does our friendship with him look like according to his words above. Maybe it is time to get some things "righted" in this friendship.

Meeting in Homes

2008-10-17T20:55:00.004-05:00

Where should one meet for worship, community, and discipleship? One of the places the bible speaks about - are homes. Just in case you think I am just one of those new church kind of thinkers, I would say to you that I am just making myself in line with the New Testament. Read the passages are listed below.

Acts 2:46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 12:12-13 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. Acts 16: 39-40 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left. Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. Romans 16: 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.1 Corinthians 16:19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. Colossians 4: 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. Philemon 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:

It appears the early church from Jerusalem, Rome, Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, Colossae, and the letter to Philemon they either utilized a model of public worship as well as gatherings in homes, or simply did church in homes, which naturally because of size, were smaller. Some of these were churches, one was a prayer gathering (Acts 16:39-40), and the Acts 2 ones give the idea of community and worship in the home throughout Jerusalem. Obviously, Christ was the centerpiece of what they did both publicly and in the homes.

Who are you inviting over this week? Whose home are you going to where you will experience community and focus on the glory of Christ?

Gas

2008-10-10T10:15:00.004-05:00

Here is some real excitement for the day - I bought gas this morning at Walmart for $3.11 a gallon. Wow! Does that knowledge help you today? I needed to tell someone. Okay, I feel better now.