Russ' Random Writings

A Toast and Charge for Michael and Emily

2011-10-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

On October 7th, we gathered to recall our relationship with two very special people and to honor them as they step into tomorrow for the rest of their lives – as one. On October 8th, 2011 (today), Michael and Emily will be married.

For Michael: We have admired your joy, your love of life, and your character.

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” Even as a baby, your laughter brought a smile to our faces. And today, no one is a stranger to you. You are not a respecter of persons – whether it’s your boss who has his own business or a homeless person on the street you treat them each with respect. That trait draws people to you because they know you care. You’ve shown yourself friendly, and, as a result, have been a friend to many – a true friend.

Your love of life has demonstrated that you are truly not “anxious about anything” even when your mother and I have been. Passion is defined as “boundless enthusiasm; intense emotional drive.” Christ came to give you an abundant life; therefore, live passionately to the fullest within His will for you.

Your character has been tested and found to be faithful. In high school, in the accident with your arm, and as you faced challenges in college, you have walked in integrity and have taken a stand on your values and in your faith. Hold fast to your character and to your relationship with Christ.

For Emily:

A very good friend of mine, Jeremy Kingsley, once said that there was one requirement for whomever his son would marry: “… that they draw their son into a closer relationship with Christ.”

Your passion for Christ, for knowing him, and for teaching others like your Young Life girls to know him better is evident.

You have truly pointed Michael toward a stronger relationship with Christ.

For you together, there’s no greater one-ness in your relationship that that which comes from your relationship to Christ together as you take this step into tomorrow for the rest of you life. Here’s to you!

A charge for your life together:

The first “not good” in scripture dealt with man’s loneliness. God’s remedy was to prepare a mate. You have been prepared for each other.

Marriage is the first institution ordained by God. In Genesis we find, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” King James uses the term “cleave”. The ESV says to “hold fast.” Whatever comes your way, you need to grip one another with the love that you feel at this moment and with a love that will only grow as you grow together in Christ.

As parents, God calls us to release you so that you can become one together. We give you over to Him in this marriage.

Of the specific things that God calls out that he “hates,” divorce is one of them. Why?

Because marriage is an institution that most closely represents the trinity of God. Oneness yet with different personalities.
Because marriage is the description of the Christ’s relationship with His church.

He has prepared you for each other. He has ordained you to be together as one.

So I leave you with this charge:

Cleave to one another. Hold fast to each other in this journey you will be taking together.
Keep Christ in the whole of your marriage and he will keep you.

God bless you both.

We look forward to celebrating with each of you today as you step into tomorrow for the rest of your life.

Personal Mission Statement

2011-01-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

Some time around 1991 when I was early in my thirties, I wrote a personal mission statement. It has served as a compass for direction and decisions in my life. Recently, a young friend of mine asked me for a copy. I’m posting it here as a reference.

My Life Mission

It is my mission in life to experience sustaining joy in living an abundant life spiritually, industrially, socially, and financially.

Objectives

Possess and instill values (integrity, respect for others, passion).

Impact, positively, the industry in which I work.

Achieve financial independence.

Have fun!

Passion: A powerful emotion; boundless enthusiasm.

Strategies

Live through positive interdependence.

Celebrate the eternal moments.

Live by stewardship.

Be grateful.

Assembling - on the Disc Golf Course ?!?

2010-12-21T16:10:00.000-08:00

We are relational people. From the beginning of scripture throughout, we see evidence that God designed us to be relational. The first “not good” in scripture was regarding man being alone. Thank God for women :-).

In Hebrews, we see that God encourages us to be in relationship with fellow believers.

... let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another ... (Hebrews 10:24 − 25 NAS)

We are to be in relationship, encouraging one another.

Where? Does this only mean in church? I don’t think so. There are at least two instances where God communicates to us the concept of “as you go.” In Deuteronomy 6, he talks of spending time communicating with our children “... when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” When we received the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, the phrase “Go” is literally translated “in your going.” So, we should spend time with one another in various ways encouraging one another in life and in our walk with God.

So, here’s my vote ... Disc Golf. Seriously, I really enjoy the sport. I’ve spent plenty of time on the course — alone, with family, with friends, and with general acquaintances. The time on course takes about 90 minutes. There’s plenty of time to talk. I’ve had at least four or five opportunities to use this time to encourage people who are struggling or looking for guidance.

It’s not about disc golf. Find something you enjoy doing and invite others to come along. “In your going” spend time with people, get to know them, and encourage them. If they don’t know Christ, invite them to experience life — and a relationship — with Him. In your time with them, you’ll find yourself encouraged — I promise.

PS. If you’re interested in Disc Golf, you’ll find opportunities all around you. And, I’ve found a cool site where you can order some nice discs online. Give it a try — http://www.discgolfstation.com/Disc-Golf-Drivers.html.

Live LOUD,

Russ

In the Arena?

2010-11-06T04:43:00.000-07:00

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

Be an encouragement to those in the arena; or better, join them in the arena. Life can be tough — it’s better when it’s fought with someone alongside you. The context or circumstances that people may be dealing with was highlighted to me as I read “Same Kind of Different as Me” and “Shattered Dreams.” We rarely now the battles of others. In the beginning, God declared that it was not good for man to be “alone.” We need people in our lives who are on mission with us. Some will be warriors, some will be helpers, some will be in need, some will be providers ... God granted us gifts and talents. We have various experiences. When we use these together on mission with God, we can be “more than conquerors.” Better a conqueror than a critic. See you in the arena.

[Reference valiant warrior]

For God so loved ...

2010-05-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

"Every Man, Woman, and Child" - The Infinity Alliance (http://www.theinfinityalliance.com/)

"Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (Revelation 5:9)

If Jesus died to purchase them, shouldn't we try to reach them?

Solitary Purpose

2010-05-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

Solitary in habit
He runs alone
Inside himself
His mind races

No rest inside
The battle rages
The search is constant
Purpose drives him

Community at home
His love she strengthens
Together in life
The passion renews

Connecting in Christ
The purpose is realized
The future is hope
This day is mission

Happy in God's Will -- Not!

2010-02-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

Joseph was born into a life of favor. He was the firstborn of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel. Because she had been barren, Joseph was an answer to her prayers. At his birth, she said, "God has taken away my disgrace." Jacob loved Joseph and showed him favoritism.

Then, "all hell broke loose." At the age of 17, Jacob was sold into slavery by his brothers. Over the next 14 years, Joseph was a slave and spent years in prison. Was he happy -- not likely. Was he in God's will -- most definitely. On numerous occassions, the scripture states that the "LORD was with him."

Somewhere in modern Christianity we leave the impression that if you are in God's will, you'll be happy. At peace, maybe. Joyful, maybe. But, not necessarily happy.

Sometimes God positions us in difficult times in order to prepare us for what's next and to put us in a position to bring him glory through his work in our lives.

Ultimately, Joseph rose to the position of the second most powerful person in Egypt. From this position, he was able to rescue his people from famine. His path to get there wasn't fun or enjoyable. However, the path and God's work in his life shaped him. When Pharaoh asked for Joseph's help, he said, "I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." Joseph, through his journey, came to place his trust fully in God -- even when it wasn't the path Joseph would have chosen for himself.

We often think that God owes us something. If we live for him, all should go well. That's not true -- at least, not by our definition. It's not about us. God chooses to work in our circumstances to conform us to his image so that we live in such a way that brings him glory and extends his kingdom gathering more people who will worship him.

Proverbs 3:
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Hearts Revealed

2009-12-25T05:28:00.000-08:00

Today is Christmas -- the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Though he was fully God, by the will of his father and his own humility, he chose to come to us as one of us. Paul describes his attitude in Philippians 2 (NIV):

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

He came knowing that he would die. The death was required as payment for the sins of man. Sin -- that's not a word we like to use often. Or, if we do, we think of it in religious terms. I make a mistake. I say I'm sorry. So what, sin happens. This very attitude represents the extent of sin -- it is not only something we do, it is what we have become. It is our nature. It reveals our heart. Christ came to pay for our sins (past, present, and future) and to restore our relationship with God.

Immediately following the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke chapter 2, there is an interesting account of the following days of Jesus as an infant. Since he was Jewish, he was raised by Jewish traditions. When he was eight days old, his earthly parents took him to Jerusalem for his circumcision and dedication. We find this account (Luke 2, NIV):

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

God's story of the redemption of man began shortly after creation. (In fact, God foreknew that he would need to redeem mankind even before creation; yet, he created us anyway because he desired a relationship with us.) Simeon was a follower of God and anticipated the day in which the Messiah would come. God, through his Spirit, had revealed to him that he would see the Christ. A key role of the Spirit of God is to reveal truth to us. He reveals the contents of our hearts; he reveals truth; he reveals himself.

Following the prompting of the Spirit, Simeon went into the temple courts for the dedication of the Christ child.

28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Jesus was the promise and fulfillment of God for our redemption. He was God, fully man for all to see or read of in scripture. He came for everyone -- the glory of his chosen people and a revelation (revealing) to everyone else.

Jesus came to reveal our condition and to reveal God to us:

34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Without Jesus, our hearts are deceitful, self-centered, and, dare I say, wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Without Jesus, our lives are lived with a focus on ourselves. There is hope. Jesus is the hope -- our hope. He came to give us a new heart (Ezekial 11:19).

On this Christmas, take the opportunity to truly learn of the Christ of Christmas. He will reveal the content of your heart to you. He will reveal himself to you. He will change your life and give you a new heart, if you let him.

Life takes on new purpose when we follow after and experience the heart of God. We see everything in a new light. We care for others and for a purpose beyond ourselves.

Merry Christmas!

A Change in Landscape

2009-12-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

An open letter to Gateway Baptist Church, Ballentine, SC:

Dear Friends,

Each of us who have a relationship with Jesus Christ are called by Him, to Him, and for Him. Once we enter that relationship with Christ, we are called into the physical expression of that relationship. This is where our vocations are manifested as a result, not as an end in themselves. [From Os Hillman]

Over the past three years, I have been honored and privileged to serve as one of your pastors. God placed a call on my life early and equipped me with gifts that have enabled me to be a servant leader in business and most recently at Gateway. Now, he is moving Patty and I into the next landscape of our calling.

I will be stepping down from Gateway staff at the end of the year and joining a small local company. Through this opportunity, I believe God will provide opportunities for me to utilize my gifts in the workplace as well as with various boards, both ministry-related and secular. I am particularly excited about opportunities that may lead to working with emerging leaders.

While I will no longer be on staff at Gateway, Patty and I will still be active members involved in giving and serving in our church as together we pursue the vision to reach our community so that they have the opportunity to experience LIFE in Christ.

Os Hillman goes on to write in a way that is compelling to all of us:
Our calling goes beyond our work and includes our relationships to others: our spouse, our children, our neighbors -- and our co-workers. We must remember this in order that our "work calling" does not become elevated at the expense of the other important aspects of our lives. This is the holistic approach to the gospel in which God made all of life equally important.

Therefore, the next time someone says, "I was called into the ministry" or "I am in full-time Christian work," stop him or her and tell him or her we are all in full-time Christian work. There is no secular and religious in the economy of God. I have a dear friend who often says, "I am a servant of the living God masquerading as a dentist." So, too, are you first a servant of the living God.

With love and gratitude,
Russ

Psalm 39:4-7 (New Living Translation)

2009-08-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

4 Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.
6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

Forms vs. Essence

2009-08-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, who is a pastor, communicated this warning or admonition in a message:

We need to be careful not to pass along the forms of worship, but rather the essence of worship.

In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines for battle. In the initial engagement, the Israelites were defeated suffering the loss of about four thousand men on the battlefield. As God's chosen nation, they were perplexed asking:

Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? (1 Samuel 4:3)

They quickly come to the conclusion that God was not present with them so they decide on a remedy.

Let us take to ourselves ... the ark of the covenant of the Lord that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies. (4:3)

The ark of the covenant of the Lord had the most prominent place in the Israelite ritual order. God had provided them instructions regarding its construction and placement in the temple. The ark often preceded Israel into difficult circumstances symbolizing the presence of God with them. The ark is even referenced again in the book of The Revelation. So, the Israelites take the ark with them for the second battle engagement with the Philistines. The outcome?

... Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent, and the slaughter was very great; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. (4:10)

The Israelites had placed their trust in the ark. They relied on the form and not the essence. The significance of the ark at this time was the presence of God. Without God's presence, it was simply a form. In Paul's message to the people of Athens on Mars Hill (Acts 17), he shares this truth:

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "'In him we live and move and have our being ...'"

The people of Israel had counted on the rituals missing that their lifestyle had belied a true relationship with God. There was sin in Israel that needed to be dealt with. Through Samuel, God had communicated to Eli, the high priest, that judgment would come. Because of the sin, their fellowship with God was broken and he had withdrawn his presence, his blessing, from their lives.

When forms of our religion take the place of the essence of our relationship, we miss God. Jesus himself communicated to the religious leaders of his day that they had made this mistake (John 5:39-40):

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

Don't get overly caught up in the forms of your religion or worship. Focus on the essence of your faith ... your worship. In God, we live, and move, and have our being.

Walking in Integrity

2009-07-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

I will share a verse that has been a key part of my life -- primarily in the context of raising my children because of the promise it provides, but certainly applicable to our whole life by its very nature.

Proverbs 20:7 (NKJV)

The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

First, who is a "righteous man." In Hebrews, we're told that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Scripture also tells us that the righteous live by faith. So, true integrity (or a righteous character) begins with our salvation experience as we place our faith and trust in Christ building our belief system around Him.

Secondly, our behaviour reveals or is evidence of our integrity. The righteous man "walks." We must put "feet" to our faith. It must be manifested in the way we live. Our behaviour at work, in public, with our family, and even when we're alone must be consistent as evidence of our belief system and values.

Third, integrity is virtue found in a man who adheres to moral and ethical principles, soundness of moral character, and truth. God's character is evident and consistent throughout scripture. He placed His image in us but it has been flawed by sin. In Romans 8:28, and Phil. 1:6 we see the truth that God is at work in us conforming us into the image of His son - he's restoring the image of Himself in us that we had messed up. Having a relationship with God and allowing him to live through us (Gal. 2:20) leads to a life of integrity.

And finally, this results in impact or influence. In this specific passage it refers to a man's children. I believe this extends to those beyond our family however. Our children are blessed because they benefit, learn, and grow from a biblical example of integrity in action. People around us can also benefit from our impact if we take the time to invest in them.

Serving under Poor Leaders

2009-07-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed in my life to serve mostly under people who were strong leaders. I have served under those who weren't strong leaders -- and, in some cases, just plain incompetent leaders. Recently, I was having discussions with a friend who is struggling under poor leadership. The leaders are authoritarian, controlling, and rarely engage in an open exchange of communication and ideas.

"How do I operate in this environment" was the question. This situation is not unusual and there are probably as many opinions on a proper response as there are people in the world. I'll offer one perspective.

First of all, there are some behaviors to avoid:

Don't be rebellious. We are admonished in scripture to "submit to authority."

1Peter 2: 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Romans 13: 1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same ...

Don't gossip. Do not undermine the leadership.
Don't become cynical. Becoming cynical or bitter is a self-destructive behavior that produces little positive results. If cynicism takes root, it can become a behavioral trait that follows you into future engagements and limits your potential to motivate others and to execute well and above reproach.

What can you do?

Pray for your leaders.
Be excellent in accomplishing your responsibilities.
Encourage your leaders by pointing out positive behaviors that you want to reinforce.
Focus on your personal growth and development and practice good leadership behavior for the people under your responsibility.

Attempting to live under the guides above may actually begin to create a change in your leaders as they observe you. At the end of the day, if you cannot operate in the environment, and efforts to change the environment are futile, you should consider changing organizations. I've been in both situations -- being able to effect change, and having to change organizations. Life is too short and too important for you not to be able to fulfill God's call and purpose in your life. Keep in mind that sometimes, he places us in difficult situations so that we can grow and effect change. At other times, he uses the circumstances to spur us onward to new adventures.

Whitewashing Our Lives

2009-07-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

In Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer, Tom is made to perform a chore of whitewashing the picket fence around Aunt Polly's home. He manages to get this done through his friends and passers-by as he deceives them into believing the chore is fun. Whitewashing is often used to improve the image of rough areas as it hides flaws and provides a temporary covering.

A definition:

A mixture of lime and water, often with whiting, size, or glue added, that is used to whiten walls, fences, or other structures.
Concealment or palliation of flaws or failures.

Whitewashing is inexpensive because it is a watered down mixture. Unfortunately, it is not as long lasting as more permanent forms of paint.

In Ezekial 13, God chastises the nation of Israel for whitewashing their lives. Metaphorically, he refers to them whitewashing and plastering a wall.

10 "It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash;
11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out.
12 "Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, 'Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?'"

How often do we cover up pain, mistakes, and flaws in our lives? We put on "airs" because we don't want people to truly know who we are. We have a different face when we're alone or in our home than when we are around others. We claim "peace" when our lives are in turmoil and we've separated ourselves from what God has called us to or desires for us. We plaster our lives with whitewash.

God says that won't last. When the storms come, the plaster isn't strong enough to hold.

There are several truths to be found in this chapter of Ezekial.

First, God is not tolerant of those who mislead others.

2 ... say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, 'Listen to the word of the LORD!
3 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.

Leaders often allow pride to lead to overconfidence and a dependence on self rather than on God. In verse 6, it says that they "see falsehood" and "they hope for the fulfillment of their word." They may fall into the trap of telling people what they want to hear rather than the truth of God's word.

Second, people who are not following God are vulnerable to lies and deceit. They believe lies: "I'm okay; you're okay." In verse 19 it refers to those who are "put to death" because they are "people who listen to lies." Test the words of people against the words of God. Do not be deceived by talk that makes you feel good -- that whitewashes you. This passage says that they claim peace when peace isn't present. They cover up the truth.

Finally, in the end, the truth prevails. Those who have been whitewashed are exposed and all will know that God is sovereign -- he is Lord.

14 "So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation is laid bare; and when it falls, you will be consumed in its midst And you will know that I am the LORD.

Be truthful with yourself. Be careful of falling for "feel good" messages or schemes. In Matthew 7, Jesus contrast two foundations:

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

Note that both groups experience the storms of life. We aren't guaranteed that life will be easy even if we are Christians (and sometimes especially if we are Christians). The difference in life is in the response and the strength of the foundation of life. If our life is whitewashed or built on sand, it may have the appearance of peace. However, when the storms hit, the life is in shambles and falls apart. On the other hand, if we've spent a life learning of God and practicing his word in our lives, we can have peace in the midst of the storm and strength to endure by his presence and grace in our lives.

Don't be whitewashed. Learn of God's truth and trust in a relationship with him.

Costa Rica Mission Team Video Slide Show

2009-07-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

Praise God for His amazing work through our Costa Rica Mission Team. Take a look at some of our experiences:

God is good -- all the time!

God was the first surfer!

2009-07-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

God can relate to EVERYONE -- including surfers. God, the Spirit, was the first surfer:

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1)

The definition of surf (dictionary.com):

v. to float on the crest of a wave ...

So, the Spirit of God was a surfer -- in the beginning -- the very beginning.

God loves all of us (John 3:16) and shows no partiality (Romans 2:11). He calls all of us. How will you respond?

Abigail Prichard Holt (1996 - 2009)

2009-07-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

About ten weeks ago, we said good-bye to Amos Moses, a brindle Scottish terrier. Today, July 1, 2009, we said good-bye to another member of our family, our West Highland terrier, Abigail.

Abigail was a birthday present for Patty. She picked her up from a small town in SC in October of 1996. Our children were adolescents -- not yet teenagers. Now, our youngest is a junior in college. Abigail was truly part of the family. She grew up with our family. She became a part of our family here in SC, traveled with us to Texas, and returned with us to SC. She's been with us longer than any other pet. She's simply been with us -- and, today, we let her go.

For the past week, she had begun to throw up regularly (one to two times a day). We thought it was just a temporary illness, but this morning we discovered through the vet that her kidneys were shutting down.

Marie, a family friend and a dear friend and often caretaker of our pets, was with us today. Marie wept with us as she said good-bye to Abby. She was with us when Amos passed also. We're grateful. Thank you, Marie.

Patty and I wept together as we put Abigail to rest. She died in our arms.

In memory of Abigail, I leave this tribute and these memories:

Some of her "pet" names: Lolly, Lolligail, Abby, Nani.
She had a character mix of a dog and a cat -- incredibly independent, but often ready to lounge in a lap.
When we called, if she didn't want to come, she wouldn't. Most of the time she was obedient, but sometimes it was obvious that she wanted to make a point. It was if she wanted us to know that her obedience was her choice, not our mandate.
She was the alpha bitch. She made it clear to our other pets (and sometimes us) who was in charge.
Although she was Patty's dog officially, I typically won the calling contest. Calling Abby from different corners of the room (or sides of the bed), she almost always came to me.
She was very well mannered. When we had guests over, she rarely "jumped up" on anyone. However, she would greet them with a nose-nudge against the leg inviting a back-scratch, head-rub, or offering a licking if you wanted.
She'd often play with her bones or treats. She'd run into a spacious area and begin flipping it into the air (much like a cat playing with a mouse).
She loved playing tug-of-war with her toys -- either with us or with the other dogs.
She loved to walk. In the last year, I began having to carry her near the end because she didn't have the energy to finish the full walk.
She had almost a human personality.
She was often moody.
When we were preparing to go on vacation, she'd hover around us as we packed. She loved being around us and didn't like it when we left.
When we went away on vacation, upon return she would "ignore us" for a while making sure that we knew she didn't appreciate not being able to accompany us on the trip.
When she was ill, she'd follow Patty around the house trying to communicate with her.
Patty and I often fed her dinner with a fork.
She enjoyed sharing my snacks --pretzels, peanuts, ...
She loved back scratches. She'd let me know when she wanted them by climbing into my lap and starting to lick my face. She'd be content as her back was scratched. If I stopped, she'd lick my face incessantly until I started scratching her back again. I usually had to set her aside to stop the cycle.
She didn't care to much for getting into the lake but she loved the boat rides.

As with Amos, I wept at her passing. But, having written the blog about my sadness with Amos and discovering what God's Word says about animals, I'm no longer confused about my grief. All creatures -- great and small -- are part of God's plan, his story, and the abundance that he provides for us.

I loved Abigail. I'll miss her. Goodbye Lolly.

Amazing Faith

2009-06-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about what it takes to amaze God? After all, he is the creator of all things. God's response to Job in chapters 38-41 (in the book by the same name) is mind-boggling - amazing and incredible - as God describes himself to Job. In chapter 41, somewhat humorously from my perspective, God describes what it's like to have a crocodile as a pet.

So, for this amazing God, what does it take to amaze him?

There are two instances (at least that I've found) in scripture where Jesus (God - The Son) is amazed.

In Mark 6, Jesus was visiting his home town. The chapter begins with "Jesus left there and went to his hometown." Left where? In the preceding chapter, he had healed a demon-possessed man, a sick woman, and had even raised a young girl from death. These were amazing miracles. Now he's visiting home.

The experience starts out well enough. As he taught, the story says that many were amazed. They were impressed with his wisdom and had heard of the many miracles he performed. Yet, the hearing did not translate into faith in Christ. In fact, verse 3 states that "they took offense at him."

In this we find one example of what amazes Jesus:

5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And [Jesus] was amazed at their lack of faith.

What a tragedy! Jesus had just left a nearby area performing unbelievable miracles and seeing lives changed -- eternally. Yet, among those who had watched him grow up, the faith was non-existant. They missed out on the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ.

Another story dealing with amazing faith is found in Luke 7:2-10 (excerpts follow).

2 There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.
6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 When [he] heard this, [Jesus] was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

What a contrast! This man had "heard" of Jesus as well. Yet, his response was one of belief -- one of faith. His faith in Christ was so strong that he knew that Jesus' presence was not necessary -- his word was sufficient.

Our faith is observed by God. Do we have faith? In what or whom do we place our faith? Our lives are a journey of faith. How we live will say volumes about our faith? Some truths about faith to consider:

It only takes a little to move mountains (Matthew 17:20).
It must be present to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
It must be demonstrated (James 2:17).

Are you living by faith in Jesus Christ?

Are you among the valiant?

2009-05-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

Do you have a desire for adventure? Do you feel most alive when your heart is racing and thrill is on the horizon?

In his best selling book, Wild at Heart, John Eldredge writes:

A Battle to fight. An Adventure to live. A Beauty to rescue. This is what a man longs for. This is what makes him come alive. Look at the films men love. For that matter, look at the dreams of little boys, the games they play. There is something fierce, passionate, and wild in the heart of every man.

As a quick aside, many critics have unfavorable review of the book due to a) the handling of scripture, b) the view of the core of man's heart, and c) the view of God. While these are certainly issues and true concerns for the book, nevertheless, the success and attraction of the book cannot be denied. Most of us have a desire for adventure -- life above the mundane plodding of existence.

Except for approximately 7 movies, the top 50 grossing movies of all time involve adventure. Some of them include Star Wars, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones movies, Spiderman and Batman. Even the children get in on the adventure with animated films such as Shrek. We are enamored with adventure. Our attraction to productions from Hollywood has a lot to do with our longing for drama and adventure.

Jesus called for us to have life - to live life -- and to have it more abundantly. In our society, many men have become passive, passionless, and even feminized in some regards. We watch adventure, but we don't live it. God did not call us to be passive or to cower before a challenge. Scripture uses metaphors like athlete, soldier, and conqueror to describe followers of Christ. Many of the early apostles died a martyr's death.

In 2 Samuel 23:8-39, we find a group of men that were a part of something greater than themselves. These men were used by God to fight for the king who was God's exalted and anointed. Together, they brought about one of the greatest eras in Israel's history. They were King David's mighty men. They were men of valor -- they were valiant men.

val-iant –adjective

boldly courageous; brave; stout-hearted
marked by or showing bravery or valor
worthy; excellent.

What does it mean to be valiant as a follower of Christ? These mighty men of David were included in scripture for a purpose. God inspired Samuel to write about these men. We can learn from looking at their story.

Called Out and Celebrated (v.8, 24)

The Bible is God's inspired word to mankind. He thought it significant enough to name these men. He calls them out by name.

"These are the names of David's mighty men ..." (v. 8)

"Among the Thirty were ..." (v.24)

Not only were they named, they were celebrated. In a way, God "brags" on them.

"Such were the exploits of the three mighty men." (v. 17)

An exploit is a striking or notable deed; a feat; a spirited or heroic act. This chapter is dedicated to some of the noteworthy acts of these men.

They were valiant because of their actions. They were valiant because of who they had become as warriors. Most of all, they were valiant because of what and who they fought for.

If we are to be called out and celebrated, we must be people of character and action.

What are some of the character traits and actions of these men?

Courageous and Confident (v.8-12)

8 ... Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. 9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, 10 but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

These men stood firm in the face of incredible odds. One man against 800. One man against an entire Philistine army. They were willing to stand alone. Because they were followers of God they were confident even to the extreme of "taunting" the enemy.

Are you confident of who you are in Christ? Are you willing to stand alone if necessary? Or, do you look around to see what everyone else is doing before you get involved -- if you get involved at all.

The rest of the men looked to these valiant warriors as leaders -- as people of courage and influence. Note in verse 10 when the men returned, it doesn't say that they returned to a place. It says, "The troops returned to Eleazar." After seeing what God had accomplished through Eleazar, the men looked to him for their directions. Unfortunately, because the others had not stood beside him in battle, they were left with "stripping the dead." They missed out on the recognition in victory. We don't know their names.

Note that the confidence and courage of the mighty men were not misplaced. The scripture says "the LORD brought about a great victory." These men were confident because they were followers of the most high God. Their leader David had set the example. As a young shepherd boy, David brought food to his brothers who were in the Israeli army. As he approached the army camp, the story in 1 Samuel 17 tells us that David heard the taunts and the defiance of Goliath. His response:

"... I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel ... This day the LORD will hand you over to me, ... and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel."

David was confident in his God. David had set the example and these men too were courageous and confident because they were followers of God.

Committed (v.10)

10 but he [Eleazar] stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.

Eleazar had fought so long in the face of enormous odds that his hand cramped around his sword. In the face of a steady onslaught of the enemy, and even as the Israelite army retreated, he stood firm and he fought. He persisted.

We have a misconception that the Christian life is easy. If I follow Christ, surely he'll protect me from trouble; surely, he will take care of my family; surely, he'll help me to prosper. He will, but not in the way we think. As Christ talked to his disciples right before his passion week, he said (John 16):

32"But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Just like the Israelite army around Eleazar, the disciples had scattered. Jesus communicated a timeless truth that men like Eleazar understood. If you are a follower of God, others may abandon you, yet he will never leave you. And, though trouble may come, Christ has already overcome the world. We need to continue in the battle knowing that God is with us.

Hold to your faith. Stay in the fight. Stay committed to God's call on your life.

Devoted (v.13-17)

Not only were these men committed, they were devoted.

They were devoted to David, the King:

13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" 16 So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 17 "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it.

What an amazing story of devotion. These men risked their lives because David was thirsty. David didn't explicitly asked for the water. He "wished" for it. His casual, albeit sincere, request led to these men risking their lives to meet the need of their king.

These men didn't gossip around the campfire saying, "Can you believe this guy? Why doesn't he get his own drink of water?" They didn't say, "It's David's fault we're here in the first place -- camping out and fighting instead of being with our families." They were close enough to their king to know his desires. They were knit together with him in their hearts.

Where are you with regards to the leadership of your church? Do you follow the leadership that God has put in place? Are you devoted to the mission and purpose of your church? Or, would you rather spend time complaining about the leadership and all of the things that aren't going your way?"

Have you spent time understanding the heart of your leadership? Are you devoted to helping them in the accomplishment of the mission?

Now, theirs was not a blind devotion. They were foremost devoted to God. Note an interesting, seemingly meaningless close to this chapter. The last name listed is Uriah (verse 39):

39 and Uriah the Hittite.

If you know the story of David and Bathsheba, you'll recall Uriah. David amidst his sin with Bathsheba in an attempt to cover it up, tried to convince Uriah to abandon the army and to spend time with his wife, Bathsheba. Uriah's character and devotion to what was right and to the God of Israel went beyond his devotion to David. In 2 Samuel 11:11, Uriah responds:

"The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"

The ark was considered to be the place where the very Spirit of God resided. Uriah was devoted to God -- it cost him his life. He did not compromise his values, not even for his earthly king.

Joab was the commander of David's army. These mighty men were a part of his "special forces." Yet, as the commander of David's army, subject to David, he did not blindly follow David. He challenged him and held him accountable to God. In the next chapter when David begins to trust in the size of his army, Joab challenges him that he should trust in God.

David made mistakes. When he did so, God sent others into his life to confront him. They supported him as God's anointed. When necessary, they approached him directly (not complaining behind his back). They challenged him to hold true to God's path.

You are called in scripture to follow your leadership, the leadership of the church. You should embrace them and come alongside in the mission of the church. If, or when, they make mistakes, we are given Biblical ways to confront one another -- avoid gossip, grumbling and complaining and rather, speak the truth in love to one another.

Trusted (v.20-23)

In verse 20, we are introduced to Benaiah.

20 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 21He killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 22These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. 23He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.

What a cool story of the life of Benaiah. He chased troubled -- pursuing a lion into a pit; going up against an "impressive" armed Egyptian with only a club in hand. His courage and bravery led David to select him as the head of his bodyguards - the "secret service" of their day. David trusted him with his life.

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah

Among these mighty men, Joab selected his armor bearers. The armor and weapons were the lifeblood of the soldier. Joab trusted these men with his armor and weapons. Thus, he trusted him with his life.

Can you be trusted? Do your actions display a character that people can count on? When the battle heats up, will you be among the mighty men who stand and fight or are you a part of the army that retreats. Do you hide in the corners of the church without getting involved or supporting the activities? Do you think your presence constitutes service?

God wants you to be part of his army. Your church needs you to be involved -- involved in service, involved in giving, involved in prayer and worship.

Closing

As you've learned this story, the challenge may have stirred the desire for adventure in your soul. You truly want to have a meaningful life -- one where you can make a difference in your family, friends, and those around you.

What holds you back?

You may not feel qualified. You may want to be there, but are struggling with courage, confidence, commitment, and devotion.

Let's look at where these men began: 1 Samuel 22:2

1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

These men began in distress, in debt, and discontented with life. But, they didn't stay there. Don't become mired in the victim "woe is me" mentality. They devoted themselves along with David in following God -- wholeheartedly. As they did, you can BEcome a valiant warrior for God.

Be more than a conqueror.

Be fighters for your family.

Be warriors in the workplace.

Be crusaders in your community, in your church, and for Christ.

Esther - Mentoring (Study Notes)

2009-05-18T05:45:00.000-07:00

A Look at the Book of Esther

Review:

A book which reveals God's providence at work in the affairs of mankind and his people.

J. Vernon McGee quotes a hymn to describe this book, "God standeth in the shadows keeping watch over His own." Keep this verse in mind (Esther 2:11).

The Persian King Cyrus, when he conquered Babylon, gave a decree to allow the Jews to return home. Many stayed despite the decree allowing them to return. Why?
Rebellion?
Apathy?
Routine?
Status?
Supporter (kingdom builder)? (Ezra 1:1-4)
Regardless of whether or not, the remnant were in God's will, God does not abandon his children because of their sin. The fellowship may be broken but the relationships is still there.

We do know that because of their prior sin, they were in captivity. There is still consequences of sin upon generations.

Although they are not in God's will, God still directs their affairs to his purpose.
They were far from God but he was near to them (Acts 17:26-28a).

Different Perspective:

In light of Ezra 1:4, maybe Mordecai was in place to support his people. I believe this is consistent with his character that we see throughout this passage:
In the next chapter, Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman. (Esther 3:2)
Mordecai inspires Esther to stand up for her people. (Esther 4:12-14)
Held in high esteem among the Jews (Esther 10:3)
Don't misunderstand my point. I don't believe that Mordecai was some pious spiritual superman. But, just maybe, he is a follower of God struggling in a pagan land to do what he believes to be right. Often times, he looks to his own strength and he fails.
We don't see a pattern of prayer in his life like we see with Nehemiah.
We don't see him taking a stand for purity like Joseph did.
While he follows the example of "not bowing" like Daniel, he doesn't mention the name of God while doing so.
Clearly, Mordecai has his issues, but do these issues sound familiar?
Regardless of our perspective of Mordecai, God remains the same. HE is constant and HE is in control. Though he is not even mentioned, God is the main character in the story of Esther.
Let's examine Mordecai's action in light of his struggling to serve God in a foreign land.
As we examine this, I want to leave us with a challenge -- to invest in the next generation so that they can accomplish things for God that may be beyond our reach.

Proverbs 20:29 "The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old."

Passages: (Esther 2:5-23) Mentoring the Next Generation

A Place of Prominence

If we are to lead, we should strive to be in a place of influence -- not necessarily position, but influence. One of the most important measures of a leader is influence.

Esther 2:5 - living in the palace area.
Esther 2:21 - residing at the king's gate. [Incidently, we don't know if he held this position before or because Esther was queen and her influence made it possible.]
The gate of the ancient city was its major commercial and legal center. Markets were held in the gate; the court sat there to transact its business. Mordecai's sitting at the gate confirms his holding a high position in the civil service of the empire.

Who are other people in the Bible whom God placed in positions of leadership in foreign lands?

Joseph
Daniel
Nehemiah

God was orchestrating Mordecai's life and had placed him in a position of influence for a specific purpose.

God has reasons for placing us in positions of influence. We should not be blind to what God wants to do in our lives. We should not take our positions for granted.

A Role as Guardian

Esther 2:7 - Mordecai had "brought up" and "taken [Esther] as his own daughter."

What are the implications of this as a Jew?

Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Proverbs 22:6
Psalm 71:17-18
Psalm 78:1-7

As a guardian (or mentor) we have a responsibility to "train."

I believe because of the pattern that we see in Mordecai and in Esther that he had laid a foundation for training, development, discipline, respect, and growth in Esther.

Esther 2:10, 20

Mordecai was speaking into her life.

What was the motivation for his instructing Esther to keep silent?

It may have been for personal benefit.
It may have been out of fear for her life (death, or becoming a concubine).

Esther was listening. Verse 20 says that Esther "continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up." Others connected with Esther. "Beauty is more than skin deep."

Esther 2:9, 15, 17
Esther 4:15-17

A Responsibility as Guardian

As a guardian (mentor), we can't simply throw our youth into the deep end and hope they can swim. We need to be around -- to be available. Remember the quote from the hymn, "God standeth in the shadows keeping watch over His own." I believe we see a picture of this with Mordecai in Esther 2:11.

A Relationship as Mentor

As we speak and act into the lives of our children or our youth -- the next generation -- ultimately the process should take us to a point of influence through relationship. We see this transformation begin to happen in the relationship between Mordecai and Esther.

Esther 2:22
Esther 4 (especially 4:15-17)
Esther 9:29-32

We can rule from position, or we can influence through relationship. If their (Esther and Mordecai's) relationship had been because of position it would have changed dramatically when she became queen, but the relationship was just that -- a relationship. Ultimately, ruling will lead to rebellion. Influence will lead to a partnership in life's work -- kingdom work.

Preoccupied

2009-05-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

We often walk through life caught in routine, norms, traditions, or simply busy-ness oblivious to a real purpose or power in our life. We're preoccupied:

Definitions:
absorbed or engrossed to the exclusion of other things;
so lost in thought as to be unaware of one's surroundings.

We're preoccupied with our jobs, our finances, and our circumstances. We're preoccupied with what others are doing and how that may impact us. We are so absorbed in our daily routine and concerns that we wander through life having little positive impact in our families, our neighbors, and the world around us.

We may try to blame it on the times -- the economy, the pace of the world. The preoccupation of mankind is not new.

The disciples had lived with Jesus for three years. They had seen him perform great miracles. They had sat under his teaching and learned from him. They themselves had been given power to perform miracles. Then, Jesus died and they scattered -- fearful and confused. When they heard of his resurrection, they had gathered back together. Jesus appeared to them to provide them encouragement and to give them a new purpose. In John 20:21, Jesus said to them, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." Jesus was clearly calling them from the routine of their life into a life of purpose. Matthew 28:18-20 clarifies this purpose -- the disciples were to "go and make disciples." The purpose is reiterated again in Acts 1:8 where Jesus tells them, "you will be my witnesses."

After Jesus had appeared to the disciples and communicated this purpose to them, John seemingly closes his book with these words (John 20:30-31):

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The disciples are ready to "go" now, right? Wrong. Following Jesus' appearance in John 20 and these words from John, we find this story.

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Preoccupied with our routine.

These disciples were caught up in their old routine. When Jesus found these disciples and called them three years ago to follow him, they were fishing. They were fisherman. In spite of the three years with Jesus; in spite of his command to "go;" they returned to the familiar; they returned to fishing.

How often do we get caught up in our routines? We favor the familiar, the comfortable -- so much so that we become preoccupied with it. We become irritated if our routine is disrupted. We fear change; we fear the unknown. We shy away from the challenge. We may be consumed by our jobs - burying ourselves in our work. We may be consumed by our hobbies -- losing ourselves in our play. Our habits drive us to do the same things in the same way that we've always done them. Our busy-ness keeps us from focusing on the purpose and the work of God in our life.

Jesus does not call us to the "same old" way of life. He didn't sacrifice his life and die a cruel death for us to remain caught up in the routine busy-ness of life. Jesus had called these disciples to be more than mere fisherman -- he called them to become "fishers of men." He called these men to lead a change into the world -- to reach the world for a relationship with Jesus Christ and with God.

What did this routine bring them? The passage says, "... that night they caught nothing." Furthermore, with their preoccupation in their work, they missed Jesus standing on the shore.

"Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus."

Our routines will cause us to miss Jesus.

Not only are we preoccupied with our routines, we are ...

Preoccupied with our self.

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
19 ... Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

As we read this story, there is strong implication that this encounter of Jesus with his disciples was for Peter's benefit. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Peter was feeling the guilt of his denial. He longed for the "way things were." He searched for the familiar -- the comfortable. Peter is the one who led the way back to the routine of life. He said, "I'm going out to fish," and the others followed him. Peter was hurting. Peter was thinking about himself.

There is a lot of symbolism in this story. In verse 14 of this passage, we find that this was the third time that Jesus had appeared to the disciples after his resurrection. Peter had denied Christ three times. In his dialogue with Peter, Jesus asked Peter the same question three times. After the third repeat of the question, the passage says that "Peter was hurt." Jesus was calling attention to Peter's focus on himself - to his holding on to his guilt. Peter, because he was thinking of himself, had returned to the old way of life.

We are preoccupied with our routine; we are preoccupied with our self. We are also ...

Preoccupied with what others are doing.

19 Then he [Jesus] said to him [Peter], "Follow me!" 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (...) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?

Peter had just received a call -- a command -- from Jesus to care for people and to follow him. His first response is "what about him?" How often do we do that? We worry about what others are doing. We compare ourselves to others. We look at how others perform at work. We gauge our level of involvement in the church by what others are doing. We want someone else to do the work. We want to make sure that we don't do more than our "fair share."

Jesus tells Peter and he tells us, "what is that to you?" In other words, that is none of your business. We're preoccupied with what others are doing and we miss the call of God on our life.

What does this story teach us about overcoming our preoccupations?

First:

We overcome being preoccupied with our routine by responding to Jesus.

We overcome being preoccupied with our routine by hearing Jesus, recognizing him, running to him, and spending time with him.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. 6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." 11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."

When Jesus finds the disciples caught up in their routine, he calls out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" He is basically asking, "How's that working for you?" How is your routine working for you? Are you fulfilled in life? Jesus doesn't simply leave them there. Notice that they were not looking for Jesus. He went looking for them. He then offers to perform a miracle in their life. He offers to perform a miracle in your life. But, he will not do it without you responding to his call.

Through this miracle, they recognized Jesus. Note Peter's response. He leaps into the water and swims 100 yards to get to Jesus. He doesn't wait for the slow row of the boat pulling the load of fish. He immediately does what it takes to get to Jesus. We need to have that same urgency. Run to Jesus. Throw aside your routine and run to Jesus.

When the disciples gathered around Jesus they had breakfast with him. The meals with Jesus were meaningful. Jesus often used these as teaching moments. We see this in the Lord's supper with his disciples where he showed them how to serve with the washing of their feet and revealed the purpose of his death through the bread and the wine. In Revelation 3:20, scripture tells us that Jesus knocks at our door. Jesus pleas with us to open up to him. To whoever opens the door, he says, "I will come in and eat with him." When the disciples break their routine and spend time with Jesus, this provided the opportunity for Jesus to teach them. We need to spend time with Jesus. Allow him to teach us, to mold us, to change our lives so that we may have abundant life in him -- not routine.

Next:
We overcome being preoccupied with our self by focusing our attention on the needs of others.

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

Peter had claimed his love for Christ and had testified as to who Jesus was. Yet, at this point in his life he was stricken with guilt and had returned to his routine of life. His feelings had the best of him and he was focused on himself and his needs.

Jesus asks, "Do you truly love me more than these?" This love is true love -- more than a feeling. Does your love for Jesus consume you? Is he the focus of your will and your life? Or, do the "things" of life capture your attention. Peter had allowed his guilt to capture his attention. Peter had allowed his fishing gear and his fishing occupation to capture his attention.

Jesus is showing Peter that his focus needs to be on loving Jesus by loving others (the two great commandments -- to love God and to love others). That love, if true love, translates into action. We love others when we serve them, feed them, take care of them, and point them to life in Jesus Christ. Jesus had commanded them to "go and make disciples" -- to extend God's kingdom on earth and to reach people for a relationship with Christ.

Through these questions, Jesus restores Peter. In the third and final question, Jesus asks Peter again if he loves him. This question of love is an emotional one -- one which brings Peter's hurt to the surface. In spite of Peter's failure, Jesus restores him by calling him -- "follow me."

We overcome our preoccupation with ourselves when we focus on Jesus and we truly love him. And, this love translates into love for others. We care more about others and we are concerned with addressing their needs. We will have a positive impact for Jesus in our family and in our community.

Finally:
We overcome being preoccupied with what others are doing by focusing on God's call in our life and following him.

21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

Immediately after Christ asked Peter to follow him, Peter shifts the attention to John -- "what about him?" Why?

Maybe Peter was concerned about going it alone. He didn't want to do this by himself.
Maybe he was fearful of the cost and was acting from the old cliche' "misery loves company."
Maybe Peter felt like Jesus was singling him out -- because of what he had done.

In any case, he had lost focus. In our lives, we compare ourselves to others. We spend way too much time worrying about what others are doing. We look at how others perform at work. We gauge our level of involvement in the church by what others are doing. We want someone else to do the work. We want to make sure that we don't do more than our "fair share."

We can learn from Jesus' response to Peter. Jesus basically tells Peter that what John does is none of his business. When it comes to God's call on our life, it doesn't matter what others are doing. Jesus repeats his call to Peter even more emphatically, "You must follow me." He issues that call to us -- my plan for others is none of your concern, you must follow me and the plan that I have for your life. God wants us to focus on his purpose for OUR life.

Our Challenge

Throughout scripture Jesus has called us to "go and make disciples." We are to be his witnesses to the world -- to reach them for Christ so that he can restore their relationship with God.

Our families need us.

Our churches need us.

Our neighbors need us.

Our communities need us.

Our world needs us.

Jesus is calling us -- commanding us.

YOU lead your family.

YOU use your gifts within the church and get involved.

YOU love and help your neighbors.

YOU get involved and serve your community.

YOU become engaged in making a difference in the world.

It doesn't matter what others do ... YOU must follow Jesus.

Rights vs. Relationships

2009-05-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

"No one is going to tell me what to do. I'll do as I please." Someone dear to me communicated this adamantly. The issue at stake was their rights. The particular right in question dealt with their freedom to dress as they choose. They were within their rights, but with our choices also comes consequences. Their choice in this case led to hurt, embarassment, and misconceptions among those they love and among other casual acquaintenances and general public.

Our behavior can be categorized as immoral, amoral, and moral. Some behavior is clearly wrong -- immoral -- and the Bible calls this sin. Other behavior is good -- moral -- and clearly encouraged throughout scripture. What about amoral behavior -- that which is neither good nor bad in itself? What about disputable matters?

In some cases, our behavior may be in an effort to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus hung out with the prostitutes, drunkards, and irreligious in an effort to reach them and restore them to a relationship with God. He faced ridicule because of this. We may behave in a way that is questionable to others, but if it is not a "sin" (i.e., disputable) and it is in an effort to reach others for Christ, then we should withstand the ridicule for the cause.

This was definitely not the case for my friend. There was no intent to spread the gospel.

In some cases, the impact of our behavior is dependent upon context or culture. Let's look at drinking as an example. Notwithstanding the dangers of alchohol, I do not think it is a sin to drink (in moderation). Nevertheless, the context should be taken into consideration. You shouldn't drink around underaged youth when it may result in them participating. Clearly it is against the law for people under the age of 21 to drink. You shouldn't drink around an alchoholic who's trying to stop. This behavior could push them over the edge. Paul gives us the guidelines for this in Romans 14. He closes this chapter with:

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.

Do not destroy God's work for the sake of ... you fill in the blank. Do not destroy the work of God for your rights.

A quick aside, there is certainly a debate regarding whether you should drink around a legalist who personally thinks it's a sin, and there's no real danger of you causing them to "stumble," but rather they're simply forcing you to embrace their rules.

In the case of my friend, I believe the behavior was having a negative impact on impressionable people. This was not simply a case of people trying to impose their morals upon my friend.

We've heard the phrase, "What would Jesus do?" Paul gives us a clear picture in Philippians 2:3-8:

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Jesus humbled himself. One translation says that he "emptied" himself. He gave up his rights. He owed us nothing. He was the very Son of God and a King of Heaven and Earth. Yet, he gave up his rights for a relationship -- a relationship with you and me.

Jesus calls us to love one another. Doesn't our relationships with others matter more than our rights.

Amos Moses Beauregard Holt (2000-2009)

2009-04-17T16:37:00.001-07:00

One privilege that we have as humans is looking after God's creation. In Genesis God gives us this plan for his creatures great and small:

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

It was both an honor and a privilege to provide a home for Amos. Amos would fall into the category of one of the small animals that "scurry along the ground." He was a birthday present to me while living in Texas. Amos was the son of a white Scottish Terrier and a black Scottish Terrier. He was from Louisiana and because of his mixed parents, we joked that he was a Cajun. The mix produced a handsome dog ... when he was close-cut, he looked like he had tiger stripes.

Some traits and memories:

He was timid ... skiddish at times ... particularly around strangers. Sometimes he'd bark from underneath the protection of a chair peering out from underneath.
Once he knew you, he was very loving and trusting.
He'd rest his big Scotty head in your lap.
Amos often sat in a chair in the den or living room ... sitting much like a human with his leg up on the arm rest.
When we went for a walk, he had to mark almost everything.
We could talk to him in a higher pitched voice and he'd howl. We'd join in with him. He'd put a wolf to shame.
He loved being around family including our West Highland Terriers -- Dixie and Abigail.
Dixie would lick his ears.
When we fed them, he always got excited hopping around almost like a rabbit.
When we placed down the food plates, he'd always wait until last ... giving Dixie and Abigail first dibs.
He was very careful of doorways ... almost as if he were afraid you'd close the door on him.
When we gave him a bone, he'd walk around for hours holding it in his mouth not wanting to let it go for fear one of the westies would get it. When he was outside, he'd bury it. Later, he'd bring it in the house ... dirt and all.
He caught a rabbit once ... and a frog. He was so proud even though we tried to discourage it.
He'd chew on stuff ... floor rugs, and toys. Once he chewed on a rubber chicken and a piece of rubber lodge in his intestines blocking the food process. He had to have surgery to remove about three inches of his intestines to remove the rubber chicken.
He loved staying outdoors ... he was always the last one in.
We have portion of our back yard fenced. Amos would always nudge the gates in hopes that someone had left it unlatched. In the event that it was, he was on an adventure to the land beyond the fencing.
He loved the lake.

In January 2008, we found a mast cell tumor near Amos' shoulder. It was cancerous. We had it removed and they gave him 3-6 months to live. He surprised us and we saw no signs of recurrence. Then, about two weeks ago, he began to have trouble controlling his bladder. Then, we later discovered blood in his urine. After an ultrasound, we found out he had a golf-ball-sized tumor in his kidney. Rather than have him suffer in his remaining days on earth, we made the difficult decision to put him down today, April 17. The process was serene and calm. Amos passed with his head in my lap. Patty and I wept.

I have my birthday next week. It'll be the first time in 9 years that Amos hasn't been a part of our family.

I sometimes question why I feel so sad. After all, he was "just a dog." Then, reading Genesis, I know that our relationship with animals is special. In the perfect Garden of Eden, God provided animals. He provided dogs.

In 2 Peter 2:16, Peter reminds us of the story of Balaam where God used an animal to rebuke him. In Matthew 6:26, we see that God cares for the birds ... he feeds them. In God's infinite wisdom, he provided animals in our lives.

Amos was my friend and a companion. I loved him. I'll miss him. Goodbye Bo-bo.

Pick and Choose

2009-03-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

Most of us recognize that rules are a way of life. If we agree with them, they're pretty easy to follow. If we don't, we try to figure out a way to manipulate them so that they have minimal impact on our way of life. When this manipulation occurs from those who should be setting an example, there are a host of attitudes that surface -- e.g., cynicism, frustration, and apathy.

In Malachi 2, God was disgusted with the religious leaders because they were not following the ways of God but had "shown partiality in matters of the law." They had added to the law (over 600 rules) and they had manipulated others (withholding support of family members claiming to provide for God and His temple). Jesus confronted a similar issue in Matthew 23:23 (NLT):

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

This message from God follows his call for the people to set their hearts to honor God. God's laws were put in place to protect his people, to benefit them, and to guide people to him -- to set them apart for him. Yet, the people were "breaking faith" with God and with others. They put on the semblance of being followers of God, but their heart was self-centered. They brought their offerings to God (v. 12 even though he brings offerings to the Lord Almighty) with weeping at the altar (v.13 you flood the Lord's altar with tears). But as they left the altar, their lives did not manifest change. They were violent toward their fellow man, divorced their wives, and misrepresented their offerings.

As I read this passage, I thought "the more things change, the more they remain the same." We manipulate God's law to fit our lifestyle. We bribe God -- adding "good deeds" to our balance so that we can feel better when we manipulate the rules. We're not fooling God.

Malachi has a theme through this chapter to challenge us:

Do not "break the faith."
Guard your heart.
Set your heart to honor God.

This really boils down to whether we see life being about us or about God. Jesus summed up the law for us by calling us to love God and to love others. Then, he fulfilled the law by being obedient to God and by dying for our sin -- our failure to keep the law. To complete the picture, he arose from death to give us life. We can follow God when Christ lives through us. When we focus on loving God and loving others, these other things will fall into place.

Set your heart!

2009-03-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

The heart:

the center of the total personality, esp. with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion
the center of emotion, esp. as contrasted to the head as the center of the intellect
spirit, courage, or enthusiasm
the innermost or central part of anything
the vital or essential part; core

I don't really know how I ended up reading Malachi, but I'm there ... in chapter 2. Verse 2 sends a somber caution to us:

If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name," says the LORD Almighty, "I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me.

The heart is considered to be the center of our spirit or soul. We are told to guard our heart throughout scripture. The mind, center of intellect, and the heart are often at odds. If the conviction of the heart is strong enough, it almost invariably wins. Thus, we have to guard our heart. Proverbs 4:23 calls the heart the "wellspring of life."

In this passage in Malachi, God is calling us to set our hearts to honor him. We do this through knowing him, learning his ways, and being obedient. We need to see as he sees so that we do as he does.

God demands this of us. The alternative ... cursing our blessings. Now, that's a dichotomy. Curses - bad. Blessings - good. What does it mean to curse our blessings. I don't know, but I have an idea.

The current economic situation may be the perfect example. In America we have been blessed with abundance and affluence. When the two of the top issues in our society are debt and obesity, we're not lacking. Yet, this abundance is becoming a curse. We go into debt. We become obese. Our savings or retirement goes in the tank with the market declines.

Know that our heart follows our treasures (Matthew 6:21). I heard someone say recently that we're upset with the economy because our god is dying. Yes, the economy is bad. However, we're still the wealthiest nation on earth and we're still blessed among the nations. When we don't set our hearts to honor God, these blessings are cursed.

God will bring us to a point of honoring him ... either in this life or in the one to come. Make it your life's mission to honor him. Set your heart on him.

Peril of Good Intentions

2009-03-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hannah Arendt, a US (German-born) historian & social philosopher wrote:

As witnesses not of our intentions but of our conduct, we can be true or false, and the hypocrite's crime is that he bears false witness against himself. What makes it so plausible to assume that hypocrisy is the vice of vices is that integrity can indeed exist under the cover of all other vices except this one.

Our character is determined more by what we do than by what we say. One of the most judgmental monikers placed on Christians is "hypocrite." Unfortunately, it is often an appropriate description of who we are.

In Matthew (21:28-31a), Jesus tells a story which speaks of the perils of good intentions:

But what do you think about this?
A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. “Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first."

Jesus isn't surprised when we struggle with following him. He knows that we have to fight our natural tendencies in life. He knows that we can only live and follow him when we do so through his power. Yet, in an effort to appear good in front of others, we often say one thing, but because of the struggles, we do another. And worse, we judge others when we see them fail. Note Jesus' response to this story:

Then Jesus explained his meaning:
I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

Perhaps, the issue is one of the heart. We become so accustom to "intentions" that we no longer place value on the integrity of our life which is "intended" to carry them out. The Bible says that we deceive ourselves when we hear the word but don't act on it. We begin to believe our own lies where our intentions do not meet with action.

I'm not describing legalism. This isn't about living according to rules. This is about knowing and understanding the heart of God and through his power living out the love that he has given us through lives committed to him. John in 1 John 2:4-6 (NLT):

If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word
truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Don't kid yourself. Be real before God and others. His power is manifested in our weakness. Admit your struggles and call for his help in living your life beyond just "good intentions."

Contempt for God

2009-03-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

There are very few who would openly claim contempt for God. Sure there are some, but most claim some belief or spiritual relationship with God. However, our lives often hold God in contempt. How? We're not dissimilar from the people of Israel who rebelled and returned and rebelled and returned and rebelled in their relationship to God. He became a God of convenience.

In Malachi 1:6 (NIV) God says, "... where is the honor due me ... where is the respect due me ... It is you ... who show contempt for my name." In this passage, he was talking to the most religious of the day -- the priests. The priests on behalf of the people were bringing God their leftovers as sacrifices. They were bringing blind, crippled, and diseased animals to God as sacrifices.

From the very beginning of time, God has demanded our best -- the first of what we have to offer. So often, we think of God conveniently. We'll live for him when we're done with our personal goals or tasks. We'll give to him if we have money left over.

Our insatiable appetites never reach a point that there isn't always something else that needs to be done or some thing that we need to have. God calls us "cheats." "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord." (Malachi 1:14)

We continue to push God into the background until it's convenient for us to reach out to him. He receives our leftovers -- whether it's time or financial resources. Don't claim God as Lord and then conveniently move him into the background.

Romans puts this into perspective in 12:1 (NIV) where we read the challenge to "be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable." The best of our lives is what God wants. He is jealous of our worship "for [He] is a great king ... and [His] name is to be feared among the nations." (Malachi 1:14)

Economic Woes

2009-03-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

Blue birds, nuthatches, chickadees, Carolina wrens, cardinals, woodpeckers, dove, Eastern towhees, goldfinches, house finches, titmouses (or is it titmice), chirping sparrows, brown thrashers, ... I fill our bird feeders two times during the week. There is a lot of feeding activity in the early morning and late afternoon and sporadic activity during the day. I enjoy relaxing and watching them. Sometimes, they spar over the food. More often they take turns perching on the feeders to grab a bite -- sometimes eating and sometimes gathering returning to their nests.

The Bible tells us to consider them. In Luke 12:24:

Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!

Okay, we do have ravens too. This morning watching the birds, this passage came to mind. In light of the economy, these words take on new relevancy. In times like these, a normal reaction is to hoard or to store up. Certainly, there is an amount of prudence in saving and preparing for the future. However, this passage is addressing anxiety or fear. In this discussion (Luke 12:22-34), Jesus is addressing our normal response to uncertain economic times. Verses 22-26:

... Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. ... Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

We have little control over the economy. This is not an argument against financial management but rather a response of fear or worry. Fear or worry drives us to hoard, to retreat into our cocoon or perhaps even to lash out at others.

This passage follows the story of a rich man who had placed his trust in his wealth (Luke 12:16-21). The man was a very successful farmer who was filling up his storage silos with his harvest, planning for his lavish lifestyle or his retirement. As he admired his economic position, he said, "I’ll sit back and say to myself, 'My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come.'" He had arrived to a point of financial security. His 401K was all set. His investments were growing. ... Then the market crashed! Or, in his case, his life came to an end that evening.

Jesus follows the story of the rich man with a discussion of our worry over our financial situation. He communicates that we have little control over our circumstances. I didn't see this completely until recently. I believed (and still do) in hard work, persistance, prudent financial management, etc. Note that this passage isn't supporting irresponsible living; there are numerous teachings from the Bible regarding hard work, sound financial management, and responsible living. However, this passage is addressing where we place our trust or our motivation.

The latest market conditions show that we can't place our trust in the financial markets nor in our government. Jesus says in his teaching (verse 29-31):

... “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need."

He says that this worry dominates the world. Isn't that true? What are we seeing on the news now ... almost every channel? Note also the keyword NEED. Our perspective has been set by our affluence. We have incredible wealth by the vast majority of the world's standard. This feeling of entitlement drives our fear when we're concerned that our standard of living may vanish before us.

God calls us to seek Him above all else. The last part of this teaching is pretty incredible ... the complete opposite of what we would expect to do during a time of financial hardship (verses 33-34):

“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

Give to those in need?!? We are all storing up treasures. But, what kind? Are your treasures being stored up for yourself out of worry and fear? Or, are you trusting in God? This trust calls us to be hard workers, and sound financial managers so that our needs can be met and so that we can help others in need. If your hearts desire is to bring glory to God, your treasure will be found as you share with others around you.

Invest? In what?!?

2009-02-22T08:02:00.000-08:00

The market is insane. The DJIA is at an 11-year low. People are losing their savings, and their retirement, and other investments. The conditions contribute to fear, insecurity and despair.

Where do you invest? Nothing seems secure.

A picture of the final judgement appears in Matthew 25:31 -46 (NLT). When Jesus returns, he will return in all of his glory, with angels with him, and he will sit on a throne where he will conduct the final judgement of the earth as we know it. Not many like to think about this, but we will all participate. This passage tells us that "all the nations will be gathered in his presence."

I find it interesting that this picture occurs right after the parable of the three servants. The parable begins "the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone." The servants had been entrusted with his money.

Entrust - to commit (something) in trust to; confide, as for care, use, or performance.

There was an expectation that the servants would care for the money by using it and thereby increasing its value. Two of the servants invested the money gathering a return on their investments. The third was fearful and hid the money (a little like sticking cash between the mattress).

The master was thrilled with the results of the servants who received a return. He commended them with "well done." He was angry with the servant who responded in fear and did not increase the value of the money -- in fact, the money was probably devalued. He called this servant, "wicked."

The story does not reveal how the two servants invested the money. This story is a parable -- a practical story with a spiritual meaning. We can find what I believe is the answer to how the investments were managed in the subsequent verses. If we follow the subsequent line of Jesus' message, we find ourselves reading about the final judgement - similar to the master's return in the parable. Just as the master "judged" the servants, Jesus' says he will judge all mankind.

So, what is the measure by which Jesus' judges? For those he receives, he says (v34-36, 40):

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
...
when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

These people invested what they received during their lifetime into others. And, for those who refused to help others, he rejected them saying (v45):

‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

The servants in the parable all received different amounts of money and resources. We're expected to be good stewards of whatever we have received -- both great and small. Invest wisely. Be generous in helping others.

Imprinted Image Redux

2009-02-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

In Genesis 1, as God prepared to create living creatures, he said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds ..." Through this, groupings or species were created among animals. According to science, man is part of the "animal kingdom." Of what kind, did man belong? In Genesis 1:26-27, we find God's answer to that question: "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, ... So God created man in his own image." We were created after God's kind. I am amazed (along with the Psalmist) that God was “mindful of man” and “crowned him with glory and honor.” Wow! This “image” concept is pretty incredible.

Unfortunately, the image of God within us has been marred by our sin and the glory we once held is no longer a reflection of God as it once was. In Romans 3:23, we find that we all "fall short of the glory of God." Can that image be restored? 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us it can, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

As we turn to Christ and place our trust in him, God begins the process of restoring his image and glory in us. A favorite verse of many Christians is Romans 8:28. It is most often quoted during tough times to say that everything will turn out okay for Christians. But, that’s not what the text says. Verse 29 says that he chose us to become like his Son. What he promises in verse 28 is that whatever comes our way, he will use it to conform us into the image of his Son. From a world perspective, things didn’t turn out so well for Jesus – he was outcast, persecuted, and died at the age of 33. But, he did glorify his Father. And God then did this on behalf of his son:

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God's desire is to work in us to restore us into the image of his son so that we can bring him glory. Immediately following the Philippians text above, Paul writes this:

... continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to HIS good purpose.

Our lives, whether we submit to God or not, exists to bring God glory. God raised up Pharaoh (an evil man) for the sole purpose of displaying his (God’s) glory. In Isaiah 43:7, he says that he created us for his glory. Now here’s what’s amazing – looking back at the process in Romans 8, he works in our circumstances to cause these things to work together to conform us into the likeness of his son so that he can be glorified. In verse 30, he says that “he gave them his glory.” As his children, he created us for his glory and then he gave us HIS GLORY so that we could be a reflection of his image. The God of this vast creation gave us HIS GLORY -- wow!

[reference Imprinted Image]

reTHINK Caring

2009-01-30T17:50:00.000-08:00

The term caring is very ambiguous – what does it mean to care?

The story of Paul and Barnabas' argument over John Mark is a primary example. Barnabas was an incredible friend to Paul. He was with him when Paul was called Saul ... from the very beginning of Paul's ministry. Barnabas befriended Paul as Paul started his ministry. Many of the believers were still fearful of Paul because of his notoriety for persecuting Christians. Barnabas was willing to be the one to come alongside Paul to validate that his conversion was geniune and to "open doors" for him among the believers. Barnabas accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey.

Yet, in spite of this strong relationship, this happened (Acts 15:36-41):

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Did Paul not care about Mark? Did Barnabas care more? Both of these men were operating in God's will. Barnabas was an encourager (probably an ENFP :-) with the gifts of encouragement and mercy) and Paul was a leader (probably an ENTJ with the gift of leadership, prophecy, and admonishment). They were friends, but they had different styles and approaches. There was a time while their partnership worked. Yet, in this instance, they were NOT UNITED in the methods concerning dealing with John Mark. But, neither was wrong.

Barnabas focused on his gift and "developed" Mark. Mark ultimately wrote the Gospel of Mark. Paul, on the other hand, focused on his calling, his specific mission, and stayed the course -- strengthening the churches as it reads in the text. Barnabas, an encourager, had accomplished what God had intended with Paul. His gifts were now needed with a younger Mark who was probably discouraged because he had been unable to complete his first trip with Paul and Barnabas. Paul, on the other hand, needed to continue to live out his calling to reach Asia Minor with the good news of Jesus Christ. By his decision, he also underscored the seriousness of a life lived for Christ. Mark would learn the seriousness of living out a calling. Later in his journeys, Paul calls for Mark:

Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. (2 Timothy 4:11 NLT)

Rather than continuing fighting over the issue, they recognized the disunity and moved onto their separate giftedness and calling. God was blessed and honored in both.

reTHINK

2009-01-30T17:32:00.000-08:00

Rethink - to reconsider profoundly or to change one's mind. We grow when we examine our views and our perspectives. Romans 12:2 (NLT) challenges us to rethink:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Our perspective is rarely something that we think about, but often something that influences our decisions and the way we see the world. Our perspectives have been shaped by our families, our environment, our culture, our education, and our traditions. Some are good and shape our thoughts and behaviors consistently with God's plan; others need serious revision. The latter perspectives often become barriers to seeing the way God sees. God challenges us with a completely new perspective:

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my [God’s] ways are higher than your ways and my [God’s] thoughts [are] higher than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9 NLT)

We need to rethink our lives with a renewed mind that only comes from knowing, trusting, and serving God by knowing God, seeing as He sees, and aligning ourselves with His heart. We need to be open to allowing God to transform us by changing the way we think.

My Leader's Credo

2009-01-22T19:34:00.001-08:00

Today, I completed a seminar by Leaders Advantage led by Don Jenkins. I was attending primarily for evaluation purposes. Nevertheless, I approach life as a learner so I focused how I could grow personally from the course.

We were challenged to write our credo for leadership. Credo?!? A form of the word creed, a credo is a formal statement of beliefs and principles.

My attempt is below:

My Leadership Credo

I will strive to be a leader who inspires people to engage in a calling to accomplish the mission while operating consistently within a set of common values and principles.

My actions will be governed within a value system of:

Integrity, where my actions will match my words and I will keep my commitments;
Obedience, where I will be a doer acting in accordance to my beliefs and responsibilities;
Love, because at my core, I am a lover of God and of people;
Gratitude, where I am thankful for both blessings and opportunities in my life;
Passion, as I live with purpose-driven intensity and enthusiasm.

In my daily operations and interactions:

I will communicate openly and honestly;
I will work within the team setting an example with a strong work ethic;
I will be prepared and continue to learn and grow;
I will ensure that we work toward our mission through strategic plans and initiatives; I will encourage feedback and be open and responsive to the communication.

As we work together, I expect us to:

Operate with integrity meaning that we keep our commitments and fulfill our responsibilities;
Know our stuff (be intelligent);
Demonstrate initiative by making things happen and avoiding the trappings of excuses;
Work as a team (interdependent) aligned and committed.

The following actions destroy unity and will hinder the progress toward our mission and will not be acceptable behavior:

Unethical or immoral behavior;
Gossip;
Divisiveness;
Negativity;
Passive resistance.

The priorities of our team will be to achieve our mission, love people, and to agree and act on the methods we put in place to reach our goals.

In interactions with me, you will discover that I sometimes need “alone time” to think, to process, and to plan. If you approach me and I’m unavailable, don’t be offended, but rather leave me a note and I’ll get back to you. Also, in my communication, my energetic or passionate tone may be mistaken for anger. If you notice this in my tone, you have the freedom to interrupt and ask me “to chill.”

I, and we, will make mistakes. We should be willing to discuss our mistakes openly, learn from our mistakes, and encourage one another to resolve the issues and move onward.

Confident in My Calling

2009-01-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

Galatians 1
Some people are engaged in a career -- a job. Others are blessed to be engaged in a vocation -- a calling. All work presents its challenges. Knowing that you've been called helps you to weather them. When operating within your giftedness, in your calling, you will experience joy, passion, and fulfillment.

Paul gives us a clear example. He writes in Galatians 1:

... I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father ...

Knowing his calling, he was extremely sure of his direction and confident in his work. For those who have a calling, it is often surprising to them why others do not "get it." Paul's call was to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, specifically to the people of Asia Minor. In Galatia, many of the people were easily swayed and wandering from the call of God on their life. Paul responds:

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you ...

Paul was "shocked." Doesn't sound like empathy was one of his strong suits :-). Paul was on a mission. He had taught these people. They didn't seem to get it nor have the same resolve. Paul uses firm, candid remarks of admonishment to them. He is not worried about their reaction or pleasing them:

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God ...

Paul knew who he believed in, who had called him, and he was not ashamed. This confidence gave him the ability to persist in speaking the truth boldly ... to run and finish the race.

There may come a time where the landscape for living out your calling changes. Communication with the one who called you (God) will enable you to discern whether you need to persist through the storms (which will inevitably come) or recognize that it's time to fulfill your calling in another place. Paul sought his primary guidance from the one who had called him. In this passage he states:

I did not rush out to consult with any human being ...

Well meaning people won't have the same connection with our calling as we have. There is time for Godly advice, but we must be careful to spend time with God in affirming his will and direction for our life. Paul gives us the example in Galatians 2:2:

I went there [Jerusalem) because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement ...

Paul first followed God and then sought out Godly counsel. Consider your calling. Spend time with God to affirm what he has called you to do. Be confident in passionately pursuing the call on your life running the race as one desiring the prize! In that, you will be able to join Paul as he said:

And they praised God because of me.

Perfect Peace - What is that?

2009-01-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Is this for real? Perfect peace. Not just peace, but perfect peace. Man, I'm not there. You? I have a lot of ups and downs, highs and lows.

Later in this chapter it also reads (verse 7):

... those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

The way I'm walking seems both steep and rough at times, and certainly not smooth.

So, what's wrong with me? Am I not walking in God's way? Am I not righteous?

Pondering these verses I had an epiphany. There is a lot wrong with me. And, I'm certainly not righteous. Nevertheless, God has chosen to use me and has stated that his power is made perfect (there's that word again) in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I believe God has called me for a specific purpose. When I live in that purpose, I'm energized, passionate, and fulfilled. So, what causes the lack of perfect peace and the rough journey.

In the latter part of verse 3, the passage reads "all whose thoughts are fixed on [Him]." My discouragement and difficulties almost always come when I focus on the issues and the reactions of those who are not aligned with the mission or the methods. When challenged by these issues and reactions, the questions always come: Am I doing something wrong? Am I walking in God's will? Do I know what I'm doing?

Verse 8 is the theme for the 268 Generation (http://www.268generation.com/). I'll use their version here which is a merging of several translations:

"Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for you, for your name and your renown are the desires of our souls."

God calls me to be obedient - to walk in His way. When I'm obedient to his call, when I wait on Him and my thoughts are focused on him, there will be perfect peace -- even amidst the storms. The way will be smooth ... not necessarily in the journey, but in my relationship with him. Because this journey isn't about me or how I feel. This journey is about the name and the renown of God.

I find hope in verse 4, "Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock."

Preferences or Truth

2009-01-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

I received the following e-mail from my brother:

Morning Russ,

I was reading a passage in 2 Samuel 6 that read…

NIV
5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

The New King James
5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cistrums, and on cymbals.

…and I thought of you. I’ve heard you talk of the grief people give the church staff on the type of music played or the instruments used. I think you mentioned the above verse to me before.

I think we church goers have a tendency to lose focus of our own duties/service and find things wrong with the way others perform their service. It kind of reminds me of little children in school that are always worried about some other child not doing what the teacher says. And what does the teacher say? You take care of yourself and everything will be OK.

I would think that if our relationship with God is where it should be; he would have us so busy doing his work we wouldn’t have time to find things wrong with others. Nick-picking about music or an earring, I would think requires too much ‘trying to find something wrong’. There is enough ‘real’ trouble in people’s lives (because satan’s attack on the church) without the need to nick-pick.

Any way keep up the good work and stay the course that obviously has been given you by God.

Love you brother,
Pete

I appreciated his words of encouragement. I believe he is revealing a lot of insight and truth regarding the strife in many churches. It’s not that styles of music are right or wrong. However, we make our traditions truth when in reality they are preferences. Ironically, Jesus spent more time confronting the religious leaders of his day than he did in judgment for the lost. They were locked in their traditions. In Luke 11:46, Jesus said:

“Yes, what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden."

We spend way too much time in our churches complaining and arguing about the way things are done and not enough time being creative in thinking of ways to reach a world that is desperately in need of Christ.

That's just the way I am!

2009-01-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Our personalities shape a great deal of how we approach life. The best traits of our personalities can be a powerful tool in accomplishing our goals. Too often, however, our weaknesses hold us back. Most of us don't know how to address those. Rather, we choose to complain about them or ignore them.

Romans 9:19b-23 provides some interesting insights to human nature.

19 ... “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”

In responding to our weaknesses, we often say, "That's just the way I am." We may even blame God because he made us a certain way. What does God say?

20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?

We often talk about a greater purpose for which God made us. However, I also believe that God has specific plans for each of us. For those who know him, he is at work in us (Philippians 1:6). We must learn to embrace how God made us and approach life to be the best that we can be for his purposes. Why? Because God loves us and prepared us in advance so that we could be a part of his story, bringing glory to him in the way we live.

22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.

So, what are some practical ways to view our personality traits. First of all, we should accentuate the positives. Leverage your strengths to have the maximum influence and impact in your life's interactions. One caution, when used inappropriately, a strength can become a weakness. For example, someone who has initiative and likes to take charge can become controlling. We need to be careful to keep the positive a positive.

Second, complement your weaknesses. There are two ways to approach your weaknesses. If you can correct, learn, and improve in an area, do so. Practice. Improve by making things a habit. Don't exhaust yourself in this if the weakness is ingrained.

If it is ingrained, you're best to surround yourself with people or techniques to address the weakness. If you manage details well, but aren't creative. Find people who are creative and benefit from their gifts. If you aren't very organized but have lots of ideas, find people who are administrators.

Third, and probably the most important, pray for strength. Jesus' promise actually states that truth which can turn our weaknesses into our greatest strength (2 Corinthians 12:9):

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Study yourself. Become self-aware. Focus on what you can do well. Rethink your weaknesses. Get help where you need it. Trust in the power of God in your life.

Immunity

2009-01-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

Patty and I enjoy watching NBC's The Biggest Loser. The physical transformations from the beginning to the end of the period is absolutely amazing. Of course the goal is two-fold: 1) lose weight, 2) win the prize money. One of the most cherished short-term gifts is immunity which a team or an individual receives by winning the challenge. If you have immunity, your results in the weigh-in for that week are irrelevant. There is no risk of punishment for that week.

Inside our churches, people often act as if they've been granted or deserve immunity. If we act that way, we're less likely to be seeking the help that we may need or to strive for improvement. We constantly fall back on grace. Don't read me wrong. Grace is the most precious gift we've received and when we accept this gift, we have eternal immunity. On the other hand, the eternal immunity does not shield us from the responsibilities, issues and unfortunate circumstances in our daily journey of life. With an attitude of immunity, we then ignore or miss the opportunity for help and may be in denial regarding the consequences of our decisions and actions.

In an encounter with the Pharisees, Jesus overhead them talking about him to his disciples. They were complaining that Jesus hung out with the less desirable in society - irreligious people, sinners. Jesus responded to them with veiled sarcasm (Mark 2:17 NIV):

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Jesus begins with an analogy. You only need a doctor when you're sick. If you're healthy, you don't need a physicians help. In the same way, Jesus came to help those in need -- those who were sick (sinners) so that is where he was spending his time. The implication in his remark was that he didn't need to spend time with the Pharisees because they were already healthy (righteous).

We know this is a back-handed remark because Jesus himself stated that no one was righteous except God. Another translation lifts the veil in Jesus' remark (Mark 2:17 NLT):

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."

Jesus couldn't help them because they were unwilling to admit they had a need. They acted as if they had immunity.

Even if we've already received Jesus into our life, we still need him. He desires to complete his work in us (Philippians 1:6). As far as circumstances that we encounter or issues in life, the people of the church are not so different from those outside the church. People everywhere experience marriage issues, family strife, addictions, financial struggles, job performance issues, and the list goes on. Jesus tells us that the sun and the rain (circumstances in life) fall on the "just" and the "unjust." We are NOT immune in this physical life. We will face difficulties and the consequences of our actions.

Rather than living as if we have immunity, live everyday as a challenge. Seek help. Strive to improve. And for a bonus, reach beyond yourself to love and help others.

Principled Death

2009-01-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

I saw the movie Valkyrie this past weekend. I am somewhat a student of history so I knew how the movie would end. For this particular moment in history, I also have an emotional connection. My mother-in-law is German. She was 11 years old when WWII started and by the age of 12 she had been forced into labor at the bomb factories. Her family hid a German soldier who had deserted from the Nazis. Many of the German people were against what was happening in their country.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. (Attributed to English philosopher Edmund Burke)

While the people hold some responsibility for the leadership of their country, I'm sure knowing how to respond was a daunting and seemingly hopeless consideration. Some were passive. Others were willing to respond. Nonetheless, there were numerous attempts to assassinate Hitler (some counts as high as forty-two). Those attempting these were standing on principles and core values that were worth risking and ultimately giving their life. I was inspired by their courage in the face of impossible odds.

Jesus challenges us to live for the glory of God and the good news of reconciliation for all mankind:

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. (Mark 8:35 NLT)

Following Christ will cost us something (perhaps even our life), but it's temporary; not following Christ will cost us everything, and that's eternal.

Jesus knew what it meant to die for something. "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13 NLT) He gave up his life for us. Now he offers us eternal life. He defines how to have that life in John 17:3 - And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. He calls us to know him intimately and to make him known. In Acts 1:8, we are called to be his witnesses, to tell his story. Jesus tells us that we bring God glory by completing the work he has called us to do -- living a life of obedience to him (John 17:4).

Through history, we've seen examples of men and women who were willing to give of their life for a cause. Many or most of us will never have to face death because of our faith. However, we should be willing. What greater cause than to be reconciled to our creator so that we can reflect his glory to a world in need.

Expected to Conform

2009-01-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

When a person does not live consistent with societal norms, they are often labeled a rebel. Depending on the perspective, this can be either positive or negative. Jesus did not live up to the expectations of the religious establishment of his day -- and they labeled him.

The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ ...” (Matthew 11:19a NLT)

In this particular instance, the religious norms had distorted God's original intent. The focus of Christ while on earth and his desire for us is to extend his kingdom to bring God glory -- to reach the lost. The religious leaders had searched the scripture and held to the law but had missed the very purpose God had intended and the one he had sent (John 5:39-40). Yet, Jesus' focus was on those who were in need -- lost without him.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10 KJV)

Yet, he met resistance because he operated out of the norm. Scripture describes the resistance as violent:

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. (Matthew 11:12 NLT)

He described the reaction of that generation as being like children whining because no one would play with them:

16 “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 17 ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’ " (Matthew 11:16-17 NLT)

Our purpose here on earth is not about our own agenda, traditions, or norms. Our purpose is to "be HIS witnesses," to go and "make disciples." And, sometimes, that requires us to do things out of the norm, to be creative ... to reach a changing world, culture, and people with an unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus did!

Winning by the rules

2009-01-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

A young friend of mine provided the following words of encouragement describing our relationship as one similar to that of Paul and Timothy (in this particular case, the encouragement was in reverse):

2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ... 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:2,5 NIV)

My young friend writes:

These are Paul's last challenges to Timothy: preach the Word, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. This will be our road map for success. God has called you, gifted you, and will sustain you during your life of ministry. I'm praying hard for you that God will do one of our favorite verses - Eph 3:20-21 - immeasurably more than all we can ask, think or imagine.

As I looked through the rest of the letter from Paul to Timothy, one section particularly stuck out to me:

2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. (2 Timothy 2:2-5 NLT)

My first reaction was … “what rules?” I’m thinking this means that there are no short-cuts. An illustration:

Rosie Ruiz Wins the Boston Marathon
On April 21, 1980 Rosie Ruiz, a 23-year-old New Yorker, was the first woman to cross the finish line in the Boston Marathon. She had achieved the third fastest time ever recorded for a female runner (two hours, thirty-one minutes, and fifty-six seconds), which was made all the more remarkable by the fact that she looked remarkably sweat-free and relaxed as she climbed the winner's podium to accept her wreath. However, race officials almost immediately began to question her victory.The problem was that no one could remember having seen her during the race. Monitors at the various race checkpoints hadn't seen her, nor had any of the other runners. Numerous photographs taken during the race failed to contain any sign of her. Her absence was overwhelming. Finally, a few members of the crowd came forward to reveal that they had seen her jump into the race during its final half-mile. Apparently she had then simply sprinted to the finish line.

I do want things to happen quickly … mainly because of the sense of urgency that I have for our mission. But, God has his timing. He wants to do a great work IN me, AROUND me, and THROUGH me. His ways are higher than my ways; his thoughts are greater than my thoughts (Is. 55:9). Stay the course and persevere ... God is at work.

Embracing Opportunity

2009-01-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

"A leader's legacy is built upon the embracing of opportunity." - Tim DeTellis in The Pearl of Leadership

Our life is brief. From the perspective of human life on earth, much less eternity, our presence is but a hash-mark on the timeline. James 4:14 (NLT) puts it this way:
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.
Therefore, we need to take advantage of every opportunity to accomplish the purposes to which we've been called. When we have the opportunity to do good ... to do what's right ... and we fail to do it, we fall short of God's intent for us. James (4:17 NLT) gets in our face about it -- he calls it sin:
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Because our life is so short, we have little time to be passive. Paul encourages us in both Ephesians (5:16) and in Colossians (4:5) to "make the most of every opportunity."

Don't stress or step into legalism over this but be sensitive to God's prompting in your life. Understand the purposes to which you've been called by spending time with him and seeking his direction in your life. As you're open to his moving in your life, call for him to prompt you when the opportunities are near -- then be faithful in responding. Be bold -- not passive -- step out in faith and make something happen on HIS behalf.

reTHINK opportunities.

Kairos

2009-01-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the "right or opportune moment". The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies "a time in between", a moment of undetermined period of time in which "something" special happens.

In the New Testament, kairos means "the appointed time in the purpose of God", the time when God acts. Are we taking advantage of the opportunities that God places before us.

William Shakespeare wrote:

There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; [but when] omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in the shallows and in miseries ... and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.

As believers, we should be praying for opportunities. We should be sensitive to the opportunities as they arise so that we can capture the moment. Sometimes, it's more than a moment, it sets the course and direction for our lives. We aren't intended to live in misery or in the "shallows." Yet, our decisions often lead us there.

reTHINK the opportunities that are presented in your life. Be passionate about God's purpose for you. Pray for opportunities and be prepared to seize them!!

Do you know where you're going?

2009-01-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

(John 14:1-6; Focus v. 5-6)
How often do you struggle in search of God's will or direction for your life? Do you know where you're going? We often become stressed or frustrated about God's will. We want him to simply boom from heaven with clear specifics. Perhaps, we've made this more complicated than it needs to be. I believe we have because we think this story is about us. We wouldn't say that outright, but deep in our subconcious (or often openly), we do believe it's about us. So, we want to know the direction for us.

As Jesus prepared his disciples for his crucifixion and departure, he stated that he was going somewhere that they could not come ... yet (John 13:31-38). He communicated that they would join him later. They were confused, wanting to know where they were going ... their direction. What's the plan for us?

Jesus communicated to them simply:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 NIV)

This story is not about us. God can use us wherever we are -- finance, technology, ministry, education, and so on -- if we follow him. Sure, we may receive a specific calling. Unfortunately, we so often spend so much time at determining our calling or direction that we're not simply following him. AS we follow him, the direction that he has for us will become more evident. He'll let us know how he wants to use us in his story. But the role we play is not ours to worry about.

26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 "For in him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:26-28a NIV)

He has determined our role. Ours is to simply follow him "for in him we live and move and have our being." Wherever we are, whatever we do, he will use us if we see him as "the Way" and our "Life" and follow him.

reTHINK your life. Live in His story!

Being Great in the New Year

2009-01-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

Society today reinforces success as being first -- in sports, in business, and in life. Jeremy Kingsley, an itinerant speaker, believer and follower of Christ, and friend authored and published a book in 2008 entitled - Be Last: Descending into Greatness. The book is a compelling contrarian view to the world view of our day. Jeremy uses the life and teachings of Christ along with Bible stories and practical examples to show the dangers of putting yourself first and a challenge to a life of being last. It's an easy but challenging read -- a great step to servant leadership.

Note: Reached #10 on Amazon's Best Sellers List under "Christian Living" and #3 on Amazon's Hot New Releases under "Christian Living."

My favorite chapter discussed what amazes Jesus. It really made me think -- Have I done things in my life that have amazed Jesus? Have I done things that have left him bewildered.

I'll join Jeremy as he states in the introduction ... I hope [my life] makes Jesus smile!

His video introduction of the book is below.

You can find the book on Amazon. You can also find out more about Jeremy Kingsley's Onelife Ministries at http://www.jeremykingsley.com/.

reTHINK your life in the New Year and Be Last.

Frustrated and Discouraged

2008-12-31T16:39:00.000-08:00

Do you ever get tired of dealing with people who don't "get it?" Having a high set of expectations for others can quickly lead to frustration and discouragement.

Galatians 6:1-10 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct....
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

I'm reminded of Elijah's "I'm the only one left" conversation with God in 1 Kings 19. Or, Peter's questioning Jesus' about His plans for John and Jesus' response "what is that to you, you must follow me." We can easily get caught up in worrying about what others are doing or discouraged and frustrated because others don't "get it."

In the Galatians passage above, Paul admonishes us to focus on doing good -- or in other words, focus on doing what is right. Recognize that others may struggle and may need our encouragement rather than our judgement. Bring kindness back into your life. It's a lost art. Do what's right. Trust God to take care of everything else. After all, he said that he would build his church. Don't allow yourself to be worn down when you know you're doing what is right. Encourage others, pray for them, and stay focused on doing good regardless of whether those around you get it or not.

Purpose or People?

2008-12-31T16:31:00.000-08:00

(Phil. 3:13-14 )
Purpose or people? It has to be both. The second great commandment is to love people. We can't achieve the goal and leave "bodies in the wake." Yet, many times, the very obstacles to living our purpose is generated by people. Philippians 3 challenges us to press on toward the goal -- be persistent.

... I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13b-14 NLT)

In the midst of rebuilding the wall of Jersualem, Nehemiah encountered obstacles from a group of leaders who opposed him. There is a time when purpose trumps people. In a response to this group, Nehemiah "sent messengers to them with this reply: 'I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?'" (Nehemiah 6:3 NIV).

Love people. Press toward God's purpose in your life. Pray that the people involved or affected are aligned through the work of the Spirit of God. In the end, God's purpose takes precedence!

Connecting through Service

2008-12-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

Barna released details of a recent survey on "American Lifestyles" and their "Compassion and Self-oriented Behaviors." The study states:

"Faith commitments sometimes play a role in what people do - but less often than might be assumed. In comparing the lifestyle choices of born again Christians to the national norms, there were more areas of similarity than distinction. (Note that in Barna surveys, the born again segment is not based upon whether a person uses that label, but based upon their profession of faith in Christ and confession of personal sin.) Born again Christians are more likely to volunteer for their church; however, they are no more likely than average to help the poor and homeless."

How can we apply this in our churches? This implies to me that we can invite the non-churched on our service projects. There seems to be a willingness to "do good" in the community. This can thus become a way to reach people with the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ. Those we are trying to reach may be more likely to accompany us on a trip like this than come to a "Bible study" in our home. Once we build the relationship and see the LIFE of Christ lived out in us, they may be more interested in the Jesus we serve.

Live LOUD!

True Security

2008-12-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

(John 14:1-4)
What do you worry about most -- health, family, home, financial security, being alone? During my life, at one time or another, I've been anxious about each of these. Yeah, I know about Philippians 4:6, but it's easier said than lived. Of these anxieties, I've probably struggled most with security.

As the leader in my home, I've felt a tremendous responsibility of providing security in the form of finances, home, school, etc. Yet, we aren't promised security here. However, we are promised true security. Perhaps, the disciples were struggling with the same thing as Jesus informed him that he would not be with them much longer. He sensed their anxiety of imagining life without him -- the man, the leader, the rabbi, the Messiah who had guided them for 3 years. Jesus responded:

14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-4 NLT)

He calms them first expressing to them that he senses and knows they are anxious. Are we sensitive to the anxieties of those around us or are we too busy thinking about ourselves. After all, Jesus was about to be led to his torture and death -- yet, he was focused on calming them of their worries. Then, he addresses two sources of anxiety -- a place (home) and a person (alone-ness). He promises them a home -- a place where they will spend eternity. He promises them himself -- a togetherness.

When we're anxious, Paul calls us to present our requests to God (Phil. 4:6). In the case with the disciples, Jesus anticipated this request. Like a loving father, he wants us to know that he is working in our lives to conform us to his image. He cares for us. We don't need to worry about our circumstances, but rather seek his presence no matter what we're going through.

This anxiousness is still present in me. However, I know the promise of God and "[I'm] confident of this, that he who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)

Live Loud!

No place to practice but at sea!

2008-12-29T15:02:00.000-08:00

From the Naval War College Review Autumn 1987 Issue in reference to routines for a new aircraft on an aircraft carrier:

There were no books on the integration of this new "hardware" into existing routines and no other place to practice it but at sea; it was all learned on the job. Moreover, little of the process was written down, so that the ship in operation is the only reliable "manual."

This past Sunday, Pastor Don used the analogy of an aircraft carrier to describe the transition that we need to make as a church. As the Captain of the ship, Don receives his mission from the Commander in Chief (God). As people of the church, if we're on the aircraft carrier, we have a job to perform -- each of us have our spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-7) and as members of the family of God, we each have responsibilities to use those gifts (Romans 12:1-8).

In the use of our gifts, the best place to practice is "at sea" -- in the church, in our community. God has told us as stewards, we are required to be faithful. As crew, let's accept the challenge of our mission.

Live LOUD!

My Ebenezer

2008-12-29T14:55:00.000-08:00

"Come thou Fount"
The song often causes me to reflect on God's goodness and the blessings of life. I am in awe of his goodness ... his kindness is everlasting.

Here I raise my Ebenezer ...

(1 Samuel 7:12): Thus far, the Lord has helped [me].

We can't always see or understand what God is doing in our lives. As I faced the trials and decision points in my life, the way was almost never crystal clear. I often didn't understand the work that God was trying to do in my life. Yet, I trusted him. In looking back, the presence of God in the guiding of my steps was clear. Even when I made mistakes, he was there to work in the circumstances to bring about what was best for me in bringing me closer to him.

And, you know what's really cool. While the past provides assurance, the future holds the promise. I stand on the promise of my favorite verse:

Being confident of this very thing, that he [who has] begun a good work in [me] will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6 KJV)

God is good ... all the time.

A Father's Influence

2008-12-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

As a father, I think often about the impact that I have (and have had) on the lives of my children. When they were young, my children bought me a coffee cup (actually their mom bought it for them for me :-)). Written on the cup was the following Bible verse (Proverbs 20:7 NKJV):

The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

I have tried to live with that verse in mind. Two key words in my life have been a) passion and b) integrity. I've mentioned that I want them on my headstone :-).

I was reading through Proverbs recently and came across something I had never noticed before. I've read Proverbs many times and I'm constantly amazed at how God's Word comes alive at just the right time and new truths are revealed to me as my eyes are opened.

Read the following about an incredible influence of a father -- King David.

Proverbs 4: Wisdom is Supreme (NIV) - By Solomon (David's son)
1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

The entire chapter is a continuation of this instruction from David to Solomon. I thought this was a great example of a legacy where David poured into his son, Solomon. Then when asked by God what he desired, Solomon chose what? -- he chose wisdom. He could have chosen anything, but he chose wisdom.

Pour into your children. Model the lifestyle you want them to lead. Allow them to learn from your experiences. They will hear you. Live LOUD!

For Our Benefit

2008-12-28T13:33:00.000-08:00

(John 12:47-50)
Left to our own tendencies we're likely to destroy ourselves. One excuse for not following Christ is the attraction to our lifestyle -- we don't want to "give up" certain aspects of our life. The reality is that "our way" more often leads to frustration or destruction.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12 NIV)

After Jesus' "triumphal" entry into Jerusalem, many people were following him because of the miracles he had performed. Of those, some believed, but many still did not. Jesus had this response:
As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. (John 12:47 NIV)
Jesus came for our benefit -- to "save" us or to restore us to the intended relationship with God. If we pay attention and live by what he has said, we benefit. He did not come to deprive us of life but to provide us with life -- abundantly (John 10:10).

At the close of his "sermon on the mount" in Matthew 7, he gives the analogy of two builders. The wise builder is portrayed as someone who follows the teachings of Christ. The foolish builder ignores Christ. Both encounter the storms of life, but the wise builder is able to withstand those storms. God knows what is best for us. His pattern for living and the gift of Christ through which it comes is for our benefit. In John 12, Jesus follows with these words:

I know that his [God's] command leads to eternal life. (John 12:50a NIV)

There will come a time when we will face the consequences of our lifestyle or in our rejection of Jesus Christ (John 12:48), but that was not why Jesus came as one of us. He came to save -- he came for our benefit.

As we reach out to others with the good news of Christ, our focus needs to be for their benefit as well -- not a focus on judgement. People we encounter certainly need to grasp the ultimate consequence of their decisions, but we should love them first. Allowing Christ to love them through us will put him on display in a way that provides the opportunity for them to see and hopefully believe in him. Reach out to love, not to judge.

The Full Extent

2008-12-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

(John 13:1-17)

... Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. John 13:1 (NIV)

At the final gathering of his disciples before his crucifixion, Jesus could have done anything to communicate his purpose. He could have given a speech. He could have offered a toast. He could have distributed gifts. He could have done whatever people did in those days before there were home movies or picture slide shows. Rather, he chose to take on the form of the lowliest servant and wash his disciples feet. This is the perfect example of servant leadership.

The disciples had argued about greatness. Jesus had communicated a new view on greatness:

"... whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven." Matthew 18:4
"... For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest." Luke 9:48

"... the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules
like the one who serves." Luke 22:26

When asked about the greatest commandment, he replied loving God and loving others. He desperately wanted them to understand his purpose -- his servanthood, his act of love, his sacrifice.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John 13:12-16 (NIV)

During the last presidential campaign, Mike Huckabee spoke to our church. He referenced the use of the word "sacrifice" often in our churches when referencing giving or giving up something. But, in reality, this is often not more than an inconvenience. Jesus demonstrated true love and sacrifice in the act of servanthood and in the ultimate act of giving of himself - his life. We often complain when we're simply made uncomfortable. In this demonstration of service before his crucifixion, he asked that we follow his example. He closes with a promise that we'll be blessed:

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:17 (NIV)

May we step out of our convenience, our comfort zones, and be Christ to the world.

A Sad Commentary

2008-12-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

I recently heard an old message given by Erwin McManus at Catalyst 2004 and he asserted one reason that people are not attracted to our churches or more importantly our God. The statement (not an exact quote since I'm writing it from memory, but it's close):

People see many secular organizations doing more without a God than our churches do with God.

Too often our churches become a secluded, club for our own benefit. We are called to be salt and light to the world -- our community. Our actions, our lives display God. Live Loud for Him!!!

I hope you get your due. NOT!

2008-12-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

God had called Jonah to go to Nineveh. Why Nineveh? They were an idolatrous people – why not leave them to their fate and destruction. But it is not Jonah's place nor ours to judge. God calls Jonah and us to love and to be obedient. Yes, Jonah was being called to preach to them, to pull them to a point of conviction and repentance. But, he was to do it with the love from God which would lead them to repentance.

As Jonah ran, God brought discipline in the form of storms and later a great fish to swallow him. Imagine the utter disgusting environment – the stomach of a fish. Sometimes, the struggles we are experiencing are created by our resistance of God's will for our lives. As Jonah recognized his plight, he wrote (chapter 2):

8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. 9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."

Jonah recognizes that the people of Nineveh are missing out on God’s grace. We all are recipient of God’s grace. Yet, the people of Nineveh had forfeited theirs. Unfortunately, Jonah seemed to have forgotten that he too was a recipient of God’s grace. His desire was for God to give the people of Nineveh what they deserved. Aren’t we glad we don’t receive what we deserve? In the stomach of the fish, Jonah realizes that God’s grace is not his to distribute. He is called to obedience. In this state, he decides to obey.

Yet the attitude of Jonah had not been fully adjusted. He brought the message of God to the people of Nineveh. They responded to the message and God responded to their repentance (chapter 3):

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah was livid! God showed mercy on these people and they didn’t deserve it! He ran away to pout. How could God forgive them? They were evil and idolatrous people. Do we do this? Do we wish that certain people would get their due?

As Jonah pouted, he sat around watching to see if the people would fail so that God would bring judgment. He seemed to be waiting for the chance to say, I told you so. As he pouted, God provided him with a vine for shade and comfort. Just as Jonah was feeling refreshed from the vine, God removed it and Jonah felt the full brunt of the heat of the day. Jonah complained about the loss of the vine. The book of Jonah ends with a telling response from God (chapter 4):

10 But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

Just as God had created the vine, he had created these people as well. He loved these people. His desire was to see his relationship with them restored. Jonah cared more about the vine than he did these people -- God's creation. People are lost without Christ. Without his Spirit to help them, they are doomed. Even people with Christ struggle, and are in need of forgiveness, grace, and mercy. We all have been recipients of God’s grace and forgiveness. We should be willing to administer that grace to others because we love God and we love people.

A similar story occurs in Matthew 18:21-35. A servant who owed a great debt received mercy and forgiveness of the debt from his master. Yet, when the man had the opportunity to forgive the debt of his servant, he chose rather to throw his servant in jail. Upon hearing this, the master rebuked the man:

'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you
begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had
on you?'

This man and Jonah missed the point of grace. Yes, there are times when we need to confront evil and expect repentance. However, as we confront, the desire should be for restoration. We should pray and hope for restoration, not hope that others “get their due.”

May we be grateful for God’s grace to us, and be overjoyed in administering his grace to others.

Really?

2008-12-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

(John 13:33, 36-38)
Many of us would like to think that we are bold for Christ ... that if we were to encounter difficulty or conflict, we would stand for him. On the night that Jesus was to be betrayed, he informed his disciples that he would be going away and that they could not follow him ... at that time. They would be able to follow him again ... later.

33 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." (John 13:33, 36 NIV)

Peter wanted to follow then. His response implied total commitment:

Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
(John 13:37 NIV)

Peter had been with the Christ for 3 years. He did love Jesus and I truly believe he wanted to follow him and in his mind, he was ready to lay down his life. In the garden, when confronted by the soldiers who had come to take Jesus, he was the one to draw his blade to protect Christ. This did demonstrate a willingness, to some extent, to die. However, this statement and his "fight" in the garden, was a rash response. Peter was not prepared. He was responding out of his own power. Ultimately, he failed and denied Christ as a result.

Jesus did not tell the disciples that they could not follow him ever. He said that they could not follow him "now" ... then, at that moment. What Jesus was about to experience required divine power! The disciples did not yet possess that power. To Peter's rash response, Jesus replied:

Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!" (John 13:38 NIV)

We sing "all to thee my blessed savior." Really? Have we really laid it all out there for Jesus? The truth is that we struggle following Christ. We're a lot like Peter. We want to. We rationalize in our minds that we will or can. Nevertheless, we fall so short ... constantly.

Peter ultimately did give up his life for Christ. What was the difference? In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised us the power that he had to help us to follow him.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

For anything that we do, we need to ensure that we have and are relying on the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives for clarity, for courage, and for commitment. Even then, because of our humanity, we will fall short of accomplishing all that God has for us. In Romans 7, Paul describes this struggle -- the battle over doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.

Thank God for his grace and mercy. Have the passion to follow Christ through the power of his Spirit. But, don't beat yourself up when you fail. Be "prayed up" before you take on your day. We need his power to live for him. He will help us to do just that.

It's all about us?!?

2008-12-22T14:48:00.000-08:00

(John 12:12-19)
I never really noticed that Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem came so closely on the heals of his miracle of raising Lazarus' from the dead. Verses 17-18 explain a lot:

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. (John 12:17-18 NIV)

Just as previously at Lazarus' home, many people were coming to see the man who had performed this miracle. The term "hosanna" was originally a cry used to appeal to God for deliverance. Because of all Jesus' had done, the people believed that he could free them from their oppression from Rome or from the struggles of their lives.They credited Jesus as coming from God, but in the context of a political or social deliverer, not a spiritual Savior.

... "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" (John 12:13 NIV)

This response is similar to the blind man that was healed when he said, "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:33 NIV) No one knew Christ's true purpose because it had not yet been fully revealed. Even the disciples struggled:

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. (John 12:16 NIV)

People flocked to Jesus because of what he could do for them. The disciples, caught up in the excitement, missed the meaning and the fast turn of events that was about to come upon them.
As we put Christ on display or present Him to others, some will want to know more. Most will be attracted because of what he has done or can do for them. That's okay. It's been that way since the beginning of time. We believe it's always about us! As followers of Christ, when people do come to investigate Christ, we need to come alongside to present the "why." We can't become so caught up in the excitement of our programs, or events that we lose the opportunity to share Christ not as a social deliverer, but as a Savior. As I heard in a message by Matt Chandler, "we don't follow Jesus because he makes life better; we follow Jesus because he is better than life."

We would like to see Jesus.

2008-12-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

(John 12:20-26)
The city was active with people present for the rituals and festivities. Some were there for worship, others for conducting business. Perhaps this was the setting so that the disciples could see that Jesus had come for everyone -- not just the Jews. In this setting, Philip was approached by Greeks who were present: "We would like to see Jesus."

Whether there was a subsequent conversation with the Greeks or whether they were actually taken to Jesus is not revealed in this passage. I believe the focus at this point is on Philip. It's as if he is being prepared for a specific purpose later in his ministry. In this encounter with the Greeks, Philip leaves to find Andrew. It's as if he just leaves the Greeks alone. Philip was always running to tell a friend or to bring a friend along. When Philip first encountered Jesus, he left to find Nathanael to tell him. When Nathanael questioned him, he responded, "come and see." I used to think solely that Philip was relational -- that he wanted to "tell somebody." Is there another perspective? Did he lack confidence in sharing with strangers? Did he need the comfort of a friend around him? Did he want to make sure he was doing the right thing by checking with a friend?

After finding Andrew, Philip brought him along to tell Jesus of the encounter with the Greeks. Jesus responded:

24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:24-26 NIV)

This response gives us a picture that our lives must be turned completely over to him. We will experience pain, struggles, and difficulties for the cause of Christ. We don't know exactly how Jesus was working in the lives of each of the disciples in preparing them for his work after his death and resurrection. We do know that he works in our circumstances to prepare us for his will for us (Romans 8:28). Fast forward to the early church. As the church was scattered because of persecution, we find Philip coming upon an Ethiopian. Alone, he eagerly shares the good news of Jesus Christ.

What is God preparing you for?

From Troubled Heart to God's Glory

2008-12-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

(John 12:27-30)
When we're facing difficult times and have a troubled heart, what do we generally think about or where do we place our focus. One, we may focus on ourselves wondering why this had to happen to us or thinking about whether the circumstance was fair. Two, we may focus on the circumstance itself thinking about how big or bad the problem is. Or, we may simply fall into despair because we don't understand or see any possible successful solution to the issue.

Jesus was faced with this scenario:

27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. (John 12:27-30 NIV)

Notice how he responded. Should he cry to be saved? Isn't this our first thought? Often, yes. But, no, he faced his circumstance and asked for God to be glorified in it. He accepted God's purpose for him regardless of the pain and suffering he would endure. Jesus' was on earth to bring God glory by being redemption for man. As he called for his Father to be glorified, he was accepting his purpose to be our Redeemer, our Savior. God responded so that all could hear. God responded not by saving Jesus from the circumstance he faced, but by proclaiming that Jesus' had and would glorify God by being obedient. Jesus says this was for our benefit. From this, we know that Christ put the glory of God first. We are expected to do the same.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV)

God has determined our steps. Our purpose is to seek him and to find him. As we accept his Son and live for him, we bring him glory.

26 ... [God] determined the times set for [man] and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' ... (Acts 17:26-28 NIV)

"In HIM, we live and move and have our being." When you encounter pain or difficulty in your life, learn to trust God and ask Him to glorify His name. It doesn't mean that it won't hurt, or that we won't be sad. It does mean that in so doing, we'll be seeking to fulfill our purpose of glorifying God. And, those who witness our response will see God on display in our lives. Maybe we'll have the opportunity to share with them. And, maybe they will reach out for him and find him.

God bless.

Christ on Display

2008-12-21T14:33:00.000-08:00

(John 12:32-36)
During the Christmas season, we will be given fresh opportunities to put Christ on display. The busy-ness of the season can strain nerves, patience, and attitudes. How we respond in traffic, standing in line at checkout, or sitting at the restaurant table will leave an impression.Though he was referring to his death on the cross in John 12:32, there is application to us today. Jesus said:

12:32 (NIV) But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.

Christ was crucified, put on display, for all to see. The symbol of the cross is found around our necks, in photos, and as grave markers. In this gracious act of sacrifice, he paid the price for our sins. His life displayed how we should relate to God, and to others. His death displayed his love and his desire for the restoration of the relationship between God and mankind. This love, this sacrifice will draw people to him.

We have the opportunity to put Christ on display every day. Particularly, in this time of year, our responses to our circumstances and our relating to others will put Christ on display and make an impression on those we come in contact with. In verses 35 and 36, Christ tells the people to choose the light while he is available, because we will not always have the light with us. Displaying Christ to others is an urgent matter. May our lives show it and may our voices share it so that others will be drawn to him.

Merry Christmas.

What will it take?

2008-12-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

(John 12:37-46)
As we brave the malls or search online for that perfect gift, we're often apprehensive. Will the recipient like the gift? Will the product accomplish what the advertisement claims? Often we want to touch it or experience it to make sure.

We often are the same way about our faith. Yet, many times in scripture we're shown that by it's very definition, faith is the result of a condition of the heart, not a result of our experiences. As Jesus neared the end of his ministry, he had accomplished many miracles. Throngs of people followed him to see and experience the miracles. Sadly, for many, the experience wasn't fulfilling and didn't lead to a change in the heart. Even after many had witnessed a dead man's resurrection (Lazarus), they did not believe.

(37) Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

Why? While experiences sometimes help to confirm our faith, faith has to originate out of an outcropping of a changed heart. And, only God can change our heart:

(38) This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (39) For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: (40) "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them."

Previously, in this chapter, Christ communicates that he will draw us to him. His miracles didn't do it. Our experiences won't do it. Even after we're drawn to him, our perspective sometimes confuses us and we miss him. We may be concerned about what others think of us:

(42) ... they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;(43) for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

How tragic that we'd miss the most important relationship out of fear of where we stand among others. Or, maybe we're addicted to our experiences and we don't want to give up those. Or, maybe we value our possessions too much. Our perspective is clouded by our limited view. God's desire is for us to be able to "see." Let it be our prayer that God will reveal himself to us, that he will change our heart so that we will be able to see him, to desire to know him, and to have him permeate all that we are, all that we say, and all that we do.

Casting stones

2008-12-20T05:22:00.000-08:00

(John 8:1-11)
As I've gotten older, I've learned to be more understanding of people. As a cadet at the Air Force Academy, one of the statistics that was communicated to us was that cadets lacked empathy -- in general terms, that's the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and understand their situation. This condition comes from a personal ability to overcome obstacles leading to no sympathy for others who cannot or who struggle.

We all have our breaking point. I've learned this the hard way. I've also learned that all that I have is because God has been gracious not because of my own merit but because he has chosen to be gracious.

In John 8, the Pharisees apparently suffered from the same condition as the cadets. They had brought an adulterous woman before Jesus. You could hear it in their tone. They focused on the sin and the punishment -- not on mercy or restoration.

Jesus' response in this situation points to what we all know deep down. We are not worthy. We place a relativity on sin. We don't think about our breaking point or may have never experienced it. Nevertheless, we all have sin. We have all fallen short. Why not focus on the individual rather than the sin. Why not extend a little mercy ... and grace as it as been extended to us.

Seemlingly ignoring the crowd of accusers, Jesus kneeled to write on the ground. We don't know what Jesus wrote, but I agree with what I've heard others speculate -- that he was writing various sins in the dirt; the sins that were a part of the Pharisees lives that they had thought they had tucked away and hidden.

After the crowd was convicted and left the scene, Jesus' message to the woman shows where he was focused:

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:11b NIV)

He was not focused on her sin, but on her lifestyle. She needed Christ. We all need him. Without him, we all fall short. Jesus didn't need to condemn her. John 3 says that we're already condemned. It's those who recognize that, and their need of Jesus who are prepared to believe in him. For those who then believe and commit their lives to him, we are no longer condemned, but redeemed.

Everyone struggles. God's grace may have placed you in a life of success with little in the way of troubled circumstances. Nonetheless, under the microscope, we all fall short. Learn to focus on relationships and a desire to redeem people unto Christ.

Gate-Way

2008-12-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

(John 10)
What's in a name? I don't know that our church (Gateway Baptist Church) has a church verse or verses, but if we did John 10: 7, 9-10 (NIV) would certainly be a candidate.

10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 10:9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10:10 ... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Our goal is to point people to Jesus Christ - the Gate, the Way. First of all, there is only one way to restore our relationship with God -- through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the authority; he has authority. He bought us with his life and he rose again so that we would have life.

Secondly, as his sheep, Jesus wants his sheep to be focused on him. We are to be focused on where he leads and on his voice, not distracted by "strangers" that try to lead us astray. In this passage he cautions us against those who pose as sheep but are not. These people are focused on themselves interested in what they can obtain -- "stealing" from the church and causing disruption and disunity. Ironically, Satan most often uses those "within the camp" to cause disruption and disunity. Thus, Paul's urging throughout his epistles regarding unity in the church.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV)
Jesus himself declared that our unity would be a witness to the world. In one of his final prayers, he prayed for us to live in unity (John 17:23).

Know that Jesus loves us so much and he cares about the abundance of our life. He came so that we can experience life to the full. As his sheep, we will have a full and abundant life if we follow his voice and follow where he leads.

The Resurrection and The Life

2008-12-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

(John 11)
Romans 8 tells those of us who believe that in all of our circumstances, God is at work to bring about what is best for us. It is so easy to become focused on our losses, our frustrations, and disappointments. Yet, God works in these circumstances to grow us and to have his glory revealed in and through us to others.

When Lazarus fell ill, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus. It took a day or so for the message to get to Jesus. Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death." The irony of the statement is that death did occur -- it just didn't end there. We see God's sovereignty at work again in our circumstances -- "it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." At the end of the story, we see that "many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him."

Jesus knew what the outcome would be. He knows the outcome in our circumstances as well -- yet, our faith (or lack of it) leads to anxiety, worry, and frustration. Jesus purposefully arrived late to reveal the glory and grace of God in action. We see his compassion as he wept along with his friends over the loss of their loved one. I also believe he wept because in their sadness he saw that they had not fully grasped who he was. Strange that Martha's comment to Jesus seems so full of faith, yet even she did not grasp the fullness of her words, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."Jesus' response was taken somewhat superficially. He said, "Your brother will rise again." Martha took this as a promise of the resurrection at the last day. Then we see one of my favorite verses in scripture, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

When we believe in Jesus, we are raised to new life. Yet, it doesn't end there. We have the opportunity to live life to the full (John 10:10). Jesus wants us to be free from anxiety and worry. We will face trials, trouble, and other difficulties. Yet, in all circumstances, he is working to bring about what is best for us. "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." Remove the grave clothes of worry, doubt, fear, and anxiety and live life to the full.

The Truth Comes Out

2008-12-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

(John 11:45-57)
When "Christians" hide behind godliness in order to further their own agenda, it is truly tragic. Jesus referred to the Pharisees who were guilty of this as hypocrites and vipers. They often brought up the law of God as if they were trying to protect it. Their true colors are revealed in John 11:47b-48(NIV):

"What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him,
and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

They weren't so concerned for the truth of God as they were their "place and nation." It was all about them and what they would lose. Unfortunately, many of us live today as if the church is for us. How tragic! Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. As New Testament churches, that should be our mission as well.

God's Glory First

2008-12-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

(John 12:1-10 NIV)
God's desire is that he receive glory. His created all things to worship him. When we focus on working for him, serving him, or serving others without the priority of glorifying him, we often become discouraged, frustrated or even bitter.

A group had gathered in Bethany at Lazarus' home. Many had come to see Lazarus (a dead man made alive). All had come to see Jesus, the one who had raised him from the dead. Only one truly grasped the person of Jesus.

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the
fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:3)

This was the same Mary who had worshiped Jesus in Luke 10. There Jesus had said, "There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her." Again, Mary, when in Jesus' presence was focused on him. Martha, bless her heart, certainly loved Jesus, but just as in Luke 10, in this story, she was again busy serving. We are called to serve. But, we are called to love God first. Perhaps, our priority is what leads to our weariness or discouragement.

Then, there's Judas, supposedly worried about the poor. When Judas' berated Mary's actions, Jesus quickly responded, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” We discover in this that Judas' was focused on material things and personal position. He was not at all focused on the person of Christ. Ironically, we have the poor with us always because as a church we haven't responded to their need. Jesus knew that Judas, if he had the money from the perfume, would squander it. Perhaps, we're not blessed because he knows the same of us.

In Jesus' final prayer before his crucifixion (John 17), we discover his "work."

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are ours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.

Some form of glory to God is mentioned six times in this portion of his prayer. Amazingly, as Jesus prayed for his disciples -- and for us -- he prays that HE is glorified in us. That is our calling -- to bring glory to God; to point the world to Him. Serving, meeting the needs of the poor, and all manner of good works should be results of our love for God. But, let's make sure we have the priorities in order. Love God first. Glorify him first. Seek him first. And from this, display Him to the world through how we live for Him and for others.

Predicando de Christo al mundo!

2008-12-17T17:36:00.000-08:00

"Preach Christ to the world" was written on the signage outside of a church (Iglesia de Evangelica) in Costa Rica. From July 15 through July 31 (2007) a team of students, youth staff, and volunteer adults traveled to Costa Rica for an experience in sharing Christ. The trip was divided into two groups: a high school team and a middle school team. Three members of the youth staff and several (~7) high school students were in Costa Rica for the entire 17 days. The high school team was in Costa Rica from the 17th through the 25th and the middle school team was there from the 23rd to the 31st.God was glorified and manifested his power and authority throughout this trip. There were 754 professions of faith -- praise God! The mission team truly lived out our LIFE purposes:

Living for others:
We picked up trash around the parks and communities.
We painted a park bench.
We held youth events.
We held 4 afternoon Bible schools averaging about 200 in attendance.
Inviting others to LIFE in Christ:
Our youth played soccer with the local youth and shared their faith after the games resulting in a number of those praying to receive Christ.
We went from house to house in local communities sharing about our trip and the good news of God and his son, Jesus Christ. We partnered with the local churches by providing names of those who prayed to receive Christ so that they could be discipled by the local church.
At each of the events, we took the opportunity to share our faith.
We had 4 students on the trip become convicted of their own need for Christ as they shared with others. These 4 prayed to receive Christ during the trip.
Following the teachings of God's Word:
"Go, and make disciples ..." Our youth and volunteers overcame anxiety and fear sharing their faith with excitement and boldness. The harvest was incredible as God demonstrated his power.
We spent our mornings in quiet time reflected on our experiences and in prayer for the day.
We became servants enduring rain, heat, sweat, illness, and hard work focused on ministering and sharing with the people of Costa Rica.
Exalting God above All:
Worship was awesome. We spent time together in song and in the study of God's word.
We worshipped with the local churches. What an awesome time of connecting with family members of a different culture.

We partnered with Open Eyes Ministries for this mission experience. Open Eyes director, Terry Dupont, has a heart for Central America. His focus is on equipping the local churches to accomplish their mission locally. He is well staffed with young missionaries from Costa Rica who managed our time, activities, provided interpreters, etc. Their personal stories blessed us. God is at work in their lives as they reach their countrymen and neighbors with the love of Christ.

What an awesome time!

Serving

2008-12-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

One of the books I read this past year was The Volunteer Revolution by Bill Hybels. In the book, Steve Sjogren was quoted:

"We love, serve, and care for others because that is normal behavior for people who are filled with God's Spirit. We are Christians. Christ was the ultimate servant. We can't help but serve because the Spirit of the Servant has filled our hearts. When we serve, we are just being who we naturally are."

That should be true of us. But more often than not, we're like the disciples in Matthew 18 asking, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" We're conditioned to be concerned about greatness -- to be competitive.

The irony is that the very thing that will make us great is counterintuitive. Jesus communicates this to them later in Matthew 20, "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."

In Ephesians 6:7, we find out how to serve. "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men ..." Our lives are about bringing glory to God. He asks us to do this by serving him. And, when we serve others, we do so as if we're serving Him ... or at least, that's the way it should be. Jesus confirms this in Matthew 25, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

God understands us. For our competitive nature, he constantly gives us motivational objectives. Scripture contains numerous references to rewards for those who overcome, e.g., crowns, blessings, and even sitting on His throne! Furthermore, apart from these, what's in it for us?

"'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.'"

One hundred times! That's a very good return on our investment in His kingdom. Are you still struggling with the concept of greatness? Have the same attitude as Jesus Christ, considering others more important than yourself, worthy of your sacrifice so that you may show the love of Christ -- through acts of love ... acts of service.

Blindness - a paradox

2008-12-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

(John 9)
Knowlege is often synonymous with enlightenment, light, or sight. The miracle of Jesus giving the blind man his sight in John 9 provides an example of when knowledge produces blindness.

Jesus indicated that the blind man was in his state so that the glory of God might be revealed. Okay, I have to go down two rabbit trails for a moment. First, the disciples felt that the man was blind because of some sin in his life. We need to understand that "the rain falls on the just and the unjust." (Matthew 5:45) We spend way to much time assuming the negative rather than recognizing God's blessing, or mercy in our own lives. A lot of "bad things" exist because of original sin (fall of creation) -- not personal sin. We are blessed if we aren't recipients of those things.

Secondly, and following from this, God is sovereign. He will "have mercy on whom [he has] mercy, and [he] will have compassion on whom [he has] compassion." (Romans 9:15) Jesus chose this man in order to put God on display.

Unlike the cripple man by the pool in John 5, this man had a completely different spirit. The cripple deflected the approach of the Pharisees away from himself and toward Jesus. The blind man, on the other hand, was bold in defending Jesus. He replied to their confrontation with facts -- "I was blind but now I see" -- and, faith -- "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." His faith had made him whole.

Note the reaction of the learned Pharisees -- "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" They were condescending and unwilling to recognize how this miracle had occurred.

Jesus' lesson on true blindness follows in the passage. Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into the world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

"the blind will see" -- Note the blind man's conversation with Jesus. In response to Jesus' question of belief in "the Son of Man," the man responds "Lord, I believe." The scripture follows that the man worshiped him - a true response of faith. He was in a state of blindness without Christ and he recognized that. Acknowledging that he needed Christ opened his eyes to true sight.

"those who see will become blind" -- Contrast the response of the Pharisees. They arrogantly replied, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus' answer to their question is very telling and convicting -- "now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." The Pharisees, in contrast to the blind man, didn't see their need. They were knowledgeable -- reference "how dare you lecture us" attitude previously. In an earlier chapter of John, Jesus confronted them with their diligently searching the scriptures because in them they believed that they would have eternal life, yet they missed the very presence of God in front of them. They were blind.

God certainly commands us to study scripture. Yet, we should be very careful in thinking we know it all. We have to remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Spend time in prayer. Pray with the psalmist in Psalm 119:18 that our eyes are opened so that we can see the wonderful things in his law. Don't be blind to God's Spirit moving in your life.

Blinded by Knowledge

2008-12-16T05:35:00.000-08:00

Karl Marx referred to religion as the "opium of the people." In the case of the Jewish leaders of Jesus' day, he may have been right. As a mass of people began to follow Jesus and to respond to his teachings, the Pharisees sent out temple guards to arrest Jesus. When the guards returned empty-handed, the following dialogue ensues (John 7:45-47 NIV):

... the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"
"No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.
"You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted.

Apparently as the guards awaited the opportune time to arrest Jesus, they listened to him. As they did, they were captured by his words and his teachings. When we encounter Jesus, we can't help but be captured by his words. As he taught in chapters 6 and 7, they are the very bread of life.

Note the Pharisees response as the dialogue continues (John 7:48-49 NIV):

"Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them."

Paraphrasing, only the ignorant are accepting him.

In 1 Corinthians 8:1, we find that knowledge puffs up. The Pharisees had become blinded by their own knowledge. The study of the law became their "opium" and resulted in them deceiving themselves. Knowledge itself is not wrong. (It's kind of like the cautions against wealth.) It's what we do with it. The Pharisees knew the law and knew of God ... yet they missed the very promise and manifestation of God's Word. How tragic? Be cautious of being caught up in knowledge or tradition or your own way. God, through Jesus Christ, wants to give us a new mind, and a new heart. Be still and know that He is God.

When does the study of scripture cause issues?

2008-12-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

(John 5:16-47 )
The study of scripture is not the goal, but rather God's living communication to result in a heart renewed and a life transformed. After the healing of the invalid by the pool, the Jews persisted in tracking Jesus and confronting him about his "work" on the Sabbath. The scripture in fact states that they "persecuted him." (John 5:16) Jesus responded with a response similar to his response to his parents when they confronted him for leaving their traveling company for the temple at age 12 being about his Father's business -- "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." Jesus was singular in focus -- to finish the work God had sent him to do. During his prayer in Gethsemane, he stated:

I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. (John 17:4)

To these who would persecute him and desire to kill him, he boldly communicated this purpose:

... I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will. (John 5:30)

The Jews were God's chosen people who loved to study the scriptures, but sadly had lost the reason for their study. What Jesus says to them in John 5:39-40 (NLT) is a sad commentary on their life:

You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

The study of scripture is important, but only as it reveals Jesus to us -- the scriptures testify about him -- and, then transforms us into a life for him. In Corinthians, Paul says that "knowledge puffs up." (1 Corinthians 8:1 NIV) The pharisees had been puffed up by their knowledge. They had developed pride in what they knew. Pride leads to destruction. (Proverbs 16:18)

Jesus came to renew us, to transform us. Our mind should be the same as that of Christ; we should be becoming more like Christ; our lives should evidence his presence because we live according to his purpose which is to do the will of the Father. Scripture reveals to us Jesus and the will of the Father.If you're studying it, but not living it, you're missing the point.

I need someone to take care of me!

2008-12-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

(John 6:14-29)
Our government is spending almost 3 trillion - trillion!!! - per year for its operating budget. It seems to be universal that people have an expectation that someone or some entity will take care of them. The people of Israel clamored for a king so they could be like everyone else. God told Samuel (1 Samuel 8) to "warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." He warned them about servitude, taxes, and other forms of oppression. Yet the people persisted. We may be a different generation but, as a people, we exhibit the same desire.

[Disclaimer: The point of this is not to be anti-government. Government serves a purpose and has been placed in authority by God. The purpose is to talk about our unhealthy dependency as warned about in scripture.]

In John 6, immediately after Jesus' feeding of the 5000, Jesus withdrew to a mountain hiding place to avoid the people who were wanting to make him king. They saw Jesus as an earthly "savior" -- someone who would meet their needs in the present.While Jesus' walked on water [a little miracle occurred in the middle of all of this :-)] to reach Capernaum, the people continued to search for him and followed him there. When they found him, Jesus reveals their heart to them:

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. (John 6:26 NLT)

Jesus had "taken care" of them. They wanted to make him king in order to take care of them and to free them from Roman rule. Yes, Jesus met their physical needs, but that was not his purpose. Just as Jesus had encouraged the Samaritan woman to partake of living water, he challenged the people to "work for" food that provides eternal life -- that He will give. The people inquired of the work -- "What must we do to do the works God requires?" I don't know if they were truly eager to "work" or if they were apprehensive counting the cost of how much effort this was going to take. But Jesus' response was simple -- "believe the one he has sent."

Jesus didn't come to meet our physical needs. He promised that he'd care for us (as he does for the birds and flowers), but his concern is our spiritual needs. We need to move from a desire to be cared for, to a position of trusting and following God.

What kind of work are you doing?

2008-12-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

(John 6:28-59 NIV)
[Note: There is so much in these passages, that I could probably write forever on one or two verses. Not being a theologian, that might prove difficult :-). I'll simply continue to capture what God lays on my heart during my quiet time. God bless.]

Following Jesus’ feeding of 5000, the crowds were following Jesus because they believed he could meet their physical needs. Jesus began to teach them with a goal of transitioning the people from a focus on the temporal to a focus on the eternal. In John 6:27, he told the people not to work for food that would spoil, but rather for food that lasted forever. The people asked the question, “How do we do that?” (John 6:28 NIV – “What must we do to do the work God requires?”)

Many of us work hard for what we have. We believe we have what we do because we work hard for it. (Note, I’m a huge proponent of a strong work ethic, but we still need to realize that God is the source of our blessings and what we have.) Notice the simple response, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” The good news of Jesus Christ is still one of grace, and faith.

Yet, we all have trouble transitioning from the physical to the eternal. We want our physical needs met, and then we’ll focus on the spiritual. Let me pay my bills first, buy what I need, accumulate my savings, and then I’ll give to God. The people began to ask for signs so that they could believe. Even then, their request was centered on a physical request – albeit a lasting one. God had met the needs of the children of Israel with a perpetual blessing of physical food when they were wandering in the desert. They gravitated to this understanding – that their physical needs would be met for eternity.

Jesus let them know that a) first of all, the physical bread from Moses came from God so it was God who had met their physical need; and b) though the people had the manna for food, they still died (v.49). This was a not so subtle way to communicate to them that even if he kept feeding them as he had miraculously done in the feeding of the 5000, the people would still die.

Jesus calls for us to seek him. In verse 45, he references Isaiah 54:13 stating that “they will … be taught by God.” He, God-The Son, was teaching them to come to him for eternal life. “[He] shall lose none of all that [God] has given [him].” He wants us to listen to him (through prayer, scripture, Godly advice) and to learn from him. “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” (John 6:57 NIV)

Do you hunger to know Christ?

If a=b & b=c, then a=c.

2008-12-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

(John 6:48-71 NIV)
I love puzzles or problems involving math – I’m weird that way. In John 6, I found what I believe to be the perfect place to apply the equation of if a=b and b=c, then a=c. Following the feeding of the 5000, Jesus began to teach of himself as the Bread of life. As he progressed in his teaching, he became more graphic in the choice of his words.

If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
The people following had a natural reaction arguing among themselves and questioning, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus persisted with this metaphor. In fact, he becomes even more graphic:

For, my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
As I continued to read, this became very clear. But, as I read this initially, my reaction was much the same as the disciples. “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Then, probably by the prompting of insight from God’s spirit, I thought of math. It’s the way I typically analyze things and during my quiet time, God reveals to me in a language I understand – math :-).

There are two metaphors that Christ uses in this teaching – his flesh and his blood. Dealing with flesh, recall John 1. The word “Word” is used in reference to Jesus. And, in John 1:14, we find, “The Word became flesh …” So, here’s the equation:

If “The Word” refers to Jesus, and Jesus, in our passage, refers to his flesh, then his flesh refers to “The Word.”

The Word of God, His truth are the keys to eternal life (John 8:32, John 14:6). John had the benefit of writing his book after the death of Jesus. He recalled these experiences and wrote the clues to understanding much of the book of John and the life of Jesus in the very first chapter.

In dealing with his reference to blood, we have to fast forward to his last supper. In 1 Corinthians 11:25, “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” Jesus stated that he was the fulfillment of the law (Matthew 5:17). He represented a new covenant from God to be a gift of redemption for all people who would accept (“drink”) that new covenant. Accepting (believing and following) Jesus as the new covenant of God leads to eternal life.

We obviously have the benefit of New Testament scripture to interpret these seemingly strange words of Jesus. But, the Jews and even some of the disciples struggled. Once we get past the metaphors, the truths in his teachings require faith as well. When the disciples join in the grumbling, Jesus explains himself, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” Jesus was trying to show them spiritual truths. Sadly, the passage shows that many did not believe. When many left, Jesus turned to the inner twelve for a response. “You do not want to leave me too, do you?” Peter responded with the solution to the puzzle, “You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus knew that one of them didn’t get it. This may have been the beginning of the disillusionment of Judas.

What is your response? Life in Christ may not be easy to understand nor easy to live. Yet, in him, are the words of life. Desire to know him more by drinking of his new covenant and eating his word.

Losing Sight of Reason

2008-12-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

(John 7:14-24)
Did you know that the US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches? There's an interesting perspective on how this came about. The Roman empire is credited in part for the first major road system. The United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches derives from the original specification for an Imperial Roman army war chariot. The width of the chariot was driven primarily by the width of a horse's behind.

Well, there's an interesting extension of the story about railroad gauge and horses' behinds. When we see a Space Shuttle sitting on the launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are the solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at a factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs might have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad from the factory runs through a tunnel in the mountains. The SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than a railroad track, and the railroad track is about as wide as two horses' behinds. So a major design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was originally determined by the width of a horse's ass. (For this article see http://www.astrodigital.org/space/stshorse.html).

So how does this relate to John 7. The Jewish people, particularly the leaders, had lost sight of why the law was put in place. The law was intended in part to set them apart, but to also show them their sin (i.e., their inability to fulfill the law). The scripture pointed toward the Christ who would fulfill the law and provide the way of redemption from their sin and restoration of the intended relationship with God. But, they had become so blinded by the rules of the law that they missed the point. Jesus confronts them in John 7 (NLT).

22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?

God's desire for the Jewish people was that they be set apart to ultimately point nations to him. Circumcision was a sign of that "setting apart" -- a covenant. Yet the symbol became the goal. Keeping the law became the goal. Tradition became the goal. By their traditions, it was okay to perform circumcision on the Sabbath. Yet, when Jesus healed someone they became angry.

Has tradition gotten in our way of doing what is right? Jesus criticized them and issued this rebuke (v24):

Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.

Jesus is calling us to do what's right.The church today is constantly battling tradition versus change. I agree there may be a delicate slope of becoming so much like the world that we're not set apart. But our methods must take into account that there are trends in what interest people Jesus lived in the world and among the people -- yet he was not of the world and he was set apart. If we stay in old methods because they have inadvertently become the goal, we will lose sight of our mission and fail to reach the world around us. New song styles, new technology, and other trends can help us to direct people toward Jesus. When you're weighing the decision, do what's right.

Not where or what manner, but who and how!

2008-12-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

(John 4:1-26; 39-43)
A frequent topic in many churches is the style of music. Worship is an important part of our life. It's a shame that it is often one of the most controversial. No one style of worship is necessarily right or wrong, and we should all have the freedom to worship in our own way. However, there is a practical issue when there are a limited number of services. And, trying to be everything to everyone often leads to being nothing to no one.

I find it interesting that Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman led to a discussion of worship. When confronted with her sin, she changed the subject, "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place we must worship is in Jerusalem." Jesus responded that there will come a time when she will "worship ... neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." What did he mean?

The Samaritan woman did not have a relationship with the object of her worship. Her worship was a ritual and did not have an impact on her life. But, in verses 25 and 26, that all changes, because Jesus reveals himself to her.

The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!” (John 4:25-26 NLT)

Jesus had just proclaimed to her that what he had to provide would be like "a spring of water welling up ..." When we have a relationship with Jesus, our worship is ever present. It wells up inside of us and overflows into an outward expression. We may sing, we may share ... we experience God in our walk. Regarding worship, Jesus said that "a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for they are the kind of worshipers that the Father seeks." His relationship with us ... our response to him ... opens the door to true worship.

The fruit? The encounter led to a true experience and relationship for the Samaritan woman. She introduced her "town" to Jesus. Worship became more than a place or a ritual. Worship was a wellspring of life - living water provided by our living Savior and Lord.

Focused

2008-12-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

(John 4:27-35)

“Vision plays a key role in producing useful change by helping to direct, align, and inspire actions on the part of large numbers of people.”
(Leading Change, John P. Kotter, Harvard Business School Press).

Jesus sets a perfect example for focus. After sharing with the Samaritan woman, Jesus communicates his purpose to his disciples: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” The disciples had approached him about something to eat. But, Jesus was so focused on his mission that he used even this most ordinary request to explain his purpose. This was not an isolated moment. Near the end of his life on earth, Jesus restates this purpose while talking to his Father in the garden of Gethsemane: (John 17:4) “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” Jesus was on a mission, focused on what his Father had sent him to do. He was relaying this mission to the disciples as he was preparing them to carry on after he returned to heaven.

Purpose (or vision) is one element of focus. Another element is timing – urgency.

“With urgency low, it’s difficult to put together a group with enough power and credibility to guide the effort or to convince key individuals to spend the time necessary to create and communicate a change vision.”
(Leading Change, John P. Kotter, Harvard Business School Press).

I’ve often said that the Bible is the best management book – period. Jesus knew the importance of urgency long before Harvard was even established. “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes, and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” The disciples were out taking care of their physical needs – looking for food. Jesus captured the moment to share with a Samaritan woman. Of course, we need to take care of our physical needs. Yet, we so often miss the urgency of our own spiritual needs and the needs of the world around us. Jesus took time out for one – one — person. As we become like Christ, we need his attitude, his heart – his focus on mission.

Going back home - not easy?!?

2008-12-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

(John 4:43-54 NIV)
Returning home for a visit after decades away is awkward. You’ve changed. Your friends seem to have changed. Why is it so hard to pick up where you left off? Why is it sometimes discouraging when you share what Christ has done in your life, but they don’t seem to “get it!

Jesus returned to his home region of Galilee. In verse 43, John recalls that Jesus had talked about the awkward nature of returning home – a prophet has no honor in his own country. Why is that? On the surface, things appear fine. When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they had also been there. Jesus’ reputation was preceding him. Yet, he had stated that a prophet had no honor in his own country.

Three explanations of what Jesus may have meant:

First, people in our hometown or region may be familiar with us or our family. It has been said (Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Aesop, Apuleius) that “familiarity breeds contempt.” Having seen us grow up or in knowing our family, they may ask, what’s so special that I should hear from you.

Second, significant occurrences may be rare in our hometown or region. We seem to go to both extremes on this one. I’m amazed at how many people vote for a presidential candidate simply because he is from their state – one extreme. Nathaniel replied to Philip when he heard of Jesus of Nazareth, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” – the other extreme.

In Jesus’ case, the remainder of the passage gives us another reason that is perhaps more plausible for him. The townspeople wanted something from him – so much so, that they missed his true purpose for coming. As he returned to Cana where he had attended a wedding and turned water into wine, a royal official approached him on behalf of his sick son. Jesus’ response reveals their self-centered perspective, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe.” At this point, people were following Jesus because of what he could “do” for them, not because of "who” he was. Fortunately, for this official, he ultimately saw the pieces fit together and understood, “So he and all his house-hold believed.”

As believers and seekers, we should be careful not to allow our familiarity with Jesus to cause us to become complacent. Our Savior is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; worthy is the Lamb that was slain. Because of who he is, we should seek to know him more intimately, and to pursue to know his desires for us, so that we might live a life devoted to him.

Favorite Bible Verse

2008-12-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

Determining a favorite verse is a real challenge because I have so many. Among the top are Ephesians 3:20, Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 1:6. But, if I had to choose one, I'll go with Philippians 1:6 (NIV):

... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus ...

Why?

Because I am confident in my Savior ...
Because I am a work in progress ...
Because I know he is "working out" his will in my life ...
Because I know that he is committed to completing a purpose in my life beyond the salvation experience ...
Because he promises that he is returning ...

Do you want to get well?

2008-12-11T06:04:00.000-08:00

(John 5:1-15)
Do you want to get well? What an odd question?!? Surely, the answer is yes for those who are sick, and the desire is to stay well for those who are healthy. Yet, this is the question asked by Jesus of the man who had been an invalid for 38 years. Strange as it may seem, there are people who appear to be content in their illnesses.

The "woe is me" attitude prevents them from getting well or from being a blessing through their illness. Many like the excuse that the illness provides. The invalid by the healing pool responded, "I have no one to help me ..." Constrast this with the blind man in Mark 10 who threw his cloak aside ran to Jesus (probably bumping into people and things) and cried out, "Rabbi, I want to see." The invalid didn't even answer the question. The attitude continues to manifest itself in his behavior after his healing. As he was walking away with his mat, he was confronted by "the Jews" for working on the Sabbath. This man tried to deflect blame by referring to "the man who made me well." Apparently, he was even looking around to point out Jesus, but Jesus had slipped away. Again, contrast this reaction to that of the blind man in Mark 10 who immediately followed Jesus.

Upon finding the former invalid in the temple, Jesus, having previously healed him of his physical condition, addressed his spiritual condition:

John 5:14 (NLT) But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”

People respond differently to physical illnesses and their circumstances. Some use it as an excuse. Some use it as an opportunity for a demonstration of their faith. Which will it be for you?

The Heart of Man

2008-12-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

(John 2:23-25)
The prophet Jeremiah described man’s heart as “deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” After Jesus had cleaned the temple of the market business, he remained in Jerusalem for the Passover. During this time, Jesus performed miracles resulting in many people following him and believing that he was the Messiah. Yet the passage states:

“… Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.”

Jesus knew that these people thought more of him as a “messiah” to release them from Roman rule and to establish a kingdom on earth. He also knew of their corruption – he certainly foreknew, but he also witnessed it with the profiteering going on in the temple courts. He did not need man’s explanation, because he knew, he knows, man’s heart. The sad part is in verse 24, “Jesus would not entrust himself to them.” The state of our hearts keeps Christ from entrusting himself to us. He has a purpose for us; he has challenges for us; he has opportunities for us; he has blessings for us. Yet, if our heart is not changed by him, if we do not allow our hearts to be changed by him, he will not entrust himself to us.

Jeremiah was partially right. There is no natural cure for man’s condition … only a supernatural one. In Ezekiel 36:22-27, we find that God can give us a new heart:

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you …’”

For those who believe in Christ and trust him as Lord, Paul calls them a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We need this new heart for Jesus to entrust himself to us. Philippians 1:6 says that we can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Once we trust him and have a new heart from him, he will entrust himself to us and complete his work in our life.

Knowledge v. Understanding

2008-12-10T18:28:00.001-08:00

(John 3:1-11 (NIV))
Our educational system often focuses so much on the pursuit of knowledge that it misses the development of understanding among students. Understanding the system and the truth behind the knowledge we acquire is important to proper interpretation … and hopefully, translation into our beliefs, our values, and how we live.

Nicodemus, a well educated religious leader of Israel, was curious about Jesus. Following his passionate removal of the marketers from the temple, Jesus performed many miracles and was beginning to gather followers and crowds. Nicodemus wanted to find out more about this man Jesus. Nonetheless, he was also “cautious.” He approached him at night probably to avoid the scrutiny or peer pressue of his fellow pharisees.

“Rabbi,” showing Jesus respect, “we know you are a teacher who has come from God.” He had reached this conclusion because of the miracles. Yet, his view of Jesus is that of a prophet, not as the Messiah. As Nicodemus struggles with Jesus’ message, Jesus recognizes Nicodemus’ perception, because he links his message with the message of the prophets, “we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” Jesus is referencing the teachings of the prophets and people of God throughout history. He draws a reference from Moses in the wilderness. Jesus is presenting to Nicodemus what is required to have a right relationship with God. A new spirit, a new birth is required for us to become a child of God. This message is indeed consistent with the prophets:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you …” (Ezekiel 36:26-27a)

Jesus’ response to Nicodemus’ lack of understanding is poignant: “You are Israel's teacher, and do you not understand these things?” Nicodemus had the knowledge, but he did not have the understanding. Too many times we truly can’t see the simple things because our minds are so clouded with the grander pursuit of knowledge. Don’t misunderstand, knowledge is important. God’s word teaches us to study. But, it also teaches us to be approved – moving from knowledge to understanding to action. This understanding is important for more truth to be given to us.

Jesus expresses this concern to Nicodemus, “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” If you’re seeking and have not yet encountered God, or if you are a child of God but have not fully discovered God’s purpose for you, focus your time with God on seeking more of understanding as you gather knowledge. “… if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut. 4:29)

It's all about you, Jesus.

2008-12-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

(John 3:14-16)
The popular song, The Heart of Worship, by Michael W. Smith presents a passionate view of the true heart of worship:

I’m coming back to the heart of worship; and, it’s all about You. It’s all about You, Jesus.

John the Baptist made this clear in his testimony when he proclaimed, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! … A man who comes after me has surpassed me …” (John 1:29-30 NIV) Our energy should be spent in presenting Jesus Christ to the world – to our family, our friends, our neighbors, and all those we meet. Too often, in our busy-ness, we miss the focal point of our mission.

In John 3:14-15, Jesus himself proclaimed that “the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” We must present Jesus. Too often in the church, other personalities become the focus. We may attach ourselves to a great speaking pastor or a counseling pastor because of the entertainment or because of a need they seem to meet in our life. It’s not about them. It’s not about us. The church is the bride of Christ and he, as the groom, deserves our focus. The world needs a Savior, and we must present to them, Jesus. Jesus said this of himself in John 3:16 (NLT):

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

We're not accepted at church.

2008-12-09T05:19:00.000-08:00

(John 3:17-21)
The young woman cutting my hair started the conversation with a familiar question to me, "are you off work today?" As a pastor, I "work" Sunday through Thursday. We have Friday and Saturday as our weekend. It never fails when I'm out and about that I am asked that question. It's given me a great opportunity to strike up a conversation about being a pastor. On this particular day, my heart was grieved, however. After explaining my involvement in the church, she responded, "We're not accepted at church." The young woman had three earrings in each ear. Her boyfriend was a nice man but according to her "looked like a thug." They didn't fit in.

3:17 (NLT) God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

How tragic! As believers we are the church. As believers our responsibility to God is summed up in two commandments: Love God and Love Others! Even Jesus Christ did not come "into the world to judge the world." The verdict has already been announced:

3:18 (NLT) There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

The world has been judged and found to be without God, and without excuse. Our role is not to judge because the verdict has already been rendered. Why pile on? Our role is to reach the world for Him so that their sentence can be overturned.

Our conversation continued as we discussed my earring. That's right, I'm a pastor and I have an earring. I'm not an ordained minister. I'm a retired computer executive that was called into a minstry vocation to come alongside a church that is committed to connecting with people and to experiencing LIFE together in Christ. But, even last night at church, someone asked, "So, what's up with the earring?" Is it really such a big deal? We worry or get hung up on things that don't matter while people are lost, without Christ and headed to an eternity separated from God. I continued to share with the young woman that it was sad that many churches miss the example of Jesus who connected with all people. He was seen as someone who connected with society's less desirable. I continued that our Sr. Pastor's wife had several earrings in each ear as well and was a drummer in our contemporary worship band. We're a relational church and we care about people.

Her reply, "That's sounds like a church we should visit."

How tragic if we judge and reject people. Jesus came to serve and to save ... not to judge. The judgement has already been cast. Now is the time for connecting, rescuing, and experiencing LIFE in Christ.

Less is More!

2008-12-09T05:12:00.000-08:00

(John 3:22-36)
More is defined as "in greater measure" or "of greater importance." We know that Jesus turned this view upside down. John the Baptist who was the "voice" introducing Jesus onto the scene set an incredible example for us to follow. John had spent time with his followers and others giving the testimony of Christ. We read of this clearly in John 1 when John proclaimed, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ... 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me ..." Yet, his followers still didn't quite get it.

After his conversation with Nicodemus, we see Jesus beginning to baptize in the countryside. Many were starting to follow him. In verse 25, we see that "an argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter ..." Apparently, John's followers were a bit miffed that people were leaving John to follow Jesus and they approached John about it, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

First of all, referring to John as a Rabbi, shows great respect. John the Baptist had accomplished himself as a great teacher. Many were following him. Yet, he chose this moment to point people again to Jesus.

"That man" -- :-), what an interesting characterization of Jesus Christ. Reminds me of the scene in Disney's Lady and the Tramp, when the couple refers to Lady as "that dog." It hurt her feelings and she ran away. To the followers of John, Jesus was becoming a problem. They were losing momentum because "everyone is going to him." To make matters worse, he is "the one you testified about." In other words, John, you created this problem. What do we do?

I love John's response:

"... A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."

John gives Jesus the glory refering to him as "the Christ." He refers to him as his friend. He is not envious, but rather he says, "that joy is mine, and it is now complete." I didn't invent the phrase, but I repeat it often ... it is not about us. John knows that and demonstrates that. What an example of a life of sacrifice, a servant-leader who pointed his followers and others to Jesus Christ. "He must become greater; I must become less." Less is more!

"This is the Son of God."

2008-12-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

(John 1:29-34; 1:15-18)
Jesus came to reveal God to us and to restore us into a relationship with him. We celebrate Easter once a year, but we should be reminded that we celebrate his life, resurrection, and promise of eternal life every day. We have so much to be thankful for, so many blessings that we do not deserve.

John 1:14 says that Christ came from the Father full of grace and truth. In these passages of John, we see the benefits that we receive: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” The greatest gift is the “taking away” of our sin. John the Baptist exclaims this as an introduction pointing the people and his disciples to Jesus, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

The phrase "takes away" is a proclamation of Jesus’ role as the “scapegoat” in Jewish law (The Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16). The sin of the people was placed on the “scapegoat” and taken away into the desert to take away their sin. Our sin, the sin of the world, was to be placed on him. The rituals in The Day of Atonement also required the sacrifice of a goat. The law required atonement for sin. Jesus fulfilled both roles, by taking on our sin to take them away, as well as by sacrificing himself on the cross to atone for our sin.

Christ with his offer of grace took on and paid for the sin of the world. In doing so, he revealed the Father.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
John the Baptist who played a role in the introduction of Jesus Christ onto the scene through baptism proclaimed in John 1:34, “this is the Son of God.” It’s not without significance that the Roman soldier who played a role in escorting Jesus out of his earthly life proclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:54) He is the Son of God!

The Power of Personal Invitations

2008-12-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

(John 1:35-51)
In America over the past several decades, the church has generally failed to ‘go and make disciples’of unchurched people in fulfillment of the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19-20). When the church has attracted newcomers, they rarely stay… How can Christian congregations improve at [reaching] the unchurched?” (from http://www.missionportland.org/reports-assimilation.htm)

The early disciples began to follow Jesus through personal invitations. Jesus set the example for how to reach people. The Mission Portland study reports: ... the significance of personal relationships is illustrated by the fact that when asked, “What attracted you to this church?” over 70 percent of the new Christians interviewed responded by saying it was a personal invitation.

In John 1:35-46, we see three models of personal interaction resulting in a commitment to follow Jesus:

Influence from a leader or mentor
Relationship with a family member or friend
Personal encounter

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he introduced his followers to Christ. John was viewed as a Rabbi, a person of respect with his own disciples and followers. He was a person of influence, a leader. In a recent leadership meeting with the South Carolina Association of Realtors, Don Brock, Sr. Pastor of Gateway Baptist Church (Irmo, SC) made the statement, “The single most important trait of a leader is influence.” John used his position of leadership to influence his disciples to follow Christ. In verse 36, we see that when John saw Jesus passing by, he exclaimed, “Look, the Lamb of God!” Notice that there was an exclamation. This excitement influenced his followers. Verse 37 describes the response of two of his followers: “When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.” Most of us are in some position to lead or influence people. We should us this position as an opportunity to point people to Christ.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to share Christ with a friend or family member. Our love for them becomes confused with the need to be loved or accepted by them. Yet, the greatest gift we can give to them is an introduction to Jesus Christ. There are two examples of this in John 1. First we see Andrew. Andrew was one of John the Baptist’s followers. After spending the day with Jesus, his first recorded action was to go and find his brother to bring him to Christ. “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him… And, he brought him to Jesus.” (Verse 41-42) After his personal invitation from Jesus, Philip’s response was similar. “[He] found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one… Come and see’.” Don’t let your love become an obstacle in reaching your loved ones.

Finally, and most importantly, people need a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Even after the two disciples were introduced to Jesus by John, we see Jesus’ interaction with them, “Come and you will see.” (Verse 39) When Peter was brought to Jesus, Jesus said to him, “You are Simon … You will be called Cephas.” Cephas is translated Peter which comes from petros meaning stone. In a way, this was the foretelling of how Christ would use Peter in expanding his kingdom – Christ made a connection with him from the beginning. The final example in this passage involves Philip and Nathanael. Of these early disciples, Philip is the only one which is referenced as being found by Jesus. Verse 43 records, “The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” Nathanael needed reassurance. After Philip’s introduction, Nathanael was a bit skeptical. But, when he encountered Jesus, that all changed and we see Nathanael’s response, “… you are the son of God.” While there is a place for mass communication, nothing can replace the importance of personal invitations. At Gateway, our mission is to be a family connecting with people and experiencing LIFE together in Christ. The LIFE acrostic covers our purposes:

Living for others (fellowship and service)
Inviting others to LIFE in Christ (evangelism)
Following the teachings of God’s Word (discipleship)
Exalting God above all (worship)

The I requires personal involvement – an invitation. Be prepared and be willing to invite others to meet Jesus.

Principled Attitude

2008-12-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

Mark 12:30
Jesus summed up the Old Testament law with two commandments referring to these as the greatest of commandments. Focusing on the first one, we also see an outline for a principled attitude in fulfilling these commandments. I believe this outline provides a framework that we can use in all aspects of our life.

Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

1. With all your heart (Passion)
Our attitude toward an objective, a goal, or a way of life begins with commitment and an emotional connection. Key words to describe how we accomplish this are: integrity, and passion. Integrity is more than just honesty: it is completeness - a soundness of moral character and commitment to moral and ethical principles. Integrity describes the way we should live. Passion describes how we should live. Passion is an enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in making it happen! I want to challenge you to “Be a Baruch!” In Nehemiah 3, there are 41 references to families, and people rebuilding the temple and making repairs. But one stood out: (verse 20) Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section… I don’t know exactly how Baruch went about his task, but his approach was, apparently, different. I want that to be said of me in all that I do. Hellen Keller said, “I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.”

2. With all your soul (Purpose)
We were made in the image of God. He has plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). So, why are you here? Let me encourage you to seek God to discover the plans that he has for you. I would encourage you to write down a personal mission statement. I did so in my early 30’s and it has served as a compass for decisions in my life. He has driven me to balance in accomplishing the goals in my life: It is my mission in life to experience sustaining joy in living an abundant life spiritually, industrially, socially, and financially. If you are the leader of people or an organization, I’d encourage you to establish an organizational mission statement. At Gateway, we see our mission as “a family connecting with people and experiencing LIFE together in Christ.” That LIFE is evidenced in the purposes to which God has called us as believers:

a. Living for others (fellowship and service);
b. Inviting others to LIFE in Christ (evangelism and missions);
c. Following the teachings of God’s word (discipleship);
d. Exalting God above all (worship).

During my work in the computer industry, I found an insightful writing on the importance of purpose in the workplace in the book, The Heart Aroused, Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America, by David Whyte. Here is an excerpt: “There is … tremendous natural ‘beauty’ in an organization that allows people to bloom and grow, to be excited, to be proud of their work, and to understand the connection of the work to a greater [purpose] than the organization alone.”

3. With all your mind (Plan)
The book of Proverbs is a great management book and a handbook for living. Many verses underscore the importance of planning:

21:5 - Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
22:3 - A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

Planning takes conscious effort – be intentional!

4. With all your strength (Resolve)
Difficult times will surely come. Some of the most trying times of my life came within a year after I wrote out my mission statement. Later, in my life, my mission was put to the test with a big trial in my career. Living out a purpose requires persistence through difficulties; courage to deal with conflict; and practice. Put your words into action. Try. Begin.

I’ll close with God’s promise in Ephesians 3:20:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us …

A Reluctant Miracle

2008-12-07T05:48:00.000-08:00

(John 2:1-11)
The first miracle of Jesus appeared to occur with some reluctance. Unlike other miracles, this miracle was one of convenience not of real need. Early in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus was attending a social event, a wedding, along with his mother and some of his disciples. More than likely, the wedding was for friends or extended family because Mary appears to be in some position of responsibility. Upon discovering that they were out of wine, Mary approached Jesus, “They have no more wine.” Note that she didn’t explicitly ask for Jesus’ help. However, there is certainly an implied request. There is an expectation. Mary appears to be struggling with a selfish attachment to Jesus.

How often do we “use” Jesus? He’s there when we need him, but if things are okay, why bother. I heard Matt Chandler say in one of his messages, paraphrasing, that we don't follow Jesus because he makes life better, we follow him because he is better than life.

Mary's reaction here is not dissimilar from Luke 2:48-50 when Joseph and Mary had lost Jesus and had found him teaching in the temple at age 12. She had a motherly attachment and along with that, an expectation of Jesus in her life. In Luke when Jesus responded that he was living for the purpose to which he had been sent, Luke 2:50 (NLT) says that Mary and Joseph “didn’t understand what he meant.” Some 18 years later, she still didn’t fully grasp the role of Jesus.

Before we become too judgmental, do we treat Jesus as if he is “for us” rather than our being called to live “for him.” Jesus’ response indicates a sense of reluctance. “Dear woman, why do you involve me? ... My time has not yet come.” First of all, Jesus doesn’t refer to her as mother. He uses this same reference to her at his crucifixion when he asks John to care for her. While he certainly loved her, he knew that she was simply a vessel for revealing God’s glory. The traditional relationship of mother and son did not apply here. We don’t have complete insight to Mary’s motivation, but it does appear to be self-centered albeit with faith. She went to Jesus’ because she believed that he could do something. She had witnessed his miraculous birth – she was a part of it. Although she struggled with the full meaning, she knew he was the Messiah. That said, she was looking to Jesus to bail her out of this situation.

Jesus’ reluctance probably results from two concerns:

1) He was baptist and didn't believe in drinking wine ... just kidding :-).
Seriously:
1) Mary’s relationship with him needed to be clarified. He was not her “tool.” He was here for a greater purpose.
2) This request was one of convenience not of need and not directly fulfilling the purpose for which Christ was sent.

Nonetheless, as with all circumstances, God works within them to reveal his glory. He performed this miracle in a most excellent way – not simply providing the wine, but providing the best wine from jars filled with water. And God uses this to reveal the glory of his Son: “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed … He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” Jesus used this insignificant situation to show his power and glory and begin his journey with his disciples. Let us not view Jesus as our tool of convenience. Let us see him as God and one worthy of our service.

Does your church consume you?

2008-12-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

(John 2:12-17)
In Psalm 69:9, the psalmist proclaimed “… zeal for your house consumes me.” Is this true of us? Do we have an enthusiastic, passionate devotion to God’s church and tireless diligence in seeing it accomplish its mission?

Upon entering Jerusalem just prior to the Passover, Jesus entered the city to find an outdoor market within the temple courts. What began as a convenience for the people to fulfill their sacrificial rituals became abuse by salesman who were profiting on the animals sold to the people for sacrifice. The religious leaders would have had to condone the marketing for this to have taken place. The salesmen were focused on the business they could generate. The people were taking advantage of the convenience to pick up their sacrifices on the way into the temple.

The concept of sacrifice and remorse for sin was lost somewhere in the ritual and now marketeering. The people of the temple had lost sight of the mission. They had lost sight that this was God’s house, His Spirit’s place of residence. As with the psalmist, Jesus’ zeal for his Father’s house consumed him. He made a whip and drove all from the temple area. The commerce wouldn’t have been occurring but for the allowance and participation by not only the salesmen, but the religious leaders and the consumers.

"Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

The church was not made to be an outpost for us. The church is not here for our convenience or our entertainment. We are not to be consumers of the church. The mission of Christ’s church is to extend the kingdom of God and to bring glory to him. We gather to be equipped so that we can fulfill the mission. It is to be about reaching others, not becoming a place of consumption for us. Do you have a zeal for God’s house and it’s purpose?

7000 in Reserve!

2008-12-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

I recall the phone call from my daughter during her first year in college. She felt as though she was the only Christian in her dorm. Her roommate and other girls on the dorm floor were coming in late after long nights at parties. Sometimes, her roommate didn't make it back until the next day. She called me feeling "alone."

God directed me to 1 Kings 19:9-18. The prophet Elijah had spent the night in a cave fleeing from Jezebel. And the Lord came to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah's response: "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty ... I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." To paraphrase, Elijah said, "I've done my part; where is everyone else?"

I love the response from God, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Elijah was at a low point in his life, discouraged and feeling alone. God was about to manifest himself to Elijah in a unique way:

(1 Kings 19:11-12 NIV)
The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains part and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

While God sent the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, he came to Elijah in a still small voice. Silence or solitude can be deafening. Sometimes it takes a whisper to get our attention -- because we're so accustom to the noise. Our powerful, almighty God is sensitive to our plight. He continues to encourage Elijah. In the following verses, he promises Elijah a companion through Elisha -- the prophet who will succeed Elijah. Elisha develops such a relationship with Elijah that he says to Elijah, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." In 2 Kings 2, Elisha says this 3 different times.

God also confirms to Elijah that he is not alone:

(verse 18)
"Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

7000 in reserve! God demonstrated to Elijah that He was with him; he sent him a devoted companion; and, he surrounded him with a multitude of others. God responded to Elijah's "alone-ness." He will respond to ours as well.

The Closing Act

2008-12-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

(Acts 28)
After a long and eventful journey by sea, Paul and the company traveling with him arrived in Rome. (v15a) “The brothers there had heard that [Paul and company] were coming, and they traveled [from around the region] to meet [them].” The little things matter. Little acts of service or encouragement will lift spirits – both of the giver and the receiver. The group traveling to meet Paul likely wanted to be encouraged by seeing him; yet, they provided him with much needed encouragement – (v15b) “At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.”

Following this encouragement, Paul gives his final recorded message in the book of Acts. He called together the leaders of the Jews in Rome. Though he had appealed to Caesar, his focus was still on presenting the gospel “not that [he] had any charge to bring against [his] own people.” In this case, he was burdened for the Jews “because of the hope of Israel.”

A large number gathered to hear Paul speak and “from morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” Notice that Paul continued his practice sharing the gospel beginning from the hearers’ perspective. The Jewish leaders were certainly familiar with the writings of Moses and the various prophets. This passage tells us that “some were convinced … but others would not believe.”

Unfortunately, for some, their hardened hearts prevented them from understanding the good news of Jesus, their Messiah: (v26-27)“’You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.’ For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.” Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:23) that the message of Christ was “a stumbling block” to the Jews. Paul’s heart ached for the Jews, his people: (Romans 9:2-4) "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel."

We should have such an aching in our heart for our community and those around us who are without Christ. Paul persisted in spite of the rejection and “some were convinced.” He claimed the promise in Romans 9:6, “It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.” Paul continued to share the gospel because “[he was] not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

Acts closes with Paul’s persistence and passion: (v30-31) “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Word

2008-12-05T18:06:00.000-08:00

(John 1:1-5)
In the beginning … Genesis begins the same way. How does it begin? It begins with God.… was the Word. If we look again at Genesis (chapter 1), we see the full Trinity present at creation.

(v1) “… God created.”
(v2) “… and the Spirit of God was …”
(v26) "... Let us ..."

Was is the singular 1st person past tense of the verb be. God exists. He uses this verb to describe himself as existing and being manifested in many ways. He described himself to Moses as “I am.” He began this reference with Abram in Genesis 15 (v1,7) with “I am your shield, your very great reward … I am the LORD.”

Jesus continued this reference throughout the Gospels. Some examples in John are “I am the bread of life;” “I am the light of the world;” “I am the resurrection and the life;” “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” There are numerous others.

Jesus makes a specific reference to his equality with God through this statement in John 8:58 “’I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’” In John 1, he existed as The Word at creation. In looking back at Genesis, we see that creation was “spoken” into existence:

(v3) “God said, ‘Let there be … and there was …’”
(v4) “God called …”
(v6) “God said, ‘Let there be …’”
(v8) “God called … and there was …”
(v9) “God said, ‘Let … be’ … and it was so.”

This continues throughout Genesis 1. John tells was that Jesus was that Word that spoke creation into existence. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John sets the stage for Jesus' purpose at the very beginning of his writings -- In him was life and that life was the light of men. Even in this reference we see a connection to the beginning in Genesis. The world began in darkness – Genesis 1:2, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface …” And, man’s sin had brought about darkness and the concept of death – (v16,17) “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Jesus brought to us both light and life to restore creation to God’s intention and to restore our relationship with him. Scripture tells us that even creation looks forward to the complete fulfillment of God’s plan of restoration – (Romans 8:19-22) “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John makes it clear that, on our own, we do not understand the life and light of Jesus. Later in his writings, he records the words of Christ saying, (John 6:44) “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him …” The method that God uses to draw mankind to him is through the revelation of the gospel, (John 12:32) “…I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” God draws men to Jesus when he moves with his Spirit to reveal the story and person of Jesus Christ. God uses us to spread “the Word.” Let us be faithful in doing so.

Pointing to Jesus and Getting out of the Way

2008-12-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

(John 1:6-8; 19-28)
We are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to point others to him without getting in the way. John the Baptist provides the example for us to follow.

There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but `came' that he might bear witness of the light.
John 1:6-8 ASV

JtB knew his calling – he was “sent from God.” He knew his purpose – “He came for witness ...” of Jesus so that others “might believe.” He didn’t allow his own ego to get in the way of Jesus.

Despite the large crowds that followed him, he was prepared to step aside because he knew that “he was not the light.” JtB’s story continues in verse 19 where he is questioned about his identity. He “confessed freely” that he was not Jesus. As he was questioned about being someone great – the Christ, Elijah, or Isaiah – JtB didn’t respond, “No, I’m not them, but I am someone important; I’m the one who will personally introduce the Messiah and baptize him.” He wasn't concerned about their view of him. He simply responded, “I am not _____” and “No.” When pressed for a response regarding his identity, he finally replied, “I am the voice …”

That is a powerful response to me. We are God’s voice to a world in need. We are simply a mouth-piece. He calls us to prepare the way of the LORD so that the Holy Spirit might move in the lives of people to restore them into a right relationship with God. People around us are without Christ in their own “desert”, in their own “darkness.” Be the voice introducing them to Christ, preparing the way of the LORD, and sharing with them LIFE in Christ.

Identity & Purpose

2008-12-04T05:41:00.000-08:00

(Journaling from John 1:9-14)
John's descriptions of Jesus are a mixture of attributes and purpose. In a sense we are defined by what we do. Ideally, what we do maps to our purpose as exampled by Christ. Our purpose should become our identity. For example, we are Christians (identity) because we are disciples of Christ (purpose).

It's no accident that John's description of Jesus parallels that of the Psalmist's description of God:

(John 1:9) The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
(Psalm 119:105) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

In John's gospel, Jesus is referred to as the Word. He is referred to as the true light (a lamp, a light). This light is available for everyone and provides a view of our "path". A path can be defined as a "way." Jesus is referred to as the Way (John 14:6). Those who followed Jesus were said to be a part of the movement -- The Way (throughout Acts).

In spite of the scriptures which pointed to Jesus, he was not recognized as the Messiah. Jesus' purpose was to be the light. He revealed truth. Yet, as a whole, the world was blind to the truth. The religious establishment was particularly blind to Jesus. Their preferences and preconceived notions clouded their minds to the person of Jesus Christ.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not
receive him.
We discover later that for the light to be effective God has to reveal it to us. Blind people cannot see regardless of the light. People with their eyes closed cannot see regardless of the light. God reveals Christ to us (opens our eyes) so that we have the opportunity to see (to believe). This is found throughout the New Testament. Some examples:

Luke 10:21 "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
John 12:38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
Romans 16:25-26 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him.

For those who respond to the revelation of Jesus Christ, we are adopted and become children of God -- how awesome is that! God chooses to reveal Christ to us and when we respond we are "born of God" into his family.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

I like the way this is stated by Paul in Romans 8:16-17:

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.

"In fact, together with Christ ..." We are a part of the family, spiritual siblings of Jesus Christ. This is part of our identity -- this is our identity -- and should compel us to fulfill our purpose.
He became like one of us to walk among us. He was fully God. He is fully God. He was fully man. His identity was both man and God to both dwell among us and to show us the glory of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
What will we do with what we believe? Our lives display our identity.

When it's convenient?!?

2008-12-03T05:17:00.000-08:00

We are often focused on our own comfort or convenience. We do not feel the sense of urgency for the work of God. Whether we’re followers of Christ, or without Christ, life is often about what is convenient for us.

In Acts 24, Paul was brought before Felix, Governor of the province. Felix had listened to the accusations against Paul, but had delayed the decision regarding his guilt. Instead, he placed Paul under guard while allowing some freedom and visits by friends. Paul was guarded in this way for two years before Felix was called to Rome and succeeded by Festus. During the two years, Felix had many opportunities to talk with Paul. The passage tells us that Felix called him often hoping Paul would give him a bribe to gain his freedom. However, Paul used this opportunity to share his faith.

In looking at the history of Felix, we can gain some insights into his character during this time.

“Felix’s cruelty and licentiousness, coupled with his accessibility to bribes, led to a great increase of crime in Judaea … The period of his rule was marked by internal feuds and disturbances, which he put down with severity.” (http://www.reference.com - Antonius Felix).

This was the man who called for Paul, hoping to receive a bribe. Paul was knowledgeable of Felix. In verse 10 (Acts 24), he says as a preamble to his defense at his trial, “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation.” Despite the notoriety, Paul uses this opportunity to share his faith, Acts 24:24, “Felix and his wife went to visit Paul and to listen to his sharing of his faith in Christ.”Paul shares in his letter to the Corinthians, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” He knew of the urgency of reaching those without Christ.

Unfortunately, “today” wasn’t convenient for Felix. "As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, 'That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.'" And, although the passage indicates that he sent for Paul frequently, he did so because he was hoping for a bribe.

We don’t always know the outcome as we share our faith. But, we are called to be faithful nonetheless. It may not be convenient for us. In Paul’s case, it certainly wasn’t convenient. He was conversing with a man who was known for his cruelty and self-centeredness. In the Corinthians passage regarding the urgency of salvation, Paul demonstrates that it’s not about convenience (2 Corinthians 6:4-10):

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding,
patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

He spoke the gospel freely … in every way, in great endurance. Felix was convicted but not converted … because it wasn’t convenient. Today is the day, because “[God] will not always strive with man.” (Genesis 6:3) For followers of Christ, in spite of the rejections, let’s "... commend ourselves in every way … [with] great endurance.”

The Trial Continues

2008-12-03T05:02:00.000-08:00

In Acts 23:11, the final leg of Paul’s mission was affirmed by the Lord,“Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.” His journey to Rome from Jerusalem began with Governor Felix in Caesarea. In the trial under Felix, no decision was made and Paul was held under arrest for two years. After two years, Felix was succeeded by Festus. I wonder what was going through Paul’s mind. We know that he continually shared his faith with Felix during the two years. Now, he would begin again with Festus. Yet, God continued to orchestrate his plan in Paul’s life.

As with other political leaders in biblical history, God demonstrated his sovereignty as he orchestrated his plan. The Jewish leaders “asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way).” This would have been very convenient for Festus to get it over with, “but Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon. So he said, ‘Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations.’” Festus was not a believer, but God used him to carry out his plan. God will use anyone he chooses to fulfill his purpose.

The trial under Festus led to another key step in the fulfillment of Paul’s journey to Rome. As Paul had demonstrated so many times before, he was familiar with custom and laws. When asked to go back to Jerusalem to stand trial there, he claimed his right as a Roman citizen, “I appeal to Caesar!” I find it humorous that he apparently knew more about the law than Festus for Festus had to confer “with his advisers and then replied, ‘Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!’”

Before sending him onto Rome, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the visiting King Agrippa in hopes of clarifying the accusations against Paul so that he would have context to provide to Caesar (the case was that bogus!). When brought before Agrippa, I find it amazing that Paul, once again, tailors his message to his audience (in this case King Agrippa). Paul chooses to give his personal testimony. What would Agrippa relate to? Looking at his heritage, he would surely relate to the persecution of followers of Jesus. Who was Agrippa: (http://www.reference.com/ – Agrippa) King Agrippa II, the son of Herod Agrippa I. He was not permitted by Rome to succeed to his father's Judaean kingdom in 44, but was given various minor territories to the N, mostly Arab. A supporter of Rome in the Jewish War (66–70), he was rewarded for it afterwards with grants of land in Judaea and public honors in Rome. Note that he was a descendant of Herod the Great who massacred the young male children in search of Jesus. And, he was the son of Herod Agrippa I who is credited with the execution of James and the imprisonment of Peter.

Paul’s testimony includes his own story of persecution:

“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.”

Surely, this peaked Agrippa’s curiosity. What changed this man from a persecutor to a follower of Jesus and an avid missionary for the cause of Christ? Our best witness is our personal testimony. Paul closes his with his purpose:

“But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the
prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and be the
first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and
Gentiles alike.”

Agrippa did not believe, but he was clearly moved. In the King James’ version of scripture, Agrippa’s response to Paul’s testimony was that he was almost persuaded. He indicated that he would release Paul except for Paul’s appeal to Caesar. Just as God had purposed, Paul was on his way to Rome.

My Halftime Experience

2008-12-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

As I read through the closing chapters of Acts, I noted that Paul used his personal testimony several times to express the change that God had brought about in his life. So, I thought I’d share mine. I grew up in a Christian home. In discussions with my mom, she indicated that I accepted Christ when I was 5 years of age. At age 10, I vividly remember “walking the aisle” to accept Christ following my best friend as he made his decision for Christ. As I share my testimony now, I often joke that “my family ‘saved’ me; and, my friend ‘saved’ me; then, God truly saved me.” It wasn’t until I was 13 years of age that I truly understood the good news of Jesus Christ on a personal level. I understood God’s plan and desire for a relationship with his creation, my lost-ness, and the gift and sacrifice of Jesus Christ to restore that relationship. The Spirit of God called me, I responded, and he saved me beginning his “good work” in me (Phil. 1:6).

I established a mission statement early in my adult life. It reads:

It is my mission in life to experience sustaining joy in living an abundant life spiritually, industrially, socially, and financially.

At the age of 45, I retired after 23 years in the computer industry (NCR, Dell) to more completely fulfill this mission by concentrating on the spiritual and social aspects that had been secondary most of my life. I was involved with my family and my church, but being honest, they did not have the proper priority in my life.

The decision process was an emotional “roller-coaster” for me driven mostly by the knowledge of the inevitable change in the relationships with the people I’d worked beside during my time at Dell. I had had fun and truly experienced joy in the work and, most importantly, in the relationships. My hope for the team I was leaving was that they experience joy in continued successes, and strong relationships and in recognizing that there was a greater purpose for their life.

“There is … tremendous natural ‘beauty’ in an organization that allows people to bloom and grow, to be excited, to be proud of their work, and to understand the connection of the work to a greater [purpose] than the organization alone.” - From The Heart Aroused, Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America, by David Whyte

Our church while we lived in Austin (TX), Hill Country Bible Church, also had a profound impact on my life. Our experience with Hill Country began with Hill Country Christian School. While searching for a school for our kids, my wife Patty pulled into the church parking lot to ask for directions and found out there was a school there. All 3 of our children are now graduates and alumni of the school. After visiting the church, we also knew this would be our church home while in Austin. Patty and I were blessed to serve as teachers and leaders in the parenting ministry, as small group shepherds, and on the worship team.

I’ve always believed that God has a plan for our lives. The context for my mission statement is John 10:10b (KJV) “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” This mission has provided the basis for making decisions throughout my life’s journey. But as we read through The Purpose Driven Life, I realized that my life wasn’t balanced and the spiritual and social aspects of my mission statement had become secondary. I had to answer the question, “what will I do with what I believe?” I weighed becoming a “kingdom builder” through increasing my giving versus “rolling up my sleeves and getting to work”. As Patty and I prayed, we felt God was saying, “I can use you anytime and in any capacity, but I’d rather not wait to use you when you’re at retirement age, exhausted from your career, and taking your leftovers.” I had just turned 45 in April 2006. In some ways, I was at the top of my game in my career with my leadership experiences and my earning potential; but, that was what made it clear -- God wants me when I have the most to give not when I’m “used up”. So, I answered the call of God on my life to enter into full time ministry and in the words of Bob Buford of Halftime, it was time to move “from success to significance”.

The stirring of our heart began with seeing the mission and vision of the church lived out in the people of Hill Country Bible Church. We were so impressed that people know the mission of HCBC: We are a family of believers committed to reaching people with the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ. We believed in the vision that every man, woman, and child in Greater Austin have the chance to experience the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ because they hear the Gospel from the lips of someone at a Hill Country Bible Church. Their vision is REAL to people and is evident in the life of the family. The mission and vision is being lived out through REAL people. People like Joe and Gail Harris who taught us in our parenting class and encouraged us to step into a leadership role to replace people like the Hansons who had served in this capacity for many years and were being called into another area of the church. People like Perry and Kristin Campbell who stepped out of the comfort of their small group to lead a group of their own and it’s already reached a point where the group can birth a new group. People like Kyle – I don’t even know his name, but I’ve heard his testimony of being saved from a life of addiction and have seen the evidence of his REAL life. People like Robert – and I don’t know his last name either, but I know he regularly shares his faith. The teenagers who give up their summers to teach Backyard Bible clubs in the Great Adventure. The worship team who works hard behind the scene to prepare to lead the people in worship and song. The people of Hill Country are REAL and they are impacting the community, the cities of Greater Austin, and the world for Christ. It doesn’t get any better than that. Their example made it easy for us to answer the question, “what will I do with what I believe?”

Patty and I are now a part of the team at Gateway Baptist Church in Irmo, SC. I am the Pastor of Leadership and excited about the work that God is doing in my life and in the life of our church. Patty is serving as the Worship Program Director. Our church is a family connecting with people and experiencing LIFE together in Christ. We believe that God’s vision for us is that our family will connect with the people of our community so that they have the opportunity to experience LIFE in Christ. May God continue to have his hand on this church as we carry out his purpose. “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

I told you so!

2008-12-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

(Acts 27) After his trial with Festus and his testimony before Agrippa, Paul set sail on his journey to Rome under guard of a Roman centurion. Because of the winds and bad weather, the trip was taking longer than expected. Paul warned his escorts (verse 10), "Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” He was ignored and the ship company encountered increasingly bad weather. Luke writes that they had “finally [given] up all hope of being saved.” Paul stands before them and gives what begins as an “I told you so!”

(verse 21) “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.”

We’re probably used to this. Have you ever told someone, “I told you so?” Generally, we use these words to reinforce our own importance or right-ness. We rub it in and drone about how we’re right and their wrong. However, rather than giving in to a selfish response and rubbing it in, Paul used this as an opportunity to reinforce his mission and to give glory to God. He follows by offering encouragement to his guards and escorts:

(verse 22), “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.”

Then, he gives God the glory:

(verse 23, 24), “… an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul.”

In his response he reinforces his mission and God’s sovereignty:

(verse 24), “You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'”

Paul then closes with more encouragement and demonstrates his faith:

(verse 25), “So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”

Note as this passage continues, the ship company would have to still deal with the consequences of their ignoring Paul initially. Paul said:

(verse 26), “Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

As the men began to experience the consequences, they looked for their own solutions to the problem. They were still struggling with faith. Paul re-communicated his vision providing the men assurance if they stayed with the ship:

(verse 31), “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved."

The men were beginning to trust Paul. Paul again encouraged them, and as he ate with them, he again demonstrated the importance of God in his life:

(verse 34-35), “’Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.’ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all.”

The ship company saw the fulfillment of Paul’s vision. The ship was destroyed, but “everyone reached land in safety.” (verse 44)

Paul had every “right” to be vengeful. Sometimes, we feel as though we have rights to be vengeful or that people who have wronged us, “get what they deserve.” How much better for us to right the wrongs done to us by seizing the opportunity to demonstrate the power of Christ lived out in our lives. Use every opportunity to provide encouragement, to point people to God, to stay on our mission, and to demonstrate our faith.