God's "Work in Progress"

Luke-Warm

2007-06-11T06:34:00.000-07:00

Revelation 3:14-16

"These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

I don't know if you are familar with these words. They are often quoted in sermons and Bible studies, but they have always confused me. I understand why hot is better than lukewarm, but why is cold better than lukewarm? After all, isn't it better to have a little warmth toward God...even if it is just a little?

I had Sunday school teachers use an analogy to help me understand. "I like hot tea. I like iced tea. I don't really like lukewarm tea. That is how God is with us." Well, I understood this analogy for delicious beverages, but it didn't really help me to understand why someone who is lukewarm toward God would be worse off than someone who is cold toward God.

Recently I was thinking about this. I was thinking about water. When you take water out of the ground it is around 52 degrees. I would call this cool or even cold (how would you like to swim in 52 degree water?). So, water starts out cold. For water to become lukewarm it must be exposed to a source of heat. It must remain connected to that source of heat long enough to start experiencing changes caused by that heat. After it has experienced those changes the water must be then removed from the source of heat to keep it from becoming hot.

So what does this have to do with God?

There is only one way that a person can become a lukewarm Christian.

We start out with no passion for Christ...we are cold. Sometime in our life we meet Christ. We stay close to him and he begins to change us. He begins to kindle a fire and a passion in us for God. Then, before we become hot, we remove ourselves from this close intimate relationship. We are luke warm.

There is only one way that a person can become a lukewarm Christian. We must experience the love and grace of Christ, begin to change, and then say, "No thanks. I'm not really interested."

I now understand why lukewarm Christians are such a turnoff for God. In John 15:4 Jesus says, "Remain in me and I will remain in you."

Remain in Christ today.

The Newest Work

2007-05-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

It has been two months, so both my readers have probably given up on me, but I wanted to throw out this thought that God has given me in the last couple of days.

The story of the Lost or Prodigal Son is fairly well known. If you are not familiar with it, it is found in Luke 15:11. It is awesome. As I read the story I've always kind of wondered about one of the lesser characters...the brother.

As the story goes, one son asks his father for his inheritance early. He then goes out and blows it all. When he returns to his father, the father throws him a party. Meanwhile, while the first son was blowing it, the other son was at home faithfully working. When the first son received his party, the brother was a little less than thrilled. This son complained to the father that his hard work was not being rewarded.

The father reminded the son that "everything I have is yours." I've always read over this verse and thought "that is a pretty cheap pep-talk. I'll bet the son was feeling better after that." But then I realized the extent of this statement. This wasn't some pep-talk, the father was stating a fact. He was telling this son that every thing he owned would one day be this son's inheritance.

He was telling this son, "Keep up the good work. I've noticed it. You just haven't been rewarded...YET."

Sometimes life isn't fair. We try to follow God, yet things don't work out. Does God even notice that we are trying? The answer is YES. Keep following, keep being faithful. Our inheritance is coming.

Standing Out

2007-03-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I started reading "The Life You've Always Wanted" by John Ortberg. There was one paragraph that jumped off the page and slapped me in the face. That is what I want to talk about today.

Here is where the thought begins. The Bible tells us that we are to be separate from the world (in the world but not of the world).

In John 13:35 Jesus commands us to love one another. Love in a radical, real way. Love in a big, bold way. Love in a way that is so pure that when other people see us they automatically know that we are Christians. By having a love like this, we would be separated from the world all around us regardless of our environment. We would be separate like a rainbow in a cloudy sky.

Yet most of the time we fail at loving like this. Because of this failure to be separated by love, we instead try to separate ourselves by making boundries. We make rules like no dancing, no rock music, no movies, no...

Now, I'm not saying that having rules and boundries is bad, because we all need fences in our lives. The problem is that many times as we build these boundries around our lives we forget to have that big, bold love that Jesus commands for us. Additionally many times these fences serve not only to keep us in, but to also keep others out. Fences are no substitute for big, bold love. We must be known by our love. People should know by looking at us that we follow Christ. But this distinction should come by our great love for others.

Here is my last thought. If people cannot recognize that you are a Christian by your great love, maybe it is better that they don't know that you are a Christian at all.

Mid 20's Crisis Part IV

2007-03-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

This is part IV of this discussion. As a recap, I've noticed that many of the people in our age group struggle with the same issues. This is designed to be a discussion and a time where we can offer ideas to each other. The main rule is to not gossip about others.

The topic this week is money, or more specifically debt. Most of us have some pretty real issues with debt. I think that this comes from a variety of reasons. On the income side, most of us are on the lower end of the pay scale for our jobs because we haven't yet received promotions and big raises. Many of us are also trying to pay off student loans from college. These are parts of the problem, yet I believe that the biggest factor lies on the spending side. The truth is that most of us spend way too much money. There are many reasons for this, but I believe that the biggest cause of our over spending is that we try to live like our parents live. We live in a house like they live in, we drive the same cars that they do, and our TV is the same size as theirs (or maybe even bigger). I am guilty of this.

What we tend to forget is that our parents didn't live like this when they were in their 20's. I remember that growing up we hardly ever ate out. When we did it was usually McDonalds. When we ate at McDonalds we had to order hamburgers...because cheeseburgers were too expensive. Think about what our financial situations would be like if we could show that kind of discipline! This is really hard for me.

Lets offer each other suggestions this week. Post a comment about your favorite way to save money. What are your favorite cheap restraunts? What is a good way to save on utility bills? What is a great cheap date idea? What other suggestions can you give?

Mid-20's Crisis Part III

2007-02-20T11:30:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read Part I, here is the scoop. It seems like many people in our age group are struggling with many of the same issues, so I wanted us to be able to offer ideas, ask questions, and chat with each other. The basic rule is not to share other people's business (gossip) and to be sensitive.

Here is our second subject: singleness. I know that my thoughts are coming only from my point of view, so I really hope that some others can hop in the conversation.

I guess that as long as I can remember I have had a desire for a lasting committed relationship. When I was in elementary school that didn't really mean much. I didn't want to talk on the phone (or in person for that matter) and I didn't like notes. I'm not sure what exactly I enjoyed about "going with someone," but I know that I did love that feeling of someone thinking I was special. My desires grew as I did and they changed to a gut wrenching desire to be married.

I would have never imagined that I would be the first person in my family (extended included) to not be married immediately after college. This reality became more and more difficult as my younger cousins passed me on the race to the alter. The feelings of emptiness were often almost too much to bear. I'll never forget the day that I passed the unofficial/unspoken "fail date" for marriage set by my family. That was a bad day!

Wow...enough sad. Single life wasn't all that bad though. I had more freedom and less worries. I was able to go anywhere and do anything that I wanted. I had more time because I only had one schedule to worry about. And, when I was having a good attitude about being single I had a lot of fun.

I think that the most important thing that I tried to do was to trust God to bring me the right person at the right time. I loved the love stories found in Song of Solomon and Genesis 24/29. I also had to trust that God would provide me with the love and friends that I needed.

Wow. This was a long one. I'd love to hear from you all. How did/do you handle being 20-something and single?

Mid-20s-Crisis Part II

2007-02-15T05:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the ideas. Remember the ground rules: don't talk about someone else's life! Also realize that none of us have "life" all figured out, so let's make this a discussion.

Here is the first topic. How do we balance our schedules? What do we want our priorities to be and what does our life show that our priorities actually are.

I want my priorities in life to be serving God, loving Darcy, being a good father, being a good friend/brother/son/cousin...and impacting my community. I love my job as a youth pastor, I'm passionate about my role as a coach, and I can't get enough of my wife. Many times this leaves me lacking in the good friend category. I know that I need some lines, so here are some that I've tried to make.

1. A date with Darcy every week
2. Only two or three mornings and two evenings per week devoted to youth group kids (though this might change when our baby gets here).
3. Every Monday night is dinner with my extended family.
4. I love to play softball, but realize that I will probably have to give this up this summer
5. I'm coaching Upward Basketball (which is a good thing), but have already filled my schedule with enough coaching, so I will give that up too.

The place that I get in the most trouble is with coaching. I know that through coaching I can serve God and impact our community...and I love it, but it takes so much time.

I'm a work in progress, so I know things will change. I also know that things probably need to change.

What about the rest of you. What things do you do to balance your schedule?

Mid 20's Crisis

2007-02-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

I think that I want to take a few weeks to do something different with the blog. Recently I have been thinking about how this is a tough age for a lot of people. As I look around at our age group I see some pretty common things that we struggle with. Many of us are no longer in the new adult stage of life that is marked with completion of high school or college. Do you remember how bright life seemed then? We couldn't wait to get our lives going.

Well now we are a few years past that...but we still are wanting to get our lives going! Many of us have young relationships, young families and young careers. We know that the foundation we lay now will be critical to the formation of the rest of our lives.

Unfortunatley I know that many of us sometimes struggle with these things. I thought we could take a few weeks to tackle a few issues and give each other some support for these things.

A few ground rules though...#1. Don't share someone else's business! If you do I will delete it. #2. Understand that as we talk about these topics, some will undoubtedly be personal to you. Please understand that I will never be talking about a specific person or friend.

So lets start with a survey. What are the things that you see people our age struggling with. What are the things we should talk about. Please leave your ideas in the comments.

Here is a start: We struggle with balancing schedules (job, spouse, kids, hobbies)

Waiting

2007-02-06T05:32:00.000-08:00

When Jesus was walking the earth he told the story of a man and his two sons. It is found in Luke chapter 15. The story is commonly known as the Prodigal Son. I'm not going to type out all the text, but I'd encourage you to read it if you never have. The basics of the story go as follows:

A son asks his father for his inheritance while the father is still living.
The son leaves and wastes his inheritance.
The son comes back to the father and the father welcomes him back.

This is a story that I was very familiar with, but in the past few weeks I've learned a few things about it that put a new spin on it for me.

The first thing that I learned was that the son was probably 30 years old (Jewish tradition forbid someone from receiving an inheritance from a living relative befor they were 30 years old).

After I learned about his age, I began to think about his situation. He was an adult, and if he was anything like me he was probably sure that he knew what was best in every situation. His father had probably provided everything he needed and many things that he wanted...but his father had not yet given him every good thing that the father had to give. His father was going to give him every good thing, but the father knew that the son wasn't yet ready to receive it.

Have you ever been there? God has given you every thing you need and blessed you with many things that you want. Yet, there is something good that God is telling you to wait for.

When we are waiting we can't possibly understand why God wouldn't give it to us right now. We are confused about why God would tell us to wait.

Those are some of the toughest times.

When you are in that spot you must choose to trust in God. You must trust that He knows what is best and you must trust that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him." (Romans 8:28)

Raising the Dead

2007-01-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

This morning I read Luke 7:11-17.

In this section of the Bible, Jesus is about to enter a town. As he is approaching the town he notices a funeral procession. A group of people were carrying a coffin out of the town. Jesus's heart sank as he looked beyond the coffin and saw the deceased person's mother. The Bible tells us that this woman was a widow and the person in the coffin was her only son. Jesus stopped the people carrying the coffin and spoke to the boy. The boy immediately sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave the boy back to his mother.

As I read this passage I could pretty easily relate to the story. When I'm honest with myself I can see that there are parts of me that are spiritually dead. These parts have slowly died over time and their death has almost gone unnoticed. Like the widow, these dead parts in me have left me feeling empty and alone...the feelings that can only come when you realize that your relationship with God is not what it once was.

So this morning I prayed that God would ressurect those parts in me. That He would once again reign in my life. That I would once again look to Him for every answer to every question that I'm asking.

Hopefully you are wiser than me. Hopefully you don't let yourself die. But, if you do find yourself dead ask God to raise you back to life.

Who Killed Jesus

2006-12-13T06:35:00.001-08:00

***If you start reading this please finish reading this or you may get the wrong opinion of what I'm saying***

The Passion of The Christ hit theaters a few years ago and immediately this question surfaced. Who killed Jesus? Some groups blasted the movie as Anti-Sematic for protraying the Jews as the culprits. Some people would say that like it or not, the Jews infact were the people that killed Jesus.

Other groups would say that it was the Romans who killed Jesus. They would point to Pilate and the Roman soldiers as the murderers.

The true answer might surprise you. The truth is that no one killed Jesus. No one had enough power to kill Jesus. No one else was in charge of the situation. Jesus was in control the entire time. In John 3:14 Jesus shows us that he knows how he will die. His words also show us that his death was decided long ago...much before Pilate or even the Roman empire. Jesus was in control of his destiny.

John 18 shows us Jesus was in control of his arrest. John 19 shows us that Jesus was in control of his death sentence.

John 19:30 tells us this, "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finishd.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

Jesus is too strong to be killed. No one and no power of evil has the strength to take the life from Jesus. Jesus is in control.

Yet in his strength, he gave up his life. He did this so that we could give him ours and find true life.

Trust in his strength today for whatever you are going through. He is strong enough.

Who Killed Jesus

2006-12-13T06:35:00.000-08:00

***If you start reading this please finish reading this or you may get the wrong opinion of what I'm saying***

The Passion of The Christ hit theaters a few years ago and immediately this question surfaced. Who killed Jesus? Some groups blasted the movie as Anti-Sematic for protraying the Jews as the culprits. Some people would say that like it or not, the Jews infact were the people that killed Jesus.

Other groups would say that it was the Romans who killed Jesus. They would point to Pilate and the Roman soldiers as the murderers.

The true answer might surprise you. The truth is that no one killed Jesus. No one had enough power to kill Jesus. No one else was in charge of the situation. Jesus was in control the entire time. In John 3:14 Jesus shows us that he knows how he will die. His words also show us that his death was decided long ago...much before Pilate or even the Roman empire. Jesus was in control of his destiny.

John 18 shows us Jesus was in control of his arrest. John 19 shows us that Jesus was in control of his death sentence.

John 19:30 tells us this, "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finishd.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

Jesus is too strong to be killed. No one and no power of evil has the strength to take the life from Jesus. Jesus is in control.

Yet in his strength, he gave up his life. He did this so that we could give him ours and find true life.

Trust in his strength today for whatever you are going through. He is strong enough.

A call to fight.

2006-12-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

This verse is a call for all Christians to join a battle. The fact is that we are engaged in a Holy War. The stakes are high. The casualties are mounting. Every day the fighting intensifies.

This war is very real...yet you you won't read about it in your daily newspaper. This Holy War is not fought in the conventional way with conventional weapons. This verse tells us that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against...the spiritual forces of evil." This means that this Holy War is not between people, but between good and evil. The battle is real, and these verses command us to prepare for battle.

So, how do you fight this Holy War. The Bible tells us that if you want to be a mighty warrior you must be: saves, truthful, righteous. You must have faith in God. You must tell people about Jesus. You must fight with the Truth that is found ONLY in the Bible. You must stand. You must pray.

We have to remember that in this Holy War when we do these things in love here on earth, we are also fighting mightily in this Heavenly battle. If you want to swing your sword, share an encouraging verse with someone. If you want to charge into the battle, tell someone about the love and redemption of Jesus Christ. Remember that we don't fight this battle by fighting with people.

Love, stand, be committed to truth, follow God, trust in Jesus, pray. Join the fight today.

Evil is Good

2006-11-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

I am noticing an alarming trend. It is all around. It is not subtle, yet I'm not sure how long I've been aware of it. I guess that maybe is has slowly been working its way into the moral fabric of our nation. Many times it appears to be a misplaced ideal in New England or California, but a few weeks ago it slapped me in the face in a local newspaper.

It was the lead story on the front page. It had a color photo and its print covered about 1/2 of the page. The story was continued on another page. All together almost an entire page was dedicated to the story. The headline read, "I Miss My Buddy." The story was about a boy/family who was missing one of their friends. One of the boy's past teachers had gotten in some trouble and this boy, his two sisters and the family were missing him. The article went on to tell of all the great characteristics and qualities of this man. It was almost heartwarming...except for the fact that it made me want to vomit.

This "wonderful man" is being held in our local jail on multiple counts of having sex with a minor. He has not been convicted, but the case seems fairly open and shut.

My problem is not with the family. I am sure that they are shocked and confused right now. My problem is with the paper...and the rest of society who is doing this awful thing:

Isaiah 5:20: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness...

My desire to vomit was caused by a newspaper trying to call a child predator a good guy. However this is just a specific example of the broader problem. Not only does our society refuse to call evil evil, we are now starting to call evil good. Sadder yet is our habbit of calling good evil.

Here is what I mean. Think of how homosexuality is being glorified in parades, sitcoms, reality shows, and movies. Think of how fetal stem cell research is portrayed as the magic pill which will cure all diseases (although fetal stem cell research has not provided a single advance while stem cell research has provided many advances). How about Ghost Whisperer and Medium. Oh yeah, and what about the great morals on Desprate Housewives.

While these evil things are being glorified, the Christian who stands up and proclaims truth is being called intollerant, ignorant, and ungodly.

This post is not a "call to arms." It was not written to get you to attack a person who is struggling (we all struggle and sin- that is why Jesus came). I simply hope that you can resolve to stand in your own home, your own thoughts and your conversations to call good good and evil evil.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-20T06:26:00.000-08:00

1 Peter tells of something almost indescribable. It is something so great that it can make you "greatly rejoice" even though you "suffer grief." Though you have never seen it, you can be "filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." It is something that the great prophets of the Old Testament "searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which" this would be revealed.

It is something so great that...are you ready for this one...seriously, you'd better sit down. OK here it goes: 1 Peter 1:12 "...Even Angels long to look into these things."

Wow! Can you imagine something so great that Angels long to look at them! That must be something spectacular. What is this thing? It is the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

I'm pretty sure that both people who read this (I love you Darcy and Mom) are already Christians. With that in mind, here is my question. Do you remember that you are saved, and do you have joy about it? I know that it is hard to be joyful when life is tough. There are many days that it is hard for me to smile too. But, lets try to remember the amazing gift of grace and the joy that comes with it.

Election Results

2006-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Something very important happened on Tuesday night...I was finally able to watch TV without chucking large, heavy objects at it every time my favorite shows were interupted by politicians throwing mud. Thats right, the election is finally over. As I sat on my couch on Wednesday morning I was wondering what the results would be. I didn't have to wait long to find my answer. It didn't come from TODAY or Good Morning America...it came from my Bible.

Colossians 1:15-18 "He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities...He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy."

The results are in. The people elected to office are the ones that Christ willed to be there. It is that simple. Christ is SUPREME. He is in control and he has brought all rulers into power.

There is one more important thing to notice however. The Bible does not say that he brings the best rulers into power or even the most Godly, honest or morally sound. It simply states that he brings leaders into power.

You may be happy about the election results, or you may be sad. One thing you can be sure of. If you pray "...thy kingdom come..." you can know that your prayers are being answered and brought closer each day. It may be near, it may be far, but Christ is organizing the world's affairs in his will.

Life is more

2006-10-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

For the past month I have not been alive. Yes, technically my heart was still beating, my body was still moving, and I was driving back and forth from work to practice every day. These might all be signs of life...but a lifeless robot could have done them just as well.

I have allowed stresses and business in my life to shut down some pretty important things. During this time I have spent little time laughing, loving, encouraging, and simply being with people. These things are the true signs of life.

So this week God has been once again working on me. He has reminded me several times that I need to slow down, disengage, and resume living.

This morning I read these verses from Luke 12:22-23

"Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.'"

I encourage you to truely live today. Remember that no matter how important everything around you is, Life is more.

If you are in the Goshen area...

2006-09-20T05:56:00.000-07:00

I want to invite both of the people who read this blog (and anyone who might have stumbled across this on accident) to an awesome event on Sunday night. My church (Community Church of Waterford- 65154 CR 21 Goshen, IN) is hosting creation scientist Dr. Jackson at 6:00. Dr. J is awesome. He is passionate about science and the Bible. He doesn't make stuff up or teach crazy ideas. He just sticks to good solid science. He is also a great entertainer and will have you both laughing and amazed.

This is an event that will radically change the way you view science, God, and the Bible.

If you want to check out his website it is www.pointsoforigins.com

The B Word

2006-09-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been far to busy of using that foul little four letter B word. You know the one that can cause you to the stress to the point that your body and mind just quit. It can be the best excuse for not doing anything that you really should do. That's right, I've said "Busy."

Anyway this week I've had some early morning breakfasts with kids in our church. I've told myself that I'm too busy to get up even earlier and read my Bible.

I hate it when I do that...but I still do it. Why don't I just have the discipline to read my Bible every day.

Anyway, this morning I left myself about 10 minutes to read it (dang- I just realized I was trying to do the microwave/fast food church thing that I complained about in my last post- talk about being a work in progress). Anyway, in my microwaved quiet time I only read 4 verses. They stopped me pretty quickly. It is amazing how God's word speaks so clearly when you want to listen. These were the words:

Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Take a minute to think about the words of Jesus. Remember to spend some time with him today.

Church

2006-09-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Has anyone else noticed how the Church (the people) has turned Christianity into a drive though? Here is what I mean. We get in our cars about 10 minutes before church starts, place our order for a quick bite of Jesus, an order of encouraging handshakes, and a caffinated set of singing songs...and for dessert we'll take an order of blessing...why don't you super-size that one.

It seems to me that many people in the Church have lost site of the fact that the purpose of church, is for believers to gather, worship God, and encourage each other. That view is pretty different than what happens today.

This week I ran across this passage of scripture. I think it shows Jesus's attitude toward this type of Church. It comes from Luke 8:40-48

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

"Who touched me?" Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

Notice here that Jesus concern doesn't seem to be that someone received an "unauthorized healing." Jesus doesn't try to make the woman sick again. He doesn't reprimand her. So why did Jesus stop his trip and demand to know who touched him.

Do you see it?

Look hard.

Jesus wanted to know the woman! Healing people was great, but he wanted to know who this woman was.

I think that today Jesus has so much more for us than a fastfood diet of church will give us. Yes, he wants to bless us, but he wants so much to KNOW us and for us to KNOW HIM! This week I would challenge you to take some time to get to know Jesus. When you go to church go early and stay late. When you sing, don't get caught up in the band, but take a seat at the feet of Jesus and praise him.

If you don't know Jesus, check out Romans 10:9 for how you can know Him.

May you know him this week.

Trust

2006-08-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

God is working on me again. In my prayers, in my heart, in my gut, I have had this feeling that he is calling me to trust him. I have this feeling that he is telling me to totally, 100%, unreserved, unashamed, unaware, unsure, unafraid...trust in him. My wife and I had a good talk about this last night before we went to sleep.

Then this morning I read Luke 8:22-25 in my quiet time.

One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let’s go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we’re going to drown!"
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

Here's the thing: Many of the disciples were professional fishermen. If there ever was a time for them to trust in themselves, this was it. I am sure that if I had been them I would have been using my training and my understanding to try to save myself. I would have done everything I could think of...everything that is except ask the carpenter in the boat to help me.

What are you good at doing? Maybe you are a professional doctor, teacher, youth pastor, sales assistant, contractor, coach... Can you trust Jesus in that area? Do you really believe that Jesus knows more about that area than you do?

1 Corinthians 1:25 says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom."

Even if God isn't an "expert" in your area of expertise, he is still wiser than you even in that area. Have the courage to trust God in all areas of your life.

If you have a story of God taking care of you in your area of expertise, please consider sharing that story with everyone in the comments.

Priorities

2006-08-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

I love a good mystery. I love to follow the clues and find the solution. My favorite reality show is Treasure Hunters (actually it is Contender, but it doesn't work as an illustration, and I really do love Treasure Hunters). My favorite regular show is CSI and CSI Miami. Last year I did a 7 week series using National Treasure. So it should be no surprise that I enjoy reading Biblical prophecy and trying to decipher its mystery.

I typically start my day by listening to pastor Leo Geoveneti preach on the radio. This week he was preaching from the book of Ezekiel and was talking about the end times. He showed that the Bible gives 7 major prophecies which must be fulfilled before Christ returns. He explained how some of these had recently happened and how current world events could lead to the fulfillment of the rest in the near future. The message was clear: the end is near. (If you want to hear his messages you can download them at http://www.realliferadio.org/media/newmedia.php

Listening to his teaching made me think.

Now, I'm not going to try to convince you that the end is near. I will continue to pray, study the Bible, and listen to Bible teachers who are speaking about that topic, and I would encourage you to do the same. The end might still 5,000 years away. But, WHAT IF Christ's return were close at hand. What if you knew that you only had 12 years left on this earth. WHAT IF?

I considered that question this week. I thought about how my life and my priorities would change. I realized that the things that cause around 90% of my stress right now, would suddenly fade into obscurity and meaninglessness. I also realized that the things that I spend only 10% of my time, energy, and thoughts on would suddenly be of the utmost importance. Would I still be worried about the stock market? Would I still be worried about moral less politicians who lead our country in the wrong direction? Would I still be annoyed by little things and long for an easier life? Would I still feel tired, or would I sprint through the finish line? Would I ever let an opportunity pass to tell someone about Jesus? Would I still come to church on Sunday without inviting my neighbor?

Christ's return might be 5000 years away, or it could be 5 years away. I don't know for sure, but I've decided to try to live my life like my time is short. There is much to do. There is much to enjoy. There are many to show God's love.

"Marriage in Progress"

2006-08-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

This post will be a glance into my personal life. Recently my marriage has not been what my wife and I would like it to be. Now, lets not let the rumor train leave the station- let me explain. Our marriage was still good...but not great. Individually we were both stressed out about various things. We brought these stresses into our marriage, and it kept it from being all that it could be.

One night we had a heart to heart talk before we went to sleep. We talked about the things that were stressing us out. We also talked about the way that we were slowly letting the spiritual part of our marriage die. When we were first married we had a ritual. Every night we would tell the other person what our favorite part about them was that day. This was a great way to thank each other and praise each other. After that we would pray. Well, this had totally stopped, so during our heart to heart we decided to start doing that again.

The difference has been incredible. We are intentionally including God in our family again. It has been the best part of our marriage and our love is deeper than ever. Yesterday my wife actually made the statement, "I had so much joy about you today!" Other than, "I do," that might be the sweetest thing she has ever said to me. Praise God for blessing me so much!

I know that this post is different from what I usually do. I just wanted to share with everyone and to encourage everyone to pray for and in their marriages (and if you are single- pray for your future marriage). I speak out of love and my vast marriage experience (1 year, 2 months, 12 days, 3 minutes)

Fruit

2006-07-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

One of the most used sayings of Jesus was to "bear fruit." This was a metaphor for living your life in a way that would honor God. Examples of "fruit" are love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control (Galations 5).

But why did Jesus choose "fruit?" Why not flowers? Why not candy? Why not a big juicy steak or a tasty veggie burger (for my wife)? What is so special about fruit?

Let's do a quick review from elementary science class. Fruit is very tasty. Trees make fruit tasty so that animals eat it. Why do they want the animals to eat the fruit? The answer is that inside the fruit is a seed (sometimes seedS). The animals then "transport" the seeds to another location and then more trees grow.

So with our science lesson in mind, Jesus words to "bear fruit" take on a whole new meaning. We are to "bear fruit" so that others can identify us as Christians (Matthew 7:15-20). Our "fruit" is sweet (how sweet is love, joy and kindness!). Our goal is that people will see our fruit, experience our fruit, and in turn desire to accept Jesus and bear fruit themselves.

So, bear fruit today remembering that in our fruit are the seeds that may grow into new Christians.

The answer is...

2006-07-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hello again. I'm back after spending a week with the Jr. Highers. Here is the answer to the question I posed two weeks ago.

Ephesians 3:17-19 says, "I pray that you...may...grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge."

(quick recap- there are several different Greek words which are translated knowledge. One word seems to be factual in nature one seems to be a deeper relational meaning)

The question is which "knowledge" is Ephesians 3:19 using?

(Thanks for taking a guess Nichole. I thought the same thing.)

A few weeks ago I was having fun going through and guessing which "knowledge" was used in different verses. I was getting pretty good at it when I came upon this verse. I confidently guessed "factual" knowledge. I was disappointed and confused when I looked and I was wrong.

This verse says that the love of Christ goes beyond, not "factual" knowledge, but "relational" knowledge. I was disappointed because my understanding had failed.

But, my disappointment slowly faded away when I began to realize what it was saying. Even in our deepest, most intimate relationship with Christ...even in that knowledge of him...his love for us is greater still...greater than we can imagine. OH how great is our God!

And so now "I pray that you...may...grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge."

Two Week Post

2006-07-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

This one is going to have to last for about two weeks, so I'm going to make it a little bit deeper.

The New Testament was originally written in Greek. When it is translated to English sometimes you loose some things (I am NOT saying that the meaning or content is changed...you just miss some subtle things).

I don't know Greek, but by using some resources you can see some cool things. I used olivetree.com and a Strong's Concordance to do this.

Here we go:

There are two Greek words which are both translated "knowledge" in the NIV. One word indicates knowing facts (I know my wife's name) and one word indicated having a relational knowledge (I know how to make my wife smile).

Lets look at some verses from 2 Peter 1:2-8 (I'll highlight "knowledge" to show which Greek word is used).

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you see that once we have knowledge of God he wants us to also add knowledge(relationship). There is such a big difference between knowledge of a person and knowledge (relationship) with a person. A relationship is so much deeper.

Congratulations if you have made it this far. Don't give up now...this is the cool part:

Ephesians 3:17-19 says, "I pray that you...may...grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge."

It says that the love of Christ is HUGE. It is so big that it surpasses knowledge. I'd like everyone who reads to take a stab at which knowledge it is talking about.

I'll be back on July 18

A favorite Parable

2006-06-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

OK. I'm excited about this one. This is a Parable of Jesus from Mark 10.

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’"

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Here are some questions to chew on:
1. Why does Jesus make such a big deal about the guy calling him "good teacher?"
2. Jesus lists 6 of the 10 commandments (found in Exodus 20). What do the 4 that he didn't list have in common? What point was Jesus trying to make?
3. Can rich people go to heaven? How do they get there?
4. What do you think Jesus meant when he said that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Comment on one or all four...or leave another question.

The Blessed Man

2006-06-06T05:15:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says:

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and it never fails to bear fruit."

I read this verse last week and was struck by some of the simple truths in it. I think that this is amazingly profound and could easily be a 20 minute sermon...but I'll just keep my thoughts really, really brief.

1- a person who trusts in the Lord positions themself close to the Lord (the tree was planted close to the water)

2- it still gets hot for the tree close to the water- hard times WILL come...even if you trust in the Lord, but the Lord always provides and you will make it through the heat

3- there will be dry times, even for Christians. There will be times when you feel distant from God and your relationship feels dead. Yet even in those times God is still at work in you (the tree never fails to bear fruit...even in a drought). How is this possible? It is possible because even in the drought, even though the tree thinks it hasn't received water in weeks, deep down under the soil the roots are still receiving water from the stream. Even in our drought times, if you position yourself close to the Lord, you will receive nourishment from God.

I hope one of those three things can encourage you today.

Immigration and Aliens

2006-05-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

If the title made you read this looking for a political discussion...look somewhere else. This is about something else.

Recently some things in this world have really ticked me off. Racism ticks me off, and between Barry Bonds and immigration I've about reached my limit of racist comments (coming from all people- white, black, brown, purple and pink). Why can't the ignorance of racism just disappear. Other things tick me off too. It ticks me off when I see people choosing to not do the right thing. It makes me mad when I have to clean up a mess for someone who was too lazy to clean it up themself. War worries me. How much longer will we have soldiers dying, people in Iraq dying, and terrorism. I hope to be a father some day. Child abusers tick me off. Speaking of fathers, mine was killed a few months ago, and I'm crying as I write this.

Say it with me, "Life isn't fair."

But here is the good news:

Read what God says in Hebrews Chapter 11. The Bible has just listed the names of some of the most Godly men in history. We pick up the story in verse 13.

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on the earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a contry of their own...they were longing for a better country- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Later in the chapter it is talking about all the things that these Godly people had suffered. Verses 37 and 38 say, "...[they were] persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them."

The Bible basically is telling us that this world isn't our home. We are just missionaries living here for a little while. If I were a missionary in Africa, I wouldn't expect everything to go the way I wanted it to. After all it isn't my home. These people have different customs, different values, and different ideas. But I wouldn't get frustrated. I would simply continue to tell them about Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, this isn't our home. This world has different customs, different values, and different ideas. Lets not get frustrated. Lets simply continue to tell the world about Jesus.

Greatness

2006-05-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that "competitive" is a pretty fitting adjective for my life. There are few things that I enjoy more than competition. I coach two sports and compete regularly in three more. I do it because I need the exercise and because I get a high when I am able to succeed.

On Sundays I play in a flag football league. It is fun, but it is also hard for me. I played football in college and did pretty well, but on our flag football team I'm not one of the stars. It is hard for me to accept and I want so badly to be the best at EVERYTHING I do.

A few weeks ago as I was driving to my game I felt like asked me a question. He asked me, "If I make you great in one thing, what do you want it to be?" I began to think about it. Would I really choose to be great in my flag football league? How about in my slow pitch softball league or pick up basketball games? Would I want to be a great coach or a great husband?

I gave God an answer that day. I told Him the one thing that I wanted to be great in. I will share that later, but would first like to hear from you. If God would make you great in one aspect of your life or personality, what would you choose?

The DaVinci Code

2006-05-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

First let me say how much I hate to read. You will almost never see me reading for pleasure, but recently I picked up a copy of The DaVinci Code. I figured that since the movie was coming out I should really read the book so that I could talk to people about what the movie says. I really enjoyed the action in the book, but really disliked what the book was saying.

In a nutshell, the book says that what we know about Jesus is a lie fabricated by the Church. It says that the "truth" is that there are many "gods," all of whom are equal. Jesus was special, but certainly wasn't God's only son. Jesus was in fact a mortal man who was never crucified and never raised from the dead. The story is built around legends and "clues" that DaVinci left for us in his paintings.

First let me say that these beliefs do not allign with Christianity at all. If you look in this blog's archives you will see some "Well I believe..." posts- this is a must believe point.

Here are some of my ideas about this story. Maybe DaVinci really did believe what the book is saying. Maybe he really did hide things in his paintings. That still proves nothing! If you read Mien Kampf you see that Hitler was convinced that the Jews were an inferior race. Swastikas are symbols of this belief. But, obviously that doesn't make it true, no matter how much Hitler believed it. The same it true of DaVinci. It doesn't matter how much he believed this myth, it still doesn't make it true.

Something else to think about. DaVinci's paintings came 1400 years after Jesus. DaVinci's symbols claim to hold the truth about the man (Jesus).

The Bible also contains hundreds of symbols and writings about Jesus (see the post- Easter Symbolism). They tell us that Jesus was God, He became man, lived a perfect life, was murdered, rose from the dead, and returned to heaven. Several huge differences in the symbols of the Bible compared to the symbols of DaVinci exists. Think about this. DaVinci's symbols came 1400 years after Jesus, the Bible's symbols came several thousand years before Jesus. The writings and symbols were not an afterthought...there were a prophecy. DaVinci claimed to know the truth about the man. The Bible says that Jesus is the man about the truth!

If you want a spectacular treasure hunt read Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah and then Matthew.

What does it mean to you that Jesus is the man about the truth?

Hypocrites Part II

2006-05-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm going to go about this two different ways. First a short note to people who have been burned by the Church. I won't try to appologize because I imagine that an appology coming from a member of the Church might not carry much weight. I will tell you though that I believe Jesus is often saddened by the actions of those who claim His name. Hopefully you will be able to not judge our leader by his followers.

Second, I want to write to Christians. I want to challenge us to stop calling each other hypocrites. Of course we are hypocrites. We are all hypocrites. I believe that the most dangerous "hypocricy issue" to the Church is the fact that we have forgotten that we are all hypocrites. At the core, Christianity says that we cannot live up to the standard that God has set. Thus unless we lower that standard we are all hypocrites.

Here is an example from my life. Last week I lost my temper in a game of basketball. Let's imagine that some kids from my youth group saw me. Now I'm faced with a dilema. I can no longer talk to my youth group kids about anger without them seeing me as a hypocrite. So, I have a few options.

Option 1: avoidance- I never talk about anger again.

Option 2: I lower God's standard and tell kids that everyone sins so it really doesn't matter if we loose our temper- God loves us anyway.

Both of these options would prevent me from being hypocritical, but both of these options are dead wrong. How about option 3: I tell the kids that Jesus tells us not to loose our temper (Matthew 5:22). I admit that I struggle with this, but I remind them that I am not the example that they are to follow- Jesus is. I may be a hypocrite, but Jesus is not. I tell them that though I may fail, I am still going to keep striving for the standard that God has set. I challenge them to do the same, and I promise to support them as they try and sometimes fail.

I really appreciate the comments that were left on the post from Friday. I think you both were right on. I think that the Church would be far better off and make a much greater impact if we would constantly remember that we are all hypocritical sinners who are in need of the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Let's remeber that and strive to extend that grace to each other as well.

As a "Work in Progress" I want to leave you with my favorite verse: Philippians 3:12- "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

Hypocrites

2006-04-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

This is just a question for those of you in blogger land. What comes to your mind when I say "hypocrite?" Think about that word in a Christian context. What are your feelings? Do you have any stories?

I've got some thoughts that I want to share early next week, but I wanted to give you a chance to be thinking about hypocrisy and the Church.

Better Half

2006-04-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so both of you who read this (my wife and you) might have noticed that I haven't done a post for a few days. The truth is that I haven't had much inspiration to write about. It is a pretty busy month in my life right now. Our church is also preparing to move into a new building which is adding stress. Finally I haven't done a youth group in a couple weeks. This has all been a recipe for spiritual stagnation....thus a lack of inspiration...a lack of Blogging.

Do you ever get to that place? The place where you feel like your prayers are hitting a ceiling? Where the Bible just isn't speaking to you and isn't making sense? That is where I am. Now, I'm not "loosing my faith." I know that God hasn't removed me from His presence. I know that He is still right beside me...but I still feel so dry.

In this desert place I am thankful for someone who can challenge me spiritually and encourage me...Recently I was wanting to do something. I hadn't prayed about it, but I wanted to do it anyway. My wife asked me if I had prayed about it. I felt shame as I had to truthfully answer her, "I'm too mad to pray about it." Without her saying anything else, her question continued to penetrate my heart and point me to the truth that whether I was willing to admit it or not, I was in the middle of a spiritual desert and I was withering from thirst.

I am thankful that I have people in my life who can challenge me out of love. I hope that we can grow as a group to get to the point that we can challege each other; not with words of condemnation, but with simple words of encouragement.

How much have you talked with God today?

Easter Symbolism

2006-04-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

I know that one of our favorite hobbies is trying to connect everything on Lost. We are amazed as the characters weave in and out of each others lives. We love the symbolism that we can see...how things that happened years earlier had pointed toward this island. Well in that spirit I'm doing this weeks blog. The symbolism of Easter makes Lost look like a children's book. I'll admit up front that I don't understand everything that happened, but if you enjoy making connections and want to do some deep thinking keep reading. For everyone else...check back next week.

First the flash back:
The Jewish people are special to God (to find out why read Genesis chapter 12). They are living as slaves in Egypt. God decides to rescue them and free them from their bondage which will eventually lead to their death. In Exodus chapter 12 God gives the Jewish people some instructions. They are to select a perfect lamb (no faults, no broken bones...). They are to take care of the lamb for 4 days and then they are to kill the lamb. They are to take some of the lambs blood and put it on the doorway of their house. At midnight God would send angels to kill the firstborn child of everyone in Egypt (to convince the king of Egypt to release the Jews from slavery). There was a catch though. The angels would not kill anyone who had the blood of the lamb on their doorway. The next day the king was convinced and the Jewish people were free.

Every year since the Jewish people have celebrated Passover as a way to remember this event. Several thousand years later Jesus goes to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. This is what happened:

What Easter means: (flashbacks)
We are all special to God (to find out why read Psalm 139).
(the Jews were special to God too)

But we are living as slaves to sin. Eventually this sin will lead to our death.
(the Jews were slaves and would die)

So God decided to set us free.
(God decided to set the Jews free)

Thus comes Palm Sunday (read John chapter 12).

Jesus (often refered to as the Lamb...also lived a perfect life) enters Jerusalem and the people are praising him and proclaiming him king.
This was probably the same day that Jewish families would be selecting their perfect lamb for passover.

Jesus stayed in Jerusalem for a few days.
These were the same days that the Jewish families were taking care of their lambs.

After a few days Jesus was arrested, and killed on a cross. His blood would have made marks on the wooden cross.
Meanwhile the Jewish people would have been killing their lambs.

The sacrifce that Jesus made (symbolized by blood on the cross) has made a way for us to escape from the sin that will lead to our death. How do we escape- believe in Jesus and change our heart deciding to follow him instead of our sin.
(When the king changed his heart and decided to listen to God, the Jewish people were freed from their slavery)

Wow! Congratulations if you made it through all that!

Why does this matter? It gives me a renewed appreciation for the creativity and authority of God. Every detail matters. Also it has greatly changed my view of Palm Sunday. Jesus must have been so sad as he realized that while the people were cheering him, they were unknowingly selecting Him as their passover lamb.

What do you think? Any questions?

Desire

2006-04-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

How bad to you hunger for the Word of God? How much do you desire to be in His presence? Most of us have probably heard stories of people in Africa who have to "walk 10 miles to a neighboring village to go to church." Honestly, these stories rarely impact me...they seem too far away. After all here in America it is not that hard. We rarely would have to walk 10 blocks to find a church. It is easy for us. Unfortunately this sometimes leads to apathy on our part...

The game is on late tonight...I'll just sleep in through church tomorrow
It has been a rough week...I just need to relax Sunday morning
My friend/parents/spouse can't go today...so I'll just stay home too
Next week is going to be super busy...I need to get extra rest today
I'm tired...I'll sleep in instead of getting up to read my Bible

This blog is NOT pointed at anyone...except maybe me...I'm not trying to preach...but just keep reading.

Yesterday I had the privledge of sitting next to Mike S. in church. Mike inspired me yesterday...and he shamed me at the same time. I had slightly grumbled about having to "wake up an hour early" due to the time change. I had eaten a good breakfast and then drove the 2 miles to church arriving pretty early (25 minutes early) so that I could talk to people. I was feeling good about myself.

Mike was also there...though he had arrived a bit earlier...1:30 am to be exact. Mike lives about 13 miles away from our church. His car broke down this week, but Mike was not going to let that keep him from church. So, at 8:00 on Saturday night Mike started to walk. He arrived at 1:30 and fell asleep in an entrance area outside our church.

And when I walked in to church he greeted me with a big smile.

Do I have that much desire? Do you?

Thank you for challenging me Mike.

A worthy competitor?

2006-03-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

Ron Brown is one of the most passionate, motivating speakers I have ever heard. He is a former U. of Nebraska football coach and does a lot of speaking for FCA. At a recent event he spoke about the reaction the Nebraska football team would receive when they went on the road. On the bus, in the hotel, and in the stadium they would always be welcomed with a loud chorus of boos. Opposing fans were not shy about voicing dislike for Nebraska. Why?...because Nebraska was good. Nebraska was a threat. Because Nebraska was such a threat, the other team's fans would become passionate about opposing them.

Coach Brown also pointed out that bad teams don't get booed by opponents. I was at the ND/Navy football game last fall. The ND fans neither cheered or booed. Why- Navy wasn't a threat to ND. Everyone knew it, so no one really cared.

So here is the question: are you getting booed as a Christian? Are you enough of a worthy competitor for Christ that the world boos you, or does the world take little notice of you because you aren't a threat?

Now, I'm not telling you to go out and tick off the world. But I am saying that if the world isn't taking notice of you, you aren't following Christ closely enough. If you are following Christ and looking like Christ, you will not fit into this world. People will notice.

Are you a worthy competitor?

Encouragement

2006-03-22T05:21:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm really excited about this Blog...so excited that I'm not going to say much. On Sunday Mike challenged us to be encouragers. We talked some more about it that afternoon. Now lets put some action to this. I'd like everyone to just take a second to post a comment encouraging someone in our group. Let's hit a lot of people.

Note to everyone: most of the people who read this blog all attend the same church so we know each other. I do know that there are also many people who read this who don't go to our church, and thus don't know everyone (first let me say how glad I am that you read this!). Here is my challenge to you. Encourage someone else today. Post a comment on their blog, send an email, call them on the phone, or even send a letter.

Ready, set, go...

Where Credit is Due

2006-03-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

Let's give credit where credit is due...

I attended Acquire the Fire last weekend. They talked a lot about the spiritual battle that is going on for our hearts. I also recently watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Last night I watched The Visitation. Both of these movies dealt with the spiritual warfare (if you are lost: God vs. Satan, Angels vs. Demons, Good vs. Evil...) issue. They showed the power that Satan has, and the terrible things he can do to people. I must admit that after watching the first movie I was a bit disturbed. After all, Satan is very powerful. In Jude 1:9 we are told "even the archangel Michael, when disputing with the devil..., did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Even angels see the power of the Devil.

But before we get too scared, lets get a reality check here. We need to remember one critical thing- Satan and God are not equal/opposite in power! God is God and Satan is a fallen angel. Satan does not have equal power with God. Notice that even though Michael didn't speak against the devil he wasn't scared and spoke in the name of the Lord.

Understand that while there is a battle going on...God wins. God always wins! Never has God lost! God is All Powerful. He is Lord of Lords.

If you are a Christian do not fear the devil, for "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

Let's give the credit to God.

Back in the Boat

2006-03-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

If you have a Bible, read Matthew 14:25-33. It is the account of Jesus walking on the water. I'll give you a brief sketch:

The disciples are all in a boat in the middle of a lake. They look up and see Jesus coming toward them walking ON the water. Peter (one of the disciples) displays his faith by getting out of the boat and walking toward Jesus. But then he begins to doubt and starts to sink. Jesus saves him and they get back in the boat.

Here is what we know for sure: Peter had a great amount of faith, but somewhere between the boat and Jesus he started to doubt. We also know that Jesus saved him and they got back in the boat where it was safe.

Here is what we don't know: how did they get back to the boat? Was Peter close enough to just reach up to the boat (probably not- read verses 30-31). Did Jesus walk beside him while Peter swam? Did Jesus help Peter to walk back to the boat? Did Jesus carry Peter back to the boat?

Here is the relevance: I have times in my life when I have great faith, and I have times when I have doubts. How does Jesus restore my faith and get me back to the boat so that I can step out in faith again?

Here is the question: How do you think Jesus got Peter back in the boat? How does Jesus help you to believe? Where do you need to have more faith right now?

Visitors

2006-02-27T05:49:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning my doorbell rang. When I opened the door my visitors were excited to see me. I gave them an enthusiastic "Hey!"...(while thinking, "Who are you?!"). I kind of recognized the guy as my Grandpa's brother...though I wasn't sure why he would be here. I invited them in and after a few minutes of conversation, and me wracking my brain trying to figure out who these people were, they asked me what my name was. I was pretty confused because they had come to visit me. Anyway, to end this story quickly they were Jehova's Witnesses. We had a 25-30 minute conversation. They gave me some magazines and left.

Have you ever thought about how you would defend your faith to someone who believes differently? Have you trained yourself in the basics of Christianity? Are you ready for the person who looks at you and says you are wrong?

This might be an ongoing conversation, but I want us all to be prepared to defend our faith. My visitors were very smooth, and very deceptive. If you aren't grounded in the Truth, you could easily be decieved. Let's talk about their beliefs. For example...they do not believe that Jesus is God.

DISCLAIMER: WHAT FOLLOWS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM "THE WATCHTOWER" (A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS MAGAZINE) AND DOES NOT REFLECT MY BELIEFS OR THE BELIEFS OF THE CHURCH I ATTEND

"The Scriptures do at times refer to actual persons as gods. However, a careful examination clearly reveals that the term 'god' in these instances is not intended to designate these individuals as deities. Rather, in the original languages in which the Bible was written, the term 'god was also used to describe a mighty person or an individual who is divine or closely associated with the Almight God.

For example, some Bible verses allude to Jesus Christ as a god. (Isaiah 9:6,7; John 1:1,18) Does this mean that Jesus is to be worshipped? Jesus himself said: "It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service." (Luke 4:8) Clearly, although Jesus is mighty in power and divine in nature, the Bible does not portray him as an object of worship."

OK- it is me again. ONCE AGAIN I WANT TO STATE THAT THE PREVIOUS QUOTE DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT I BELIEVE OR WHAT MY CHURCH BELIEVES. I posted the quote to stimulate discussion about what is true.

So, what do you think? If you have a Bible handy, look up the verses. I'd love to hear everyone's responses to this.

Walls

2006-02-20T06:34:00.000-08:00

I have put up some pretty high walls around my relationship with Darcy. I don't ever want to be unfaithful to her. I never want to put myself in a situation where: I will be tempted to be unfaithful, someone will question if I'm being faithful, or Darcy will question if I'm being faithful. So I've put up some walls.

Here is an example. There is a high school girl who is shadowing me at work. One day she got here before anyone else. I decided that we should go to a coffee house to work so that there would be other people around. I know that nothing would have happened, but I didn't want to give anyone else a reason to question my faithfulness to Darcy.

Last week I was getting ready to email a girl who reads this blog. I was trying to decide how to do it appropriately- should I CC her husband, or should I CC Darcy (which I did). In my mind I was talking through how I'd explain to this girl why I'd CC'd Darcy. My thoughts went like this:

"I've put up walls around my marriage to defend it and so that noone can ever question my faithfulness to Darcy. I do this because our relationship is the most important thing in the world to me."

Then I think this: "Well obviously my relationship with God is THE most important."

Then God chimes in and says: "Really? What kinds of walls have you put up to defend our relationship? Are you ever unfaithful to me? Do you do things that would make other people question your faithfulness to me? Do you do things that would make me question your faithfulness to me?"

OUCH! I have to admit that the tv shows/movies I watch and the music I listen to would leave the door open to questions. There have been times that I've been at Blockbuster and hoped that kids from our youth group wouldn't walk in and see the movie in my hand.

Why is it that I can so seriously defend my relationship with Darcy, yet be so flippant with my relationship with God?

What do you think? How big are the walls that you build around your relationship with Christ?

The Voice of Truth

2006-02-13T05:23:00.000-08:00

This week I want to talk about two related topics: how does God talk to us and how do we know that it is God talking.

Within the past two weeks I have had numerous people ask questions like, "how does God answer prayers," or "how do I know what God is trying to say," or "how do I know what God wants me to do in this situation?" These questions all are related to the question: how does God speak to us?

This is a list of ways that God spoke to people in the Bible (there may be more, but this is what I found): audible voices, signs, dreams, nature, miracles, giving us peace, and speaking through other people, and through the Bible.

The bad news is that Satan tries to confuse us by using the very same methods. Now we have a problem. How do we know who is speaking to us?

I'll share first: over the past week I've really noticed how spiritually dry I am. My relationship with God is not what it should be right now. In the past three days I've been really convicted of this. I've had this feeling that is telling me that I need to get back on track. Then yesterday afternoon I was over come with a feeling that said "You can't do this. You can't be a youth director, you can't be a spiritual leader, and you are failing in your calling to ministry." This feeling stayed with me for several hours. Then I had to ask myself...who was speaking to me?

I came to see that the initial conviction was from God. My spiritual life is not where it should be right now, and God was reminding me of it. He was being a good coach to me and reminding me to give 100%. This was a reminder that I desperately needed.

However I also saw that the conviction and the voice telling me that I wasn't good enough was not God. The Bible tells us that there is no condemnation for people who are in Christ. It also says that God will complete what He has started in you.

Romans 12:2 tells us that when we renew our minds (prayer and Bible study are two great ways) we will be able to know what God's will is- we will be able to know who is speaking to us.

I'd love to hear any comments, but here is a specific question. Has God ever answered a prayer or spoken to you in one of the ways that was listed earlier? If so, could you share a bit of the story. It is awesome to read how God touches our lives!

Accepting Help

2006-02-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

Well thanks to anyone who still reads this. We haven't stopped doing it, it is just that 20-somethings can get busy. Last week was crazy for me and I just didn't have the time/energy/inspiration to write anything. I can tell that many of us are in the same situation.

Anyway in my busyness last week I found myself falling into an old pattern- the crazier things get- the more I try to do everything myself. I see accepting help as a sign of failure. After all, if I was really competant, shouldn't I be able to handle things? Seriously- I'm the helper. I'm so great that I can help other people. I don't need people to help me in all my greatness (I hope you can sense my sarcasm). Unfortunately, though I don't feel this way, I often act this way. Why is it so hard to accept help?

One of my favorite people of all time is Elijah. You can read about him in the Bible in 1 Kings 17. This guy was a stud. He was important. He was a big shot. He was bold and he was used by God. Yet immediately after his public ministry starts, God puts it on hold. God tells him to go hide in a ravine doing nothing except drinking from the brook and eating food that God would provide. Doing nothing like this would be a stretch for me. Next God tells him to go to a starving widow, tell her that he is hungry, and ask for a meal. This must have been tough for Elijah. After all...he is really important...he should be helping the widow...it shouldn't be this way.

Yet this was God's plan. This is not a story about laziness and taking advantage of other people. It is a story of someone who relied totally on God. Elijah didn't let his pride get in the way of God. He was faithful in all ways.

I hope we can continue to help and support each other. My greatest desire is that we could help each other as we try to follow God and grow our relationships with Him.

What are your thoughts?

By the way...I'll go first with asking for help. I could really use some prayers for me and my family. The reality of loosing Dad is setting in. Thanks. Also, I could use some more people to go to Acquire the Fire (this asking for help thing seems to get easier as you go).

The Call

2006-01-31T05:51:00.000-08:00

I'm going to take a quick break from our "Well I believe..." series...because I'm loosing a little bit of energy for it, and I think everyone else is too. So, it will be back...just not this week.

Have you ever heard of Moses? Here is a short list of his accomplishments: led millions of people out of slavery into a free land; he was the person who received the 10 Commandments from God; got water out of a rock; stood courageously before one of the most powerful kings in the world; parted the Red Sea so that the people could escape from an army...Basically he was the greatest leader in world history (if you are a History buff, don't argue with me...I'm not looking for a fight...we can atleast agree that he was a VERY Great Leader).

But here is the thing. Moses wasn't great at the beginning of his life, he had doubts just like we do everyday. In addition to being doubtful he had trouble speaking, was a murderer, and was a coward.

Yet, despite all these flaws, God choose to use Moses. God has also called each of us to do work for His kingdom.

Here is my question: what has God called you to do? How is He using your life?

Well I believe...part V

2006-01-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Just a quick review of where we've been...have you ever been in a religious conversation where the person says something like, "it is fine for you to believe that, but I believe..." So, for the past 5 weeks we've been talking about beliefs. Each week we look at one belief and discuss if it is something that ALL Christians MUST believe, or is it open to discussion.

This week's topic should be another fun one. A basic belief of the Christian Church (Church in general- not the denomination) is that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

A few quick questions: where does this leave everyone who isn't a Christian? What about Ghandi...is he in Hell because he didn't believe in Christ?

Is the belief of Jesus being the only way to heaven something that ALL Christians MUST accept?

I can't wait to hear what you think.

Well I believe...part IV

2006-01-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

This is now week four of this post series. Let me recap the point...It seems like everybody has their own "religion" today. People say things like, "You might accept that as truth, but I believe..."

For the past few weeks we've been looking at different beliefs. We've been discussing whether they are things that ALL Christians MUST believe, or if they are things that we can agree to disagree on.

A few weeks ago the topic of Creation/Evolution was mentioned. It this one of those basic issues that ALL Christians MUST accept?

I say no. While your stance on this issue will impact other parts of your faith, this is not one of the basic/core beliefs that you must accept to be a Christian.

So, where do I fall? My views on this have "evolved" through my life. When I was a child I probably accepted the creation account of the Bible. As I went through school I began to accept the Big Bang Theory and evolution. As my faith started to grow I blended what the Bible seems to say, with what science seems to say. Then I started to research creationism and read books by Christian scientists. I now am 100% convinced that the earth began in the literal way that the Bible says. I believe that everything was created in 6 days, that man and dinosaurs roamed the earth together, and that the earth is only approximately 6,600 years old. Now I know that most people who read this will probably think I'm crazy, and might even be laughing now (up until 5 years ago I would have thought I was crazy too).

I challenge you to do two things. The first is post your views on this issue. I promise I will not challenge your ideas unless you ask for my opinion on them (like I said- I don't think this is a MUST believe issue). My other challenge is for you to do some Creation Science research. You've already heard all about the Big Bang in science class. Why not do a little research about the other side?

Thanks for reading.

Well I believe...part III

2006-01-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

Last week Christy left this comment on our blog. I think it brings up some great questions.

"I was recently talking to my sister about some of the stuff in Leviticus. Leviticus is full of rules that hardly anyone follows anymore. Like not cutting the hair on the sides of your face. Or not getting a tattoo. Some people may follow these rules without even knowing it ... I'm sure not all of us have tattoos, right? But Leviticus says these things are sins. And I've heard Mike say that a sin is a sin is a sin. So I had a talk with my sister about that because I was confused. How can we (as Christians) take to heart parts of the bible but shake off other parts. She explained (now to me this makes sense, but correct me if she's wrong) that a lot of the rules in Leviticus were set forth because we had no other way to get to God. Now we have Jesus. Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again, we can get to God through His sacrifice. I'm not sure if I used the best examples because I mentioned cutting hair and getting tattoos but do you get what I'm saying? Is she right? If she's not right, how can we explain to non-Christians or seekers why we follow parts and not others. "

I'm going to post my ideas as comments, and would encourage everyone else to do the same. What do you think about these questions?

Well I believe...part II

2006-01-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

This one is going to be pretty short. I'm going to continue the "Well I believe..." idea. Here it is:

All Christians must believe...that Christ died and rose again.

(there are some people who believe that Christ was never really dead...just almost dead; others believe that the resurrection was a hoax)

Is believing that Christ died and rose again something that ALL Christians MUST believe, or is it a side issue that can be debated? What do you think?

Well I believe...

2005-12-19T06:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been there...involved in a conversation about beliefs with a "Christian" who is a bit confused? You may not be a Bible Scholar, but you know enough to question things when they start to say things like, "Well I believe that Jesus wasn't born of a virgin." Or, "Well I believe that Jesus sinned."

There are some beliefs in the Christian faith that divide the Church. There are some things that Christians can just agree to disagree on. However, there are some beliefs which are absolutely essential to the Christian faith. These beliefs MUST be accepted by ALL Christians.

Let's start a conversation about these beliefs. Post a response talking about one of the basics of Christianity, and why it is so vital that we accept this belief.

I'll go first. All Christians MUST believe that Christ lived a sinless life. The Bible says clearly that God CANNOT sin (James 1:13). Thus, if Christ had sinned, he would not have been God, his body would not have been a perfect sacrifice, and his death and resurrection would not hold the power to forgive us of our sins.

Now it is your turn...

Mission

2005-12-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

Phil. 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or ahave already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Yesterday we talked a bit about our mission as a group. I would encourage everyone to email Broc the ideas that you have for our mission.

Today I want to talk about a personal mission. Do you have a mission statement for your life? Do you have a direction that you are intentionally walking every day?

I have adopted Phil. 3:12-14 as my life verse. I have taken my mission statement from verse 12:

"to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

I know that it is a bit vague, but it is a reminder to me that every step I take needs to be going in the direction that Jesus is leading me. I do not know where he will lead me in 10 years. I do not know where he will lead me in 10 minutes. But, I must always be ready "to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

What is your mission?