Church in America...

This is a funny video that hits at the heart of our consumer driven culture. What are your thoughts on this video in light of what you have experienced?

The battle of kindness

Yesterday I called home after church, and my wife said, "You won't believe it, the neighbors are mowing our lawn again!"

Yes, I'm once more behind. Two weeks ago I mowed our yard and theirs, and hoped to do it again today, but they beat me to it....they must know by now that Sunday mornings are a good time to mow, because I am not there to protest, so the battle of kindness continues....

This has turned into a very funny situation. We seem to be looking for ways to be kinder to each other than the other one is. Yesterday the neighbors even mowed some of my back yard. So far the battle of kindness has been isolated to the front yard, but now the war has been taken to a new level.

They are very sweet neighbors. I look forward to an opportunity to engage them in a more personal way. So far the battle of kindness has been fought with lawn mowers, but I'm looking for a way to "bring in more troops."

How can I extend grace and kindness to them that will really demonstrate the love of Christ? What fun this is to see God working, and getting my lawn mowed as well!

I'll keep you updated on the war....

Monday's cartoon

Faith walking

I love the way a friend describes the Christian life. She calls it "faith walking." What a great word picture for the Christian life....walking by faith, trusting the God who is, but can't be seen with the human eye.

As Francis Schaffer said, "He is there, and He is not silent" but you can't hear him with the ear, you can't see him with the eye, you can't touch him with your fingers. You must come to Him by faith alone.

Now, you may ask, do you ever doubt God? Do you ever doubt whether he is really there or not? Does your faith ever waiver? I think the honest answer from any human heart is "YES!" Faith walking is contrary to everything in us, and is highly ridiculed by our flesh and our culture. I have been called foolish, gullible, stupid...and other names given by those who are spiritually dead and cannot see what I see…so they scoff. I don't resent them, in fact I feel sorry for them...if they could only see with the eyes of faith....if they could only see….

There is so much to see. Have you ever gone out with a friend, sat on the hillside and just looked at the clouds? "I see an elephant" one says, and the other replies, "I see a bull." The clouds can stimulate our imagination, and we all need that. But faith is not imagination, it’s not a belief in a fantasy. It’s not pretending something is true contrary to the facts.

Faith walking is a response to the God of the universe who made an appearance in time and history. He became man, proved who he was by what he did, then died for sin, rose from the dead and returned to heaven until a day coming in the near future. That touch of God in time and history has given us a “rock” to tie our faith to. It has provided us with all we need to trust the God who became a man and told me about himself, what he wants me to do, how he wants me to live, and proved it all by his miracles and resurrection.

Faith walking is not tied to my imagination, it’s tied to time and history. It’s my response to the appearance of God on planet earth. And because of the fact of the life of Jesus Christ I can live a life KNOWING that what I believe is true. Millions have taken this walk to the very doors of death for their belief. You wouldn’t do that for a dream, a good story, or a fantasy.

I love this walk of faith…this opportunity to trust the God who is there….I have often described it this way- imagine you are 40,000 feet in the air on a little 1 foot by 1 foot platform (dizzy yet?), and there in nothing else around, no other place to stand…you are on the only safe place to be 40,000 feet in the air! Then, quietly you hear a voice say, “take a step.” You immediately look for the source of the voice, but you know it’s God speaking, and you reply, “where do I step?” The Lord says, “trust me, take a step…” and with great fear, you do and there, suddenly, unseen to you before is a 1 foot by 1 foot platform awaiting your arrival! You are thrilled! But you quickly look back and discover that the platform you were standing on is gone. Once again, you are on the only place to stand. Then, again you hear the voice, “take another step”… with faith growing you do, and find the air is ready for your foot, the platform is there for your arrival, but the one behind you is gone….and soon faith grows and you are running in mid-air, not worried about where you will step because you KNOW that God will provide, and he always does….that’s faith walking.

Enjoy the journey, there’s nothing more exciting that trusting the God who is there!

“People despise Christian faith. They hate it and are afraid that it may be true. The solution for this is to show them, first of all, that it is not unreasonable, that it is worthy of reverence and respect. Then show that it is winsome, making good men desire that it were true. Then show them that it really is true. It is worthy of reverence because it really understands the human condition. It is also attractive because it promises true goodness.” --Blaise Pascal

Blogging

I am amazed by the reach of this community called blogging. It is constantly fascinating to me that people from around the world stop by this blog, if even for a moment, and may read words that could change their lives.

My goal in my life is to make an eternal difference. I wonder.....what will God do with the words written on these blogs that speak of faith and Christ? Who will read this and other blogs like it, and come closer to faith through these words?

I wonder...and it's exciting to think about...to touch a life on the other side of this little planet in a way that will change their eternity. The thought of all of this is exciting to me. I think about those from China, Russia, Greece and south America who come by this blog....where will they spend their eternity? Did I make a difference?

My goal in starting this blog was to share my own passion and faith, and I have done that, but I'm not writing simply for my own gratification. I'm writing to speak to others I may never meet about faith and Christ.

So, why are you reading this blog? What made you stop by?

And, if you are blogging yourself, why are you writing? What's your goal?

Just some thoughts.....

A great find

I couldn't believe my luck! My wife and I were at the bookstore today, and I found a book that I have wanted to read for only $5.00!



The author, Blaise Pascal, lived in the 17th century, but is still considered one of the world's great thinkers. I'm really looking forward to some time to sit down with a cup of coffee and begin to read this great work.



I'll keep you updated...

degaje!

I am waking up to a dilemma....my coffee roaster died last night! Now, I know....it's not the end of the world, but you must understand that fresh roasted coffee is the stuff they will serve in heaven, it's wonderful. So I'm having some angst this morning over my new reality...I will have to buy my beans ALREADY ROASTED! Woe is me! What will I do?

Now, you may say what's the big deal...but if you only knew. It's amazing...fresh roasted coffee is great. Ok, enough pouting. I must do as they do in Haiti....make do. The Haitians have an expression, "Degaje!" It means make do. In Haiti everything is broken, so they must make do with what they have. So, for me, this is a degaje day...I will make do and get my coffee the old fashioned way...from the store...until I can get another roaster. So, if you see me, give me a pat on the back and that understanding look.

I am in "degaje" mode today.

Don't worry!

Mat 6:31 What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving.
Mat 6:32 People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.
Mat 6:33 Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Mat 6:34 "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

This passage in Matthew 6 is an "old friend" to many. It's the "don't worry" passage in which Jesus basically says, "trust God, he will take care of you...doesn't he take care of everything else? what are you so worried about??"

I come here often to rest and refresh.....God is in charge, I don't have to worry. He knows what I need, I don't have to worry. He can help me, I don't have to worry. He loves me, I don't have to worry.....well, you get the idea. I could go on with this, but what I want you to get from Jesus words are the keys to a good life. Basically Jesus is saying, "God is sovereign, so relax."

So, today I'm relaxing....resting in the God who is big enough. I'm rested and refreshed after reading this passage....I have my compass set again....The God who made me and loves me will take care of me....all will be well (even when I think it isn't!)

People matter!

I'm up early this morning praying for people...people I work with and others I care about. They are each important, and their problems and worries are real. Their struggles and concerns affect them. I know of one person dealing with a lot of issues right now. They have put on a good game face, but the real heart of it came out yesterday....I'm praying for that person this morning...they have a lot to deal with. Lord, help them to truly trust you and rest in your care and love for them.

We had dinner last night with another couple going through a lot in their lives...a sister near death...financial issues....life challenges, and I'm praying for them.

I'm praying for our church as well...it's going through it's own problem and challenges. Six months ago I described it as an earthquake, and it was....still is. We are in the "aftershocks" now, and although they are not as destructive they continue to shake us all.

6 billion people on this planet right now...all of them loved by God...all of them with problems and issues. I pray for those I know, but there are so many more who are without God and without hope in the world....and each one matters to God. Each one is important.

I guess my problem is that I really do love people, that's why I became a pastor. I care about them. But there are days when the weight of all the people, the problems, the conflicts, the sin...is just too much.

So I pray. Lord, glorify yourself amidst all this mess called planet earth. Work mightily in the lives and hearts of the people you died to save. Care for them, open their eyes to see you and your love for them.

I guess I would just wave a magic wand, if I could, and fix it all...but that's not the solution we need...we need a savior. We need God's solution to the problems, and it's to trust Him. With all the problems I hear about each day I must come to the throne room often, and fall on my face to simply say, "Lord, help! We need you so badly! Help us....you are our only hope!"

Theology matters!

Our staff, here at the church, has been discussing some of the trends and theologies we are seeing in our culture. It is amazing to hear and read some of the theologies of our day. Theology matters! (This has become our new battle cry.)

In other words what you believe about God, who he is and what he is like, are some of the most important truths you will know.

As A. W. Tozer wrote in "Knowledge of the Holy"- "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is often more eloquent than her speech. She can never escape the self-disclosure of her witness concerning God."

Why is this so important? Because what you believe about God influences all of your life and choices, it molds your thinking and who you are...it molds what you do and why...it influences how you react to society and the people around you...it makes you into the person you are.

Theology matters! Is your God the God who created everything with a word? Is your God big enough to handle the problems you face? Is the God you worship the God of the Bible?

Here are the questions for discussion- Can you trust God with your life? What are you facing in your life that demands a big God to handle it?

I must tell you that it is my ongoing challenge to think rightly about God and then to live out that knowledge in my life...to really trust God in my life moment by moment, day by day....

I read the bible daily to get to know this God I worship because.....Theology matters!

Christians in business

I was visiting with one of our men in the church this weekend. He had some questions about some business ventures he's part of with another Christian. His partner wants to take time to pray about every move, every decision. The man that called me said, "I don't believe that's necessary. I believe if my relationship with God is right, then the business will take care of itself."

He made a brilliant insight. God's working on hearts, not businesses. Now I know I will hear protests on this statement, but think about it for a minute....God's in the "heart business"...transforming lives, not in the "business-business"...making "Christian" businesses.

In fact I don't think there is any such thing as a "Christian" business. There are Christians who are in business, but the business itself has no moral character or conviction. It only reflects the heart and nature of the owner.

So, what's the application? Make sure you have a life surrendered to Jesus as Lord, make sure you are walking in the Spirit, and then go live your day. The business decisions will reflect who you are....your life will be demonstrated in what you say and what you do.

Make sure your walk with God is right, and business will work itself out...

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Yes. It is....my friend has it right.

Monday's cartoon

Giants!

Today, in my reading I am in 1 Samuel 17. This is a chapter I always look forward to reading. It's the story of David and Goliath. I'm always impressed by David's boldness in the face of the giant's threats. While the rest of the army cowers in fear David is ready to take him on.

He had proven himself while caring for the sheep in his battles with a bear and lion. Both of these encounters prepared him for this giant, and made the giant seem smaller to him than what those around him saw as they looked at Goliath. While the rest of the army sees a giant David sees another opportunity to trust God.

Difficult times, lions and bears, prepare us for the big battles- giants. We will all have giants in our lives. We all face problems, but to be honest if you never have to trust God with the lions and bears how will you be ready for the giants?

Giants are coming in your life, pray for some lions and bears to get ready for the giants. Trust God with the small battles and you will be amazed at what giants you can defeat when they show up.

God's passion

"Then they will know that I am the LORD their God."

I'm in the middle of reading Ezekiel. It's a long, difficult book of prophesy. I am enjoying the "big picture", but the details and judgments are often difficult.

The most interesting thing to me about this book is this reoccurring theme- "Then they will know that I am the LORD their God."

It's in this book over 63 times!

In the midst of their exile God's passion was that they would know him. It was his great desire then, and still is.

John 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Knowing God is the most important goal of the human race because it's the most important goal to God.

The book of Ezekiel was written to draw the nation of Israel back to this primary passion of God- knowing him.

In Amos God spoke through the prophet to say, Amos 5:4 "For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live."

In Psalms David wrote, Psalms 27:8 "When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek." "

Throughout the bible this is God's great passion, but to be honest it's not always mine. There are moments when I want to know God more than anything, but most of the time....most of the time my passions are aimed in other directions. I'm busy with other things. Focused on lesser things...wasting my passions on things that will not last.

I so wish I could focus on knowing God. It is so important, but at times you wouldn't know it by the way I talk, think and live. I wish that were different.

Lord, make your passion for me to know you my passion too....I do want what you want.

Give me a passion to know you better.

Happy Birthday!

On this day, 32 years ago, our son Ian was born. He's turned out to be a great guy, and I'm very proud of him.

Happy Birthday, son!