Life on the Edge

What's So Great About Christmas?

2011-12-20T15:28:00.004-05:00

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger [feeding trough of dirty, smelly animals] because there was no room for them in the inn." - Luke 2:7

"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief..." - Isaiah 53:10a

"God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places." - Ephesians 3:10 (NLT)

“The things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; things which angels desire to look into.” - 1 Peter 1:12

Think with me for a moment about one of your heroes or rather, someone you know personally who was of noble and great character. It could be a boss or a pastor or a good friend, just someone who you would trust with your life and follow practically anywhere. I can think of an old boss like this. Now imagine if this person told you he/she was going to give up everything, their position, livelihood, power, etc., and leave to go scrub toilets and remove gum from railings in New York City and not get paid while taking constant grief and beatings from the local gangs. Would you question what they were up to? Would it amaze you that they would do such a thing? Not only are they leaving you behind, but also laying down their greatness for such a lowly task and position.

Now put yourselves in an angel's place and what their thoughts might have been. They, as we know, are not divine nor even close to being all powerful like God. They, like us, possess a finite knowledge (they aren't all knowing like God) and get to be amazed by God's works. They, like us, do not see the future. Though, not like us, they were in constant fellowship with the Triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then one day (though prophesied thousand years ahead of time and known by God before angels or time were created), the Son of God leaves Heaven's glories and empties Himself be to be born a man, the incarnation as we call it. Now we think being a man is great, but compared to God it's a huge step downward. It's worse than going from being a CEO of a huge company to being a shoe shiner for a penny a shoe. It's worse than being a human and being made into a chiwawa in a pound full of pitbulls. It's too huge a step down for us to even comprehend or make close comparisons!

But Jesus did not become a man because we were so hip and so cool and worthy for Him to be one of us. It was because we were hopeless, lost and trapped in sin, and even enemies of God (and if you don't know Jesus you still are). He was born in fact to die - to die a horrible, bloody, painful death as a criminal rejected by the very ones He loved and came to save.

But again, back to the angels. They, even as they sang to shepherds (which were not glamorous people), probably had to be wondering what in the world was going on. Why would the King of kings be born and be a human, to a lowly family, in an animals stall and laid in a dirty feeding trough, in a way that was unknown to most of the world? And worst off, to humans who had constantly followed after sin and rebelled against God! The voice of God now cryed as an infant to strangers who could not comprehend what they held. This amazing grace was something that had to just overwhelm them. In fact, they still learn about God as they see Him work in the lives of the saints (see Ephesians 3).

Have you ever just stopped and pondered that? I know it is so easy to take Christmas for granted or get lost in the busyness of shopping for gifts, watching the movies and trying to suck as much out of the Christmas "season" as possible, enjoying this special time for all it's worth.

BUT GOD BECAME A HUMAN BORN TO DIE!!!

How amazing, how astounding, how breathtaking, how extraordinary, how mind-boggling, how overwhelming and remarkable, how prodigious and miraculous, how staggering, stupendous, stunning, wondrous and wonderful is that?!? Or perhaps, like so many, it simply elicits a yawn, a slight smile and simple thoughts of the manger scenes we have on our mantles or church lawns.

He was not born handsome or rich. He lived a lowly life and was unknown to the world for 30 years before He even began His public ministry. And then He did that for only 3 years while He was insulted, antagonized, and rejected even by His own family, before being beaten, beard ripped out, spit on, and crucified, by those He came to save and those He loved. And He did all this knowing in advance everything that would happen to Him.

That is what is so great about Christmas and why we should celebrate it. He came to us to be born to die. Our Christmas trees can elicit thoughts of the cross, the tree He hung on and our lights the Light of the World. We give gifts (hopefully) in remembrance of the gift that was given to us - His very life.

But if the story only ended with His death, then it wouldn't be much for us. He rose again 3 days later giving eternal life to all who confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord (following Him) and believe in their heart God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

I pray you'll stop and just ponder the birth of Christ. That you'll allow your mind to try and take on what the angels' minds might have been thinking. That you will be humbled by the awesome love and grace of Jesus Christ. That you'll be blown away by the humility and craziness of it all. And that Christmas would be great to you for all the right reasons!

author's suggested listening: "Born to Die" by Bebo Norman

Intellectualism vs. Faith

2011-07-11T14:26:00.002-04:00

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock." - Matthew 7:24-25

There always seem to be waves in our lives where what we really believe is tested. We hit that breaking point that test us and reveals to us whether what we believe is simply in our head (intellectualism) or truly in our heart (faith).

For me it was my four year old son's leg, which, literally, broke.

A bad bounce on the trampoline and he was down, and I was suddenly faced with a chance to examine what was in my heart when it came to God's goodness and His power. As we brought my son inside the house, still grasping his knee, crying and writhing with pain, those of us at our men's get together began praying for him. It was at this time that I began my Job like questioning.

Now in my mind, there was never any question as to whether God could heal him or not, but it was question of whether He wanted to or was willing. I've seen the Lord Jesus miraculously heal a fractured rib at a men's retreat and even fully heal my sprained ankle on my first missions trip to Russia, but yet I found I had zero faith that He would miraculously heal my first born. Here I am, a pastor to so many college aged and twenty-somethings, with full faith in His provision when it comes to finances, but bankrupt at this moment when it came to His love and goodness for my helpless boy. I know He doesn't heal everyone and He has His reasons, but why let a four year old encounter so much pain?

And that's when the Lord spoke and asked, "Do you trust Me?"

Repeatedly, the Holy Spirit gently asked that to me in that familiar still small voice and I had to reexamine whether my faith was merely intellectualism or true faith. Did I believe Jesus is good like I simply believe George Washington crossed the Delaware or did I know it to be true and hold onto it during this trial?

I am a man who likes to know details - not in any sort of micro-managing way, but I simply like knowing it all. All I need is a reason and I am good to go. Yet here I did not know the reason but the question remained, did I trust God? Do I fully know Him to be loving and good in spite of not getting a reason to help satisfy my wondering?

Now a few days later, Caleb is in a full cast on his left leg, having suffered a hairline fracture right below his knee but above his growth plate ("best" place for a break if one should happen) and is in fairly good spirits. He is not questioning the Lord's goodness or his father's love (as I had just gotten on the trampoline with him when it happened), nor is he constantly complaining. I found in me that I do trust Jesus, but still have lots of room for improvement in the area of faith when it comes to the full love of God in matters of small life affairs. It was a good moment of examination in my own walk with Christ and a way to once again surrender to the fact that God knows what He is doing (and if one is unsure, a quick read of Job 38-41 will remind us of our finite status and God's infinite standing).

Perhaps you are facing (or will face) one of those moments of testing/purification of your faith (James 1:2-4). Make sure what you hold onto isn't merely intellectual in nature but is something your truly believe. And if it is something you truly believe, walk in it so that you will strengthen it in your own heart and mind. Find time to praise Him in the midst of that. Pray, even when your faith is weak. These things strengthen us. We are bombarded constantly in our world, through global events, bad news, and our own conflicts, with questions of God's goodness that challenges whether we believe it simply in our heads or our hearts. But it comes back to those words which He asked me and will ask you,

Do you trust Me?

Is This Really Radical?

2011-05-20T15:05:00.002-04:00

Having “grown up” spiritually and being in ministry within a Calvary Chapel for nearly 15 years, verse-by-verse, solid Bible teaching is a norm, as well as a sound Biblical base of ministry, so I’m not one to be drawn quickly to new books aimed to challenge the thinking of the church (after all, Calvary Chapels are solid and focused on equipping people to do the work of the ministry). I had read “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan and was impressed. I then heard David Platt speak at Liberty University and thought I should check out his book. In fact, I enrolled at bloggingforbooks.com for that very reason, simply to have a chance to read/own this book. However, it was not anything new that I had not already heard before which was a bit disappointing. I don’t say this because I feel I know it all or because being for a C.C. we have it all together, but the book didn’t really make me really have to stop and think the way other books have. However, to the Christian going to the church where the focus is on clever sermons than expository, deep teaching of the Bible (not simply about the Bible), or to one who hasn’t been exposed to this Biblical line of thinking, this book is one that should be considered on the reading list (though I would recommend first “The Upside Down Church” by Greg Laurie or “The Jesus Style” by Gayle Erwin first). David Platt’s heart is to see the American Christian’s heart stirred past the idea of the American Dream and instead focused on the heart of God, an idea to which all of Christians should strive. Is this really radical? Well for those who are striving after this way of thought, no. But to those who are living their lives according to the American Dream – extremely! The danger with this book: simply reading it and not putting into practice what you learn (or are reminded about again).

I would like to thank WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for giving me a free copy of this book to review as a part of their review program

Abounding Grace

2011-03-18T15:26:00.003-04:00

"In Him we have redemption though His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence" - Ephesians 1:7-8

To start let me break this down with some definitions:

redemption/redeem = to buy back, pay off, deliverance, rescue

forgiveness = to grant pardon to, to cease to feel resentment against, to cancel an indebtedness or liability of

abound = to occur or exist in great quantities or numbers, to be rich or well supplied, to be filled, to be plentiful

Now let me break down this verse in short meanings:

redemption though His blood = He bought us back and paid off our debt of sin by the spilling of His blood on the cross, paying off the penalty for our sin which is death

forgiveness of our sins = because of His death and resurrection, we can be fully forgiven without ever worrying about Him bringing up the past again (Hebrews 8:12, Hebrews 10:17)

So what does this all mean for us and how is this part of those spiritual blessings we have?

Because of what Jesus did on the cross, our sins (past, present, future) have been paid for and completely forgiven. Instead of thinking you have blown it too much for the Lord to ever use you again, you can be totally free from that sin or failure that has you entangled. You no longer have to live for it or yourself. We have been purchased by Him and now owned by Him, a perfect God who only seeks the best. In following His will for our lives, we no longer worry about falling prey to stupid decisions and foolish living.

He has done all this through the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us! We think because of our latest failure, God is through with us and we should just give up now. But His grace ABOUNDS toward us and it abounds towards us in all wisdom and prudence. So His wisdom that formed the whole universe, is the same wisdom that abounds grace towards us. You can never out abound God's grace with your sin - there is nothing you can do that His grace can't and won't cover! You don't have to try and earn your way back to God's favor (i.e. "okay God, I'll pray and read my Bible an hour a night for 2 weeks and then maybe after that I'll be ready to be used again and be close to you again") - you simply repent and walk in the full grace and forgiveness that has already been supplied.

The past, your past is history. Yesterday is over. His mercies are new today (Lamentations 3:22-23) and His grace is abounding towards you. If you've repented of your sin, your failure, your purposeful transgression, then walk in grace and the freedom that comes with it. Use that freedom and that grace to simply draw you to the One who loves you unconditionally and fall more in love with Him! You are not a slave to sin...you are free!

Abounding grace - you didn't earn it and you can't earn it. Stop trying and simply start enjoying!

Chosen & Adopted

2011-03-17T14:57:00.006-04:00

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will," - Ephesians 1:4-5

***Before beginning, it is important to note that the chief purpose of this post is not to write on the meaning of predestination or sovereignty of God vs free will of man, as there is already much debate on both sides of the camp and I for one hold that the Bible clearly teaches both God's sovereignty and man's choice. This post rather is to focus on another of the spiritual blessings we have in Christ and that is the fact that we are chosen and adopted - debate all you want on the topic but don't miss the fact that God has chosen and adopted us.***

Stop and think on adoption for a moment: a person wants a son or daughter to be in their family and then chooses that person to be part of their family, carrying all the rights and privileges that comes with that last name. That child, once an outsider and not wanted, is now wanted and as every bit part of the family as the other children. He or she is loved and fully accepted and does not need to work to try and keep that last name.

Now for us who have chosen to receive that free gift of salvation made available to us, ponder how this adoption relates to us. We were unwanted by the world and living for ourselves. We were dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:5), enemies with God (Romans 5:10), children of darkness (Ephesians 5:8), and foolish, base, unmighty people (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). We weren't cute kids who seemed to do no wrong or mere infants, but we were at war with the very One who in His love freely chose to adopt us! And with this adoption comes all the rights and privileges of being a child of God! That is absolutely amazing. And since we didn't do anything to earn it, we don't have to "do" things to keep the name. Our response to God shouldn't be out of "have to" but "get to". Just like we do things for those we love because we love them, we keep His commandments because we love Him and we know He knows what is best for us. What a blessing!

And think about choosing for a second, especially when it relates to team competition games. Remember those dreaded times of waiting with the crowd as "team captains" handpicked their teams, and you just hoped you wouldn't be one of the last picks, or even not chosen at all? Those times felt pretty bad. Or maybe you were always chosen being great at the sport you played.

However, God doesn't choose too many who are mighty and strong and wise, but He chooses the nobodies! But then He goes and He wins with them, with you and I. Not because we have anything to offer, but because He supplies everything we need to His praise and glory! If you feel like the last person on earth who could do any good for the Kingdom, then you are the right choice for Jesus because He will surely get the glory if you allow Him to do His work.

So the next time you are tempted to fight and debate over God's choosing or adoption or election or any of those things, think instead on the tremendous blessing it is to be adopted and chosen by God and be in His family! We don't have to understand (nor can we ever) just how this whole thing works, but like it, enjoy it, and know how rich you are because of whose "last name" you carry!

Rich Paupers

2011-03-16T10:15:00.005-04:00

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" - Ephesians 1:3

Decided that last night I wanted to read Ephesians 1 again simply due to the plethora of wealth these chapters hold for us as Christians. However, I got stuck on just this verse for a while dwelling on the impact of it, and from this "stuckness" decided I should do a few blogs on this chapter (so we'll see how this goes).

Too often we shortchange ourselves forgetting the many riches we have in Christ. We make ourselves paupers when in reality we are filthy rich. From this verse alone we are told that we have already been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing. Anything spiritual that we would need we have already been blessed with.

Because we don't see these with our physical eyes, we choose instead to focus on our physical, temporary blessings (or lack thereof) and often whine because we don't have what we want. We allow ourselves to get stressed out, depressed or angry/upset because of this focus on the physical. "If I only had this __________ then I would be happy", or "why don't I have a wife/husband/better job/etc.?"

Get your eyes off the physical things and look at the riches you have in Christ. And that is key, these spiritual blessings are found in Christ. To try find them anywhere else apart from Him is going to lead to frustration. He has already given you them, your response is just to walk in fellowship with Him to enjoy them.

So next time you find yourself upset about something physical you don't have, look back to Christ and realize everything you do have that is much more precious than anything else you think you "need".

Knowledge Is Useless

2011-02-04T14:32:00.003-05:00

"But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." - James 1:22

If you're reading this it's probably because the title made your curious to find out what I'm saying and/or you're ready for a fight against the above statement (or perhaps you are having a bout with insomnia and need something to read or perhaps you actually are a casual reader of this blog). You'll understand the context of what I mean after reading the rest of this blog (because if I let you know now, you'd probably not finish reading).

It seems now, in the Christian's battle against their sin and struggles, that the goal is to get knowledge of their sin and/or why they have such a battle against it. Somehow, if one can just obtain the knowledge, that will give them victory against their particular issue. However, they find that after obtaining the knowledge needed it isn't helping and so they must need more (so they buy self-help books, Christian literature on the subject, etc., all to get this knowledge).

In the wrestle against your flesh and those sins you are ensnared in, knowledge is useless....unless you are doing that which you know. We can all know to love our enemy, but knowing is not enough, we must do it! Throughout Scripture we find that Jesus has already set us free from the captivity of sin - when we sin now, we choose to do so. You don't have to continue to give into that thing your flesh keeps having you give into. You simply need to walk in the victory that has already been provided. Does that mean you won't be tempted or have to wrestle against the flesh? No, but you don't have to give into the flesh, as much as it may deceive you to thinking you have to.

Is Facebook causing you to stumble? Get rid of it (yes you can live without it, you did before). Does the internet make you fall? Buy a program or better yet, get rid of that smart phone, laptop or whatever that is causing the sin. Jesus called us to radical action in dealing with sin but again, knowing won't help - you must do! You can understand all you want about sin, why your body chemically makes you want to do whatever it is you do, why your psychological makeup and family history aids in your shortfallings, blah blah blah, but at the end of it all, it is still a choice you make to sin - the other things are just excuses or justifications for you giving into that sin.

You want to free yourself from that sin that ensnares you? Don't just gain knowledge - do that which you know to do, no matter how radical or sacrificial to your flesh it may be. Only then will you gain victory. Jesus made it simple - "Walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). Why we complicate things is simply so we can conquer in our own flesh, which as you have already realized, does not work. Walk in the victory already given to you. Walk in the power already supplied for you. Walk, do...don't just know. If all you do is simply know, then your knowledge is useless.

Compare and study on your own these passages: Galatians 5:16-26, Galatians 6:7-9, Romans 6:1-23, Romans 7:1-6, Romans 8:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-10, Colossians 2:11-23, James 1:21-25

He Knows & Sees

2010-12-29T15:51:00.003-05:00

"I know your works..." - Revelation 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, 3:15

In writing to the seven churches there in Asia minor (modern day Turkey), Jesus begins each letter to them by giving a characteristic of Himself that would specifically speak to the church He was addressing and then telling them, "I know your works" and going on to describe just what those works were.

Those four words should make us stop and ponder: Jesus knows and sees all that you do and more specifically, He knows and sees all the work and labor that you do for Him (or perhaps for yourself).

If you are simply playing the game, fooling everyone into thinking you are super-spiritual but in reality you aren't, Jesus knows. If you are doing works to build a kingdom for yourself, that you may get recognized and for people to know your name, Jesus knows. If your works involve pornography and other filth (which shockingly statistics show that 50% of Christian men are addicted to the stuff), Jesus knows.

Even more importantly (and encouraging) for others: all the works you do for Jesus, He knows. Sadly, within the American church, it seems Christians strive to do all sorts of things to promote themselves. Or they put on pedestals only those who are in the spotlight due to huge numbers or celebrity. However, Jesus sees when you pick up that small piece of trash off the church floor that everyone else ignored. He sees when you are sharing your faith with someone else even though you'll never be asked to get in front of an audience and tell how you shared your faith. He knows when you are faithfully teaching and serving in the children's ministry even though you're not boasting about yourself doing it on Twitter or Facebook! He knows!

He knows about Antipas (Revelation 2:13) even though none of us have a clue what this guy did (besides be a martyr). Jesus doesn't care if the world knows your name or not because we don't serve Him for our name - we serve Him for His name.

So if you are simply doing things for your name's sake, He knows. But if you are ministering unto Him and no one in the world or church knows or cares, He knows and He cares!

Be encouraged by this! For further study compare with: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

Theology Test

2010-07-02T15:45:00.003-04:00

"...Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." - 1 Corinthians 8:1

If you were to be asked, how is your theology what would be your response? If then asked, how well does your theology serve you, what would you answer? I'm going to assume if you are reading this you might be wanting to prove, through some sort of test, that the answer to #1 is sound and solid and therefore I commend you. I won't argue that you don't have an immense knowledge of the Word of God.

However, this test is to see how well you fare for question #2 and hopefully this "test" shouldn't take you too long to do (especially since this blog was advertised to be a short test). Without much hesitation, onward to our test.

#1: Do you consistantly find yourself debating with fellow believers your theological viewpoints and/or feel as if you have to defend your theological viewpoints on a regular basis? How is that going for you? Is everyone involved with those discussions (perhaps, even debates or dare I say arguments?) being unified or is there a spirit of animosity and division?

If, upon talking theology, there is division that takes place, it seems your theology is not serving you very well.

#2: Do you feel offended when someone disagrees with your theological viewpoint (not in an unorthodox sort of way or anti-biblical, but simply non-essentials to the faith there is disagreement)? Does your pride kick in when discussing your theological views?

If you answered yes to either or both of those questions in #2, again, your theology is not serving you very well.

#3: Do you feel comfortable around other believers who hold different viewpoints than yours, even majorly different viewpoints? Can you actively fellowship with them? Do you have other friends who have different viewpoints?

If you answered no to any or all of those questions, once again your theology is not serving you very well.

If through this quick test you find that your theology is not serving you well, what should you do? Should you change your theology? Am I saying your theology is incorrect? Should "we all just get along" and forget about biblical truths? Not in the slightest. Rather change your point of view.

"Knowledge puffs up" we read from the apostle Paul. So many have knowledge and yet their knowledge makes them prideful. They feel somehow superior to another fellow Christian because of their educational background or vast array of knowledge. It doesn't mean we don't look to gain knowledge, but rather understand that simply gaining knowledge can lead to pride.

Instead, "love builds up" and therefore what we do should be in love and service. We don't use our knowledge to convict people or try to show them the "error of their ways" (as we may think since they don't hold to our certain theological point of view), but rather we want to edify them and build them up. That's one thing love does...it edifies.

If you are finding theological talks to be divisive (and again we are talking theology talks among believers, not those who are in a cult or what not), then you are simply allowing your "knowledge" to puff you up. Perhaps you could be wrong...do those words make your blood boil? If so, you are holding your theological views too personal. Honestly, who cares if someone thinks you are wrong or disagrees with you, should that really cause a lack of unity?

If you find your pride kicking in when talking theology, your "knowledge" has puffed you up. Instead, look to change the discussion into something that will build the other person up and edify them. The sovereignty of God vs. the free will of man debate shouldn't result in a thing of pride. Either way, the Lord loves you and that should bring humility not pride (and side note: no one has ever satisfied that debate and YOU won't be the one to do so. And besides that, it's both and both are taught in Scripture!).

If you find you can only relate to and actively fellowship with those who hold the same viewpoints as you do (in other words, being around Pentacostals or reformed Baptists or non-denom people or whoever makes you feel uncomfortable), you are missing out on the beauty of the body of Christ.

The key in discussing theology is to learn to agree to disagree yet without holding a superiority complex or looking down on the person(s). Your knowledge and intellect aren't going to change the world, but your love and sharing of the gospel will (and that still is only through the power provided by the Holy Spirit so you still can't get the glory).

If your theology isn't serving you well, don't necessarily change it but change the way you hold onto it. If it isn't changing you to change the world, there is indeed a change that needs to be made!

Called to Serve...Nothing More, Nothing Less

2010-02-26T15:07:00.002-05:00

Author's Note: Yes I know it has been too long since my last post...busyness and laziness plus lack of inspiration have attributed to this fact (case in point - I've been interrupted 2 times just trying to get this part typed). I appreciate all you who read this and desire never to simply blog for the sake of blogging but write those things that will hold value. I would hate for the few minutes it takes to read this to have been wasted. This blog was spurred out of a teaching our pastor did on this very verse. I hope you are blessed. And again, I enjoy the feedback...

"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." - 1 Corinthians 4:1

The word "servants" there comes not from the typical Greek word of "doulos" (which simply means "slave" or "servant") but rather "hyperetes" which literally means "underrower". An underrower was one of the men in the bottom of the ship who had to row to a beat of a drum (for illustration purposes click here) and were often chained to the oar. If the ship went down, they went down with the ship. The underrower never received any attention - as one watched a ship move past it would be doubtful that you would ever hear "wow, aren't those rowers amazing. Look at how they get that boat to move in the sea. How I wish I could be an underrower some day." No, those conversations just didn't take place because an underrower was a servant that did all the work but didn't get any of the glory.

So too are we! We are called to be underrowers - those who serve Christ because He is our Savior & Master whose whole desire is to give Him all the glory.

It is easy for people to say they are servants for Christ and yet a whole other thing to really mean it, especially if there isn't glory or attention being passed down that way. Would you really be doing what you are doing right now for Christ if you never received acclamation for the job you are doing? Are you really okay if you never receive a title or position with ministry? A "no" to any of these questions means you have failed to understand your position in Christ as a servant, but thankfully God is gracious and will change your heart as you pray through this.

Anytime a person states, "that's not my ministry" my mind wanders if they understand we are mere servants of Christ. Granted, not every person can fill every need or try to fill every need or is even called to every need. But one must look at their own heart to see if they are not doing something because it doesn't carry any title, position, or acclamation from the onlookers. As a college pastor I don't necessarily have the time to teach the children's ministry full time, but if I was asked to switch would I be willing to? Or would I think children's ministry is somehow less important than the ministry I'm doing (which by the way, if you are in a church that thinks children's ministry is somehow less important than any other ministry, you may not want to have your kids attend it)?

My job is not to have my name known here on earth or establish some sort of kingdom for me. My job is to have Jesus' name known here on earth...it has nothing to do with me! The same is true with you so say that with me, "it has nothing to do with me!"

When we understand we are merely underrowers for Christ, we will take more pleasure in simply serving. Oh, if seminaries and other institutions would simply teach that degrees and education is simply for education - not for making our names great - how much more good could we do!

Next time you start worrying about yourself when it comes to serving, focus on the One who you should be serving!

Repost: My Hour (And 3 Minutes) of Life as a Salvation Army Bell Ringer

2009-11-30T09:03:00.003-05:00

This was a post I originally wrote, on November 14, 2008, as part of a facebook note that I decided to repost today since I will once again be given the opportunity to serve by ringing the bell for the Salvation Army.

So today I had the unique opportunity to serve outside the Lynchburg Walmart as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army, you know, those people who wear the red aprons that stand near the red buckets that you give money to or that you avoid eye contact with in everyway possible. Yeah I was one of them today! Not that I willingly volunteered, but my buddy and old colleague, Darren Wu, came around asking us to take part and, because our office was having to do it anyways, I "volunteered" for the 2 - 3 PM time slot. Originally my pal and fellow coworker Dave Guthrie and I were going to do it together but due to some errors or what not, I was placed alone at the time slot. Alone for an hour, ringing a bell, and no one to talk to while busy shoppers walk by me - would I survive? Could I gain anything from this time? The answer to both was a resounding yes which is why I felt compelled to write an editorial about my experience.

I was first confronted, by that still small voice of the Lord, to make sure I am obeying what I just taught the Edge (the college/career ministry of Calvary Chapel Lynchburg) which was "and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24). You see it could be quite easy for me to have a poor attitude towards this seeing how I am not the type who enjoys being looked at and watched unless I'm teaching or purposely doing something to gain attention, and this was part of my job at work for the day. Thankfully though the Lord brought this great Scripture to mind as soon as I started, before I would even have a chance to possibly grumble or complain, and I'm thankful for that because instead it gave me a joyous heart in serving in this manner. So much so that I'm likely to do it again next year if asked (or maybe if not asked I'll seek it out as a ministry opportunity). I was also impressed when "Linda", an employee at Walmart, took time during her 15 minute break to come stand beside me and ring. She rang very fast and very loud and put me to shame in my bell ringing ability (though I was trying to keep pace for the long haul) and she did this on her break without anyone asking her! Thanks Linda, whoever you are, for the company for those 10 or so minutes.

The Lord also used this opportunity to reveal a matter of the heart on my own lack of generosity. I found there were five types of people I encounted during my 63 minutes outside Walmart: (1) the generous, joyful giver, (2) the joyous giver who gives a little because they can, (3) the giver who gives out of a sense of guilt due to the fact that he was within range of both my tintinnabulation and eyesight and others may be watching if he/she gives or not, (4) the person who doesn't give either because they don't have any money/change or they don't want to but makes eye contact and says hello, and (5) the person who avoids you like a disease or pretends you don't even exist. The Lord showed me that often times I am either 3 or 4, sometimes 2, but never 1. Now there is nothing wrong with #2 as there is no requirement to give to the Salvation Army a very generous gift, but the point is would I if the Lord put it on my heart to do so and the answer to that is a sad no. I tend to justify this by saying "well I don't know how much of my money actually is used for a good cause" which led me to look it up when I got back to the office (87 cents out of every $1 goes directly to the homeless, mentally ill, physically challenged, victims of drug and alcohol abuse, and others under our care) or by reminding myself of the fact of how I give to my church so there is not that need to give to something else generously. Again, it's not the matter of how much one gives but the willingness of the heart to give if felt compelled. I pray that I'd remember that the Lord provides and He will provide for me even if I give what I think I can't afford to someone or something else! I've never had wealth so it's always a step of faith to give more and it's a faith I need to start stepping out on more.

Lastly, I saw examples that I hope to pass on to my kids that was passed on to me by my mom of giving. Many parents would give their children the money to put into the kettle which my mom would also do for us. Sure, as kids you don't fully comprehend what you are doing when your parents give you that money, you just enjoy dropping something shiny into the pot, but it builds an example in teaching children to give. I was most impressed when a lady took out a five dollar bill and gave it to her child (I thought she was giving the child the $5 to hold onto while she searched for a $1 in her pocketbook) and then had the child place the $5 into the contained I had been standing beside this whole time ringing my little bell. The child had no idea the difference between a $1 and a $5 but I did and that's when the Lord spoke to me of my selfishness. I saw that $5 as a pizza or foot long sub meal for my wife and I (believe me that's almost gourmet for us since we don't get to eat out often) and was shocked that anyone would put "that much" in. But in all reality, "that much" is not much when you are trusting in the Lord and being led by Him in giving, whether or not $5 is simply spare change for you (and whether it was for this lady or not, I wasn't sure, but I do know people don't give $5 as a #2 or #3 type person). I need to be more "open handed" with my finances instead of "close fisted" allowing the Lord to break my heart to give. I may give to my church and those on mission trips but am I willing to give to strangers standing outside a store next to a bucket of sorts? I want to set the example to my son Caleb, future son Noah [editors note: no longer "future" son], and whatever other children the Lord blesses me with, to give generously and joyously, but to do that, I must become a #1 person myself.Amazing the heart lessons you can learn when you simply pray to the Lord to speak to you while you think you are simply doing the mundane.

Our Infinite God

2009-10-09T12:11:00.003-04:00

"...Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name." - Isaiah 63:16

"Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting." - Psalm 93:2

"Great is our God, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite." - Psalm 147:5

A few Sundays ago, my pastor, Troy Warner, was sharing on the attributes of God and one attribute struck an incredible chord with me: that God is infinite.

Now I knew that God is infinite but have you ever took time to allow that truth to hit your heart? For with our God who is infinite, He never runs out of anything! In Him is infinite mercy, infinite wisdom, infinite grace, infinite love, infinite power. He'll never be too tired to do something for you or too weak to help you out. You'll never come to Him in repentance for messing up yet again today and find that His mercy has run out for you. You don't have to treat prayer like a bartering system, wondering whether you should ask for this small request because you may need His help for a much bigger project/healing/help later and would hate to use up your "account" with Him. He. Is. Infinite!

Along those lines of thinking too, we must remember that He is far past our understanding. Any theology or thinking about Him that tries to contain Him in a box that makes Him easy to understand is one that doesn't do Him justice. Our finite minds just can't comprehend His fullness. We understand the attributes of God and His nature through Jesus, but we can never fully comprehend the way He works. Am I glad I can't fully pin Him down? Yes, because anything less makes Him nothing more than a god I created on my own.

So next time you begin to wonder if He is through with you, remember He is infinite. Next time you start to wonder if you should even pray, remember He is infinite. Next time you are in despair and depression, remember He is infinite.

Dwell on His infiniteness and let yourself be utterly amazed at His awesomeness drawing you into a time of worship and thanksgiving!

For more on this, do a search through your Bible on the words "everlasting" or "infinite" and dwell on them.

Sticky Notes From Heaven

2009-09-17T13:52:00.005-04:00

Lamentations 3:22-23 "[Through] the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning; Great [is] Your faithfulness."

Zephaniah 3:17 - "The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet [you] with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

The other week as I awoke from sleep and started to get ready for work, I was in our computer room area and noticed a pad of sticky notes on the desk. Deciding I wanted to surprise my wife and bless her morning when she got up, I decided to write/draw "I love you" in different ways on multiple sticky notes. I then went about placing them in the house on areas that she would see but would still surprise her (bathroom mirror, computer monitor, Brita water container in the fridge, etc.). Now I am not the most romantic guy nor the greatest husband out there, but I wanted to once again let her know that I love her, this time through the creative use of sticky notes.

Upon driving to work, the Lord started to remind me of the "sticky notes" He often sets up for me to see and be reminded how much He loves me. These range from beautiful sunrises that promise a new day of blessings to the rainbow that promises no further global floods to cool breezes that remind me of the Spirit's work in my life, and ultimately the cross that displays His sacrificial love for me. Everywhere I look, if I will only take the time to look, I can easily find these "sticky notes from Heaven".

We can get so caught up in life and our stresses and problems that we tend to forget the great love God has for us. The very same love He showed by sending His Son to the cross for us and that great love displayed in while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

Instead of focusing on the "mountains" of worries around you, take time to pause and look for the sticky notes Jesus has placed around you to say "I love you". They won't be hard to find and they won't disappear.

My wife continues to keep my sticky notes up just so she'll be reminded of my love everyday as she walks around the house as well.

Does the Lord do "Better Works"?

2009-09-03T15:53:00.003-04:00

Ever hear how one church is exploding at the scenes and hear how the Lord must be doing a "better work" or "greater work" over at that church? Or maybe a ministry is seeing great fruit and you hear that same phrase used? Or someone leaves the church to go some place where God wants to do a "better work"?

Can God do a "better work" than what He is doing somewhere else? Can God be better than what He is? Can God be "greater" than He already is?

Well for the latter questions, no, God cannot be better or greater than what He is right now because He is the best and greatest that He can possibly be which is far more than we could even comprehend.

So if He is perfectly complete, could He do something better/greater elsewhere than He is currently doing? Again the answer is no. He is either working or He isn't working. If He is working, then what He is doing is great. If man is doing all the work and trying to get all the credit, then God probably isn't working which is why there can be burnout and stress. If He's not working, examine why (sin, not seeking Him, carnal means of work, etc.?) then pray for Him to do the work and let Him do the work.

Now one may argue John 14:12 about "greater works" but one must remember that Jesus, incarnate in the flesh, could only be one place at one time, but with the Holy Spirit now "greater" works can be done because He empowers believers to do works everywhere.

We also must remember that we compare things based on man's interpretation of greatness. For instance, we may say a megachurch ministry is a greater ministry than a congregation of 50 people because we see the numbers. Yet, if God is at work in the lives of that small congregation, then great things are equally going on. We must not judge success by numbers but by fruit. A huge congregation with shallow lives isn't a "great" thing at all.

So if you are doing ministry and not seeing the numbers but are seeing lives changed & fruit grown, even if it is in just a handful of people, God is doing great things in your midst. Do not be discouraged but praise the Lord for the good He is doing. If you are doing ministry where you may not see the fruit right away (such as children's ministry) and you are dependent on the Lord, seeking Him in all you do there, then have faith that God is doing a great work. Don't look for numbers to determine greatness - for the most part, people can bring numbers into the doors by silly promotions or stunts - for large numbers don't equal large fruit.

The work God has given you right now - be it full time ministry, a normal job (but where you strive to be a light to the world in that job), "simple" (as people may call it) service in the church (cleaning, parking lot attendant, etc.), a great father/mother to your kids, etc. - is the great work He wishes to do through you.

He does not work "greater" elsewhere if He is working right now. Don't give into comparisons because God doesn't judge based on man's assessment of situations. You serve the Lord and let Him do the work. If you are letting God use you, then He is using you in a "greater" way than you can even imagine!

Knowledge Puffs Up But Love Builds Up

2009-08-05T15:33:00.003-04:00

"...Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." - 1 Corinthians 8:1

A few weeks ago I read an article (won't mention the author or title as that would go against all I'm about to write) where the author was saying how a person with a certain theological base (again won't use specifics) could survive in a church that held a different theological base. The article didn't sit right with me because it almost came off like this: "You poor guy for suffering in a church ignorant of the truth. Don't worry though, use your intellegence and bring them along slowly and they will come around and see the light. Make sure you talk though with the leadership of the church first though before you change worship and stuff just in case they aren't enlightened enough to make the transition - if that's the case then it is better off you leave." Now I don't think the author meant for it to come off that way (and I may be a little harsh) but it did make it seem like the author's theological views were better than those that held different views (and when I mention views I'm not talking about the foundational, important, doctrinal views but those that are non-essential for salvation).

And that's the problem I wish to address here.

Now when it comes to what I believe theologically (and notice, I try not to place myself in a "box" of what I am [i.e. Calvinist, Arminian, dispinsationalist, reformed, etc.] because what I am is simply a "Christian", theology is what I believe) on non-essentials I would tell you something like this: I believe in pre-trib rapture, literal 1000 year reign of Christ, God is not through with Israel (the church has not replaced her), God is very much sovereign and yet man very much as free will (and how those come together I don't know, but they do!), all the spiritual gifts are for today (but all must be done decently and in order - too many extremes on both sides of the fence), and (though not theological in nature) I believe the best way to teach the Bible is teaching verse-by-verse through the Bible rather than topically. All of which I can "prove" biblically.

However, to think my views on things, or the church I attend views on things makes me more superior than another Christian is both false and divisive. Yes, I hold to my viewpoint for biblical reasons and believe there is a strong case for them, but that doesn't mean I'll look down on someone else for different views. It simply means I'll agree to disagree with you and continue on in sweet fellowship. When we divide with someone simply because they are Pentacostal but you're Baptist, or they are Reformed but you're Arminian, is divisive and I would even say sin. Knowledge leads to pride which is why when you are around another Christian talking about theological matters, make sure you are looking to love (which will edify/build them up) them first than simply bringing them over to "your side of things."

Same is true with preferences. Whether your church uses an organ & hymns or full band & contemporary worship, whether it is shirt & tie or casual dress, do not let that make you feel your church is somehow better than that other church.

But I digress.

The point is, feel free to hold to your views and have sound, biblical reasons for them, but don't let that cause you to look down on another Christian simply because they don't share the same views (now if they have false, heretical views that's a whole other story). Don't allow your knowledge of the Bible make you feel more entitled or better than someone who is not as "smart" as you.

Instead of drawing lines in the sand, let's look to partner together in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's not whether they share your escatological or whatever-ical view that gets them to Heaven or not - it's whether they have "confessed with their mouth...and believed in their hearts" (Romans 10:9) that is the important thing. So yes, you can do ministry alongside another person of a different denomination (and should do so knowing you are equals in ministry whatever your viewpoints are).

If you're not loving, then all that knowledge goes to waste!

For the Lord or for our church?

2009-07-06T14:38:00.002-04:00

The young people at Shively Christian Church, led at the time by Youth Pastor Dave Stone, were fiercely competitive with their neighbor, Shively Baptist, in all things, especially softball. They were also serious about their Christianity, faithfully attending the summer Bible camp led by the youth pastor. One week, the Bible lesson was about Jesus washing his disciples' feet, from John 13. To make the servanthood lesson stick, Pastor Stone divided the kids into groups and told them to go out and find a practical way to be servants."I want you to be Jesus in the city for the next two hours," he said. "If Jesus were here, what would he do? Figure out how he would help people." Two hours later the kids reconvened in Pastor Stone's living room to report what they had done.One group had done two hours of yard work for an elderly man. Another group bought ice cream treats and delivered them to several widows in the church. A third group visited a church member in the hospital and gave him a card. Another group went to a nursing home and sang Christmas carols — yes, carols in the middle of August. One elderly resident remarked that it was the warmest Christmas she could remember. But when the fifth group stood up and reported what they had done, everyone groaned. This group had made its way to none other than their arch rival, Shively Baptist, where they had asked the pastor if he knew someone who needed help. The pastor sent them to the home of an elderly woman who needed yard work done. There, for two hours, they mowed grass, raked the yard and trimmed hedges. When they were getting ready to leave, the woman called the group together and thanked them for their hard work. "I don't know how I could get along without you," she told them. "You kids at Shively Baptist are always coming to my rescue.""Shively Baptist!" interrupted Pastor Stone. "I sure hope you set her straight and told her you were from Shively Christian Church.""Why, no, we didn't," the kids said. "We didn't think it mattered."- Charles W. Colson

I stumbled across this little story and was quickly convicted & challenged by the simple truth that is in there. I think there are too many times where we seek to glorify the church fellowship we attend rather than the Lord. We don't make a conscience decision to do so, but we still do it. We either do it by trying to make our church look cooler/better/etc. than another church (thus competing with the Body of Christ) or like something similar to this story's point.

Here is a simple test (and activity) to see where our hearts are in this matter as well as a way to impact those around us, giving glory only to Jesus. It is an activity called "Ding Dong Ditch" I had learned about from a youth pastor from a church in New Mexico. Basically each person brings $1 to $5 and all the money is pooled together to go buy groceries for a needy family. Then those groceries are placed on the porch/by the front door of the home. The doorbell is then rung and everyone runs away and hides and watches from a distance the needy person receive the goods. Those who donated learn to give without receiving anything (even "thank you") in return. The other catch is you are not allowed to place any material with your church's name on it with the groceries (so if your tracks have the church's name, then type a letter explaining the gospel message and the reason for doing this, but don't sign it). Now if your heart (like mine is sometimes) is thinking "but we need to make sure they know it is from our church!" then you are seeking to glorify your church and not simply the Lord.

Let's get back to making sure Jesus gets all the glory and not our cool praise band, our casual dress policy, or our great programs that makes our church stand out better than your church. Jesus is the focus - not us!

Looking For Your Own Catch?

2009-06-22T15:47:00.003-04:00

"And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some'. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish." - John 21:6

Once again we find our famous fishermen, who have been toiling all day and night, without any fish to give them satisfaction of accomplishment (or food to fill their stomach's for that matter). Suddenly, they hear a command to cast their net on the right side of the boat. Last time they had heard something similar to this (Luke 5:4-5) they were skeptical (but obeyed) while this time, they simply obey. The result: a huge catch! The questions to ask ourselves are: What did these disciples do to make a great catch? What great thinking & intellegence did they possess to create such a great catch? What program(s) did they use to become fisherman with full nets?

The answers may surprise you: (1) they obeyed Jesus, (2) none, they obeyed Jesus and (3) none, they obeyed Jesus. Interesting huh?

Yet, sometimes we as humans are quick to take credit for our own "catch" or put stock in a "program" so we too can have a net full of fish of our own.

Be it in ministry or service the Lord has given you, you simply need to obey what the Lord is calling you to do. When you watch some other church with "full nets" and look to see what great attributes that pastor/leadership has or what program they may be using, you are not only looking at the wrong source but you are also possibly stealing glory from God! And if you give credit of your catch to your abilities or program, then you are more than likely stealing glory from God!

As churches, ministries, etc., let's simply obey Jesus doing what He calls us to do and stop trying to use our own ingenuity to get full nets. We also need to make sure we aren't comparing size of nets either - your "full" net may not be the same as someone elses "full" net. We don't get lazy in ministry but we can't think we're less "successful" simply because our net isn't as "full" compared to someone elses.

Remember, Jesus has everything to do with the catch - not you! Just obey.

Boldness Comes As We Share, Not as We Sit

2009-06-04T11:22:00.002-04:00

"But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak" - Matthew 10:19

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." - Acts 4:13

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, " - Acts 4:29

There sometimes can be fear when it comes to sharing the Gospel with people. Christians will pray for boldness (which is good) but then wait until we feel that boldness to start sharing. Or we will wait until we have some clever presentation in our mind or are smart enough before we start sharing thinking this will give us the boldness we need. Having an idea of what you will say is not a bad thing either (though Jesus promised He would give the disciples the words to say and it's still true for us).

Action though is what is truly needed!

See boldness comes when we start to share not by necessarily waiting on it. As you start to speak, you'll find the Holy Spirit filling you with both the words and boldness needed to share. Having nervousness is not necessarily a bad thing in that it will hopefully draw you to Jesus for the strength needed.

I find this true everytime I go out on the streets of Russia (or where ever) sharing the Gospel - the more I share, the more emboldened I am to keep sharing. Can it be discouraging when people mock us or the "spiritual ground" is hard? Sure, but no surprises there as Jesus promised people would reject us as they did Him. However, you'll find fertile ground too and that is enough to make all the plowing worth it.

So if you're looking for boldness, don't sit waiting for it...go out and share!

From Russia With Love

2009-06-02T12:35:00.003-04:00

Well this post wasn't written from Russia but definitely some thoughts the Lord laid on my heart while traveling to and from Russia. Anytime you go on a missions trip, it is a great time to reprioritize and relook at things of life simply because you have one single focus and it is to spread the Gospel. When you have to look to Jesus day in and day out for your strength and your focus, you can look on life with a clearer view. This post will be just that - a clearer view of what's important. It will be blunt and challenging but it will be fruitful if we take to heart what the Lord wants to share with us.

First off, a series of questions the Lord spoke to my heart about: Why is it we can take a week off from work for a missions trip but can't take an hour a week to pray with the body? Prayer services are the lowest attended services in the church today and if you can get just 5% to come out, you are doing well. We simply shouldn't be okay with that. Somehow though we justify our actions by saying we are tired or have had a long week or don't need to pray with the body. Acts 2:42 tells us that the early church "continued steadfastly...in prayers". So why is it we have no trouble leaving for a while to go share the gospel with people but we can't pray for an hour for those places that we went sharing? Now your church may not have a prayer service and if so, then continue (and if you're not, start) praying for the missionaries that are spreading the gospel and your brothers/sisters in Christ in other countries that you don't know personally. But specifically to those at CC Lynchburg, start coming out to Sunday night prayer! Unless you work on Sunday nights you don't have any excuse not to make it out to at least one prayer meeting per month (and if you are doing some sort of ministry [worship team, children's ministry, etc.] then be an example and come out more often). If you have children, take turns with the wife/husband so one of you can come pray. We need to be praying and there is power in corporate prayer. If you've been overseas on a missions trip, you know this to be true. Our time is fruitful because of the prayers of the saints back home so stop making excuses and come out and pray.

Why can we tirelessly serve overseas but can't make it to a Wednesday night service when we are tired? I have been guilty of this one from time to time and it's because our/my priorities are out of wack. Now true, one doesn't HAVE to go to church everytime the door is open to be spiritual or to grow, but the point is that we have no problem pouring our lives out while overseas and continuing on when we are tired; when it comes to going to church when we are tired back home, somehow it becomes a different story. I have heard people say they've had a long day at work and they just need their rest. Does the service (and Jesus in the service) not provide you the true rest you need? I no longer think this excuse is applicable anymore because when we use it we are saying church is a burden and that's dangerous territory. I simply look at my wife to another reason this excuse is poor - my wife works far harder than I do and most people. She stays at home and labors in love with our kids and she doesn't get a scheduled lunch break. She gets her break if/when the kids allow for one. And not only does she look after our two sons, but she does housework as well. And yet, after a tiring day, she still makes it out for Wednesday night service. If there is anyone I know who could deserve a "night off", it would be her but she realizes church is the place to be to find rest! Gene & Stacy Jackson are other great examples as they both work hard and then come and serve with children's ministry. There are plenty of other examples too, so we need to rethink what is important to us. Fellowshipping with other believers and hearing the Word taught should be high on our priority list. I think the Lord will sustain you and give you the energy to come listen. Even if you zone in and out because you have had a looooonnnnngggg day, you still are an example to others around you.

In conclusion, should you feel bad if you stay home for a Sunday night prayer or a Wednesday night service? Does it make you worse of a Christian? No and the point isn't to say you must be at church everytime the doors are open. However, we do need to reexamine our hearts and priorities. Don't feel bad for staying home now and again because sometimes your family simply needs you, but staying home should be the abnormal, not the normal. If you reading this and quickly are bucking at everything that was said and trying to justify your actions, odds are you are one of the ones who has misplaced priorities. Again, it is a heart issue and not a works righteousness issue but we hope to see you alongside of us praying on Sunday nights and worshipping on Wednesday nights (or at least doing it at your home church).

More to come on boldness in a later blog....

The Me Church

2009-05-20T23:12:00.003-04:00

This is a humorous look at consumer oriented churches in our culture today. Some will do anything to get people into their churches - except teach the Word of God. As the church in America we need to stop fighting each other to get people into our buildings and instead focus on equipping the body (Ephesians 4:12) to do the work of the ministry. Instead of focusing on being "cool" and "like the world", we need to focus on Christ and Him crucified. Let's focus on the Word and not on cute catch phrased sermons with little content.

More so though it's a look at the hearts of many church goers in our churches today because we've marketed the church as a brand of store and taught them that church is all about them. Church has very little to do with us. If our mindset is what can we get out of church, then we are missing the One for whom we come to worship. Worship music isn't about how happy or emotionally charged we get from the singing and song selection, but us simply giving the glory to our Savior and the worth He is due. The teaching of the Word isn't for us to judge the pastor's style, but to hear what the Lord wants to say to us today. We shouldn't be focusing on attention on entertaining the people because the church isn't meant for entertainment as if it were another movie theatre or rec center, but rather teaching and training them to be more like the world.

Is your mindset, what can I get from the church today or is it what can I give to the Lord at church today? The proper mindset is what will keep you from looking for a me church.

Oh, the Irony

2009-05-18T14:30:00.003-04:00

"Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover" - John 18:28

There is quite a bit of irony in this passage that can often be overloooked which I want to point out. In context, the Jews have arrested Jesus and are leading him to Pilate in the Praetorium (the palace area in which he lived) so that he can give them permission to put Jesus to death. However, it was Passover time and in their rituals, if they entered into a house that contained leven they would be defiled and not be able to take part in the Passover ceremonies. The Praetorium was obviously a Gentile residence and thus leven was probably there and thus they did not want to enter in and defile themselves.

So think about this rephrased this way: the Jewish leaders have arrested God Himself because of their pride and hatred toward Him and are taking Him to be put to death and yet are afraid of defiling themselves by entering into a Gentile residence that may contain leven! Again they are missing their true heart condition (that is really defiling them) and focusing on the outward "religious" regulations instead. The One who can truly clease them they have condemned. No wonder Jesus called them white washed tombs.

And yet there are many who are just like these Jewish leaders. Outside the church they are living for the world and all its pleasure, but they feel good about themselves because they simply go to church on Sundays. There are those husbands that are in full time ministry that do everything to impress those around them and yet pay little attention to their ultimate ministry, their families (sometimes even justifying this because of their "position" in the church).

Our "religious works" aren't what justifies us. When we focus on the outside rather than on the inside, we too can be just as blind.

Loving the Praise of Man?

2009-05-13T14:28:00.002-04:00

"for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." - John 12:43

In this brief phrase, we find a sad commentary on some of the Pharisees who did believe in Jesus. They had come to believe in Him but they did not let others know for fear of being put out of the synagogue and because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

There are many ways that this translates out to our everyday lives. The first one is obvious, being we choose not to talk about our faith or confess Jesus around others because we don't want to look foolish in front of our friends or family. We don't want our co-workers to think we are some sort of "Jesus freak" or "fanatical" and therefore we hold our tongues and let them think we are just a good moral person rather than a Christian.

But I think the subtle ways we show this are less obvious. When we pump up numbers in our church or ministry (in other words, we say we have more than who really comes out), we may love the praise of man more than the praise of God. When we try to compare numbers in our ministries, we may love the praise of man more than the praise of God. When we climb over others to get to the top, we may love the praise of man more than the praise of God. When we let "slip" how much time we've spent in prayer or the Word this week when no one asked, we may love the praise of man more than the praise of God. When we donate large amounts of money to get recognized, we may love the praise of man more than the praise of God.

We need to make sure everything we say and do is for the praise of God and not for our own praise. When we take the place of a servant, serving unnoticed and not looking for recognition, we probably love the praise of God more than the praise of man. When we pray for those who curse us rather than attack back, we probably love the praise of God more than the praise of man. When we give with no recognition wanted or needed, we may love the praise of God more than the praise of man. And when we reach out to those people who go unnoticed because they aren't "important" enough to minister to (i.e. they won't get us recognition in the church - like children's ministry, nursing home ministy, etc.), we probably love the praise of God more than the praise of man.

Lord, may all I say and do be for Your glory and not mine.

Just Do It

2009-04-02T23:30:00.002-04:00

"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel" - Ezra 7:10

There are many who go to Bible colleges or Christian universities or simply their own churches to know the Word of God better. There are even those from that group that go so that they may learn it well enough to teach it. But sadly, if this is all that is ever done (and for some, it is), then we fall way short of the desire. It isn't how much we know but what we are doing with what we know.

We learn a lot about Ezra in this short verse.

First, he prepared his heart to seek the Law. There are often times we go to church to worship and hear the Bible taught, but are we preparing our hearts to receive what Jesus wants to speak to us on? Or do we simply go with the consumer mindset of "this better be entertaining" and "I better have an emotional experience" out of this?

We then see that in preparing his heart to seek, he also prepared his heart to do it. There are many commands we know: "love the Lord with all your heart", "love your neighbor as yourself", "love your enemies", "pray for those who persecute you", "make disciples of all men", "be holy as I am holy", "esteem others better than yourself", etc.; but the real question is are we doing them and striving to do them. Sometimes the basic things we know, we shrug off by justifying to ourselves that they are too hard and nobody can fully do them as if that makes it okay to live a half-hearted walk with the Lord. When we find ourselves falling short, all the more to pray and seek out how we can defeat those failures in our life.

Lastly, he prepared his heart to teach. You may not have the gift of teaching or called to teach a bible study, youth group or congregation, but you can certainly pass on what the Lord shows you. Are you spending time in the Word waiting for the Lord to speak to you not only so that you can hear from Him, but so that you can pass it on to others as well? Truths seems to stick even more in our minds when we pass them on to others and I think we miss out on this opportunity to often. As I write this blog, the Lord spoke to me concerning this verse and as I was about to simply "write about it later", He prompted me to write about it now while it is still fresh in my mind and before something comes along that makes me forget to do it. Write down those things the Lord shows you so you can share it with someone. You'll be amazed by how often the Lord will put something in your heart that you read in your devotional or during your devotions, that He'll want you to pass on to someone that needs to hear that exact truth that day!

Now whether or not you are going to church or school to seek the Lord and teach His Word, you are responsible for doing what you hear.

"But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" - James 1:22.

You are expected to follow the truths that you hear. James goes onto to compare it to a person who looks at himself in the mirror (and let me embelish this to bring the point home a bit) and see his hair sticking out all over the place or a woman whose mascera is running and lipstick is a bit off, and yet they leave the mirror without fixing it. When we hear the Word and do not obey it, we deceive ourselves.

If you want to see your walk grow deeper, prepare your heart to hear Him, prepare your heart to seek Him, do what you hear, then share with others what you have heard. Your time in the Word is not simply a meal to indulge yourself in, but a feast to have others partake with you in as well.

Stay Away from Diviseness

2009-03-16T13:00:00.003-04:00

"For when one says, 'I am of Paul,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not carnal?" - 1 Corinthians 3:4

Some division in the early church - a bit of what we still see today. Back then people were aligning themselves with the person who led them to Christ and claiming to be of that person. Paul tells them that this is carnality and goes on in the passage to say that the only One who matters is God and that the ministers aren't anything important. Instead of focusing on the person, we need to get our eyes back to the Lord Jesus.

Unfortunately, we still see division today when we align ourselves with certain denominations. I'm not saying that denominations are bad or evil. I'm focusing on those who will align themselves with a denomination and divide themselves from other Christians who are of a different denomination.

How does one know if there is a bit of division in their heart? Well if I were to say, "Pastor so and so" is speaking today and by the way he is a ________ (insert denomination), do you want to listen?" and you automatically assume he can't teach anything worthwhile because he is not of your denomination, then you are being carnal.

It's easy for us to get this way, because we are human, but we have to make sure we aren't dividing ourselves from the whole body of Christ because of our denominational affiliation (or lack thereof). When we do that the outside world sees a divided church. Let's keep the non-essentials, non-essential and find unity in those truths all true Christians hold too.

Our Patient Lord

2009-02-24T11:25:00.002-05:00

"I will wait until you come back." - Judges 6:18

I know I'm close to doing what so many other teachers will do in using a verse or part of a verse as a diving board to talk on more than is necessarily in the verse. I'm not going to do that.

However, while reading this passage the Lord brought it to my attention about His patience. We know various passages talking about how the Lord is slow to anger (Exodus 34:6 as one example), how He is patient, and have seen examples of this patience (Genesis 15:11-16 where he waited 400 years before judging the Amorites), but it was in Judges 6:18 that once again I was reminded of His patience.

Bare with me as I put a bit of a human spin into this, but here we see Gideon ask the Lord to wait until he could prepare an offering for Him. Now the Lord could have simply said, "well I'll come back after you have it prepared because afterall I am God and I have too many other things to worry about going on in this world than to sit and wait for this offering that I don't really need anyway." But no, He is all powerful enough and all knowing enough to be content to wait because He has all under control, whether He is waiting for an offering or waiting for you or I to respond to His calling on our lives.

We so often want to rush through things and get things done. We have a calling and so, bam, we must get it done NOW! We tend to worry what the Lord will do if we don't hurry, hurry, hurry. But sometimes, we need to be content and simply wait.

All in the Serve - Called to Work

2009-02-21T15:33:00.003-05:00

"Go to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple..." - Haggai 1:8

Today at our quarterly recalibrate ministry meeting, Troy taught through the book of Haggai and related to us the truths about serving. The people who returned to Israel, who were truly the brave and faithful ones since the others stayed behind in comfortable Babylon, were now being exhorted over there poor priorities, perspective, and passion.

One of the points that really hit home though came from the verse above. It is a verse you could typically breeze over really quickly without understanding the significance of it. To gain a good perspective, think about what it is like to go hiking in the mountains. Though it is fun, it can also be very tiresome and some tough "work" for a day of enjoyment. Now take the thought of hiking and add manual labor into it. Not only will you be going up into the mountains, you now will be chopping down trees and then carrying the wood back down the mountain to build with and you do not have any sports utility vehicle in which to do it. That's hard work! And who demands this work? The Lord!

Just as He wasn't afraid to call the nation of Israel into action to serve Him, He still calls us into the same sort of service. Sometimes serving the Lord is going to take hard work. There will be times you're going to be tired, you're going to burn the midnight oil, you're going to be running on fumes. I'm not sure where people think service to the Lord should simply be comfortable and "easy" and if it involves doing something "hard" then they're not interested. We are called to serve, we are called to work.

However, we aren't called to be burnt-out. If you are "burnt-out" in ministry it is because you've been doing ministry under your own power without the power that is readily available to you. When you do ministry in your own flesh, you WILL get burnt out. But, if you are doing it through the power of the Holy Spirit, you may get tired physically, spiritually, emotionally, you may feel like you're running on fumes, but you're never get burnt out.

What is the Lord calling you to do? What's holding you back from doing it? We are called to work...it's all in the serve!

Thoughts on Church Advertising

2009-02-19T14:07:00.002-05:00

I saw this video linked on another website and found it quite humorous for it's stereotypical look at churches. Afterwards, I went to the website it advertises to check out what all the guy believed in as far as "church marketing" goes but I didn't do enough research to really ascertain exactly what he was saying. But after doing all this I figured I'd write my own blog and thoughts on "church marketing".

Unfortunately, we (the American church) have become too concerned with programmatic methods of getting people into the doors of the church. We focus on relevance and advertise our church to fit the packaging we want to promote. We have conferences of church planting and how one goes about doing it. There are books out there on growing your church and using demographics to make sure you are where you need to be. They will teach you how to make cool and hip looking postcards to send out and what services you use to send them out. They will teach you how to make a great mission statement using acrostics or alliteration to catch people's attention. Or there are some pastors who see this type of marketing and go the exact opposite to be a completely "different" church that doesn't use such things. Out of this, in some ways, comes the emergent church.

However, in all this I believe the American church is missing what truly brings people to Christ and "turns the world upside down" (as the early church was accused of doing). Instead of focusing on programs, let's get back to being led under the power of the Holy Spirit.

"Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" - Galatians 3:3

The American church has put her faith in man-made programs to grow the church rather than looking to the power of the Spirit to lead and guide them. We need to get back to the basics of what the early church was about - teaching the word, fellowshipping, breaking of bread and praying (Acts 2:42). Let's focus on simply teaching the Word to our congregations so they will do the "work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:12) than creating catchy sermon series titles to try and woo the people in. Instead of long conferences and possible debates of how the "church" should be, let's get out there and reach the people.

There is nothing wrong with catchy sermon series or props or creating a certain atmosphere. It's just when that becomes the focus that I believe we are missing the point. I also love the fact that there are a diversity of fellowships and "styles" of ministries out there; I think there is beauty in that. But when we start trying to package and sell these styles as to what "works" we glory in our own accomplishments and forget that the Lord is doing the work. Oh sure, one may say "it's not me but it's all Christ doing the growing" but yet their actions on teaching "what we've done" to make the church grow seems to contradict their first saying.

All I'm saying is that we need to stop putting so much energy and attention into numbers, programs, and packaging, and start getting back to going out in the power that the Lord wants (and promises) to provide.

I highly recommend anybody who has read something along the lines of the "Purpose Driven Church" to read "The Upside Down Church" by Greg Laurie.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Quick Thoughts From Last Night's Edge Study

2009-02-11T23:45:00.002-05:00

Can I really be quick on writing? I think so and because I don't feel like writing a long blog, here goes...

I had Ben Tobias fill in to teach for me on Tuesday because (1) I had him prepare something just in case Michal went into labor or a Tuesday or something, (2) she didn't go into labor on a Tuesday but nonetheless the process kept me from my studies, and (3) I had him prepare and wanted to hear him so thought it would be a good night to do so.

Anywho he shared on worship and the wonder of worship. Very well put together and some very neat insights he got from studying the Scripture to prepare. One of the things that stuck out the most was the Jonathan Edwards quote he read where (paraphrasing), Jonathan Edwards rode his horse to a forest and had a great time of worshipping the Lord and a very unique experience. Ben pointed out in our modern day way of trying to imitate packaging and methods, we'd say "well how am I going to find a horse and where's the nearest forest?" and miss out on the fact that worship is not a pre-conceived formula. Ben then went on to look at several people in the Old Testament and pulled out what worship should be like.

We then had a neat time of worshipping the Lord in song and then prayer and it was a very cool way to end the night. It is always neat to be part of something like that where the Lord leads in something unique and different and allows you to be part of it.

Hello Noah, Goodbye Sleep!

2009-02-09T20:48:00.000-05:00

We welcomed Noah Matthew Massey into the world on February 7, 2009 at 11:30 PM weighing 7 lbs, 15 oz and 20.5 inches long. We had only been in the hospital 20 minutes before he came out (though technically we had only been officially checked in for 7 minutes). In fact, the doctor didn't even make it in the room in time to deliver him. So from the time Michal's water broke to the time Noah was born was about 40-45 minutes! I had better take a class in delivering babies because next time I might be the one delivering!

Love For One Another

2009-02-06T13:45:00.000-05:00

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" - John 13:35

It's rather sad how we who are to be known for our love for one another tend to easily divide over little things. We will characterize others by what dominational church they go to and then make sure that if theirs is a different denomination than ours we can easily justify not listening to them. Or when people leave our church to go to another, we feel as if we can no longer fellowship with them because they "rejected" our church and therefore aren't worth fellowshipping with. We will divide ourselves over non-essential beliefs, be it Calvinism vs Arminianism, spiritual gifts for today vs. no gifts today, etc. We will allow ourselves to get divided by small things such as athletics, personal convictions, and/or age groupings. We will allow ourselves to judge one another based off the latest trends and fashions therefore only hanging out with those we deem "cool" or "popular". We will divide ourselves simply because we are too prideful to submit to someone else's leadership, be it the pastor, ministry leader, or coach. We will divide ourselves over personal preferences like worship style, building structure, large/small congregations, etc.

And yet, we are to be known by our love for one another. How can someone tell if I am a disciple of Jesus? They should look at my life and be able to find love. Not just love for those who I already get along with or like being with me, but love for those who differ with me on issues, don't want to submit to authority I've been given, or don't fit into my "comfort zone" of people I normally hang around. We need to check our pride in at the door and realize that we aren't as great or as important as we think we are (or that others tell us we are).

Whose the one Christian you totally can't stand right now? Go and love that person. Go and pray for that person. Go and show the world that you've decided to place yourself below that person in order to lift them and esteem them in others eyes. "Yeah but what about me?" Who cares about you! You let the Lord worry about that because ministry has nothing to do with us but everything to do with Him. And we are all called to minister to one another.

Love one another...not a suggestion but a command!