these have been some seriously crazy days! i will try to become a more consistent blogger.
i have been working from home today. it has been super quiet and super challenging all at the same time. as i have spent the majority of my day studying i have been overwhelmed by the immense responsibility we have as Christians. I mean, have you really considered what your responsibility became when you surrendered your life to Christ?
in a few short weeks kids will tear through loads of paper to see what toys have been purchased for them. each of these toys will bring a tidal wave of excitement and pleasure. for a brief moment the kids will probably even be grateful for the gifts. some kids will even take care of their new possessions for a day or two. however, you know as well as i do that it won't be long before the new wears off and they start clamoring for more stuff.
christians aren't all that different than children in this respect. we come to Christ with humility and a keen awareness of our sin. when we receive the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins we are overwhelmed with joy. we study His word and tell others about the hope we now have in Christ. but....for whatever reason it seems like the new wears off. God becomes familiar. the cross becomes cliche. His promises seem redundant. we begin to focus on ourselves and forget the responsibility that came with our salvation.
Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices...
I Peter 2:9 says that we are a rotal priesthood, a holy nation...
Matthew 16:24-25 says that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily...
Matthew 28:16-20 tells us to make disciples of all nations...
Ephesians 4:11-12 saya he has a purpose for each of us....
II Cor. 5:20 says we are new creations and ambassadors for Christ...
We Christians need to stop being lazy in our faith and personal growth. we need to stop running our mouths if the testimony of our lives doesn't line up with our words. we need to carefully remember exactly what He saved us from and boldly pursue what He created us for....to worship Him.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
yep...i'm talking about you!
self-awareness is a very interesting phenomena. some people seem to be overly self-aware while others are so far from reality it is almost comical. you know what i'm talking about don't you? i would guess every family, every office, every church, every bar, every class and every other grouping of people has that person who just can't manage to see themselves the way EVERYONE else sees them.
although i haven't done any real, scientific, clinical, accurate research on the following things...i am going to throw them out there anyway. sometimes experience is the best proof of reality. below you will find a few markers/titles that i feel like describe folks who struggle with self-awareness. see if you can find yourself in here anywhere:
the "yacker": these are the people that "yack yack yack" all the time. these folks are known for talking long after the listener has lost interest. the really comical/frustrating thing is they keep talking because they think the listener is interested. they don't read or respond to disinterested body language.
the "i've got nothing better do and neither should you": these are the people that will corner you in the office, on the phone, or in the parking lot and waste your time with useless info. they believe since they have finished their project or have no life beyond the now that they are free to jeopardize your time. these people are closely related to the yackers. the bottom line is they have no awareness of other people's priorities.
the "i didn't see the line i apparently just crossed": these folks are typically fun to be around (in a human vs. spiritual sort of way). They are funny. However, they aren't very self-aware in that they do not see how there lack of discernment affects the way others view them. If this person is not a Christian then this isn't an issue but if they are believers they MUST become more aware of the impact their "comedy" has on their message and witness.
the "if people could just see it my way": these folks are rarely ever wrong and when they are it won't be their fault. you know who these people are don't you? they are the ones that pray for you to be enlightened. they are the ones that hope you will one day reach their level of spiritual fortitude. they are the ones that make the rest of us want to puke. enough said?
the "i didn't do it!": these are the people that NEVER, EVER do anything wrong. it is always someone else's fault. if someone else would have said something....if the computer would just calculate properly....if the keys wouldn't get up and walk away....if the school wasn't so irresponsible....if the teacher had a clue...if the other kids weren't so mean...if the cafeteria would only serve healthier food...
the "i'm not fat": these are the people that just don't see themselves physically the way others do. go to six flags or hurricane harbor in the summer and you will see people who are suffering from some serious self-awareness issues. i know that God created each of us and that this truth alone makes us beautiful. with that being said.....some of us DO need to lose weight, get comfortable with NOT being a sex symbol, and learn to wear a little smell good (that is oklahoman for cologne).
finally (not because the list is exhaustive but because i have other things to do):
the "i'm not in denial": we have all encountered this one at some point. people who are self-aware can actually remember when they were this person. this is the person that simply has no idea what other people REALLY think about them and they wouldn't believe you if you tried to tell them. they just don't see through an objective lense. this is probably the saddest person to be out of all that i listed. to be in denial is to be satisfied with black and white in a color filled world. you just miss so much.
if you think of others send me a comment. keep the following in mind:
1. this is not an exercise for you to identify others who are not self-aware
2. this is an exercise for you to see where you may be....and to then pray for change
although i haven't done any real, scientific, clinical, accurate research on the following things...i am going to throw them out there anyway. sometimes experience is the best proof of reality. below you will find a few markers/titles that i feel like describe folks who struggle with self-awareness. see if you can find yourself in here anywhere:
the "yacker": these are the people that "yack yack yack" all the time. these folks are known for talking long after the listener has lost interest. the really comical/frustrating thing is they keep talking because they think the listener is interested. they don't read or respond to disinterested body language.
the "i've got nothing better do and neither should you": these are the people that will corner you in the office, on the phone, or in the parking lot and waste your time with useless info. they believe since they have finished their project or have no life beyond the now that they are free to jeopardize your time. these people are closely related to the yackers. the bottom line is they have no awareness of other people's priorities.
the "i didn't see the line i apparently just crossed": these folks are typically fun to be around (in a human vs. spiritual sort of way). They are funny. However, they aren't very self-aware in that they do not see how there lack of discernment affects the way others view them. If this person is not a Christian then this isn't an issue but if they are believers they MUST become more aware of the impact their "comedy" has on their message and witness.
the "if people could just see it my way": these folks are rarely ever wrong and when they are it won't be their fault. you know who these people are don't you? they are the ones that pray for you to be enlightened. they are the ones that hope you will one day reach their level of spiritual fortitude. they are the ones that make the rest of us want to puke. enough said?
the "i didn't do it!": these are the people that NEVER, EVER do anything wrong. it is always someone else's fault. if someone else would have said something....if the computer would just calculate properly....if the keys wouldn't get up and walk away....if the school wasn't so irresponsible....if the teacher had a clue...if the other kids weren't so mean...if the cafeteria would only serve healthier food...
the "i'm not fat": these are the people that just don't see themselves physically the way others do. go to six flags or hurricane harbor in the summer and you will see people who are suffering from some serious self-awareness issues. i know that God created each of us and that this truth alone makes us beautiful. with that being said.....some of us DO need to lose weight, get comfortable with NOT being a sex symbol, and learn to wear a little smell good (that is oklahoman for cologne).
finally (not because the list is exhaustive but because i have other things to do):
the "i'm not in denial": we have all encountered this one at some point. people who are self-aware can actually remember when they were this person. this is the person that simply has no idea what other people REALLY think about them and they wouldn't believe you if you tried to tell them. they just don't see through an objective lense. this is probably the saddest person to be out of all that i listed. to be in denial is to be satisfied with black and white in a color filled world. you just miss so much.
if you think of others send me a comment. keep the following in mind:
1. this is not an exercise for you to identify others who are not self-aware
2. this is an exercise for you to see where you may be....and to then pray for change
Sunday, October 26, 2008
it is you we adore, it is you our praises are for....
i was really impacted by the worship service this morning at church. God just seemed to be all over the whole thing.
for those of you who follow my blog it will not surprise you to hear that God has really been in my mix lately. this morning i tried to communicate a few of the things that God has been teaching me about Himself. as a pastor i sometimes find myself going to God to get a new idea or a good sermon. the last few weeks He has just been challenging me to know Him....to rediscover all that He is and wants to become in my life.
last night i was spending some time reviewing my thoughts for sunday morning and felt compelled to write out all that i know about God's character, His love and His purposes. i thought i would share them with you and hope that they encourage you in your journey.
He is:
Alpha and Omega: beginning and end
Creator
Sustainer
All knowing
Ever present
All powerful
Triune: Father, Son and Spirit
Transcendent
Sovereign
Eternal
He is a God of discipline and wrath
He is a righteous judge and He is just
His wisdom is unparalleled
We call Him Yahweh, Lord, God, and Salvation
Yet no matter how hard we try… we can’t fully explain His
Love
Compassion
Strength
Beauty
Worth
So today we will recognize Him for what He is:
Savior….that’s great news
Enough….for X’ians it isn’t God and (job, family, etc)
Faithful…when everyone else lets you down…He won’t
Good….truly, purely, infinitely good
Hope….marriage is on the brink of failure, layoffs in the forecast
Grace…amazing
Holy
in Isaiah 6 the prophet had the opportunity to see God. when he entered the throne room and saw God seated on His throne all he could say was "holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty!"
i hope that you will see him today as holy....set apart and altogether different.
for those of you who follow my blog it will not surprise you to hear that God has really been in my mix lately. this morning i tried to communicate a few of the things that God has been teaching me about Himself. as a pastor i sometimes find myself going to God to get a new idea or a good sermon. the last few weeks He has just been challenging me to know Him....to rediscover all that He is and wants to become in my life.
last night i was spending some time reviewing my thoughts for sunday morning and felt compelled to write out all that i know about God's character, His love and His purposes. i thought i would share them with you and hope that they encourage you in your journey.
He is:
Alpha and Omega: beginning and end
Creator
Sustainer
All knowing
Ever present
All powerful
Triune: Father, Son and Spirit
Transcendent
Sovereign
Eternal
He is a God of discipline and wrath
He is a righteous judge and He is just
His wisdom is unparalleled
We call Him Yahweh, Lord, God, and Salvation
Yet no matter how hard we try… we can’t fully explain His
Love
Compassion
Strength
Beauty
Worth
So today we will recognize Him for what He is:
Savior….that’s great news
Enough….for X’ians it isn’t God and (job, family, etc)
Faithful…when everyone else lets you down…He won’t
Good….truly, purely, infinitely good
Hope….marriage is on the brink of failure, layoffs in the forecast
Grace…amazing
Holy
in Isaiah 6 the prophet had the opportunity to see God. when he entered the throne room and saw God seated on His throne all he could say was "holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty!"
i hope that you will see him today as holy....set apart and altogether different.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
great opportunity
as you have probably realized....i tend to be very wordy. i have never been known for being really succinct with my thinking. today i hope to change this part of my reputation.
here's the blog: spend the next couple of minutes (time you would have used reading a long blog from me) and pray. spend a little "unscheduled" time with the Father.
hope you liked the blog :-)
here's the blog: spend the next couple of minutes (time you would have used reading a long blog from me) and pray. spend a little "unscheduled" time with the Father.
hope you liked the blog :-)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
what God thinks about....
while i was at the catalyst conference i became really convicted of my lack of spiritual leadership in the home. if you were to just look at the basic "score card" that we have developed over the years in the modern church i would have rated pretty high. i definitely would have passed the test by most any definition of what it means to be a spiritual leader.
read bedtime Bible stories with the kids....check
pray with the family before meals....check
teach the importance of being generous with our money and time....check
willing to take a stand on Biblical principles....check
pray with sydney before i drop her off at school....check
what i learned about myself was i do a great job of doing the exterior/superficial things. please do not misunderstand me to say that these things are not important. they are very important. however, i knew something was missing. i knew God was trying to teach me something about my faith and about the way i love Him back.
when i came home from catalyst i knew i needed to be more disciplined in my personal time with God. i was having a quiet time most days but i wasn't consistent in when i had my time alone with God. all too often i would work it in when i could. sadly, there were days when it simply fell off the radar. i knew this had to change if i was going to model what it meant to be a disciple to my family.
a good friend of mine says you teach what you know and you reproduce what you are. wow...no pressure! his son is one of my best friends and a very godly person. in conversations with my friend he has mentioned on numerous occasions that he remembers waking up in the mornings as a kid to find his dad sitting in his chair reading/meditating on the Word of God. i can't help but believe that his example had a profound impact on my friends life.
with all of these things in mind i determined that i would start each day in the Word. before i check the messages on my phone, look at my calendar, etc... and although it might not have been the best reason i also wanted my daughter to see me each morning spending time with my Lord. yesterday when sydney got up she stumbled into the living room. she saw that i was reading my Bible and asked if she could sit on the arm of my chair for a few minutes while she tried to "really wake up." of course i welcomed her into the circle and introduced her into the conversation.
as she was sitting there i told her that i had been spending some time with God and that he was continuing to teach me how much He loves us. i pointed to the place i was reading in psalm 8. i told her that the Bible says that He is mindful of us....that God the creator cares about and thinks about us. her eyes lit up!
in that very moment it dawned on me what God was doing. in a way that only He could do it God spoke to my soul. i LOVED having my daughter sit next to me first thing in the morning. i LOVED telling her that i loved her. i LOVED telling her that God loves her and thinks about her. and the Spirit whispered into my soul....this is how God feels when you sit with Him...and give Him the opportunity to LOVE you deeply.
thank you lord...
read bedtime Bible stories with the kids....check
pray with the family before meals....check
teach the importance of being generous with our money and time....check
willing to take a stand on Biblical principles....check
pray with sydney before i drop her off at school....check
what i learned about myself was i do a great job of doing the exterior/superficial things. please do not misunderstand me to say that these things are not important. they are very important. however, i knew something was missing. i knew God was trying to teach me something about my faith and about the way i love Him back.
when i came home from catalyst i knew i needed to be more disciplined in my personal time with God. i was having a quiet time most days but i wasn't consistent in when i had my time alone with God. all too often i would work it in when i could. sadly, there were days when it simply fell off the radar. i knew this had to change if i was going to model what it meant to be a disciple to my family.
a good friend of mine says you teach what you know and you reproduce what you are. wow...no pressure! his son is one of my best friends and a very godly person. in conversations with my friend he has mentioned on numerous occasions that he remembers waking up in the mornings as a kid to find his dad sitting in his chair reading/meditating on the Word of God. i can't help but believe that his example had a profound impact on my friends life.
with all of these things in mind i determined that i would start each day in the Word. before i check the messages on my phone, look at my calendar, etc... and although it might not have been the best reason i also wanted my daughter to see me each morning spending time with my Lord. yesterday when sydney got up she stumbled into the living room. she saw that i was reading my Bible and asked if she could sit on the arm of my chair for a few minutes while she tried to "really wake up." of course i welcomed her into the circle and introduced her into the conversation.
as she was sitting there i told her that i had been spending some time with God and that he was continuing to teach me how much He loves us. i pointed to the place i was reading in psalm 8. i told her that the Bible says that He is mindful of us....that God the creator cares about and thinks about us. her eyes lit up!
in that very moment it dawned on me what God was doing. in a way that only He could do it God spoke to my soul. i LOVED having my daughter sit next to me first thing in the morning. i LOVED telling her that i loved her. i LOVED telling her that God loves her and thinks about her. and the Spirit whispered into my soul....this is how God feels when you sit with Him...and give Him the opportunity to LOVE you deeply.
thank you lord...
Monday, October 20, 2008
fried nutter butters and a really big ferris wheel
unless you literally just crawled out from under a rock you should be aware of the financial issues that we are facing both here in America and around the world. if you listen closely you will find people on both ends of the spectrum as to the depth and gravity of the situation. many remind me of henny penny.....the sky is falling! others want to hide their heads in the sand and act like it is nothing more than a really bad case of the hiccups....distressful but not likely to last very long.
i really don't know what to think. on the one hand i believe we are facing some really interesting/difficult times that we won't soon forget. however, i also think it is going to force us, as americans, to become more fiscally responsible. i love politics but at the end of the day i don't think we are in the predicament as a result of democratic, republican or independent policies. i think we are in this predicament because we haven't been good stewards of our resources and managed our wealth the way God teaches us in His word to manage money.
although i won't go into all the details here suffice it to say that the scripture has a great deal to say about how to steward the resources He has entrusted to us. i don't expect unbeliever's to be wise with their money but we christians MUST! A few things to consider:
in an effort to live out my convictions i've started taking my lunch to work. i figured it up and the amount of money i was literally flushing down the toilet (don't mean to be crude but do wish to make a point) simply wasn't acceptable when there are so many in need around me.
i don't know where it is that God may want you to tighten up your spending but i would guess that there is at least one indulgent area that He might bring to mind.
p.s. i was reading the paper this morning and my belief that our situation has less to do with the amount of money we have and more with how we steward it was affirmed. there was an article, just a few pages away from articles outlining our grim financial future, that reported $28.6 million dollars was spent at the state fair of texas on food and rides! notice that number doesn't include the $10/car parking fee or general admission fee of $14/person. almost $30 million dollars was spent on fried foods and thrill rides. we have the money....we just don't direct it to things that really matter.
i really don't know what to think. on the one hand i believe we are facing some really interesting/difficult times that we won't soon forget. however, i also think it is going to force us, as americans, to become more fiscally responsible. i love politics but at the end of the day i don't think we are in the predicament as a result of democratic, republican or independent policies. i think we are in this predicament because we haven't been good stewards of our resources and managed our wealth the way God teaches us in His word to manage money.
although i won't go into all the details here suffice it to say that the scripture has a great deal to say about how to steward the resources He has entrusted to us. i don't expect unbeliever's to be wise with their money but we christians MUST! A few things to consider:
- how we manage our money affects what is entrusted to us spiritually. Luke 16:11
- it's not our money in the first place. Psalm 24:1
- the borrower is slave to the lender (and we are to be slaves only to Christ) Proverbs 22:7
- our resources should be used to serve others. Acts 20:35
in an effort to live out my convictions i've started taking my lunch to work. i figured it up and the amount of money i was literally flushing down the toilet (don't mean to be crude but do wish to make a point) simply wasn't acceptable when there are so many in need around me.
i don't know where it is that God may want you to tighten up your spending but i would guess that there is at least one indulgent area that He might bring to mind.
p.s. i was reading the paper this morning and my belief that our situation has less to do with the amount of money we have and more with how we steward it was affirmed. there was an article, just a few pages away from articles outlining our grim financial future, that reported $28.6 million dollars was spent at the state fair of texas on food and rides! notice that number doesn't include the $10/car parking fee or general admission fee of $14/person. almost $30 million dollars was spent on fried foods and thrill rides. we have the money....we just don't direct it to things that really matter.
Friday, October 17, 2008
momma prayed
yesterday i saw a car that reminded me of a very close friend of mine who currently lives in kentucky. i sent up a prayer for her and then texted her to let her know she was on my mind. about 2 minutes later my phone rang and it was my friend. once we got through the formalities (hello...how's life....etc) she told me something that infused my spirit with hope.
my friend has been a believer for a number of years. she has dedicated her life to the propogation of the gospel not only in america but in places all around the world. her passion and calling is for the people in china but her determination and hope is that "all" people will hear and know that Jesus is lord. this person has always helped me to see more clearly the grace and love of God. very early on in her faith journey she asked me to pray for her mom's salvation. over the years that has been a constant prayer for her. she loves her mom and has consistently demonstrated that love, not by buying her gifts or sending her cards, but by praying for her.
fast forward quite a few years and you land at my conversation yesterday. she told me that a few months ago she and her mom got into a conversation about God. she asked her mom if she ever read her Bible and her mom said "no, i don't understand it." my friend seized the opportunity to come alongside of her mom and the last few weeks they have been going verse by verse through the book of Romans. in one of their conversations her mom told her that she believes that she has trusted Jesus as her Savior but hasn't been able to believe that He loves her in spite of all of her struggles. if i understood the story correctly, my friend had purchased her mom a study bible some 5 years ago and when they got to Romans 8:31-39 the study notes helped her mom see something about God that she hadn't previously understood. she was grappling with grace and it was God's kindness that lead her to repentance....not guilt or shame. Jesus did in fact love her in spite of all the stuff that had been weighing her down.
it is impossible for me to properly and adequately blog the depth and magnitude of this story. here is a young woman who fell in love with Jesus and started praying for her mom. she has been praying for years. did you catch that....years. she never gave up and always trusted that God loved her mom too.
who are you praying for? who do you love enough to lift up to the Father? who have you given up on?
as we were concluding our conversation my friend told me that one of the most awesome, humbling, gratifying, merciful things that she has ever been a part of was having the opportunity to, for the first time in her life, listen on the phone while momma prayed.
my friend has been a believer for a number of years. she has dedicated her life to the propogation of the gospel not only in america but in places all around the world. her passion and calling is for the people in china but her determination and hope is that "all" people will hear and know that Jesus is lord. this person has always helped me to see more clearly the grace and love of God. very early on in her faith journey she asked me to pray for her mom's salvation. over the years that has been a constant prayer for her. she loves her mom and has consistently demonstrated that love, not by buying her gifts or sending her cards, but by praying for her.
fast forward quite a few years and you land at my conversation yesterday. she told me that a few months ago she and her mom got into a conversation about God. she asked her mom if she ever read her Bible and her mom said "no, i don't understand it." my friend seized the opportunity to come alongside of her mom and the last few weeks they have been going verse by verse through the book of Romans. in one of their conversations her mom told her that she believes that she has trusted Jesus as her Savior but hasn't been able to believe that He loves her in spite of all of her struggles. if i understood the story correctly, my friend had purchased her mom a study bible some 5 years ago and when they got to Romans 8:31-39 the study notes helped her mom see something about God that she hadn't previously understood. she was grappling with grace and it was God's kindness that lead her to repentance....not guilt or shame. Jesus did in fact love her in spite of all the stuff that had been weighing her down.
it is impossible for me to properly and adequately blog the depth and magnitude of this story. here is a young woman who fell in love with Jesus and started praying for her mom. she has been praying for years. did you catch that....years. she never gave up and always trusted that God loved her mom too.
who are you praying for? who do you love enough to lift up to the Father? who have you given up on?
as we were concluding our conversation my friend told me that one of the most awesome, humbling, gratifying, merciful things that she has ever been a part of was having the opportunity to, for the first time in her life, listen on the phone while momma prayed.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
fried rice
last night my 6 year old daughter and i were riding home together. she said, daddy, do you want me to read my book to you in chinese?" i had no idea she could speak chinese so i asked her where she learned this fascinating language. she promptly replied "i learned it last year in spanish!"
after i finished laughing inside my head about her learning chinese in kindergarten spanish class i told her i would love to hear her read in chinese. wow! i have never heard such gobbledy goop. i think if i were to spell out what she was saying it would look something like this: "daddyilitar hsjjtyui hinkllita ulala juxstalo lillamna ukanambe laleltlrjdh." at one point she stopped to take a breath and i seized the opportunity to ask a relevant question. I asked "what did you just say?" her response was pricless. she said "i have no idea but i am certain it was chinese!"
this little episode got me to thinking about our faith and witness as Christians. let's be sure that we know the word of God. let's make sure we know God.....intimitely.
there is a good chance that our "Jesus speak" sometimes sounds a little like gobbledy goop to lost people. if and when they ask "what did you just say?" let's be prepared to give them a clear answer about a God that loves them deeply.
(gobbledy goop just seemed to make sense to me....feel free to use your own verbiage here)
after i finished laughing inside my head about her learning chinese in kindergarten spanish class i told her i would love to hear her read in chinese. wow! i have never heard such gobbledy goop. i think if i were to spell out what she was saying it would look something like this: "daddyilitar hsjjtyui hinkllita ulala juxstalo lillamna ukanambe laleltlrjdh." at one point she stopped to take a breath and i seized the opportunity to ask a relevant question. I asked "what did you just say?" her response was pricless. she said "i have no idea but i am certain it was chinese!"
this little episode got me to thinking about our faith and witness as Christians. let's be sure that we know the word of God. let's make sure we know God.....intimitely.
there is a good chance that our "Jesus speak" sometimes sounds a little like gobbledy goop to lost people. if and when they ask "what did you just say?" let's be prepared to give them a clear answer about a God that loves them deeply.
(gobbledy goop just seemed to make sense to me....feel free to use your own verbiage here)
Monday, October 13, 2008
success story
this afternoon i went to a memorial service for a man that i didn't really know. i know his family and wanted to be there to support them during this difficult time. paul mcdill was leading the service and reminded me of a great quote from John Maxwell.
Maxwell defines success as follows: when the people who know you best love and respect you the most.
during the course of my 33 years on the planet i have had the opportunity to work with and be around a good number of "successful" people. some of these people are very successful businessmen and women. others are very successful pastors and educators. they are successful in the eyes of the world. i have also known a good number of leaders who were successful in the eyes of the world but miserable failures in life. people who knew how to manage empolyees but didn't have the respect of their spouse and/or children.
as christians we need to live according to God's economy....not the worlds. success is defined differently when viewed through God's lense.
take away: you may be leading an excellent business, huge church, and/or a superior class of students but if you are losing at home....you're losing where it ultimately counts.
recommended reading: Choosing to Cheat by Andy Stanley is a great read and will help if you are struggling in this area
Maxwell defines success as follows: when the people who know you best love and respect you the most.
during the course of my 33 years on the planet i have had the opportunity to work with and be around a good number of "successful" people. some of these people are very successful businessmen and women. others are very successful pastors and educators. they are successful in the eyes of the world. i have also known a good number of leaders who were successful in the eyes of the world but miserable failures in life. people who knew how to manage empolyees but didn't have the respect of their spouse and/or children.
as christians we need to live according to God's economy....not the worlds. success is defined differently when viewed through God's lense.
take away: you may be leading an excellent business, huge church, and/or a superior class of students but if you are losing at home....you're losing where it ultimately counts.
recommended reading: Choosing to Cheat by Andy Stanley is a great read and will help if you are struggling in this area
Sunday, October 12, 2008
rearrange the following to make more sense: be rink the go church and skating the to
(for those of you who don't know about our church we are in the process of moving from meeting in a school cafeteria into a more permanent location which is a remodeled skating rink)
this morning on the way home from worship i was having a conversation with my wife. she was just leaving wal-mart and i was on my way home from helping load out all of our equipment. i asked where she was and she stumbled a bit. she said "i don't know if i am supposed to say in front of the church or the skating rink." we laughed a little at the thought of not knowing what to call the "place" where our church will meet.
somewhere along the way a good number of believers have decided the church is a place. according to the Bible the church is not a place but rather a people. i think one of the very best things for the people at c|Life has been the fact that we haven't had a definite location for the past two and a half years. we have been operating in rented space. why has this been good for us? i think it has been a good reminder to us that we are the church...regardless of where we meet. it reminds us that we are the church....at work, at wal-mart, at home, and etc.
as we prepare to move into our new location in a couple of weeks i hope we can continue to live out the reality that we are the church....not the renovated skating rink. what about you? when you hear the word "church" do you think of a place or of a group of people?
take away: be the church.
p.s. the answer to the title is "go to the skating rink and be the church"
this morning on the way home from worship i was having a conversation with my wife. she was just leaving wal-mart and i was on my way home from helping load out all of our equipment. i asked where she was and she stumbled a bit. she said "i don't know if i am supposed to say in front of the church or the skating rink." we laughed a little at the thought of not knowing what to call the "place" where our church will meet.
somewhere along the way a good number of believers have decided the church is a place. according to the Bible the church is not a place but rather a people. i think one of the very best things for the people at c|Life has been the fact that we haven't had a definite location for the past two and a half years. we have been operating in rented space. why has this been good for us? i think it has been a good reminder to us that we are the church...regardless of where we meet. it reminds us that we are the church....at work, at wal-mart, at home, and etc.
as we prepare to move into our new location in a couple of weeks i hope we can continue to live out the reality that we are the church....not the renovated skating rink. what about you? when you hear the word "church" do you think of a place or of a group of people?
take away: be the church.
p.s. the answer to the title is "go to the skating rink and be the church"
Friday, October 10, 2008
denim skirts and hair buns
i really need to stop assuming so much. this morning at the catalyst conference there was a pentecostal choir who lead many of us in a time of worship. they were very "ramped up" and sang with an energy that i haven't seen in a very long time. they were definitely a force in the room. no one escaped their presence (did i mention there were 12,000+ people in the room?)
When they first walked up on the stage i couldn't help but notice all the women were wearing denim skirts and many, if not all, had their hair up in a bun. here is where my assumptions started getting me in trouble. i automatically assumed they were weird. i assumed they would not be any good at whatever it was they were getting on the platform to do. i assumed our differences on the outside meant that we were bound to have differences on the inside. shame on me.
during their second song i noticed the camera focus in on the soloist. she was wearing the uniform: a denim skirt with hair up in a bun. i'm a little embarrassed to admit it but if i ran into this woman at kroger i would have only noticed her clothes. i'm almost certain i wouldn't have ever bothered to consider, much less believe, that God blessed her with a gift to honor Him with her voice. she just didn't look like a worship leader.
quick thought and it is biblical: man looks at the outward appearance God looks at the heart. i need to be more like God and less like me.
When they first walked up on the stage i couldn't help but notice all the women were wearing denim skirts and many, if not all, had their hair up in a bun. here is where my assumptions started getting me in trouble. i automatically assumed they were weird. i assumed they would not be any good at whatever it was they were getting on the platform to do. i assumed our differences on the outside meant that we were bound to have differences on the inside. shame on me.
during their second song i noticed the camera focus in on the soloist. she was wearing the uniform: a denim skirt with hair up in a bun. i'm a little embarrassed to admit it but if i ran into this woman at kroger i would have only noticed her clothes. i'm almost certain i wouldn't have ever bothered to consider, much less believe, that God blessed her with a gift to honor Him with her voice. she just didn't look like a worship leader.
quick thought and it is biblical: man looks at the outward appearance God looks at the heart. i need to be more like God and less like me.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
no words
for those of you who know me well the next sentence will be hard to believe. i was literally left speechless tonight after catalyst. i am not sure if the Spirit of God was binding my tongue or if i, for one of the very few times in my life, had the discernment to realize i had nothing to add to the conversation that God had initiated in my heart. either way....i had nothing to say.
the past several weeks i have become more and more aware of some inconsistencies in my life. my creed doesn't always line up with my deeds as Andy Stanley would say. somewhere along the way i fell more in love with the opportunity of being a minister/pastor than being a passionate, radical, all-in, sold-out, thoroughly saturated child of God. tonight i realized "it" was gone and that i need "it" back. my salvation is secure but along the path of ministry i apparently laid down my joy and subsequently my vision for hating what He hates and loving what He loves.
tonight i spent a couple of hours alone. it was really good for the soul. may not apply to you but if you haven't had any alone time (alone as in no cell phone, iPod, etc) with God in a while don't be stupid. get alone. get rid of distractions. get a conversation going with the God that created you, called you and is willing to sustain and bless you. you won't be sorry.
i know i wasn't.
the past several weeks i have become more and more aware of some inconsistencies in my life. my creed doesn't always line up with my deeds as Andy Stanley would say. somewhere along the way i fell more in love with the opportunity of being a minister/pastor than being a passionate, radical, all-in, sold-out, thoroughly saturated child of God. tonight i realized "it" was gone and that i need "it" back. my salvation is secure but along the path of ministry i apparently laid down my joy and subsequently my vision for hating what He hates and loving what He loves.
tonight i spent a couple of hours alone. it was really good for the soul. may not apply to you but if you haven't had any alone time (alone as in no cell phone, iPod, etc) with God in a while don't be stupid. get alone. get rid of distractions. get a conversation going with the God that created you, called you and is willing to sustain and bless you. you won't be sorry.
i know i wasn't.
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