Pastor's Time Bind

The Divine Drama

2012-01-19T12:02:00.000-06:00

Isn't it strange that God searches for us and yet knows where we are all the time? Isn't it strange that God reaches for us and yet we are always in His hands. How mysterious are His ways that He would participate in this divine drama just so that we would understand and know that He finds us of infinite worth and that He desires to give us life through a relationship with Him. And how foolish we are that we would run and insist on doing what we want and arrogantly trying to find life apart from Him the Fountain of Life. When we ran we only found emptiness and poverty in our souls. And still God participates in this divine drama to let us know that His arms are still open and we can come always back home to find rest and renewal in our souls. How great is His love for us and so much higher than human understanding and ways.

Core Fitness-Keeping in Shape

2012-01-05T12:26:00.000-06:00

You may have heard the word “core” related to fitness before and are not sure what it means. Core fitness works all the muscles that attach to your hips, pelvis, lower back, abdominals, ribs, and shoulder blades. Every time you lift, bend, reach, push, pull, twist, sit, stand, or walk you are using your core, so these muscles are vital to every movement we make in our daily lives.

The Bible describes the Church as the body of Christ and our core muscles are our core values. Knowing and building these core values (muscles) will keep us focused and on track for the mission God has called us to pursue. This Sunday we are beginning a six-week series that will look at our core values. Each week we will post the core value on our web site. Let’s start from the core, the center of the body where movement originates, and stay fit to fulfill our calling to grow in our relationship with Christ as well as help others do he same. The benefits are eternal!

2011-12-22T13:48:00.001-06:00

Another Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote-
The proclamation of grace has its limits. Grace may not be proclaimed to anyone who does not recognize or distinguish or desire it... The world upon whom grace is thrust as a bargain will grow tired of it, and it will not only trample upon the Holy, but also tear apart those who force it on them.

Invasion

2011-11-21T08:53:00.002-06:00

God invaded a world that was already His. He came in under cover of darkness and was unrecognizable to most people. He could have invaded with massive armies and taken what was His by force, but He didn’t. He broke in to bring us in to His heart so that we could experience His presence and blessings. During the next four weeks, in what the Church calls the season of Advent, we will discover why God entered our world, why we have such great worth in His eyes, and why it makes a difference to the way we live.

Primary responsibilities of pastors

2011-10-31T18:35:00.000-05:00

I am reading Mad Church Disease, Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic by Anne Jackson and on page 130 she interviews Matt Carter of Austin Stone Community Church about this topic. It resonated with me and something I posted on May 19 this year. Matt says this about the primary responsibility of pastors and church leaders:
"In Scripture, we see two primary responsibilities of the pastor: servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. The apostle Paul wrote, "Men ought to regard us [pastors] as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Unfortunately, so many pastors view themselves first and foremost not as servants of Christ, not as those responsible for stewarding the deep things of God to their people, but rather as servants of the church! I grew up in a church that expected the pastor to be available to meet every whim and need of every congregant. If somebody was in the hospital, he better go! If someone needed to meet with him, he better be available! If he spent too much time on the sermon rather than with the people, it was said of him that he was "a good preacher" but "not a good pastor." Although hospital visitations, meetings, and coffee times with the church are important, Scripture reveals that they are not the pastor's primary responsibilities. Being a servant of Christ and a steward of the deep things of God are."

This was needed and encouraging to me right now. The problem with many in the church today is twofold. One, they completely misunderstand the nature of the church. It is not a club as I have said in my blog about the Easter message, instead it exist for mission to reach people for Christ. Too often we confuse this and look inward and settle into our comfortable club with our comfortable friends. Two, they also confuse or misunderstand the role of the pastor. What we want is really a chaplain who will make us laugh, make us cry, and make us feel religious. But we do not want one who will follow 2 Timothy 2:4 and correct, rebuke and then encourage. And we definitely do not want to take up our cross and follow Christ.

When a pastor does not tow the line they resort to the politics of the club and work behind the scenes, work the phones, and politic in the parking lot to run him off. This is why pastors need to have thick skins and love the Church as Jesus does. A pastor must love the Church enough to press on and tear down strongholds and shepherd the flock. God help me, I can do no less.

The spirituality of ease

2011-10-07T15:01:00.001-05:00

Chuck Swindoll in his book on Job quotes Larry Crabb from his book, The Pressure’s Off. Larry Crabb says,

The reformers knew we were saved to glorify God. We moderns live to be blessed. The mature among us are now thought to be the successful, the happy, the effective people on top of things and doing well…We’re more attracted to sermons, books, and conferences that reveal the secrets to fulfillment…than to spiritual direction that leads us through affliction into the presence of the Father…

We seem more interested in managing life into a comfortable existence than in letting God spiritually transform us through life’s hardships.

How sad that his words are so true. We are pretty shallow as Christians. As someone has said, “Our spirituality is a thousand miles long and only about an inch deep.” And yet it has been my experience that we are prone to throwing the baby out with the bath water when we recognize we have drifted. The reformers believed that we existed to glorify God. The Westminster Confession states that the chief aim of humankind is to glorify God, but it does not end there. It wisely adds “and to enjoy Him forever.” I think that the reformers some times forgot this part about enjoying God. God in wanting us to seek His glory does so because it is only in seeing Him for all that He is and living for that glory that we can be most effective is helping others come into a relationship with Him. He longs to get His family back and He calls us to seek His glory for the salvation of the world. God's chief aim is not our happiness but our holiness. Yet, He also wants us to enjoy the journey with Him.

The correction to seeking only His glory and not enjoying the journey with Him has been a recovery of the idea that God does want to bless us in this world as any parent wishes to do for their children. And I say it almost every Sunday as I close that Jesus loves us and wants to bless us. But as always it seems we have missed the point. The result is that for some their giving has not been done out of gratitude or love or even a concern to see God’s kingdom break into our world; instead it is done out of fear that God will withhold His blessing or out of a self-absorbed idea of God's blessings as a divine lottery or pyramid scheme. We have changed the chief aim of humankind from glorifying God to being blessed and enjoying this life forever.

We need to find the balance that says that we are called to seek God’s glory and to enjoy Him because only He can satisfy our deepest longings. But at the same time realize that God is good and want to bless us in this life. While Job suffered and brought God glory, His sufferings did not last and he was restored to prosperity. Yet at the same time God’s blessings cannot be measured by our bank account or the ease of our life. God does not promise to make us all wealthy or to protect us from all misfortune, but He does promise never to leave us. And enjoying His presence is what we ultimately need.

God and suffering

2011-09-11T07:33:00.000-05:00

On this tenth anniversary of 9/11 and as I begin our new series on Why, let me share with you some reasons for suffering and evil in the world.

There is a branch of theology or area of study called theodicy. It attempts to reconcile God intrinsic nature of goodness and love with the existence of suffering and evil in the world. While this study can be intellectually satisfying because of its logical defense or explanation of why suffering and evil exist and still support the biblical understanding of God as loving and good it can leave one cold and unsatisfied when going through a time of suffering or questioning. In the book of Job the namesake finally realized that God was bigger and more complex and his attempt to understand fairness and the ways of God was beyond his ability. The good news is that our faith establishes a relationship with the One who loves us and walks with us through every heartache and like a hurting child the best we can and should do is hold on to Him.

And yet, understanding why there is evil and suffering can be helpful for those who need a more reasonable understanding of their faith all the while realizing that we can never fully understand some subjects and there will always be unanswered questions in life.

Here are some basic thoughts on reconciling the whys with God’s love and goodness.

2 misguided assumptions that cause us to ask why:

1. If I believe in God and try to be good God will take care of me. When that does not happen we think we must have done something bad and we are being punished by God. Adam Hamilton in his book titled Why? Making Sense of God’s Will says that the message of the Bible is not a promise of a charmed life, instead the Bible is about people who refused to let go of their faith in the face of suffering.

2. Everything happens for a reason. By this we usually mean that God has a plan and is working out through all events. Yet, the Bible does not support that view. When a woman is raped God did not have some higher cosmic purpose for it. God would be a monster if He did that. The message of the Bible is that in spite of the bad things that happen God, while not the author of evil, is able to bring good out of it (Romans 8:28).

There are 3 foundational ideas that help explain why bad things happen in this world.

1. God has given humans dominion over this planet. We are charged with taking care of it and each other. With that He set us certain natural laws that govern our planet. Plate tectonics, the heating and cooling of winds, and other natural phenomenon maintain our planet but also cause extreme weather and physical manifestations that wreak havoc and those who are the poorest suffer the most because they lack the resources to evacuate or build earthquake resistant houses. We abuse our environment and the result is that we ingest pollutants that probably are the cause of much disease. The charge is for us to alleviate suffering with sound environmental policies as well as help the poor and those least likely to survive natural disasters with the abundance God has given us.

2. To be human is to have freedom to choose God’s way or another way. We can choose right or wrong as long as we breathe. We can choose to drink too much and drive a car. These choices cause horrible suffering for many families when an accident occurs and a life is lost or habitual abuse of alcohol ruins a marriage and destroys a family. Last week I was with some staff members at a restaurant and a woman left who obviously had too much to drink. I commented that she was a danger to herself and others and one of our staff members went to her car and convinced her to have her friends drive her home.

3. We all have a predisposition to stray from God’s path (even the best of us). We have civil laws that bring penalties that should keep us in line, but some times we choose destructive paths in spite of it all. We recklessly use our freedom and we do not know how to change. That is why we need to have a relationship with One who can change us from the inside and walk with us through all the ups and downs of life.

Barnabus and Paul

2011-07-24T06:36:00.002-05:00

We have been in a series titled “We’re Not Playing”, and it is about being the Church as seen though the model of the early church in the book of Acts. In reading this great history of the Holy Spirit working through these ordinary first-century followers of Jesus, we see that this dynamic church was not perfect, just like we are not perfect. They had problems and hurt feelings and strong disagreements, but they resolved them because they had a clear understanding of who they were and what God had called them to do. They turned the world upside down in the best sense of the word, because they were passionate about the Savior of their souls and about lost people. And we see in this book that it took all personality types to get this work done. (We also gravitate to some people, while there are others that, while admiring, we do not connect with as well.)

One such person is the man they nicknamed Barnabus, the “son of encouragement.” I do not know anyone who does not love Barnabus and want to be like him. And we all need a Barnabus in our lives. Barnabus encouraged a man named Saul who needed it. Saul had persecuted the church and had their blood on his hands when he came to faith. But this man became the great apostle of the faith and is better known to us as Paul. He gave us, by the Holy Spirit, about a third of our New Testament. Yet Paul’s personality was different from Barnabus’, and they clashed over the usefulness of a young man named Mark. Their clash was so strong that they abruptly parted company. It is debatable whether Paul was too harsh or if Barnabus was too soft (as typical of most enablers) and thereby hindered Mark from becoming the useful man he would become later.

Some pastors are like Barnabus and some like Paul. Most are somewhere in between, and that is where I think I am. Some would say that I am very encouraging and others that I am not at all. The problem is that those that want their pastor to be a Barnabus never want to hear correction or hard statements. But when pastors preach hard or say hard things, they accuse them of being unloving or a hypocrite. Paul must have realized that there was a balance between his personality type and that of Barnabus, because in 2 Timothy 4:2 he said, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” This is one aspect of the biblical task of a pastor. The pastor is a shepherd who must do all these things—teach, correct, rebuke when necessary, and always encourage when possible. Pastors bears the responsibility of the local church and will give an answer for how they discharge their duties when they stand before the Great Shepherd of the sheep. That is why Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” I take the charge in 2 Timothy and the burden of Hebrews very seriously, and it colors how I lead as a pastor.

Finding the balance is not an easy task and that is why pastors need the prayers of those they lead. I continually need the prayers of my flock so that I can lead them to the green pastures and still waters Jesus has for us all.

The Joy of Teaching

2011-06-07T10:59:00.002-05:00

The Lesson

Then Jesus took His disciples up to the mountain and gathering them around Him, taught them saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...

Blessed are the meek...

Blesses are the merciful...

Blessed are they that thirst for righteousness...

Blessed are you when you are persecuted...

Blessed are you when you suffer...

Be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven.

Then Simon Peter said, “Are we supposed to know this?”

And Andrew said, “Do we have to write this down?”

And James said, “Do we have to show our work?”

And Phillip said, “May I go to the bathroom?”

And Bartholemew said, “Do we have to turn this in?”

And John said, “The other disciples didn’t have to learn this.”

And Matthew said, “I don’t have any paper.”

And Thomas said, “Will we have a test on this?”

And Judas said, “What does this have to do with real life?”

Then one of the Pharisees who was present asked to see Jesus’ lesson plan and inquired of Jesus, “Where is your anticipatory set and your objectives in the cognitive domain?”

And Jesus wept...

Preach the whole counsel of God

2011-05-20T09:31:00.002-05:00

My reading today took me through Jeremiah 23. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet because of his tears over the rebellious nation of Judah and God’s impending judgment. As a prophet—one who speaks forth for God—he revealed God’s message of warning, judgment, and comfort. At the same time Jeremiah was surrounded by many false prophets who gave a message of peace and restoration when there would be no peace and restoration. God responds to these false prophets in Jeremiah 23:8-9 and says, “‘Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain! Does not my word burn like fire?’ says the Lord. ‘Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?’”

A few thoughts occurred to me while reading this:

God’s word spoken faithfully is food for the soul, whereas everything else is empty and while filling will not sustain one’s soul.
God’s judgment is harsh against pastors and church leaders who are too cowardly to speak His word faithfully to His people (see verses 30-32).
God’s word is sufficient in and of itself to transform any life.

The Church has departed, I feel, for the last few years from being faithful to the whole counsel of God, but not out of cowardice, instead out of ignorance and great intentions. It has ignored and downplayed God’s judgment and wrath as well as His demands on those who will follow Him because of a desire to make the Gospel relevant, appealing, and necessary for the felt needs of life we all have. The Bible has become the ultimate self-help book for all ages. This has been a reaction against the rigid fundamentalism and harsh legalism in many evangelical churches that has turned people off the faith and rightfully given Christians and Christianity a bad name. Recently this has been brought up again by celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Katy Perry who spoke of being reared in legalistic and harsh religious homes.

Now, I am not saying that we must not make the unchanging truths of the Bible and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ relevant and appealing. We are missional and we need to find fresh ways for every generation and every age to present the God’s truth to people who are far from Him and heading for an eternity of separation from Him. I am also not saying that we should not address the felt needs of every person through the liberating and life giving relationship we have with Jesus. What I am saying is that we tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We need to be appealing, touch on felt needs and make the unchangeable truths of our faith relevant, but at the same time we must present the whole counsel of God and not shy away from the frightening and unappealing messages in His word.

As pastors it would do us well to remember John Wesley’s charge to his preachers. He said, “You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work.” The reality is that not everyone is going to heaven. Many in our congregations have a false hope that will not save them. If we fail to declare the whole counsel of God to them out of some misguided desire to be appealing or cowardice God is going to hold us accountable for their blood (see Ezekiel 33:1-9). By the way this applies to all Christians.

Some sobering thoughts to cheer up your weekend.

a servant to and not of

2011-05-19T06:20:00.003-05:00

A pastor is a servant to and not of the Church. That means a pastor serves the local church as one called to explain and declare the mind and will of Jesus Christ to that local expression of His body. Yet, many think of the pastor as one who is a servant of the church. Like an employee or hireling prophet he is paid to keep the "shareholders" happy and feeling religious.
The model for pastors is Jesus who is The Great Shepherd of the sheep. He gave up His life for the sheep. He afflicted the comfortable and comforted the afflicted. He wept over them and their blindness and did not give up on them. Pretty hard act to follow but one pastors are called to do.

Why the Easter message was different--

2011-04-28T09:35:00.001-05:00

A few were unhappy about my Easter message since it was not a traditional one. (By the way I received many positive comments-thank you.) But on Easter and Christmas we have our largest crowds (Easter is double our average and Christmas is about 2 1/2 times the average) and perhaps only one chance to reach them for Christ. Every year, for the most part, they hear the Easter and Christmas story, but it does not transform their lives into followers of Jesus Christ. In many ways it does more harm than good. It gives them a false sense that they have done their religious duty when they are far from God and unprepared for eternity. We want to do more than give people warm and fuzzy religious feelings.

I, along with my staff have decided that it is vital to give them something that touches on a real need in their lives so that they will return. We want to help those who are far from God enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ with practical messages about a risen Lord who walks with us on the paths of life. We also hope that shallow followers of the Lord will renew their commitment to Him and get plugged back in to a faith community. Our mission is to grow and help others grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

The sad reality is that many are going to enter eternity unprepared. It is a horrible thought to think that some of our children, parents, spouses, friends and neighbors might miss out on heaven. We must regain a burden for people who are far from God. I am praying that God will move my heart and the heart of our members for people who do not know Him. In fact, I hope He breaks our hearts!

Also, someone has said that the church is the only organization that exist for the benefit of its non-members. Clubs exist for the members, but we are here for others. That is why we think the hallmarks of a growing relationship are a love for God, a love for others, and a desire to serve the world. When I say we do not want to play church I mean that we do not want to embrace the idea that church is not different from any other club. By that I mean we do not want to embrace a consumer mentality--what's in it for me and my family. Instead we want to follow Jesus and embrace His cross (Luke 14:26-27).

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear them.

He is risen!

2011-04-24T04:38:00.004-05:00

My favorite resurrection story (and I would guess that it is for most) is found in Luke 24:13-35. It is the story of the two disciples, one named Cleopas (not a choice name for boys today) and the other unknown. They had seen the events on Friday and had had all their expectations dashed to the ground when Jesus was placed in the tomb. Like the crowds on Palm Sunday, we can get caught up in the moment and shout, “Hosanna, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” They wanted finally to be free of their oppressors and have an identity again as a distinct people who could hold up their heads with national pride. The Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greek, and now the Romans oppressed them. It’s kind of like being a football fan and living in Detroit. They must wonder, “Are the Lions ever going to have a winning season?” (Is Jerry Jones ever going to stop trying to coach the Cowboys?) But Jesus did not come to kick out the Romans; He came to make us whole and holy. We want happiness, and He wants us whole. And that is far more satisfying and long-lasting then fickle happiness.

And so for these two disciples, the world has come crashing down. Yet it does not seem they had abandoned Jesus, for their hearts were still open. Now here is the part we love. Jesus shows up but keeps them from recognizing Him. And He plays dumb and asks them why they are so bummed out. They answer, “Like duh, where have you been? I mean, everyone knows about the prophet Jesus and all the good He did, but ‘the man’ delivered Him over to the Romans. We really thought that this time He was the one, but… What’s weird is that the women said they saw angels at the tomb, and His body is missing…”

Jesus not so gently rebukes them and takes them back to the Bible (always a good place to go back to when life is confusing) and shares with them His story from the Old Testament, or Hebrew scriptures. He acts like He is going on further when they come to Emmaus, so they urge Him to stay with them. They share a meal, and when Jesus breaks the bread, their eyes are opened (I love this!!!!). So let me give you a few quick lessons:

• It’s never good to finalize what has happened when you are discouraged or depressed. Friday was bad enough, the silence of Saturday is deafening and demoralizing. As many a preacher has said, “Sunday’s comin’!” God has His Sunday coming for us—new life, hope, and a renewed sense of His presence with us.

• We need to get to the place where we can let scripture speak to us through the working of the Holy Spirit. Let’s never forget that it is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. Hone God’s word and make it a priority in your life for all you need in knowing Him and His ways.

• We can meet Jesus at His table in a powerful way if we come in faith. Holy Communion is a gift given to us by our Lord to experience in fresh ways forgiveness, spiritual strength, and an encounter with Him.

The early believers greeted each other this way: “Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” Indeed He is—happy Easter!

2011-04-21T16:48:00.001-05:00

The heart is deceptive and beyond cure, so says the prophet Jeremiah. Sounds like someone who has been burned, but it is a word of wisdom. Our hearts tell us things that our heads know are not wise or just plain wrong. But emotions can sway even the most disciplined and rational person.
Proverbs 28:26 says, "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered."
Implied in this is a trust in the Lord that springs from a holy fear of God. It is a lifestyle that keeps one from a multitude of sorrows and regret.

Follower?

2011-04-19T16:53:00.000-05:00

We use the word "follower" for Christians because the word Christian has lost all or most of its original meaning or power. We call anyone a Christian who likes Jesus, gives Him any kind of acknowledgement and goes to church. Unfortunately, His early followers would not recognize most who claim His name because their relationship with Him, if there's really is one, is that of an admirer or a fan, but not a follower. A follower is one who watches the other and tries to go where he goes and do what he does. A follower gets in the game. A fan just watches and loses interest if the game gets boring or the home team has a stretch of bad breaks or losses. A fan is not invested, but is instead a detached observer.
The reality is that everyone is following someone. Who are you following? If you are not following Jesus you are following a loser, especially if you are following yourself.

People matter

2011-04-09T13:08:00.000-05:00

I have been saying over and over in this series that people matter to God and they should matter to us. But lest we fall under condemnation or exhaustion or both I need to say that while all people matter we cannot invest time in all people or invest time in some people all the time.

The needs of others will always outstrip our ability to help and solve. But we can always point to the One who has unlimited power to heal, save, and deliver.

While we never give up on people, some people will require that we walk away from them. Some people are toxic and for the sake of others we must go on so that we can maintain our own sanity and remain emotionally healthy to help others. In that case all we can and should do is pray for them and entrust them into the hands of the One who can correct, enlighten, and liberate.

This also means we need to protect our hearts from the self-righteous and ignorant who will criticize our "unloving" attitude. We stand before God and not those who do not know our hearts or the paths we have walked with the one we now walk away from for the sake of their healing and our usefulness to others. God is just and He will vindicate us.

Butt Prints in the Sand

2011-04-05T12:48:00.004-05:00

Author unknown

One night I had a wondrous dream.
One set of footprints there was seen,
the footprints of my precious Lord,
but mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared
and I asked the Lord, “What have we here?
Those prints are large and round and neat,
but, Lord, they are too large for feet.”

“My child,” he said in sober tones,
“For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
but you refused and made me wait.”

“You disobeyed, you would not grow.
The walk of faith you would not know.
So I got tired, I got fed up,
and there I dropped you on your butt.”

“Because in life there comes a time
when one must fight and one must climb,
when one must rise and take a stand
or leave their butt prints in the sand.”

shine the light

2011-04-02T15:18:00.000-05:00

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you know, in some sort or fashion, that you are called to be a witness for Him. It is kind of a daunting task for most believers because who are we to tell others about their need to know Jesus. We feel so inadequate to do it—lack of knowledge, fear of rejection, mocking, or even our own failings as a Christian. It is the one thing we try not to think about because we just don’t know where to start or we don’t want to be thought of as weird.

I think our fears and hesitancy come from many misconceptions concerning being a witness. You don’t have to know evangelism schemes or be a Bible scholar, you just need to help someone see Jesus in you. Some times it is as non-threatening as asking someone at work who is facing a crisis if she would like you to add her or someone else’s need to the prayer list at church. Other times it can be hard such as with those you have already established some kind of relationship and they are engaging in destructive behavior. Asking them if they ever thought about turning their problem over to God and seeking His help can strain a relationship, but if you love them you will and if you have invested in the relationship you have earned the right to do so.

Our biggest hang-up to sharing our faith is that we feel so unworthy because we are flawed and imperfect people. We feel hypocritical sharing our faith. But if you are a follower of Jesus Christ they already know it. Sometimes our failures offer us the best times to witness. In service tomorrow I am going to talk about the habit of humility and the ability it gives us to say, “I blew it.” “I am sorry.” "Please forgive me.” These three words enable relationships to grow and be successful. When we fail before others and act in an unbecoming way, how we handle it will speak volumes about our faith and how Jesus impacts our lives. People are not really looking for us to be perfect, just real. So, let your light shine even in your failures.

2011-03-25T09:47:00.001-05:00

Life is full of buts and butts. Happy people have learned to live with the first and ignore the second.

comparison and expectations

2011-03-12T18:51:00.001-06:00

Comparisons are dangerous to our spiritual and emotional heath. When I do it, it leads to depression or deception. I can compare myself as a pastor/preacher to famous ones, for instance, Andy Stanley and find myself depressed. I will never do the things he has done because he is just way more talented than I am in so many areas. That can be really depressing and can cause me to give up as far as seeking to grow in my ministry. I then can compare myself to some other pastor who lacks the gifts I have and feel pretty good about myself, but that is deceiving. It can stunt my growth and make me feel that I am doing better than I am and cause me to coast. What I need to do is compare myself with myself and ask, “Am I growing in my relationship with Jesus? Am I a better preacher/pastor today than I was last year at this time? Am I actively trying to improve the areas God has gifted me?” God is not going to ask me how I did in regard to His other servants. He is simply going to ask me if I was faithful with the gifts He gave me.

In a similar thought I have come to realize that the expectations of others can be just as harmful to my spiritual and emotional health. As a pastor certain expectations are placed on me by a large number of people. They all have advice of what I should do, what I should say, how I should look and act. Trying to please them all is draining and distracting. What I have learned is that I need to be myself and just as I should not compare myself to other preachers, I also should not imitate them as well. If I disappoint some (and I have let me tell you!) perhaps it is from the One who wants them to put their hope and eyes on Him and not on an earthly messenger who is but flesh and bones. Ultimately, God is wanting me to be the one He made and He can correct my behavior if it is not measuring up to the standards He wants for His shepherds. This does not means I cannot nor should not listen to godly people who do have sound council and suggestions for me, but that I cannot be distracted by all the idolatrous images others have of a shepherd of the flock.

Lent and Ash Wednesday

2011-03-07T08:26:00.000-06:00

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means “spring.” The season is a preparation for celebrating Easter. Historically, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and then became a time for penance by all Christians. The First Sunday describes Jesus’ temptation by Satan; and the Sixth Sunday (Passion/Palm Sunday), Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his subsequent passion and death. Because Sundays are always little Easters, the penitential spirit of Lent should be tempered with joyful expectation of the Resurrection.

The Great Three Days—sometimes called the Triduum or Pasch—from sunset Holy Thursday through sunset Easter Day are the climax of Lent (and of the whole Christian year) and a bridge into the Easter Season. These days proclaim the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. During these days, the community journeys with Jesus from the upper room, to the cross, to the tomb, and to the garden. They should be seen as a great unified service beginning with a service of Holy Communion on Holy Thursday and concluding with the services of Easter Day. These services may be connected with a prayer vigil lasting from Holy Thursday evening (or Good Friday) until the first service of Easter and may be accompanied by fasting.

Ash Wednesday emphasizes a dual encounter: we confront our own mortality and confess our sin before God within the community of faith. The form and content of the service focus on the dual themes of sin and death in the light of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ.

The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentance has a long history in Jewish and Christian worship, and the Imposition of Ashes can be a powerful nonverbal and experiential way of participating in the call to repentance and reconciliation. This practice is the historic focus of Ash Wednesday observance and gave the day its name. It is traditional to save the palm branches from the previous Passion/Palm Sunday service and burn them ahead of time to produce the ashes for this service.
From The United Methodist Book of Worship, pages 320-321.

People are crazy

2011-03-06T06:39:00.004-06:00

Today I used a one-minute clip from Billy Currington’s “People Are Crazy” video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKpQRjj_WbU). But I did so with a little hesitation because people, at least some church people are crazy. I was afraid some might be offended in a few ways and miss the point. I was afraid that they would be offended because:

• It is situated in a bar
• The song says beer is good
• They say “hell” in the part I used. Later on they say “damn.”

While not wanting to promote drunkenness or profanity drinking beer is not a sin and the use of some words are debatable. What I love about this video is that the young man made a point to befriend a lonely old man for a couple of hours. It was a simple act of kindness. A lonely old man who realizes that he has made some poor choices in life and seems to regret them. In fact, a lonely old man who knows that God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.

I really think most or all at my church probably will not be offended, but I am sure it will cause a few eyebrows to be raised. What is sad is that in some churches people are so removed from people searching for God that they never make a difference in this world. They are too busy locked up in their Christian community because they want to maintain their “holier-than-thou” status. It reminds me of when I sold cars for a living. I really preferred to sell to people who were far from God because Christians acted so weird. The ones far from God were more genuine and enjoyable to be around.

It seems to me that Jesus went to parties where the “sinners” gathered and they were comfortable around Him. Maybe it would do some Christians a world of good to go to a bar and drink a beer with someone who is looking for God’s grace and lend a listening ear. I think Jesus would be there.

Seven Habits of Successful Relationships

2011-02-27T14:47:00.002-06:00

Life is full of challenges as we deal with the people who come into our lives. Some people add positive things to our lives, while others will drain us of life if we let them. The reality is that we all have issues, but some people want to make their issues our issues. Happy people are people who have learned how to make the most of all relationships. And how we treat people—whether the relationship is brief or minimal, such as an encounter with a clerk at a store, or long-lasting, such as with a close friend or spouse—will determine our happiness and ultimate success.

We are beginning a new series on Sunday, March 6, titled Seven Habits of Healthy Relationships. In this series we are going to look at seven common habits of happy people that will enable them to add positive things to the lives of others as well as respond lovingly to people who can be negative. And in these seven habits we will find that when we embrace them and make them a part of our lives they bring happiness to our lives because they insure our relationships remain healthy and life giving. These seven habits are kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.

God's love is simple.

2011-02-20T06:41:00.001-06:00

Today in the third week of our series, Love 316, I shared with you that God's love is simple. It is for whoever believes. In other words, it is tangibly experienced by those who believe in what Jesus did for them through His life, death, and resurrection. We should all know that God loves everyone, but experiencing His love in tangible ways for all of eternity requires belief in His Son.

But in saying His love is simple I do not mean simplistic or even easy to understand. As I compared it to oxymorons today it just seems to go against common logic or the way we do things. That we can find a relationship with Him that is personal and very real apart from jumping through religious hoops or apart from trying to be good enough is strange. This life teaches us that if we want anything good we have to earn it. (Although there is a growing entitlement belief among many that they deserve nice things apart from anything they should be required to do). We see this with love. If you want my affection you must make me happy and do nice things for me. But God has loved us at our worse—our sinful, rebellious state.

The oxymoron I used for God's love was a complex simplicity. It is so simple a child can grasp it, but also marvelously complex that the most brilliant can stand amazed by it. And it is a love coming from any other would seem overbearing and dysfunctional, bordering on abusing. For when we believe and experience God's love in tangible ways, we enter into a relationship with Him in which He demands total obedience and surrender. We become His possessions. But we are completely safe because He is altogether pure in love. That is in a sense what we mean when we refer to His holiness.

But we really do not like this. A relationship with Him that is simply by faith apart from works bothers us because it forces us to relinquish control and rely on His promises alone. We prefer a religion where we can do our duty and pay off God and do what we want and call our own shots. And we prefer this even though it leaves us always guessing if we have done enough to make God happy and escape a horrible judgment at the end of time.

God's love is simple, but it is not easy. But for me I am so glad to know Him and rest in my faith in the One who walks with me every day and will walk with me all the way to the other side some day. I gladly give up the control I really never had to follow Him. That He would love me so much and will always do what is best for my ultimate happiness and fulfillment makes it worth it all.

From Gutenberg to Google

2011-02-11T13:33:00.002-06:00

Len Sweet does a lecture titled From Gutenberg to Google and it is about trends and change, especially as it is related to the Church and culture. We are slow adapters to changes in culture and it seems like we are always behind the curve. That is sad for the vehicle—the Church—that God has designed to reach the world. We have the greatest message even heard and it brings life and hope, but we are so slow to adapt.

In case you do not remember your history Gutenberg was a German who invented the movable type printing press and thus made books readily available to the public (mostly middle or merchant class and upper class). Up until this time books were something only the wealthy had because they had to be meticulously copied by hand. And most documents were still on scrolls.

I bring this up because some have been a little uneasy that I am now reading scripture and have my message notes on my iPad. Can you imagine what it was like in Gutenberg’s day when a pastor read from an actual Bible in book form? “A scroll was good enough for Jesus and it should be good enough for us!”

Now, I can understand the consternation some might feel in many ways. Life is rapidly changing and it would be nice if there were some place, like church, where we could find familiar and time-honored rituals that harken back to simpler days. I mean I feel like saying, “Stop the world because I want to get off.” Plus, who wants to be reminded of work when we come to worship God?

Yet, this is where the world is heading and as much as I like holding a “real” book and reading from a “real” Bible I want to relate to modern people who are far from God more. My iPad is handy, especially in the late service because the lights are dimmer and I can see my notes better on it. I am not doing it to be cool or trendy (although I am already way cool and trendy). Also, as Methodist, it is nice not to be behind the curve for once and on it instead. We really tend to be late adapters. Hey, were just getting use to contemporary worship (kum-by-ya, my Lord…) and it is two generations old.

Using my iPad makes me a little nervous because it causes me to leave the comfortable behind. My thoughts race and I hear in my head, “What if it crashes and I forget some point from my message? Paper notes never crash and if they were good for Jesus by golly they should be good enough for you, you jackwagon!” But Jesus calls us to get out of the boat and walk with Him on the water. I am still getting used to it, but I think I am going to persevere and even try tweeting.

love or like

2011-02-06T06:56:00.002-06:00

When I was new in my faith as a teenager I understood that God calls us to love all people. What a powerful and encouraging message for a young, idealistic person to grab on to, but I confused loving with liking. It made me feel guilty because some people I did not like. There was nothing wrong with them, I just did not relate to or with them. Today I am going to say that God not only loves you (individually), He also likes you and wants to be with you. How awesome is that? But for us while being exhorted to love all people, it does not mean we have to like all people. Yet, understand that like as I use it is not synonymous with hate.

This is what I mean--we all have different personalities and some personalities do not connect with us. There are people we would never just "hang with" because we do not connect. That is all right, but loving them means we are there for them, pray for them in times of need, and work along with them for the kingdom's cause.

So, love all people and do what you can for them, but remember we do not have to be best friends with everyone.

Love 316

2011-02-01T10:03:00.003-06:00

All of us, every one of us is looking for love, because it is essential for life. We are hardwired for love, it is part of the fabric (warp and woof) of our being, but it is something that frustrates us. We look for it in all the wrong places, we barter for it, we withhold it, and we are tormented by it. As soon as we think we find it we discover we have lost it.

Why is such an important part of life so complex and perplexing? It has to do with not understanding and being secure in God’s love. We can never truly love the way we are designed to love until we understand God’s unconditional love for us. For the next four weeks we are going to look at John 3:16. It is one of the most beloved and powerful verses in the Bible. In it we discover God's crazy love for us. Only in understanding God’s love can we truly love others and ourselves.

And yet while we might acknowledge the truth that God loves us, I think many have a hard time really believing it. So for this month of February, the month of love, I want to encourage everyone to pray this simple prayer everyday. "Lord, help me understand your love for me." Yes, it a self-focused prayer, but if we really can understand God's love for us we will be more loving and serving people to others.

Imperfect people

2011-01-19T15:21:00.002-06:00

This is what I try to say at our membership class (Bay Harbour 101) but said much better. It was found in the bulletin of a small church in Key Largo, Florida. "Our church family is a group of imperfect people who have been brought together by the grace of God to worship Him, to be reminded of His forgiveness, and to find out what He wants us to do in this world." That pretty much says it all. That is who we are. Imperfect people seeking to know Jesus better and help others do the same.

some more, more thoughts of religion

2011-01-09T14:51:00.001-06:00

Working on today’s message got me thinking a little more about religion as I use it. I have said before that by religion I am not talking about or criticizing the religious things we do such as, prayer, Bible study, faithful attendance in worship, et cetera. Instead the religion I criticize is relationally bankrupt. That is, there is no vital connection to God and therefore the works of religion done are disingenuous and or done out of fear. It is a religion of duty or obligation and lacks life and causes people to do weird stuff. But the religious acts that flow from the relationship that God calls us to are the result of hearts that truly worship out of love and gratitude. This is the way of life and transformation. Service to God becomes a “want to” instead of a “have to” because we are encountering God in His grace and love. And this is what the world is longing to see in people who claim the name of Jesus.

Christmas Lights

2010-12-05T12:33:00.003-06:00

My daughter asked for Christmas lights to be hung when she came home for Christmas. Now, I really love my daughter as well as my son and his wife, but I absolutely hate hanging Christmas light.
I believe that Christmas lights were invented by the devil to rob us of Christmas joy. They are innocent-looking enough, but beneath their innocent appearance lies diabolical mischief. Now, I am talking about the worst kind created: outside Christmas lights. They come in small packages tightly coiled up to save space, but do not let that space-saving virtue fool you into complacency. Be on your guard because you are being set up. They are almost impossible to string in a straight line with only two arms while standing on a ladder with a staple gun. Let me tell you that there has been many a misfire and blood on the ground from the perils of serpentine-coiled Christmas lights. Once you have mastered laying them out and putting them up in a somewhat straight line, these devilish lights, through all the anguish of wrestling with them to get them up, play the old misdirection game. Once you have gotten the last string of lights up and have not cussed too much and are feeling pretty good about yourself, you realize that you connected the wrong ends together and you are going to have to run one hundred feet of extension cord to the other side of the house to get it to light up. Finally, when all is said and done, you plug it in and turn it on and half the lights do not work. And there goes your Christmas joy. No wonder people drink too much at Christmas time.
The moral? In the name of John Wesley stay away from Christmas lights!

Advent

2010-11-26T14:13:00.002-06:00

Sunday, November 28 is the first Sunday on the Christian calendar. It is not the New Year; instead, it is the beginning of God’s acts in time and space through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. As Christians, we take time seriously. History is where God is made known. In the fullness of time, God invaded this planet and put on human flesh. He ate with sinners, taught, healed, and died for His lost family in order that we might be gathered back together for His coming kingdom. Having a Christian calendar is a way to mark the central events of our faith so that we become aware of all that God has done for us. It is a way to see the whole picture and pause to think about His great love for us.
Sunday, November 28 is also the first Sunday of Advent, the first event of that calendar. There are four Sundays in Advent. Advent comes from a Latin word adventus, which means “coming.” The season proclaims the comings of Christ—whose birth we prepare to celebrate, who comes to us continually through the word and by the Spirit, and whose return in final victory (the Blessed Hope) we look forward to. Advent keeps us from rushing into the manger. In the commercialism of this holy time, a day when Christmas items are offered even before Halloween, slowing down is not a bad idea for those of us who want to savor the wonder of God’s love as manifested in His Son as well as remind ourselves that He will come again and establish justice. It also gives us an idea of what the people of Israel felt as they waited for His first coming. That is why we sing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Give thanks in and not for

2010-11-20T10:54:00.000-06:00

Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.". It is very important to notice that Paul is not saying to give than "for" all circumstances. For example, God is not asking us to give thanks for the accident caused by the drunk driver that took away the life or lives of people we knew and love. But in the midst of any and all tragedies we can give thanks to the God who promises to carry us, to comfort us, to bring justice to all one day, end all works of evil, and who can bring something good out of any situation (Romans 8:28). We can give thanks in any and all situations because God is for us, and if He is for us who can be against us?

2010-11-18T16:01:00.001-06:00

When we live a life in control we live a life out of control. But a life submitted to God's control is one fully alive and fulfilled.

faith and confession

2010-11-13T14:10:00.000-06:00

Romans 10:9-10 says, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

This passage tells us how to be saved- believe and confess. What is also interesting about this passage is that it sheds light on faith. Faith is belief in action. It is seen in my actions as James reminds us, but also in my words. I believe that the Bible in many places teaches us that our faith can be built up or torn down by our words. For example, worry when we express it with our words is just belief or faith in a negative outcome. In regard to my message from Hebrews 11:13-16 I believe that being thankful and expressing it is an act of faith. It is worship declaring what God has done and will do. When we give God thanks for what He has promised we are confessing or expressing our faith in the One who loves us, is good, and keeps His promises. Being thankful and expressing it is a key to the overcoming life.

Proverbs 31

2010-10-31T05:13:00.004-05:00

Provers 31 is known for the long passage about the virtuous wife. She is thrifty, industrious, and an entrepreneur. So much for scripture ignoring or putting down women. This passage places women eternally in a place where they are seen as equals and can compete with any man, but this passage is not what stands out as we end our 31 days in Proverbs.
What stands out for me are verses 8 and 9 . Throughout Proverbs we have seen a strong ethic for the poor and those denied justice. This passage exhorts us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. As politically incorrect as it may be, I think of the unborn who are aborted. They are denied a life and our wholesale disregard for life is one we as a people will have to give an answer before God. Yes, I know there are many valid issues regarding this topic that come in to play and that people who love Jesus as much or more than me disagree, but I am talking about our wanton lust to get rid of an inconvenience. And I do believe we will be judged as a people or nation. Not sure I understand how, but scripture is full of national judgments. But the point is God cares about those who cannot speak up for themselves and for those denied justice and for the poor and so should we. And so on Halloween maybe this should be what haunts us.

Proverbs 30

2010-10-29T15:08:00.002-05:00

Two things stand out to me in this proverb. The first is the comment about God's word. It will always prove to be true and those who hold on to it will find God to be a shield and refuge.
The second thing is verses 7-9. The writer is asking two things from God. One is truthfulness and with that integrity. Truthfulness and integrity are related and you can not have one without the other. The second is a request for just enough. And the reason is this writer does not want the abundance of good and nice things to steal his love and devotion to God. He does not want them to cause him to stray from his faith and dishonor God's name. May our desire above all things be a life that honor's God and clings to the faithfulness of His word.

Proverbs 29

2010-10-28T07:42:00.002-05:00

Have you ever seen someone lose it? Have you ever lost it and regretted how you acted? Seeing someone lose it is not pretty and we can understand why proverbs calls them a fool; they (we) look awfully foolish. Verse 11 in stating what I hope is obvious also gives us the advice we need to control our temper.

It implies that the best course of action is to hold it back. Maybe you have heard the old advice that says to count to ten? This proverb affirms that wisdom. Yet some used to say you should not suppress it because you were bottling it up and it was not healthy. And while it is true you should not suppress any strong emotions, venting only seems to give it more power and starts a habit you do not want in your life. A habit will eventually become a stronghold and who wants to be around anyone who blows up all the time. Ephesians 4:26 tells us it is all right to be angry, but we should not let anger cause us to sin. Let the fury subside and deal with it rationally and deal with it that day.

Proverbs 28

2010-10-28T07:18:00.001-05:00

As we get near the elections verse 5 stands out. God is a god of justice and mercy and cares for the poor and those who do not have a voice. But evil men and women do not care about that, only power and prestige. Yet, those who seek God understand the heart of God. What is clear is that it does not say those who claim God's name or are religious, just those who seek God. And it says they understand it completely. In each election we have and will have people of all parties who talk the talk and invoke God's name; what we need are people who seek God. "Lord, give us leaders who will seek you and will understand your heart for justice. Amen."

Proverbs 27

2010-10-27T07:25:00.001-05:00

This proverb offers great advice about being a friend--speaking the truth, speaking words of encouragement, and being there in times of trouble. In verse 14 it also offers advice for those of us who are morning people and tend to be loud--shut the mess up! But verses 17 and 19 stick out to me the most.

In verse 17 we are reminded we need someone in our life who can challenge us and help us hone our edge. It seems that we men need this a lot because we tend to isolate ourselves from others.

Verse 19 is a reminder that our hearts reflect the true person. Jesus said that what flows out of the abundance of our hearts will reveal who we really are. So, when people speak out of stress or anger and say, "I did not mean that" they really did because it came from within and out of their hearts. This is why Proverbs 4:23 exhorts us to guard our hearts, because we often hurt the ones we really love the most. This takes us back to the advice about being a true friend.

Proverbs 26

2010-10-26T07:59:00.000-05:00

Verses 4 and 5 seem contradictory. Verse 4 says not to respond to a fool or you will become like him. But then verse 5 says to respond to him so that he will recognize his folly. What is this proverb saying? This requires discernment. There are times when engaging a person who is acting foolish will drag you down to their level. Silence can make a powerful statement as well as walking away. But there is a time to rebuke a fool so that his folly does not corrupt others or spread. There are times when we all say things that are foolish and need to be corrected for our sake as well as for the sake of others. Some statements cannot go unchallenged. This means we must trust the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives to know when to speak and when to remain silent.

Proverbs 25

2010-10-25T06:44:00.000-05:00

I like verse 15 and I need to heed it's advice. When I make up my mind I want people to get on board immediately, but many times people need time to be convinced and that requires patience as well as gentle persuasion. Yet, I also know there is a limit to patience and some times a leader has to press on and make the hard decisions. "Lord, give me a gentle spirit to deal with people and the wisdom to know when to forge ahead."

Proverbs 24

2010-10-23T07:46:00.004-05:00

Verses 1-2 give warning against being envious of evil people. Our problem is we can't relate to this because we have a hard time labeling anyone as evil. It seems so over the top. But we do tend to envy some people of low moral standards-certain singers, actors, and sports figures. We envy their fame, wealth, and accomplishments.
It also says not to desire to be with them. Why are we told to not envy or desire to be with them? Their ways are contrary to God's ways and while the world might applaud them and think of them as clever, they are far from God and displeasing to Him. God wants us to emulate His character and not learn their ways. This proverb reminds me of Psalm 1. I encourage you to read that short psalm.

Proverbs 23

2010-10-22T06:52:00.001-05:00

This proverb is full of general instructions and really states nothing new that we have already read in other chapters, but we need to remember that when the scriptures were written they were written to an oral culture. Most did not read and by repetition people were able to remember and learn. We still learn that way, but we have the added bonus of being able to read and in my case highlight portions of text that have particular meaning to me.
Verses 4-5 remind us that there is no end to the pursuit of wealth. Trying to gain it is futile because it is always ahead of us and no matter how much we get it is never enough. These verses are exhorting us to have the wisdom to say "Enough." That is why Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6 that contentment with godliness is great gain.

Proverbs 22

2010-10-22T06:34:00.000-05:00

This Sunday I will be conducting a funeral and I will mention verse 1 of this proverb. This former member of Bay Harbour who is now a member of the Church Triumphant in heaven wanted to be remembered as a good man. He realized that a good name is more lasting than wealth. And he was a good man and will be greatly missed. A good name is valuable because it reflects character that is godly. And that honors God. (But by the way, heaven is not made up of good people, only forgiven people and he knew the One who forgives all our sins.)

Verse 3 of this proverb has always stood out for me, although it might not for many. It really states the obvious about planning, but it has been a good balance for me. I say that because I have wrestled with when to be passive and trust in the Lord and when to take action. It is still not easy to discern, but God gives us wisdom to guide us and most of the time (almost all of the time) we should use it.

Proverbs 21

2010-10-21T07:25:00.002-05:00

This writer must be in the dog house all the time with his wife (see verses 9 & 19). And if it is Solomon with his 800+ wives and concubines must be ready to ask someone to shoot him. "Sol, what were you thinking!" I digress...

Verse 3 is indirectly quoted by the religious leader who comes to Jesus and hears Him give the two great commandments to love God and your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28-34). We make it so complicated and it is not. Seeking righteousness and justice will always fulfill all that God wants for and from us.

Proverbs 20

2010-10-20T07:24:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 20 is like the others proverbs in that it goes along with pearls of wisdom, but in verse 9 stops and poses a very good rhetorical question. No one can make his or her heart clean. No one can be cleansed from the stain of sin That is our dilemma before a holy God. The Jews understood the necessity of a sacrificial system. An innocent animal was slaughtered and it's blood sprinkled on the altar as a substitute for the sins of the one who offered it. But even with that system it only covered and never took away the stain or lasting guilt. It had to be repeated over and over. A better sacrifice was needed.
A man named John came on the scene to prepare the way for God's perfect plan. He sees Jesus and in John 1:29 says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Isn't it great to know that our guilt, the stain of sin is done away with once for all by Jesus our Lord? And I think this verse in this book of wisdom in the Hebrew scriptures is one of God's ways to remind His people, the Jews, that a better sacrifice was needed.
Advent is not that far away and we will be singing, "Come, thou long expected Jesus." "O come, O come, Emmanuel." May we remember why Jesus came.

Proverbs 19

2010-10-19T05:33:00.004-05:00

Proverb 19:3 helps us remember that we have no one to blame for the dumb and foolish things we do but ourselves. For example, if I am foolish in financial matters I have no one to blame but myself when others who have followed a budget and saved enjoy life and I can't. But this proverb also points out that we like Adam like to blame others for our misfortune instead of owning up to our laziness or our irresponsible lifestyle. And for most people the blame is many times laid on God, as if He is supposed to protect us from our own actions. I wonder how many times I have done that in subtle ways without knowing it?

Proverbs 18

2010-10-18T07:28:00.001-05:00

Wow, this proverb is loaded with gems!
In verse 1 it reminds us when we want to do what we want to do we isolate ourselves. Good friends will always point out actions and behaviors that are wrong or not wise and when we do not want to hear it we avoid them. We are so prone to self-deception.
Verse 2 reminds us of the people we meet who are always sure, but never right. And man can they voice their opinion! This verse is related to verse 13 which points out the folly of answering before really hearing what is said.
Verse 18 is a favorite of mine. What great comfort to be able to call on the name of the Lord and find that He is a fortress and a rock in which we can find safety against the storms of life.
Verse 21 is a powerful reminder that our words bring life or death. They build up our faith or tear it down. I believe in the power of a positive confession rooted in God's word.
Last but not least verse 22 reminds all men what a treasure we have in our wives. Janie is certainly mine.

Proverrbs 17

2010-10-16T07:11:00.001-05:00

Verse 5 seems to pair two unrelated items, the poor and calamity. It talks about mocking the poor and being glad at calamity. And yet they are related in that this proverb reminds us that what we do in secret, even the attitudes of the heart are seen by God. And when we mock the poor we are insulting Him and when we are glad over someone else's misfortune we are not far from judgment. Sobering words, especially when we think we could never act in such a crass or juvenile way, but I wonder...

Proverbs 16

2010-10-16T06:53:00.000-05:00

Verse 32 extols the strength of the one who is slow to anger. It goes on to tell why, that person can rule his spirit or inner person. In other words, that person is not controlled by his emotions. That does not mean being unfeeling or out of touch with one's emotions, instead it is not allowing them to dominate one's actions. I believe that is only possible in a healthy sense when we appropriate by faith what 2 Timothy 1:7 says, which is "for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.".

Proverbs 15

2010-10-14T07:18:00.001-05:00

Verse 1 gives to us some of the obvious wisdom that we never seem to remember when we are dealing with people, especially when we are a little annoyed. It along with verse 4 reminds us of the power of our words to do damage or to bring healing. Yet I have found that no matter how diplomatic you try to be when people are angry with you there is really nothing you can say to diffuse the situation, but watching what you say can keep from adding fuel to the fire. “Lord, place a guard over my mouth today and may my words bring healing, amen.”

Proverbs 14

2010-10-14T07:09:00.000-05:00

This proverb is loaded with so many gems. It speaks of generosity to the poor and how righteousness exalts a nation. Verses 15-16 remind us to be cautious and remember there are always two sides with every story. It is wise to hear and be slow to act or decide. Time has a way of helping us sort through the facts, especially if they are emotionally charged. Like allowing sediment to settle in a glass jar, time allows the facts to fall in place so that there is clarity in our decision making process.

Proverbs 13

2010-10-13T07:14:00.001-05:00

Verse 13 reminds us that there are blessings that naturally follow those who honor God’s word and commands. When we can hear and follow them we will find that we are opening ourselves up or getting ourselves to the place where God can bless us. God wants to bless us, but He will not bless our own willful and disobedient ways or ideas. When we refuse to listen and in our own stubbornness go our own way we will experience the removal or absence of His blessings and the result is destruction.

Proverbs 12

2010-10-12T05:06:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 12: 25 says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” This is a simple observation, but in it there is great advice. This little verse implies that I have been able to hear what is going on in the life of someone else in order to know what is troubling him. I wonder how many times we do not see the hidden messages or hear the implied words when we are around people. I know I am very guilty of being too preoccupied with my own concerns to be truly with others. But if we can hear what they are saying our words can do them so much good. Proverbs speaks frequently about the power of our words to do good or to do harm. Let us do good today and use our words to lift someone who is down.

Proverbs 11

2010-10-11T06:57:00.000-05:00

Verses 24 & 25 reiterate the principle of sowing and reaping as it relates to our giving and this applies to all types of giving, even financial giving. Janie and I have discovered that what we give always seems to come back to us in multiplied blessings. It is such a joy to be generous and to be able to help others and be a part of what God is doing in a church and other works done in Jesus’ name. You really can never out give God and He has always met our needs. I encourage you to trust Him with you finances and put Him first and you’ll see He will always meet your needs. He has for us.

Proverbs 10

2010-10-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

This proverb, like many we will read, is full of a lot of general advice, but most of it deals with the tongue. The book of James deals with that same subject and in fact James is much like the book of proverbs in that he offers a lot of advice. But what speaks to me is not the advice on what we say (although I really need to watch that), but on his affirmation concerning hard work. Isn’t it strange that people want to be prosperous and successful, to attain the comfort levels their parents enjoyed and yet do not want to work hard like they did? How is it that many of us have not made the connection between hard work, diligence, and success?

Proverbs 9

2010-10-09T07:30:00.000-05:00

What stands out to me in this proverb are the instructions concerning advice to others. It is a waste to give advice to those who are devoid of godly understanding or ways—a scoffer and the wicked. Jesus referred to it as casting pearls before swine. But to those whose hearts have been touched by God, who understand the fear of the Lord, godly advice is always welcomed even when it stings.

Proverbs 8

2010-10-08T08:09:00.001-05:00

This proverbs reiterates the importance of sound wisdom being the inner voice when facing the complexities of life. Verse 13 stands out to me in that it gives us an understanding of the fear of the Lord. It is not, as such, a trembling before a holy and awesome God, but a great respect that loves what He loves and hates what He hates. In this case it is a hatred of evil, pride and arrogance, and perverse speech.

Proverbs 7

2010-10-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

All right already, enough of these warning against loose women and adultery. What is their hang-up? Well, maybe they are just being realistic concerning a man propensity to be ruled by his passions and misled by what he sees. (Women instead of seeing Proverbs as slamming women it is really highlighting the weakness of men). This proverb reminds me about the time Janie and I went to New Orleans and started to walk down Bourbon Street around dusk. Two “ladies” were standing in the doorway of some popular place and there were pictures plasters of some of the other “ladies” on the wall of another building. We turned around (yes, it was at my insistence) and went back to the hotel. Janie deserves my thoughts and passions to be for her alone and I, like every man, must always guard my heart. This father is warning his son so that he does not ruin a wonderful life with the women who will become his wife.

Maybe with the prevalence of pornography fathers need to talk to their sons more today. Perhaps with women being objectified by such images mothers need to warn and protect their daughters’ hearts. Just a thought.

Proverbs 6

2010-10-06T07:06:00.001-05:00

This proverb gives advice about many subjects, but verses 16-19 are worth noting because it says there are 7 things that the Lord hates. That should get our attention. And while mentioning people it should be understood that the Lord’s hatred is against the act done and not the person. The Lord hates:

Arrogance
Lying
Murdering (see Matthew 5:21-22)
Plotting evil or scheming
Readiness to do wrong
A false witness
One who sows discord (a gossip, a tale-bearer)

I hope this makes us uncomfortable; it sure gets my attention.

Proverbs 5

2010-10-05T05:42:00.001-05:00

This proverb is a warning against adultery. This father warns his son about the allure and seduction of finding excitement and sexual fulfillment from a woman other than his wife. Failure to do so brings a life of regret and what torment the words “If only” bring to a life. What is interesting is how normal it was and with such ease a father could talk to a son about this important topic. Yet, we who are saturated with sexual images today and consider ourselves sophisticated are so bound and hung up with this topic.

The end of this proverb reminds us that our own lack of discipline and wisdom is the reason we end up in the mess we are in and we cannot blame anyone but ourselves.

Proverbs 4

2010-10-04T07:17:00.002-05:00

4:23 is another verse all Christians should know. It speaks of the principle of what goes in will always come out. That is, what we allow to become a part of who we really are (our heart) will eventually come out. Jesus alluded to it in Matthew 12:34a-35 and Mark 7:14-16. And so in verses 24-27 we are warned to watch what we say, what we see, and where we go. What kind of lifestyle do we want to embrace and what kind of character do we want to manifest? These verses give us the key.

2010-10-02T19:15:00.004-05:00

Proverbs 3
There are many chapters in the Bible that are well know and verses that are memorized by those who understand the importance of hiding God's word in the human heart. This chapter is one of those chapters and verses 5, 6, 9 and 10 are those verses. How powerful this chapter is and what wisdom and insight to those who want to walk with God in complete trust. What encouragement these verses have given to those who are struggling through the dark night of the soul trusting God when human wisdom seems to be screeming "all is lost" or "you got to take matters in your own hands." This chapter reminds us that God always brings His faithful ones through and meets their needs and does so with abundance.
Also notice verse 27 and the admonition to do good, especially when it is in your power to do so.
Chapter 3 is one reason why we read the book of Proverbs. Hope you enjoy it.

2010-10-02T09:48:00.001-05:00

Chapter 2 of Proverbs reminds me of a farmer giving his son some last parting advice before he goes off to the the big city (New York city) to find his fortune and way. While it might sound quaint to us, human nature has not changed and there are men and women out there who seek to draw others in to a lifestyle that dishonors God and serves their own perverted purposes. It is kind of like what Paul says in Romans 1:32 about those who go against the ways of God and approve of others who do the same. I guess like misery,rebellion loves company. Wisdom from God exposes the deceit and trickery of those who are given over to evil and who seek to trap and ensnare.

2010-10-02T09:44:00.002-05:00

The ministry staff at Bay Harbour is reading a proverb a day in October and posting out thoughts on the facebook page, but I thought I would also post mine on this blog for those who don't use facebook.

When I read Proverbs I can easily think, "Yeah, duh," but the reality is what seems obvious sometimes makes us oblivious to it. A holy fear or respect for God opens our eyes and saves us from many heartaches. (BTW-a fool in Proverbs is a morally lacking person.) As the saying goes, "I'd rather learn from someone else's mistakes than make my own."

community--real or imaginary

2010-09-21T10:26:00.000-05:00

I came across this great quote on the church from Dietrich Bonhoffer. He was martyred by the Nazis shortly before the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany. He said,

"Only that fellowship which faces such disillusionment, with all its unhappy and ugly aspects, begins to be what it should in God's sight, begins to grasp in faith the promise that is given to it. The sooner this shock of disillusionment comes to an individual and to a community the better for both. A community which cannot bear and cannot survive such a crisis, which insists upon keeping its illusion when it should be shattered, permanently loses in that moment the promise of Christian community. Sooner or later it will collapse. Every human wish dream that is injected into the Christian community is a hindrance to genuine community and must be banished if genuine community is to survive. He who loves his dream of community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter, even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial."

The community of faith that God calls us to is a very imperfect community because it is made up of people just like you and me. That becomes very apparent to us when we experience the normal conflicts and disappointments that result from close fellowship of imperfect people. When it does happen we can take two paths. The good path is to choose to love each other with open eyes realizing we are all imperfect pilgrims on a journey with each other. Bonhoffer says we face up to the reality of our flaws and it is in doing such that we can then begin to grasp the promise of all we can become as a community—healthy and functional. The other path is not a good one. On this path we continue to hold on to the idol we have made of community, our dream, an idol that exists to serve us and meet our needs. And when it does not measure up we react in ways that are contrary to the One who calls us to that community. And Bonhoffer says that when that happens we become the destroyer of that community.

And so, the choice is to do the hard work to become the community that God wants and ultimately we need.

The new normal

2010-09-16T16:11:00.001-05:00

Pastor Mark Batterson says,"Normality is overrated." I agree because being normal usually means fitting in or going with the flow. As followers of Christ we are called to be counter-cultural, people who go against the flow, people who turn the world upside down. Maybe his quote should be our motto. That does not mean being weird, just different. Abnormal is not so bad when you are loving God, loving people and serving the world.

grace & consequences

2010-08-30T07:04:00.003-05:00

The worst message we can give our children as Christians is that grace covers the consequences of our sins. God in His grace (mercy, forgiveness, and blessings) does not treat us as we deserve, in fact, treats us better than we deserve, but He does not always remove the consequences of our actions. Some things that we do will follow us the rest of our lives and serve as a warning to others. (This is the principle of the law of sowing and reaping.) But God in His grace will give us what we need to live with the consequences of our actions so that we find the abundant life He promises (John 10:10).

The good news is that sometimes in our woundedness God can use the consequences of our actions to help others. What once brought us shame becomes a tool to deliver and encourage others. That is God’s grace in action.

spiritual battles

2010-08-15T15:40:00.002-05:00

I mentioned spiritual battles in my message today, but is everything a spiritual battle? The answer is yes and no. (I’m sorry, that’s the Methodist coming out of me.) As far as being a battle against the enemy of our souls and his minions not all battles are spiritual. When we make bad decisions or live undisciplined lives he does not need to bother with us. We are shooting ourselves in the foot. If we are not committed believers and we are not living for God he does not have to bother with us. We are of no consequence to the kingdom of God. But once we begin to take our faith seriously every battle has a spiritual aspect to it because he wants to nullify our effectiveness and witness. He wants to bring us down (John 10:10). That is why God has provided us armor to wear (Ephesians 6:13-17). The good news is that we have been given authority to tear down his strongholds in Jesus’ name.

2010-08-02T16:57:00.001-05:00

Love cares more about people being healed than happy. The Church is not in the happy business, instead it is in the transformation business.

love your neighbor

2010-08-01T06:28:00.001-05:00

Today I share with the church a great, but simple text—The Great Commandment. It is the commandment to love God with all that we are and to love others as we love ourselves. The problem with this kind of text is that it is too obvious and almost too simple and because of that we miss the power of it. In some ways I would rather preach on some obscure passage or hard passage because it is easy to hide what you don’t know in the mystery of it all.
What I did not have tome to share was more on the loving neighbor as we love ourselves. The qualifier to love as we love ourselves nails us and at the same time can blind us. Let me explain:
How do we love ourselves? I don’t know about you but when it comes to taking care on numero uno I have got that down. I am all over that one. So when Jesus tells me that following God is as basic as loving Him and my neighbor like I love myself I am confronted with my selfishness and lack of concern for others.

But the qualifier also cuts back on me because while I really do love myself in a sense I really do not. There are times when I loathe myself for my failures and lack of discipline. There are times when I join in with the inner voices of self-doubt and berate myself as a loser and not worthy of much love. And therein lies the rub. I can love people just as I love myself and that is the problem. I view them as I view myself. I join in with their voices and reaffirm their own sense of failure and lack of worth.

Right before Jesus went to the cross He gave His closest followers some parting instructions. It has been observed that people near the end of their lives can see with amazing clarity and maybe Jesus wanted to make sure His followers understood what it meant to love others as we love ourselves. So in John 13:34-35 He tells them this, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” Did you notice this new qualifier? He says “as I have loved you.” How does He love us? He loves us with grace that sees beyond our failures to what we can be. It is not a dysfunctional love that wants us always to be happy, but one courageous enough to rebuke a Peter as well as a James and John, yet one that gives a new name of hope as well. Being a community that demonstrates this kind of love is hard, but well worth it.

faithful

2010-07-10T12:14:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Janie and I went to a funeral at the church where we met and were married. One word was used to describe this woman and it was faithful. She was faithful to Jesus Christ, faithful to her church, faithful to her husband and family, and faithful in her service to others. She served God and all quietly without fanfare or needing recognition. And I thought about all like her in churches everywhere who go about their daily lives being faithful without wanting or receiving any recognition. And yet, God is faithful and He notices. That is why I love Hebrews 6:10. It says, “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”

I believe that believers like this dear woman who did not seek or even received the recognition they deserved in this life are great in the eyes of God. While unknown and many times under appreciated they will receive a more glorious welcome than those of us who are more prominent and are recognized for what we do (Matthew 6). May we strive to be people who just want to be found faithful on that day when we stand before our glorious Savior and Lord.

loyal

2010-06-27T15:47:00.004-05:00

I heard Pastor Craig Groschel say in a podcast about the virtue of loyalty that it is hot today to walk away. In other words it is popular or a common occurrence to walk away when it is too hard or not pleasant or even not enjoyable. No one wants to admit that they are being disloyal because we all have excellent reasons why we are justified in doing what we are doing.

So, someone in leadership makes us mad at church and we walk away because they can’t treat us that way. Our spouse does not please us any more and we walk away because we deserve better. Our friend disappoints us and we walk away because we can find new friends.

Loyalty means being faithful to another or to a cause. It requires hard work because it means we never give up, we keep our word, we believe when things seem to tell us the opposite. It is hard because we must do the unpleasant work of going to someone and clearing up misconceptions or false information. It is hard because loyalty also means confronting someone when behavior is destructive or hurtful. It is not blind and there is a time to walk away, but today it is hot to walk away and we give up too easily. I think that is why Solomon would write in Proverbs 20:6, “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?” I hope I can be one who is loyal and fully reliable because it means being faithful and faithfulness is a virtue prized by God.

Listen

2010-06-11T09:14:00.000-05:00

Last week I talked about a spiritually blessed and rewarding life requires a good ear. I talked about distractions keeping us from being fully engaged in our relationship with God and truly hearing Him. Distractions also keep us from hearing others and being fully engaged with them. My main distraction is hurry and I am trying to slow down so that I can hear God and others and be fully engaged with important relationship and the people I come across in life.

Yesterday I was reminded of the importance of this. I was talking with a server at a place I frequent. She has been in another store for the last few months and we have not had any real conversations. If I allowed hurry to keep my conversation in the polite, but quick and superficial realm I would have never found out that her mother had died in January and she was still grieving. I mentioned to her that I, too, had lost a parent in January (my dad). I had an opportunity to share with her about grief and how it hits us all. I hope I helped her some.

My point is that there are people all around us who are hurting and need a listening ear. God cares passionately about people and He wants us to be His hands and feet to a hurting and lost world. But we need to listen.

2010-06-04T15:19:00.003-05:00

Why are we so troubled or rattled by silence as people of God? Is it that our view or theology of God is so messed up that we believe He should answer any and all prayers according to our own sense of timeliness? It really boils down to our lack of trust in His goodness, love, and faithfulness. It can also be rooted in human arrogance that surely understands what is right and fair. As if we can understand the complexities of human existence, let alone the cosmos.
It is in the silence that we are truly refined as pure gold. We understand what we could never understand and we see God with new eyes. Ironically it is in the silence of God that He can really speak to us. I guess you could call it a divine contradiction. But through it all we enter into a deeper relationship that is more intimate and glorious.

2010-06-02T17:20:00.001-05:00

Jesus did not come to earth to establish a religion. He came to restore a broken relationship. Chuck Swindoll

libertine

2010-05-29T13:18:00.000-05:00

Was Jesus a libertine? In our readings from chapter 2-3 we see Him confront the punctilious religious leaders of His day. They diligently kept the Law, but forgot that God desires mercy, kindness, and love. They became such devoted disciples of Sabbath observance that they forgot that the Sabbath was made for the needs of people—a time of rest, recreation, and renewal.

Jesus was not a libertine because He said that He came to fulfill the Law. He affirmed what the religious leaders did in obeying the Law, but rebuked them for making it harsher and placing a heavier burden than God intended.

In some ways Jesus was stricter than the religious leaders of His day. His sexual ethic was more stringent—it you look with lust in your heart you have committed adultery. If you hated someone you were guilty of murder. He was stricter in these areas because God is more concerned with people than the observance of rituals.

Jesus was also very black and white. He did not leave any wiggle room. But He demonstrated that one could be kind and full of compassion and still speak the truth even when it hurt. That is why the outcast, those deemed morally unacceptable enjoyed being around Him.

radical

2010-05-22T10:34:00.004-05:00

Radical is not a very attractive word and has not been for a long time. In the 60's we had radical groups like the Weathermen who advocated the overthrow of the government and bombed different government facilities and universities. We had radical groups like the Black Panthers and we have had for quite a very sad long time groups like the KKK. Radical groups are still with us be they the extremist groups of survivalist in Idaho or that hate-filled group posing as a church that protests servicemen’s funerals as a sign of God’s judgment. We also use words like radical to describe a form of Islam today. Radical is not a very nice word because it is used to refer to something extreme.

But I have used it to describe our relationship with Jesus Christ and my title last week was a radical encounter. Tomorrow I am going to use it to describe the kind of change Jesus wants to bring. The word can also mean going to the root or origin; fundamental and that is what Jesus wants to do. He wants to make a fundamental change in order to bring us to the place where we experience God’s original plan for all of creation. He wants to restore to us the fullness of God’s blessings. And in this case radical is a very nice word.

We are radical because our fundamental mode of operation is a total dependency on Jesus Christ and a love for others. His kingdom does not advance through hate-filled words, or clever arguments or even political intrigue. Instead it advances through the power of His life working in us. We demonstrate what it means to follow Him through lives transformed from the inside out. It is not heard in strident voices, but in truth spoken in love. It is seen in people uniting to make a difference for the hurting, the broken, and the poor in His name.

A Summer with Jesus

2010-05-21T15:30:00.006-05:00

This Sunday we begin our new series, A Summer with Jesus. We hope it will be a leisurely stroll through the gospel of Mark. The image we have is sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing Him speak words of hope, comfort, and even correction. If you want to participate you can get the reading guide on our web site link below. You will probably have to cut and paste in your browser.

This week’s reading is chapter 1. There are so many interesting parts of this chapter, but I just want to point out one, the baptism of Jesus. The question is, why did He have to be baptized? He was sinless and John’s baptism was to show an attitude of repentance or sorrow for sin and a desire to change.

Jesus was baptized because He identified Himself with sinful humanity. John would later identify Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This baptism or ritual washing was also something done when Levites became priests for the temple. Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1b, 7:23-25).

In His baptism the Father publically recognizes His Son and says He is well pleased with Him. (All children need to hear that from their parents.) That was said after the Spirit fell on Jesus in the form of a dove. Up to this point a dove has never been used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, but it is a symbol of peace and Jesus is the Prince of Peace and His kingdom is a peaceable kingdom. Also, the dove was the sacrifice allowed for the poor of the land. Jesus not only identified with all of sinful humanity, He identified with the poor. In the world if you want to do a great work, build a great church you identify with the ones with money, but God’s Kingdom brings a divine reversal. Anyway, some thoughts to ponder…

(http://storage.cloversites.com/bayharbourunitedmethodistchurch/documents/Summer%20with%20Jesus%20Reading%20Guide_3.pdf).

the glory of God

2010-05-12T07:44:00.002-05:00

What is the glory of God? In Exodus 33:18 Moses asked God to show or reveal His glory. In verse 19 God said that His goodness would pass in front of Moses. And so in 34:6-7 God did just that and it says this about His glory or goodness, “And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

I love the part about compassion and mercy, but the judgment and punishment part is hard to take. It is not what I normally think of when I think of goodness or glory. But mercy cannot be understood apart from understanding judgment, just as forgiveness cannot be understood apart from guilt. In the past I have focused only on 34:6, the part about compassion and mercy, because while knowing that God is good and loving, I did not know how to adequately explain the judgment part. (Yes, I know theologically, but not in a way that makes God look good.) But perhaps that is my problem. Maybe God does not need me to defend Him or make Him look good. Maybe His glory really is His mercy and judgment, especially since He has provided a way for all to receive mercy instead of judgment. Judgment is a reality and maybe we need to talk about it more and in such a way that mercy might be the final word.

The B-i-b-l-e

2010-04-16T16:04:00.002-05:00

The Bible is called by itself the word of God and that is what it is. It is inspired or God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and reveals to us everything we need to know God, to live a meaningful life, and make a difference in this world. It has been given to us by God who used over 40 human authors spanning 1600 years to convey His thoughts and will to us. In its various forms we have had these 66 books over 3,000 years and people have tried to burn it, ban it, distort it, and malign it, but it survives because God is watching over His word (Jeremiah 1:12).

And it makes great sense to me that we must have a revelation outside of ourselves. If this was the thoughts of human minds it would be full of errors and dangerous, no matter how noble and pure their original intents were. We are all shaped by our experiences and we can be blind to certain things in our lives. But the Bible has come from God. And while it came to us through human agency and while it does reflect the author’s personalities and experiences, they spoke as God moved them. And so when we read the Bible prayerfully and systematically asking the import questions (who, what, why, where, and when) we can expect to hear from God. When that happens we will know Him better and find our lives transformed if we obey it.

I love God’s word and I have found great strength and comfort in it. I have also found conviction that changed my thinking as well as my actions. And I need that. I hope you can learn to love it because it really is a love letter from God to you.

reflection on growth

2010-04-05T07:50:00.003-05:00

It is said that Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) came to Rome and visited Pope Innocent IV. He looked somewhat amazedly upon the mass of treasure which he saw there. “So,” said the pope, “you see, Thomas, we cannot say as did St. Peter of old,” ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” “No,” said Aquinas, “neither can you command, as did he, the lame man to arise and walk.” (See Acts 3:1-10).

I was reminded of this story as I reflected on our Easter attendance and a front page photo and brief description of a pastor dropping Easter eggs out of a helicopter. Our attendance was disappointing at best. Overall we are showing an increase over last year, but on Easter we had a slight decline. I wondered if we dropped the ball and did not do enough to promote our services. We sent mailers and put out signs, but could I have done more? Did I not pray enough? It seems like the church feels compelled to do more and more to attract attention, from pastors driving Segways and Harleys on to the platforms to dropping Easter eggs out of helicopters. I am not trying to impugn their motives and I know we need to be culturally relevant, but is the Gospel enough when told in relevant ways? Paul said it was the power of God for radical transformation. Perhaps we seek flash as well as special effects because no longer can we say to the lame and cripple in society, “In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk!” And ultimately what we do is nothing more than works of the flesh and not Spirit blessed.

I do not want to be a pastor who always seeks to be out there and who does the latest crazy thing. I certainly do not want to be a celebrity pastor nor seek growth as a symbol of status and a reflection of my ability. Growth is important because people matter to God and they should matter to us. But I hope I can be content to see life transformation and not feel compelled to pump things up and always promoting. I never want to rest or be content with where we are, but when I have done all I can as I rely on God I just want to be found faithful. That should be enough and is the only real criteria that God will use at the end of the age.

2010-04-02T16:17:00.001-05:00

I must confess that I, like most people I guess, am a control freak. (There, it's out and I feel better.) As a recovering control freak I still have problems with murky theology, concepts, and mysticism My problem as with all control freaks is that I am the center of my own universe. Anything that gets outside my gravitational pull makes me uneasy.
One example is theology of blood atonement. I believe it, but it makes me uncomfortable because I cannot explain it to my satisfaction. And surely God needs someone like me to defend Him and His wacky ways and make them mote palatable for modern and sophisticated people like us.
So, here I go. In Deuteronomy 12:23 it say the blood is the life. Yes, from a biological standpoint I understand that, but I don't think God is talking just about biology. A visual was give to the people of Israel--blood was shed and put on the altar. It is a mystery, but I would think it should remind us of the awfulness of sin. This is why the blood of Jesus is so important to our salvation. On this Good Friday may we remember what He did. It was messy and bloody, but necessary for our salvation. I don't understand it, but I know I need it. It is offensive to our modern and sensible minds, but let us embrace this sacrifice of love. Let us refuse to remove it or ignore it or sanitize it because it knocks our universe out of kilter. We have a bloody faith and it sets control freaks free.

2010-03-12T14:06:00.001-06:00

There is a subtle and not so subtle analogy used in the Bible for our relationship with God and it is marriage. But not marriage as is commonly practiced today. God promises never to leave us or stop loving us even when we are not successful, attractive, faithful, or even pleasing to Him. It is kind of hard to believe because our vows are so conditional and the words we utter so insincere. Maye this is one reason why God speaks so strongly against divorce. We can't believe in a love like His because we rarely see it practiced today. It is no wonder people are living together like married couples but without a formal declaration. Who wants to get hurt? Who wants to sacrifice and do the really hard work of love? Sadly, many of us will never experience the God kind of love on a human level in this most intimate relationship between a man and woman called marriage.

worship

2010-02-26T15:38:00.002-06:00

Why worship? I am talking about that part of worship where we are focused on God through song or meditation or prayer. I think one major reason to worship is that we are so prone to dwell on ourselves. We vacillate between dwelling on our problems or our blessings. To do so diminishes us because we were created in His image. It diminishes us because both extremes are a form of narcissism. We become anthropocentric in our thinking and that never really elevates. But in worship we focus on the One who is altogether lovely in purity, goodness, and love. In worship we find the source and ground of our being and we understand our rightful place and great worth. In worship we understand the inherent worth of all people. It does not diminish us, instead it elevates us to our rightful place.
Again some rambling Starbucks thoughts.

Rwanda Journal-Saturday

2010-02-20T00:01:00.001-06:00

Yesterday part of the team from Massachusetts and New Hampshire went to a clinic. One member is a nurse and midwife. She thought she was just going to greet these women, but to her surprise they gathered to learn from her. So, she taught 40 women a quick overview on delivering babies. Pretty cool!

The rest of us climbed up from 7000 feet to 9000 feet to see mountain gorillas. It was a very hard climb because we were climbing in a tropical rain forest. The footing was slippery and your pastor found fellowship multiple times with his bottom and the ground!
There are only about 740 mountain gorillas (Silver Backs) in the world and we got to see some. We were within 10 feet of them at times. The ardous climb was worth it all to experience what we saw.

Rwandan Journal-Friday

2010-02-18T20:56:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we visited three churches overseen by Pastor Theophil. It was a long day, but eye opening and humbling. The churches had their choirs and many of their children there to greet us. The worship was full of dancing and spirited singing by all including the children. They may not have much but when they worship Jesus they give Him their all.
We met with other pastors and I am humbled by their sacrifice for ministry. They really have nothing. I hope we can dedicate a communion offering for these 50 pastors under Pastor Theophil.

This is probably my last entry as we are gearing down for our return. This trip has been awesome in regard to understanding the need and what we can continue to do to make a difference. The Bay Harbour team will share on Sunday the 28th.

Rwandan Journal-Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T09:49:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday we met with 6 more women we have helped with microloans. We met with them at the market where they work They are being interviewed so that we can learn how we can make this program more effective. All of them have raised their standard of living and can feed their families. And the 100 women we have helped have at least 500 children. And that is a conservitive estimate. Of those 500 children approximately 100 of them are orphans they are supporting. So the work we are doing has a far greater impact than first imagined. I am still awed that one church can make such a difference.
Today we are in the north in the mountains. The drive up here yesterday was spectacular in beauty and new experiences. We saw terraced fields that looked like patched-worked quilts. We saw fields of coffee, sugar cane, and bananas. And the way the driver drove the bus around corners and pedestrians made us draw much closer to God in prayer!
Today we are going to visit the World Vision area development project (ADP) where most of the children we support live.
Got to meet with some of the children we sponsor. We could not meet with all because World Vision has about 3800 that being supported in an ADP of about 16,000. It was great to share with them and eat a meal together.
Tomorrow we will meet some pastors in this area and encourage them.

Rwandan Journal-Tuesday

2010-02-15T23:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we got to meet some more of the women who have been recipients of the $50 microloans. One of these women used her loan to start making baskets. She showed us how she did it. It is very labor intensive and it takes her two days to make a basket. Like many of the women we are helping she has aids. Like many of the women we are helping she is supporting not only her own children, but a child that is not her own. But she is a survivor and her hard work has raised her standard of living so that she has moved her family of 5 from a one-room dwelling to one that has 3 rooms. And she is so proud of what she has done. And we gave her that extended hand to lift her up. It so inspring to see what God is doing through us to make a difference. We will share about this remarkable women named Josey when we return.
Tomorrow we will meet with many of the children we are supporting through World Vision. We will be going on about a two-hour drive north. So I am leaving the wifi behind for a time. Hopefully I can post one more entry before we return home.

Rwandan Journal-Monday

2010-02-15T10:37:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we attended a three-hour worship service. And you thought our services were long! The singing and dancing was awesome and typically African. They express their joy and gratitude openly to God. Pastor Neil Davidson from Sterling, Massachusetts and I greeted our brothers and sisters and preached. It was a first for me using an interpreter. And they did not fall asleep!
Later that day we attended another three-hour event. It was a celebration for the gifts to enable children to go to school. They greeted us with a traditional Rwandan dance. We heard a testimony from a woman we have helped with a microloan. Three of our group meet privately with a group of women who have received these loans to do a study. But an interesting comment by many was the fact that with these loans and their new businesses they are able to feed their families and tithe! How humbling for our shallow Christianity in America They are so grateful for these interest-free loans.
By the way I am doing this with the little keyboard on my phone and it is slow going. Right now I have wireless access, but it will end soon. I will keep you posted.

Rwandan Journal-Friday, February 12

2010-02-14T06:23:00.002-06:00

Well, we made it. After 30+ arduous hours we made it to Rwanda. We left
for the airport on Thursday at 11 a.m. and arrived in Amsterdam 8 hours
later. We had a slight delay in Amsterdam, but after 11 hours we arrived
in Nairobi, Kenya. From Nairobi we flew to Kilgali in Rwanda and arrived
around midnight on Saturday morning. We received a very warm welcome from
our host, Pastor Theophile, his family, and others. I went to bed about
2 a.m. Rwandan time and slept 7 hours. Not bad.
Today we went to the Rwanda Memorial Center. It is a museum dedicated to
the remembrance of the genocide, which occured in 1994. What became clear
was the role that the colonial powers played. When Germany and Belgium
ruled beginning in the mid-18th century, they pitted one tribe against
another in order to maintain control. It was and is an example of
colonialism at its worst. I was ashamed as well as horrified by what man
can do to man. But it also tells me that the Rwandan people are
survivors.
Tonight Pastor Theophile will interview another pastor and me on the
radio. Tomorrow this pastor (Neil) and I will speak at Pastor Theophile's
church. Then on Monday we get to business. Keep us in your prayers.

unforgiveness revisited

2010-02-09T16:22:00.001-06:00

The last two Sundays of our baggage series dealt with the topic of forgiveness. I want to share another quote from Deadly Viper, Character Assassins that summarizes what I said. I like the way the authors say it.

"You see, when you don't forgive someone, you let them park in your life forever. These people are like parasites that can suck the life right out of you and allow bitterness to rot you out. If you let these people and their actions haunt your thoughts, emotions, and spirit, you allow them to continually damage not only you but those around you."

It is so important to release people from the prison of unforgiveness if you want to be the one who is free. Let them go and forgive.

Remember forgiveness is not the same as toleration and you never have to tolerate abusive behavior. But you let them off the hook knowing that they are not off God's hook.

2010-02-05T14:37:00.001-06:00

I am reading at Starbucks Deadly Viper Character Assassins, a tongue-in-cheek book on integrity & character centered around Kung Fu. I told you it is tongue-in-cheek. But it is good & funny and I came across a great quote I want to share.
"A society that takes pleasure in the failures of others lacks honor and dignity. Unfortunately, every day we indulge our fix for gossip and scandal by buying the tabloid rags that tell tales of a pastor's gay sex scandal, a celebrity's mental breakdown, or a politician being caught in bed with a fifty-dollar hooker and a crack pipe. We are a putrid people if we enjoy this sludge and are entertained by the downfall of our fellow person. It is not the way of the warrior. It lacks beauty, honor, and strength.".

He looks so nice

2010-01-28T08:09:00.000-06:00

He looks so nice lying there.

He is all dressed up in suit and tie.

He has no place to go.

The lights are off.

The shades are pulled.

The doors are locked.

What once was is no longer.

What once was settled has moved on.

What once was warm is cold and unnatural.

This father of mine is not there.

This shell has been discarded and left behind.

This child of God has returned safely home.

the injustice of it all?

2010-01-21T15:37:00.000-06:00

My sister is struggling with what we all struggle with from time to time and that is the question of suffering. My father is dying and he is wasting away before our very eyes and she wonders why God allows it to go on. Of course He has the power to call my father home immediately, but He hasn't. It does not seem fair and it is incongruous with what we understand about justice, fairness, and love. I really do not have an answer for my sister and there really are no answers, at least pat answers.

But this I firmly believe that God weeps with us and grieves over a world that is messed up and sin that wreaks havoc on His beautiful creation. I firmly believe that suffering is really momentary and that God will gather His own to His side where the joys, the sorrows, the questions, the perplexities, and everything else will make sense.

And so we wait and we weep, but the children's hymn goes through my mind, "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so..." And so I hold on with hope...

sympathy versus empathy

2010-01-15T15:48:00.002-06:00

I have known for a long time the difference between sympathy and empathy. The first is to feel for someone in his or her trouble or sorrow. Empathy is to feel with, as one who has walked the same path before. In my ministry prior to Bay Harbour I spent much time in nursing homes and the hospitals praying with and comforting people in their times of distress. I really felt great sympathy for them when they had to make the difficult decision to put a parent in a nursing home or to watch a loved one decline before their very eyes.

Now I really know the difference between sympathy and empathy in regard to an elderly parent and the hard decision to place them in some kind of assisted living home. My father who was once robust is now a wizened little old man. The man whose muscles I admired as a boy is now frail and just skin and bones. The very intelligent man with an undergraduate degree from Rice and graduate degree from California Technical Institute is now in need of dementia care.

And so we have to make the decision to place him in a home where he can get the care he needs, but we feel so guilty. We feel like we are abandoning him to the place where he will never return. There is a heaviness in my heart that won’t go away and I will never sympathize with others in this same situation again. I have walked in it and my heart will be with theirs in a way it could never be before. Empathy can only come when we know at a much deeper level and I now know. A little bit of my childhood has died and I will never be the same.

the not so easy walk of faith

2010-01-08T10:03:00.001-06:00

As believers we walk or live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) but that is not easy for so many reasons. We live in a world by which we use our senses to take in data and from that make decisions. We walk with One we cannot see and while we feel His presence with us in those special moments it is not a regular occurrence. Yes, God is so good that in those moments of real stress or heartaches we can usually count on His presence, but in our day-to-day living His presence is absent. Like a pilot flying blindly without sight of land or landmarks it is a little scary sometimes.

Living by faith draws us closer to God as we learn to trust Him, and so, God puts us in situations where nothing makes sense. The wisdom we have learned about life and the way things work in these moments are no help and we have to be totally dependent on Him. And it usually requires waiting. Which I think is the hardest part about living by faith. It is in the waiting that we can second guess ourselves to death and do something rash that makes a bigger mess of everything.

This Sunday we begin our series on Ridding Ourselves of Baggage. Most of us are functionally dysfunctional. I say that because no one is perfectly free as God intends. We all have some baggage from life that affects the way we react to certain stimuli and people. Most of us deal with it well, but it is still there and annoying. Then there are others who carry more baggage than others and are not as functional. Life has seemed to dump on them more than others.

But all of us seem pretty good at hiding it. And we all want an easy fix. While God is faithful and true and delivers His people; many times our walk of faith is going to require us to deal with our issues through prayer and other means all our lives. Like Jacob walking with a limp the rest of his life, we walk by faith with a limp. The issue never goes away, but as we walk by faith we find grace to deal with it and grow anyway. The good part is that our relationship with Him grows deeper and more intimate.

Living by faith is not easy, but it is an adventure and life is never boring.

New Year and Renewed Commitment

2010-01-01T07:43:00.001-06:00

As I began my first Bible reading of the new year I began at the beginning. It is a good place to start. The world is pristine and orderly. The natural order is unspoiled and the original couple are walking with God, but we know the rest of the story, don't we? It is so easy to start well and end badly.

And so as I read and remembered this was the first day of the year I quickly prayed and recommitted myself to the One who created me and redeemed me. I am twice His. I declared that I am His servant to do what He wills. This year I determine to grow closer in my walk with Him. I want to refuel my passion for His ways and see His kingdom infiltrate everything I do and we do at Bay Harbour. I am ready for a wild ride (I think) and the adventure before us. Let us seize this year and really do some damage to the enemy's camp. Let this be our year of jubilee and the setting of the captive free!

2009-12-28T14:17:00.002-06:00

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God's workmanship or we are the product of God's vision. It goes on to say that in envisioning us God had a purpose for us. That is good works. That means we are unique and there is purpose to our lives. This should be old and familiar stuff, but I don't think we really believe it. We get lost in the plural and generic "we." But if God really is God then He envisioned you (specific) and has a specific purpose for your life. That should make a difference, but perhaps we feel safer with the generic and plural "we." It is easier to float with what is unspecific. Sadly we miss out on the real adventure our soul longs for because at a deeper level something tells us we are settling for something less. Anyway a moment of reflection at Starbucks...

personal responsibility

2009-12-17T05:51:00.001-06:00

What are we coming to? I have been dealing with an incident in which the one involved could easily say, "I can't help myself I was made that way." An easy excuse to do harm to another because I have issues from my family upbringing or because I have ADD or I have a gene and am predisposed to that kind of behavior. While science is advancing in the area of genetics and we understand more about our DNA we are finding more ways to come up with excuses for why I can't change or why I should not be held accountable. This is a good example to illustrate the difference between knowledge and wisdom. We are increasingly becoming a society of excuses and entitlement thinking. And now with the internet we all have a forum to propagate our thoughts as if we are experts or have really thought this through (like I am doing now for the 1 or 2 or 3 people who read my blog).

My father's generation did not have this luxury (or curse) to make excuses and they certainly did not have any kind of entitlement mentality. They just had to press on because no one had time or patience for whiners. And they certainly would not give them a forum to air their pathetic stories. Personal responsibility for one's actions and plight was ingrained in their psyche and in the fabric of society.