Jesus Everyday part 1

When do you see Jesus? Do you see Him everyday, once a week, or maybe you have never seen Him at all. My short little thought for the day is this, it revolves around the notion that we all have the ability to see Jesus if we want to. Have you ever seen the movie “A Beautiful Mind”? The story is about a math genius named John Nash who was able to see math equations in every day settings. His work earned him the Nobel Prize in 1994. John was a troubled man who battled Schizophrenia, but no one can argue that this man was capable of seeing things that most of us cannot.
We might not be able to see mathematical equations like John Nash, but I do believe we are all blessed with the ability to see the work of Jesus in everyday life. The Holy Spirit empowers us to see the work of our creator if we allow Him to. The problem is that we are either too busy or too misguided to see what God is doing in right front of us. The prophet Elisha had to comfort his servant who went outside one morning to see the giant Aramean army surrounding them. Elisha prayed for his servant that he might see God at work in that event; and at that moment Elisha’s servant saw an even more powerful army of God surrounding the army that surrounded him. We often panic over things that God has complete control over, and it is out of panic that we make some of the most regrettable decisions we could ever make. So the next time you feel surrounded by trouble, take another look to see that God surrounds that which surrounds you. That way you can react not out of fear but by faith in Him who loves you.

Friendly or Connected

I have over 400 friends on Facebook, and most of them I never talk to, see, or hear from. They are the ideal when it comes to low maintenance friendships. I’m concerned that the modern world has forgotten what friendship really is. In the movie Tombstone, someone asked Doc Holliday why he was always risking his life for Wyatt Earp; Doc Holliday said “because Wyatt Earp is my friend”. The man asking the question then said, “well I have a lot of friends” saying it in a trivial way. Doc Holliday said “I don’t”. Maybe we have trivialized what relationships are? I am a time share owner. Last year I got a letter in the mail saying “thank you for being part of the Interval family”. They call me family, but I don’t know them, they don’t know me. Maybe we have trivialized what family is. When it comes to church, what does it mean to be a member? I know that God adds us to the church when we are baptized, but what does it mean to be part of a congregation, to be part of a church family? If we are not careful, church rolls can look like a Facebook page, where we have lots of friends but no connections. There is not one place in the Bible that tells us that we need to be a friendly church, but there are many places that say we need to be a connected church. That is what I think Paul was talking about in Romans 1:11-12 when he said “ 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 1:11-12 NIV. Paul is saying here, I want to be with you; I want to be with my family. That kind of passion for each other is hard to find. The question should not be “are we a friendly church?” There answer there is yes, we are friendly. The truth is, I’m friendly at Kroger, at Walmart, and at football games, but friendly doesn’t build relationships. The real question should be, do people need each other here, do they connect here, do they trust, love, and help each other? Paul says I want to build you up, that we can be mutually encouraged. Some scholars say Paul is just being humble, but what if Paul is not just flattering these people, what if he is telling the truth? Paul needed these people just as much as they needed him. Strong spiritual relationships go further than friendliness, they require investment and a mutual level of appreciation and honesty. God is in the saving people and changing lives business, He invites His church to be part of that mission. The way we do that is to go beyond friendliness; so that we can strive for connectedness.

Prayer guide / Relationships

All in the name of Jesus!

Prayer guide / Relationships

Get r Done! Fall 2010

MORNING PRAYER: Think about the talents and gifts God has blessed you with.  Read Romans 12:1-8.  Ask God to help you develop and use those gifts today to bring Him honor & glory.

Prayer: Father I want your will to guide and transform me today.  Help me to love people the way you love them, give me the vision to see the needs of others, and the desire to use my gifts to help them.  I pray that your grace will continue to work powerfully in my life.  Help my family & I to invest our lives in the WHCOC family.  Teach and mold me into the person you want me to be.  AMEN

NOON PRAYER:   “3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5 NIV

Prayer: Father, for the good things that have happened today I praise you, as for the trials and temptations I have encountered I hand them over to you.  Help me to love the people around me, help me to be like Jesus to them. May you be glorified in each moment of my day.  Show me who I need to serve and share the story of Jesus with.  AMEN

EVENING PRAYER: In the evening we reflect on the events of the day.  It is a time we can ask important questions, repent for sins, and praise God for victories.  READ Romans 12:9-21

Prayer: Father, thank you for your guidance, your grace, and your love.  Forgive me when I was selfish or proud.  Transform my heart, help me to be more like your son each day.  Guide my children & spouse to walk with you.  Thank you for the salvation and love that you offer.  Be with my WHCoC family, transform us into a church the loves you and each other.  AMEN

Life Group Discussion: Peace & Unity

“Get -R Done” Sermon Series

Life Group Discussion Questions / November 7, 2010
What kind of things disrupt unity within any group (church included)?

In what ways can each member be responsible for maintaining unity within a group?

How would you describe a leader?
Read Mark 10:35.
James and John asked Jesus for an elevated position, one of distinction. What did Jesus mean when he told them “you do not know what you are asking?”

How is the apostles view of leadership flawed according to Jesus?

Do these verses change the way you view leadership? How?

Notice v.41, how did the pursuit of the wrong kind of leadership cause division within the Apostles?

In v.43, Jesus said that the church doesn’t need supermen leaders, it needs leaders who will serve, lead by example, and will put others first. Why is leadership that is filled humility and led by example a more effective leadership style?

Jesus prayed that the church would be one, bonded like the Father and Son are one. In v.21, Jesus goes from using words like “they” to words like “us” or “we”. As Jesus says here, if we are going to be part of God’s mission to make disciples then we cannot be a church full of “I’s”, “they’s” or “thems”, the church must be a “we”.

Why do we so quickly refer to other church members and church leaders as they, rather than we?

Many football fans refer to their favorite team as “we”. Saying things like “we beat them this week” or “we need a better quarterback.”

Why do we so easily connect with our favorite team as a “we” but often speak of our church as a bunch of “theys”?

What can each of us do personally to change that?

READ Colossians 3:14-16
Notice v.15, when someone sees you coming, do they know that you are bringing peace?

IDEA: When peace rules in our hearts, we are quick to unite in the bonds of Jesus rather than to divide over feelings or opinions. We cannot be so quick to separate ourselves from others, when Jesus said I want you to be united and one. As disciples we are responsible for building each other up, encouraging them to grow closer to God and to others. In a way we are all leaders, living an example of humility and grace. What are some things each of us can do to promote unity within our church?
Close in prayer…

I Come In Peace

“19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:19-23 NIV

In v.19 we find the disciples behind locked doors living in fear. There was no peace and not much unity. Just a few days earlier one of them had betrayed Jesus, another denied Him, and the rest ran away. They treated their friend like dirt, they abandoned Jesus, they left him to die alone. They were living with shame. Could you imagine how you would have felt if your friends had abandoned you during your most difficult hour? But Jesus came to them and said “Peace be with you!” Jesus did not judge them, yell at them, or even separate himself from them; instead He brought peace to them. Shalom is the Hebrew word for Peace, it is a greeting with a deep meaning. By saying “peace to you” Jesus is saying we are not war, instead everything I do will be done to bring you closer to God and to each other. Jesus took these broken disciples and gave them peace.

A North Korean assassin named Kim Shin Jo in January of 1968 with a team of 31 assassins from North Korean snuck across the border in to South Korea in an attempt to kill the president of South Korea. The team of 31 of North Koreans made it to within a few hundred meters of the president's residence before they were detected. A fierce battle ensued, killing 30 South Koreans. All of the North Korean soldiers were killed, except one who escaped and Kim Shin Jo, who was captured. After months of interrogation, and through a surprising friendship with a South Korean army general, Kim Shin Jo's hard heart started to change. Later he would confess, "I tried to kill the president. I was the enemy. But the South Korean people showed me sympathy and forgiveness. I was touched and moved." The South Korean government eventually released Kim Shin Jo. Over the next three decades he worked for the military, became a citizen, and then married and raised a family. Finally, he became a church minister. He said what changed him, what transformed him from being a killer into becoming a South Korean citizen was that even though he treated South Korean people like the enemy, the South Korean people treated him like a brother. FROM:"South Korean pastor is also a trained killer," CNN Religion blog (8-9-2010)

Can we do that as God’s people? Can we treat people no matter what they have done or who they are like family? Jesus could have called us His enemy, but He chose instead to help us become His family. That is why Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” With Jesus a church can be one loving family rather than angry factions.

Stacyisms "Let it go, but don't let it go on!"

My wife is very quick and witty when it comes to any kind of dialogue.  So every now and then I will start posting these interesting little phrases that she so often comes up with.  The Stacyism for this week is:

 "I know I need to let it go, but I don't have to let it go on". 

You have to admit, that is good and pretty wise, don't tell her I said that.  For those of you who need some context for she said it is this; sometimes we face troubling and frustrating behavior from the same people on a regualer basis.  In order to get along we know that we have to let that frustration go if we are going to continue having a relationship with that individual.  To forgive and yet address bad behaviour in others is no easy task, and the best advise in how to do that is found in words of Jesus in Matthew 18.  In that chapter Jesus says that not only must we forgive, but we need to lovingly confront bad behavior if we are to maintain unity.  Even though Jesus didn't say it the same way, I think He is is the one that inspires us to "let things go, but not let them go on!". 

Prayer Guide

All in the name of Jesus!

WHCOC Prayer guide.
Get r Done! Fall 2010

MORNING PRAYER: We pray each morning to give God our first moments. Before anything else we allow God to focus our goals and plans for the upcoming day. Read Psalm 23.
Prayer: The Lord is my shepherd, that is all I want, that is all that I need. Guide me today, protect me and my family as we go out into the world. Stay with me each moment so that you may be the focus of all that I do . I pray that you would help me invest in things that are eternal, that you would show me how to lead my family & friends closer to you. Help my family & I to invest our lives in the WHCOC family. Teach me and mold into the person you want me to be. AMEN



NOON PRAYER: Consider that what truly defines your day is nothing that the world throws at you. What defines today and your life is your relationship with God. Someone around you needs to be encouraged, they need to see Jesus in your actions. Maybe it is time that you share your faith with that person.
Prayer: Father, even though I am busy in the middle of the day I more than anything want to be with you. Help me to see the people around me the way you see them. May you be glorified in every situation I encounter. Show me who I need to serve and share the story of Jesus with. AMEN



EVENING PRAYER: In the evening we reflect on the events of the day. It is a time we can ask important questions, repent for sins, and praise God for victories. READ Psalm 27
Prayer: Father, more than anything I want to hear your word as I begin my day. Guide me as I consider that you want me to be successful in following your will. I commit to making your will my will. Be with my WHCoC family, guide our church in becoming one that obeys your will each day, help it to be fruitful & pleasing to you. AMEN

A Little Something That I Learned From Acts 16…

Early in his visit to Macedonia Paul converted a rich woman, a poor slave girl who was demon possessed, and a middle class soldier. It didn’t matter what their social standing was, Paul shared the story of Jesus with them. Right before Paul met these people, he was on his way to pray. I don’t think that was a coincidence. Prayer has a way of helping us see where God is working, it also gives us the desire to take on opportunities that God gives us to glorify Him. If we want to get things done for God, we must begin with prayer. Prayer helps us to see God’s activity, it helps us be ready to share the wonderful story of Jesus.
Even though Paul was a successful missionary, he was faced with risk and hardship. He was attacked, beaten, and thrown in jail. God delivered Paul from the jail, but that doesn’t’ change the fact that he was beaten and mistreated. Rather than quit or complain, we see that Paul grew closer to God. To be on a mission for God is not always easy, in fact it requires a commitment to connect with God. It begins with prayer, with us asking for God’s leading and direction.

Jesus is Our Cornerstone

Last year I read a story that happened in China. In the city of Shanghai, a 15 story apartment building built to withstand floods, earthquakes and high winds was almost complete. It was a beautiful building that would have housed hundreds of people. On June 27, 2009, after severe rains, this brand new building before anyone moved in, simply fell over, first floor and all. It was so well built, when it fell it didn’t break in half, it didn’t crumble, in fact it stayed intact from the top floor all the way to the basement. It simply fell over killing at least one unsuspecting construction worker. As engineers began to investigate, it became apparent that the building foundation was not properly built or placed. The foundation could not support the weight of the building.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7 that those who puts Jesus’ words into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The storm that came was intense with great flooding and powerful winds, it was amazing that the house stood firm. Jesus said that the reason the house was still standing was because of the strong foundation. He then said that another man built the same kind of house but on a weak foundation and it collapsed during the storm.
A church that obeys the word of God, that rests its faith in Jesus can never just simply fall over or fall apart. Jesus can handle the weight, the pressure, and storms that His church sometimes has to face.
The reason why many religious people stumble, and why some churches stumble is because we are trying to carry the weight on our own. When we try to be our own foundation, when our focus is not on Jesus but on ourselves, we are too busy trying to keep the church from falling down that we can’t do anything else but try to hold it together. That is miserable and no way to live, besides that we would never have the energy or time to obey His great commission. That is why the weight of the church, the weight of your life is not supposed to be in your hands, but in Jesus. Our faith is not in what we do for Him, our faith is in what He does for us. Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives, and all that we do should rest on Him.

Scripture & Prayer Guide for the Gospel of Mark

Monday: READ Mark Chapters 1, 2, & 3. Pray: Ask God to guide you into complete surrender into will. That you would rely upon Him as He continues to transform you into the likeness of Jesus.
Tuesday: READ Mark 4 & 5.
Pray: Ask that God would grow your faith as you go through each day; that you would always seek His help, His mercy, and His transforming power.
Wednesday: READ Mark 6, 7, & 8.
Pray: That you would fall deeper in love with Him as you grow in your desire to be more like Jesus.
Thursday: READ Mark 9, 10, 11.
Pray that God will give you a desire to be obedient and faithful to Him even in difficult times.
Friday: READ Mark 12, 13, 14.
Pray that you would have the desire to do God’s will, that His mission would become your mission in every moment of life.
Saturday: READ Mark 15 & 16.
Pray that the story of Jesus would become the cornerstone of all that you do; that the grace of God may transform your life into one that glorifies Him each moment. Be sure to say thankyou!

Get r Done

We are in our new sermon series called “Get r Done”. In the south the words “Get R Done” are not just a phrase, they are a battle cry. To say “get r done” is to say I will get the task completed no matter the cost, the time, or the effort. Get r Done means we are on a mission to do something. Last week we focused on the idea that God has given us a mission to be disciples who go make disciples. In 21st century terms, our mission is to connect with Jesus while encouraging others to also connect with Jesus. In the book of Zechariah a group of Jews moved back to Jerusalem, they had been defeated and had been led away in chains back to Babylon. Now they are back on a mission to rebuild the Temple and the city. The city of Jerusalem with its walls and great Temple were all in ruins, all that was left was rubble. The very place God was to dwell (The Temple) was destroyed. There must have been part of them that felt hopeless, they had to know that they were in trouble. They must have thought “how do you build a city or a kingdom out of rubble?” Right now some of you may feel the same way. How do we bring God back into this place, into our hearts? If our mission is to follow Jesus and to help others follow Jesus how do we do that when all we feel like we have to work with is rubble? Notice how God helped the people get started.

“6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!” Zechariah 4:6-7 NIV

It was an important message to all of the people; that the city, the gates, and the Temple will be built not by the power of man, but by the Spirit of God working in His people. Jerusalem was rebuilt because the Spirit of God worked through the hands of men and women who surrendered to the Spirit of God. If we want to get things done in this church, or if you want to do something for God, then start by reconnecting with Him. That’s what it means when we say, not by power, but by His Spirit.

Into His Likeness

"18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
When Moses came down from Mt Sinai with the 10 Commandments, his face was so bright that it overwhelmed everyone who saw him. Therefore they put a veil over his face. The idea is that when one comes into contact with God they are changed (transformed), even if it is just temporary.
What Paul is saying here in 2 Corinthians 3 is that too many people are living outside of Jesus, their hearts are veiled. Another wards they can’t see or comprehend the blessing and freedom that is found in a love relationship with God. Jesus removes all separation, and brings us closer to God. The main focus of verse 18 is that if you are connected to Jesus your life will change. The idea is that if we spend time with Jesus, if we take time to get into His word, if we pray in His name, and if we stay connected to Him, we will be changed. You may ask “change into what?” Verse 18 says change into His likeness. When Moses came into contact with God, his faced shined brightly. When we come into contact with Jesus we too shine a light of hope that blesses everyone we encounter. Transformation into spiritual maturity should be the norm rather than the exception. May God bless you each moment as you allow Jesus to transform and bless your life each day!

DEVIL

Devil is a movie that M. Night Shyamalan wrote & produced that my wife and I found interesting and very entertaining. I will not give too much away, in fact consider yourself warned if you plan on watching the movie and don’t want to have the ending spoiled.

Most stories have a way of highlighting the struggle that its characters are going through and then in one short moment at the end we discover a truth about them. While some stories goal is only to focus on the struggle, many filmmakers (especially Shyamalan) are concerned with where the characters are going. The struggle these characters deal with is their sin, guilt, and the devil’s desire to make them pay for it. This story spends most of its time dealing with that idea, however that is not the goal of this movie. ***SPOILER ALERT*** The ultimate goal of this film is to remind us that forgiveness is more powerful than the schemes of the devil.

The security guard who narrates the story tells us something that his mother would always say, "Don't worry. If the devil is real, then God must be real too." I give this movie two thumbs up. It is PG-13, which means it has the typical violence and language of a PG-13 movie, so please keep that in mind if you decide to see it.

Living Water

“5 People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. 6 If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. 7 Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws.” Romans 8:5-7 CEV

I like how the Contemporary English Version translates Romans 8. Paul describes two kinds of lives; the Christ- Centered Life followed by the Me-Centered Life. Paul describes the Christ- Centered Life as a life that is ruled by the Holy Spirit. One of the great benefits of having a relationship with Jesus is having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The idea behind Romans chapter 8 is that the reason we do good things is because we are in submission to the will of God. God’s Holy Spirit gives us the desire and strength to do good things. The Me-Centered Life works just the opposite. The King James Version uses the word “flesh”, the NIV the word “sinful nature”, and the CEV uses the word “desire”. Flesh does not necessarily mean body; it in this context describes a lifestyle that is not God centered. Everything I do, think, or say is influenced by either the flesh or by the Holy Spirit. The flesh encourages us to live a me-centered life while the Holy Spirit influences us to live a God-centered life. A “me centered” life is not only powered by me, but it is also limited by me. A me-centered life thinks that I earn my salvation through good works. A me-centered life is not so much a selfish life, it is more of a disconnected life, because we believe all the power and resources we have comes from us and not from God. In 2 Peter 2, Peter describes false prophets and teachers who may at one time belonged to God, but eventually they were rebelling against Him. Peter describes them in v.17 as “springs without water”. Those false teachers looked like christians, they talked like christians, but because they were disconnected from God they were like a spring without water. They became useless and destructive. Throughout scripture God offers people living water, in which the apostle John described as the Holy Spirit. It is by the Holy Spirit that we are strengthened to live a “Christ-centered” life. The church needs Christians who are connected to the water. Our country needs churches that are connected to the water that transforms selfish and sinful hearts into ones that are willing to love and serve as Jesus did. Every day is a battle between being “Me-centered” or “God-centered”. The only way I know how to win that battle is to actually surrender each moment by worshiping the presence of God and being led His Spirit.

The End is Near!

“7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." 1 Peter 4:7 NIV

“The end is near” is not the most popular thing to say or hear. The way this is written it is easy to miss the context. The end has always been connected to Jesus’ return. The idea is that the end is near because Jesus is coming back; therefore we are to look for Him. Growing up I lived near a train station, sometimes people missed the train, they would be given so many warnings, the whistle blowing, the conductor saying all aboard. Yet there would be some who would still miss the train, and then be angry that the train would leave them. The following are some excuses people would give for missing the train. “We were busy just looking around. We were looking for ducks at the lake. We were for looking for rail spikes by the old tracks.” The list goes on. Why do people miss the boat, the plain, or the train? Because they were not looking for it, they forgot why they were there; they were too busy looking for everything but their ride home. Why do people miss out on grace? Why do some churches fail? It is because they are no longer waiting for Jesus to return. They forgot why they exist. The problem for the early church is the same problem for the 21st century church; we are no longer waiting for Jesus to come back. Peter reminds us that Jesus is coming back, that we need to be ready; that we need to be helping others to be ready for His return. A healthy church is one that never stops saying “Come Lord Jesus, Amen”.

“2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Colossians 4:2-4 NIV


To devote ourselves to prayer does not mean that we are always to be praying, but Paul is saying we always have a reason to pray. Paul says that we are to “be watchful” or “be alert”. If we took this verse and literally translated it from the Greek it could say “be ready to seize the moment”. That is kind of like when Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society said “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary!” I think Paul is saying here that every moment we live can be captured and given to God.  That is good news, because sometimes we have bad days, difficult situations, moments in which we are overwhelmed with sadness, despair, guilt, or pain. Paul is saying here in this verse, “use prayer to seize that moment for God, hand it over to Him.” Paul also says we need to be thankful. To be thankful means that we know that God has been faithful to take care of us in the past, and if we seize the moment in prayer we can count on Him to take care of our present and our future. In v. 3-4 Paul asks that they would pray for open doors, for places for him to go and share the story of Jesus. The context of the entire book of Colossians is “live a life that honors God in every moment”. I think Paul is saying “pray that I will be so connected to God that I will seize every moment to tell lost people the story of Jesus, and share the transforming message of grace.

So I will take a little bit of liberty with the script of Dead Poets Society and say this “seize the moment with prayer, and witness how God makes our lives extraordinary!”

salt and grace

When it comes to snack foods, there is nothing more undesirable to me than unsalted peanuts. Really, who likes them anyway? I know they cause high blood pressure and other health issues, but seriously salt is a wonderful thing!

“5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6 NIV
What does it mean to have conversation seasoned with salt? In the 21st century it is a weird thing to say.
Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. That is also a weird thing to say. But in the 1st century it made sense.

In the Bible salt has several different meanings. In Number 18:19, salt represents promise, the commitment between man and God. It also represents purity, goodness, and flavor. We also know that in ancient times salt was used as a preservative, it would help food last longer.
Words like grace and salt used in the same verse made sense to the early Christians at Collosse. First century people saw both words as transforming words. Salt changes bland food into food that is desirable and tasty. Grace by definition was the changing of ordinary things into things that are beautiful and extraordinary. So when the early Christians read Colossians 4, they knew what Paul was calling them to do, that their words should be transforming, turning this bland, loveless, and graceless world into a world filled with God’s love, grace, and hope.
It is as simple as saying “these peanuts needs some salt”, we can also say “this world needs Christians that transform the people and community around them.” So today I am going to commit to speaking words that encourage grace, to highlight God’s love working in my life, so that the people around me can learn about God’s wonderful love and grace.

I Passed a Runner!

Back in June of 2009 I began to run about 3 to 4 times a week. I started because as a minister I visit a lot of people in hospitals who are in poor health and live with regret over how they have neglected their health over the years. Anyway I have really enjoyed running, I’m not a crazy runner, in fact I only run about two to three miles each time. I’m not looking to run any marathons, but if you need a running partner in a 5-K I’m all for it. You are going to laugh at me now, because I am going to brag, Stacy and were running yesterday and we did something we have never done before, we passed another runner who was going the same direction we were. That never happens; we pass walkers all the time, but never runners. In fact we are often passed by “real” runners; you know the ones who run in triathlons and marathons. Anyway we were proud of ourselves, we finally passed another runner!

Achievements no matter how small they are can be quite satisfying! The truth is, if it wasn’t for my wife I wouldn’t be running, she got me into it, and now I love it. She started about four months ahead me; her new found excitement and continued example was too powerful for me to ignore. Before I knew it, I wanted to be part of what she was doing, and now I love running too. There are things in life we do, that we are passionate about, and that happened because we were influenced by someone else’s passion and example. See where I’m going with this?

As God’s children our passion and example or lack thereof is witnessed by the world. When we live connected to the Father we display a wonderful life that others notice. Right now someone is watching you (hopefully not in a stalker way), what do they see? People that know me know that I love Texas football, that I enjoy running, but do they know that I am a follower of Jesus? I hope so, I hope that I have not hidden that passion so deep that my love for God is a mystery. People know I run because I share (blurt out) small victories like when I passed another runner yesterday. My goal is to start sharing; blurting out the victories that God gives me each day. If I keep doing that, eventually someone will get the idea that this guy not only loves running, and Texas football, but he really loves God.

Stay tuned for my next running article called “I Love Cushlon!!!”

I have no pictures of me running, but here is one of me throwing a football. 
It is the most athletic picture of me that I have.

“Wonderful Maker”

A friend of mine shared with me these lyrics written by Matt Redman and arranged by Chris Tomlin. They are very powerful. Click on the link below to see the video performed by Jeremy Camp.


“Wonderful Maker” By Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin

“You spread out the skies over empty space
Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and formless world Your light
was born


You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and hopeless world Your Son
was born

You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only son for You are good

What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God


No eye has fully seen, how beautiful the cross
And we have only heard
The faintest whispers of how great You are”



http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=what%20a%20wonderful%20maker&tnr=21&vid=165845205022&l=269&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fvideos%2Fthumbnail.aspx%3Fq%3D165845205022%26id%3Deae42b8e09e5b839c66a01df710b6e5e%26bid%3DI8B8wi0%252fqcPobg%26bn%3DThumb%26url%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.youtube.com%252fwatch%253fv%253dKoYWDCwxExs&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKoYWDCwxExs&sigr=11ahm1jle&newfp=1&tit=Jeremy+Camp+-+Wonderful+Maker

Judas, Baptism, & Discipleship

The story of Judas is a cautionary tale of discipleship gone wrong. Judas was a disciple; he followed Jesus everywhere. Discipleship is all about our relationship with Jesus; it is about our desire to be with Him every moment of life. Judas at some point disconnected from Jesus, and when the guilt of his betrayal grew too great, he again acted independently and took Jesus’ place as judge and found himself guilty. Judas did not have the power forgive himself; so he carried out his own punishment. What makes this story sad was that Jesus took Judas’ place on the cross so that Judas wouldn’t have to die. Judas’ story is symbolic of what happens when we try to be independent from Jesus. I call it death by independence.
Baptism is a symbolic event that is relational in nature. Baptism enters us into a relationship with the Gospel story of Jesus. It is our relationship with Jesus that saves us, He took our place, He took our sin, and he connects our prayers to the Father. When we are baptized into His name we are baptized into a relationship that offers the forgiveness of sins and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. I’m leery of anyone who tries to narrow the point at which salvation occurs to one single activity, they remind me of the rich young ruler who was willing to be religious but he was not willing to follow Jesus. Salvation is found in an active relationship with Jesus. Baptism by faith in Jesus is a relational event with Jesus; it is a salvation marker in that we now belong to Him. Now that we belong to Jesus, we are to walk with Him as His disciples always following His will. When we read passages like Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-6, and Colossians 2:9-15 we see that baptism is a participation in the Gospel story of Jesus, therefore when one is baptized they do it for the purpose of connecting with God and His will. That is why Paul often reminded Christians about their baptism, reminding them that they left worldliness behind in order to follow Jesus. If we stop following Jesus, if we live independently from His story we no longer enjoy the benefits of forgiveness and relationship with the Holy Spirit. So today I remind you of your baptism, that you are an important part of the Gospel story found in the Bible, Jesus took our place on the cross so that we could have a life with Him. Now that we are with Him, we live with purpose and joy.

Inception (part 2)

When Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released as a movie I decided that I would take the middle school portion of our youth group to see it on opening weekend. It had been scheduled in our youth group calendar for a few weeks, I didn’t think it would bring a large group, and it didn’t, we only had about six kids come out that Saturday morning. As we were about to leave, another car pulled into the parking lot, it was a visitor named Mary. She was a 16 year old who had visited us with a friend at the previous Wednesday Night Bible Study. When I saw her I told her that I was impressed that she wanted to watch a movie with six middle school boys. Without hesitation she said “I love Harry Potter, and you’re the only church in town that hasn’t made me feel like I’m evil because I’m a Harry Potter fan.” Mary was searching; she came from a Buddhist / New Age background, she had been visiting different youth groups in town, she was looking for a place that would be patient with her as she was searching for a spiritual identity. I told her that we as Christians do not practice witchcraft yet we can identify with qualities such as love and friendship that are found in the Harry Potter series. Mary liked being with our group and she kept coming. It took a year, but eventually she gave her life to Jesus, her mother made the same decision the following year.


Inception of an idea is a like a seed that is planted in the ground, eventually it grows up to be a fruit bearing tree. God used our willingness to find common ground in a Harry Potter movie to plant the seed in Mary’s mind that the love and acceptance she had been looking for was found in Jesus.

As Christians we are often known for what we are against rather than what we believe. We of course oppose witchcraft, but we can find a bond with unbelievers on the strongest elements of each Harry Potter book; elements such as love, friendship, and loyalty. The apostle Paul did the same thing in Athens when he complimented the Athenians for their desire to be religious; in doing so he was able to convert many to Jesus. What I am saying is that God’s people have an opportunity to bring people to Jesus, simply by finding common ground with them, showing them that maybe they already have Jesus working in their lives. When unbelievers witness Christians living with God’s love and righteousness, a seed is planted in their minds, it can grow into an idea, and possibly into the belief that life with Jesus is the best life there is.

Worship Never Stops

In Acts chapter 17 the Apostle Paul spoke to the people of Athens, declaring to them that the true God does not live in temples made by man, that He is not limited to objects, buildings, or anything else man could build with his hands. Paul went on to say that God is never far from us, that He is there with them ready to be worshipped and glorified in their lives.  I don’t think Paul was just saying that just to the Athenians, I think he was also talking to me, reminding me that God is at work wherever I am, waiting for me to acknowledge His presence, and to join Him in whatever He is doing. Worship is an activity in which we connect with God, submitting to His will.
Worship isn’t just something that happens in a church building, worship can happen anywhere. It can happen at home, at work, or even in the car. Read what Paul says about worship in Romans 12.

“1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 NIV
True worship comes from people who have been transformed by the grace and love of God. Transformed people worship with honesty, mercy, integrity, and with a desire to give their best. There is not a lot of Bible that says what we are to do in a church building, but there is a whole lot of Bible that says how we are to worship out in the world. Worship never stops, because true love never ends. When do we stop loving our children, when do we stop loving our spouse? We never stop; we would never want to. In the same way, we are called to love and worship God every moment of life; living transformed lives giving Him our best in all that we do.

Inception part 1

Inception was a great movie. I give it 4 Stars. It is not the best movie all time, it is not even in my top 20. (Hummm, That would be a great Blog.) Inception is a corporate espionage thriller that focuses on a team of tech thieves who are able to invade peoples dreams and steal their ideas. The hero (Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is given one more job before he retires. However this job is not about stealing an idea, but planting one; thus the movie is called Inception. Inception of an idea begins with a seed (thought) that becomes an idea, that leads to a belief, which will eventually become a reality. No spoilers here, go see the movie.


Inception got me to thinking about the concept of planting ideas. We have seeds of ideas everyday planted in our minds. While watching a football game on TV I find myself wanting more pizza, hot wings, better car insurance, and something to drink. There are so many commercials during a game that plant ideas in my mind; I don’t drink beer, but the beer commercials make me thirsty.

Christian writers and preachers warn us of spiritual inception, of people planting false ideas in our minds in order to turn us the wrong direction. I’m not going there either, however this movie got me to thinking; how can I be more effective at planting ideas into the minds of the people around me? Think about it, if I could plant positive ideas into the minds of my kids, my life could be so much simpler. I could plant ideas in my wife’s mind; I could get her to think that I am the most amazing man ever. As a minister I could plant positive ideas into the minds of both believers and nonbelievers. In 1 Corinthians 3 the Apostle Paul was addressing the fighting and division within the church. His focus was on how the world plants selfish and sinful ideas into the minds of Godly people, to make the problem worse, Godly people allowed worldly ideas to become a reality in their lives. Paul went on to explain that godliness and faith originate from God and His fellow workers.

“5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NIV

As God’s people we have been given a simple job, which is to plant the idea of God into people’s minds. Let’s call it spiritual inception. Paul planted the idea through preaching, teaching, encouragement, and through his example. We will talk about Apollos and God’s role later this week. Idea planting doesn’t require great ability or experience, but it does require consistency. There will be people we come in contact with everyday, they will hear our words and they will see our actions. In those moments we plant ideas into their minds. The more we are around them the more influence we have over them. So what ideas are we planting upon the minds of our children, what ideas are beginning to take root in the minds of our friends and coworkers? Inception happens everyday; the world is filled with negative seed planters who help people grow worried, depressed, and self-centered. We are called to do the opposite, to plant ideas that are Holy Spirit led; ideas that help people discover faith, hope, and love.

To be continued …

Patience

Patience is defined as the ability to wait. Not only to wait, but to do it calmly without appearing annoyed.  My 5 year old when he has to wait will sit quietly for about 5 seconds and then he will start making noises like "hahummmmm" which is heavy breathing followed by that weird sound we make when we are annoyed, sounding like a hydrolic hose when gets unhooked “hahuuu”. That is cute for maybe 10 seconds when a 5 year old does it, but it is never cute when an adult does it.  That is the point. We all have to wait for things, we wait at red lights, traffic jams, the school pick up line, and at the Dr.s office.  We have to wait to get our table at Chili’s, to vote, ... I think you get the point. Through out scripture we are called to be patient, but what does than mean because everyone has to wait.  Waiting and patience are not the same thing.  Patience is the ability to wait like Jesus would.  The ability to be calm and not agitated when we are having to spend more time than we would like somewhere. Patience gives us the ability to be productive in the will of God wherever we are waiting. To see the wait as opportunity to bring glory to Him.

I love it when my kids love me!

 I love it when my kids love me.  Yesterday I was sick, I either had food poisoning or a virus.  Whatever it was, it was awful.  As I was laid up in bed my son would come in about every 10 minutes asking me if I needed anything (he was kind of bugging me, but I knew he was there simply because he loves me).  My daughter asked if I needed her favorite pillow (it always makes her feel better), and then they both made me get well cards.  Bottom line, they just wouldn't leave me alone; and I loved it.  I think that is what God wants from us.  He wants to be loved by His children.  The joy that we give Him when we wont leave Him alone, when we bug him every ten minutes goes beyond our understanding.  Yesterday my children taught me a little bit more about the relational joy that children can give to their parents.  God loves it when when His children love Him.  If you haven't already, you should bug Him a little bit, He loves it.

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17 NIV

Church Dress Code / What Not To Wear

What a stunning
picture of me!

“12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

Have you ever been to a church that had a dress code? Suits for men, dresses for ladies, fru fru one piece outfits for baby boys (mom why did you do that to me?). Paul says here in Colossians 3:12 that as God’s people, we have a dress code.

When it’s cold, I wear a coat, when I go on a date with Stacy I brush my teeth and put on a clean shirt for a change, when it is hot I wear lighter and thinner clothes. When I run I wear running shoes and shorts. We must dress appropriately for the conditions.
God wants His people to dress accordingly, appropriate to the conditions of this world. That is why Paul said that we are to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Our world needs people who are dressed with the spirit of Jesus. The world is full of poorly dressed people. I’m not talking about men who still wear parachute pants, I’m not talking about the man who saw wearing a shirt that said “Baby on Board” with arrow pointing to his stomach, and I’m not even talking about mullets. The world is poorly dressed in that many people put on the clothing of anger, selfishness, greed, lust, and rudeness.
Paul said those things are out of style. You know that show “What not wear”? Paul gives us a list of things that we should never wear in verses 5-8, they are not fashionable to God. He does not want us to dress like the world, He wants us to dress like Jesus.
When we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience we are simply acting the way Jesus would act if he was us in our daily lives. We do these things because we have been forgiven, we do these things because we have been transformed by the love of God. May you be blessed each day by His love and grace.

Wizards, Vampires, & Jesus

We saw the new movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" today. It was pretty good (I give it 2 1/2 stars). I guess it is hard to ignore all of the wizard and witch movies, books, an TV shows that are out these days. If it isn't about wizards it probably is about vampires (for some reason those are more exhausting to me). The one thing that many of these stories have in common is that most of them have a "chosen one". What I mean by chosen one is that early in the story there is a prophecy of a hero (a messiah) who will save all of humanity. This hero just so happens to be a vampire, witch, or wizard. Maybe the reason so many stories follow the same formula is that we all have a basic need to have a savior who will be there to save us.

I think we all have this spiritual side that needs to be part of something that is bigger than ourselves that connects all of us into a community that is filled with acceptance and love. As cool as wizards and vampires are they seem to have a need to be hidden, disconnected from the rest of humanity.

Jesus does not desire to be hidden like a wizard; he has no desire to be disconnected from humanity like a vampire. In fact did He not die for our sin so that we could connect with Him? Jesus is superior to these man made messiahs in that He wants to connect with humanity not hide from it.

"6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." 2 Corinthians 4:6-12 NIV

Our savior desires to strike down evil and has more power than any wizard we could ever imagine. Our savior is eternal, He has no need of our blood to offer us eternal life, because He offers His. Our world is looking for a savior, we have a real one to offer them. He has no desire to hide from humanity, in fact He partners with us every day to show the world that He loves them and that He has the power to save them.

NFL Predictions and HOPE

I'm so ready for football, It is right around the corner and I am already making my predictions. That is the fun thing about the preseason, there is so much hope, your favorite team that has been lousy for the last few years now has a chance to go all the way. As a Texans fan my hope is often diminished by week 3 or 4. But this year hope overcomes reason, that's right I again predict that the Texans will go deep into the playoffs. They will lose in the AFC championship game to the Jets. I hate the Jets, but I think they will go all the way to the big game and lose to the Cowboys. Thats right that is my prediction, the Cowboys win it all.


That all sounds crazy I know, but hope causes us to go against the grain, it us gives the ability overcome worldly expectations and dream beyond our ability and ranking. In Romans 5 the Apostle Paul shares with us the power of hope.

"1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:1-5 NIV

The hopeful predictions Paul gives in Romans 5 are founded in Jesus Christ. Jesus has never dissappointed us, He has never failed us, and He never will. There are those who expect us to fail, who look at the resources we have and they predict that we will fall on our face. Without Jesus we have failed, and will continue to fail if our hope is in ourselves. Predicting that the Texans win in the playoffs may seem farfetched, and it is; but what is real is that God's love guarentees us the victory. Whatever struggle you are facing today is actually a pathway to victory, because that struggle leads us to understand that we need God. May the God of grace and love give you strength and fill you with hope.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Praying in the name of Jesus, one of the most traditional things I do. You know what I mean, you pray and at the end you say "in Jesus name, Amen." If you don't say the "in Jesus name" it just doesn't count. That's what the Bible says anyway, right? ... uhhh what? Why are you looking at me that way? Your saying that I'm missing the point? Oh wait, your saying that I am flat out wrong? Ouch!

"9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:9-14 NIV

When Jesus said to Philip "don't you know me?" He was being very personal. Jesus reminded them of His greatest strength, which was His realtionship with the Father. It was a relationship that went deep, one in which Jesus was so connected to the Father that He knew His Father's will. You know how some old married couples can finish each other's sentences, they do that because they are connected. They have the same desire and will. When Jesus said that we are to ask for things in His name He was not saying that He is the magic genie that makes wishes (prayers) come true. What Jesus is saying is that when we pray in His name we are asking out of a relationship in which we are so connected to Him that we know His will, we know what He desires, we can finish His sentences. To pray in the name of Jesus is to declare a moment by moment relationship with Him. To pray in the name of Jesus is to live in the name of Jesus, to live His will every moment, to live in the Father and the Father live in you. To live in the name of Jesus is to be empowered to overcome temptation and worldliness. To live in the name of Jesus is to be so empowered that we use our talents to love and help others. To live in the name of Jesus is to have the power to do the right things no matter what the dilemma. "In Jesus name" it is not a way to end a prayer, it is a way to live. May God be glorified as we seek to be close to Him. In Jesus name, Amen.

I Already Miss LOST

I am already missing my favorite show, and today I was thinking about how sad it is that I cannot look forward to another season. Anyway these are some thoughts that I forgot to publish last month. Better late than never.

The series finale made sense. It had a very Luke 15 Prodigal Son feel to it. They were lost at first, and at the end the father welcomed Jack back where he belonged, with the people that he needed most. Independently he was lost, but with those people he was found. Very cool.

Other Lost Thoughts.
Were they dead on both the island and on the flash sideways world? I think they were dead only in the purgatory flash sideways world. That doesn't mean they all died at the same time. Hurley might have lived for hundreds of years as the new Jacob before he died. Sawyer and Kate made it off the island. Who knows how far into the future the flash sideways was. My big question is what happened to cause the isalnd to sink? If you remember it was sugmerged at the begining of the final season. Someone removed the stone. Any thoughts out there? I imagine there will be books and graphic novels for years to come that will fill in those blanks.

Go to Entertainment Weekly to check some rather deep thoughts on my favorite show: http://www.ew.com/ew/package/0,,20313460,00.html

The 80 / 20 Rule

In Jim George’s book “A Husband After God's Own Heart” he shares a story about Bud Wilkinson, the legendary coach of the University of Oklahoma football team from 1947 to 1963. Coach Wilkinson once described his game as "50,000 people who desperately need exercise watching 22 men who desperately need rest."
Unfortunately, that's the situation in most churches today. Most of us have heard of the 80 /20 rule; 80% of the work done in a church, business, or organization is done by only 20% of its people. As God’s people we are blessed by His grace and love. Motivated by love God sent His son to this earth to die for our sins. By that act of love we receive the gift of life. It was not a gift that we earned; we received it out of His grace. The apostle Paul once said “by the grace of God I am what I am”, he was one of the hardest working ministers that the church had ever known. So what is the point, it is grace and love that motivates individuals to do good works. Rescue from laziness and apathy is found in the grace and love of God. It is by grace that we are motivated to do more, and it is out of love that we give of ourselves to help others. I encourage you to connect with God in a personal way that would help you appreciate His love for you. Moments with God inspire us to get up and help others, to love others, to give, and to serve. It is by the grace of God that any one of us would become part of the 20% that changes the world. - Vic

“9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-11 NIV

Facebook. Colossians Series

I have been preaching a sermon series through the book of Colossians called "facebook, what is your status?".

If you own a computer, you probably are on a social networking site called Facebook. On Facebook, people have a place to update their status; it allows us to tell our friends what we are doing or what's on our mind. Your Facebook status basically informs your friends of what you’re doing or feeling. The status of things like our heart, attitude, and thoughts are often determined by where we are going in life. Whenever I’m about to take a vacation my excitement is difficult to contain (it is usually mentioned on my Facebook status). In every moment my status is influenced by the excitement of wherever I am about to go or what I am about to do. Funny thing about facebook is that most us update our status with mundane updates like "I went to the dentist today", "I had a great burrito", or simply "my kids are driving me crazy". The world may look at our status update and say "who cares", but as we read Colossians we begin to see that God cares deeply about our status, he cares about the little things, the simple things, or even the difficult we go through in life. I’m excited about this series because I love the message of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. Paul was reminding the Colossians (and us) that we are to live a life that honors and acknowledges God. He also wanted to remind them that their hope in Heaven and their faith in Jesus would give them the strength to live a life that honors Him. Most importantly our status should always include Him, because with Him we have life.

Happy Independence Day

July 4, 1776 was over 230 years ago, but the events of that day impact what we are doing right now. In the declaration of Independence these words were written:

“We think it is obvious...That all men are created equal. That they have a god given rights, that no one can take away including LIFE, LIBERTY and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

No part of the Declaration of Independence is more right than those words. Only God gives life, freedom, and the blessing of true happiness. Over 230 years ago those words were written to declare independence from oppression, however those words also declare a dependence upon God. Whether it is overcoming oppressive regimes or sin; freedom can only be found in a relationship with God. Today as we celebrate our independence as a nation, do not forget to celebrate our dependence upon the God who gives us real freedom and the blessing of His love and grace. May God bless you this 4th of July.

90 / 10 Principle

Some of you might have heard of the 90/10 Principle written by the author Stephen Covey.

The Follow is from Stephen Covey: I would like to share with you his 90/10 Principle. What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. We have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. We cannot stop the plane from arriving late, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%. How? By our reaction. You cannot control a red light., but you can control your reaction.
Here is an example. You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just what happened. What happens when the next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter. Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?A) Did the coffee cause it? B) Did your daughter cause it? C) Did the policeman cause it?D) Did you cause it?
The answer is D. You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "It's ok honey, you just need,to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves.You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference? Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different. Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Vic's Thoughts: That all makes sense doesn’t it? Some will say it is impossible to react that way, but before we dismiss this idea and say “I can’t control how I react to negative things” I simply ask “where is our faith?” I am a recovering legalists, I relapse sometimes. When I do relapse I find myself trusting me more rather than God. I find myself easily angered, frustrated, and full of excuses of why nothing is my fault. Whenever anyone ever calls me out for being sinful or divisive I simply say this is me, deal with it. To say and believe that we can’t change, that we can’t be more encouraging, or joyful is to live without faith. That is the danger of legalism, it refuses to grow, it settles for less, and it ignores the transforming power of Jesus to turn even the worst of sinners into a kind and loving spirit. To live by faith believes that the spirit of Jesus is continuing to transform us into a loving, obedient, and encouraging members of His body (of His church). To live by faith, is to live a life connected to Jesus every day. We can’t control the events that happen around us, but with the power of Jesus we can control how we react to them. Jesus gives us a reason to live with love and joy. Connect with Him today!

Nooma - Rob Bell

We just started using the Nooma videos in our Sunday night small groups. They have been a refreshing change, and our small group participants seem to really like them. Rob Bell is the speaker on each video, and he brings relevant messages using everyday stories to display God's love and affection toward us. You can check out these video clips on www.nooma.com. They even come with small group discussion questions that allow for good discussion and sharing. If you are looking for an example of postmodern preaching or if you are looking for material that will reach today's postmodern generation then check out Nooma.

Self Reliance

When we try to get things done on our own, we really make a mess don’t we?

Sometimes three year old daughter says to me, “daddy, your so strong.” She is so sweet, however she too has those just get it done kind of moments. Trying to unscrew the lid off a jar of peanut butter, she can get so frustrated, but she wont ask for help, as if I her big strong dad isn’t there or capable of opening it. She says, “I can do this all by myself.” Her face distorts, she starts to make loud squeals and pouts, her frustration is about to get the best of her. Would you like to know what I said? “Let me help you.”

Here I am just sitting in awe while I watch my frustrated daughter; I want to fix the problem for her, but more importantly I want her to know her father is right here. I want her to understand that she doesn’t have to do this by herself. Doesn’t she know I love her, that I would do anything for her? Of course I want to help her open that jar, but more importantly I want her to learn to trust me, to allow me to be there for her, to help her, to give her my strength and direction. I wanted her to learn to hand it over to me.

Have you ever had a “just get it done” kind of day? The day that just seems to go nowhere unless, you make it happen through pure will power and personal strength. The task can be brutal, staying up with a baby all night, because he just can’t go to sleep. It’s never fun having to put up with an uncooperative coworker. That ministry area, “no one wants to help me, I can’t get any volunteers.” In those moments we feel all alone and frustrated, we begin to think, “How can I get out of this? No, I said I would do it; I can do this all by myself.” We act as if God doesn’t notice, as if he doesn’t care. It’s as if He too is a non-volunteer in our ministry, not a team player at work, or possibly another detached member of the family. Does our pain escape His notice? No, in reality, God is saying, “let me help you; hand it to me.”

61 pounds and counting!!!

I now weigh 175 lbs. That means I have lost 61 lbs since mid August. Wow! It hasn't been a hard road either, it just required discipline and some accountability. My wife was the accountability, and the discipline was through a online Weight Watchers plan. I will let you know when I hit my goal of 170 lbs. If you need help or a plan, talk to me I'll be glad to get you going in the right direction.

The X-odus Files

"The X-odus Files: Following God in an Alien Land" by Reg Cox & Rick Brown has been such an enjoyable read. However I must admit it was not always easy to accept its message. I was challenged over and over again by its ideals and over all message. Even though it can be humbling, I love to be given a fresh view of God's word. Too often my ministry is wandering though maintenance church agenda, when in reality we are called to be warriors with a ministry that has purpose and an already secured victory. You can find the book at http://www.leafwoodpublishers.com/ .

Your Best Life Now

I love the idea of this book! I am so into motivational power of positive thinking type of books. Especially ones that focus on the power of God. In Joel Olsteen's "Your Best Life Now" I really bought into the first few chapters. In them there are some very positive things we all can learn or at least be reminded of. However, I got lost in this book. Not the good kind of lost, but kind of lost that said, "Where is He going, is this it?" The whole idea of if your a child of the KING therefore expect to be treated like a king message kind of seems weak & worldly. To be fair Joel Olsteen never used the above statement, that's just the idea I got out of the book. It is ashame too, I really wanted to like this book. Use the book, non-christians are reading it. It could be a way to connect with someone who is searching. There are positive things to learn from it. But if you are looking for depth, you may want to avoid its shallow message.

Church Bible Class: Teaching the facts Vs. Meeting Needs

The title does sounds kind of funny doesn't it? I have always wondered about the purpose of church Bible class, since it is a man made thing. Basically there is no Bible verse that requires or asks for it. Yet it seems obvious that it is a good thing to do based on Bible understanding.
So how is your program doing? Do you have a good Bible class attendance? Is it 80 % of your worship number? Probably not, it more than likely hangs in the 60% to 40% number. I'm a people pleaser by nature, therefore I want to give people what they want. So when I create a new program or class I am often tempted to give people what they want rather than what they need. Some people want Bible class to be like a college lecture course that gives out only exegeted information with little or no application or even speculation. These "just the facts" Christians seem to have a hard time relating to non-christians or anyone that isn't just like them. So the temptation is to please this group of church people by giving them that option; here is your "just the fact class". In these classes we learn how to Biblically evangelize, pray, and worship; yet it is common that no one would apply evangelism or prayer to their everyday life. I fear that many of us who study diligently in Bible class are learning about a life that we are not willing to live.
On the otherhand there some who wont even come to Bible class unless there is a special class that meets a very targeted need in their life: marriage, finance, Parenting, etc. They want classes heavy on application with the hope of a quick fix. These are my "buffet (pick and choose at my convenience)" christians. The "buffet" christians typically never get too involved nor ever become leaders within the church, but they relate very well with non-christians and usually are the ones who bring the bulk of our vistitors. While they are good at bringing people to church they often don't know how to bring them to Jesus. So when I am creating a program it is easy to allow these extremes to dictate what we do. In order to keep convenient peace the temptation is to keep these groups separated, but as you can see, they really need each other.

Here is the problem. If your classes are catering directly to certain groups by giving them want they want, it's possible the message of Christ will be completely missed by all. Too many times the "just the facts" classes discect the Bible or just make it so dry that they miss the message of Jesus and His love all together. The "buffet" Christians are so focused on their special need that they forget that it is Jesus who will help them overcome the very thing that burdens them.
So what is a Bible class teacher to do? Got any answers? First, I try to make sure my class whether it's studying the book of Joshua or the finer points of parenting will never forget that all good answers and Bible classes point to the Christ who loves us. Second, I try to encourage "just the facts" & "buffet" christians to have some connection in both small groups and interactive classes. Extreme groups in a church cannot be united through a brilliant Bible class program but they can be through Christ who is the peace that unites us all together. It's time our Bible classes focus on the Christ who gives us the power and conviction to apply His message to our lives. When we collectively focus on Christ, we'll begin to take on the very character of Christ. Then we can say, "that is a meaningful Bible class."