Pastor Brett's Idea Page

Thinking Slowwwerrr

2006-02-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

In our fast paced world, we rarely have time to think about what we are doing. We just do it. The temptation has always existed to try to work more days than you can pack in a week. In fact, that's why God invented the Sabbath; to force people to slow down. It was such a big idea that it made God's top 10 list when he commanded that we remember 1 day out of 7 to keep different for his sake. Going slower is one of God's best ideas.

Slowing down not only lowers our blood pressure, it makes us available for the good works that God wants to do through us. In the book of Acts, God sent 2 men out to tell the world the good news. "The two of them, (Paul and Barnabas) sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos." Acts 13:4-6

The cool thing I see here is that they traveled the whole island, which means they walked places. When you walk places, you naturally move slow. You see things that donkey riders miss. In our day, we race from appointment to practice to dinner to collapse. Then we do it all again the next day, only noticing our aging in family pictures taken 5 years ago. (Which felt more like yesterday.)

Here's the deal. If we are really going to make an impact with our life for God, we are going to have to force things out of our schedules forever and learn to slow down and listen to other people and meet them where they live. If you do this, you will stand out, because nobody has time to listen to anybody anymore. And if you listen, you automatically give God an opportunity to use you to change somebody's life. Paul and Barnabas moved slowly. Their results may have seemed slow at the time, but looking back 2 millenia, we see how they were able to change the whole world while moving at a snail's pace. Their impact was measured in obedience to God, not in how many things they were able to get done. God can do a lot with our little if we will learn to move slower and value others like He does.

Success/Significance??

2006-02-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

I heard a quote this morning about success in life from author Dallas Willard today. He was speaking to pastors, but it applies to all who lead and want to see results. He said, "Remember that in God's eyes, who you are becoming is more important than what you are trying to accomplish for him." I am praying that God will make this definition of success my new benchmark.

In other words, true success is not necessarily going to have a whole bunch of external signs to it, it is internally going to show up in our character. Faithfulness to doing what God has asked us is the key. Here's the truth about success and significance. The worldly measures are not the same as what God thinks is important. Add to that the fact that our significance is something that only God can measure and only God can know. Sometimes the most meaningful things we have done in our life are unseen and unknown to us. Maybe it was a kind word that we said that eventually led someone to Christ; a dollar given that bailed someone out of trouble for the last time or a faithful prayer that resulted in a major movement of God or physical healing. [I have heard it said that God has hidden our glory from us so that we won't get too proud.] We won't know our true significance in this world until heaven. So even though on various scorecards of success it may appear at particular moments we are winning or losing, God knows the real score. So are you becoming more like Christ this week? This year? It's your choice.

The size of the task is never bigger than God

2006-02-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

I am really in awe the size of the assignments some people face.
When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3) and told him to tell Pharaoh, "let my people go," the task that Moses faced was huge. Here was Moses, a virtual nobody living in the middle of the desert, who lived by tending sheep. And God gave Moses the task of talking to the most powerful man in the known world at that time, and to step up and tell him to give away his greatest resources. (Human slaves) Much like someone today telling President Bush to quit using oil in his nation... today! The task was so big, so outrageous, so unbelievably impossible, that it would never work...it could never work. Why would Moses even try it?

I am amazed that Moses ever took the first step toward Egypt. Even with a magic staff and his buddy Aaron to speak for him, Moses had to be petrified. He was still very human, with all of our flaws and roller-coaster faith experiences. But there he went, back to the place he'd grown up in. Back to the city he'd last seen in his rearview mirror as he fled for his life. Back to the palace where he was raised. And on the way, God added a few more pounds to the weight he was carrying.

21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'" Ex 4:21-23 (NIV)

As if the job wasn't difficult enough already. Now Moses has to walk in, ask the Pharoah for all his human resources, and then tell him that his son would die after he said "no." Are you tracking with me? The size of this task was so big and nasty and dangerous. But it was still God's will for Moses.

I have heard it said that the safest place in the world to be is the center of God's will. Tell that one to Moses and he would laugh you out of his office. Was it safe to be Moses at this time? Heck No! At least not in human thinking. But Moses didn't opt for safe...he opted for a God-sized adventure where the outcome was only as big as Moses' faith. What a way to live!! Following only the voice of God with only his guarantee of "I will be with you." I don't want a safe Christianity. I want the Moses kind of faith to infect every decision I make. I want to do things that will only succeed if God gets involved.

Living with MORE margin

2006-01-31T07:59:00.000-08:00

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Eccl. 3:1 I am beginning to understand the meaning of this verse. Since I live in the US, I have been immersed in the idea that the time is now for anything and everything. If someone else is succesful in some way, then I need to model their life successes, no matter how well it fits into mine without questioning if I even have the time to attempt it. Then, if I am successful, at least in somebody else's eyes, I must keep pushing things in that area, whether or not it is the right season or whether or not it would be the emotionally healthy thing to do. We are good at teaching people to become human doings. We reward people on how well they do things. But we are not good in the US at teaching people to just be human beings. WE need to learn that for everything there is a season. A farmer knows that the land needs a bit of rest after harvest. You don't plant and harvest on the same day, and you don't consistently plant the same field with the same crop every year. The soil needs margin. Dr. Richard Swenson writes that "margin is the space between our load and our limits." When we lack margin in our lives, we begin to suffer overload and burnout. We feel inner pain that's hard to understand. We just know that things are not functioning as they should. We enter negative margin when we have more things to do than time to do it...or more things to do than energy to do it well. Swenson writes that we can only live a godly life if we have room in our days for others. "God's asking us to walk the second mile, to carry others' burdens, to witness to the Truth at any opportunity, and to teach our children when we sit, walk, lie and stand all presuppose we have margin, and that we make it available for his purposes. Obedience to these commands is often not schedulable." [To read more get his book called "Margin."] Time to make room for life in your life. Join me in finding what season you are in, and asking God to show you what to do next.

When things are dry, you start to notice the rain

2006-01-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

It has been over 110 days since we've had significant rain in Tulsa. All around us, the ground is cracking, the dust is flying, and grassfires are sparked as easily as a fight breaks out in church about what color carpet belongs in the fellowship hall.

Usually, a sunny day is what you want out of life. But too many sunny days all in a row is really too much. We call it a drought if you have too many sunny days and no rain. And Oklahoma is facing a drought. Isn't that strange? Sunshine is good...but only in moderation. What if God is trying to tell us something about life by the way our world needs rain as well as sunshine?

Think about the times when it's easiest to forget about God. Let me give you a clue. We all usually forget about God when we have had a season of perpetual sunny days. It's always true in my life. When things are going great, I give God a wave of thanks and I keep moving. I seem to speed right past him and forget to stop and listen as long as I should. And that is a big invitation for spiritual drought to set in. Spiritual drought is not caused by good things in life, but by forgetting about God. And too much sunshine is not always best for us...as it can give you soul-cancer.

So in the sunshine of life, remember that sunny days are a blessing from God. And a string of good times all in a row is even better. But every one of us need the rain. Times of trouble actually force us to look to someone bigger than ourselves to get us out. And times of rain give God a chance to prove himself to us. Rain helps us walk by faith and not by sight.

Now we shouldn't run and look for trouble, but we should live with a quiet confidence that when trouble does come into our lives, God will use it as a source of life. So then you can know that no matter what the conditions are outside, you can be steady on the inside.

Obviously taken to extremes, too much rain is bad for our soul as well. When we are brutally burdened by our fallen world for long passages of time, despair can ruin us just as well as comfort. The key in all seasons is confidence in our maker who loves us dearly, no matter what the atmospheric conditions may be.

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jer 17:7-8 (NIV)

On Breaking the mold

2006-01-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

Paul said in Romans 12:2 that we should not conform to the world's pattern but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This is really a tough one because we live in the world of concrete reality; a world with a pattern. We see the pattern via media and at work and at school. Most of us are like fish are headed down stream with the current of culture. We are surrounded by what is seen and what is needed and what is urgent. And most of us don't have the moment by moment instincts to look inside and ask, "Why am I doing this particular thing, good or bad?" We just try to stay in the stream, up with the Jones' fish. And then we just deal with consequences. If we want to do something, even if we are too busy, we add it to our schedule. If we want to buy something, most buy it, and pay (hopefully) later.

So any particular choice, to be a godly one, isn't made in the current current, if you catch my drift. The choice must be made outside the current of culture and in the current of the Spirit. The truth is, God's Spirit is usually moving in the exact opposite direction of culture. For instance, our culture tells us to spend more to have more, then you will be happy. God's current moves in a way that shows you that you must give more and only then will you truly be happy. So the way to renew your mind is to check which stream you are running in. Are you living a life in the flow of this world? Or in flow with the Spirit? Check your motives to be sure. What goal are you pursuing? The image of Christ reproduced in your life, or the picture of the good life conveyed by our culture. You do have a choice. And it will take a fish with backbone to swim upstream.

Discipleship Discussion

2005-09-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks, I want to get your input. I have directed you to this blog to give me your preference about learning how to disciple one other person. I have a little packet called Basic Bible studies. It let's individuals complete a little daily Bible reading and fill in the blank so that when you meet with somebody, you would have a place to start. What are your thoughts? Would some of you like to just have the packet and a name? Others, training? Are you even still interested? Remember, this is a low stress opportunity to share a meal, or even email with someone to discuss spiritual stuff. This isn't brain surgery. You are just being willing to share what you know, and what God has done for you. Let's talk this through this week. Check back to see what others have to say.

Officially not blogging for a while

2005-07-07T09:23:00.001-07:00

Hey folks, just a note to let you know I am turning my writing energy toward a book so I won't be blogging for a while. God is good. Brett

On a writing vacation, but coming back soon

2005-05-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been while since I had any thoughts worth posting. But I feel the winds of change coming next week. Check back after I've enjoyed the beach for one more day.

Leaders that live under the radar

2005-05-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

As a pastor, it is my privilege to lead a great bunch of people in pursuing God's purpose for their lives and God's purpose for our community of faith. I am moved by the level of commitment that many make to ensure that our church functions like it should. In Acts, Luke gives us a brief list of men who helped Paul minister as a missionary. Without these men, Paul's ministry may not have happened and certainly would not have been as succesful as it was.

Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; Aristarchus and Secundus, from Thessalonica; Gaius, from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus, who were from the province of Asia. 5 They went ahead and waited for us at Troas. Acts 20:4-5 (NLT)

Now it's interesting to note that these men had a lot of different cities of origin. But the one thing that united them was their love for God. We don't know much about them really. [Except for Timothy which Paul addresses in another letter.] There was no band playing when they came to town, no billboards announcing their presence. They were just normal guys doing their best to serve God. They were leaders in the church that spent most of their lives in anonimity, just loving who God sent them to love.

And that's pretty much the way most of us will live our Christian lives. Most will never publish a book or preach a sermon. Most of us will never do anything for Christ that gets our name in the paper or our face on the evening news. No, for most of us, our service of Christ will go unnoticed by nearly everyone on the planet. But the cool thing to remember is that God notices. He sees every good deed you have ever done. And the Bible is clear that "he is a rewarder of those who seek him." Man's applause may or may not be there when you do something noble. But God always notices and applauds and rewards a life given away for his sake.

Worth looking into

2005-05-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

What if it's true? That's a question I like to ask that really freaks out atheists and unbelievers. Even if they come back with a cute retort, it sticks with them. What if it's true???? Then what do I do? They either keep deceiving themselves and go on or maybe God will use it to stir them to investigate their faith. Nearly every atheist is an intellectual sloth when it comes to investigating the truth found in the Bible. All they know how to do is to attack a belief in Christ. But they don't know how to defend their own beliefs in "no God." So that's why it's hard to reason from scripture with an atheist. He isn't brave enough to debate you with facts, all he's got is name calling and cynicism. I still like to ask them the question.

Every once in a while, you will run into somebody who is truly hungry for spiritual information. They are on a quest to find God. I love this scripture:

[Paul and Silas] went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
Acts 17:10-12 (NIV)

I like the bereans because they actually checked God's word and examined what Paul was saying. The Jews that killed Jesus never did. They weren't willing to let God change their preconceptions about the Messiah. But the bereans were. The gobbled up the good news and saw that it was true. Their devotion to God's word made it easy for them to hear the Spirit speaking to them once the word was revealed to them in the flesh, in Christ. Do you take the time to be like the noble bereans, or do you just allow everyone to tell you what to believe?

Ways that God guides

2005-04-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

Roadblocks to our goals in life are rarely welcome sights. We set our life to go a particular direction and hope that all goes well. But in the God-life, obstacles in our path are sometimes there because God put them there. God shows us how he guides in this brief narrative about how Paul and Silas ended up in Macedonia.
When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:7-10 (NIV)
Paul and Silas were doing God's work by spreading the gospel. They had their head down and were walking against the wind of culture. They wanted to save the lost, and trusted that God would guide them and protect them. [Which HE did] They didn't have to consult a ministry professional to discern God's will. It was clear to them. Jesus had said to "go into all the world and make disciples." [It's God's will for us to do the same today...all of us] But in the going out, God's Spirit put up a stop sign. I don't know if their car broke down, the donkey got tired or what... maybe it was just a general bad feeling, but in some way, God stopped them from going to Bythnia.
When many people encounter obstacles when they try to do something for God, they just stop. They quit, not feeling qualified, or maybe get too busy doing something else. Paul didn't quit but kept moving forward, and the next night got God's direction more clearly.
He had a vision of a man. Notice God didn't use a city wall, because to God, one man is worth going a long way to reach. And that's what continues to motivate me today. A vision of a man, watching TV, oblivious to the fact that he is missing God's best. Hooked on materialism and aquisition, he thinks he's living the good life, but he's addicted to something that won't satisfy. He desperately needs to see Jesus and hear about him. He needs the veil of self deception to be removed so that he can enjoy eternal life now.
God's vision for the world is always about people experiencing His love. How can you share that love with someone today? Have you let God interrupt your plans recently for His better plan?

The evidence of a heart filled with the Holy Spirit

2005-04-26T18:33:00.001-07:00

After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Acts 15:7-9 (NIV)

Wow, these verses are full of truth. But let me just give you one. The setting is Jerusalem and the players are Jewish Christian leaders, led by Peter, who are meeting to discuss whether or not to share the good news with gentiles. [us non-jews] Peter ends the discussion by saying that we can't exclude gentiles any longer because they have the Holy Spirit, just like us.

Now there is much debate on who are the people who have and don't have the Holy Spirit. Peter says in verse 9 the evidence is clear. "He [the Holy Spirit] purified their hearts by faith." Now why didn't he mention the other evidences that others stress in some religious groups? Noone can be sure. But it appears that in Peter's mind, the most important evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit is a PURE HEART. Many religious groups say this is impossible. That once you are a Christian, you rely only on God's grace, and you are always going to be a filthy sinner as long as you walk this earth. But think about it. We say we should invite Jesus into our hearts. Don't you think that He likes a clean house once He moves in?

I believe Christians can and should have pure hearts. People with pure hearts have pure motives at their core. They are the true worshippers. [Not necessarily the ones that put on the best show] Now that doesn't always translate to perfectly pure actions, but the pure hearted people have it in mind to please God first. Kierkegaard wrote that purity of heart means "to will one thing: the good." Secondly, notice how these folks received the Holy Spirit. They got Him by faith.

We desperately need pure hearted people in our culture. People willing to serve and love even when inconvenienced. People with a different set of values that they are willing to live by. These are the true salt and light.

Lame man gone wild

2005-04-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. Acts 14:8-10 (NIV)

I like this story a lot. I have never been lame, but I have had some serious pain issues that were intense for many months. I remember the day the pain started to go away. It was a very good moment...and I praised God for a long time. But I have never been lame. Can you even imagine the joy of finding the ability to walk when you'd never done it before? Never even dreamed it could happen? Never having to be carted around and cared for by others as before. IN the ancient world, they didn't have any disabled persons lobbyists' making sure the curb cuts made room for the wheelchairs on the sidewalks. They didn't have red cross, or welfare. The only way a lame man could make it was by the grace of others caring for him. AND NOW ALL OF THAT WAS DONE!! HE WAS WALKING!! PRAISE GOD.

As I type this, I am crying for him. I don't know why, because the lame guy's long dead. But I am so hungry to see this in my time. I have seen spiritually dead people come back to life and follow Jesus. Don't get me wrong, salvation of a human soul is always the greatest miracle. But I want to see more. I want to see people hopping out of wheelchairs. I want to see blind people seeing and deaf people hearing. I find myself weary of religion today. I am tired of any man made show where we try to crank up the crowd to give a "yahoo" to Jesus. I want to see the hand of God move in such an unmistakeable way that everybody knows that God is GOD! Nobody has to pull anybody's string to get them to worship. People will just respond.

But I wonder if we saw this kind of miracles in our church if it would really matter. Would football, soccer, and baseball still be better options than worshipping with God's people? Would the lake and the tummy ache keep us from missing our time with God? Would our love for sleep on Sundays still trump our commitment to God? This miracle happened while hearing God's word being preached in person. What miracles have you let pass you by while attending to things that will never matter in eternity?

A more specific calling

2005-04-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work I have for them." 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. Acts 13:1-3 (NLT)

Sometimes it's good to get confirmation of what God wants from people with skin on. For Barnabas and Saul, they got a word from God from their friends. These were godly men to hang out with, and when God said for them to send the 2, they did it after additional prayer. So look at this with me a little closer.

First, they spoke what they heard God saying. It's always a good thing to speak what you hear from God. The Bible has a word for this, and it's called prophecy. Many people think of biblical prophecy as fortune-telling of a sort. But to prophesy is to "speak forth" the word of God. Sometimes there will be an element of what's coming in the future, but mostly it's about what God wants to say about now.

Secondly, they prayed to make sure they heard God right. God will always confirm His will. And in this group setting, it appears that they all had a peace abou this word from God before commissioning these 2 new missionaries.

Third, these 2 guys WENT! Paul and Barnabas just left all they knew in response to God. They were literally living every day at the whim and mercy of God. And let me tell you a secret. This is the abundant life Jesus was talking about. A life not so full of goodies that we forget our creator. No, abundant life is being able to fully trust Jesus for a life where he provides as He guides. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? IF GOD HAS SENT YOU AND CONFIRMED IT, THEN GO DO WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO!

When Jesus calls your name

2005-04-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in a noisy crowd and somebody yelled out your name? And you turn around to notice that somebody else shares your name and they didn't want you after all? But when Jesus calls your name, there's no doubt who he's talking to. He's calling your name because he has something for you to do. Look at Saul's story.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Acts 9:3-6 (NIV)

3 things to note here. 1. First, God will interrupt you when he wants to. Saul was on his way to persecute Christians, but Jesus changed his mind. Many people think they have sinned too much and that God doesn't love them enough to even think about them. This verse proves that Jesus loves the worst of sinners [even religious ones] and has a better plan for their lives.

2. Second, I see Jesus is active in shaping human history. He is not a faraway God that just wound up the universe and let it spin out of control. He frequently enters our time and prepares particular people to do unbelievable things. At different points in your life, Jesus will speak clearly to you and ask you to complete tasks you were designed to complete. Saul was a capable evangelist. He knew the Old Testament well, which he would need to know and he fought for what he believed. [even though he was wrong.] God used both these qualities to spread the good news through Saul.

3. Third, I see here that absolute obedience is still a prerequisite to being used by Christ. If Jesus has asked you to do something in particular, don't just do part of what he asks. Be totally obedient. If you will obey fully, then you can be used fully. (v. 6)

What is God calling you to do for him? Are you willing to go wherever he leads?

When people don't want to listen

2005-04-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

As a pastor, I am often confused by the apathy of good people when it comes to actually making needed changes in their lives. They hear the word of God, then they go on their way in life and decide to live contrary to it. Then after they hear the truth a few more times, and fail to respond, a hard place in their hearts begin to form. And once hardness sets in, it get's really tough to want to listen to God at all.

Acts 7 gives us one of the most dramatic scenes in the Bible, in detail. A man named Stephen appears before the jewish leadership and is asked to defend himself against false accusations. But instead, Stephen tells the story of the Jewish race, leading right up to the death of Christ, and they can't bear to hear the truth anymore, so they try to silence the truth. Look at what they did.

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, [Stephen] 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Acts 7:57-59 (NIV)

Man, this gets played out everyday in popular culture. People who can no longer debate the truth of the changes made by Jesus Christ are left only to throw rocks and call names. If you follow Jesus and believe the Bible is God's word, you are labeled, "narrow-minded, homophobic, hater, or behind the times." Those who have hardened their hearts can only throw rocks. Their arguments don't carry any weight, so they resort to put-downs. But the curious thing I see here is found in verse 58. Saul was at this ball game, and was a willing participant. But Jesus would get through to him and change his heart in an instant and he would go on to become Paul, writer of most of the New Testament. Sometimes people will not want to hear what you have to say about Jesus. To hear it and act would mean too much sacrifice for them. Keep loving them. You don't know what God may have planned. It may just shock the world.

Many hands = many more blessings

2005-04-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

"It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." Acts 6:2-4 (NIV)

This word was issued by the apostles so that the church could continue to grow. All around the world many churches are stunted in their God-potential to grow by a lack of leadership that is willing to do their part, and use their gifts for the glory of God. In many places the pastor is asked to wear all the hats from janitor to counselor to hospital caregiver to prayer leader to preacher. [Thankfully, I serve in a church where many share in the ministry burden] The Apostles were serving food, which took them away from God's purpose which was prayer and preaching. But God wanted somebody else to serve food and give him glory through their service. Now instead of just 12 receiving the blessing of servanthood, others would as well.

And one of the points that I need to make here is that the Bible says "it's more blessed to give than to receive." Don't ever forget that service to God is much more rewarding than chasing money or pleasure or self-gratification. God opened up a way for these folks to be even more blessed by giving their lives away. I pray that you will find the place where God has called you to serve. It will be the most rewarding experience of your life.

Boiling Point

2005-04-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

In science class, I learned that the boiling point of water was 212 degrees f. At that point, you know that the calm warming water/combined with macaroni of course, will spill over out of your pan onto the stovetop. It's a natural law. Boiling water expands and gets bigger and spills over.

That's the way it is when we live a life drenched and filled with God's Spirit. If we are filled, then we spill his Spirit onto others in love and kind words. If we are empty, however, no matter how hard we try, the message of Jesus just never gets out.

Consider Peter and John in Acts 4. They are taken in by the religious authorities and told not to speak anymore about Jesus. Here was their response: But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:19-20 (NIV)

I like those words, "I can't help it." [It never worked with my mom, but there are some times that we can't help ourselves.] Peter and John were changed by Jesus. They had to tell people about his love and about his healing power. No man could deter them. God's Spirit gave them a fearlessness that they previously did not have. Remember, this is the same Peter who denied knowing Jesus just a few months previous.

I pray that your spiritual journey will reach the point where you "cannot help speaking about what we have seen our heard."

Where are the refreshments?

2005-04-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

When I was little, if there was a party to go to, I looked for one thing: the refreshments. I had to make sure that the cake and ice cream were up to par. And today, I still like refreshments. Not only sweets, but in life. But in life, refreshments come from a different source.

19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.Acts 3:19 (NIV)

So what's the problem, you may say?
We all agree that it's good to tell the truth. Inside we know that lying to others is wrong, and we also know that one of the 10 commandments addresses it specifically. Lying is a no-no all the way around.

But one thing we allow into our life that shouldn't be is that we lie to ourself. Oh man, is this a killer. Self-deception has been turned into an art-form by many. And we are all susceptible. I heard a story of a man who had an affair after 20 years of marriage. He said he finally had to get out and pursue a relationship that would make him happy. So happy in his case meant new. Somehow he allowed himself to believe that the only way he could be happy was in a new family, with a new person, while in the process, he damaged or destroyed 2 existing families and many futures. A rational person can see the lie he is believing. But he can't.

Many an alcoholic when confronted will say, "I don't have a problem here." They think they are the exception to the rule when everybody who knows them tells them differently. They are believing the lie that 5-10 drinks a day is somehow normal. They would kill for their belief in this lie...(and many have by driving under the influence)

Many people on American Idol, [and in church sometimes] feel like they can really sing well. Other can see the painful truth that they are deceiving themselves. [and causing pain to others]

So what's the answer to self deception? The Bible word is called "repentance." Repent literally means "to change your mind." If you change your mind, your behavior will follow. Look back at that verse again.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19 (NIV)

Pause, and take a look at your life right now, ask God to show you where you are lying to yourself. When you see it, confess it, and you will bless yourself and others. And then it's time for refreshments.

The Church's birthday

2005-04-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I didn't blog, but I couldn't miss out on one of the most important chapters in the Bible. So let's look at the day the church was born. This is a little longer because of the importance of these verses and the disputes that have caused division.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)

Let's do a verse by verse look at what's going on here. 1. Jesus has sent them to Jerusalem to wait to receive the Holy Spirit and they are together. 2. Then the wind noise starts. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is ruach. [which means breath or wind.] So the Spirit announces his arrival with quite a shaking event. 3. The fire [possibly representing passion for the gospel and purity] sits over their head, a pretty weird sight. Another verse in the Bible says "Our God is a consuming fire," so this may have passed through their minds. Remember, all of this is a description coming from an eyewitness trying to tell us what he saw. 4. All of them were filled by this Spirit and they began to miraculously speak in other languages that they didn't even know to begin with.

OK, this was quite a disturbance, (v. 5) and the noise from the wind sparked the city to find out what was up. Many foreigners heard these people praising God in their native tongues. They knew that a miracle had happened because these fishermen were from Galillee, not familiar with these faraway languages, and yet here they were praising God. Then Peter preaches his first Holy Spirit inspired sermon.

So in verse 4, we have a tremendous event to reveal the birthday of the church. God would no longer just inhabit the temple, he would now live in the heart of any man/woman willing to receive him by faith. This verse is interpreted by many groups very differently. Some pentecostal/charismatic groups take this verse as the normative and only way a believer can be baptized in the Holy Spirit. They would say that speaking in tongues is still the only "initial evidence" that you have been baptized in the Spirit. And that if you don't speak in tongues, you didn't receive the Spirit. [There are 2 other occurences in Acts where some were received the spirit and spoke in other languages, and another that records no such phenomena.] Other groups say that this was only the birthday of the church, that Spirit baptism happened just that once, and now all we need to do is get saved, and when we get saved, we get all of the Spirit, one blessing only. [minus the speaking in tongues.]

For a number of reasons I would disagree with both, and don't have time to debate it all. [This verse is why there are so many denominations and non-denoms.] Here's my take. When you are saved, you get all of God, but he doesn't get all of you. Many times we ask Jesus in our heart for fire insurance. We don't want to go to Hell and he provides a way out. [A good idea]

But after walking with Jesus for a while, you may notice you still want to do a lot of the bad stuff he saved you from. At this point, you may come to God, offer yourself to him completely, and be baptized in His Spirit, just as they did in Jerusalem, and allow him to cleanse all of your heart, so that you are now all God's property. [See http://www.nazarene.org/gensec/we_believe.html article X, for in depth theological detail.]

Before spirit baptism, just like Peter, you may have been afraid to speak for God and even willing to deny him. But after you are cleansed through spirit baptism, your heart's desire is to please God first. You now wholly belong to him. Your will is to do God's will. The baptism is instantly received by faith. But the process of becoming Christlike in character is a lifelong work of the Holy Spirit. None of us are sin-less. But if our hearts are made pure by the Holy Spirit, and we walk in the power of the Spirit, he rules our heart, our heart is made good and we don't have to sin. Although if we do sin, we still confess receive forgiveness, and move on. Peter in Chapter 15 tries to describe this purifying work of the Spirit. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Acts 15:8-9 (NIV)
Hearts made pure by faith and emboldened to proclaim the good news seems to me to be the purpose of this second work. I hope you will come to God and receive this gift that he wants to give to you. Just ask for it, and believe that you have received it, and it is yours.

Blogging through ACTS

2005-04-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

When I was little, I used to think that the book of Acts in the Bible was spelled Axe. It sounded like it anyway and I had a vision of God standing there with his big axe in his big hand ready to cut something down, like Paul Bunyan or something. Just like that hymn we used to sing "Lead on O King Eternal" I used to hear "lead on O Kinky Turtle."

So what is Acts anyway? Well, it is a book written by Dr. Luke, that is aimed at people like us. It helps us understand how the church got started and how the risen Christ comes via his Spirit to empower this church and every believer to spread the good news to all the world that Jesus is Lord. In the first chapter of Acts, we begin by seeing a picture of the Apostles with Jesus, and he is speaking his famous last words. These last words were powerful enough to launch a movement. Think about the wisdom of saving the best for last. I mean, all of us are wired to remember our last contact with people and this was no different. Jesus wanted his guys to remember these last words above the others.

6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:6-8 (NIV)

Quickly, let's summarize. Jesus is leaving earth and the disciples want to know when he's coming back...a good question in my mind. Jesus doesn't directly answer it, but instead gives them another set of instructions. So what is the power for? To be witnesses. Where? He said, start here, right where you live, go all over the state (Judea), go to the people you don't like (Samaria), and go to all the world. After he said this, Jesus disappeared for good! Wow. I wonder how long they stood around looking for him to fly right back? Probably hours. But he still hasn't come back. It's been nearly 2000 years. But his message for us is the same as them. He wants us to receive the power that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit so that I can tell the world about the good news of Jesus. Have you been filled with the Spirit of Christ? When you become a Christian, you get all of God 100%. But most times he doesn't get all of you. Will you give him your whole being and let him fill every part? If you will, you will never regret it! He will purify you and give you power to pray and dream new dreams for him. If you want to be filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit, all you have to do is ask God, and receive him in faith.

The power of God, now

2005-03-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Prov 30:5 (NIV)

Not much commentary is needed here, but Wisdom is found in God's word and so is his power. We all need a shield from the evil in this world because we tend to believe lies that make us feel good. The trick is to get his word inside of you so that when lies come, you can recognize them and speak the word and receive God's refuge.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 7 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph 6:16-17 (NIV)

When being "nice" isn't nice

2005-03-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

It's fun to build people up and encourage them, isn't it? We all like the look we get from somebody that we've just made to feel good. Being nice is rewarding. But from time to time all of us have been less than forthcoming when speaking of anothers' strengths. In fact, you can go way over the top and really bend the truth in trying to be nice. Consider these 2 possible complements: "hey, that was a great speech," you may say, or when piling it on could say"that was the most moving experience of my life." Which is it? Well, the first we could call honest appreciation and the second is more like manipulative flattery.

To flatter people is to lay a trap for their feet. Prov 29:5 (NLT)

Flattery is a complement that is given to gain an advantage or win the heart of the other person. It is really a dishonest attempt at winning a friend but ultimately does more harm than good. But why can't we just be nice and stretch the truth a little? Well, because if people act on your flattery, they are acting on a lie and believing in a mirage. Flattery is one case where being nice, isn't being nice.

It wasn't me, honest

2005-03-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

OK, when raising kids under the age of 5, you understand that telling the truth doesn't always come naturally. Young kids understand one thing: pain avoidance. And if telling a flat-out lie will keep them from discipline, then they are all over it. [Sadly, as are most adults] Usually around 5 is when a childrens' consciences begin to tenderize and develop. Sometimes you can just look at a child and know they've done something wrong. The guilt is written on their face. If kids grow up and continue the pattern of lying, as adults they will have a tough time in life. In fact, they can become world-class liars and lie whenever the truth would actually serve them better. After living this way for a while, these folks become what an old boxer would describe as being "punchy." [Meaning they flinch way too easily and think they are being attacked when they aren't] This kind of life is no fun, and ultimately paranoia sets in. I have talked with many people who really think the world is out to get them. Liste to this proverb.

1 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. Prov 28:1 (NLT)

So what's the answer if you've been caught in web of deceit? Listen to these great words.

13 People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy. 14 Blessed are those who have a tender conscience, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble. Prov 28:13-14 (NLT)

So as you finish reading, ask God to probe your mind for self deception. IF He brings it to light, confess it and make it right if anybody else needs to know.

Make 'em pay

2005-03-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, 18 or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. Prov 24:17-18 (NIV)

OK, I read this and think, "come 'on God, can't we have a little fun at the expense of others? I mean, they hurt me and now they are finally getting what they deserve!!"

We all have a little need for the feeling of revenge, don't we? You plan for it, you see pain coming to your enemy, then you hide and wait for everything to blow up on them. And then it does. You inwardly feel superior and outwardly may even stick out your chest. Vindication! Justice! We win...ha ha ha! But that feeling doesn't satisfy. Even when they have paid their penalty, the urge is that "hey, they need to suffer a little longer. After all, I have chewed on this pain for years...they need to pay more." Then you may even plot further justice and dig another pit for your enemy to fall in again.

I have seen this kill many a marriage on the mend and many lifelong friendships. Party A gets hurt, plans for vengeance and gets it and likes it, party B is repentant and they agree to try to fix things. But party A still has a problem. They have trusted in vengeance and not trusted God. They rejoiced when B stumbled but didn't leave room for God to do His work of grace in their own heart.
This verse if very clear that gloating doesn't work for very long. Jesus made this verse clearer in the New Testament when he said, "Love your enemies...pray for those who persecute you." As your love increases for your enemies, you would never think of paying them back what they deserve. You love them too much to see them suffer even a little bit. Wow! What would our world look like if we truly loved people like that? Anger and resentment would disappear over night!

Flying Benjamins

2005-03-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Prov 23:4-5 (NIV)

These verses don't need much commentary because as we read them, our head instinctively begins to nod. Remember the money you spent on your first car? Of course you don't remember it. You and those Benjamin's parted ways years ago. They flew quickly from your wallet never to return. What about the boat you purchased? You know what they call a boat, don't you? A hole in the water that you throw money into. Or you name the impulse purchase of that "must have" item. It was here today, but it flew like hotcakes into the bargain bin at Goodwill. Riches don't last for long. So restrain yourself from chasing them. If you do, you will get to the end of your life and your family will thank you for choosing them over the buck and they will be blessed as a result.

Amen!

Promises or Proverbs?

2005-03-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

To help you in your journey, I hope to clear up a misconception about the book of Proverbs and help you interpret it correctly. When you interpret the Bible, you take a look at the type of literature you are reading. In brief, there are letters, like the ones Paul penned in the New Testament, gospels, law, prophetic writings, historical narrative and wisdom literature. Proverbs falls under the category of wisdom literature and is written in a poetic style.

So here's our challenge as we interpret the Bible. Are all Proverbs promises from God, or not? The answer is no, they are not written as promises, but more likely "probabilities." The Proverbs were inspired by God and written by people who observed humanity. But what you will notice is that every once in a while you will read a Proverb and say "Yes...but." In other words, you agree in principle, but you know of an exception to that rule. The perfect example of this is found in this verse. 6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Prov 22:6 (NIV) I have been around long enough to know that this is true, MOST of the time, but not all. Some kids never do learn and do truly die without returning to the training of their parents. Many times, if a child was trained by loving and godly parents, their faith usually catches on. But if he was trained by hypocritical, unloving Bible thumpers, he may have caught what was walked not what was talked.

Now many of you may want to quit reading right now. I am making things a little too ambiguous for you. You want black and white, and I'm serving a shade of gray. This is where understanding the type of literature you are reading can help you in applying God's word to your life. Remember, Proverbs are probabilities: exceptions do occur. But don't bet the farm on it. In Vegas, the saying is "The House always wins." Some people can beat the system for a time...but in the long run they always lose. That's what life is like when you don't live according to Proverbs. You may slip by and look like you are ahead for a while, but one day you will lose. So keep that in mind as you read these great words from God.

It's MINE!!

2005-03-21T11:07:00.000-08:00

As a father of 3 girls, I get to hand out a lot of lessons on sharing. It seems that one of the first words that children, especially toddlers, get mastery over is using the word "MINE!!" If somebody approaches, comes within 6 feet of, even sneaks up on, one of these young persons possessions, the word comes spewing forth from the mouth as easy as hot lava from a volcano. The eruption of that word has sparked much violence in many homes over 1000's of years. MINE. [As in not yours and if you don't let go of it, I will bite something so that you do.] See, we grow up with an attachment to our stuff. Letting go of our stuff has never been easy.

Then as we grow up, we learn that it's virtuous to share. Our hearts get moved by human need and we begin to learn the joy of giving. But still for some...it's still pretty tough to share. Especially when sharing may mean sharing with people who should really "get a job!" OK, so how do you deal with the needs of others as an adult? After all, all humans are our relatives. We all came from the same Adam and Eve...so technically, everybody's family, right?

13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. Prov 21:13 (NIV)

OK, that's one that you probably don't want to hear on a Monday is it? But it's still the truth whether you want it or not. So my challenge is the same as yours. I need to be ready to share my stuff and my time and money with those in need. Otherwise, when I need help...my cries will fall on deaf ears.

Perfecting your follow through

2005-03-19T07:17:00.000-08:00

When you golf, play tennis, or shoot a basketball, a good teacher will tell you to "follow through." It's not enough just to take a good whack at a golf ball, after you whack it, your club should be in the right place...which is one of my problems among many in golf...I have a poor follow through. But in life, it's can be deadly not to have a good follow through. Proverbs has this to tell us: Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Prov 19:20 (NIV)

Ok, now since I'm a pastor I get to hand out a lot of advice. With God's help, I think I've been able to help people spot some negative trends and help them see what to do. But here's the problem. A lot of people will ask you for good advice, but not many really want to follow it. A lot of folks ask you why they shouldn't do what they know they shouldn't do...then they go right ahead and do it and then wonder how they got into trouble again. [The Bible would call this person a fool.] So this scripture has real meaning. IF you listen to wise counsel, and do what is suggested, in the end, you too will be wise.

So if you are tempted to do something unwise, and all your friends and relatives are telling you not to go that way...advice is only good if you use it!

"Comeonandget happy" -David Cassidy and the Partridge Family

2005-03-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

Growing up I was a fan of the Partridge Family. Shirley, Keith, Laurie and Danny were really a loveable bunch. [As were the other brother and sister who never go much air time.] They had a happy bus, a happy manager named Reuben, bad rhythm with good music [weird how the drummer and the music track never seemed to match up, pre Ashlee Simpson, and nobody had a problem with it.] and everything seemed to work out for them in 22 minute chunks. Every week, they ended up happy. Now we all know life isn't like this. But you do have a choice in how you process what happens to you. So GET HAPPY!! A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Prov 17:22 (NIV)

One way to get happy is to...I know I won't make any friends here...is to exercise. There, I said the E word. [no mean comments please] Exercise produces endorphins [happy brain chemicals] and helps you have a cheerful heart. Yesterday, I spoke to a friend that is a therapist and he said he has never met someone that is hospitalized with depression that was actively exercising. Hmm... something to think about if you have a tendency to get down and stay down. Don't let your spirit be crushed. Get up off that fluffy couch and get happy!!

Thinking your way into trouble...

2005-03-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Prov. 16:2

Here's some famous last words.
Who Me? I can handle it. I would never have an affair. I am not addicted. I am not like those other people who are weak...speak the words of so many headed to rewrite the all too familiar crash and burn stories that we see played out everyday in the media and in our homes.

We have self deception down to an art form. "Nobody will ever know... One time won't hurt...I can quit anytime."

OK, now as you read this scripture out loud, prepare for the audience to groan. We are all so good at lying to ourselves and reading purity into impure motives. I just got news of another friend who slipped into infidelity after decades of a good marriage. He was the one castigating others for doing the same thing he's now stuck in. How did it happen? One unwise decision at a time. Probably a chance conversation, where he felt a little tinge of attraction. The wise decision would have been to end the conversation and never return to it...but he probably wasn't asking the Best Question Ever... [is this the wise thing to do] Instead, he probably asked, "is there anything wrong with talking to another woman?" Now, on the surface of that first conversation, both parties could have said, "hey we've done nothing wrong." And they would be right. But their unwise talks progressed, and now has ended where it always does left unchecked. He fell because he lied to himself and asked the wrong questions.

Now look again at that scripture. 2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. 3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Prov 16:2-3 (NIV)

Quit fooling yourself and asking the wrong questions. It will only lead you down an unsuccessful path.

Soft Landing

2005-03-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Have you seen those commercials that advertise the "miracle memory-foam" mattresses? On one end of the mattress, they set a glass full of juice on the other end, a lady is jumping up and down on the mattress. The miracle is while she is hopping up and down, the juice never spills. I think I would like that kind of mattress.
But then I thought of this word picture from Proverbs. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger. Prov 15:1 (NLT) Now this is one of those no-brainer Proverbs. We know it's true everytime, but we have a hard time putting it into action. Because when people talk in a certain tone, we tend to mirror it. If they are mad, we get mad. If they talk loud, we tend to want to talk louder. But what if we became "memory foam" kind of people? It is possible you know. When people are hopping mad, you don't have to spill over and react in anger. You still have a choice. So remain calm, and learn to choose your words carefully. If you do, everybody will sleep better in the process.

More on "Good Fear"

2005-03-14T15:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a great reminder. 26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. Prov 14:26 (NIV)

I want to look at that word "fortress." When I picture a fortress, I think of a huge castle with high walls and a drawbridge and a moat with 3 foot thick stone walls. When I watched the second movie in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, I got the picture even better. IF you saw it, then you remember the fortress at "Helm's Deep." It was a castle built in the valley of 2 large stony mountains and it was virtually impenetrable. During the massive battle scene in the movie, the evil horde attempted to break through to defeat the good guys and was put off for as long as possible. The evil was very real and the bad guys really bad, and unfortunately, many good guys lost their lives in the fight as the bad guys finally broke through. Even though Helm's Deep looked impenetrable, it was not. It's weakness was exposed.

Now let's get back to our Proverb. Those who fear the Lord have a secure
fortress. [IN CHRIST] Nothing can break through. No evil can get in. God has no weakness and he will never fail us. That is great news, because in our world, we are told to trust in many things as our fortress. Many trust their bank account or 401K to protect them. Others trust their families to give them shelter and their bank of friendships. Some trust in their mental abilities to figure things out and figure they will always be healthy and be able to find the job they want. All of these fortresses will ultimately fail if we don't fear the Lord first. And the good news is that our fear of God will protect our kids. I have lived as a beneficiary of an earthly father who feared God. It has kept me safe when I didn't always make the right choices. And now I pass that on to my family. Which fortress are you living in today? What are you putting your trust in?

The invasiveness of pride

2005-03-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Prov 11:2 (NLT) OK, I think all of us would agree, pride is a very ugly thing in people--namely "other people." This verse comes as a comfort to those who believe themselves to be on the right track, humble and all. We nod our heads, and say "that's right, pride does lead to disgrace." But let's pause a minute to attempt to personalize it. What I mean is I want you to ask yourself this question: Am I too proud? And if you say no is that proof that you really are? (too proud) Hmm. So how does pride come at us and how can we defend ourselves against it? Well, pride seems to hit us in our areas of greatest strength. If you are good at something, you start to exhibit confidence in your ability. Nothing wrong with confidence. Nobody would get off the couch and do anything without a little confidence. But the problem comes when you begin to notice who gets the credit for all the good things you are doing. And when you don't get credit, how yucky you begin to feel. So you seek ways to get credit and inwardly yearn for more stroking of your abilities and aren't satisfied until you get it...which never really satisfies for more than a few minutes anyway. Think about the people who won an Oscar this year. After they got home, put Oscar on the mantle, sat down and lived in the moment, there was the next day. They woke up with Oscar staring at them, but an emptiness. Even if they are pleased with their recognition for a week, I guarantee you it won't last. All the hard work for the applause of others is just a waste of time. And people waste most of their lives living for the approval of others. This is the debilitating, invasive nature of pride. It makes us waste our time and then we take credit for much of what God has done for us as a gift. Humility, on the other hand, recognizes that every good gift comes from God. Our talents, our job openings, and our abilities come from him so he should get the glory. When we seek his glory in life, knowing that we are "but dust," we become wise. And that's the attractive nature of wisdom. It constantly points us back to the source of life, our Father God.

Living without secrets

2005-03-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

9 The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
Prov 10:9 (NIV)

Now, my momma always had a different take on this proverb. She told us growing up that "your sins will find you out." Man was she ever right. All over the news we see pictures of scandal where someone's sins are found out. From the elaborate spending by the CEO of Tyco, to the sins Enron, or Martha Stewart, or Richard Nixon, or Michael Jackson, to Bill Clinton, etc., etc., ... What they forgot was what Proverbs tells us is true. Crooked paths will one day be in the light. So how did we live the right way in regard to the truth?

The answer is simple. IF you don't want your secrets found out, don't do things that make you keep any. In other words, live your life in the light and out in the open. If you sin, acknowledge it to God and be forgiven and quit justifying it. As Jesus said, "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no." Tell the truth in all circumstances as far as you know and walk securely. If only our world would take heed.

29 The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
Prov 10:29 (NIV)

Reactions to constructive criticism

2005-03-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

I don't like the feeling of being rebuked or criticized, even when it's justified...at least at first. A godly rebuke is one of those things that we get that is like going to the principal's office. I remember getting swats in Jr High and how bad they stung. The wood was rightly applied to my backside, and I wasn't happy, but the point got made, and I learned not to behave in a way that gets me swatted. It took some time, but I did learn.
Proverbs says that some people never learn. They get their hand slapped, only to repeat the mistake over and over again. They are chastised and they ridicule the authority figure. They get corrected but instead of listening for the wisdom in the correction, they aim their guns at the corrector.

Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. 8 So don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more. 9 Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more. Prov 9:7-9 (NLT)

So how do you respond when criticism comes your way? Do you get defensive and lash back? Or do you silently consider the comment and look for the truth? We can even learn from our harshest critics. The catch is to consider the source. If they are godly people, their rebuke is likely laced with wisdom. If they do not have the mind of Christ, their comments should carry less weight because they don't fear God and therefore don't have wisdom. So learn from your critics and look for trends. If you seem to have conflict with many different people in the same area, the problem is likely yours to deal with. Pray for God to help you sort out where you can change, and then don't let the accuser wear you out about your faults. Even though you may be flawed, as a Christian, you are still a child of the King! So learn from the rebuke and move on and walk in love.

Wisdom speaks for Herself

2005-03-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

In this chapter, wisdom speaks for herself. I wonder why God made the gender of wisdom female? Is He telling us something here, or did he just have to pick one, and chose the one sure to be offended if not picked?? Hmm, will have to ask God when I see Him about this one. Is it like when they name ships? I don't know. Anyway, what I do know is that this whole chapter is written in such a way that screams to all of us... GET WISDOM! It will make you prosperous, well thought of, it will keep you safe and keep you out of trouble. Wisdom ends her discussion by saying this.

"Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! 35 For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the LORD. 36 But those who miss me have injured themselves. All who hate me love death." Prov 8:34-36 (NLT)

GET WISDOM AND YOU GET LIFE. SOMETHING WORTH PRAYING FOR TODAY, DON'T YOU THINK?

If it feels good, do it???

2005-03-07T08:02:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (March 7) -- Boeing Co. on Monday said its board forced out president and chief executive officer Harry Stonecipher because of a relationship the married, 68-year-old Stonecipher had with a female executive at the company.The unexpected ouster makes Stonecipher, who spent just 15 months in the top job, the second consecutive CEO to depart the Chicago-based airplane maker and defense contractor in disgrace. Boeing said an internal investigation prompted by information sent anonymously 10 days ago revealed a ''consensual'' relationship between Stonecipher and the female executive that the board determined was in violation of the company's code of conduct. ''The board concluded that the facts reflected poorly on Harry's judgment and would impair his ability to lead the company.''

If Harry would have read Proverbs and lived by them, he would have heard this warning about the adultress. What if Harry would have asked the best question ever, "Is this the wise thing to do," before pursuing the relationship? Things would be different if he would have acted on his conclusion. Unfortunately, the Harry's and Harriet's of this world are all too easy to find, aren't they?

21 With persuasive words she (the adulteress) led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. 22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter. Prov 7:21-22 (NIV) 26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. 27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. Prov 7:26-27 (NIV)

Now if you want, you can change the gender to fit your situation. But the message is the same. Proverbs 7 is a clear message about one particular sin: Adultery. The whole chapter deals with it because it's such a huge deal. It affects not only you, but generations that follow. And the penalty for adultery is big. "A highway to the grave..." I hope you decide to never travel on that highway. Quit asking the question "IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THIS?" And begin asking the best question, "Is this the wise thing to do?"

In Need of Night Vision Goggles

2005-03-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

As literary style goes, the book of Proverbs uses many forms of poetry. In chapter 4, we find a whole lot of couplets which show contrasts. Look at these contrasting ways of life. 18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. This is no shock to you if you are an observer of human behavior. Good people stand out in the crowd. They are the people you enjoy hanging out with because of their upbeat attitudes and the fact that their company, in some unspoken way, brings hope and joy to your life. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. Prov 4:19 (NIV) Now again, if you watch people for very long, you see patterns develop. The same people seem to struggle with the same things, over and over. Everybody around them can see it, but they are blind to their own life...which looks more and more like a train wreck everyday. This verse says the reason they keep stumbling is that their heart is wicked. "Ouch, too strong" you say. "I know some people who are doing some stupid things, but they aren't wicked, are they? That sounds much too strong. Not PC." Well, here's the truth, without God in our heart it is extremely wicked, not just a little bad...very bad, capable of great evil. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
John 2:24-25 (NIV) Men's hearts are dark...wicked. If you are struggling with sin in your life, you don't need night vision goggles, you need the light of Christ to purify your hearts. The power of sin is much too strong for you to climb out of the darkess alone. Thankfully, Jesus has made away out. Your hearts can be good again. When you come to Jesus, and make him your Lord and Savior, He can purify your heart and make it new again. No need to stay in the dark...time to gleam like the dawn!

Puffy Head

2005-03-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Do you remember the Kids show, HR Puffnstuf? The one about the Big-headed yellow Dragon creature with a semi-southern accent in a baggy dragon suit? I watched the show every day, though I'm not sure why. As I read the Proverbs today, that big yellow head came to mind when I read 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and shun evil. Now when I think of somebody wise in their own eyes, I think of people with a big head. These are people that know all of the right answers, but seem to lose the truth as soon as they speak it. They are literally "legends in their own mind," because they are wise in their own eyes. Big ol' puffy heads. The answer to being a know it all is to fear the Lord and avoiding evil. In other words, when you give an answer that you believe to be true, defer to God to back it up and by all means run from sin. It's a temptation for all of us to think we have the corner on the market when it comes to truth. But the more you know God, the more you understand you don't know much. The Apostle Paul said "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." So take off the puffy head today and start loving people...even if they are, mmm... should I say it??? ...stupid.

A Clearing Ahead

2005-03-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

I enjoy golf a lot, but I'm really not too good at it. I can hit the ball hard, but not very straight. I have a propensity [meaning I'm really good at] for slicing my tee shots. Now most of the time, this puts my ball in the water, or more likely in the woods. However, there are a few times when somebody will say the words I love to hear... "I think it opens up over there." Meaning the trees ahead are gone and my ball is still playable. I can then feign the idea that I planned it that way and marvel at the other golfers who took the long way by going down the middle. I like it when I get a lucky shot like that. It makes golf more fun.

In life, apparently, God opens things up for us like that too. Even when we make a mistake, somehow he can turn it into a good shot. Listen to these words in Proverbs 2:8 "For He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones." Now He doesn't necessarily guard our "golf course" but rather our path through life when we are faithful. So if you have been faithful to God, know that "He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless." (Proverbs 2:7)

I am glad all my bad shots don't count against my final score in life, aren't you? God, may we live securely under your hand of protection knowing you are our strength and shield.

Is Fear Really Healthy? Prov. 1

2005-03-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Prov 1:7 (NIV) Now I have heard many people say that fear is the opposite of faith. Solomon would disagree in this case. So how is the "fear of the Lord" helpful. Well, let's look at the word we translate "fear." In the Hebrew sense this word meant more like a "healthy respect of one's status vs. the Almighty." In other words to fear the Lord means to be fully aware that I am creature and He is CREATOR--fear means respect. God is God, and I am not. That's a good place to start in life, isn't it? If I accept that there is a creator, that He's smarter than me and knows the best way to live, then I learn to accept His truths and I live in wisdom. But, if I reject His position as the smartest being in the universe, and thereby fail to "fear" the Lord, I will end up becoming my own God, setting my own rules for life, and falling into all sorts of stupid pursuits. God, let me choose the wise path as I go through the day and learn to respect your position as Creator and accept my position as creature. Amen

Wisdom is Supreme

2005-02-28T13:59:00.000-08:00

In going through life, I am confronted by the fact that most of my decisions I make during the days are neither momentous nor spiritual. They just are decisions. So I have been investigating what it is that drives the best decisions and what went wrong when I failed. I have come to the conclusion that my best decision always came as a result of applying wisdom and my worst ones came when I rejected what I knew to be wise in order to live on the edge or pursue something that looked too good to be true. After reading The Best Question Ever, [BQE] by Andy Stanley, I have changed my decision making. No longer are my decisions only spiritual...ie "What does God want here?" But now I say, "What is the wise thing to do?" Because Proverbs says "Wisdom is supreme--get wisdom get life." That BQE is now my filter for what comes my way during the day. You ought to try it. Go on me with my journey through Proverbs in the month of March. There are 31 proverbs in the Bible, so pick the day of March you are in, and read that one, then read my post and interact with what God is showing you.

The JOY Factor

2005-02-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was listening to a new worship CD by Lincoln Brewster. It's one of the best worship album I have heard in moons and is powerful. As I listened and contemplated God's greatness, I was overcome with joy. And as I sat there in God's presence, he reminded me that his being is pure JOY. He is always joyous! And we are at our strongest when we share in that joy and spread it to others.

Think about who you like to hang out with. People with Joy. You can only take so many EeYorr's in your life The Joy people are the names you hunt on your speed dial when thinking about a double date. The Bible says that the "Joy of the Lord is our strength." Conversely, wallowing in our misery and self-doubt is our strength sapper. Today, I choose joy. Paul said, "consider it pure joy, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds." OK, now there's a challenge. I'm up for it. I choose joy.

Prayer is working

2005-02-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

Well, its been fun to pray more. It sounds a little silly to say that...but it has been fun. I set a goal to pray for an entire hour in one sitting last Tuesday. After about 10 minutes I wanted to get up and do something, but I stayed put and just kept praising God for all the good things he has done, who he is, how he always acts for my good, how he never leaves me or lets me down, and what a great friend he has been to me over the years. Wow, the hour passed like it was nothing. I only stopped to get a drink and get a towel to wipe the tears off my face. After pressing through that barrier, I found it easier to connect with God in the days since. I have been focusing better now each day on non-stop prayer, although today hasn't been too good. Before I go to bed, we will talk a while. I keep wondering what life would be like if every Christian set aside more time like that. What miracles would we see? How would our city and nation be changed? Well see. It is changing me.

Lowered Expectations

2005-02-01T14:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a truth that most pastors don't tell you. Sometimes prayer seems like another thing on the to-do list. I know it's good for me, that it works, that God hears it...But it can get pushed out of my life by something stupid.
I was trying to think of the "why" behind prayerlessness in general. Then I think it was God who reminded me that the problem is not my faith. I truly believe in the power of prayer. My problem is my expectations for life. I can get pretty comfortable with a life full of just "little" problems and snuggly financial security. So I settle for a good life, when great is just a better prayer life away.
At our church, we are taking this week to focus on prayer as a group. We all need it. Many of us have good lives...But what if we are missing great! I think we are...So I am recommitting myself to greatness and giving God a chance to bring it my way.

Fast Times at the QT

2005-01-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

Quik Trip feels like my life story at this moment. It's already almost February...OK semi close. But my year has flown! Every year does this to me. Just like a rock rolling down hill they go faster and faster. I've missed 2 appointments in the last 2 days. I'm not keeping up with my life, even with a palmpilot. Add to that the fact that this has been a week where everybody seems a little less than happy; grumpy...at least that I have run into. Nitpicky doesn't begin to describe some of the conversations I've had. Anyway, in the middle of that the Bible screams to me the fact that today really does matter, even though it seems pretty much a waste and a blur. The Bible says "Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom and...This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in in it." I haven't rejoiced this week much. I think I am missing it there.

Today, I leaned on Joseph's story in Genesis 39:21 where it says But the Lord was with Joseph. Joe had just been put in prison and God was with him? HMMMMM. No matter what I face today, I doubt It will be that bad. [I don't think, I mean...the day is young.] So I know I'm doing God's work, even though the pace is fast and that God is with me. That helps a lot. So I think I will pause right now and rejoice real fast... [It helped.]

2005-01-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Pastor B

Is "Choice" an idol?

2005-01-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

Like you, I feel I'm too busy just about all the time. I was reading a book called "The Call" by Os Guiness and in it he talks about "choice" as an idol. I had never seen it that way before, but it really challenged my thinking about why our lives become and stay so crowded. Here are a few of his thoughts.
Os says "Life has become a smorgasbord with an endless array of dishes...to be modern is to be addicted to choice and change. The increase in choice and change leads to a decrease in commitment and continuity--to everyone and everything. Thus obligation melts into option and givenness into choice. But other effects are terribly obvious--above all the way in which choice and change lead quickly to a sense of fragmentation, saturation and overload. In the modern world there are simply too many choices, too many people to relate to, too much to do, too much to see, too much to read, too much to catch up with and follow, too much to buy.
So what's the remedy to pursuing the idol of choice? The answer is found in calling. Once we understand our calling, we literally have "no choice." Calling gives our lives a reason to be, and a sense of calling helps because it provides the bullseye at the center of our priorities.
Os finishes by asking these questions. "Do you lead a saturated, overloaded, and fragmented life? Are you pulled around by the nose through appeals to need? Are you frustrated at yourself over the times the best in your life is diverted by the good? Do you long to know the overriding passion and purity of heart of willing one thing? Listend to Jesus of Nazareth; answer his call."