Deep Thoughts from a Dentist Chair

I just came back from the dentist today. I haven’t been in awhile. I had several thoughts that occurred to me while I sat in that torture chair for 45 minutes.

(1) Trust: Why do I trust this person that puts instruments in my mouth that sound like she is excavating a mine shaft? One of the main struggles of being human is trusting in the sovereign God. Yet, I willingly and without much hesitation trust this person, whom I only met 5 minutes ago to drill, scrap my teeth. I can’t see what she is doing and as far as I know she could be planning to pull my teeth out one by one or carver her name into my teeth. Yet, I struggle to trust God, the creator and sustainer to run my life.

(2) Faithfulness: I always have the best intentions before and after I go see the dentist. A couple of days before I go on a strict regime of brushing/flossing my teeth just like they told me to do the last time I visited. After taking a brow beating about the state of my mouth, I pledge to brush softly and in little circles, to floss daily, and treasure my teeth for the gifts that they are. How long does that pledge last? It is like when we go on a retreat or pledge to God, I will be faithful and study your Word everyday. How many times do we make pledges to God with the best intentions but fail to keep.

(3) Stewardship: God has graciously and generously given me these teeth, yet I fail to be a good steward of them. I don’t take care of them and treasure them for what they are and allow me to do. What if I didn’t have my teeth? Life would be different. I need to be a better steward of the resources God has given me, therefore allowing me to generous give of myself.

(4) Justification: It is one of the best feelings have your teeth professional clean. They smooth, the look shiny and they feel shiny. There is a confidence you gain from having the freshness and healthiness in your mouth. Yet, no matter how hard and how diligent I clean them at home; they never feel the way they do after the dentist. It is that way with sin, no matter what I do; I can never take the stain or remove my sin. I can make it look marginally better, make it look and smell more socially acceptable, but it is only through the professional cleaning of Jesus that any of us are able to have that smooth and refreshing feeling of being clean by the blood of the lamb. There is a confidence and freedom after been cleaned by Jesus.

I had no idea that my trip to the dentist would be so fulfilling this morning. I should go more often.

The War on Christmas

The war on Christmas has been on the news lately (particularly Fox News). There is a sense of outraged that Christmas is being banned from American and that Christians are being forced out of the public arena. Here are examples of the battlefield around the country:

• In Illinois, state government workers were forbidden from saying the words “Merry Christmas” while at work
• In Rhode Island, local officials banned Christians from participating in a public project to decorate the lawn of City Hall.
• A New Jersey school banned even instrumental versions of traditional Christmas carols.
• Arizona school officials ruled it unconstitutional for a student to make any reference to the religious history of Christmas in a class project.
• Attorneys are working to educate library officials in Memphis about the unconstitutionality of their exclusion of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wise men from a nativity scene.
• Teachers at a Georgia elementary school reportedly were told to nix any religious pins and refrain from referring to a party as a “Christmas” party, while the local district has censored certain religious Christmas songs from its “winter” program.
• In Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Ridgeway Elementary School's "winter program" has changed the name of "Silent Night" to "Cold in the Night." Sung to the tune of "Silent Night," the lyrics include: "Cold in the night, no one in sight, winter winds whirl and bite, how I wish I were happy and warm, safe with my family out of the storm."

Perhaps we should be concern with this “war”. But you know what I am more concern with is the Church proclaiming Christmas to the people of God and the world. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, many people and churches are faced with the dilemma of upsetting the family idolatry/consumerism of Christmas morning vs. keeping Christmas a holy day remembering God’s greatest gift. Seriously, what is the Churches telling the world about Jesus if we crumble under pressure and let Christmas become secularized.

Instead let’s be a people that redeems Christmas from the culture and celebrate what God has done and is doing for us. Are we willing to sacrifice some family traditions and secular customs to focus ourselves with our words and actions on Jesus at Christmas.

God is Giving

I love giving gifts particularly if I know the person is going to be excited about it. There is a joy about getting the reward of satisfaction knowing that the person loves the gift. I dislike (or yes, maybe even hate) gifts for the sake of gifts. It is amazing how easily we fall into the trap of giving gifts because it is Christmas and we ought to give a gift to that person. We ought to give to people because they have a need. We ought to spend time with people because we love them. I would rather spend the time with people that spend the time running around making sure I have the right gift for them or any gift for that matter.

The focus of Christmas quickly becomes how much I can give instead of how much God has given us. This frenzy of gift-giving is the anti-thesis of what Christmas is all about. It is not about our righteousness or worthiness to do the right things or to do anything, but it is about God’s generous and abundant love for us, that GOD GIVES himself to us.

This season let’s not worry about what we are giving, and what we are doing, but let’s focus on what GOD has GIVEN, and what GOD is DOING.

God doing is own thing.

‘If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.’" (1 Kings 2:4, NRSV)

"Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards,not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NRSV)

God does things differently. I mean really, if I was writing a story or planning to motivated a people, I wouldn’t do it they way God has done. He allows the people of Israel to try to do it they way. He allows them to try to be the King of God’s Kingdom (that phrase seems funny, to be the King of what is God’s). God didn’t want to established his throne with anybody else buy himself, because He alone is King. But he goes along with our plan, he allows us to see how it is going to work out. He allows us to live out the natural consequences of our choices.

So even in David’s remarks to Solomon as he passes on the Kingdom. David tells Solomon that if he leads the people to be faithful and if they are faithful after him, than your throne will last forever, and your family will always have succeed the throne. This is so comical, because not even Solomon can keep hold of that promise. And the history of Israel’s Kings is one of failures with a glimpse of faithfulness.

God does things differently doesn’t He? So God knew all along that our plan was going to fail, but he had the patient to see it out. Then he finally decides to put an end to it and to regain the throne that is rightful His all along. Does he send a mighty and powerful King. No, He comes as a humble baby, born with animals, poor and outcast. The King comes as what is low and despised in the world. This mighty and powerful God comes as a baby. Yet, we should be still should be frighten—because one day this babe will be the judge.

God does things differently doesn’t He? I mean wouldn’t you come as a might and powerful King, backed by a mighty and powerful and take the throne of this World by force. I wouldn’t come as a helpless baby—a helpless poor and seemingly insignificant baby.

In this season, let’s be thankful that God does things differently.

Distorted Mirrors

I went to look at a Nursery school today. I don’t know if I am overly-protective, or overly sensitive but I have not been impressed with Nursery schools. I am supposed to send my child to these one of the schools where they don’t seem equipped to handle or nurture my child.

Beyond my over-protectionism, I was horrified with what I saw. This nursery school was created by the church that it resides in as an outreach to the community. And as I listen to the Nursery school director and asked him about teaching the faith in the school, she seemed like that was a crazy question. They don’t integrated faith into the school because it is an outreach. Huh? What kind of outreach is that? She stated very confidently and proudly that they celebrate all faiths, all traditions, and all families. If this was a secular school, I would have understood this philosophy, still might not want my child to go there, but understood it nevertheless. But this was a church based nursery school.

Basically the outreach they are doing is telling everybody that everything is okay. Instead of pointing people to the Living God and Truth of Jesus, they are holding up a mirror to people and telling them okay. Except the mirror they are holding up isn’t a mirror that reflects reality, it is a mirror that reflects falsehoods and lies so that people aren’t offended by what they look like.

Is the church too scared in this world to identify what we look like? Are we too scared and frightened to see what is actually in the mirror of this world to react? Or are we courageous enough to stand in the light of God and see the true reflection of who we are, and allow God to transform us into who He wants us and has created us to be.

If the church is giving up the Truth, who will preserve it?

Needless to say, Andrew is not going to that nursery school.

The Eyes of our Heart

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart." (2 Chronicles 25:2, NRSV)

"He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper." (2 Chronicles 26:5, NRSV)

"So Jotham became strong because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God." (2 Chronicles 27:6, NRSV)

"And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing had come about suddenly." (2 Chronicles 29:36, NRSV)

It is hard to miss the point in the story of all the kings in Chronicles. Be faithful to God, follow Him alone. It hits you over the head like a hammer. You even start to wonder how did the people of Judah and Israel miss it. Could they not learn the lesson of history of stay faithful and true to the Lord instead of turning to their own ways and false gods.

It is easy to shake our head at other people’s faults and failures, but it is hard to recognize our own. Our broken hearts and broken minds easily stray from God and his purpose. They easily stray from our divine creator and his destiny for us. I can understand Judah and Israel, because I am so easily marvel at other people’s ability and even my own—that I forget to recognize God in the moments of my life. It is God that provides makes things good for those that love Him.

Then even when we are doing right on the surface for God, our hearts can be in the wrong place. I love the first quote that I posted today about King Amaziah that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but he did it without a true heart. How true that is: I am such a reluctant giver. I am such a reluctant lover of God in my heart.

I am reminded this morning that it is only through God that we are able to accomplish anything. Our job is to focus on Him. Our mission is to have a true heart that seeks to Love Him. Only then we will do what is right in the sight of the Lord, and only then will provide for us his immense blessings.

My prayer this morning for all of us is from the song by Paul Baloche:
“Open the eyes of my heart Lord
open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you
I want to see you”

Thinking Outside Our Community

“Likewise when foreigners, who are not of your people Israel, come from a distant land because of your great name, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, may you hear from heaven your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigners ask of you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built." (2 Chronicles 6:32-33, NRSV)

Thinking outside the box! Does this surprise any of us. That Solomon, the great wise Solomon, prayed for foreigners of Israel to know God. We often think that evangelism or spreading the Good News of God is only a New Testament (particularly, Paul thing). No, not really at all. God has his sights on everybody since before the creation of the world. The reason that Israel is God’s chosen people is not because they did anything special or deserve to be chosen, but because God chose them to bless everybody. That is the essence of the covenant with Abraham: To bless the world. So here it is again, after Solomon has completed the temple, he turns and prays to God. He asks for God’s mercy when the people turn and sin; he even states that he knows that they will (6:36, there is no one who does not sin). Then Solomon even asks when foreigners turn and repent and come to you, be merciful to them and give them what they want.

That is thinking outside of you community. We have the greatest news, that God came down to earth to reside with us. He is not contained with a temple, but He walked among us and still is present with us. We are called not to keep them information that news to ourselves or within our own community be we are called to bless the world with that news. As Isaiah puts it we are to cry out to the world that Jesus is Lord!

“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them, may you hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send down rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance." (2 Chronicles 6:26-27, NRSV)

Even Solomon puts in his prayer asking God if the people confess his name. That is the whole ball game right there: confessing God’s name. Confessing that Jesus alone is Lord and Solomon opens it up just as God did from the very beginning to people outside the chosen community.

“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NRSV)
How eager how we to share that Good News? If Solomon, who was the wisest person, who God was with (1:1), had it in his heart to share the good news with foreigners, with strangers, why do we struggle with this? If we are to be viable (what a lame word that is), if we are to be life-giving, life-sustaining, we are to tell (verbal) about Jesus. Why do we hesitate with such wisdom? Let us starting thinking outside our community, outside our church. In doing that we become the people, the church that God has created us to be.

One last comment this morning: Look at Solomon’s question below.

“But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!" (2 Chronicles 6:18, NRSV)

God’s plan is even better than that Solomon! God decided not just to reside with mortals in the temple on this earth. God doesn’t to be one of us, to walk with us, to know our world through our eyes. We have a God that not only resides, but walks with us.

God's viabilty vs. Us

"King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great; for the temple will not be for mortals but for the Lord God." (1 Chronicles 29:1, NRSV)

"Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong, and act.”" (1 Chronicles 28:10, NRSV)

"David said further to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." (1 Chronicles 28:20, NRSV)

I am no King. I certainly am not Solomon, nor do I pretend to be. But these words were encouragement for me this morning. One of the themes in scriptures particularly 1 Chronicles is that when God is with you, who can be against you. Good things happen when you are faithful and worship God in all things. The key is walking with God allowing him to be with you.

Even when David allowed Satan to stand up against Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1); David decided to count his blessings seemingly for his own glory and not God’s, David was quick to repent and even recognized that God’s mercy is greater than any human’s.

In this time as we try to establish Christ Presbyterian Church to be more “viable”, we need to define what does “viable” mean? Does it mean that we have enough money? Does it mean that we don’t have to worry about reaching out to our neighbors because we are do alright by ourselves. Or does it mean having God with us. We are not viable because of anything that we do. We are viable because of who God is. We need to learn a place in this world and in relationship with Him. We need to see his sovereignty in this world and to worship God and give God the glory for all things. Being viable means loving God and serving this world. If we do that…if we “Be Strong and Act” with the confidence that “God is with us.”—then we will be viable because God is viable. Viable really isn’t a strong enough word for God is it?

Dream Out Loud

"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream." (Psalm 126:1, NRSV

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10, NRSV)

And you can dream, so dream out loud. . . .
In dreams begin responsibilitiesAnd I can love, and I can loveAnd I know that the tide is turning 'round (U2, Acrobat)

God’s goodness cannot be imagine. God’s grace is not even the stuff of dreams. When God’s grace and salvation are generously spread over us and His creation, it will only be like the things we dream of. We an only begin to dream of his greatness and his sovereignty. The good news is that it is even better than our dreams.

Each night, when I put my boys to bed, I gave them a blessing that goes something like this: “May God protect you tonight. May you fall into a deep sleep and dream of God’s Kingdom and may you fall deeper in love with Jesus.” I wonder if my boys really do dream of God’s kingdom, I hope they do. I hope God provides them with those glimpse and dreams so that they do fall deeper in love with Jesus. When we experience his grace and presence in our lives, when we experience is Kingdom come now, he can’t help but fall in love with Jesus. And the cream of it all is that our dreams don’t even compare to the reality of His Kingdom.

I love the song Acrobat from U2, it is one of my favorites, and would be and my must have album—not many would include this song. But I love the line about dreaming out loud. God has given us the ability to dream and imagine His Kingdom coming, and our responsibility is to dream out loud. Dream so people can hear our dreams and experience just a little bit of the reality of God. I am not sure that is what they meant for this song, but it is what I get out of it.

May we be a people that God protects, that dreams out loud so the world can experience the Truth and reality of God. Come Jesus, come!

Best Laid Plans

"Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.” So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel." (1 Chronicles 15:13-14, NRSV)

Intentions are not good enough. Sometimes we have the best intentions or the best laid plans, but sometimes they are not enough. David was turning the people back to the Lord compared to Saul’s regime. He intended to bring back the Ark of the Lord, however, in his zest he forget the rules with the ark. He forgot that only the Levites were allowed to carry it. However, Saul was persisted, he made a mistake, and then he corrected it. He then brought the Levites in and had them sanctify themselves before he attempt to retrieve the Ark again. It worked the second time not because of David’s good intentions or plans, but because he was obedient.

I think at times at church we have good intentions, but we are not obedient to the process. We are obedient in keeping God the center and focus of our universe. He only becomes a part of the process instead of the process. We become more enamored in what we have planned and what we are doing (or what to do) than what God has plan.

Can we be a people that are repentant and correct our behavior when we realize that we haven’t been obedient to God’s plan and timing or will we push ahead with our plans?

Then in chapter 16 we get the bottom line of our task and God’s plan for us:

"Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Tell of his salvation from day to day." (1 Chronicles 16:23, NRSV)

Seems so simply—point people to Christ. Can we start by point ourselves to Christ!

A Voice Say Cry Out!

A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” (Isaiah 40:6 NRSV)
What should I cry? This took me by surprise this morning. If I accept the premise of the question, then I accept that I should be crying out for something. If I should be crying out for something, what is my current situation in which I need to cry out from?
What should I cry? Help! Come Jesus! Those seem like relevant things to cry out in my life. It is easy how quickly I am geared to be self-centered. I just assume that I should be crying out for myself. Instead of crying to and for someone else.
That is just it. I should cry out for the benefit of others. I should cry out for the injustices in the world. I should cry out for those that can’t cry out. I should cry out for the Lord. In Isaiah 40, that is the bottom line. I (we) need to be crying out on the highest mountains the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news that God’s judgment is coupled with his grace; that God is going to tear through the heavens and personally intervene in my experience—in history. We need to proclaim and cry out to people the Good News that Jesus has come and will come again.
Lord, help me to cry! Help us!

Faithfulness in Advent

"So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness." (1 Chronicles 9:1, NRSV)

"So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord; moreover, he had consulted a medium, seeking guidance," (1 Chronicles 10:13, NRSV)

"And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him." (1 Chronicles 11:9, NRSV)

"Then the spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David; and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to the one who helps you! For your God is the one who helps you.” Then David received them, and made them officers of his troops." (1 Chronicles 12:18, NRSV)

Okay, I get it—it is about faithfulness. But whose? Does God depend on our faithfulness to do his work? Does he only work through us or for us when we are faithful?

The mighty work and favor of David is not because of David’s might, but God’s might. Yet, David was faithful and devoted and walks with God. Our faithfulness matters. The question is: are we faithful because allows us to be faithful and are we unfaithful because God hardens are heart? I think the answer probably is yes and no. Yes, in some ways that is probably true. No, because that is not our experience or at least they way we should perceive our life.

That question is almost relevant. What we are to take away is that we are called to be faithful and when we are God works for us (really for him—because we are only do his work when we are faithful). So how can we be a church or a people that is faithful? Is God with us or are we being put into exile?

Faithfulness is rooted in being the people that he calls us to be: mainly Loving God by Loving our Neighbor. Faithfulness is recognize God an focusing on God in all things. In this Christmas season (which really is Advent season) the world or moreso Satan is attacking the truth and distorting our focus. Instead of focusing on the importance of preparing our self for the once and future King we are allow ourselves to be deceived by the glitz and hurriedness of the secular season of Christmas. What if we were a people that was faithful to the Word of God and live out the Advent season of our lives: Preparing the Way for the Lord.

The Call of a Waiter

From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4 (NRSV)

I dislike waiting. I am not very patient. Amusement parks annoy because you have to wait in line for hours to go on a 3 minute or less ride. Waiting on the internet or a computer is perhaps the most frustrating. Or waiting in traffic—there is no escape. Waiting in can be so painful and challenging.

Yet, there it is…God works for those that wait for him. Yikes! You mean I have to be a waiter (check out this play on words—God calls us to be waiters: being a person that waits for him, and that serves other people). You mean the thing that I struggle with the most is what God is calling us to do—to wait!

Do I wait for his will to be revealed? Do I wait to see what God is doing? Do I wait patiently for him and allow him to do the work or do I just do it.

The call of being a waiter. Argghh. However, The promise is great—He works for us that wait for him.

Lord, help me to be a waiter—to serve your people and to wait for you to work. Grant me patient.

Potter and the Right Path

I went to see Harry Potter last night. I have to admit I am a Potter junkie. I can’t get enough of the stories and movies. Every time a movie or book comes out, I rush to read through it all and then go through a period of withdrawals. Good movie, but it strips a lot from the book for the sake of time. If you haven’t read the book (which are they any people out there) I don’t see why you would see the movie.

Anyway at the end of the movie, Professor Dumbledore (the father, wise figure) tells Harry, “we have two choices now, one that is right, and one that is easy.”

Which path are we going to take? The easy one or the right one. It seems hard to determine which is the right path for us to take. However, it isn’t really hard to determine which path is easier. I am not saying that the easy path is always wrong, but at times it is how we escape because the right path is too difficult.

In our culture today, we avoid conflict—at least living in the conflict. We are pretty good at entering into conflict and creating conflict, but we are not very good or eager to live and process through that conflict. It is easier to avoid it and just demonize the other side of conflict, instead of trying to reside and reconcile in the conflict.

The right path is difficult, it is counter-cultural. The right path takes us down a road that seems impossible or too difficult. The right path leads to God and is led by God.

Does Jesus identify with me?

Ezekiel 34:16 (NIV) I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

Matthew 25:40 (NRSV) And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Does Jesus identify with me? He clearly identifies himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick, those in prison. He lists all those people as his family. But does he identify with me? Am I a member of his family? Am I one of those people that he would stand by and say I am like this. In Matthew and Ezekiel he clearly identifies with the poor and the forgotten in society. However, I’m not necessarily one of those people. I don’t really identify with those people. There are different from me, and I feel awkward around them. How can the King of Kings be one of them?

That is the question, yet from the very beginning, Jesus (God with us), identifies with the humble of the world. He entered this world in a stable; in a feed trough for animals with the only visitors initially were shepherds. He entered this world in the lower class and he left this world alone, dying on the cross.

Isn’t that the problem for most of us. It is not that Jesus doesn’t identify with us, it is that we don’t identify with Jesus. We don’t get what Jesus is all about. When we start seeing how Jesus sees the world, we start entering into his will and identify with the people that he does. We can look at the homeless, the hungry and hear their stories and realize they are not that different from us. Really the only difference is a thin line of grace. The sin of my arrogance is to believe that I have what I have because of myself and not because of the grace of God. Yet, even with God’s graciousness he identifies with the have-nots. It is not that we are different than the poor and the down-trodden; the problem is that we are different than Jesus.

Lord, help me to have your eyes, so I can see the world that you do. Help me to have the eyes of your heart, so that my heart may break for this world like yours does. Help me to use my hands and feet so I can serve the world that you serve. Help me to identify with you and your family.

Little Faith

Little faith. Sometimes I feel like I have little faith. Doesn’t God hear me, doesn’t he know what I desire. I cannot move the mountains with my faith, but Jesus says in Matthew 17, if we had the faith of the mustard see we could. How big is my faith then? How big is our faith? Do you really believe God is working in our lives? Do we really believe God has a plan and purpose for Christ Presbyterian Church? Will God bring revival to this church and to this community?

Lord, help my unbelief. Help me ignore the enemy at the door. Help me to ignore the distractions that Satan is putting before us. Help me to hear your voice. Help me to have the faith bigger than a mustard seed. Help me to let go of my will, so your will can consume me.

Lord, Come! Come and bring revival in our hearts so your name can be proclaimed.

Quotes from the Men's Retreat

“Relationship with God is a Journey not a destination.”
“Our purpose is intertwined with our personhood.”
“Sin is life destroying and life controlling”
“Surrender….take your life out of your hands.”
“Be a person in love with God’s presence.”
“God didn’t call me to be a success but to be a son (child of God)”
“God doesn’t need my help to run my life…”
“Live out today with the prospect of tomorrow not the past”
“If it is possible, I don’t need God…God dwells in the impossible.”
“What you cannot change, you must control, if you cannot control it, eliminate it.”
“God is moving away me from myself”
“What we know we must preach…we don’t have the luxury of being wrong”
“Does the Gospel with you or me?”
“What is trying to damage my relationship with God?”
“Jesus doesn’t want to be the center of my life, he wants to be my universe.”
“When it is beyond my ability, worship Him.”
Thanks Dwight!

Day with Thomas and my Boys

The imagination is amazing thing. My boys love Thomas the Tank Engine. This past summer Jessi and I discovered that a real (minus the talking) Thomas the Train tours the country and pulls passengers around. We knew it would blow Andrew and Joshua's mind to actually take a ride on Thomas. The past several weeks I had been giving hints to them, foreshadowing the actually event happen. I would say something like, "wouldn't it be great to ride in a train." and, "wouldn't it be great if Thomas could take us."
I believe God does this for us. He has dropped hints foreshadowing his great wedding banquet for us. He has joyful played with us letting us know what abundance is to come.
When the days seem long, when we seem to have had enough, may we remember the promises and covenant God has made with us, and await for our Thomas ride in the sky.

Dancing with Jesus

The Bride has made herself ready according to Revelation 19. What does it mean that they bride (us) are made ready? How do we make ourselves ready for the marriage to Jesus? The image of marriage to Jesus is powerful and one that we often overlook, our corporate relationship to Jesus is a like a marriage. A marriage works the best when the two parties are unified. In healthy marriages you can’t tell who is leading the dance. It is clear that Jesus is the head of the house and marriage. But he doesn’t lead with an iron fist. Our marriage to Jesus is like a dance, where good dances are stride for stride with each other, and they know each others next moves. The bride so unified with the groom can anticipated the next step or move in the dance.

How are we to be that unified bride that is stride for stride with Jesus in is work in this world?

The bride prepares herself by clothing herself with the righteous deeds of the saints. We are prepared for the wedding by doing his will. We are prepared for the wedding, by dancing with Jesus here and now. We are prepared for Jesus and the wedding, by being people that live out our faith in every moment.

Lord, help me to learn to dance with Jesus in this world. Help me to do the righteous deeds of the saints.

The Gospel of Generosity

The essence of the Gospel is that God is gracious and generous. It doesn't get more complicated than that. God generous gives of himself. He didn't need to entry in this world. He doesn't need us. Yet, He willingly entered this world and offered himself as a sacrifice. He gave his life for us. The is nothing more generous than giving your life. However, God didn't just give his life for one life or for two or even just 12. He gave his life for everybody, for all times. That is an endless and generous giving.

This morning I was reading in Matthew 15. It talks about how Jesus went up to a mountain and people kept bringing him the poor, the lame, the blind, etc. Jesus kept healing them for three days. He generously gave of his time and his power. Then with compassion in his heart, he decided to feed these people. The disciples break 7 loaves (7 being the symbol of perfection) So a complete or a prefected loaf was broken for 4,000 plus people. Yet, there was still so more left over. Jesus body was broken not just for 4,000 plus people, but for all Humanity. And when all is said and done, the we be left over pieces. He gives all of himself generously to us, yet he still always has more to give. Our gracious God gives abundantly and then some.

How are we to be like Jesus and be generous givers? What is our life to look like if we give abundantly and generously of ourselves? Things to think about during the season of stewardship.

Lord, Help me to give of myself generously. Don't let me hold back. The only thing I have to offer in this world is myself. Let me give myself, all of myself to you, to serve you. May CPC be a church that are generous givers.

Crumbs of Faith, Loaf of Doubt

I went to a local pastors' fellowship event today. I was encourage to see some many faithful and devoted followers of Jesus. We sang, prayed, and had communion together. It was a blessed event. Pastors' came from all over the theological spectrum (all evangelical). At one moment in our time together we prayed for healing for one of the man. Pastors' rose up to heal him and pray for his healing.

It is amazing when doubt creeps up on you. In this time of many blessings, I was doubting. Doubting God. Doubting God whether he would really heal this person or not. The man proclaimed healing upon himself--but I was worried about follow-up. What happens if the man's symptoms come back, what happens to his faith? What happens to the faith of these pastors who proclaim this healing?

Doubt it is an amazing thing. Without it, we wouldn't have faith. In Matthew 15, I read today about the canaanite woman asking Jesus for healing of her daughter. Jesus initial refuses, but she persists him. He acknowledges her faith and heals the person. Her faith was great.

Does doubt preclude great faith?

A crumb of a faith from my master's table overrides my loaf of doubt.

Lord, may I be a person that holds onto the crumbs of faith from your table. May CPC be a community that holds onto those crumbs as well. Thank you Jesus!

Seeing thru the details

Sorry about the delay in posting. I had problems with my firewall and cookies, all things too detailed for me. In fact I become too focused on the details and couldn't see the big picture at time. I don't know how much time I spent trying to solve the details that I became trapped in the box of all the little details.

Don't get me work the little details are important, but sometimes they distract us from the reality of the situation. In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about separating the sheep and the goat. The criteria he uses is those that care for the least of these compare to those that don't.

Those that feed the hungry, that give drink to the thirsty, that clothe the naked, welcome in strangers, that care for the sick, the visit those in prison receive eternal life. Hmm, sounds okay, but that is hard to do for somepeople or to do all the time. Perhaps the point is not always doing it, worry about what we are doing and what we are not doing, but perhaps we should be people that are so transformed by the Gospel of Jesus that our lifestyle, our worldview allows us to see through the details of people and see them.

Can we see through the details of the homeless, the drug abusers, the criminals? Can we see through the details of those that are different (are they really that different?)?

Are we able to see the details of the lowly and poor birth of an infant child and see the savior and the King? Can we see through the details of unwed pregnant teenager and see the virgin mother of our Lord? Jesus doesn't differentiate circumstances but he sees people that are broken and forgotten and He remembers them.

Lord, Let me be a person that remembers them and sees through the details. Help me not to be trapped by the details. Help me to have the eyes and ears that you have, so I can see what you see, and hear what you hear.

Am I prepared for Worship?

Whenever I think something goes really well it seems God has a way of knocking me down a bit. Perhaps putting me in my place. He doesn't allow me to take too much pride in what I perceive to be the work on my doing. Somehow God wants and deserves all the Glory.

However, I think sometimes Satan plays games with us, not allowing us to see how God is using us to be His hands and feet in the world. The evil one will do anything to distract us from the Glory of God.

My heart's desire is for this congregation and this community to fall deeper in love with Jesus. I do not care how this happens, I just want it to happen. I cry out for this. The worship services that God leads me to plan are not attempts to glorify myself, but to bring Glory to God. Since God is the Soveriegn Lord of All, our worship should be varied in style and matter. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the Jesus is Lord.

When I come to worship God am I more worried about pleasing myself? Do I worry about how others will be lead into worshipping the living God? Am I prepared to sacrifice my needs for the needs of my brothers and sisters?

Can you imagine a community that comes together and worships the Lord by loving each other in that worship? Style and content seem to fade away into the background. What if we don't observe what is happening in worship and just be in worship?

Lord, help me to be the pastor that gets out of your way and lets you work in the lives of the people of CPC and surround community. Lord may I be your humble servant that points people to worshipping you and not the elements of worship. Let there be revival Lord in me and at CPC. With that revival may it spread into our neighbors.

How quickly we forget

It amazes me how quickly we forget. How quickly when we let our guard down things go assunder. Nehemiah organizes the people to rebuild Jerusalem. He gets them praying, confession, reading the Bible, worshipping God, and then once things are going well he decides he can go back to the King. When we returns it has all fallen apart. They have let foreigners into the city. The women and marrying outside the faith, they are working on the sabbath, they forget to pay their tithes and give the first fruits of everything.

Are we programmed to need leaders? Are we wired that we must have someone telling us what to do?

Yes...that is what we call total depravity. When left to our own devices things fall apart. We need (I need) to be a people (to be a person) that is grounded day in and day out in God's Word. We need (I need) people that hold me accountable and watch over me. I need people that care enough about me to gentle correct my behaviors and my thoughts. I need (We need) each other.

Just last night I was grumbling about doing a favor someone. I received the credit, but in my heart I was not a joyful giver. I was annoyed about the inconveince. Lord help me to love my neighbor in each and every moment. Help me to recognize those moments. Help me to be in your Word and in your community.

The Trouble with Visions

I stayed up too late last night. My mind was thinking about the vision of this church. In our Mission study we have stated that the vision for the church for 2005-2010 is:

"Our main vision is institutional redevelopment. By the year 2010 we wish to be a viable and growing church that is an effective witness and servant to our target neighborhood."

Is that really a vision statement? I don't disagree with that statement nor mean to criticize any or all that worked on it. But is that really a vision of the future or just a wish. It seems to generic. Of course we want to be viable! Of course we want to be an effective witness. But how? Where is the vision to get us there.

Reading in Nehemiah I am struck in all the people that help complete the vision of God given to Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem. It goes on and on about the different people responsible for the different tasks in the rebuilding. Can we be a church that comes together with a long list of people that see the vision and complete it? Where does our vision come from?

As I struggle with the question of whether or not I am a visionary, it occurred to me that Nehemiah wasn't a visionary. God had the vision and gave it to Nehemiah. God has the one that gave him all that he needed to fulfill the vision. Nehemiah also experienced resistence and enemies. The road to receiving and completing the vision was littering with danger and obstacles. Are we prepare to go down that road? Are we prepare to journey with God and see the vision He has for Christ Presbyterian Church? Tough questions.

So what do we do? What is the first step in finding out the vision of God for us. Who will be the one or the people that receive the vision? I don't know, It meant not be me. However, I think the direction we need to take is to study and live in His Word together (together being key) and be in prayer together. We need more time to study and pray together. And just start living out God's will for us: LOVE GOD, LOVE NEIGHBOR, MAKING DISCIPLES. By just doing that and entering into God's will in the every day ordinary moments of our lives, I think God will give us the vision--if he hasn't already.

Nameless Visionary

Can you be a nameless visionary? As I was reading Nehemiah this morning, I was trying to pull out the things that Nehemiah did to carry out God's vision. In the first few chapters, I saw a person whose heart was broken for the world as God's is. I saw a Nehemiah who first confessed his sins, for his family and for his people. I saw a Nehemiah who recognized God's grace upon him. I saw a person who traveled light and realized that God would provide all that he needed. I saw a person would rallied leaders around him to get the task done. How can we be like Nehemiah, how can I be like Nehemiah in the vineyard at Christ Presbyterian.

I also sat in on the Brown Bag 'n Bible group. I listen a story of a nameless servant that helped prepare the passover feast for Jesus. I am willing to Jesus' nameless servant or am I more interested in fame and being well-liked. Am I willing to take the risk to Jesus' nameless servant.

Can we be nameless visionaries? Or do you need to be nameless servants?

The Beginning

Well, I beginning my venture to an online world. May God bless and use this blog and my life to serve him.