There is a growing tide that I see emerging in our land. As our nation rebels against God in the name of enlightenment, there is a growing sentiment against Christianity and Christians in general. This is ironic, because it is mostly being done by the same people that are maligning Christianity as being intolerant. What's worse is that we have people feeling they can put God on trial when they don't even know Him or His words.
As I write this we are nearing Christmas. It is now considered almost rude or bigoted to wish someone a "Merry Christmas." We hear things like "well what if they don't celebrate Christmas" or "We shouldn't just assume that a person celebrates Christmas," etc. Really?? Wishing someone a Merry Christmas is now seen as closed-minded and intolerant of other beliefs? This is compassion that has been twisted into something misleading. Must we be forced to say "Happy Holidays" like we are an advertiser trying to appeal to the broadest base without possibly offending someone? Are people that fragile that a simple good-natured wish for a Merry Christmas is going to shatter their well-being?
As a result of this and other things, spirituality has become situated within "self" as we reshape God according to our cultural values.
For example, I heard the President (W) say in an interview that he thought the Muslims were worshiping the same God as the Christians do (though they don't know it and apparently we don't either). Now I think our president is a sincere Christian, but that does not make him an authority on the faith. What he is doing is common of people today who are shaping their faith and their view of God based upon a limited knowledge of God's Word mixed with our cultural values. Imagine if someone was formulating negative opinions about you without getting to know you and only by second or third hand knowledge...
Just recently in the elections we saw the attacks upon President Bush and Gov. Palin for their faith. They have been ridiculed and mocked by the so-called "enlightened" crowd. Granted each have their obvious flaws, but to be denigrated like that in large part due to their beliefs is the climate of the day
But what about the critics assertions that Christianity is intolerant? Is it intolerance for God to define who He is or how people may connect with Him? If there are many roads to God then (with respect) what kind of fool would Jesus have to be to die for the sins of the world if we could go to heaven by simply having good intentions and being sincere?
Is Christianity intolerant? Absolutely. We believe that as Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 (TNIV)). It is His claim about himself, we merely are communicators of this truth to others. Does that mean that we disrespect other religions? No. Does it mean there are no good things in other beliefs? Of course not! Does it mean that we treat someone who believes differently with disrespect? Absolutely not.
Here's the application moment; will Christians alter God's truth because it is becoming inconvenient and unpopular to those around them? Is it "our" truth to mold and shape as we see fit, or is it God's truth and therefore we are simple purveyors of it? Will we be able to stand with compassionate boldness against cries of intolerance and bigotry to humbly say that God has given a precious gift and great sacrifice to all of humanity in allowing His Son to die in our place. If any want freedom from the chains of sin; if any want to embrace God's gift of salvation from a purposeless, broken life as well as an escape from an eternity in Hell, then all they have to do is to humble themselves and believe.
Our continuing challenge in this culture will be navigating the path of relevance in ministry. We will most certainly change our ways of doing things in church. We will change our methodology in order to build a bridge for the gospel to connect with people where they are. However, we must not out of fear or arrogance start changing God's word. We must not sacrifice the truth of the way to salvation because it has become unpopular or inconvenient. Did the martyrs lay down their lives through the centuries so that we, as recipients of the unbroken chain of faithfulness, could say to our coworkers and those around us, "Well Jesus is my Lord, but whatever you believe is fine."
Luke 18:8 (TNIV) "...when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
P.S. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Something New Is Here
There's something new in the air...can you feel it?
I can.
I can't explain it except to say that it's a God thing.
I sense it every time in worship or when I have the privilege of talking to someone about Jesus.
God is giving the gift of His presence as this world is going down.
People are sensing peace in the midst of their pain.
I know that as I continue to move in obedience by His grace toward the Lord that I will get to experience this.
This is why I am here
This is why we as a church as a body are here...for such a time as this.
In the midst of despair, God's people will know joy.
In the midst of lack, God's people will enjoy bounty.
In the midst of arrogance and hatred, God's people will know humility and brokenness.
God is raising up a people of faith. A people who boldly defy the things and people around them that say they should despair; that they should turn inward; that they should hoard.
It is for this moment that we are alive; to show His light and His goodness.
Worship, Pray, Read, Serve, Give, Obey and see what you thought was impossible come to pass.
I can.
I can't explain it except to say that it's a God thing.
I sense it every time in worship or when I have the privilege of talking to someone about Jesus.
God is giving the gift of His presence as this world is going down.
People are sensing peace in the midst of their pain.
I know that as I continue to move in obedience by His grace toward the Lord that I will get to experience this.
This is why I am here
This is why we as a church as a body are here...for such a time as this.
In the midst of despair, God's people will know joy.
In the midst of lack, God's people will enjoy bounty.
In the midst of arrogance and hatred, God's people will know humility and brokenness.
God is raising up a people of faith. A people who boldly defy the things and people around them that say they should despair; that they should turn inward; that they should hoard.
It is for this moment that we are alive; to show His light and His goodness.
Worship, Pray, Read, Serve, Give, Obey and see what you thought was impossible come to pass.
Friday, November 7, 2008
A God Unto Ourselves
Was at Wal~Mart today and they had the Christmas music playing already (of course!) The song that was on got me thinking though. It's the one that has "long lay the world in sin and error pining..."
It got me thinking about the incredible paradox that I see going on, and it makes me really sad. It seems that our culture is continuing to move away from God and continuing to move towards a secular humanistic philosophy. The paradox lies in that the farther we move away from God as we depend on ourselves, humanity and our own answers the worse things continue to get.
We are applauding our own enlightenment and cultural advancement even as things spiral into the toilet. As part of this picture there is an increasing anti-religion (mostly anti-Christian) sentiment going on. I have heard people talking about Christianity as the "last barrier to be removed" in this country.
It reminds me that one day, perhaps very soon, that "barrier" will be removed from this world for a short time. Humanity will celebrate itself even in the midst of chaos. There will arise a leader during that time that will coalesce the people and religions of the world into one body. It all sounds very noble, and yet it will be in rebellion against and denial of God Almighty and will lead to the final judgment.
As we continue to remake ourselves in this nation and around the world into our own image, we will march more and more towards decay. Proverbs 16:25 (ESV) "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Values and morals apart from God can sound really good, but are in fact sin. The best example of this that I know of is the debate centering around Pro-life vs. Pro-choice. Both sound noble. Both seem to have the best interests of certain parties in mind. And yet, what does God's Word teach us about the beginnings and sanctity of life? The answer for these types of situations? "what makes you think your religion can tell me what to do?" "That book was written thousands of years ago and not should be interpreted allegorically." In other words, I don't like what it says, so I reject its authority.
But above all our objections as a culture. Above all our seeming nobility is a God who created all things and will hold all things to account. Above all is a God whose heart was so broken without us, that He paid the ultimate price to make a way for us. Above it all is a God whose grace continues to overwhelm the most stubborn of hearts with His love. But there will be an account given. He gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is not too late. But I believe that this final chapter in the Age of the Church is drawing to a close. Get past ideals, arguments, philosophy and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. If you are stuck in the parade that is marching to destruction, ask God to open your eyes to the fact that your heart lays in "sin and error pining" for the righteousness that only He can bring.
It got me thinking about the incredible paradox that I see going on, and it makes me really sad. It seems that our culture is continuing to move away from God and continuing to move towards a secular humanistic philosophy. The paradox lies in that the farther we move away from God as we depend on ourselves, humanity and our own answers the worse things continue to get.
We are applauding our own enlightenment and cultural advancement even as things spiral into the toilet. As part of this picture there is an increasing anti-religion (mostly anti-Christian) sentiment going on. I have heard people talking about Christianity as the "last barrier to be removed" in this country.
It reminds me that one day, perhaps very soon, that "barrier" will be removed from this world for a short time. Humanity will celebrate itself even in the midst of chaos. There will arise a leader during that time that will coalesce the people and religions of the world into one body. It all sounds very noble, and yet it will be in rebellion against and denial of God Almighty and will lead to the final judgment.
As we continue to remake ourselves in this nation and around the world into our own image, we will march more and more towards decay. Proverbs 16:25 (ESV) "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Values and morals apart from God can sound really good, but are in fact sin. The best example of this that I know of is the debate centering around Pro-life vs. Pro-choice. Both sound noble. Both seem to have the best interests of certain parties in mind. And yet, what does God's Word teach us about the beginnings and sanctity of life? The answer for these types of situations? "what makes you think your religion can tell me what to do?" "That book was written thousands of years ago and not should be interpreted allegorically." In other words, I don't like what it says, so I reject its authority.
But above all our objections as a culture. Above all our seeming nobility is a God who created all things and will hold all things to account. Above all is a God whose heart was so broken without us, that He paid the ultimate price to make a way for us. Above it all is a God whose grace continues to overwhelm the most stubborn of hearts with His love. But there will be an account given. He gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is not too late. But I believe that this final chapter in the Age of the Church is drawing to a close. Get past ideals, arguments, philosophy and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. If you are stuck in the parade that is marching to destruction, ask God to open your eyes to the fact that your heart lays in "sin and error pining" for the righteousness that only He can bring.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
I believe in God but...
I can't tell you how many times I have heard that phrase through the years. In fact I have been hearing it more and more of late. It usually takes shape in something like this...
"I believe in God, but I have needs."
"I believe in God, but I just don't go to church."
"I believe in God, but I am just real busy."
"I believe in God, but you just don't understand how hard it is."
What people keep saying is that "I believe in God, but I just don't want to do things His way."
I don't trust His ways
I don't like His ways
I don't want to give up my rights
I find this particularly takes form in the second "I believe but" phrase. I believe in God, but I just don't go to church. People have had many disappointing experiences in churches. Believe me I understand this!! I have heard many stories and even seen what I term "spiritual abuse" within God's house. As a pastor please allow me to apologize for the idiocy that is found in many churches. All I can tell you is that I have devoted myself to being a part of the solution rather than checking out of the game altogether as some have. You see even with the experience of poor leadership; even with experiencing the sin of those we are supposed to be able to rely upon, we are still commanded in numerous verses such as "do not forsake the assembling together of yourselves" to come together in worship and service. Some say "well I am still a Christian, I just don't go to church." "You don't have to go to church to be a Christian!" In fact you do. Here's my point: someone might still be saved and make it to Heaven without being a regular part of a local church. However, if you are going to claim the label of Christian, which means "follower of Christ," then you absolutely do have to be plugged into a church somewhere. It has been the case for 2000 years despite the many errors and abuses that the Church (the universal Body of Christ as expressed in local assemblies) has been the vehicle through which God has moved and extended His Kingdom. We were made for community. God Himself has invited us into community with Himself and calls us into community with others that follow Him.
How does "church" meet this created need?
Bottom line... you cannot claim to be really close with Jesus and in touch with God's call on your life and not be connected at a local church in a significant way.
And by the way, that whole "I believe in God" bit... So does the Devil. How is your faith different from his? Take your life to the next level and join obedience to your belief!
"I believe in God, but I have needs."
"I believe in God, but I just don't go to church."
"I believe in God, but I am just real busy."
"I believe in God, but you just don't understand how hard it is."
What people keep saying is that "I believe in God, but I just don't want to do things His way."
I don't trust His ways
I don't like His ways
I don't want to give up my rights
I find this particularly takes form in the second "I believe but" phrase. I believe in God, but I just don't go to church. People have had many disappointing experiences in churches. Believe me I understand this!! I have heard many stories and even seen what I term "spiritual abuse" within God's house. As a pastor please allow me to apologize for the idiocy that is found in many churches. All I can tell you is that I have devoted myself to being a part of the solution rather than checking out of the game altogether as some have. You see even with the experience of poor leadership; even with experiencing the sin of those we are supposed to be able to rely upon, we are still commanded in numerous verses such as "do not forsake the assembling together of yourselves" to come together in worship and service. Some say "well I am still a Christian, I just don't go to church." "You don't have to go to church to be a Christian!" In fact you do. Here's my point: someone might still be saved and make it to Heaven without being a regular part of a local church. However, if you are going to claim the label of Christian, which means "follower of Christ," then you absolutely do have to be plugged into a church somewhere. It has been the case for 2000 years despite the many errors and abuses that the Church (the universal Body of Christ as expressed in local assemblies) has been the vehicle through which God has moved and extended His Kingdom. We were made for community. God Himself has invited us into community with Himself and calls us into community with others that follow Him.
How does "church" meet this created need?
- Church is a place of corporate worship where we gather together with all different types of people on the common ground of the cross to worship Jesus
- Church is a place where we cannot create community in our image, but we are connected with other people utterly unlike ourselves yet we share the common foundation of being redeemed in Christ.
- Church is a place where we can connect with others in mission to accomplish more for God and His Kingdom than we could separately.
Bottom line... you cannot claim to be really close with Jesus and in touch with God's call on your life and not be connected at a local church in a significant way.
And by the way, that whole "I believe in God" bit... So does the Devil. How is your faith different from his? Take your life to the next level and join obedience to your belief!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Remembering 9/11, but dreaming of a different one...
It's 9/11 today. I think all of us remember exactly where we were when we first saw the pictures of a plane hitting the tower...and then a few minutes later another one. We saw bravery and courage that still stands within our memories as a monument and testimony to service and sacrifice today.
I am continuing a series on the Lord's Prayer as a paradigm rather than a script this Sunday and I am going to be examining extending forgiveness to others. In thinking about that and about what day it is today I began to think, "What if as a result of 9/11 we attended to the necessary security issues, but instead of what we chose we as a nation that was founded upon Christian principles had chosen to extend forgiveness instead?" Now of course this is completely hypothetical, but how would the world be different today?
Let me be clear: This is not political commentary and I honor our troops and their service and sacrifice for this country. I also am not a pacifist, I do believe there are times where force is justified. But even in those times where it is justified as St. Augustine said Christians should "march to war with tears in their eyes."
But what if... Forgiveness is costly.
I am going to be taking an honest look at what the Bible teaches about forgiveness on Sunday. Is there anything in your life where you have said "I just can't forgive..."
Is there justice in forgiveness?
Is forgiving just letting people off the hook?
Does forgiving someone mean pretending like nothing happened?
Does forgiveness mean going back to the way things were before?
God bless you today.
PE
I am continuing a series on the Lord's Prayer as a paradigm rather than a script this Sunday and I am going to be examining extending forgiveness to others. In thinking about that and about what day it is today I began to think, "What if as a result of 9/11 we attended to the necessary security issues, but instead of what we chose we as a nation that was founded upon Christian principles had chosen to extend forgiveness instead?" Now of course this is completely hypothetical, but how would the world be different today?
Let me be clear: This is not political commentary and I honor our troops and their service and sacrifice for this country. I also am not a pacifist, I do believe there are times where force is justified. But even in those times where it is justified as St. Augustine said Christians should "march to war with tears in their eyes."
But what if... Forgiveness is costly.
I am going to be taking an honest look at what the Bible teaches about forgiveness on Sunday. Is there anything in your life where you have said "I just can't forgive..."
Is there justice in forgiveness?
Is forgiving just letting people off the hook?
Does forgiving someone mean pretending like nothing happened?
Does forgiveness mean going back to the way things were before?
God bless you today.
PE
Thursday, August 28, 2008
I Could NOT Do That Before!
You know my son is 6 years old and started his first day as a 1st grader yesterday. He also had his first day at (flag) football practice the other day. Even though he can be a little fearful of new things and experiences, he is genuinely excited about all the things that growing older lets him do. He's always been that way, and I think most of us are that way. This morning for example, after breakfast he came in the kitchen grabbed his leg and stood on one foot and said "Dad, did you know I could do this??" I responded with the appropriate "Wow! I sure didn't!" As he was walking away he said "I could NOT do that when I was 5!"
As adults I wonder if we have lost the wonder and excitement about growing. We develop our patterns and our world views and devote a lot of effort to making ourselves comfortable. We do that. And yet, I wonder if in our pursuit of comfort, safety and security if we have lost the joy of discovering new things. Do we ever look to God and say "Jesus, teach me something new about you today," or "Jesus, about these spiritual gifts that are a mystery to me, could you help me in a greater experience of you?"
All I know is that if in five years I look back in my life and see sameness, I would be greatly discouraged. Even though that is the natural pull of my life, I know that with God there is more. I have only scratched the surface of Who God is and what it means to be His servant. Let's take a lesson from children who get to experience growth and new adventures all the time and realize that we too can still grow and become different, greater. Would you join me in the great adventure and open your life up to more today? By God's grace and in Jesus Name, may we all be able to say tomorrow, next year and in five years, "I Could NOT do that before!"
As adults I wonder if we have lost the wonder and excitement about growing. We develop our patterns and our world views and devote a lot of effort to making ourselves comfortable. We do that. And yet, I wonder if in our pursuit of comfort, safety and security if we have lost the joy of discovering new things. Do we ever look to God and say "Jesus, teach me something new about you today," or "Jesus, about these spiritual gifts that are a mystery to me, could you help me in a greater experience of you?"
All I know is that if in five years I look back in my life and see sameness, I would be greatly discouraged. Even though that is the natural pull of my life, I know that with God there is more. I have only scratched the surface of Who God is and what it means to be His servant. Let's take a lesson from children who get to experience growth and new adventures all the time and realize that we too can still grow and become different, greater. Would you join me in the great adventure and open your life up to more today? By God's grace and in Jesus Name, may we all be able to say tomorrow, next year and in five years, "I Could NOT do that before!"
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
50 Ways Marketers (and Churches!) Can use Social Media to Improve Their Marketing
Found this at chrisbrogan.com. There are some great applications for a church here as well!
- Add social bookmark links to your most important web pages and/or blog posts to improve sharing.
- Build blogs and teach conversational marketing and business relationship building techniques.
- For every video project purchased, ensure there’s an embeddable web version for improved sharing.
- Learn how tagging and other metadata improve your ability to search and measure the spread of information.
- Create informational podcasts about a product’s overall space, not just the product.
- Build community platforms around real communities of shared interest.
- Help companies participate in existing social networks, and build relationships on their turf.
- Check out Twitter as a way to show a company’s personality. (Don’t fabricate this).
- Couple your email newsletter content with additional website content on a blog for improved commenting.
- Build sentiment measurements, and listen to the larger web for how people are talking about your customer.
- Learn which bloggers might care about your customer. Learn how to measure their influence.
- Download the Social Media Press Release (pdf) and at least see what parts you want to take into your traditional press releases.
- Try out a short series of audio podcasts or video podcasts as content marketing and see how they draw.
- Build conversation maps for your customers using Technorati.com , Google Blogsearch, Summize, and FriendFeed.
- Experiment with Flickr and/or YouTube groups to build media for specific events. (Marvel Comics raised my impression of this with their Hulk statue Flickr group).
- Recommend that your staff start personal blogs on their personal interests, and learn first hand what it feels like, including managing comments, wanting promotion, etc.
- Map out an integrated project that incorporates a blog, use of commercial social networks, and a face-to-face event to build leads and drive awareness of a product.
- Start a community group on Facebook or Ning or MySpace or LinkedIn around the space where your customer does business. Example: what Jeremiah Owyang did for Hitachi Data Systems.
- Experiment with the value of live video like uStream.tv and Mogulus, or Qik on a cell phone.
- Attend a conference dealing with social media like New Media Expo, BlogWorld Expo, New Marketing Summit (disclosure: I run this one with CrossTech), and dozens and dozens more. (Email me for a calendar).
- Collect case studies of social media success. Tag them “socialmediacasestudy” in del.icio.us.
- Interview current social media practitioners. Look for bridges between your methods and theirs.
- Explore distribution. Can you reach more potential buyers/users/customers on social networks.
- Don’t forget early social sites like Yahoogroups and Craigslist. They still work remarkably well.
- Search Summize.com for as much data as you can find in Twitter on your product, your competitors, your space.
- Practice delivering quality content on your blogs, such that customers feel educated / equipped / informed.
- Consider the value of hiring a community manager. Could this role improve customer service? Improve customer retention? Promote through word of mouth?
- Turn your blog into a mobile blog site with Mofuse. Free.
- Learn what other free tools might work for community building, like MyBlogLog.
- Ensure you offer the basics on your site, like an email alternative to an RSS subscription. In fact, the more ways you can spread and distribute your content, the better.
- Investigate whether your product sells better by recommendation versus education, and use either wikis and widgets to help recommend, or videos and podcasts for education.
- Make WebsiteGrader.com your first stop for understanding the technical quality of a website.
- Make Compete.com your next stop for understanding a site’s traffic. Then, mash it against competitors’ sites.
- Learn how not to ask for 40 pieces of demographic data when giving something away for free. Instead, collect little bits over time. Gently.
- Remember that the people on social networks are all people, have likely been there a while, might know each other, and know that you’re new. Tread gently into new territories. Don’t NOT go. Just go gently.
- Help customers and prospects connect with you simply on your various networks. Consider a Lijit Wijit or other aggregator widget.
- Voting mechanisms like those used on Digg.com show your customers you care about which information is useful to them.
- Track your inbound links and when they come from blogs, be sure to comment on a few posts and build a relationship with the blogger.
- Find a bunch of bloggers and podcasters whose work you admire, and ask them for opinions on your social media projects. See if you can give them a free sneak peek at something, or some other “you’re special” reward for their time and effort (if it’s material, ask them to disclose it).
- Learn all you can about how NOT to pitch bloggers. Excellent resource: Susan Getgood.
- Try out shooting video interviews and video press releases and other bits of video to build more personable relationships. Don’t throw out text, but try adding video.
- Explore several viewpoints about social media marketing.
- Women are adding lots of value to social media. Get to know the ones making a difference. (And check out BlogHer as an event to explore).
- Experiment with different lengths and forms of video. Is entertaining and funny but brief better than longer but more informative? Don’t stop with one attempt. And try more than one hosting platform to test out features.
- Work with practitioners and media makers to see how they can use their skills to solve your problems. Don’t be afraid to set up pilot programs, instead of diving in head first.
- People power social media. Learn to believe in the value of people. Sounds hippie, but it’s the key.
- Spread good ideas far. Reblog them. Bookmark them. Vote them up at social sites. Be a good citizen.
- Don’t be afraid to fail. Be ready to apologize. Admit when you’ve made a mistake.
- Re-examine who in the organization might benefit from your social media efforts. Help equip them to learn from your project.
- Use the same tools you’re trying out externally for internal uses, if that makes sense, and learn about how this technology empowers your business collaboration, too.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Research Question
I am doing some research for my master's class. I would love it if you could comment on this blog with your reply. You do not need to register to reply, it can be anonymous if you'd like.
Here are the questions:
"Do you go to church regularly? If not, why?" (please think about the foundational answer instead of just "busy" for example)
"Why do you think that the American church (all denominations) are experiencing decline in attendance?"
Thanks for your help!
Here are the questions:
"Do you go to church regularly? If not, why?" (please think about the foundational answer instead of just "busy" for example)
"Why do you think that the American church (all denominations) are experiencing decline in attendance?"
Thanks for your help!
The Word
Spoke to me today:
Psalm 66:10-12 (TNIV) For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.
Psalm 4:6 (TNIV) Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us.
Isaiah 54:2-8 (TNIV) “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.
Bring it on!
Psalm 66:10-12 (TNIV) For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.
Psalm 4:6 (TNIV) Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us.
Isaiah 54:2-8 (TNIV) “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God. “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.
Bring it on!
Friday, July 4, 2008
facade
Is anything helped when people are walking in an untruth? Is the Kingdom of God advanced when there is a veneer in place? It is that kind of thing that many find distasteful in churches, how people are one way during the week and then when they get to church everything is "fine" and "wonderful." I have said from the beginning that I wanted West Shore to be a place where people can be real.
So let's be real... As we continue to work on transitioning a church that was on a slow downward spiral for a number of years, we have lost people who liked the way things were...or at least do not like where things are headed. What is absolutely clear to everyone who was able to grasp the big picture is that things could not have continued as they were. If things were to have continued unchanged, the church would have been one of the tragic statistics that show that 3,500-4,000 churches a year are closed forever. (download the message called Desperate for God's Household for more details) I have seen this happen before.
So in an effort to turn things around and bring change, we have lost people...and things are tight. But we have seen some firstfruits of what is to come.
We just had a baptism service for a young professional in the area who was for the most part unchurched and had never given his life to the Lord (was not a rededication) before. What has happened in this man's life is a picture of what is to come IF...IF we do not give up. IF we continue according to God's blueprint for His Kingdom. IF we continue in the Jesus way. The church's mission statement talks about building a relevant church that exists for Jesus, and for others. But what will that look like? I have shared a specific 5 year vision that I have, but I want to break that down to some personal essentials. I don't want to speak to demographics or attendance levels, but rather to the heart. Let's dream together...
Imagine a church where the people are very consistent in their spirituality. Their life of faith and walk with Jesus is organic to who they are, and the church service is just one aspect of their Christian experience.
Imagine a church that is passionate about Jesus and their worship of Him all throughout the week. The church service is just one focused time of corporate celebration of who God is and all that He has done.
Imagine a people that flow in the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit in a naturally supernatural way.
Imagine a people that are thoroughly equipped for every good work of service and defense of the faith.
Imagine a people deeply rooted in Christ through a life of prayer both corporately and individually.
Imagine a church whose vision is so dramatic that it will take life-change on the part of every person as well as connection with the God who makes the impossible possible.
Imagine a church that is so culturally and ethnically diverse that it is a true representation of the creative heart of God.
Imagine a church that is creating modern day disciples that walk in humility and relevance towards the people Jesus came to reach.
Imagine the church of God's dreams to impact the West Shore region, Cleveland, and the nations...
So let's be real... As we continue to work on transitioning a church that was on a slow downward spiral for a number of years, we have lost people who liked the way things were...or at least do not like where things are headed. What is absolutely clear to everyone who was able to grasp the big picture is that things could not have continued as they were. If things were to have continued unchanged, the church would have been one of the tragic statistics that show that 3,500-4,000 churches a year are closed forever. (download the message called Desperate for God's Household for more details) I have seen this happen before.
So in an effort to turn things around and bring change, we have lost people...and things are tight. But we have seen some firstfruits of what is to come.
We just had a baptism service for a young professional in the area who was for the most part unchurched and had never given his life to the Lord (was not a rededication) before. What has happened in this man's life is a picture of what is to come IF...IF we do not give up. IF we continue according to God's blueprint for His Kingdom. IF we continue in the Jesus way. The church's mission statement talks about building a relevant church that exists for Jesus, and for others. But what will that look like? I have shared a specific 5 year vision that I have, but I want to break that down to some personal essentials. I don't want to speak to demographics or attendance levels, but rather to the heart. Let's dream together...
Imagine a church where the people are very consistent in their spirituality. Their life of faith and walk with Jesus is organic to who they are, and the church service is just one aspect of their Christian experience.
Imagine a church that is passionate about Jesus and their worship of Him all throughout the week. The church service is just one focused time of corporate celebration of who God is and all that He has done.
Imagine a people that flow in the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit in a naturally supernatural way.
Imagine a people that are thoroughly equipped for every good work of service and defense of the faith.
Imagine a people deeply rooted in Christ through a life of prayer both corporately and individually.
Imagine a church whose vision is so dramatic that it will take life-change on the part of every person as well as connection with the God who makes the impossible possible.
Imagine a church that is so culturally and ethnically diverse that it is a true representation of the creative heart of God.
Imagine a church that is creating modern day disciples that walk in humility and relevance towards the people Jesus came to reach.
Imagine the church of God's dreams to impact the West Shore region, Cleveland, and the nations...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Confronting the Craziness
I see a lot of crazy stuff going on, and I feel like I have to speak to it.
I saw a story about how Jesus has returned...in Siberia last night on Nightline. Have you seen this one? Check out the video of it here: http://tinyurl.com/4deqob
Pretty convincing stuff...if not for the BIBLE.
Matthew 24:23-27 (TNIV) At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Or what about this story about how 70% of all Protestants believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life" Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3uc9mk
Well we don't want to offend anyone with our opinion...it sounds so rational doesn't it? ...if not for the BIBLE.
John 14:6 (TNIV) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I am just stunned by the state of the church. I'm not sure if it is biblical illiteracy, or if it is some misguided sense of humility. As Christians we are not presenting our truth, we are presenting God's truth. If there were some other way for us to be restored as well as escape Hell, do you not think that Jesus would have done that rather than die a humiliating and painful death on the cross? If all we had to do was pick the religion of our choice like the flavor of the month to connect with God for eternity, then that would make Jesus the Chief of all Fools for choosing death on a cross. It is not arrogance to say that God has, at great personal cost to Himself, pulled off the greatest rescue mission ever. How it cheapens the death of Jesus on the cross when we say, there are other ways... It is not arrogance because the story did not originate with us. We can trace the unfolding of God's story all the way back to creation, it is up to us to simply live inside of it and tell it to others.
What really gets under my skin is the so-called churches that are nothing more than a "build-a-god" workshop. They mesh all "truths" together in some sort of unrecognizable soup. You know I used to do that with my school lunches in jr. high, and it never turned out to be a good thing.
Ok...rant is over...I think. (it just wounds me that so many are being deceived!)
I saw a story about how Jesus has returned...in Siberia last night on Nightline. Have you seen this one? Check out the video of it here: http://tinyurl.com/4deqob
Pretty convincing stuff...if not for the BIBLE.
Matthew 24:23-27 (TNIV) At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Or what about this story about how 70% of all Protestants believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life" Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3uc9mk
Well we don't want to offend anyone with our opinion...it sounds so rational doesn't it? ...if not for the BIBLE.
John 14:6 (TNIV) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I am just stunned by the state of the church. I'm not sure if it is biblical illiteracy, or if it is some misguided sense of humility. As Christians we are not presenting our truth, we are presenting God's truth. If there were some other way for us to be restored as well as escape Hell, do you not think that Jesus would have done that rather than die a humiliating and painful death on the cross? If all we had to do was pick the religion of our choice like the flavor of the month to connect with God for eternity, then that would make Jesus the Chief of all Fools for choosing death on a cross. It is not arrogance to say that God has, at great personal cost to Himself, pulled off the greatest rescue mission ever. How it cheapens the death of Jesus on the cross when we say, there are other ways... It is not arrogance because the story did not originate with us. We can trace the unfolding of God's story all the way back to creation, it is up to us to simply live inside of it and tell it to others.
What really gets under my skin is the so-called churches that are nothing more than a "build-a-god" workshop. They mesh all "truths" together in some sort of unrecognizable soup. You know I used to do that with my school lunches in jr. high, and it never turned out to be a good thing.
Ok...rant is over...I think. (it just wounds me that so many are being deceived!)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The Devolution of the Testimony
In Revelation 12:11 (NIV) it says that "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." The Christian testimony has always been a wonderful tool that we Christians have to tell of the goodness of God in our lives. It cuts through doctrinal debates, religious differences, racial divides, etc. And as that Scripture tells us it can be a tool for overcoming the power of Satan that opposes us. However I have noticed a couple of disturbing trends in the area of testimonies.
The testimonies that I hear being shared these days are filled with "self" rather than God. The testimony is being used to redefine who Jesus is to each individual rather than, how who Jesus is has redefined the individual.
The result? This all fits right in to a post-modern culture as one truth among many. This mindset is what is fueling the increase of movements like the Unitarian church, where you can go in to learn about God...whoever he/she/it might be.
To one person God is like my grandmother who used to make me cookies when I was young.
To another Jesus is my homeboy.
To another God is this feeling I get when I hike in nature.
To some Christians they feel like Jesus is the one who saved 'me' from Hell.
To others, He is the one who will get me my raise, the one will help me succeed in my plans and goals, the one will help "little Jimmy" get better.
Do you see? He is being defined by people's expectations of what they feel He should do or how they feel at a given moment. The testimony has become "me" centered and therefore powerless.
Now personalizing the telling is essential...after all it is YOUR testimony. My points are these:
1. Use your testimony! (too many just not talking about God anymore)
2. Be clear on who you are talking about. (God and even Jesus can mean many things to many people today)
3. Read your Bible to understand Who it is that you are talking about! (Jesus is not a personal experience, He is a person and meeting Him and following Him changes lives)
Here is a link with six easy steps for you to construct a relevant and powerful testimony: HERE
Now go kick some demon butt with your powerful testimony!
The testimonies that I hear being shared these days are filled with "self" rather than God. The testimony is being used to redefine who Jesus is to each individual rather than, how who Jesus is has redefined the individual.
The result? This all fits right in to a post-modern culture as one truth among many. This mindset is what is fueling the increase of movements like the Unitarian church, where you can go in to learn about God...whoever he/she/it might be.
To one person God is like my grandmother who used to make me cookies when I was young.
To another Jesus is my homeboy.
To another God is this feeling I get when I hike in nature.
To some Christians they feel like Jesus is the one who saved 'me' from Hell.
To others, He is the one who will get me my raise, the one will help me succeed in my plans and goals, the one will help "little Jimmy" get better.
Do you see? He is being defined by people's expectations of what they feel He should do or how they feel at a given moment. The testimony has become "me" centered and therefore powerless.
Now personalizing the telling is essential...after all it is YOUR testimony. My points are these:
1. Use your testimony! (too many just not talking about God anymore)
2. Be clear on who you are talking about. (God and even Jesus can mean many things to many people today)
3. Read your Bible to understand Who it is that you are talking about! (Jesus is not a personal experience, He is a person and meeting Him and following Him changes lives)
Here is a link with six easy steps for you to construct a relevant and powerful testimony: HERE
Now go kick some demon butt with your powerful testimony!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Recession, Depression, etc.
I can't believe that I am actually seeing the government's "FDIC" insurance guarantee with financial institutions in the news. Many people probably have never noticed the sign in their banks showing that their institution is "FDIC Insured for deposits up to $100,000." I remember learning about this in high school as a response by the government to the "bank runs" during the Great Depression. With the sale of Bear Stearns to JP Morgan Chase today being brokered by the Fed Reserve as an emergency measure to try and prevent a full scale collapse of the economy...it is (or should be) a HUGE wake up call to our country!
I could definitely speculate with others as to the cause of these events...from greed where 1% of our population have over 90% of our country's wealth. The continuing injustice that occurs against the unborn... Our pride where the once "Almighty Dollar" is being shown to be less than omnipotent, war, corruption, etc. Any number of symptoms, but what is the cause? I don't think we can point to simply one of these things, but rather to one single truth. We have turned our back on God. I know I sound like some wild-eyed prophet on the street corner proclaiming doom, but in regards to this mess I do believe the answer to be more than simply the mortgage mess. I believe that the answer is sin. So where does the hope for our country lie? Where is the starting point to fix this mess? Is it for the Fed to drop the rates again? Pump more money into the market? Have policy makers shuffle some numbers and laws around?
As with all things in rebuilding, whether it's our lives or our marriages, or our city, state, or nation...the starting point is God. It's always God. This nation, though many try to debate this fact, was founded upon the God of the Bible. Though this nation was not meant to be a religiously controlled state, (or have a state-sponsored church) it most certainly was meant to reflect the values of the Bible as well as honor the same God of the Bible. In that Bible it states that (Ps. 33.12) "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." We have known the richness of God's blessings and favor in our brief existence to become the greatest and most powerful nation that has ever existed.
With 80% of our churches plateaued or in decline, it speaks to me of a serious problem. I remember right after 9/11 many churches saw a huge spike in attendance. People wanted to know where was God in all this. But the interest soon faded. How will we find healing for our staggering nation? How can we find peace in our lives? How can we have truly fulfilling marriages and relationships? The answer is the same... repent.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
I could definitely speculate with others as to the cause of these events...from greed where 1% of our population have over 90% of our country's wealth. The continuing injustice that occurs against the unborn... Our pride where the once "Almighty Dollar" is being shown to be less than omnipotent, war, corruption, etc. Any number of symptoms, but what is the cause? I don't think we can point to simply one of these things, but rather to one single truth. We have turned our back on God. I know I sound like some wild-eyed prophet on the street corner proclaiming doom, but in regards to this mess I do believe the answer to be more than simply the mortgage mess. I believe that the answer is sin. So where does the hope for our country lie? Where is the starting point to fix this mess? Is it for the Fed to drop the rates again? Pump more money into the market? Have policy makers shuffle some numbers and laws around?
As with all things in rebuilding, whether it's our lives or our marriages, or our city, state, or nation...the starting point is God. It's always God. This nation, though many try to debate this fact, was founded upon the God of the Bible. Though this nation was not meant to be a religiously controlled state, (or have a state-sponsored church) it most certainly was meant to reflect the values of the Bible as well as honor the same God of the Bible. In that Bible it states that (Ps. 33.12) "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." We have known the richness of God's blessings and favor in our brief existence to become the greatest and most powerful nation that has ever existed.
With 80% of our churches plateaued or in decline, it speaks to me of a serious problem. I remember right after 9/11 many churches saw a huge spike in attendance. People wanted to know where was God in all this. But the interest soon faded. How will we find healing for our staggering nation? How can we find peace in our lives? How can we have truly fulfilling marriages and relationships? The answer is the same... repent.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Labels:
government,
recession,
repentance
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Building a church that doesn't suck...
the life out of people. Church shouldn't be about heaping rules and regulations upon people. Shouldn't be about adding more guilt on top of people and breaking their backs.
We are building a church that is looking forward to what's ahead. We feel we have real answers for the real problems of life. We embrace the issues that everyone deals with, but you never seem to hear addressed in churches. Doesn't God have anything to say regarding our sexual practices besides "don't do this" and "don't do that"? What about our relationships? What about our constant struggle and worry over finances? What about when that loved one hears the "C" word from the doctor? "It's cancer."
Growing up I went to church almost every Sunday. Later I was on staff as a youth pastor for many years, and most Sundays I was bored out of my ever-lovin' mind! I wanted to know God better. I wanted to be able to worship Him passionately like how I felt in my heart toward Him. I wanted to be equipped to handle life with a faith that was real and relevant, but all I heard most of the time was the "should do's" and the "shouldn't do's," but never any "how's" or any thing that made me wonderfully uncomfortable and challenged me in a real way to be different; to live different.
I would love to hear your church stories.
And think about joining us sometime as we build a church that doesn't suck. :)
westshoreag.org
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
"What Does Your Church Have To Offer?"
I have been interviewed a few times lately about the church and the vision for who and what we are. I have also had several questions from regular people asking "well, what does your church have to offer?" Though I hate it I often feel sheepish in my response when I talk about the fact that we don't have a lot of programs. What we have right now is vision, and a place to belong, and a chance for someone who wants to make a difference with something that truly matters.
An unavoidable and inescapable fact is that we live in a consumer culture today. This has most certainly made its way into the Church. It is a fact that every church must deal with. People want to know "If I go to your church, what will I get out of it?" If a church is not prepared to answer this question or deal with this reality, it will find itself quickly ignored. I certainly understand this mentality and in some ways agree with it. There are most definitely churches out there that I do NOT want to be a part of.
But here's the dilemma. Most people don't really know what they want...and certainly have a hard time discerning what they really need. As people shop around you here questions like "What kind of music do you have?"
"Do you have stuff for my kids?"
"What kind of activities do you do?"
Again...all good questions, but is that really what "church" has been boiled down to is a menu of selections for the finicky shopper?
What if I was to answer,
"We love Jesus passionately."
"We encourage everyone to go deeper in their relationship with the Lord and listen for how He wants you to minister."
"We are looking for ways to embrace social issues so we can bring God's justice closer to people."
"We are trusting Jesus to build His church, so we can impact the entire West Shore area for the Kingdom of God."
Would that sound foolish? Would it sound naive, perhaps?
What is church for? What should the church look like?
Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic Church in L.A. recently said in an article in Christianity Today, “my primary assessment would be because American Christians tend to be incredibly self-indulgent so they see the church as a place there for them to meet their needs and to express faith in a way that is meaningful for them."
What if church became about Jesus and others? What if we trusted God with our "needs" and simply focused on being a servant? We might just find our "needs" were being met as we were serving alongside our brothers and sisters, and we might find true fulfillment that all of us who have our shopping lists seem to be lacking so often.
An unavoidable and inescapable fact is that we live in a consumer culture today. This has most certainly made its way into the Church. It is a fact that every church must deal with. People want to know "If I go to your church, what will I get out of it?" If a church is not prepared to answer this question or deal with this reality, it will find itself quickly ignored. I certainly understand this mentality and in some ways agree with it. There are most definitely churches out there that I do NOT want to be a part of.
But here's the dilemma. Most people don't really know what they want...and certainly have a hard time discerning what they really need. As people shop around you here questions like "What kind of music do you have?"
"Do you have stuff for my kids?"
"What kind of activities do you do?"
Again...all good questions, but is that really what "church" has been boiled down to is a menu of selections for the finicky shopper?
What if I was to answer,
"We love Jesus passionately."
"We encourage everyone to go deeper in their relationship with the Lord and listen for how He wants you to minister."
"We are looking for ways to embrace social issues so we can bring God's justice closer to people."
"We are trusting Jesus to build His church, so we can impact the entire West Shore area for the Kingdom of God."
Would that sound foolish? Would it sound naive, perhaps?
What is church for? What should the church look like?
Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic Church in L.A. recently said in an article in Christianity Today, “my primary assessment would be because American Christians tend to be incredibly self-indulgent so they see the church as a place there for them to meet their needs and to express faith in a way that is meaningful for them."
What if church became about Jesus and others? What if we trusted God with our "needs" and simply focused on being a servant? We might just find our "needs" were being met as we were serving alongside our brothers and sisters, and we might find true fulfillment that all of us who have our shopping lists seem to be lacking so often.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Article on me in the paper today
The Lakewood Sun Post ran an article about me and West Shore Church today (Thur. Jan 31). You can find it at the top of page 2 (A2). If you are not local and would like to check out the aritcle online you can go to: article However you will miss my big ole' mug smiling at you! the picture is not included in the online article. For more info on the conference that is mentioned go to: westshoreag.org Make a great week! PE |
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
on the right track
Man, I have just felt kicked around by the enemy the last few days! I am in a war over my mind and thought life. Sometimes we forget that there is another team on the field as we are trying to serve God, and then BAM! we are kissing the turf. One benefit of experience is that I know this usually happens as I am moving in the right direction and making an impact for God's Kingdom. So yay!! I am being attacked!! woohoo! Ok, I'm not excited about the attack or the hard work of spiritual warfare in my life, but I do choose to see this as a sign that the church is moving forward.
We have that worship and leadership conference in February with Russell Fragar who used to be the worship leader at Hillsong Church in Australia. I have yet to see it, but I believe there is an article on me and the church in our local paper, which I hope God uses to bring glory to Himself and exposure for the church.
Anyway, as I continue to live out my personal mission to make the Name of Jesus great, I am looking for God's Kingdom to break through in bigger ways. If that means I take a few bruises along the way...it's all good.
We have that worship and leadership conference in February with Russell Fragar who used to be the worship leader at Hillsong Church in Australia. I have yet to see it, but I believe there is an article on me and the church in our local paper, which I hope God uses to bring glory to Himself and exposure for the church.
Anyway, as I continue to live out my personal mission to make the Name of Jesus great, I am looking for God's Kingdom to break through in bigger ways. If that means I take a few bruises along the way...it's all good.
Labels:
spiritual warfare
Thursday, January 10, 2008
My Son, Josiah
This morning I was in the car listening to the new Steven Curtis Chapman CD that I got for Christmas. I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed with the "stuff" of life lately. Sometimes it just gets out of control and starts choking you, ya know? Anyway, on one of the songs he has his son sing a little part with him. It wasn't a sappy tear-jerker kind of song; in fact it was upbeat and so far my fav (Children of God). As I thought about how SCC must have felt to have his son sing on the CD with him, my thoughts and heart drifted toward my own son. I thought about what if one day I get to listen to my son preach the Word of God...and I just lost it. Every dad hopes that in some way his son will walk in his footsteps when he grows up, but with what I do it's a calling not a choice. But the thought of my son growing up with the call of God on his life to preach the Word, just completely destroys me (in a good way!) As I said I cannot push or prod my son in that direction, even though I know someone can "preach" the Wordin various ways with various vocations. I know God has a unique and special plan for my son that is all his own. But I found myself praying two things though my tears. "God, let my son be a lover of your Word." and "God help me to live in such a way that if you do call him, he will have seen a dad that loves you completely and tries to follow you authentically everyday."
Just some thoughts to share...
God bless you today!
Just some thoughts to share...
God bless you today!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Past and Future
In studying the life of Abraham this morning, God showed me something. Initially when God called Abram, He called him "out of" something. He called him to leave behind all that he knew; all that he was comfortable with. You could say that He called him to a "new life." That is exactly what God does when He calls us in salvation. He calls us out of an old life that might be comfortable and familiar, but it is broken and in pieces. He calls us out with a promise for the future that He will work in and through us. This is what it means to be born again with a new life. We leave the old behind through repentance of sin and trust in God...and it is good!
There is a stage two in our development with the Lord. You see God doesn't call us out to leave us on our own. Not only does He save us, but He also wants to form the character of Christ within us. It is part of His ultimate plan to re-establish His kingdom here on earth...to bring His blessings into our lives. It is a process of maturing in our faith. You see God gave Abraham another command later on. Abram, whose name was now Abraham, had seen the fulfillment of God's promises in his son Isaac...or so he thought. You see God had much bigger plans in mind. It was through Abraham's lineage that the Savior was going to come to restore all things. But this second command was for Abraham to sacrifice, to give up, that fulfilled promise by sacrificing Isaac on an altar. What would we have said? "But God you're supposed to be different than this?" "But God you gave him to me, he's mine!" Don't we often hang onto what God has given as if they were ours and not God's?
But here's the difference...the first command was for Abraham to surrender his broken past and came with a promise. This time the command came and Abraham had to trust God with his future without any new assurances. Have you been there yet Christian? It's easy in many ways for us to surrender our broken messed up lives to the Lord. It's easy to receive forgiveness and a new start. But have you made it to maturity point yet, where God asks something of you that makes no sense and you just need to obey and trust that God really is in control of your life? Where you cut the net away and truly take the leap of faith.
By way of testimony, God led me down that path and may do so again at some point. When my family and I left my position of youth pastor in Indiana years ago, we had such high hopes of what was coming. We were sure of the Lord's direction and confident in what we would see. What we found was me having to lay down everything on the altar, and God's silence. For two years we had to trust that God's promises were still at work in our lives. We had to trust while looking foolish to many people. Because of that faithfulness, towards the end of that time we received renewed promises from the Lord which we have not seen fully fulfilled...but my wife and I have such a deeper, more rich kind of faith than we've every had. Laying his son, his dream, down on that altar; raising the knife to strike in obedience...it must have been agonizing and profoundly transformational.
Churches are filled with "Stage One" Christians. Many leave when the "Stage Two" command is given and abort their destiny. Will you embrace it?
There is a stage two in our development with the Lord. You see God doesn't call us out to leave us on our own. Not only does He save us, but He also wants to form the character of Christ within us. It is part of His ultimate plan to re-establish His kingdom here on earth...to bring His blessings into our lives. It is a process of maturing in our faith. You see God gave Abraham another command later on. Abram, whose name was now Abraham, had seen the fulfillment of God's promises in his son Isaac...or so he thought. You see God had much bigger plans in mind. It was through Abraham's lineage that the Savior was going to come to restore all things. But this second command was for Abraham to sacrifice, to give up, that fulfilled promise by sacrificing Isaac on an altar. What would we have said? "But God you're supposed to be different than this?" "But God you gave him to me, he's mine!" Don't we often hang onto what God has given as if they were ours and not God's?
But here's the difference...the first command was for Abraham to surrender his broken past and came with a promise. This time the command came and Abraham had to trust God with his future without any new assurances. Have you been there yet Christian? It's easy in many ways for us to surrender our broken messed up lives to the Lord. It's easy to receive forgiveness and a new start. But have you made it to maturity point yet, where God asks something of you that makes no sense and you just need to obey and trust that God really is in control of your life? Where you cut the net away and truly take the leap of faith.
By way of testimony, God led me down that path and may do so again at some point. When my family and I left my position of youth pastor in Indiana years ago, we had such high hopes of what was coming. We were sure of the Lord's direction and confident in what we would see. What we found was me having to lay down everything on the altar, and God's silence. For two years we had to trust that God's promises were still at work in our lives. We had to trust while looking foolish to many people. Because of that faithfulness, towards the end of that time we received renewed promises from the Lord which we have not seen fully fulfilled...but my wife and I have such a deeper, more rich kind of faith than we've every had. Laying his son, his dream, down on that altar; raising the knife to strike in obedience...it must have been agonizing and profoundly transformational.
Churches are filled with "Stage One" Christians. Many leave when the "Stage Two" command is given and abort their destiny. Will you embrace it?
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