mark the unremarkable

Generally, it is the big events that we remember best. The holiday gatherings with the family, the expensive vacations, weddings, and the like. Much of life is event-driven. Marketers encourage us to focus on special times that we will remember for a long time. Because of this, we sometimes feel that we have to make big plans or spend a lot of money in order to make a memory. There are a few problems with this approach: Most of us can’t afford to live like this so these occasions are rare. Family and friends are spread out all over the world so getting together is difficult. Many times when we do get together, our special celebrations are messed up by less-than-perfect circumstances. These events, although fun, don’t represent our real lives very well. Sometimes, after all of the buildup, we are left empty when the party is over.

I am thinking that we would all be better off if we could hang on to the average days. The “nothing special happening” times when you just get to spend time with the people you love. It doesn’t take a lot of money and it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Just time together.

I also think we learn the value of the everyday, nothing special times, when they are taken away from us. So hang on to them while you can.

It is the everyday things we should cherish. Take some time to mark the things that otherwise may go unnoticed.

Jesus first

At Christmas
Before the parties and before the gifts.
Before the meals and travel to family gatherings.
Even before the worship services and serving the needy and carol singing...
There is Jesus.
Put Him first.
Don’t put Him first because it is His birthday and it is rude not to put Him first.
Put Him first because He is God and everything else pales in comparison.

John 1:10-14 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (NLT)

Merry Christmas to everyone!

12.19 in Fla.

We took part of our day off on Friday and took a walk on the beach. I was reminded again how nice it is to be able to do something outside in December. What a great place to live!

The following pictures are for the enjoyment of our friends who live up north. Not trying to rub it in! I hope you enjoy a little Florida warmth.

A personal Christmas

If you read this blog often, you know that I don’t share a lot of personal information. No offense meant, I am just a relatively private person. This Christmas finds our family dealing with some issues that bring new significance to the holiday and cause me to tell you about some personal things we are facing.

Letha and I are blessed to have all four of our parents still living. We have recognized this as an incredible advantage. Our parents believe in us and pray for us more than anyone on earth. As our parents are aging (everyone around 80), they are dealing with the typical health situations that most people their age deal with. In particular, Letha’s mom, Mary is struggling. Four years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

As the health of my mother-in-law fades, we are drawn into times of gratitude for her spiritual strength and depth, as well as times of sorrow for everything she and her family are experiencing. Letha’s father, Dave, is as strong as any man has ever been. He is holding up well considering the circumstances. Letha’s family is very involved and very supportive. But we all realize that the clock is ticking for Mary. This could very well be her last Christmas on earth. I suppose the same should be said of all of us, but we are keenly aware of her imminent situation.

This awareness creates lots of nostalgia. I am thinking about Christmases over the past 25 plus years that I have spent in this family. We are recalling all of the great family times at the holidays. Letha and I talk often about how her mom was a pillar in the family. This definitely will be a theme for Christmas 2008. This will be a challenging but treasured Christmas celebration.

Hopefully, we can grasp tightly and hold on to the memories that have been made and will be made this year. I am hoping for the usual joy in their home. I am asking God for a season of peace for them. The presence of love is not in question.

Without being morose, know that none of us are promised another Christmas, or another year of life. Perhaps the gravity of our situation can inspire you to grab hold to the treasure of family and love and memories. Make Christmas what it was originally intended to be: honor the Savior’s birth and celebrate the gift of spiritual life.

God is good and His mercy endures forever.

giving is showing up everywhere

On our day off on Friday, we went to lunch at one of our favorite spots, a taco trailer. That’s right, we eat off the street (not literally) every chance we get. For any Mexican food fiends out there in south Florida, the place is Taco Al Carbon on the corner of Military Trail and Lake Worth. The neighborhood is not great and the cleanliness factor is sketchy, at best. But we love the food and that’s what counts.

Anyway, while we were there on Friday, a local organization was conducting a giveaway for Christmas. Toys for kids and clothes for adults were the featured items.

I am seeing it more and more.
The local news is covering it.
A radio station is promoting a plan to send gifts to military personnel overseas.
More organizations are leading the way.
More generosity, more selflessness, more giving.
I think this is another indication that people are not giving up because of the recession.
In fact, they are simply giving because of the recession.

We are making less money and some experts are saying that giving is going to drop. I am hoping that people will become more generous as they see needs increasing.

Another indicator that this economic crisis may just be good for us. Just maybe we are starting to focus on the really important stuff.

the economy is sounding better

While the news is still awful regarding our economic situation in American and in the world, and while the forecast is not calling for a turn-around any time soon, I am hearing some really encouraging things from some people I know.

Just this week I have heard people say:
“Maybe this is a chance for us to get our priorities straight.”
“Maybe we are starting to figure out what is really important in life.”
“We have been so shallow for so long, possibly we can grow up a little.”

To me, this is really good news. I think it is both a mark of character and a gift from God when, in difficult times, people see beyond their temporary pain and realize the good that can come from it.

I do know this, people in our community are much more open to spiritual matters now than they were 3 or 4 years ago. The greatest change in our lifestyles is related to finances.

So I have to say, although painful, this recession may be a good thing.

What is it that comes up from inside a person when times get tough?
I believe it is the resiliency that God puts within people.
As cynical and skeptical as we are, there is something deep inside most of us that keeps us looking for things to get better and looking for real meaning in life.
I believe that thing inside is hope.
And I believe that hope will see us through.

thanksgiving revisted

I have been asked by a couple of people to post more photos of our Thanksgiving trip to Casa Shalom orphanage in Guatemela. (see videos posted on 11.30)

Hope you enjoy.


A picture of the six turkeys we cooked


Party time! The Thanksgiving meal with the Casa Shalom family


A six course meal!


The older kids of Casa Shalom as we climbed the volcano (Picaya)





Our daughter Jessica, after climbing to an elevation of 9.000 ft.

It was an awesome trip for us, one of our best Thanksgiving hoildays ever.

advent conspiracy

I encourage you to take a look at a challenging and inspiring website and ministry focus called Advent Conspiracy. I love the question they propose: “What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?” Their four major points are: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All.

Here is their video:

Generousnews.org is featuring a story covered on christianpost.com detailing George Barna’s recent research on how the economy is challenging the church:

Christian Post - Fascinating Barna study on what’s happened to church giving over the last 3 months. My quick summary:
1) one out of every five households (20 percent) has decreased their giving to churches or other religious centers
2) Among those who reduced their donations to churches, 19 percent dropped their giving by as much as 20 percent; five percent decreased their funding by 21 to 49 percent; 17 percent reduced their gift by half, and 11 percent cut their support by more than half.
3) A surprisingly large proportion, 22 percent, stopped their offering to churches altogether.
4) Upscale households were most likely to reduce their giving.
5) Barna projects $3 - $5 billion less for churches in 4th quarter.
6) 35 percent of respondents said their church had offered a special talk about the financial hardship and ways to respond to it.
Are we having fun yet?

It’s no fun being in the middle of this dilemma. The complete Barna article is disheartening and a bit frightening. We are trying to be graceful and tactful with how we are dealing with the economic hardships.

Thankfully, many people in our church are remaining faithful even though they are being challenged. The great news is, we are giving more help than ever before to needy people. God’s work will continue.

10 Reasons Why You’re Probably Going to Fail

I came across this blog post by Tony Morgan. Thought it may be helpful to some of us. I could have come up with a more positive title, but you'll get the idea. Check out the full article for some great leadership insight.

10 Reasons Why You’re Probably Going to Fail
1. It’s not your passion. If it doesn’t make your heart beat fast or cause your mind to race when you’re trying to sleep, you’re probably doing the wrong thing.
2. You don’t have a plan. You need a vision, and you need to identify specific steps to make that vision become reality. That includes a financial plan. (I happen to believe you need direction from God on this.)
3. You’re waiting for it to be perfect. Test-drive it. Beta-test that new idea. You’ll fall into the trap of inaction if you think it has to be absolutely right from day one.
4. You’re not willing to work hard. Everything worth pursuing in my life has involved discipline and perseverance.
5. It’ll outgrow you. Keep learning. Keep growing. But more importantly, build a team of people including leaders that can be who you’re not.
6. You’ve had success in the past. I’ve watched organizations hang on to a good idea for too long. Time passes. Momentum fades. It’s risky to let go of the past and jump on the next wave.
7. You’re unwilling to stop doing something else. Complexity is easy. Simplicity takes discipline. You can’t build a healthy marriage if you’re unwilling to give up dating other women. Who/what do you need to stop dating?
8. You won’t build a team of friends. Anyone can hire from a resume. You need to find people you want to share life with. In the long run, great relationships will get you out of bed in the morning.
9. You won’t have the tough conversations. When breakdown happens (and it always does), someone needs to put on their big-boy pants and initiate the difficult conversation that leads to relational healing.
10. You’re afraid of failure. When fear consumes you, it will cause you to do stupid things. You’ll let negativity distract you. You’ll embrace the known, and grow comfortable with mediocrity. The more often you fail, though, the more often you’ll find success.

volcano climbing

While in Guatemala, we had the opportunity to climb an active volcano. Picaya, an 8,000 plus ft. high volcano is a once-in-a-lifetime site to behold. The older children from Casa Shalom, along with several adults, made the ascent on Friday. Pictures and video do not do the experience justice, but you can get an idea of the things we saw. By the way, never let anyone tell you that climbing this high is no big deal, especially if you are sea-level dweller like me.

t'giving in g'mala

We just returned from an incredible Thanksgiving holiday in Guatemala. We visited the children of Casa Shalom, the orphanage where our daughter and her husband live and work. One of the highlights of the visit was the Thanksgiving meal. We cooked six turkeys, 75 pounds of mashed potatoes, 2 gallons of gravy, 50 ears of roasted corn and 10 sheet cakes. The kids really enjoyed the pavo (turkey) and kept coming back for more. No doubt, this will be one of our more memorable holidays. Enjoy a couple of videos of the fun.

San Jose Rio Bravo Suchitepequez

Please take a look at our daughter, Jessica's, blog site. They are reaching out to a very needy community and the people there need our help and prayers.

a matter of the heart, not our circumstances

My friend, Bob Scheumann, from The Gathering, sent me this interesting tidbit on Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy and are challenged.

"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, an average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children:
'Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices.
Who, from our mother's arms,
Hath led us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.'

make it memorable

What are your plans for Thanksgiving? The usual…turkey, pumpkin pie and football? Awesome, sounds like a great day. But I would suggest adding something to your day. Try to spend even a couple of minutes serving. There are lots of soup kitchens and community meal functions that could use your help. There are probably a couple of college kids you know who can’t go home for the holiday who would love an invitation to dinner. There may be a senior citizen, or even a nursing home that could use your help.

During the most difficult holiday season of our lives, Letha and I invited a complete stranger to spend the day and meal with us. We knew nothing about him, only that he had no place to go for the day so we had him over. It was a little awkward. But it sticks out in my mind. I don’t remember that guy’s name or even what he looked like. I don’t think we ever saw him again. I just know that he was in need of a family for the day and we reached out to him. I’m glad we did.

I get amused by the skeptics who say things like, “serving a meal on Thanksgiving is so cliché, how about every other day of the year?”. OK, my question is, are you doing anything for others the rest of the year? If so, great, keep it up. If not, I like my plan better.

Don’t wait until Thursday, plan now, make a call, set something up. And please keep in mind that the same people who need you on Thanksgiving will need you next week, month and year.

ride to provide

What would cause 35 people to get up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to ride a bicycle 62 miles? The 2nd Annual Ride To Provide would! These athletic men and women met at 7:00 AM in Carlin Park in Jupiter, Florida this morning to ride 62 miles to raise funds for New Life Nicaragua Orphanage in Managua. Ride to Provide is a part of the wecanshareit.org outgo adventures being promoted by Maranatha Church. My good friend, John Greene has put this ride together for two straight years. John is one in the colorful spandex, oh wait, that's everyone! He is the one picking up his young son in the 3rd picture. The funds raised last year went to help purchase a brand new van to transport the children to and from school. Thanks John and all of the riders for all of your hard work and generosity. The kids of New Life will be greatly appreciative!

a devotion

My good friends and colleagues, Than and Megan Graffam told me about a devotion that challenged them recently. It is called, Affliction, No Stranger, from On the Highroad of Surrender by Frances J. Roberts

The devotion is based on Job 13:15 “Even if God kills me, I have hope in him” (NCV)
Here is what Roberts says:
"Affliction is no stranger to the child of God. Darkness falls upon both saint and sinner. Those who know Me intimately will find a deep joy in the midst of life’s bitterness.
I do not smooth out the way for My loved ones, for how then could they testify of My provision?
I prepare you in order to use you in the hour of crisis. The crisis is not the time to cry for deliverance, saying, “Lord, save me,” but to cry “Lord, use me.”

Check out Than and Megan’s ministry blog at: maranathachildren.wordpress.com

dark clouds

It seems to me that many people are living their lives these days surrounded by negativity. I think they are taking their cues from a society that puts too much emphasis on money. Because our economy is in bad shape (compared to what it used to be, not compared to most of the rest of the world), they act as though the whole world is going to hell tomorrow.

If your eyes are on money and you don’t have enough, you will get discouraged. Discouragement unchecked leads to feelings of hopelessness. Feelings of hopelessness are poisonous and they are contagious.

Believers in Christ cannot be hopeless. Faith in Jesus, and giving up, cannot coexist. Jesus gives us hope. He is Hope. It may seem heartless to rebuke the hopeless. If one’s despair is connected to finances, the answer is simple: Jesus said, “you can’t serve God and money- take your pick” (very loose translation). If you worship money, get ready to be hopeless. If you serve God, hope will be abundant.

Today, in a great consulting session with Dr. Fred Garmon of People For Care And Learning and Leader Labs, Inc., I heard a good definition of hope. Fred says: “Hope is the awakening of the human soul that life can be better than this.” A marvelous definition.

If you trust Jesus, you have to believe that, no matter what you are facing, life can be better than this. Jesus did not say that It would get better by us getting rich. He did say that He would give you The Kingdom. How’s that for hope?

Let hope blow away your clouds of doubt.

if necessary, use words

I ran across an excellent blog site and post by Dr. Carmen C. DiCello. He is launching off of the tremendous quote by Saint Francis of Assisi. “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.”

Some quotes from Dr. DiCello:
“What Saint Francis is saying… is that what God’s after is not merely a series of well-crafted theological formulas or a proper articulation of the good news.”

”… the purpose of the truth we have acquired, the intent of the gospel, is to actually find its way into our hearts and lives, dramatically altering the way we live, love, and relate to others.”

“You see, what really matters is that we love (God and our neighbor, according to Jesus), that we bear fruit (according to Paul), and that we become increasingly like Jesus himself.”

“Our lives ought to exude compassion and care. The good news–the news that we are loved and accepted, that we are empowered to love, that we have purpose–should flow from our lives in such a way that no one will be able to deny it.”

“Preach the gospel at all times. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, be it morning, afternoon, or evening, whether it’s raining or the sun is shining, let the good news, the news of faith, hope, and love, flow from you. Let good news emanate from your life. And, when it’s needed, when the situation and setting warrant it, open your mouth too. Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.”

Well said. Much easier said than done.

a verse and commentary

(my words in parenthesis)
Luke 21: 1-4 Just then he (Jesus) looked up and saw (yes, Jesus watches what we give) the rich people (yes, rich people are supposed to give) dropping offerings in the collection plate (yes, Jesus approves of receiving an offering at church). Then he saw a poor widow (yes, poor people are also supposed to give) put in two pennies (there is no such things as too-small of a gift). He said (yes, He had the nerve to discuss her giving in public), "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today (Is Jesus bad at math?). All these others made offerings that they'll never miss (is Jesus making a judgment statement here?); she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford (does Jesus want us to give more than we can afford?)—she gave her all! (Jesus must want it all – all our money, all our time, all our efforts - Jesus wants all of us, including our hearts!) " (The Message)

$8 dollar hotdog

why are we doing this?

Why the focus on reaching out? Why would we be spending our time and energy on doing menial tasks for people? What do our community and international projects have to do with serving Christ? Is this anything more than random acts of kindness? Jesus said, in Matthew 10:41-42, (MSG): “This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing." Possibly by doing something good for someone, they will get the idea that God cares for them. Maybe we can help turn someone’s heart back to God.

That’s why we are doing this. Check out wecanshareit.org

live generously!

These days, I am loving the flow of the scripture verse: Matthew 10:8b “You have been treated generously, so live generously.” (MSG) The people at our church are probably getting tired of hearing me quote it. I just think it so succinctly states the profound truth of the generosity of God toward us, and our resulting lifestyles. God gives us a lot. And He wants us to share a lot. I want to live generously. I want my everyday life to be a reflection of how good God has been to me.

As a conclusion to our wecanshareit.org series at Maranatha, we are sharing a message called, “A Vow of Generosity”. We are also engaging in several hands-on gestures of generosity within and without our community. I am hoping that hundreds of people will move all around the county to let people know that God cares and we care. For a list of still available projects, click on the wecanshareit.org site and the Outreach tab. If you have yet to do so, sign up today.

Christa Wells

We are excited to have Christa Wells as a special muscial guest at Maranatha Church this Sunday. Krista is a Dove award winning singer and song writer who visits with us from time to time. We really appreciate her authentic approach to worship and ministry. If you are in the area, please come on by for the 9:00 or 10:45 service.

By the way, Christa is the sister of our Youth Pastor and friend, Spencer Rogers.

wecanshareit.org

We are half way through our message series entitled wecanshareit.org. I hope you get a chance to check out the web site. Especially take some time to read some of the daily blogs. Several church staff members, friends and guests have written some great posts. Some real inspiration can be gained. Feel free to add a comment!

We are getting excited about our connected projects. On or around November 16, most of the people from our church are heading out after our worship services to share. We will be doing some neighborhood cleanup, visiting nursing centers, throwing a block party for a needy community, giving out water to immigrant landscape workers, and a variety of other care-focused opportunities. The goal is not to do a project. We are hoping to begin the process of lifestyle change.

It is inspiring to see people getting mobilized. People are catching the vision. Lives are changing.

Join in with wecanshareit.org. Not just the series, the lifestyle.

Bethel

Tonight I had the opportunity to speak at the 7th anniversary of a church about 15 miles south of us. My friend, Trevor, serves as the pastor. The church is a Jamaican church and I have visited with them several times before tonight.

Tonight’s service was pretty typical for their church. Probably 20 people there, a very small and run-down building. They always start late, tonight it was a good hour later than advertised. They sang very old songs but with a really cool reggae style rhythm. All of the ladies wore dresses and hats and one elderly woman played the drums, it was awesome.

They expect you to preach for a long time. Tonight, I only talked for about 45 minutes. I think they were disappointed, but they were gracious about it. It was nearly 9:45 when the service ended. Just before they dismissed, the pastor leaned over the me and told me that he had to go to work, he would catch up with me later. I was pretty humbled to think that he would be working at his job while I was home sleeping.

Congrats for 7 years of faithful ministry! Bethel means “house of God”. Great name, God bless them.

the best news

I had a very meaningful experience today, following one of our worship services. One of our regular attenders introduced me to a first-time guest. This young woman came for the purpose of finding a relationship with Christ. She was in tears and the first thing she said to me was, “I am so lost!”. I explained to her the early stages of meeting Christ and was able to lead her in a prayer of submission to God.

Sometimes I need to be reminded that what we are doing actually connects with the Great Commission. Sometimes the business of local church ministry wears us down and we have to refocus on what God actually called us to do. Events like this brief prayer session are what it is all about. It will provide plenty of energy and motivation for a while.

It was a great Sunday all around, but my brief time with these people was definitely the highlight of the day, the entire week!

so what are you gonna do?

My last couple of posts have been on the topic of worry. The reason for this is the significant damage that I see being done by worry, people are messed up.

What will you do with it?

Let’s take whatever it is that is worrying us,
the thing that keeps us awake at night,
causing ulcers,
and grey hair…

and let’s give it to God.

It works for health problems and financial problems and marriage problems. It even works for future problems, the stuff we worry about that hasn’t even happened yet.

William Barclay said: “When we pray, remember:
The love of God that wants the best for us
The wisdom of God that knows the best for us
The power of God that can accomplish it.”

God is bigger than all of it. Give it to Him.

worry quotes

Worry not about the possible troubles of the future; for if they come, you are but anticipating and adding to their weight; and if they do not come, your worry is useless; and in either case it is weak and in vain, and a distrust of God's providence. Hugh Blair

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. Corrie Ten Boom

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia. Charles Schultz

You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do. Olin Miller

Quit worrying about your health. It'll go away. Robert Orben

There are two days in the week on which I never worry; One is yesterday and the other is tomorrow. Robert Burdette

As a rule, men worry more about what they can't see than about what they can. Julius Caesar

Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything. Mary Hemingway

This art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it all care and worry is probably one of the secrets of energy in our great men. Captain J A Hadfield

Worry -- a God, invisible but omnipotent. It steals the bloom from the cheek and lightness from the pulse; it takes away the appetite, and turns the hair gray. Benjamin Disraeli

If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system. William James

Rule #1: Don't sweat the small stuff. Rule #2: It's all small stuff. Michael Mantell

We consume our tomorrows fretting about our yesterdays. Persius

Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained. Arthur Somers Rache

The good Lord gave me a brain that works so fast that in one moment I can worry as much as it would take others a whole year to achieve. Source Unknown

Worry gives a small thing a big shadow. Swedish Proverb

There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever. Mahatma Gandhi

The freedom now desired by many is not freedom to do and dare but freedom from care and worry. James Truslow Adams

worry is more than just a waste of time

I was drinking coffee with a friend today when, in the middle of a conversation about the stresses of life these days, he said, “worry is a waste of time”. I agreed but added the idea that worry is much worse than simply wasting time. Wasting time at least appears to be somewhat neutral, usually harmless. Well, worry is in no way a neutral thing. Worry is very counter-productive. Worry moves us backwards. It is the opposite of productive behavior. Worry is a killer.

All kinds of studies have been done proving the destructive nature of worry. It takes a terrible toll on our physical bodies. Heart disease, digestive problems and headaches have all been connected to worry. Charles Horace Mayo said, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system. I have never known a man who died from over work, but many who died from doubt.” Emotional illnesses certainly can result from uncontained worry. Millions of people spend sleepless nights worrying about what was and what will never be. Does this in any way sound neutral?

Jesus shared some wisdom about dealing with worry. Matthew 6:24-34 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (TNIV)

Worrying about things like money reveals that we don’t really trust God to take care of us. Worrying about the past is really a statement about our doubts of the redemptive work of Christ. Worrying about what might happen tomorrow shows that we don’t believe that God will take care of us in the future. Worry uncovers our weakness, our lack of faith and our tendency to want to control our lives. Worry is the opposite of trust. Worry can become a god – a god before whom we bow in total submission.

Don’t fool yourself into believing that worry is harmless. It is not just a normal part of life. Worry is not unavoidable. And God doesn’t overlook our tendency to worry.

We can beat worry. And some days I would like to beat it with a baseball bat.

Tomorrow’s post will feature some great quotes about worry. Come on back.

Galatians 6:17

I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. (NIV)

This is a shocking verse. Paul is reminding us that he has suffered and been physically persecuted because he was a Christ follower. He had everyday reminders of the price that he had paid for being a Christian.

I wonder what the nature of his scars were?
How many scars, or what permanent damage had been done to him?
I wonder about the emotional scars that had to accompany the physical ones.
I wonder if, when he looked at a particular scar, if he recalled the specific time and place, and who put that scar on him?

The Contemporary English Version says, “On my own body are scars that prove I belong to Christ Jesus.”

Now I wonder if there is visible proof that I belong to Jesus. I have no scars except a few emotional ones. And after reading about what Paul suffered (II Corinthians 11:25-28), I have no right to claim any scars.

Mr. Freddie

Last week, I visited a nursing center where our church conducts ministry. After the service, they had a little party for the residents there and they were playing some nice, old school jazz and swing music. One of the residents, “Mr. Freddie”, got up and danced all around. He was a very good dancer, quite smooth. Someone pointed out to me that Mr. Freddie has to get around with a walker, except when he is dancing. This really peaked my curiosity. A little later, I went over and introduced myself. Mr. Freddie told me that he used to be a professional dancer. During WW II, he and a team of several other young people traveled around the country entertaining soldiers who had been injured and were in military hospitals. His eyes sparkled as he talked about it.

When Mr. Freddie was finished dancing and talking with me, he grabbed his walker and hobbled down the hall to his room.

I am amazed that a man who can’t walk without assistance can dance. I am intrigued by the power of the joy he receives from dancing. And I am wondering how to capture that joy.

more with less

Efficiency. It’s the name of the game when the economy stinks like it does. Everybody I know is trying to figure out how to make life happen with fewer resources. Either escalating costs or reduced income (or both) is hammering the average family. So we are focused in on trying to save some money.

But efficiency is more than just spending less money. That is not the entire point of efficiency. If it was, we would just buy less food and gas. What we are trying to do is get more for our money. $2.00 for chicken is not enough information. How many pounds of chicken? If it is one pound, not so great, if it is five pounds, now that’s efficiency. Energy efficiency is not just burning less fuel. It’s going more miles on less fuel. The idea isn’t just to spend less. It’s getting more while spending less.

Make the spiritual application. Can we expect to receive more if we invest less? Can we give God fewer hours than we used to and expect Him to provide more of what we need. Thankfully, with God, it isn’t necessarily a matter of how many hours or how many dollars. If our hearts are right, and God knows if they are or not, we can offer to God our best and He will take care of the rest.

I know a few folks who are struggling with giving God the tenth that belongs to Him. Times are tough and budgets are stretched. Surely God doesn’t mind if I give Him less than 10%! The problem isn’t the percentage, the problem is the quality of what we are offering God - less than our best. You can give God 20% but if it isn’t your best, you are missing the point. By the way, I know of a couple of people who are upset because they are making less and they have less to give – their 10% is less than what it was last year. Again, God wants your best, whatever that adds up to being. 10% is just the starting point. That’s minimal. God wants your whole heart.

Here is a really nice thought about efficiency. Little becomes much when you give it to God. He can bring more from less. Give God what He is due and He will surprise you with what He does with it.

God is omni-efficient.

what God demands

Micah 6:8 The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands: "See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God." (CEV)

God wants us to be good at three things. In fact He demands it.
Justice: let’s fight for it.
Mercy: let’s exemplify it.
Humility: let’s embrace it.

Simple. Straightforward. Required.

wecanshareit.org

Maranatha Church is beginning a new message series on October 26 entitled wecanshareit.org. The goal of the series is to mobilize the people of Maranatha, and everyone who hears it, toward sharing the love of God in practical ways. I am really excited about the opportunities this series is going to provide.

As you might have guessed, we are developing an interactive web page (with the same name) specifically for this series. As part of this page, we are providing an interactive blog with daily entries highlighting the themes we are discussing. Also included will be videos of the weekend messages and basic info about the church.

Can you take a minute and check out the site? You may want to favorite place it so you can come back daily for the blogs. As the series progresses, we will be exploring some specific projects that we can all be involved in.

Join in, or do your own thing, but be sure you are involved in sharing some of the good things that God has given you.

international orphans

a congressman, sexual affairs and our church

Something really crazy happened last week. I was contacted personally by an assistant of a now famous Congressman in our area. His assistant asked if the Congressman could visit our church services and address the congregation. Thankfully, I told her that he was most certainly welcome to attend our services but that we would not recognize him or allow him to address our people.

Here is an excerpt from my response:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Congressman’s interest in attending one of our services on Sunday. While everyone is more than welcome to visit with us for the purposes of worshipping God, we are not interested in any type of public recognition of any politician. Our mission is “changing lives by connecting people with Jesus Christ”. A focus upon any individual seeking political office does not comply with our commitment to fulfill our God-given vision. If Congressman ­­_________attends a service at Maranatha Church, he will be treated with respect as would any guest, but we do not give public recognition to individual guests, especially those of public notoriety. We believe that this is consistent with the spirit of the scripture found in James 2:1-4.

Honestly, I had no idea of the firestorm that was about to break out around this guy. Four days after the request came, national headlines are talking about how this guy has possibly been involved in sexual affairs.

The request did not sit well with me. I felt as though he was trying to use God’s time to get votes. I disagree with his politics but even if we were on the same page, I could not allow worship time to be spent politicizing.

Man, am I ever glad that I know better than to allow a politician to use our worship time for personal gain. If I had allowed him to speak…wow, I don’t even want to think about it.

afraid of…

I have heard countless times the last several months that Americans are afraid. Actually, “sacred to death” is the more common expression. The fear is centering on the topic of finances. So I decided to think a little deeper about this idea. What exactly are we afraid of?

We are afraid of:
Not being able to pay our mortgages
Losing our jobs
Not being able to retire when we want to
Having to adjust our lifestyles

The people that I have talked to who are the most afraid have the most to lose. They have a lot in the bank. They have to spread their money around to keep it safe. If the economy totally crashes, they will lose a lot.

Now, I do not want to come across as a jerk but let’s put a couple of things in perspective.

Millions of people around the world don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
Kids is Africa have no clean water to drink.
People in India are starving.
Many Asians live with next to nothing.
And we worry about not being able to make our boat payment.
We have had to cut back on trips to Starbucks.
Our continent is the most blessed, if economics are a blessing.

I realize that there is genuine poverty in America. We have poor among us. But this economic crises hasn’t changed their lives much. They had nothing before, they have nothing now.

I feel bad for people who can’t afford a vacation. People who are looking longingly at retirement have my sympathy. But I am not afraid for them. I am afraid for the starving kids of the world.

Any thoughts?

vertigo

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you have noticed a distinct reduction in the number of posts recently. I have been suffering with a serious bout of vertigo. Vertigo is more than the recent overrated song by U2. It is basically dizziness. On Monday afternoon, I started feeling it coming on and I have battled it all week. Vertigo usually is accompanied by nausea and yes, I have had my share. The docs tell me that it is probably an inner ear problem.

I ask for your patience and prayer while we figure out what is going on. I have some in-depth tests in a couple of weeks to try to find some solutions. I’m not sure what will happen until then. I can’t drive, and reading/writing is a challenge on its own.

So hang in there, I‘ll be back. Until then, I’ll try to function the best I can in my spinning world.

ideas

I am collecting ideas for some upcoming ministry opportunities at Maranatha Church. In a few weeks, we are beginning a new message series about reaching out and sharing the love of God in practical ways. We will be promoting various projects to try to get everyone involved in a ministry activity. We hope to accomplish most of this outside of our church building.

We already have in mind various ideas: nursing homes, homeless shelters, short-term missions trip, beach and park clean up, something for the troops…

Please feel free to throw in a couple of ideas. We are compiling a list. It would be awesome if you could contribute to the list.

Thanks!

a matter of perspective

It is a very rainy day in South Florida. While tourists are mad and the Chamber of Commerce is nervous, I am a little glad. I am locked in today, prepping for a long day of ministry tomorrow.

The rain kind of sets the mood for me. It is not depressing or sad. It is more relaxing and reflective. True, all of the people from our church are trapped inside and are going stir crazy but maybe they will all come to a service tomorrow.

On a deeper note, there is great biblical symbolism with rain. First Testament prophets wrote about rain as indicating blessings from God, specifically the blessing of the Spirit. Joel does an awesome job with the concept: Joel 2:21-24 Fear not, my people; be glad now and rejoice, for he has done amazing things for you. 22 Let the flocks and herds forget their hunger; the pastures will turn green again. The trees will bear their fruit; the fig trees and grape vines will flourish once more. 23 Rejoice, O people of Jerusalem, rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rains he sends are tokens of forgiveness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as those of spring. 24 The threshing floors will pile high again with wheat, and the presses overflow with olive oil and wine.
Joel 2:28 "After I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all of you! (TLB)

One of my favorite Christian bands from the 90’s was Pray for Rain. I remember at the time they were so popular, a teenager in our youth group (now a worship leader) asked, “who would ever pray for rain?” I was too annoyed to answer her question at the time but I recall thinking, “maybe those who are dying of thirst?”

Without rain, the ground dries up, become hard and is as good as dead. So are we, without the Spirit.

God, let it rain. Rain on South Florida today and on your children world-wide during this spiritual season.

a good man

I am very proud of a friend of mine. He stood by his wife for several years as she battled serious illnesses. This guy served his wife in every way imaginable. For years, he was a successful businessman, serving as the VP of a large corporation. The last few years, he gave up his job and just helped his wife.

He is the model of strength and integrity. He is faithful. I admire him more than I can say.

A few people have pointed out that he could have made a few decisions in more effective ways. I agree but I can’t imagine anyone loving their wife more than this man did his. He did things the best way he knew how and always with his wife’s best interest at heart. He fought hard for her and now he doesn’t have to look back and wish that he had tried harder.

His job as a caregiver is done. But I believe his job as a example for other men may just be getting started.

Marilyn

I am posting today from Panera Bread in Burnsville, MN. Letha and I are in town to help celebrate the life and home-going of a dear friend. On Friday, Marilyn Kliner went to be with God. Please pray for her husband and my close friend, Denny, as well as her entire family and circle of influence.

Any accusations of me being sentimental today would be correct. Just a thought: go ahead and take Tim McGraw’s advice. Live today like you may not have tomorrow.

God bless the Kliners and all who were touched by Mar’s remarkable life.

old school reminder

This morning, I brought out a old reminder of an ancient truth. While preaching about our positions as believers in Christ in regard to the current economic crisis in America, I reminded the people that, God is in control, by reading the lyrics (I did not sing!) of Twila Paris’ vintage 90’s hit .

Enjoy them and apply wherever applicable:

God is in Control

This is no time for fear
This is a time for faith and determination
Don't lose the vision here
Carried away by emotion
Hold on to all that you hide in your heart
There is one thing that has always been true
It holds the world together

God is in control
We believe that His chilren will not be forsaken
God is in control
We will choose to remember and never be shaken
There is no power above or beside Him, we know
God is in control, oh God is in control

History marches on
There is a bottom line drawn across the ages
Culture can make its plan
Oh, but the line never changes
No matter how the deception may fly
There is one thing that has always been true
It will be true forever

God is in control
We believe that His children will not be forsaken
God is in control
We will choose to remember and never be shaken
There is no power above or beside Him, we know
God is in control, oh God is in control

congrats to brent and lindsey!

Brent Maloney and Lindsey Jones are getting married on Saturday! These are two really great people whom God has brought together. Their wedding is in Atlanta and they will celebrate their day with family and friends.

God bless the new Maloneys. Let’s pray for about 100 years of happy marriage for them.

say “yes”, say “no”

One of the most difficult to develop skills of an effective leader is learning how and when to say “yes” or “no”. How does one determine, is there a list of rules that we can follow that will help us decide what is important and what should fall by the wayside?

In my experience, most leaders have a tougher time with the “no” aspect. A productive lifestyle is usually full of activity and it is very easy to operate in the mode of “full-speed ahead”. This is cool and lots of fun but can sometimes be counter-productive.

I have developed a simple little list for you to consider as you move through your leadership day. Maybe this will be some groundwork to help us all know when to pull the plug or when to stay in high gear. It should at least start some wheels turning.

When considering the yes/no question, run through this list:

Considering the opportunity…

Is it crucial to the fulfillment of your vision? say yes
Is it part of your primary calling? say yes
Does it complement your particular gift mix? say yes
Does it have a multiplying factor? (doing the thing would have exponential results) say yes
Are you being pressured by outside forces? say no
Is it something that is being done, because it has always been done? say no
Would you be doing this simply to please people? say no
Does it take away from your ability to focus on your primary responsibility? say no
Is everyone, or anyone else doing it? say no
Is it fun? say yes
Is it a drag? say no

Obviously, there are qualifiers for all of these scenarios, but you get the idea.

Come on, use your good judgment. Say “yes” or “no” but whatever you do, get on with the thing God has called you to do!

true colors

On Sunday, we dropped by the mall for a few minutes. The early football games were over so there were several football fans there, celebrating a rare win. We saw lots of people wearing football jerseys, hats and various paraphernalia, all elated because their team is # 1, at least until next week. I saw one couple who were maybe a little tipsy from too much booze. He was wearing a jersey, she had on an old faded team t-shirt and a bunch of Mardi Gras -type beads. They walked by an Orthodox Jewish family who was dressed in traditional clothing. They were wearing black and the gentleman was wearing his kippa or yarmulke, the traditional skull cap. Keep in mind, this type of clothing is required by the Jewish religion to show respect and honor for God. It is part of their worship. This ritual is centuries old and has substantially deep cultural and religious roots. The first couple, clad in the football clothes looked at, pointed at and laughed at the Jewish family. They didn’t even try to hide their amusement.

What an obvious display of a culture gone ridiculous. The first couple was wearing ugly clothes, with colors that were based on a bad football team. They had the nerve to laugh at someone else who was not nearly as cool as they were, and were clearly very strange. They were superior, in part, because their team won today. The Jews were inferior because, well, their team didn’t even play today.

Jewish people have been around since the beginning of recorded history. This football team for about one generation. The Jews aren’t going anywhere. The football team could be gone as soon as a better offer from another city shows up. The Jews have loved God from the beginning. Football fans are as fickle as they come.

True colors, indeed.

1st Pres.

On Sunday, Letha and I had the opportunity to visit a small church in a small town. We were taking a few days away for rest and decided to worship in a completely different environment. It was a refreshing change.

The service was formal and fairly liturgical. There were about 60 people present. The pastor wore a very nice cleric’s robe, we sang all hymns (six of them!), the only musical accompaniment was a small pipe organ and we prayed from a pre-selected liturgy. The pastor preached an excellent message from Matthew 20 about the parable of the laborers. His main point was: many times we think that God is not fair because He does not give us what we deserve. If we think we deserve more than what we have been given, this reveals that we truly have no idea about fairness. We should thank God that He doesn’t treat us “fairly”, or else, we would be in big trouble with Him. I was ministered to by the message.

As we sat there and joined in the praise, I was ashamed of our arrogance, assuming that we know it all and presuming that our way is better. I thought about our church back home and how our services are so different (not better, just different). I thought about how many times we turn up our noses when someone dares to do things differently than we are accustomed to. I was humbled by the sincerity of the pastor, the worshippers and this great worship service. The experience will stay with me.

I found myself well able to worship God in that setting. We should be able to focus on God when things are different. When they don’t sing “our songs” or preach it the way we like it, we should be able to worship God nonetheless. Substance must supersede style.

I will be glad to be back home this Sunday, but a little part of me wants to wear a robe - and I don’t even own a bath robe!

heartbreaking hopelessness

Recently, I had the experience of escorting someone to court. This was not traffic court, it was for more serious offenders. It was a rather disturbing experience. It had been a while since I was among so many people who were so disrespected. These were mostly young people and most were minorities. The behavior of some of these individuals was a little surprising, considering that they were in trouble. I assumed that they would at least pretend to show honor to the court and judge but this was not the case.

I was struck by the despair in the place. While I am trying to create some optimism, some of these people are in no-win situations. Anything short of a miracle and many of these kids are headed nowhere fast. I do realize that much of the bravado is posing, what appears to be tough and hard hearted is really repressed fear and insecurity. My heart goes out to them. And I am wondering how in the world that people who know Christ can ever reach them.

I do know this – these are exactly the kind of people that Jesus hung out with. These were the people that Jesus chose as friends. So it is possible to reach them. And that is what keeps them from being hopeless. Now all they need is some time with Jesus. Or some of Jesus’ friends who are willing to do what He did.

$

I was reading Bob Coy’s book, Dreamality. Bob is the Lead Pastor at Calvary Chapel in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and has an incredible success story going. In his book, he has a great chapter on stewardship, or the concept that all of our resources belong to God and we simply steward or take care of these resources for a short while.

Let me share a couple of things from the chapter:

“Records show that in a year’s time, Americans have been known to spend:

$110 billion on fast food.
$85 billion on lawns and gardens
$64 billion on soft drinks
$38 billion on state lotteries
$36 billion on vending machine products
$24 billion on jewelry
$23 billion on toys
$20 billion on cosmetics
$13 billion on chocolate
$7.1 billion on greeting cards
$600 million on teeth-whitening products

Consider these startling amounts in light of a few random bits of information, on what it costs to support life in another country.

· Just under $20 will feed a family of four for four weeks in Iraq.
· For $800 you can build a house in Nicaragua, and $25 will feed a family of four for a month.”
(p. 39)

Wow, thanks, Bob for putting some things in perspective. Makes me want to give more away.

too old to rock ‘n roll, too young to die

As unspiritual as it is, I am thinking today about the old Jethro Tull song, “Too Young to Die” (vintage 1976). The song is basically a rock ballad about a guy whose friends have all abandoned their partying ways because of age and responsibility. He hangs onto the old lifestyle and ultimately dies in the end, crashing his motorcycle into a truck. Edifying stuff, huh?

The point of this post is not the point of the song. My thought is more along the lines of how difficult it is to maintain ministry passion over the long haul . It seems like lots of people get tired and worn down. After years of working and leading, some leaders feel like they are just too “old” to “rock ‘n roll”, or lead. It may not be a matter of age, it may be a matter of miles. Whatever the cause, there are too many people on the shelf, no longer on the front line of making it happen. This is a shame. There is a lot us potential life-changing ministry sitting on the chairs of churches all over the world.

Let me try to inspire you. You are never too old or tired or burned out to lead. Don’t ever believe that you are. Maybe you need a break, maybe even a sabbatical would help. But if you are feeling like the better days of your leadership tasks are behind you (whether you are 20 or 80), think again.

If you are still alive, you’ve got something to share. As our friends, Jethro Tull reminds us in the last line of the song: “No, you're never too old to Rock'n'Roll if you're too young to die”.

a leadership mistake

I have a memory that haunts me. I was with a group of guys on a short-term missions trip to Central America. We were doing a construction project and, as is usually the case on these trips, one of the guys got pretty sick. Actually, we thought he had the flu, he was sick when we got on the plane in the US. I was rooming with this guy on our trip. (we stayed at a ½ star $8 a night hotel!)

Here’s what bothers me. I didn’t want to get sick. I was leading the trip and I really couldn’t afford to be wiped out. So I went to another room. I abandoned this guy when he was really sick. I protected myself.

That has been 10 plus years ago and it still comes to mind every few weeks. I consider this to be one of my greatest failures as a leader. I blew it. I did get a chance to apologize to the guy later, and he didn’t seem to hold it against me, but I no doubt let him and myself down.

Leading is serving, plain and simple. Looking out for the best interest of others. Putting others before yourself. I don’t have to tell you that Jesus is the greatest leader of all time, in part, because He laid down his life for His friends.

God help me to never repeat this mistake.

impressions

Back to the dentist on Friday. I had some impressions made. If your haven’t had this thrill, it is where they fill your mouth with quick-dry cement. They try to make the experience more tolerable by giving the concrete a – non concrete taste. It doesn’t help much. The hygienist loaded up the mouthpiece-shaped tray and held it in my mouth. “It only takes a few minutes to set up”, she said. It did. Within a couple of minutes, this stuff was hard as a rock and she removed it from my mouth.

If you read this blog, you know where I am going. Sorry to be Captain Obvious. It only takes a few minutes to set up an impression. People form opinions about us within the first few seconds of meeting us. Right or wrong, they determine what kind of people we are and whether or not they like us based simply on the way we present ourselves. I do it all the time, you do, too.

What impressions are we making? Is there anything in our at-first-glance lives that speak of hope? Is there anything in us that help turn someone toward Christ? I believe that it is entirely possible to impact someone, at least on a minimal level, in only a few seconds. If you don’t believe me, think about the last time a total stranger smiled at you. It helped, didn’t it?

Sometimes you have a lifetime. Sometimes you have a split second.

that's my King

The late Dr. S.M. Lockeridge, a preacher from San Diego, California said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:

That's My King!

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King. Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centrepiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . .but He's indescribable. He's indescribable. That's my King.He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honour and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? And ever and ever and ever and ever. And when you get through with all of the 'ever's, then . . . Amen.

pray for free chapel

My buddy, Jeremy Self has been working for a couple of years on a new church that he is planting in Austin, Texas. They are scheduled to begin on Sunday. That’s right, the very weekend that all of South Texas is supposed to be blown away by Hurricane Ike.

Let’s pray for Jeremy and his family and the people of Free Chapel. Let’s ask God to weaken the storm, to protect life and property. Let’s count on God to, in some way, bring hope and life out of this really bad situation. Let's remember, some of the coolest miracles of Jesus happened in storms.

Jeremy, we love you guys and are holding you up! A little old cat 3 hurricane can’t stop you!

blind

On Sunday, between our 9:00 and 10:45 services, I slipped away to my office to get something to drink and to pray for a couple of minutes. I have been praying for some of the people as they drive up and for the services in general. My office is upstairs overlooking one of our parking lots so I can see some of the people arriving, going into the church.

I looked out as a young family, obviously new, came out of the Worship Center looking for the place to take their kids. Clearly, they did not know where to go. They looked around at the building across the lot and kind of meandered toward one of the entrances, only to then change directions and head for the other door. I stood there helpless, very afraid that they would, out of frustration, just go back to their car. Understand, we have great First Impressions people who normally would handle this, but this family had fallen through the cracks. Here is where the story gets worse. One of our oldest members - by that I mean this person has been around the church for a LONG time – walked up to and right on by this new, lost family. This person did not say a word, as far as I could tell, didn’t even acknowledge that this family was even there. I wanted to jump out the window – not to kill myself – but to try to salvage the situation. I felt guilty for a couple of minutes of rest when I could have been down there personally greeting this new family.

It is difficult to preach with composure when you have just seen such blatant insensitivity and rudeness exhibited by a “mature” follower of Jesus, but God helped me. I wish I could say that this person is blind. In a way they are. Apparentl seeing-impaired to the purpose of the church.

The good news is, the lost family eventually found their way to the children’s ministry area and the parents came back into the worship service. I did not get to meet them, have no idea what their names are and have no clue if they will ever come back. Honestly, with a start like that, I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t. Hopefully, something that was done or said allowed them to see the heart of God as expressed by His church.

Maybe they were blind, too. Maybe they couldn’t see the seasoned church member. Possibly they were oblivious to this person's insensitivity. Maybe they were also ignoring this person. I can only hope.

I am glad to say, this is an unusual occurrence at Maranatha. And eventually, we will get more people on board to the vision of reaching people for Christ. Until then, I am going to keep praying and I’ll be sure to keep my windows locked.

the treasure principle

I speed-read Randy Alcorn’s book, The Treasure Principle. I didn’t rush through it because it was not good or I did not like it. I just have too much reading to do and I am trying to catch up.

The book is very helpful, not wonder it was a huge seller. The subtitle is: Unlocking the Secrets of Joyful Giving. This is well stated. For most people, there is no joy in giving, or at least the joy is being kept secret. That is unfortunate, because at least two of the results of this are people don’t give and “meetable” needs are not met.

Let me give you a couple of good quotes from the book, as well as the key principles that Alcorn sets forth.

“You can’t take it with you - but you CAN send it on ahead.”
“The less I spent on myself and the more I gave to others, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become.” J Hudson Taylor
“Giving isn’t a luxury of the rich. It’s a privilege of the poor.”
“You couldn’t pay me enough not to give.”
“We think we own our possessions but too often they own us.”
“I have held many things in my hand and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” Martin Luther
“I used to rob six convenience stores a year. This year, by His grace, I’m going to rob only three.” (a commentary on people who decided to give God only part of what is His.)

Treasure Principle #1: God Owns everything. I’m His money manager.
We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted - not given - to us.
Treasure Principle #2: My heart always goes where I put my money.
Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.
Treasure Principle #3: Heaven, not earth, is my home.
We are citizens of “a better country – a heavenly one” ( Hebrews 11:16)
Treasure Principle #4: I should not live for the dot but for the line.
From the dot – our present life on earth – extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.
Treasure Principle #5: Giving is the only antidote to materialism.
Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.
Treasure Principle #6: God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving.
God gives us more money that we need so we can give – generously.

Alcorn has a really nice Giving Covenant available. Check it out and apply as necessary.

If you haven’t read the book, pick it up. I hope every member of our church reads it. If you can’t afford a copy, I’ll buy you one. But only after you have given up Starbucks and cable TV and the day spa… :)

covenant friends

I just returned from a two day retreat with a group of nine friends. It is what we call our Covenant Group. We are basically a small group that has been together for about 3 years. We are all pastors and meet once a month for 3 hours to share life and ministry. Once a year, we spend a few days together praying and discussing our work.

These guys have become great friends. We are a diverse group with lots of ministry approaches represented. There are some younger guys and a couple are more seasoned. We live in big cities and small towns. We serve larger churches and smaller churches. We have committed to pray with and for each other, to hold one another accountable and to do what we can to encourage effective ministry in one another.

There is incredible value in groups like this. There is much to be gained in accountability to and responsibility for other people. I believe that everyone should have some type of covenant relationship.

If you are not already doing this, give it some serious consideration.

Holy Communion

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of the month, our time to observe Holy Communion. Sometimes I approach this sacred time in a clearly non-biblical way. I rush in, with no forethought, no preparation. Not this time.

I am thinking tonight about what Christ accomplished on the cross. How much eternal good was accomplished in six hours on one Friday so long ago?

Count Nikolaus Ludwig Von Zinzendorf said, “For all at once, all sin is atoned for on the Cross, the entire Fall is erased, and the whole obligation to Satan and the entire sentence passed upon the fall of Adam is torn up, cancelled, and annulled by the nails of Jesus.”

How much has He done for me and what should be my response?