On the way to Sunday ... Looking for Victory

It’s not whether you win or lose its how you played that game that matters.

I wonder does that even still apply in our culture of winning at all costs?  Steroids, PEDS, and now Deer Antler Spray are in the headlines as top athletes are seeking ways to win at whatever cost.  Is it any wonder that this mentality has now overtaken our youth sports.  Does anyone else remember playing "championship" games of baseball in the neighborhood with tennis balls and frisbees for bases?  Or how about winning world championships in a driveway game of 2on2 basketball?

When did winning become everything?

Now let me move off the court of sport and into the stands ...

When did having 'your' team win or lose become 'your' victory?

College teams win and students rush the floor in celebration.  Pro Sports teams win and fans riot in the streets.  Wear the wrong color and get beat up or verbally abused.

I am all for rooting for a team, but let's draw a line --- You didn't win. You didn't play.

Simply put you were witness to someone's victory.

So, here's my point:

Being a follower of Christ is not a spectator sport.  You can't sit on the sideline and cheer for Jesus.  You can't just go to church on Sunday morning, sit in your favorite seat, wear your "I love Jesus" t-shirt, and celebrate victory as if you are part of team without BEING on the TEAM.

Jesus has invited us to be a part of his victory, but the invitation is conditional:

This is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. So whoever had God’s Son has life; whoever does not have His Son does not have life. I John 5:11-12 NLT

Christianity is not a spectator sport.  Get in the game. Live out your faith on the playing field of life.

I can promise you this the victory is much sweeter when you participate in the game.

See you Sunday ... I'll be leading the team cheers!

Hidden Treasures in the Back of the Drawer

Hidden treasures too often gather dust and are forgotten.  Imagine my surprise when I ran across this album again this weekend while cleaning out some drawers?  I had forgotten the music, but I hadn't listened to the entire album in a long, long time. 

The Turn of a Friendly Card was the fifth album by progressive rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released in 1980 my sophomore year in high school (yes I am that old). As concept albums go for this group, this one focused on gambling, and loosely told the tale of a middle-aged man who grows restless and takes a chance by going to a casino and betting all he has, only to lose it all.

You might be remember the album - still call it an album as it still own this on vinyl.  It contained to hit songs - Games People Play and Time.

For me the album and the lyrics are at the best in the extended title track - Turn of a Friendly Card: 

But the game never ends when your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card 

The song is beautifully haunting as it tells the story of all that is lost by the gambler. But it is more revealing as to how we spend so much of our lives waiting, hoping for that one friendly card to solve all of our problems.

Problem is that it never comes ... or those surprising moments when the 'right card' turns up ... we discover that it is only fleeting and our search begins again. 

Life will be difficult. Life will have its moments that leave us empty – wanting more – needing more. Life will leave you at times, wondering where God is in the moment.

Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us 
Romans 8:37 NLT 

I am thankful that my life, my happiness, my joy, my victory is not left to the turn of card.

While I enjoy the music of this album, I am thankful for another tune I sing, "Victory in Jesus!"

Free Refills: God's word

Talk radio and television blare 24/7, there are a record number of books and magazines in print and available for e-reading, we still have superstores like Barnes and Noble and the ever present Amazon.com is available to offer everything at a discount, truth is we live under a deluge of words. As a society we are locked in a quest to find answers and for so many of us this quest has met with little success. So, when you seek answers to life’s tough questions, where do you go? 

How many of those words you have listened to are truly worthy of your time and attention?

How many of those words are going to impact your life in a meaningful way?

When was the last time someone spoke to you in an eloquent ‘I hung on every word’ kind of way?

For the matter when was the last time you spoke to someone that they hung on every word?

If you have been running low on answers and your faith seems battered and weakened, maybe it is because you have been listening to the wrong people or reading the wrong words.

The Bible tells a story of a great leader who sought answers to some of life’s most difficult questions. In I Kings chapter 10, the Queen of Sheba pays a visit to King Solomon: 

The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon and his connection with the Name of God. She came to put his reputation to the test by asking tough questions. . . . Solomon answered everything she put to him—nothing stumped him. When the queen of Sheba experienced for herself Solomon's wisdom . . . it took her breath away. She said to the king, "It's all true! Your reputation for accomplishment and wisdom that reached all the way to my country is confirmed. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself; they didn't exaggerate! Such wisdom and elegance—far more than I could ever have imagined. Lucky the men and women who work for you, getting to be around you every day and hear your wise words firsthand! I Kings 1:1-9 The Message  

We don’t know exactly what Solomon said (Although the wisdom literature written by Solomon gives a snap shot) nor do we know the questions that were asked. But you have to give that the reaction by the Queen reveals an impressive performance by the King.  

Compare that then to the spoken record of Jesus. We know more words of Solomon than we do of Christ! Consider that all that the gospels report of what Jesus said, in private and in public, Jesus could have uttered in two hours. Think of it! To be able to say in two hours enough to change the whole of mankind!

No words ever written or spoken can compare with those spoken by Jesus.Those who heard Him speak said, “We have never heard anyone talk like this!” (John 7:46)

One thing is sure: Jesus’ words are packed with power and given the chance will make a dramatic difference in our lives. In case you have forgotten how impactful the words of Christ can be, let me take you back to a moment in Jesus’ ministry in Matthew chapter 8: 

We find the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee in a storm. Jesus is with them in the boat.

The Bible says the storm was terrible and that the waves were breaking into the boat (v 24). The disciples were fighting the storm with all they had, but they were not getting any help from Jesus because He was sound asleep. 

We have the historical perspective to know that everything turned out okay on this boat trip, but I want you to think about the events of the evening. If we had been in that boat fighting for our lives, bailing water, wrestling with the oars, and fighting with the sail, we would have been screaming at Jesus! We would not have cared about how tired He was, we would not have wanted him to quote a Psalm:I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, LORD, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8 CEV. 

We would just want Him to wake up and do something! In effect the disciples were saying,
“Lord, don’t you even care that we are going to drown?” (Mark 4:38) Don’t you even care about our problem – our situation? Can you relate? 

Have you found yourself caught in the storms of life? Shifting emotional winds pulling you in different directions? Been knocked to your feet by a hard crashing wave? Have things become so confusing that you no longer are sure what is right? Have you grown so tired that you don’t care anymore? Have you felt like crying out, “Don’t you even care about me God?”

If so then listen up. 

In the midst of this storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus woke up. He lifted His head from the cushion and spoke. “Quiet Down!” is all that He said (Mark 4:39).  I wonder if the disciples thought He was talking to them? We know the wind and the waves were not confused because they immediately quieted down.  Jesus did not wave his hands, or twitch His nose, He simply spoke a couple words.

Truth is Jesus words are just as powerful today as they were then.  When Jesus said, “Quiet Down!” he was quieting the storm, but even more so, He was sending a direct message to His disciples.  Jesus was in effect saying, “See, I do care!”

That is an important message for us.   If you can begin to understand, that it doesn’t matter who Jesus is speaking to in Scripture, He is also speaking to you and me. Every sentence has significance.

Woven through all of His words are the answers to life’s most important questions.  The words that don’t seem relevant to us are only that way because it doesn’t meet our needs at the point in our life. Someday those same words may be exactly what we need to hear. Paul made this point very clear to Timothy when he wrote to him and said, “The Lord will give you understanding in all these things.” (2 Timothy 2:7) 

'All these things’ were the practical issues of living life as a follower of Christ. Paul was telling us that God has not left us to grope about in the dark, to stagger and stumble around in a state of confusion. Jesus’ words are packed with power and given the chance will make a dramatic difference in our lives. Jesus’ words calm storms and answer questions, but the power of Christ’s words are not in you because you have heard them. The words need to dwell in you in order for them to have power.

Maybe you need the kind of jolt the disciples received. Maybe you need to be reminded of the power of Jesus and His words.  I imagine after the storm, the disciples were a lot more attentive to the things that Jesus said.  Perhaps you need to become a bit more attentive. Perhaps it is time to once again examine, study, meditate on the words of Christ.

If you will allow the words of Christ to fill you ...

Your life will be changed.
You will have your hope restored.
Your joy will return and you will discover that your faith has been refilled.

A PRAYER FOR YOU:

God we are grateful that you love us enough to not leave us as we are. As we come to you empty, broken, needy and you promise to provide to us all that we need. We so want life to come with an instructional manual, but then when we learn you have given it to us – we casually toss it aside as a piece of ancient literature. Help us to rediscover this truth revealed in your word. God as you have called us into relationship with you, help us to become part of the conversation as we turn again to reading your word – your love letter – your instructions for our life. They are wonderful words designed to satisfy our souls and fill us til we overflow. AMEN 

*** if you have never read the Bible and want to: contact me and I will make sure you get a copy of Jesus' words to read ***

On the Way to Sunday ... Words are valuable

Words are valuable. Often words are all that we have and in today’s age of instant messaging, e-mails, texting, and information overload. 

We should all be able to agree that words that speak the truth are the most valuable. When words are spoken because they are what someone thinks they ‘want to hear’ or because the other person believes it is the ‘right answer’, but it is not the truth, they carry little value. In fact those words might even be considered worthless.

Someone once asked, "If a picture is worth a thousand words, what are a thousand words worth?"

My answer, it depends on the words and it depends on who says them.

Hearing the words "You might need heart surgery" will have a differing meaning coming from your cardiologist versus your car mechanic. 

So when you hear the words the "truth shall set you free."  It should also matter.  This statement of simple words only matter when you know the truth.  This isn't about just speaking the truth.

Jesus said, "I am the truth." Knowing the truth shall set you free.


Words matter.  Words are valuable.

Do you know the truth?

Free Refills: God's Promise

Anybody know how many promises God made? 100, 500, 1000? It has been calculated that the Bible records over 30,000 promises made by God. In contrast to that every one of us who has uttered, "But you promised!" feels like we have had experienced over 30,000 broken promises in our lives. It's easy to misinterpret a statement as a promise when no promise was intended. Being intentional about what is a promise and what is not can be helpful in avoiding mis-understandings. When you make a promise, it is important to follow through with whatever you promised.  

Russell Edward Herman died in August 1994 and left untold riches to people and organizations that never knew him while he lived. The tiny town of Cave-In-Rock, which Herman, bequeathed a staggering $2.410 billion. "It's an odd thing to happen isn't it?" stated the Mayor who had no trouble coming up with uses for the money. It further bequeathed:
- $2.410 billion to the impoverished community of East St. Louis,
- $2.410 billion in "American Gold Dollars" to each person who has lived in Gallatin County for at 
   least ten years.
- $2.41 billion for national forests.
- Various amounts to restore the national railroad system and to dredge primary rivers in order to  
   provide navigation and prevent flooding.

The generosity of Mr. Herman is astounding, particularly in light of the fact that apparently the only thing of any value that he possessed upon his death Aug. 29, 1994, was joint ownership in a beat up 1983 Oldsmobile Toronado.  Lacking any monetary foundation, and no legal standing, the strange will probably would have excited little more than some amusing gossip in local coffee shops excepting that some conspiracy theorists along with people named in the will believe the will to be valid. They wanted a piece of it and they know that “you-know-who” is trying to stop them.

Suspicion and fear set in when promises are broken.

I am confident that each of us has been in place where we have been burnt by a broken promise. We have been lied to and/or betrayed. Often our pain comes not from the betrayal itself, but rather the sudden fear that there is no one we can trust! Did I mention that suspicion and fear set in when promises are broken? In those moments, we often even grow suspicious of God. After all, if God is in control, couldn’t He have stopped this all from happening?

 Perhaps you are at the point where your faith is running empty because of a broken promise … Let me tell you a story about promises made and promises kept and in turn offer you another Free Refill.

Jesus once again finds Himself surrounded by a large crowd. As the crowd presses in, Jesus steps back and back (well at least as imagine it) and finds His-self knee-deep in the water. About that time Jesus notices Peter and his fishing boats by the shore. Jesus, asks Simon to take him out a ways into the water so that he might continue to teach. The sea shore created a natural ampitheatre for him to teach.  When Jesus finished teaching, He turned to Simon. Not to say thank you, not to bid him farewell, not to pay him for the use of his boat, no – He wants to go fishing! (v4)

I can imagine that Simon was in no real mood to fish. They had already been at the night before with nothing to show for their efforts. They most likely had just finished cleaning the nets from the night before and were done for the day. Besides – you don’t catch fish going out into the deep waters – then again what would a carpenter know about fishing?! Honestly, Peter had every right to say, “Sorry Charlie, maybe some other day.” But he didn’t.

I wonder if Jesus was able to keep from grinning – knowing what was about to happen. In a matter of minutes Peter will haul in more fish than two boats can handle. Peter responds by falling to his knees. When the boats and the fish were brought ashore, Peter and his partners, James and John, left everything behind and followed Jesus.

I believe the point of this miracle was for Jesus to impress on Peter, James, John, Andrew and those to come that Jesus was someone they could trust. So when Jesus said, “Let down your nets and you will catch many fish.” That is exactly what Jesus meant would happen and the same would be true of the many other promises Jesus would make. Jesus would teach this lesson over and over in the years to come, but this would be one of the first times.

For those of us who have been burnt by broken promises, this story brings us hope and a challenge: amidst the broken promises of this world, how can I trust Jesus’ promises?

The promises Jesus makes will require us to go against the grain of our feelings.  If you are at a point where your faith has bottomed out, you probably don’t feel very spiritual. You might even stop praying, stop reading the Bible, or stop going to church. You might even remember a better time with God, but that memory isn’t strong enough to overcome your feelings. This is one of those moments where your feelings will rob of you of one of life’s greatest blessings. That’s why this story is so important. 

I am sure that the disciples were exhausted. I am sure they didn’t “feel” like fishing. But the only way to find out if Jesus was the real deal was to put him to the test and ignore their feelings.  So often in our lives, in order to see God’s promises come to be in our lives, we will have to go against the grain of our feelings. To experience God’s promises we often have to do things we don’t feel like doing – like going the extra mile or turning the other cheek – or casting a net one more time.

Additionally, Jesus’ promises will cause us to go against the grain of our relationships. 

 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  Mathew 19:29

We like the blessing, we dislike the choice. God’s promises often cause to make choices in our relationships. Often the choices we will make in claiming God’s promises will put us at odds with family and friends.

Jesus’ promises will also cause us to go against the grain of culture.  Culture wants us to believe that broken promises are the norm. Culture wants you to believe that faith in God is a weakness. Culture will always “roll its eyes” at you when you make choices that are biblically-based. Culture will laugh at you when you speak of God’s promises. This is why Jesus said,

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12

Every promise Jesus makes comes with a call to action and that action will challenge us. The good news is that every promise comes with a blessing! Blessings can be physical (like two boat loads of fish). They can also be spiritual – I got eternal life! They can also be emotional - like a peace that passes all understanding, or relational - like you will never be alone.

If you are running low on faith, it may be because it has been awhile since you took God at his word. Perhaps a broken promise has broken your trust … Let me encourage you once again to read Hebrews 6:17-19a: 

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. 

Whatever it is that we need - whatever it is you need - God is able to keep His promises. Go ahead, put God to the test. See if God will deliver on the promises. When you and I learn to trust God and live according to His promises our lives will never be the same and in that moment …

Your life will be changed. Your fears will be calmed. Your suspicions removed. Your hope restored and your faith will be refilled.

PRAYER: God, amidst all the broken promises in my life.  Amid my own broken promises, I come to You. I come empty and broken. I come needing refilled.  I come claiming Your promises.  Help me in my mistrust and fear to trust You once again.  AMEN

On the Way to Sunday ... Broken Promises

If you are the one person that has never experienced the heartbreak of a broken promise, then stop reading now.  For the rest of you that have been left empty by broken promises ...

Sometimes it seems

I've spent most of my life

Hoping someone, somewhere

Would keep a single promise to me

They are made so easily

Most with little thought

Just words said at a moment

Because it's what they thought

I wanted to hear

With no real intention

Of ever keeping it

Some are impossible to keep

And that I do understand

I guess it's mostly

Just me being selfish

For once wanting to be

Important enough to someone

For them to stand by what they say

So I go on living a life

Full of broken promises

Waiting for the one

That will keep their word

 - Jennifer Rose 

Our problem with broken promises is that they tend to warp our view of God.  We end up believing in a God that is like all the people in our lives.  We end up believing in a God that cannot be trusted. No wonder we end up running on empty ... searching for ... waiting for ... needing ... someone who will keep their word.

 

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Hebrews 6:17-19a CEB

Tell the world – He fulfills promises

I know you’ve lived long

I know you’ve seen the promises man made go wrong

So you figure it won’t be long

You figure God’s promises will also go wrong

But He is not like man

He won’t break the hearts He hold in His hands

He can be trusted

Prove Him and you will see

That nothing for Him is impossible and all things He sees

He has only good plans

So please – Stop comparing Him to man

- unknown

Still feeling empty?

See you Sunday ...

Free Refills: Looking for Christ

As Christians we like singing songs like Open the Eyes of my heart that have lyrics like ‘I want to see Jesus’ or other songs with words like ‘turn your eyes upon Jesus’ or ‘Walk with Jesus’ or ‘I want to see Jesus face to face’ or ‘surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.’ Let’s face it while we may sing the words, like so many other words we sing, we may not always get what we declare.

I want to see Jesus, but I never have. I think I have experienced His presence, but I am not sure and I certainly don’t feel that way all the time. And I must confess that trying to find Christ present in some events and moments in your life can leave you just plain empty.

So when a pop up appeared on my computer this past week that said, ‘CLICK HERE to see Jesus’ I moved the mouse and clicked! Instantly, one of those weird inkblot type pictures appeared on my computer screen with instructions to stare at the blot for 30 seconds and then look at a blank wall. I did see the image of a man’s face. Was it Jesus? I don’t know. It also bore a strange resemblance to Charles Manson. After the image faded away, I turned my attention back to the computer screen. At the bottom of the screen were some additional instructions:

If you want to be reminded that Jesus is with you wherever you go, print this illusion and carry  it with you in your pocket or your purse. When trouble comes, simply pull it out, stare at it for a few seconds, and you will see him all around you! 

Now scoff all you want, but finding religious imagery in everyday objects isn’t that difficult. Just ask Harry Choron, the co-author, with his wife Mary, of the book “Look! It’s Jesus! Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life” (Chronicle Books). Choron says that while researching this picture-driven book, he heard about a man who bit into a Kit Kat candy bar and discovered that the cross section of his bite was the perfect silhouette of Jesus. The author — who was on the Atkins diet at the time — decided to try to recreate the event, and bought four boxes of Kit Kats to bite into. After 300 bites, Choron gave up. “None of them even came close to looking like a deity,” he said. “It truly was a miracle the first time around.”

Choron’s book is a pictorial catalogue of everyday objects with perceived religious imagery ingrained on the surface. Visions include sightings on natural objects (”Oyster Shell Jesus”) to food (the lengendary Cheeto Jesus, or “Cheesus” ) to the just plain bizarre (“Couch Stain Jesus”). “I took everyone very seriously, because all the contributors took it seriously,” he said. “People are really looking for miracles these days, and if it helps them to find a miracle in a pretzel or a cinnamon bun, than it’s significant. Who am I to say it’s not a miracle?”While this may all seem a bit ridiculous, the reality is that we all are seeking ways to find the presence of Christ in our lives. None of us want to reach the point of feeling that the Lord is out of touch or out of reach. None of us desire to experience what David declared in the Psalms:

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? You seem far from saving me, You seem so far away from my groans. My God, I call to you during the day, but you do not answer . . . My strength has dried up like a clay pot, and my tongue sticks to the top of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust of death. 

Can you relate? Have you been crying out to God, but getting no answers? Have you prayed yourself hoarse while in the midst of a crisis, but nothing happened? Have things gotten worse since you started praying, leaving you to look up at heaven and plead. “My God, My God! Why have you abandoned me!”  If you reached that point and someone offered you a Jesus inkblot or a Jesus Cheeto, you would probably grab at it feeling you had nothing to lose. The good news (and possibly bad news) is that I am not here to offer you an inkblot, nor a Cheeto. Instead, I am here to offer you a story - a story from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 14.

This is probably a familiar story. Jesus took five loaves of bread and two small fish and turned them into a feast for more than 5,000 hungry people. That’s a good thing. What could be wrong with that? The problem was that the people became so awestruck that they immediately started a campaign to make Jesus King (John 6:15). This was not the plan. So, Jesus hurriedly puts His disciples into a boat and sends them to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus then dispersed the crowd and then found a quiet retreat.  

At some time during the night, the weather started getting rough on the Sea of Galilee. The sea while small – 7 miles wide by 15 miles long – can produce violent storms with large waves. The Bible says the disciples set sail before nightfall and that they were still fighting the storm at 3:00 in the morning. Can you imagine the fatigue and cramps that must have been setting in? As experienced as they were as sailors, they were about to be done in and they knew it. Imagine all that was happening:

Callous are ripped open fighting the oars. Sea Spray gets in the open wounds. You are bailing as fast as you can! Waves are crashing over and hitting you like a 2x4. Raindrops are beating you like pins and needles. They must have thought: “Where is Jesus? If He were here this wouldn’t be happening? Why isn’t He here!? I want to see Jesus!” 

Then on the water there comes what looks like a ghost. They had all heard the stories of the evil spirits that roamed the waters of this sea - pulling boats and their crews to the depths. This would have been one of the scariest moments the disciples had ever encountered. When studying this passage of scripture most people jump ahead in the story at this point, which tells about Peter walking on the water. We are fascinated by the idea. In fact, the saying “You can’t walk on the water if you don’t get out of the boat” has become a cliché in our culture. But any person who has felt abandoned by God needs to stop and hear the words spoken by Jesus in verse 27, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid”

These words Jesus spoke in the midst of that terrible storm are some of the most important words to come out of His mouth. They are both a comfort and a challenge. Picture an airplane, loaded with passengers, flying through a storm. Severe turbulence is bouncing everyone. Children are crying, adults are repenting, and those little air sickness bags are now in short supply. Suddenly, a flight attendant steps into the aisle holding her microphone, smiling she says, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid” Are you buying it?

Or imagine that your loved one is undergoing life threatening surgery. The doctors have told you it is 50-50. The surgery was to be 4 hours, but it is now well over 5. Fear is beginning to press in on all sides. But then, Uncle Jim-Bob, an auto mechanic for Alabama, walks into the waiting room, smiles and says, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid” Is your fear gone?

Now imagine being on a small boat about sink … It’s different when Jesus says, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid.”  These words are only comforting when spoken by the right person. Jesus speaks them with authority because He can control the storms and He can control the enemies that attack. Remember also that Jesus doesn’t say. “Try not to be afraid.” Jesus gives us a command knowing full well that our tendency in the face of the unknown is fear. Jesus challenges us to something that goes against our nature.

God is always trying to teach us something about our human nature and about His Godly nature. Sometimes we need to experience fear, loneliness, and emptiness in to order to fully understand. You can read that God is our fortress (Psalm 18:2). You can read that God is my hiding place (Psalm 32:7) - My portion (Psalm 199:57) - God is our Father (Psalm 89:26) and our deliverer (Psalm 70:5) and I could go on and on. Now I understand, words are one thing – you still want (or need) the experience of God’s presence. It is one thing to be told that something is true. It is another to experience the truth. God’s word tells us who HE is, but it is through the events and circumstances of our lives that God shows us who HE is.

Here is our other challenge in the face of crisis: I’ve come to understand that Jesus doesn’t calm the storms in our lives nearly as fast as I would like. Remember it would have been easy for Jesus to just fix the problem. He had done that before one time while with the disciples in the boat. I believe Jesus wanted the disciples to see more than what He could do to a storm. Jesus wanted them to see what He could do in a storm. In those moments of desperation, when God’s presence seems to be lacking, we need to remember the words of Christ spoken to us, “It’s all right. I am here! Do not be afraid”

Getting caught up in a storm and feeling abandoned does not mean you are abandoned. God is right there patiently waiting for you to discover His presence. Don’t miss God’s presence. The disciples nearly missed Jesus – thinking He was a ghost. We too miss God’s presence in our life. Too often we think God is only in the big things. We are always looking for the clouds to part and God to speak, but that is not God’s nature. Remember … “be still, and Know that I am” … Remember Elijah wanting to see God only to discover His presence in a gentle whisper.

I invite you to come back next week. You might being feeling frustrated. You might feel alone. You may feel abandoned. You might have some fears. I can promise you this; the people who are here - the people that have experienced the love of Christ will be here as well - the people you have come to know, to love, to call friends, they will be here to become the presence of Christ in your life and if you listen real careful you will hear a gentle whisper saying “I am here, Don’t be afraid” and in that moment …

Your life will be changed.  Your fears will be calmed.  Your hope restored. 

And your faith will be refilled. 

While waiting for the presence of Christ in your life, try being the presence of Christ in another's.

On the Way to Sunday .... Looking for Jesus

Open the eyes of my heart ... I want to see Jesus!

I have to admit that there are times my faith needs Jesus to be more tangible. I have faith, but I want my eyes to see Jesus and not just my heart.

Perhaps that is why people are able to "see" Jesus in moldy showers, burnt toast, and or cheetos.  They simply need some fathomable presence of Christ in their lives.

Ever wonder why God just doesn't part the clouds on Super Bowl Sunday and appear?  Wouldn't that be cool! Would that end debate? I doubt it.

Truth is we are promised that one day we will see Jesus face to face and until that day comes we are challenged by the fact that the presence of Christ comes to us in the face ... the hands ... the feet ... of those around us.

So until that day ... live your faith in such a way that others might encounter Christ through you.

See you Sunday ...

Free Refills: Feeling Empty ...

I don’t know about you, but throughout my life I have experienced times of emptiness. Suddenly, Christmas is the New Year and the New Year is already more of the same old stuff from last year. I know that sometimes things just don’t work out the way they’re supposed to. There just isn’t a ‘happily ever after’ every time. The right team doesn’t win every game. But, as Christians are we always supposed to be filled to overflowing.  Doesn't faith always run at full? 

Truth is Christians aren’t always filled to overflowing with faith. I know faith isn’t supposed to dwindle. Faith is supposed to grow. But this world isn’t perfect and neither am I. But what do you do when you are empty, run down, and feeling desperate?

It should comfort you to know that some of the greatest heroes in the Bible struggled with a sense of emptiness. One striking example of this is found in John the Baptist. John was Jesus’ cousin and he was also a preacher. John was no ordinary preacher. He was a rough and tumble, pull-no-punches preacher who had no problem calling it like he saw it. 

John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  John 1:29 NIV 

John had no doubt at all who Jesus was and declared it for all who could hear. But remember this same out spoken John found himself in trouble for speaking out (in truth) about Herod’s sin. As a result, John found himself under arrest and in jail. In that jail cell, the truth did not seem so cut and dry to him. All that John had once believed now was not so certain. Perhaps, you can relate as life steps in and delivers a blow to all the faith you claim.  Can you relate?

It would be nice to be able to do what John did.  John sends a couple of his friends to Jesus to get some answers: 

He sent them to the Lord to ask,
"Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Luke 7:19 NIV 

The question that John asks is a great reminder that even the staunchest of believers occasionally are in need of a refill – a refill of faith. Don’t feel so bad when those moments of doubt come into your life. Don’t give in to the voice in your head that tells you what a bad Christian you are, that tells you how weak, how faithless you are – Don’t give in, but instead be reminded that you are not alone. You are no different than John the Baptist.

You are simply trying to live out your faith while momentarily running on empty. Be encouraged. You are not the first to have your faith run empty. There is more good news … or perhaps there is better news!

Jesus gave John (and you and I) an answer to the question posed: 

So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Luke 7:22 NIV 

I hope, like me, that you can appreciate the fact that Jesus did not respond to John’s question with a sermon on faith. The amount of material at Jesus’ disposal from the OT alone could have afforded Him the opportunity to preach for hours! John needed a refill – not a lecture on half-full versus half-empty. John needed a lifeline not a lecture. You and I (your friends) need a lifeline, a refill – not a lecture! SO, Jesus gave him just what he needed.

Jesus urged John to look again at Jesus and what Jesus was doing and be refilled. That’s what Jesus always does – gives us just we need. When we are empty, we need to look again at Jesus.

I know you must be thinking, “It can’t be that simple. There has to be more to refilling my faith. You don’t understand how empty I am!” Nope. It really is that simple. If there was more to it, I am confident Jesus would have said so. There is no way Jesus would have given a close friend a flawed answer. There is no way Jesus would give you a flawed answer.

So, there it is - a simple plan to refill your faith - Spend time with Jesus.

Remember your experience with Jesus.
Remember what brought you to faith in Jesus in the first place.
The plan hasn’t changed. After all the years have passed, faith refills are still FREE and still available.

We must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.
We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. 
Hebrews 12:1-2 CEV 

Our problem is that we want to over complicate things. We assume that something as valuable as a faith refill ought to cost something. Therefore, we attempt to acquire it through physical activity. Remember when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha? Martha fretted around while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. Jesus remarked that Mary had discovered the one thing in life that was important. (Luke 10:38-42)

We have yet to learn the lesson. When it comes to faith, we try to squeeze more activity into our crowded schedules in hopes that our faith will grow. We restart our daily devotions for the umpteenth time. We run out and buy the latest Christian best seller and fill it with marks from our yellow highlighter.

We make sacrifices in our giving and we recommit for the umpteenth time to do away with the nasty habit we have tried to shake off for years. But it doesn’t work. It never seems to work. We still feel drained. We are still empty. We still are left feeling like we don’t have enough faith.

Frenzied activity, even well intentioned, just saps our strength and leaves us empty. The activity fills our lives, but not our faith. It fills us with the noise of life and drowns out the quiet and still voice that is trying to speak to us.

So, get away from the office. Get away from the kitchen. Get away from the computer, the smart phone, the ipod, the ipad, the whatever, and just park yourself at the feet of Jesus.

I want you to remember what Jesus did.
I want you to remember what Jesus said.
I want you to think about the difference Jesus has made in people’s lives.
I want you to remember why you fell in love with Jesus to begin with.

And then when all that happens . . .
You will be changed.
Your strength will be renewed.
Your passion will be rekindled.
Your joy will be restored.
And your faith will be refilled.

Lord,
We are empty
We are tired
We need something ….
Help us from running to the next quick fix …
Allow us permission to sit in quiet,
Allow us time to commit to weekly worship,
Reveal to us moments of prayer and reflection
And in our time with you
Help us to discover the rest you promise
And allow us to refill our faith as we catch glimpses of You in our lives ….
Amen

On the Way to Sunday: Running on Empty

Are you feeling Empty? Run down? Beat up? Exhausted? Weary? Worn out? Sick? Tired? 

I can relate.  Today has been the first full day of work for me in nearly three weeks. Now before you jump to conclusions, or think "so what's new" --- I have been fighting a sinus/bronchial/flu bug for almost a month and on most days it has won.  I don’t know about you, but throughout my life I have experienced times of emptiness, frustration, despair. I know faith isn’t supposed to dwindle, but shouldn't a pastor be able to pray for his own healing and get some relief?  It can be frustrating when you come face to face with the fact that this world isn’t perfect and neither am I.

Sometimes things just don’t work out the way they’re supposed to. There just isn’t a ‘happily ever after’ every time. The right team doesn’t win every game - don't I know that one! And Christians aren’t always filled to overflowing with energy, health, love, and faith.  But something happened today ... 

I have been behind in my worship planning and I 'forced' myself to do it.  Amidst hymnals, song books, bibles, and sermon outlines .... I found myself singing songs of worship and praise.  I began to get excited for what others would experience in the Sundays of worship that are coming up. And then it happened ... I wasn't empty ... or tired ... or exhausted ... or worn out ...

It is amazing what a few hours spent with the Savior can do for you. 

Are you feeling Empty? Run down? Beat up? Exhausted? Weary? Worn out? Sick? Tired?

See you Sunday ... the refills are are free.