I'm listening to some Matt Redman in the office today and just came across the song "You Alone Can Rescue". A memory flashed in my mind that brought a blessed smile to my face and prayer from my lips.
I remember backing out of the driveway in our mini-van with Milo sitting in his usual spot behind the passenger seat. In the bridge of the song they sing, "We lift up our eyes, lift up our eyes, to the Giver of Life.". As the singers get to this part in the song, my son starts belting it out. I look back and my 3-year-old boy has both arms raised, singing his little lungs out. It was a precious and funny sight to behold. It's winter, he has his big, winter coat on, hood up and fastened tightly. He can barely move, kind of like little brother Randy from "A Christmas Story"...but there he was shooting those arms up toward our God and singing to the Giver of Life.
The prayer from my lips is that my children will see God's light and glory all the days of their lives. I pray that they will be devoted worshipers of the one, true, living God. I pray that they will be mighty warriors for His Kingdom. I pray that I might be the kind of husband and father and pastor that reflects God's light and glory for my family to see.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Haiti
The news concerning Haiti and the earthquake there stirs lots of feelings in me. Feelings of helplessness, sadness, thanksgiving, and compassion for people that I don't know.
I feel helpless because I'm here in Nebraska and am very far removed from the situation there. I feel helpless because I don't have money to go down and help. I feel helpless because I have no building skills whatever to go help with rebuilding in time.
I feel sadness knowing that many lives were lost, probably lives that didn't know Jesus Christ.
I am thankful that the Northwest Haiti Mission was unharmed and the people there are safe. I am thankful that my friend, Ferdinand's, family is safe. I am thankful that the group of people in Haiti from the church in Norfolk are safe and there to help minister to the hurts and needs of the Haitian people.
I don't have much today in the way of help for the people of Haiti, but I do serve a God who created them, loves them perfectly and will deliver those who call on His name. God I entrust Haiti and the people of Haiti to Your more-than-capable hands. Bring them hope and deliver them from this trial so they may see Your power and glory and give You praise on the day of Your return.
Samaritan's Purse has established an online donation system to help Haitian relief. I don't have much, but I do have $20 that can help. Anyone join me?
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
I feel helpless because I'm here in Nebraska and am very far removed from the situation there. I feel helpless because I don't have money to go down and help. I feel helpless because I have no building skills whatever to go help with rebuilding in time.
I feel sadness knowing that many lives were lost, probably lives that didn't know Jesus Christ.
I am thankful that the Northwest Haiti Mission was unharmed and the people there are safe. I am thankful that my friend, Ferdinand's, family is safe. I am thankful that the group of people in Haiti from the church in Norfolk are safe and there to help minister to the hurts and needs of the Haitian people.
I don't have much today in the way of help for the people of Haiti, but I do serve a God who created them, loves them perfectly and will deliver those who call on His name. God I entrust Haiti and the people of Haiti to Your more-than-capable hands. Bring them hope and deliver them from this trial so they may see Your power and glory and give You praise on the day of Your return.
Samaritan's Purse has established an online donation system to help Haitian relief. I don't have much, but I do have $20 that can help. Anyone join me?
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Job and Hebrews...the two great tastes that taste great together!!!
In my reading this morning, I came across this passage from Job. I had never noticed it before, but this morning I felt Job's anguish and frustration as he considered his options in dealing with, and approaching, an Almighty, All-Powerful God. It caused me to stop and praise God and it gave me a fresh appreciation for Jesus today.
Job 9:32-35
"He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot."
Hebrews 4:14-16
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Hebrews 9:14-15
"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."
Job 9:32-35
"He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot."
Hebrews 4:14-16
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Hebrews 9:14-15
"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Words of Wisdom from Mr. Peterson
From "Under the Unpredictable Plant" by Eugene Peterson:
"There are a thousand ways of being religious without submitting to Christ's lordship, and people are practiced in most of them. We live in golden calf country. Religious feeling runs high but in ways far removed from what was said on Sinai and done on Calvary. While everyone has a hunger for God, deep and insatiable, none of us has any great desire for him. What we really want is to be our own gods and to have whatever other gods that are around to help us in this work. We are trained from an early age to be discriminating consumers on our way to higher standards of living. It should be no great surprise to pastors when congregations expect us to collaborate in this enterprise. But it is serious apostasy when we go along. 'And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought a great sin upon them?"' (Exod. 32:21). Aaron's excuse is embarrassingly lame but more than matched by the justifications pastors make for abandoning worship in our enthusiasm to make the congregation flourishingly successful."
"There are a thousand ways of being religious without submitting to Christ's lordship, and people are practiced in most of them. We live in golden calf country. Religious feeling runs high but in ways far removed from what was said on Sinai and done on Calvary. While everyone has a hunger for God, deep and insatiable, none of us has any great desire for him. What we really want is to be our own gods and to have whatever other gods that are around to help us in this work. We are trained from an early age to be discriminating consumers on our way to higher standards of living. It should be no great surprise to pastors when congregations expect us to collaborate in this enterprise. But it is serious apostasy when we go along. 'And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought a great sin upon them?"' (Exod. 32:21). Aaron's excuse is embarrassingly lame but more than matched by the justifications pastors make for abandoning worship in our enthusiasm to make the congregation flourishingly successful."
Take Off the Blinders
I'm reading Eugene Peterson's "Under the Unpredictable Plant" and just came across a sentence that made me question my motives in relationships, especially relationships with others in the Church congregation in which I serve.
Eugene brought up a point concerning how we as pastors can often reduce someone's worth to how active they are within the Body. Do they show up on Sundays? That earns them some points. Do they give their tithe? That earns them some more points? Do they devote some time to the ministry of the Church? That will earn them a few more points. Do they actively participate in the work of evangelism, etc...I think you get the point.
I am so very guilty of this. I have judged my brothers and sisters based on their corporate, Church stats. I have done it over and over again. Most other "church" leaders I know have done it also. It's a way of life for church leadership. I guess it's the way we have to monitor a "job well done" or something like that.
Peterson challenged me to take off the blinders that I've placed around my eyes. He challenged me to look at the people I serve beyond their "church" shell and really get to the crux of their creative, passionate, God-given soul...a soul, that sometimes they don't even see themselves...soul that He created...a soul that has worth beyond carrying out the goals and jobs of some egotistical Creative Arts Pastor in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Eugene brought up a point concerning how we as pastors can often reduce someone's worth to how active they are within the Body. Do they show up on Sundays? That earns them some points. Do they give their tithe? That earns them some more points? Do they devote some time to the ministry of the Church? That will earn them a few more points. Do they actively participate in the work of evangelism, etc...I think you get the point.
I am so very guilty of this. I have judged my brothers and sisters based on their corporate, Church stats. I have done it over and over again. Most other "church" leaders I know have done it also. It's a way of life for church leadership. I guess it's the way we have to monitor a "job well done" or something like that.
Peterson challenged me to take off the blinders that I've placed around my eyes. He challenged me to look at the people I serve beyond their "church" shell and really get to the crux of their creative, passionate, God-given soul...a soul, that sometimes they don't even see themselves...soul that He created...a soul that has worth beyond carrying out the goals and jobs of some egotistical Creative Arts Pastor in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Giving and Receiving
I loved Christmas growing up as a kid for one reason...PRESENTS!!! I loved combing through the pages of the Christmas catalogs and dreaming about the possibility of seeing some of those toys end up under the tree on Christmas morn.
As I grew older, I started to take as much joy and pleasure in planning out and hunting down the perfect gifts for those in my life that I'm closest to. I love finding those perfect gifts that will truly show people that I care and I want that gift to make their face light up.
I think about today. The picture of my daughter's face as she received an Easy-Bake Oven, the gift she had been dreaming about and talking about for months, was a beautiful thing. She beamed with joy and excitement.
I think about this time of year, the celebration of God sending the perfect gift to mankind, His one and only son, Jesus. A lot of planning went into the gift. It's the perfect gift that would bring us true joy. It's the gift that we truly need.
I think about my reaction as I'm confronted with this gift. Does it bring me great joy? Do I sense the need? Does it spark that "awe" factor in me? Do I beam? Sadly, the answer is not always.
This is a pretty disjointed rambling, but it all comes down to this: God I am truly thankful for your gift of Jesus. I know I don't always show it, but my desire is to be continually in awe of You and Your gift of love. I know that in a few months time the Easy-Bake Oven will be a forgotten memory sitting on my daughter's shelf that is only pulled out on occasion. May it never be with me and the gift You gave.
As I grew older, I started to take as much joy and pleasure in planning out and hunting down the perfect gifts for those in my life that I'm closest to. I love finding those perfect gifts that will truly show people that I care and I want that gift to make their face light up.
I think about today. The picture of my daughter's face as she received an Easy-Bake Oven, the gift she had been dreaming about and talking about for months, was a beautiful thing. She beamed with joy and excitement.
I think about this time of year, the celebration of God sending the perfect gift to mankind, His one and only son, Jesus. A lot of planning went into the gift. It's the perfect gift that would bring us true joy. It's the gift that we truly need.
I think about my reaction as I'm confronted with this gift. Does it bring me great joy? Do I sense the need? Does it spark that "awe" factor in me? Do I beam? Sadly, the answer is not always.
This is a pretty disjointed rambling, but it all comes down to this: God I am truly thankful for your gift of Jesus. I know I don't always show it, but my desire is to be continually in awe of You and Your gift of love. I know that in a few months time the Easy-Bake Oven will be a forgotten memory sitting on my daughter's shelf that is only pulled out on occasion. May it never be with me and the gift You gave.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Avatar
My friend Ted and I went to the 10:30 showing of Avatar last night. I found out, after I got there, that it was the 3D version. This was my first time seeing anything 3D in the theater. I was hoping to lose my 3D virginity to something better, but oh well.
I'm writing today to share my epiphany from the movie last night. At one point in the film, one of the main characters is going through a manhood, rites of passage, type of thing with the alien people. The confirmation was a beautiful sight to see. After he had gone through the motions and proved himself worthy, the entire tribe came together, and placing their hands on each other's shoulders made this huge community that let him know he was now one of them.
I had this great vision in my mind where after someone comes to know Christ, or if someone starts hanging out with our tribe and decides to be committed, they stand in the middle of the celebration center and the entire Body forms a community around them, dedicating themselves once again to being the Body...committed to caring, loving, supporting, spurring on, bearing with, praying for, and honoring one another. How the world's perception of the Church and Jesus Christ would change if we would be committed to loving one another and committed to being the Body controlled by our head, Jesus Christ.
Thanks Avatar for giving me my first "in theater" 3D experience and for showing me a great picture of how the Church could be.
I'm writing today to share my epiphany from the movie last night. At one point in the film, one of the main characters is going through a manhood, rites of passage, type of thing with the alien people. The confirmation was a beautiful sight to see. After he had gone through the motions and proved himself worthy, the entire tribe came together, and placing their hands on each other's shoulders made this huge community that let him know he was now one of them.
I had this great vision in my mind where after someone comes to know Christ, or if someone starts hanging out with our tribe and decides to be committed, they stand in the middle of the celebration center and the entire Body forms a community around them, dedicating themselves once again to being the Body...committed to caring, loving, supporting, spurring on, bearing with, praying for, and honoring one another. How the world's perception of the Church and Jesus Christ would change if we would be committed to loving one another and committed to being the Body controlled by our head, Jesus Christ.
Thanks Avatar for giving me my first "in theater" 3D experience and for showing me a great picture of how the Church could be.
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