Happy Thursday!
This past week has been quite the ride with my Dad's hospitalization over the weekend, trying to get the Haiti health kits put together and shipped, and all of the other ministry expectations that come along. In it all, I have been humbly reminded of our humanness, our sameness, and what brings us together. I have been reminded of the importance of our relationships.
Sounds kind of funny, huh? That I needed to be reminded of the importance of being in relationship? It's not that I had forgotten, it is just that it had been glazed over in the hustle and bustle of daily living. The depth of our relationships to one another and to Christ is life-sustaining in the difficult times.
When I got the news about my dad late last week, my job was to keep all of the family informed. A big task when I was the only one in Colorado at the time and we have a big family! When word got out to my church family, the love, care and support was overwhelming. When word got out to my larger church family (the Conference), I felt the depth of our connection again. While nobody could do anything to "help", per se, it was the feeling of not being alone and experiencing the strength of the prayers that made it more bearable. It brought hope and peace.
When I think about our sisters and brothers in Haiti and seeing the response around the world, my prayer is that it will create a deep connection with the plight of the Haitians and that our connection with them as God's created people will help us realize that we are all in this life together. Maybe our "help" (offering humanitarian aid, prayers, health kits, money and other resources) will be used to create bridges of understanding and bridges that build relationships, not just buildings and infrastructures. It is those relationships and those connections to something deeper than ourselves that will bring hope and peace back to that land and even back to our own.
It all starts with the heart and our willingness to live from the center of our hearts as we walk hand-in-hand with each other.
In what ways is God reminding you that your heart needs to be started again? Is there a relationship that needs tending? A relationship that needs to begin? Is there a deeper connection that needs to happen with God? Has your heart stopped? If so, allow God to help it get started again.
Loving Lord, You are the heartbeat of our world and I want you to be the heartbeat of my life. Start my heart again that, through it, I may love more abundantly, connect more deeply, serve more passionately, and live more freely! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Rollercoaster of Life
Good afternoon everyone,
The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.
If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.
This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.
God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.
In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.
What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?
We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!
When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.
Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.
If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.
This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.
God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.
In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.
What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?
We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!
When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.
Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Successfully Significant
Good evening!
This week has been quite a journey for me. Many who know me know that I am always thinking. Thinking about the church. Thinking about new ways to reach people. Thinking about the next item on my to-do list. Thinking about God and how He has been active in my life or what He is trying to tell me (sometimes He sounds like the character in the Peanuts cartoons - you know the one that sounds like, "Wha, Wha, Whaaaa"...does that ring a bell?). Thinking about how I am or am not being a good Dad, a good husband, a good pastor, a good leader, a good Christian, a good man. I can do so much thinking that I'm not really "good" for anything. My mind gets so full of things I'm thinking about that I lose my focus and my purpose. Does this ever happen to you? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'd like to think I'm not.
Thinking can be good. We are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." It all depends on what we are thinking about. Not that thinking on ways to reach people is bad or thinking about God's purpose is wrong. Thinking on these things can bring excellence to ministry and bring praise to our Lord. But, if I am only thinking on the how and not the why - then I get bogged down and the Lord gets drowned out.
In ministry and in life we think about the HOW alot! How-to books are popular. How-to build your own deck...and save money! How-to build a strong a marraige. How-to get your kids to listen to you. How-to get your parents to listen to you. How-to do your taxes. How-to grow your church. We read these books as if they have all of the answers to our success in life and faith.
I guess that is the problem with thinking about the HOW too much. When we think about the HOW, we are thinking about HOW to be successful. We are thinking about what we can do to boost our confidence, shed those pounds, and inspire the masses. When we are able to accomplish these things, we feel victorious and successful in our lives, our marriages, our ministries. But, we forget Someone very important in the process. And, when we do, our success is usually short-lived and empty.
I am not indicting the "How-to" industry. Many of the books have some great ways to be successful in life. But, is success the crown of life?
As I mentioned, this week has been a journey as I struggle with my own thoughts about success and then I read in the book The Intentional Church by Randy Pope that we should be striving, not for success, but for significance. When we strive for success - we do it for ourselves. When we strive for significance, we do it for our Lord.
I realized this week, as I thought about all the things I needed to do, that when I pursue success, I run the risk of leaving significance behind. This point was driven home this week when I called a clergy-friend of mine to work out some details for an event (that I want to be successful of course). I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Crappy." I inquired. He said that an infant in their church had just died. This precious child was no more than 3 months old. It was a miracle baby. Born at 26 weeks. Many health complications. Finally home from the hospital, the child choked on the milk he had drank just moments before. He died sleeping next to his mother.
I prayed with my friend as he was reeling from the pain of such a tragic death. I realized in that moment that we are called to significance, not success. We can be successful without being signficant, but when we pursue significance, we will always find success.
A significant person invests himself/herself into the lives of others. A significant church invests itself in walking with all people in the joys and pains of life. A significant life focuses on why we invest ourselves in such ways. Because our Lord has done the same for us. Had Jesus been successful, He would have been the King of Israel and ruler of a people. But, instead, His life was significant and meaningful, so He became the King of Kings and Savior to All.
It has been a journey this week...it will continue...as I to strive toward becoming successfully signifcant instead of significantly successful. I'd love to hear from you on how you balance this in your life.
Dear Jesus, walk with me. I want to invest my life in the lives of others in such a way that they are able to experience Your significance in their lives. Forgive me when I strive for earthly rewards and achievements. Remind me of the eternal reward that waits for me in Heaven and the present reward of Your saving grace! Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Don
This week has been quite a journey for me. Many who know me know that I am always thinking. Thinking about the church. Thinking about new ways to reach people. Thinking about the next item on my to-do list. Thinking about God and how He has been active in my life or what He is trying to tell me (sometimes He sounds like the character in the Peanuts cartoons - you know the one that sounds like, "Wha, Wha, Whaaaa"...does that ring a bell?). Thinking about how I am or am not being a good Dad, a good husband, a good pastor, a good leader, a good Christian, a good man. I can do so much thinking that I'm not really "good" for anything. My mind gets so full of things I'm thinking about that I lose my focus and my purpose. Does this ever happen to you? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'd like to think I'm not.
Thinking can be good. We are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." It all depends on what we are thinking about. Not that thinking on ways to reach people is bad or thinking about God's purpose is wrong. Thinking on these things can bring excellence to ministry and bring praise to our Lord. But, if I am only thinking on the how and not the why - then I get bogged down and the Lord gets drowned out.
In ministry and in life we think about the HOW alot! How-to books are popular. How-to build your own deck...and save money! How-to build a strong a marraige. How-to get your kids to listen to you. How-to get your parents to listen to you. How-to do your taxes. How-to grow your church. We read these books as if they have all of the answers to our success in life and faith.
I guess that is the problem with thinking about the HOW too much. When we think about the HOW, we are thinking about HOW to be successful. We are thinking about what we can do to boost our confidence, shed those pounds, and inspire the masses. When we are able to accomplish these things, we feel victorious and successful in our lives, our marriages, our ministries. But, we forget Someone very important in the process. And, when we do, our success is usually short-lived and empty.
I am not indicting the "How-to" industry. Many of the books have some great ways to be successful in life. But, is success the crown of life?
As I mentioned, this week has been a journey as I struggle with my own thoughts about success and then I read in the book The Intentional Church by Randy Pope that we should be striving, not for success, but for significance. When we strive for success - we do it for ourselves. When we strive for significance, we do it for our Lord.
I realized this week, as I thought about all the things I needed to do, that when I pursue success, I run the risk of leaving significance behind. This point was driven home this week when I called a clergy-friend of mine to work out some details for an event (that I want to be successful of course). I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Crappy." I inquired. He said that an infant in their church had just died. This precious child was no more than 3 months old. It was a miracle baby. Born at 26 weeks. Many health complications. Finally home from the hospital, the child choked on the milk he had drank just moments before. He died sleeping next to his mother.
I prayed with my friend as he was reeling from the pain of such a tragic death. I realized in that moment that we are called to significance, not success. We can be successful without being signficant, but when we pursue significance, we will always find success.
A significant person invests himself/herself into the lives of others. A significant church invests itself in walking with all people in the joys and pains of life. A significant life focuses on why we invest ourselves in such ways. Because our Lord has done the same for us. Had Jesus been successful, He would have been the King of Israel and ruler of a people. But, instead, His life was significant and meaningful, so He became the King of Kings and Savior to All.
It has been a journey this week...it will continue...as I to strive toward becoming successfully signifcant instead of significantly successful. I'd love to hear from you on how you balance this in your life.
Dear Jesus, walk with me. I want to invest my life in the lives of others in such a way that they are able to experience Your significance in their lives. Forgive me when I strive for earthly rewards and achievements. Remind me of the eternal reward that waits for me in Heaven and the present reward of Your saving grace! Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Don
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Happy New Day!
Christmas is all over. The baby Jesus has come. We've opened up our presents. We've started taking down the decorations. After the New Year, life will start returning back to normal...whatever that means!
Pretty soon we will be making our New Year Resolutions and in a few months lamenting that we couldn't keep our promises to ourselves this year. I often wonder why I can't follow thru on my promises to myself, to God, to my family. I wonder why I get distracted so much from my original focus and I get off track so easily.
This year, I'm not going to make a New Year resolution. Not because I don't want to disappoint myself again. Although, if I'm honest, there is probably a little inkling of that in my spirit. But, mainly because I have come to learn that growth in my life doesn't happen as much from the big promises I make, as it does with the little promises I make. You know, those every day promises that I am going to choose life over death. That I will celebrate abundance over scarcity. That I will choose love over hatred, grace over resentment, wisdom over folly, courage over fear, joy over sorrow, compassion over anger, patience over impatience. You see where I'm going.
These aren't big promises to make - these are every day promises. Promises I have to make to myself and God before I get up in the morning and with every step I take throughout my day.
We read in Philippians 2:12, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling...". I have heard the explanation that we can "only work out a salvation that God has already worked in." In other words, Paul was telling the Philippians that they ought to conduct themselves in a manner that was worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phlippians 1:27).
Since we have been saved, our lives should bear the fruit. Without getting into too much theological mumbo jumbo, we are called to take each day as a New Day, working out our own deliverance from the things that keep us from conducting ourselves in a way that honors our Savior Jesus Christ.
So, instead of a Happy New Year, I'd like to say to each of you, "Happy New Day" - keep trying, keep pressing on, keep putting one step in front of the other as you move closer to God and Jesus. Keep it up! Don't stop! With each new step you take, you will experience the newness that Christ brings.
Loving Jesus. Walk with me in each step that I take. May your heart, your mind, your eyes, your ears, your voice, be in me. When I misstep, forgive me and gently guide me on the path that leads to You. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Pretty soon we will be making our New Year Resolutions and in a few months lamenting that we couldn't keep our promises to ourselves this year. I often wonder why I can't follow thru on my promises to myself, to God, to my family. I wonder why I get distracted so much from my original focus and I get off track so easily.
This year, I'm not going to make a New Year resolution. Not because I don't want to disappoint myself again. Although, if I'm honest, there is probably a little inkling of that in my spirit. But, mainly because I have come to learn that growth in my life doesn't happen as much from the big promises I make, as it does with the little promises I make. You know, those every day promises that I am going to choose life over death. That I will celebrate abundance over scarcity. That I will choose love over hatred, grace over resentment, wisdom over folly, courage over fear, joy over sorrow, compassion over anger, patience over impatience. You see where I'm going.
These aren't big promises to make - these are every day promises. Promises I have to make to myself and God before I get up in the morning and with every step I take throughout my day.
We read in Philippians 2:12, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling...". I have heard the explanation that we can "only work out a salvation that God has already worked in." In other words, Paul was telling the Philippians that they ought to conduct themselves in a manner that was worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phlippians 1:27).
Since we have been saved, our lives should bear the fruit. Without getting into too much theological mumbo jumbo, we are called to take each day as a New Day, working out our own deliverance from the things that keep us from conducting ourselves in a way that honors our Savior Jesus Christ.
So, instead of a Happy New Year, I'd like to say to each of you, "Happy New Day" - keep trying, keep pressing on, keep putting one step in front of the other as you move closer to God and Jesus. Keep it up! Don't stop! With each new step you take, you will experience the newness that Christ brings.
Loving Jesus. Walk with me in each step that I take. May your heart, your mind, your eyes, your ears, your voice, be in me. When I misstep, forgive me and gently guide me on the path that leads to You. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
We've Got Company!
Good afternoon!
It is 9 days until Christmas and I still have 90% of my shopping to do! This is typical for me as my wife and I tend to wait until the last minute to get the perfect gift. There are other things "to do" of course to prepare for Christmas. I have had to plan 3 weeks ahead at the church so that I wouldn't have too much to do over the holidays. There have been school concerts and family get-togethers to get ready for as well. Needless to say, this time of the year is a time of preparation.
For some of you that time of preparation comes in preparing for company over the holidays. I remember when I was a kid how crazy our house would become when we were expecting company (whether for a day or a week, it didn't matter). All six kids had chores to do and when those chores were done we had other chores. The house was neat and tidy (and with 6 kids that takes some work!). We had to be on our best behavior. The preparation itself was so stressful it was sometimes too much to bear.
We can see this time of the year the same way as we prepare for company this Advent season. It can be stressful, almost overwhelming, as we prepare for the coming of Christ. But, let's not look at the outer preparations we need to make. What about the spiritual preparations we need to make for Jesus to truly come into our lives? Are we inviting Him for the next few weeks to stay a while, reside with us for a season, maybe even have some laughs with Him, commune with Him, until we send Him on His way, knowing that He will come for another visit next year?
Or, will we truly prepare our hearts and our lives to invite Him to live with us? Pastor Emily Earnshaw in her Advent devotion for yesterday said, "This year, as you prepare for Christmas, don't just prepare a path to be able to get through, create space in your life for the coming of Christ. If company comes, clear a path so they can see the house, but if someone is coming to live with you, you empty the room and dust the closet shelves. The whole world changes when a new resident is expected. What do you need to do to prepare for Christ to live with you?"
This year, may we not see Jesus as just company coming...because company eventually ends up leaving. Let's prepare for Jesus coming to live with us. Let's make room in our lives for Him to truly reside, transform, and make new our lives this season and into 2010.
Gracious God, help me make room for Jesus this season. Help me to empty myself of all selfishness and fill me with His spirit of humility and grace to welcome Him fully into my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
It is 9 days until Christmas and I still have 90% of my shopping to do! This is typical for me as my wife and I tend to wait until the last minute to get the perfect gift. There are other things "to do" of course to prepare for Christmas. I have had to plan 3 weeks ahead at the church so that I wouldn't have too much to do over the holidays. There have been school concerts and family get-togethers to get ready for as well. Needless to say, this time of the year is a time of preparation.
For some of you that time of preparation comes in preparing for company over the holidays. I remember when I was a kid how crazy our house would become when we were expecting company (whether for a day or a week, it didn't matter). All six kids had chores to do and when those chores were done we had other chores. The house was neat and tidy (and with 6 kids that takes some work!). We had to be on our best behavior. The preparation itself was so stressful it was sometimes too much to bear.
We can see this time of the year the same way as we prepare for company this Advent season. It can be stressful, almost overwhelming, as we prepare for the coming of Christ. But, let's not look at the outer preparations we need to make. What about the spiritual preparations we need to make for Jesus to truly come into our lives? Are we inviting Him for the next few weeks to stay a while, reside with us for a season, maybe even have some laughs with Him, commune with Him, until we send Him on His way, knowing that He will come for another visit next year?
Or, will we truly prepare our hearts and our lives to invite Him to live with us? Pastor Emily Earnshaw in her Advent devotion for yesterday said, "This year, as you prepare for Christmas, don't just prepare a path to be able to get through, create space in your life for the coming of Christ. If company comes, clear a path so they can see the house, but if someone is coming to live with you, you empty the room and dust the closet shelves. The whole world changes when a new resident is expected. What do you need to do to prepare for Christ to live with you?"
This year, may we not see Jesus as just company coming...because company eventually ends up leaving. Let's prepare for Jesus coming to live with us. Let's make room in our lives for Him to truly reside, transform, and make new our lives this season and into 2010.
Gracious God, help me make room for Jesus this season. Help me to empty myself of all selfishness and fill me with His spirit of humility and grace to welcome Him fully into my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What a Character
Good evening!
I pray that all of you are able to connect with the power of God's presence in your lives this week as we get closer to Christmas and the New Year.
This week, our staff had our BIG staff meeting where all of the staff (part-time to full-time) come together. Our BIG staff meetings happen once a month and we have a word for the month. Our word for this month is: CHARACTER. Not necessarily the word you'd think you would find during the Christmas season. You might expect words such as: light, hope, peace, love, joy, Jesus. But, character?
Let's be honest, this time of the year we can find it a whole lot easier to be "Christian". We find it easier to be giving. We find it more fulfilling to be joyful as we whistle Christmas carols and old time Christmas songs through the halls of our work and homes. We enjoy decorating our homes to express the depths of our Christmas cheer. We like the idea of God coming into our world through a sweet, little baby. Yea, this Christian thing ain't too bad this time of the year.
But, what about the other times of the year. What about when the decorations are down, the presents are all un-wrapped, and the credit card bills start coming in? What about when others around us aren't as joyful or excited for the season (whether they are Christian or not)? It is easier to show our Christian character when things are going well. It is easier to worship our nice, gentle, sweet God when everyone else is more open to it. It is easier to give gifts when we believe there is a "reason" to do so. But, when things are just going along and life is ho-hum, or when things become challenging and difficult and maybe even downright nasty, does our Christian character come through then?
Jesus came into this world in a sweet and wonderful way. But, He came into a broken world. A messy world. A nasty world. And even in the midst of that world, He stayed true to His purpose among us. His godly character was revealed no matter the circumstances of life.
I got to thinking about my own Christian character in difficult times, when I came across the following article from Adrian Rogers called How God Develops Christian Character. It is a little long, but I'd like to share it with you:
And not only so, but we glory in the tribulations also: knowing that tribulation workety patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope. - Romans 5:3-4
When you receive Christ as your personal Savior, God begins to work in you. Nobody is born fully grown, so God has to build your Christian character.
The Bible says in Philippians 1:6, "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it..." When you are saved, God simply begins a good work in you. You are not a finished product. God will build Christian character, but first you must receive Christ. Some people try to develop character, but they have no foundation. And that foundation is Jesus Christ.
How does God build Christian character?
Pressure
God will allow pressures to come. The word tribulation literally means "pressure." It is a word that was used to describe crushing grapes in a vat for wine or crushing olives for oil. God wants the oil of gladness and the wine of joy in your character. He wants that which will sustain and give strength, but the only way that God will get it out of you is to press it out. Is something bad happening to you right now? Are you having trouble? Are you feeling pressure? These are not obstacles; they are opportunities! They are things that God has engineered to build character into your life.
You're going to have tribulation whether you're a Christian or not, but a child of God sees what happens and can "glory in tribulations."
Patience
The Bible teaches that God wants to work a character quality in your heart known as patience. The word patient here is not one of passivity. Actually the word means "endurance or constancy." What are some reactions when trouble come?
* Some may try to escape with a plane ticket, a pill, a bottle, a needle, or even a gun
* Others may even get cynical and shake their fist in the face of God
* Some may recognize that God wants to teach endurance and it is His way of building Christian character.
How do you respond? One of the greatest marks of your faith and your confidence in the Almighty is your endurance, your perseverance, and your constancy when trouble comes.
Purity
The word experience is translated in many Bibles as character and it has to do wtih the idea of purity. This word was used to speak of gold that had been put in the fire and refined until it was pure. It speaks of a character that has gone through the experience of tribulation and perseverance. And through them, God begins to burn out the dross.
Many of us don't want that, but I want God to continue to work in my heart and my life until He burns out that dross. They say that a refiner of silver or gold knows when the gold is pure when he can see his own face reflected in it. Our Lord wants to see His character reflected in us.
Have you grown in your Christian life when you were faced with trouble, heartache, pressure, pain, misunderstanding, or bewilderment? Did you grow when you had nowhere to go but to God, and you had to keep searching your heart and saying, "Oh God, what's wrong? God what are you trying to tell me? What are you trying to teach me? What do you want me to confess?" God uses those difficulties to produce growth in us.
Persuasion
We call this hope. Hope doesn't mean "to wish or desire." It mean, "a rock-ribbed assurance based on the Word of God and the character of God." When we go through pressures, tribulations, and afflictions and we come out the other side, we have learned that God is faithful. God saw us through and my friend - that is hope.
I want you to know that Jesus Christ is hope. Hebrews 6:19 speaks of hope when it says, "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast..." Let the storms rage, the waves buffet us, and the wind blow - for my Anchor holds.
If you don't have hope, you don't have anything. Faith believes, but hope expects. A person who lives by confidence in God alone and looks to God alone has Christian character.
Father God, continue to develop within me Your character. Forgive me of the ways in which I have tried to escape the pain and difficulty of this life. Thank you for reminding me that as I turn to You, You will do a mighty work within me and You, O God, will refine and make pure my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
I pray that all of you are able to connect with the power of God's presence in your lives this week as we get closer to Christmas and the New Year.
This week, our staff had our BIG staff meeting where all of the staff (part-time to full-time) come together. Our BIG staff meetings happen once a month and we have a word for the month. Our word for this month is: CHARACTER. Not necessarily the word you'd think you would find during the Christmas season. You might expect words such as: light, hope, peace, love, joy, Jesus. But, character?
Let's be honest, this time of the year we can find it a whole lot easier to be "Christian". We find it easier to be giving. We find it more fulfilling to be joyful as we whistle Christmas carols and old time Christmas songs through the halls of our work and homes. We enjoy decorating our homes to express the depths of our Christmas cheer. We like the idea of God coming into our world through a sweet, little baby. Yea, this Christian thing ain't too bad this time of the year.
But, what about the other times of the year. What about when the decorations are down, the presents are all un-wrapped, and the credit card bills start coming in? What about when others around us aren't as joyful or excited for the season (whether they are Christian or not)? It is easier to show our Christian character when things are going well. It is easier to worship our nice, gentle, sweet God when everyone else is more open to it. It is easier to give gifts when we believe there is a "reason" to do so. But, when things are just going along and life is ho-hum, or when things become challenging and difficult and maybe even downright nasty, does our Christian character come through then?
Jesus came into this world in a sweet and wonderful way. But, He came into a broken world. A messy world. A nasty world. And even in the midst of that world, He stayed true to His purpose among us. His godly character was revealed no matter the circumstances of life.
I got to thinking about my own Christian character in difficult times, when I came across the following article from Adrian Rogers called How God Develops Christian Character. It is a little long, but I'd like to share it with you:
And not only so, but we glory in the tribulations also: knowing that tribulation workety patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope. - Romans 5:3-4
When you receive Christ as your personal Savior, God begins to work in you. Nobody is born fully grown, so God has to build your Christian character.
The Bible says in Philippians 1:6, "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it..." When you are saved, God simply begins a good work in you. You are not a finished product. God will build Christian character, but first you must receive Christ. Some people try to develop character, but they have no foundation. And that foundation is Jesus Christ.
How does God build Christian character?
Pressure
God will allow pressures to come. The word tribulation literally means "pressure." It is a word that was used to describe crushing grapes in a vat for wine or crushing olives for oil. God wants the oil of gladness and the wine of joy in your character. He wants that which will sustain and give strength, but the only way that God will get it out of you is to press it out. Is something bad happening to you right now? Are you having trouble? Are you feeling pressure? These are not obstacles; they are opportunities! They are things that God has engineered to build character into your life.
You're going to have tribulation whether you're a Christian or not, but a child of God sees what happens and can "glory in tribulations."
Patience
The Bible teaches that God wants to work a character quality in your heart known as patience. The word patient here is not one of passivity. Actually the word means "endurance or constancy." What are some reactions when trouble come?
* Some may try to escape with a plane ticket, a pill, a bottle, a needle, or even a gun
* Others may even get cynical and shake their fist in the face of God
* Some may recognize that God wants to teach endurance and it is His way of building Christian character.
How do you respond? One of the greatest marks of your faith and your confidence in the Almighty is your endurance, your perseverance, and your constancy when trouble comes.
Purity
The word experience is translated in many Bibles as character and it has to do wtih the idea of purity. This word was used to speak of gold that had been put in the fire and refined until it was pure. It speaks of a character that has gone through the experience of tribulation and perseverance. And through them, God begins to burn out the dross.
Many of us don't want that, but I want God to continue to work in my heart and my life until He burns out that dross. They say that a refiner of silver or gold knows when the gold is pure when he can see his own face reflected in it. Our Lord wants to see His character reflected in us.
Have you grown in your Christian life when you were faced with trouble, heartache, pressure, pain, misunderstanding, or bewilderment? Did you grow when you had nowhere to go but to God, and you had to keep searching your heart and saying, "Oh God, what's wrong? God what are you trying to tell me? What are you trying to teach me? What do you want me to confess?" God uses those difficulties to produce growth in us.
Persuasion
We call this hope. Hope doesn't mean "to wish or desire." It mean, "a rock-ribbed assurance based on the Word of God and the character of God." When we go through pressures, tribulations, and afflictions and we come out the other side, we have learned that God is faithful. God saw us through and my friend - that is hope.
I want you to know that Jesus Christ is hope. Hebrews 6:19 speaks of hope when it says, "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast..." Let the storms rage, the waves buffet us, and the wind blow - for my Anchor holds.
If you don't have hope, you don't have anything. Faith believes, but hope expects. A person who lives by confidence in God alone and looks to God alone has Christian character.
Father God, continue to develop within me Your character. Forgive me of the ways in which I have tried to escape the pain and difficulty of this life. Thank you for reminding me that as I turn to You, You will do a mighty work within me and You, O God, will refine and make pure my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Take It All In
Good evening everyone!
It has been a couple of weeks since my last post and I pray that you had Thanksgiving celebrations that were filled with the joy of family and the wonder and awe of God's presence in your midst.
My son Ethan likes to watch ESPN when he wakes up in the morning (I love watching him grow up!). Two days ago they were running a special piece on a 7th grade boy named Jake. I came into the room in the middle of the segment. Apparently, Jake had to have one of his eyes removed due to a cancerous tumor earlier in life and he was now facing the realization that his other eye would have to be removed, rendering him blind for the rest of his life.
One of Jake's wishes was to be able to spend some time with his favorite college football team, the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. They showed clips of Jake at practice over a period of time and visiting with some of his favorite players. They showed him giving the pep talk before a game and cheering on his favorite team. They had interviews with players on how much of an inspiration Jake was to them. The USC football team took this 13 year old boy under their wing and treated him as one of their own.
It was a touching story, but what touched me the most was the interview just days before his surgery. I watched as this courageous young man told the interviewer, and the millions of us watching, that all he wanted to do was "to take it all in". He wanted to take in the faces and mannerisms, not only of his favorite players and team, but more importantly he wanted to take in his dad, his mom, and his sister. He said that he wanted to be able to have their image in his head every time he heard their voice after his surgery. This young man knew he was going to be blind and he wanted to take everything in so that he would never forget.
Before his surgery, Jake broke down in tears. But the Jake that came out of surgery was still as strong as the days and weeks before. He was okay with what had happened. He even said that during one USC practice he heard a bone-crunching hit and that it was cooler to hear it than it was to see it! What a perspective from such a young man!
I got to thinking about Jake, and Christmas, and Jesus and I think there are some parallels to their stories. During Christmas we celebrate the fact that God came into our world in the child, teenager, and man of Jesus so that we could "take it all in". So that we could see, with our own eyes, what it meant to be in a perfect relationship with our Creator. Christmas is a time in which we confess our own spiritual blindedness and in this season of "seeing", we take in all of who Jesus was and is in our lives and in our world.
We take it all in so that when we cannot see Him, we will still know His voice when He speaks and know His touch when we near Him. We take it all in, so that in those times when He feels farthest away, we can close our eyes and have the comfort in knowing He is still beside us.
During this Christmas season...take it all in. Take in the traditions. Take in the many opportunities to be with family and friends. Take in the kettle-ringers and the Christmas music. Take in the crisp winter air. Take in the Star. Take in the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph. Take in their journey of heartache, pain, and rejection. Take in their experience of God. Take in the thought that God loves you so much that He was willing to come to your own messy, smelly stable to be with you. Take it all in. Take in JESUS.
What does His birth mean to you? How does His life affect your own? Have you been taking all of Him in, or just the parts you're comfortable with? Friends, take all of Jesus this Christmas!
Loving God, forgive me for letting a part of You into my life. Forgive me for showing a part of you to the world. Redeem me. Transform me. Make me whole again this Christmas so that ALL of You will come into my heart and my life. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
It has been a couple of weeks since my last post and I pray that you had Thanksgiving celebrations that were filled with the joy of family and the wonder and awe of God's presence in your midst.
My son Ethan likes to watch ESPN when he wakes up in the morning (I love watching him grow up!). Two days ago they were running a special piece on a 7th grade boy named Jake. I came into the room in the middle of the segment. Apparently, Jake had to have one of his eyes removed due to a cancerous tumor earlier in life and he was now facing the realization that his other eye would have to be removed, rendering him blind for the rest of his life.
One of Jake's wishes was to be able to spend some time with his favorite college football team, the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. They showed clips of Jake at practice over a period of time and visiting with some of his favorite players. They showed him giving the pep talk before a game and cheering on his favorite team. They had interviews with players on how much of an inspiration Jake was to them. The USC football team took this 13 year old boy under their wing and treated him as one of their own.
It was a touching story, but what touched me the most was the interview just days before his surgery. I watched as this courageous young man told the interviewer, and the millions of us watching, that all he wanted to do was "to take it all in". He wanted to take in the faces and mannerisms, not only of his favorite players and team, but more importantly he wanted to take in his dad, his mom, and his sister. He said that he wanted to be able to have their image in his head every time he heard their voice after his surgery. This young man knew he was going to be blind and he wanted to take everything in so that he would never forget.
Before his surgery, Jake broke down in tears. But the Jake that came out of surgery was still as strong as the days and weeks before. He was okay with what had happened. He even said that during one USC practice he heard a bone-crunching hit and that it was cooler to hear it than it was to see it! What a perspective from such a young man!
I got to thinking about Jake, and Christmas, and Jesus and I think there are some parallels to their stories. During Christmas we celebrate the fact that God came into our world in the child, teenager, and man of Jesus so that we could "take it all in". So that we could see, with our own eyes, what it meant to be in a perfect relationship with our Creator. Christmas is a time in which we confess our own spiritual blindedness and in this season of "seeing", we take in all of who Jesus was and is in our lives and in our world.
We take it all in so that when we cannot see Him, we will still know His voice when He speaks and know His touch when we near Him. We take it all in, so that in those times when He feels farthest away, we can close our eyes and have the comfort in knowing He is still beside us.
During this Christmas season...take it all in. Take in the traditions. Take in the many opportunities to be with family and friends. Take in the kettle-ringers and the Christmas music. Take in the crisp winter air. Take in the Star. Take in the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph. Take in their journey of heartache, pain, and rejection. Take in their experience of God. Take in the thought that God loves you so much that He was willing to come to your own messy, smelly stable to be with you. Take it all in. Take in JESUS.
What does His birth mean to you? How does His life affect your own? Have you been taking all of Him in, or just the parts you're comfortable with? Friends, take all of Jesus this Christmas!
Loving God, forgive me for letting a part of You into my life. Forgive me for showing a part of you to the world. Redeem me. Transform me. Make me whole again this Christmas so that ALL of You will come into my heart and my life. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
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