stop chasing the wind

One Cross Fits All

2010-04-28T13:59:00.004-07:00

“So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life -your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.”
Romans 12.1-2a {Message}

This past Monday evening my family and I invited ourselves for dinner at our Pastor’s house. This usually is a great time because we have the opportunity to spend some quality time with our Pastor and his wife while our kids play together. To me, it’s a win-win!

This evening was nothing but the usual family meal and play time. My son decided to throw up the contents of his stomach all over our Pastor’s kitchen tile. While my Pastor grabbed the mop bucket his wife started removing the vomit soaked clothes from my son and my wife started washing the vomit from her hands (why she tries to catch the vomit baffles me every time). I immediately started covering my mouth trying to keep my food down; if I smell vomit you can bet that I’m next to blow! My wife and I were terribly embarrassed; all we could do was apologize over and over again.

The one thing I learned through this whole ordeal is that life can get really messy. One minute everything can be going just as you planned and the next minute you’re searching for the mop bucket. It’s in these messy moments that we have the opportunity to flex our faith.

My Pastor and I reflected on the too long list of people that have left the church and their faith in Christ because of an unexpected messy moment. Some of our closest friends and family members have experienced some difficult situations inside and outside of the church. Unfortunately, in the midst of adversity we tend to take our eyes off of Christ and fix them upon our problems.

In the first few verses of Romans 12 Paul instructs us to give every aspect of our lives to God, “our sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life.” I think too many Christians treat their faith in Christ like a hobby instead of a lifestyle. This is not the life that Christ designed for us to live.

If the foundation of our faith was built solely on our relationship with Christ the messes in life would not shake us. Instead some are consumed with people, problems, and church politics; only to discover that people will let us down, our problems are too big for us to handle, and our church isn’t perfect. This weakened faith causes some to begin a cycle of church hopping or leaving their faith in Christ all together.

Pastor, evangelist, author, and spiritual mentor; A.W. Tozer, expressed this condition perfectly when he said, "How utterly terrible is the current idea that Christians can serve God at their own convenience." The shelter of the Cross is the only suitable refuge from the storms of life. Situational faith is no faith at all; the Cross is one size fits all.

What do YOU Say?

2010-03-16T14:50:00.004-07:00

“I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT)

I don’t know about you but I really can’t wait to get my hands on Apple’s new gadget the iPad. The only Apple product I have ever purchased was an iPod Shuffle and most people know that is child’s play compared to the other products Apple has to offer. To me the iPad is the answer to my inner longings to own anything Apple. I thought the iPod Touch was going to be that answer but I really wanted more than a glorified Walkman. The iPad is the poor mans entrance in to a very sophisticated almost elitist type club.

Whenever I see people typing on their MacBook, browsing the internet on their iMac, watching TV on their Apple TV, listening to music on their iPod Touch, or talking on their iPhone; I just get this feeling that iSuck. Like I’m just not as cool. In my opinion when you own an Apple product it says something about you. Things like, “You’re smart,” “You have a lot of disposable income,” “You can make better home movies than I can,” “You don’t need to carry cd’s everwhere you go,” or “You could be my Math tutor”

After learning that Apple saw iPad pre-orders come in at the rate of 25,000 per hour the first the day they were released; I began to think what that really said about Apple. Apple has done such a great job of building the value of their brand that people can’t wait to see what they’re going to do next. We trust the Apple brand so much that over 100,000 people have ordered a product that they have yet to touch. People believe that when they invest their money in an Apple product it’s going to add value to their lives.

Before you start scheduling an intervention for me please know that I don’t allow my possessions to define me but I know that many people in our society do. I believe that just like Steve Jobs has become defined by his Apple products we become defined by our products. The difference is that Jesus refers to our products as fruit in Matthew 7.20, “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

We are defined by our fruit; our words, our actions, our reactions, our attitudes, and our habits. All of this considered I have begun to ask myself, “What does my fruit say about me?” My desire would be that my fruit would produce the good I know God has placed in me but I know this is not always the case. Jesus draws a clear conclusion on my thoughts in Matthew 7:17-18, “A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” I don’t doubt that Christ is doing a good work in me but I know that I’m a work in progress.

Apple continues to grow a committed customer base because they invest a tremendous amount of time and energy in producing products that people can depend on. If we desire to expand the Kingdom of God the fruit (or product) we produce must continue to improve. To accomplish this best I think we can draw from the passion of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:27 “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”

We are telling the people we encounter each day about Christ; many times without a word ever being spoken. Take a moment to ask yourself, “What do YOU say?”

Hands & Feet

2010-03-03T12:43:00.002-07:00

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25.40

Each year, in the United States, Convoy of Hope holds up to 50 community events with the help of thousands of volunteers who serve tens of thousands of guests. At each event free groceries, job and health fairs, and children’s activities are provided. In doing so, volunteers are given an opportunity to connect with members of their community, and guests are shown love and respect regardless of age, race, physical appearance, or spiritual condition.

Convoy of Hope (COH) is a not-for-profit organization that feeds the hungry and provides pure drinking water to people in need across the United States and around the world. To date, the organization has provided real help to 28 million people in 112 countries and 45 states.

This past weekend I had the privilege of spending Saturday morning with 9 of our Deviate students volunteering at one of these COH community events. The three and a half hours that we spent serving our community provided each of us an opportunity to put our faith into action.

The event consisted of more than 1,000 volunteers investing their time and energy to serve more than 5,000 guests. Convoy of Hope says, “Their goal at every outreach is to let every recipient know he or she is valued and respected. Each aspect of our outreaches are based on this principle.” It was an amazing opportunity to see the love of Christ in action in such an enormous and tangible way.
Our time at the event was spent with about 100 other volunteers filling over 5,000 plastic bags with groceries. Each bag totting volunteer made several trips through an assembly line of volunteers that would fill our bags with groceries. We all patiently waited in line over and over again until all the groceries were bagged.

As we made our way to the parking lot to leave I realized that neither I nor the 9 students with me had the opportunity to hand out any of the bags of groceries we helped stuff. Just as I had this thought I could hear Jesus say, “I was hungry and you fed me.”

We didn’t have the opportunity to look into the eyes of one of the 5,000 guests that were going to receive those groceries but that day wasn’t about what we were going to receive but what we were able to give. We and the other volunteers had the honor of becoming the hands and feet of Jesus. This small act of bagging groceries was creating an opportunity for others to see the love of Christ in action. When we take the time to meet the needs of others Jesus says in Matthew 25.40, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

What more could we ask for!

Raise Up

2010-02-25T17:54:00.006-07:00

From the inauguration of God’s creation of man and woman to the conception of the 21st century; we have all been created for the same purpose. That purpose, as defined by Jesus in John 6.38, is “to do the will of God.”

I realize this may appear to be quite ambiguous but allow me to attempt to connect the dots. Consider, for a moment, the relationship a football coach has with his players. When the players take the field they understand they must do precisely what the coach assigns for them. The coach specifically assigns the blockers who to block, the kickers where to kick, the runners where to run, the receivers where to receive, and the quarterback where to throw. When everyone executes their assignments; success is eminent. Deviation from their assignments could result in consequences that may lead to loss.

Just as it is in football, it is in life. With God as our coach and us as his players; we must execute our assignments according to his specific instructions. Deviation from our assignments could result in consequences that may lead to our loss.

This afternoon I had lunch with a friend that has a clear understanding of what God’s assignment is for his life. He shared with me how God has placed this deep burden in his heart to inspire and equip others through “RAISE UP.” He explained that, “RAISE UP is all about making a decision within ones self. It’s arising to the occasion, so to speak, deciding to strive to live your life to the excellent standard of Jesus Christ. It’s recognizing that God wants to show His glory through us.”

Whether you are a college student, a doctor, a lawyer, a musician, or an artist he says that God calls us to, “RAISE UP!” He went on to describe how God has orchestrated the birth of a movement of Christ-followers that are committing to RAISE UP. It truly is amazing to hear him talk about the assignment God has given him. He pointed out how completely honored he feels that God would assign such a task to him. Realizing that God could have given this assignment to anyone; instead He choose to give it to him.

What is your assignment; what does God want you to do for Him? In Jeremiah 29.11 God says, “I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God has your assignment, what are you waiting for?

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles")

Don't Give Up

2010-02-24T10:43:00.001-07:00

“David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30.6

I have a few friends and fellow ministers that swear TWITTER is a complete waste of their time and monthly text message budget. I’ve tried to argue otherwise with little to no success. Some have created a twitter account just to shut me up but still not a tweet from them. Some have yet to maximize its full networking power and have limited their occasional tweets to a very select group of friends and colleagues. Still some have focused on the negatives and have resolved to never explore the positive side of twitter.

I don’t know what your opinion of twitter is but if you have yet to find yourself consumed with the tweets of world leaders, global missionaries, engaging authors, revolutionary leaders, and inspiring messengers of the Good News like I have; I hope this will change your mind. I appreciate the technology of twitter because of the opportunities and platform it offers me to receive and share words of wisdom, encouragement, and humor.

Yesterday, as I sat in Wendy’s enjoying my lunch; killing time while my car was getting an oil change at the adjacent mechanic shop, I received one of these encouraging tweets. This is what the tweet said:

@rickwarren: To last in ministry learn what David did: “He ENCOURAGED HIMSELF in the Lord” (1 Sam 30.6) Don’t expect others to do it for you.

Just as soon as I read this tweet from Dr. Rick Warren, founding pastor of Sabbleback Church, leader of the Purpose Driven Network of churches, and best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life, I had to know the context of the verse he was referring to.

In this passage King David and his men of approximately 600 had just returned home from a battle that apparently no one really wanted them around for. Upon arriving at their town of Zilag they found that an opposing army had raided it and burned it to the ground. This raiding party had also carried off their women, children, and everyone else. Already returning home with their spirits deflated and now devastated from this tragic situation the Bible says these men “wept until they could weep no more.”

Their weeping soon turned to rage toward their leader, King David, whom they wanted to hold responsible for their loss. These men began contemplating stoning him. It was David’s response to this life-threatening plot that brought @rickwarren to send his tweet. The Bible says that David, “found strength in the Lord his God.”

When facing adversity or opposition we can learn from David how God would want us to respond. Notice I said ‘when’ not ‘if’ because we can be sure that with leadership comes adversity. In those moments it would be easy to raise the white flag but in leadership we have to realize that we are working to please God and not those we are called to lead. We can’t give up and we can’t give in; we must, like David, ask God to give us strength to keep moving forward. Because David chose to seek God for strength to move forward he was able recover all that was taken from him and his men with interest.

So when you find yourself facing what you feel is the death of God’s plan for your life, your ministry, and your future don’t give up! Seek God and you too will find “strength in the Lord” your God!

What does all this have to do with twitter? Well, nothing really, accept for the fact that without having an active twitter account I would have never received this encouraging word that I feel God had for me and for you.

So, DON’T GIVE UP and sign-up for twitter!

Neglected Tradition

2010-02-17T12:57:00.006-07:00

Why don’t more evangelical churches observe Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent? Today is the first occasion I can remember ever pondering this question in all my years of Christ following. (The answer to this question may be obvious to you but give me a moment to digest my ponderings.)

Now that I am considering this question I’m also considering how well I really am doing in truly following Christ. Is it not the desire of every Christian to become more like Christ? That being true of me I think spending a day considering my inability to overcome my sin without the cleansing power of Jesus would do me well. Also, I think taking 40 days to give up a self-indulgence would provide greater depth and intimacy to my relationship with Christ.

Based on my understanding Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent only bring about the disciplines that Jesus calls his disciples to. Jesus calls us to prayer in Matthew 7.7 when he says “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” He calls us to fasting in Joel 2.12 “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” He calls us to repentance in Luke 5.32 “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” And Jesus calls us to worship him in John 4.23 “But the time is coming – indeed its here now – when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.”

I realize there are churches all over the world that individually call their congregations to fast and pray throughout the year but I feel Ash Wednesday and Lent is a corporate call to all believers. This season isn’t about denominations, worship styles, or traditions; it's about greater intimacy with our Savior!

Consider this, “In order to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday, the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday are burned and mixed with a little oil. And in this lies perhaps the most meaningful subtext of Ash Wednesday. If Palm Sunday represents our praise and adulation for God, Ash Wednesday represents the knowledge that the adulation has turned to dust – in a year’s time we’ve forgotten Him, we’ve sinned against Him and fellow humans and most of all, we’ve made something great (our love for God) into something dirty. It’s a powerful reminder to us of how quickly our hearts can turn from God – shouting “Hosanna” and worshiping Him as our Lord and King – to basically ignoring His existence.” Ryan Hamm (excerpt from The Many Lessons of Ash Wednesday)

The same disciplines that Christ called his disciples to over 2000 years ago are the same disciplines that he is corporately calling his church to today! So why aren’t more evangelical churches responding to the call?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

BURDENED

2010-01-28T13:14:00.004-07:00

“That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” Joel 2.12

I will never forget the first occasion I had the privilege of speaking to a congregation of people where the average age was over 16 years old. It was a Sunday night at the church I grew up in, Faith Assembly of God. I was terribly nervous because I was addressing the people that have seen me grow from a very immature and aimless teenager to a fairly immature and ambitious young adult. This was a sanctuary, partially, full of adults that I deeply respect, friends that I admire, and religious “old-timers” that have heard and seen it all.

Matter of fact I recall having a brief interaction with one of these said “old-timers” just before our service began. This feisty little old elderly lady gently took me by the hand and calmly gave me the most profound advice anyone has ever given me. She said, “If your message ain’t anointed, just say ‘Amen!’ and get off the stage. No one has time to listen to you ramble all night.”

At the time I didn’t feel her advice was very profound; it actually only made me more nervous and added a feeling of confusion like I was just blindsided by a Mike Tyson size punch. Quickly I reviewed my notes, prayed as hard as I knew how, and asked God to anoint me so this kind lady wouldn’t start a mass exodus in the middle of my message.

Anyhow, as vividly as I remember the events surrounding this special night of launching me into ministry; I remember my message. I was trying to communicate how important salvation is to the sinner (all of us). I recounted the story in Luke 7.36-50 when a sinful woman interrupted a dinner party hosted by Pharisees where Jesus was the guest of honor. The guests of the party scoffed at her interruption and were appalled when she went over and began touching Jesus saying to themselves, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

When this woman entered the room and saw Jesus she “knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” At this, Jesus was neither unpleased with the interruption nor disgusted by her touch.

I’m convinced this woman could feel the weight of her sins which Jesus said, “they are many”. It was this weight that brought her to her knees and caused her tears to flow in the presence of her Savior.

Day 4 of our fast I would like to call us to keep pressing in and turn our hearts toward God. As we fast, I would like for us to pray that God would burden us with the sins of those in our community, on our school campuses, and in our own families. Just as the above verse states let’s turn to God in this time and come to Him with weeping and mourning. Let’s come to God on behalf of students that are without a relationship with Christ. Let’s come kneeling before God like this sinful woman with tears feeling the weight of sin in the lives of students. Ask God to give you a burden for the lost and that burden would turn into a personal passion to lead others to salvation.

Our desire for DEVIATE this year is that we would see 50 students come to know Christ. We can’t accomplish this until we ourselves develop a burden for them.

THE PROMISE

2010-01-26T13:07:00.003-07:00

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7.14 {nlt}

I don’t know about you but when I read this verse I can’t help but notice that there is a lot I have to do before I get to the promise. God asks that we first “humble ourselves”, which means we have to overcome our inward desire to control our life’s outcome. Then He asks us to “pray and seek” His face; an outward gesture of our dependence on our Father in heaven to steer our path.

Let’s pause for a moment and consider what this Father steering would look like. I would imagine that if God was in the driver seat of our life we wouldn’t be sitting in His lap as He safely navigated us through life. Nor do I think we would be sitting next to Him in the passenger seat cringing at every stop or turn made that didn’t agree with us. I believe in order for this to really happen the way God designed it to happen we would be in the backseat enjoying the ride. Fully confident in God’s ability to bring us to the place He wants us to be.

Moving on toward the promise God calls us to “turn” and this is where the rubber meets the road. Everything else that God requires us to do up until this point required only an inward commitment. Now God is asking that we take what He is doing to change our inward appearance to produce a change in our outward appearance. I’m reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 15.18 “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.” When we turn from our sin this is an outward proclamation of what God is doing in our own hearts. This last step is most important if we really desire to see the promise come to pass.

God knows that the steps He has laid out for us to take in order for us to take hold of the promise will not come without sacrifice. Consider what we are receiving in return and I’m not even talking about the promise. We are receiving greater intimacy with our Father who longs for us to long for Him.

As we turn to God today in the second day of our fast let’s spend some time confessing and repenting not only for our sins but for the sins of our communities, our campuses, our families, and our nation. Our relationship with God will be strengthened and our desire to grow the Kingdom will be fulfilled.

Heavenly Father, I confess my need for a Savior today. I’m a sinner in need of your grace and mercy. Please forgive me of my sins and allow me to rest in the power of your salvation. Restore the work of your salvation in my community and on my campus so that all may declare their love for you. In your powerful and holy name, AMEN!

SET APART

2010-01-25T12:21:00.012-07:00

"That we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” Hosea 6.3 {nlt}

Last night at LAUNCH I had the priviledge of listening to one our DEVIATE staff challenge our students to discover God in their own lives. The point she eloquently made was that in order for us to discover God we must prepare our hearts. She stated that we must consecrate ourselves so that God would know we desire Him over all other things.

This process of being set apart is sometimes difficult because of what we may have to give up. However, if our focus is on what we receive rather than we lose the process can become much simpler. Knowing that God is and will always be all that we need can bring peace to our troubled hearts.

For the next 7 days the staff and students of DEVIATE are fasting and praying. We are consecrating ourselves so that God can use us to reach our community with His love. Our desire is that God use us to bring 50 new students to DEVIATE that have a life changing encounter with Him. We believe that as we press on towards God he will be faithful and respond just as the above verse promises.

Today is Day 1 of our fast and our focus is on praising God for all that He is doing and is going to do in our lives. Join us in praising God for how awesome He is and for the salvation He brings to all of us!

To learn more about our 7 day fast visit http://www.deviatesm.com/seven.htm and print out our 7 day prayer & fasting guide.

2010-01-14T10:11:00.005-07:00

Speed the Light is partnering with Convoy of Hope and their desire to respond to the tragedy that has hit Haiti. On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 a 7.0 earthquake struck the country, leveling buildings, cutting off communications, and resulting in many people injured or dead. Convoy of Hope is establishing an emergency command center just outside the city of Port-au-Prince by which food, water, and supplies will be distributed to victims. They are also preparing for the massive recovery process that will be forthcoming. As part of this effort Convoy has requested two necessary vehicles. One will be used in transporting people and food, while the other will be used for both food and construction supplies. Total cost for these vehicles will be approximately $100,000.Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with many of its nearly 10 million residents living in abject poverty. This is an enormous opportunity for the students and parents of the Assemblies of God to arise and respond generously. What an incredible expression of the compassion of Jesus it would be for us to provide these vehicles immediately!

With students and parents from across the nation, we can meet this urgent need.

Surrender All

2009-10-07T08:28:00.008-07:00

This entry was written by Ben T. Grice, Grand Canyon University
I had the privilege of attending what many are calling the greatest Monday Night Football game in the program’s 40-year history. For those who don’t get into sports, or don’t have a TV, or have been living under a rock(!), the contest in Minneapolis featured newly acquired signal-caller Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, lining up opposite the Green Bay Packers—Favre’s former team of 16 years and the Vikings’ much-maligned border-state rival of three times that duration. The game, no, the experience, was unbelievable—truly a sports fan’s dream, what with all the pregame hype and the game actually living up to, if not surpassing, its heightened billing. But however odd to some, amidst all the fanfare and glam, what stood out most against the backdrop of such sports history, what outshone the simultaneous flashes of the 10,000 or more digital cameras and even rose above the almost deafening shouts of the crazed crowd, was a simple, yet poignant sight: a handful of players, Vikings players, just moments before kickoff, before what had to be one of the most anticipated games of their collective careers, individually kneeling in the corner of an endzone, praying.

Yes, as an avid spectator of sports, I’m familiar with players, even from opposing teams, huddling for prayer, but this normally occurs postgame, after the action, not necessarily as an afterthought, but definitely not right before the whistle sounds the start of the action. You see, in these precious preceding moments players are generally more concerned with the here-and-now: getting loose, going over last-minute game preparations, with football, upping their adrenaline with a team huddle and perhaps sharpening their focus with the aid of smelling salts. So quite frankly, it struck me. These few, again, just minutes before kickoff of the most-watched game in Monday Night Football history, had the perspective (the prompting?) to drop everything and lift prayers. And while it might not appear earth-shattering to some—after all, it’s not like they left their jobs and joined the Peace Corps or decided to ditch the Dome for a downtown soup-kitchen—it made a statement. At least to me. I couldn’t help but think of the chorus to the old church hymn, I Surrender All:

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Jesus,
My blessed Savior,
I surrender all

What I saw Monday night was a handful of [Vikings] football players unhesitatingly and unabashedly laying everything, even the most important of worldly things (at least from a sports standpoint), at the feet of Jesus. And, no, I don’t know what they prayed, but it doesn’t matter. While everyone else in the building, all 64,000 of them, narrowed their focus on the upcoming clash of epic proportions, there were a godly few who attended to far less trivial matters and faithfully praised and petitioned their King. It was, for me, a memorable display, far more so than the hat-trick of touchdown passes thrown by a future hall of famer.

It begs the question: Would I do likewise? Or do I? When the world and its matters clamor loudest for my undivided attention, am I willing, like these particular players were, to surrender them before God, to lay them at His feet, and in doing so, lay up for myself treasures in heaven? Better yet, how do I really surrender all to God? Is this even necessary, much less doable? Yes…and yes. But only if a transaction takes place.

In order to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, and in order to even be able to surrender my earthly life, along with its fleeting cares and concerns, at His feet, I must pick something (someone) up in exchange for that which I lay down. And that is, namely, Jesus Himself.

Indeed, it is only if and when Christ becomes my all in all, that I can truly, and faithfully, surrender all.

Good Gifts

2009-09-08T08:46:00.002-07:00

‘If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?’ –Luke 11:13

What is it to truly give a gift? Or to give a good gift? Jesus, in the passage above, seems to give us the benefit of the doubt when it comes to blessing others with a gift or donation, but I wonder, do we naturally know how to give a gift, especially in light of how our heavenly Father pours out His blessing upon blessing? I would contend we don’t—at least at times.

So, back to gift giving, or better yet, godly gift giving. Yes, I’m claiming there are two ways in which to bestow blessing—only one of which is right, and akin to how our Father in heaven gifts both His children and the world alike. Pinpointing the differences between the two, and thus better understanding how to align our style of giving with His, is best endeavored by identifying the characteristics of God’s giving to us.

How does God give to you and me? How would you describe it? Well, if the record of my reception of His grace is any indicator, then the overarching attribute of a God-given gift is its unconditional nature. ‘He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.’ (Matthew 5:45b) When God blesses our life with any good thing, when He supplies our next breath, when He provides safety or health or rain or sunshine, He does so solely out of His goodness, not at all based upon our deserving or merit. The same goes for the gift of faith. Note how Paul describes it: ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.’ (Ephesians 2:8) God is wholly gracious, meaning He never acts, or blesses, out of obligation. To be clear, there are no preconditions for God’s goodness. He is good, and His good nature is explicitly expressed by His unconditional giving.

In contrast, look at worldly (fleshly) giving. When you or I give a gift, when we show favor to another, it is often due to that person’s merit, or at least a met condition. No surprise, our society reinforces this type of giving all the time (look no further than the blessings we lavish upon a person because it’s their birthday—blessing which might otherwise be withheld). Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against giving a birthday gift or anything of the sort, but I do think situations where gift giving is obligatory, or done out of assumed obligation, can cause slippage into an ungodly form of giving, or giving in a way that is misaligned with the heart of God. Another example: bribery, or tit-for-tat. You and I might not call it that, or own up to doing it, but it happens more often than we think. Now, I’m a parent, and I readily admit that I have a tendency to give my daughter a gift if she does this or that (‘Grace, if you’re a good girl, Daddy will give you a cookie…’). But what am I really teaching her with this kind of gift or favor? Bright and perceptive as she is, how could this not color her understanding of giving in a way that attaches strings to any or every gift? No matter my intentions or the motive behind the cookie (I’m just trying to get her shirt changed!), actions as such can only reinforce how the world gives and further complicate her understanding of how, in stark contrast, our heavenly Father grants His favor.

Now, God not only gives unconditionally on the front-side, He also does so on the back-end. When God blesses you and me, He does so without expectation of repayment (if that were not the case, He would cease to give, based on our typical lack of response). Again, God gives out of His goodness. Now, we must be careful so as to not over-generalize. Does God desire a grateful and obedient response to His indescribable gift giving? Of course. But He doesn’t expect one—that’s a big difference. The same can be said for us. It is not wrong to feel good about giving a gift, nor is it deviant to delight in a grateful response, but the expectation of such can contaminate the purity of the motive behind the blessing.

Unfortunately, it all too often does. Anyone else ever feel slighted when the receiver of your gift didn’t respond as expected or return a show of favor? If so, you’re not alone; I am certainly guilty of this. Sadly, and to our own shame, we easily give with expectations attached and rarely bless one another out of the pure goodness of our heart (as God does). The result? Well, we pay for it; we’re robbed of the true joy that accompanies giving. The Bible says it’s better to give than to receive. But that’s only the case if we give how God gives: unconditionally, with no strings attached.

Reflect on yourself, on what kind of giver you are more often than not. Do you, like me, ever hesitate to bless someone based on his or her perceived worthiness? Do you ever give, and then get disappointed when an expected and favorable response isn’t returned? Not to be overly blunt, but there’s an easy remedy if you do: think if God did the same. What if He withheld His blessing based on our unworthiness? What if He ceased to grant us favor due to our utter lack of repayment? Simply, we’d be bankrupt, literally and figuratively, without hope for daily bread, much less for the salvation of our souls.

Fight the flesh with me. Let us ask for, and receive, the power of the Holy Spirit, that we might unlearn the worldly ways of giving and become godly givers—as always, to the praise of His great Name!

New Kind of Vision

2009-08-05T11:51:00.003-07:00

The following was written by Ben Grice, Admissions Manager at Grand Canyon University

“…now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 6b-9

I can’t stop thinking about the value God puts on faith. Have you thought about this? God, in His power and by His providence, allows His beloved to suffer grief—of all kinds, in varying degrees—so that faith might be refined and proved genuine. Now, God loves us. There is no doubt. So the fact that He ordains suffering, the fact that you and I are not sheltered from hurt and are often well-acquainted with hardship, dramatically underscores the place of prominence faith holds in His sight (and God-willing, in ours too).
But why is God so bent on the faith, or lack thereof, of His children? Why does this get top billing in the New Testament, over and above all other subject matter? The verses above answer that question outright, so the following is to serve more as a reminder than a newsflash. Think of it this way: God is heaven-bent on faith, because, straightforwardly, heaven is at stake. The goal of my faith, and yours, is the salvation of our souls. What could be more paramount? That’s what our faith in Jesus accomplishes for us. Look at its other outcome: ‘These have come so that your faith…may result in praise, glory and honor…’ When faith is proved genuine, God is glorified. When (if) we maneuver trials and handle hardships in a godly fashion, He is made much of, His provision of all we need to persevere is exalted.

Sounds great, Ben. Sounds so simple. But look me in the eye and tell me what this looks like in reality, when I’m on the anvil and feeling the heat. What do you say to me when the tests come back malignant? What do you advise when my heart is gutted, when my hope is all but gone, when my hurt is too much to bear? How do I hang on to faith then, in the face of fear, in light of physical and/or emotional death? Humbly, my response is His: fix your mind on the eternal. Shun the deceitful, worldly notion that what you see here is all there is. And call upon your Maker to provide every ounce of all you need to come through the fire victoriously (synonymously, ‘faithfully’). God’s grace will allow for a perspective shift of great magnitude, one that will allow you to see how He sees. And when He enables this kind of vision, your purpose for being created from dust, only to return to it, comes into clear focus: to worship Him, in His majestic presence, both now and forevermore. When He instills this passion in your heart, when He crafts within you this uncontested, unbridled desire, you’ll have enough to withstand anything and everything life throws your way—to the praise of His Name.

You believe in Him though you don’t see Him; you are receiving the very goal of your faith.

Ruined People

2009-07-31T11:22:00.002-07:00

“I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Mark 10:15 (NLT)

A few days ago I was watching television with my daughter and while channel surfing the Nickelodeon show “iCarly” caught my daughter’s attention. As the opening credits rolled and Miranda Cosgrove’s song, “Leave It All to Me”, played my daughter jumped into action. She began running around in circles stopping every few seconds to look at the television screen and imitate some of the actions or facial expressions the cast would make as they raced across the screen. My daughters interpretations weren’t quite spot on but it was entertaining to watch. Thankfully my daughter loss interest after about 10 minutes and I was able to continue surfing.

While I was watching my daughter dance in circles without a care in the world she reminded me what acting like a child looks like. I began to consider what Jesus said to a bunch of adults in Mark 10:15, “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” There is so much we can learn from our children and that day my daughter taught me about how I should approach my relationship with Christ.

After I realized there was nothing worth watching on television I pulled out my Bible and began searching for a few verses. I set out to find verses that showed Jesus addressing His followers regarding how we are to live out our faith. When I looked for these verses I wanted to be intentional about looking at them from a child’s perspective. A child looks at things from a literal perspective, so when Jesus says, “come, follow me”, their eyes will open with excitement readily waiting for a game of "follow the leader" to commence. Adults, we tend to look at things suggestively, so when Jesus says, “sell your possessions and give to those in need”, our minds begin to think of what part of our worn-out wardrobe we can donate to Goodwill; we get a receipts for those donations.

A child’s perspective to life is filled with curious abandonment and vulnerable imagination. Most adults will approach life with sensible inquisitiveness and conceivable possibilities.

What would happen if we all took Jesus’ advice and became “like a child” – like my daughter? Is abandoned curiosity and fascination for our Creator a real possibility for you and me? I believe it is. Why, then don’t more of us experience life in this way? In my opinion, it is because we allow the obstacles of life to overcome our wonder and steal our enthusiasm.

One of my favorite books was written by Michael Yaconelli the founder of Youth Specialties and one the greatest youth leaders of our time. The book is entitled, “Dangerous Wonder: The Adventure of Childlike Faith” and in this book Yaconelli writes, “Episcopal priest Robert Capon named the first obstacle: “We are in war between dullness and astonishment.” The most critical issue facing Christians is not abortion, pornography, the disintegration of the family, moral absolutes, MTV, drugs, racism, sexuality or school prayer. The critical issue today is dullness. We have lost our astonishment. The Good News is no longer good news, it is okay news. Christianity is no longer like changing, it is life enhancing.”

I admit my faith has been peppered with periods of disillusionment and doubt but those have been temporary detours to the WAY. I truest hearts desire is to really chase after Christ, to love others just as Christ loves them, with grace and authenticity. I’m so far from where I know God wants me to be but I’m going to continue moving forward. I want to be at a place where my heart longs for nothing more than to do the will of my Father.

“I’m ready for Christianity that “ruins” my life, that captures my heart and makes me uncomfortable. I want to be filled with an astonishment which is so captivating that I am considered wild and unpredictable and… well… dangerous. Yes, I want to be “dangerous” to a dull and boring religion. I want a faith that is considered “dangerous” by our predictable and monotonous culture.” – Michael Yaconelli

Will you join me in that pursuit? Turn the television off, silence your Blackberry, turn on your favorite worship cd, crack open your Bible, and just dive into his GoODness. My prayer is that when the room stops spinning we come out a ruined people!

Reaching Into the Margin

2009-07-23T11:21:00.003-07:00

“Our approach to ministry is to view it relationally rather than programmatically,” says Greg Paul, who has directed Sanctuary, a street ministry, for more than 13 years. “So our approach is not to develop a bunch of programs to put people through and they come out the other end and there’s some change in them. Our approach is to say that we are fundamentally a community.”

I recently read an article on Relevant Magazines website, (If you are interested in reading about progressive Christian culture I highly recommend you purchase a subscription to their magazine. To me it’s the best $15 I spend every year.) “The Gospel on the Street”, and it got me thinking about my approach to youth ministry.

I’ve served as the youth pastor at my church for two years and during this time we have struggled to effectively reach the young people in our community. We have planned large concert events, given away game stations and ipods, and passed out flyers to our weekly services. I have dug deep into my ministry bag-o-tricks several times and now I’m beginning to clean out the lint. (Side note: nothing we do has gone without much prayer so please don’t get overly spiritual and miss the point because there is a point here, I promise!)

While reading this article something that Greg Paul said struck a cord with me, he said, “Our approach to ministry is to view it relationally rather than programmatically.” I’ve been in youth ministry for almost 8 years now and relational ministry is nothing new to me but when he said it; a light went off. We are missing the most important ingredient to any effective ministry and that is authentic relationships. How could we have been so blind!

However, the issue is not with our vision it’s our complacency and this is a dangerous place to be in ministry. Now that I think about it, it does make sense. Our leaders and their youth pastor, that’s me, have found themselves being drawn to the students that seem to have it all together. They are easily motivated, dependable, loyal, hard-working, and know all the words to the songs we sing. All the while there are students in our ministry and in our community that don’t fit into our comfort zone that we are failing to reach.

The article stated, “Statistics show that of youth who end up on the street, 84 percent of them will admit to having experienced physical and/or sexual abuse in the home. The vast majority come from broken homes. The vast majority come from homes where one or both parents have a drug or alcohol problem.” Greg Paul explains the danger to our ministries complacency when he says, “It’s important to remember that these issues are as present in church communities as they are anywhere else. So, in a church of several hundred people it’s entirely likely that there are a few kids being sexually abused. It’s entirely likely that there are a number of families where one or both parents have an alcohol or drug problem. So, the first thing churches need to do is get their heads out of the sand and recognize that this is probably taking place in our own congregation. And look around the church for the people who exist at the margins.”

We have young people and families within our church and community that desperately need us to bring the love of Christ to them. Up to this point our youth ministry has failed to effectively extend our hands to reach into the margins. We are guilty of making our ministry more about the programs and less about the relationships and I know this has drastically stunted our growth. I believe our ministry and the church as whole will not see the exponential growth it desires until we begin to focus on authentic relationships.

In about 2 weeks our youth ministry will host a Back to School Bash and we are expecting to have around 50 students on our campus that have never engaged our ministry before. On that day I will challenge myself and our staff to view this event and all future events as “tangible expressions of relationship, or an invitation to a relationship, rather than an end in themselves.”

In relationships we display how much we care so others can hear how much God cares. When we fail to build relationships with the people we are ministering to we are limiting what God can do in us, and more importantly, through us. I hope you will join with us as we pursue the “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

Heart Problems

2009-07-22T15:38:00.003-07:00

“What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45b

Over the past few weeks I’ve had several instances where I felt God was pointing out that some of my ideas, attitudes, and actions are not exactly Christ-like. My convictions have brought me to the point where I need to ask God to show me the corrections I need to make as apart of my minute by minute pursuit to become more like Him.

It is my desire, as is should be yours, to begin living out what Paul says in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God.” In order for this to become a reality for you and I the core of who we once were should have been thrown away when we accepted Christ as “the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) At the point of our conversion the very beat of our heart should’ve begun to find the beat of our Creator. At that point my ideas, attitudes, and actions should have miraculously changed by removing all my pride, impatience, hypocrisy, and selfishness.

However, we have interrupted God’s conversion process at the point of salvation. We received His power to cleanse all of our past sins and while they were being cast to the east and west we packed up our futures thinking the work was done. We left the operating table after our old heart had been removed but before God could make the transplant complete with the new heart He handcrafted. This now leaves us with the knowledge of how to ask for forgiveness without the power to leave our life of sin.

I’ve discovered the root of my problem and what I need to do in order to allow God to fully live in and work through me. I’ve got a heart problem and I need God to take complete control of it if I’m ever going to be completely transformed.

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” (Luke 6:45) Everything that I say and do that contradicts God’s love for me and others comes from my heart.

Until we allow God to complete our heart transplant we will continue in the habits that damage the perspectives of the people God has called us to reach.

Let’s begin to seek the heart of God not just the provision of his hands.

Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10

Knowledge

2009-07-10T11:13:00.002-07:00

The below entry has been written by Ben Grice, admissions manager, Grand Canyon University

23 King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. –1 Kings 10:23-24a

18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. –1 Corinthians 3:18-19a

The wisdom of the world, the mentality that more is more, the mindset that the here-and-now trumps the there-and-later, the attitude that momentary and artificial gain equals satisfaction and happiness, IS foolishness. And, I’d add chaotic. Think about it, think about the actions, doings and strivings such ‘wisdom’ promotes. When adopted (and embraced), this is a way bent on busyness; and with it, come restlessness and an overwhelming sense of just missing what’s constantly sought after and only seemingly within reach. Painted this way, would anyone want this, would anyone be so foolish as to dedicate their life to its pursuit? Probably not. Would anyone admit to it if they did? Even less likely. But the truth is, on some level all of us have, in one way or another, bought into the quest for this kind of ‘knowledge.’ Like Paul exhorts, let’s not deceive ourselves!

Hit up the first set of verses again. King Solomon was the wisest and richest king the world has ever known (literally). The whole world (which had never beheld such breadth of knowledge) sought audience with him. But pay extra attention to the phrasing of the second verse: ‘The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.’ Interesting, is it not? God granted Solomon wisdom beyond measure. But He put it in his heart! Now don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying Solomon’s mind wasn’t comparatively sharp, but perhaps it was his wisdom of heart (his knowledge of God) that really attracted the crowds. This is why some of the most brilliant minds of our time, those with incredible intellect, those ‘wise’ and influential by the standards of our age, were actually fools, in the sense that they did not know nor accept the Truth. The wisdom of God was not in their heart—they didn’t let it be.

The main point here is the following equation: wisdom of heart = peace of mind. And conversely, the wisdom of this world = chaos and unrest. Which do you want? Put in these terms, the best choice is obvious. But I pose the question, to myself and to you, not because of our verbal response, but because of how our actions answer. Do we really want peace? Really? Then why is it we continually wrap our mind (no, our heart!) around the ‘wisdom’ of the world? Why do we painstakingly pursue that which will ultimately leave us spiritually (and emotionally?) malnourished and discontented, and drive us crazy in the process?

God richly bestowed His wisdom upon King Solomon. He will do the same for us, should we desire it enough to seek Him for it, that is.

Seek wisdom of heart, and delight in its derivative: true peace-of-mind.

IMITATION

2009-07-09T17:37:00.005-07:00

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1–2

I just can’t get these verses out of my head this week. I don’t know why but God is really dealing with me in the context of this verse and I’ve got so many questions as I look at my life and the life of other believers around me. My main question is, why? Why aren’t we, followers of Christ that are called to be “little Christ’s as Jim Palmer refers to us in his book “Wide Open Spaces: Beyond Paint-by-Number Christianity” (Thomas Nelson), imitating the one who calls us beloved children. Why am I not walking in the same love that Christ loved me with? Why am I not fully offering my life to God as a sacrificial offering, just as He did for me?

The Bible, the very book Christians agree is the complete authoritative rule for living, is chuck full of verses that make the Way very clear. However, we have failed to take the words on the page and transpose them into our lives. The verse that continues to convict me is at the centre of our relationship with Christ; John 3:16 “For God so loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

If you put Ephesians 5:1 and John 3:16 together I’ve got to think that what I’m giving God is in no way reflective of what I know I should be giving him. I realize that there is nothing we can do to compare to the sacrifice made on the cross for our sins but that doesn’t void us from our obligation to make greater efforts toward that end. Toward the end of becoming imitators of the one who hung on the very cross our sins created.

If we lived forever marked with the obligation to imitate Christ by making cross sized sacrifices I believe the world would look at the church drastically differently. In stead the church, to the world we are called to “go and make disciples” of, has been minimized to place where gossip runs rampid, judgements are carelessly thrown upon people and through under-informed responses to cultural issues, such as homosexuality or abortion, or by emphasizing gimmicks or a rejection of spiritual drift as anything more than rebellion, church has alienated the world rather than display sincere compassion.

So I’ve resolved to be more deliberate about my efforts to imitate Christ and look for opportunities to love the world just as Christ has loved me. Will you join me?

“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and how you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” Matthew 25:35-40 {NLT}

The Gift of Presence

2009-06-24T08:50:00.004-07:00

The below entry was written by Ben Grice, Admissions Manager, Grand Canyon University

‘It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ –Luke 15:32

I can’t stop thinking about the parable, about the prodigal, the father, even about the ‘other,’ obedient son. The scripture above quotes the father, basically defending or justifying the party he was throwing his resuscitated son to his obedient one. This ‘other’ son, the one who had faithfully fulfilled the obligations/duties of a ‘good’ son, couldn’t wrap his mind around the nonsensicalness of the evening. Why would his father put out the snack mix, let alone kill and serve the fattened calf (the best they had) to celebrate the return of this foolish boy (after all, could he even be considered a man?), especially when even a lowly goat wasn’t offered to celebrate the stay-at-home son and his friends?
This son makes a strong argument—at least one you and I would be or have been tempted to make. As I read and reread the story, something became ever clearer: the obedient son WASN’T getting the short-end of the deal, not in the least. You see, he had the distinct advantage of being with the father the entire time his brother was away and alone. The father, he himself, was the gift, the reward. Not his mansion, not its amenities, nor the selection of meat on the dinner menu. The obedient son got to be in his father’s presence, if only he could have realized the treasure that was. And let me also guarantee you that the sounds of the celebration, when compared to being back in his daddy’s arms, largely rang hollow to the prodigal. No doubt his tear-filled eyes rarely left his father’s loving gaze that night, even despite the distractions of music, dancing and laughter. The prodigal realized, likely for the first time in his life, that his father was to be cherished, way over and above the false pleasures he pursued in his waywardness, or even the generous blessings bestowed upon his return.

And so it should be with us. While the insufficiency of pursued pleasures is apparent to many of us, the blessings of God, the things He graciously gives, can often cloud our view of what matters most—Him. He is the reward. He is why heaven is ‘heavenly.’ John Piper says it like this: ‘God is the gospel.’ Again, He is the good news, not just grace, or forgiveness, or peace, or reconciliation, or even love. He is the end—everything else, all these things that are good, is merely a means to get us to Him. And so how many of us limit ourselves and our opportunity for true delight by seeking and settling our satisfaction on the things of God, rather than on God Himself? I know I have and often do.

Ask yourself then, those of you who have remained with Him for the most part, do you find yourself taking life with the Father for granted? And for those who, like me, have made a habit of chasing after false fulfillments, do you, upon your return, relish most in His offered robe and fancy feast (as gracious and good as they are)? Or do you clearly recognize, as I believe the prodigal did, that the worst part of ‘being away’ is being away from the Father and the best part of ‘coming home’ is coming home to Him?

It’s a good, albeit tough, question to ask.

2009-06-17T11:10:00.003-07:00

CHANGE

“Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. “You lack only one thing,” he told him. “Go and sell all you have and give money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Mark 10:21 {NLT}

This morning as I made my way from the highway off ramp and came to rest at an intersection; I caught a glimpse of him. His eyes were puffy and red probably from a lack of sleep; his clothes were wrinkled, dirty, and stained with sweat. His boot laces were trailing behind him as he walked in between the cars rubbing his stomach and cupping his hand as to gesture he was hungry and needed money. For the most part his gestures went unnoticed from the small audience of drivers that have all seemed to have found their favorite song on the radio, dropped a very important item on their floor board, or become enamored by the passing cars.

I knew making eye contact with him would be detrimental to my pocket book but, “oh shoot, I looked at him!” Through my tightly sealed car window I shook my head at him to let him know that I didn’t have any money but it was too late I looked at him. I remembered I still had $2 left in my wallet from lunch yesterday but I was planning on using that for coffee when got into the office. But, it was too late for coffee now, I knew I had no choice, I looked at him, why did I look at him! I yanked my bag open, shoved my hand down deep and pulled my wallet out as if I was playing tug of war (in case you were wondering, yes I have a man bag and yes you can call it a purse if it makes you feel better.) I dropped my window slightly and gave him my money as if I had been robbed at guilt point.

When the light turned green and I drove away I began to feel horrible with my attitude towards him and God used the next few moments of my drive into the office to let me know he agreed.

I think it’s safe to say that we have all experienced this same inner struggle at one point in time. I began dealing with some questions this morning like, why was it so hard for me to give to him? Is this how Jesus treated people that presented their need to Him? Was there any limit to Jesus’ desire to meet the needs of others? Then I began thinking about the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10.

This young man, who basically was raised to be good a little Christian, asked Jesus how he could receive eternal life. Jesus responded to this young man just as I believe he responded to me this morning and ultimately wants to respond to all who call on His name. “Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. “You lack only one thing,” he told him. “Go and sell all you have and give money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Place this request in today’s culture and how could we ever live up to God’s standard? Well, it’s easier said than done but we can live like everything we possess is not our own but God’s. Remember all that we have is because God chooses to bless us. We should look for opportunities to give our possessions away on a regular basis because that is the lifestyle that Christ calls us to live and as we give we draw closer to our Savior.

Now, look at what Jesus said in the last part of verse 21 “and you will have treasure in heaven.” Where is your treasure? This morning my actions showed that my treasure isn’t in heaven but in my man purse. However, that isn’t where I want my treasure and that definitely isn’t where God wants our treasure. Why? Because he said in Matthew 6:21 “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I don’t want my heart stuck here on earth but I want to push my heart into heaven where it belongs. With Jesus!

As we give of our possessions there is so much more going on! That act of giving is allowing us to draw closer to Jesus and give Him more room within our hearts. That act of giving is building for us treasures in heaven and making us more like Christ. So as you give your coins and dollar bills away to others remember you are ultimately allowing God to change your heart!

Consume Me

2009-06-12T11:26:00.006-07:00

“Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour, remembering that there will also be many dark days and that most of what comes your way is smoke.” Ecclesiastes 11:8 {MSG}

When I was younger my mom, with her motherly prophetic wisdom, told me that I would become a poor, fat, well dressed, Latino when I grew older. I knew that my mom wasn’t saying that I needed to go on a diet or that she enjoyed my excellent fashion sense; although I’m like the Picasso of fashion if I don’t say so myself. My mom recognized that I seemed to spend the majority of the money I earned on clothes and/or eating out. I recognized that I needed to have a new outfit every few weeks and that left-overs, frozen dinners, or cold-cut sandwiches were not as good as Garcia’s, McDonald’s, or a large pepperoni pizza from Pallano’s.

In approximately 72 days, 14 hours, and 22 seconds and in a not so awesome fashion I will celebrate my 30th birthday. Accomplishing all that my mom said and more and in only 12 years. Don’t get it twisted this is not a call for pity but for an awakening.

This week I’ve felt overwhelmingly convicted by the way I’ve consumed life and taken so much for granted. And it all started last Sunday night when my family and I visited my home church for an evening of worship and fellowship with some of the best buddies a guy could have (really these guys are my heroes). One of my buddies had the opportunity to preach that evening and as he spoke God began working on my heart. My buddy began calling our attention to the national pastors in China that rip pages out Bibles only to later lock themselves in a room so they can memorize every word on the front and back of that page. These pastors in turn teach their underground churches from what they memorized. It’s illegal to own a Bible in their country and in our country many Christians own multiple Bibles and neglect to read one of them.

On Sunday night I began to realize I’ve taken God for granted and as the week has progressed God has shown me the other areas of my life that have received the same mistreatment.

In the above verse Solomon addresses a younger generation that consumes life failing to see the beauty of today. We, as a nation, desire the opportunity to pursue every pleasure life has to offer. However, there is a warning, if we follow our desires, we must be assured that God will call us into judgment. On this topic Matthew Henry exclaims, “How many give loose to every appetite, and rush into every vicious pleasure!” If we want to avoid regret, if we would rather have hope and comfort, if we rather escape misery now and later, we must remember the vanity of our pleasures.

Solomon would condemn my pattern for consuming life and failing to cherish the beauty of the day as sinful. He realized that God’s object is to draw us to purer and more lasting pleasure. I can honestly tell you that this is not what I have been pursuing the last decade of my life but it will be the pursuit of all my future days. Will you join me?

“If the young would live a life of true happiness, if they would secure happiness hereafter, let them remember their Creator in the days of their youth.” – Matthew Henry

Si Se Puede

2008-11-05T10:47:00.001-07:00

There has been much debate in my office this week about how Christians should vote for President. There has been an even greater debate taking place on a national level as well. Some evangelical Christians believe that a Christians vote for Obama would be a resignation of your faith in Christ. I think about what Paul says in Romans "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved". These words may prove to be quite simple to repeat but much more difficult to live out. Why? Because we as the church want to add our own little caveats to what is required to receive the gift of salvation. However, this verse reminds us that the gift of salvation is no respector of jews or gentiles democrats or republicans but is for all mankind. When will the church truely sacrifice their religious traditions on the altar of pride.

Yesterday, history was made when an African Amercan man was elected the 44th President of the United States of America. Barack Obama overcame 200 hundred years of oppression and has become President. Can the church overcome 2000 years of religion and embrace spiritual liberty? To that question I echo the cheers of 200,000 people in Chicago's Grant Park last night, SI SE PUEDE; YES WE CAN!

Gospel Coalition

2007-10-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

Some of you are accustomed to receiving my occasional rambling on issues that I feel are relevant to ministry leaders and church development. For the most part these ramblings have been birth out of my own convictions or personal struggles but today I hope you all find my thoughts to be more substantiated. This morning I went to the Relevant Magazine website (www.relevantmagazine.com), as I do most mornings, and read their feature article "What is an Evangelical?" which was written by their Web Content Developer. Usually their articles don't take on such a global topic but after reading the article and doing some of my own research I really enjoyed what I read. So, with that said, I would like to invite all of you to read the article and do some of your own digging into 'The Gospel Coalition' this article speaks of.

I never knew such a 'coalition' existed and from what I gathered in the article, it hasn't existed before 6 months ago or so, at least not formally. To entice your reading appetites I would like to share the closing remarks from The Gospel Coalitions "Foundational Documents:Theological Vision for Ministry" (Conclusion; page 13,14)

"The ministry we have outlined is relatively rare. There are many seeker-driven
churches that help many people find Christ. There are many churches seeking to
engage the culture through political activism. There is a fast-growing
charismatic movement with emphasis on glorious, passionate, corporate worship.
There are many congregations with strong concern for doctrinal rigor and who
work very hard to keep themselves separate from the world. There are many
churches with a radical commitment to the poor and marginalized.

We do not, however, see enough individual churches that embody the full,
integrative gospel balance we have outlined here. And while, in God's grace,
there is an encouraging number of bright spots in the church, we see no broad
movement yet of this gospel-centered ministry. We believe such a balance will
produce churches with winsome and theologically substantial preaching, dynamic
evangelism and apologetics, and church growth and church planting. They will
emphasize repentance, personal renewal, and holiness of life. At the same time,
and in the same congregations, there will be engagement with the social
structures of ordinary people, and cultural engagement with art, business,
scholarship, and government. There will be calls for radical Christian community
in which all members share wealth and resources and make room for the poor and
the marginalized. These priorities will all be combined and will mutually
strengthen one another in each local church."

I realize that the content within the article and The Gospel Coalition website may totally contradict what you and I may believe however you must realize this a call to unity. It is their desire as I'm sure it is your desire to "champion this gospel with clarity, compassion, courage, and joy gladly linking hearts with fellow believers across denominational, ethnic, and class lines." I'm sure it won't be their decision we question rather their process.

I truly hope that each of you will make the time to read the article and visit The Gospel Coalitions website (www.thegospelcoalition.org) and share with me your thoughts, comments, or concerns.