15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7
You know...this is a well-quoted verse in Scripture, but misused by many people...Christians and non-Christians alike.
For so many, they believe that this verse is pointing at people who are in their limited estimation "bad" pastors or tele-evangelists or someone like that, but that's a very limited scope of what this verse is about...it speaks to just about anyone who would choose to speak in God's name.
In the Old Testament, it was easy to find the true prophet...if a prophet ran his mouth saying "thus sayeth the Lord" (because we know they didn't speak Hebrew, they spoke King James English - :) ) and his prophecy didn't come true, the people just stoned him to death and no more prophet. Pretty simple.
Well, today, most people don't agree on prophecy as something that just tells the future, but prophecy is one who takes the Word of the Lord and expounds it with application and expediency to the people in a specific situation. Basically, you take something from the Bible and speak "for" God into someone else's life and tell them what that means for them. The problem is that without a fortune telling element, how do you know who to stone and are you really even supposed to do that?
That's why God put this together in Matthew 7...he said "by their fruit, you will recognize them." In other words, they'll be true to the entirety of the character of God as expressed in the whole of Scripture. Their message won't hold water or they will be exposed when they deliver it by their life not matching with what Scripture says. For example, when someone brings the "truth", but spouts in in an unloving way or in violation of Scriptures such as Matthew 18...they are a false prophet at that moment. Don't listen to them.
Or if, for example, out of fear and cowardice they hide in the bushes or scream their message from afar in a cowardly manner, you'll know they are false because Joshua 1:8 tells us that when God speaks through us it isn't through a spirit of fear, but of power and of love.
Or if, they do it in an ugly and disrespectful manner, obviously not trying to bring someone in sin to resolution with God, then they are violating Galatians 6, in which is clearly defines the proper way to approach someone who is caught in a sin...the proper way to view that person, not as an enemy, but a fellow co-laborer in Christ who needs help. Maybe they violated Ephesians 4 by not being humble or gentle or patient or valuing unity with their fellow believers, feeling that somehow their message has given them leave to violate the rest of the Scripture...Then, well, you see by the fruit that you don't listen to them.
There are loads of examples here, but the truth is when someone delivers a message in an unChristlike manner, then you just heard all you needed to know about that person and what they had to say, because they just denounced their "prophetic message" with the way they lived out the "Gospel" in front of you.
"But Jim, what if they quote Scripture (or part of one) or say a couple of things that sound good...shouldn't we listen to them then...what if only PART of what they say is wrong?" That's cool, but there's more to it.
Here's why you don't want to listen to them...
Proverbs 18 puts it a little more bluntly about those who aren't following God in their speaking "for" God. In the Bible, fools are characterized as those who don't follow Christ, because as Psalms 111:10 (or Proverbs 9:10) says "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom"...but Proverbs 18:2 lays it pretty clear here..."Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions." One, the person not following Christ isn't interested in the truth, it's just their opinion...their fruit tells you so.
Proverbs 18:7 takes it further and tells you more..."The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives." First, their own words and message will cannibalize itself eventually. Even further, their mouths and lips will be their OWN undoing and it will be a snare to their lives and if you participate in that, you'll be snared by the same things that ensnare them...because as you allow them access and influence over you, their snares, just like their words, will become yours as well.
Beware the wolf in sheep's clothing...they look like they know what they are doing, but pay close attention to them...."so we can STONE THEM, right, Jim?"
No, we don't stone them. We see them as people who are caught in sin just like anyone else. It's not our job to take vengeance on anyone doing wrong (Romans 12:19), we leave that to God. He's a much more strict, harsh and effective disciplinarian than we could ever be any way. We are to be God's agents of mercy, grace and love (even love that says the hard truth, but never done without love or we violate Scripture again). Doesn't mean we sacrifice the "truth" to love people, any more than we commit the sin of sacrificing "love" as our motivation of truth....and people know.
Sometimes, it's hard to see them as what they are, because usually, to reference Proverbs 18, "fools" who just love to air their own opinions just annoy the daylights out of you...usually it's their self-aggrandizing arrogance that is really hard to love and that's only natural. While that's natural, it's not God-controlled and we must always attempt to follow Christ, even more closely in the moments where we are in the presence of someone who is sin-controlled. Not for our sakes, but for theirs and my interaction with them is about helping them, not pumping up myself (Phil 2:3). It's not to down them or judge them or in some false humility moment insinuate how much better we are than them...not at all, because that's not remotely what Christ wants us to be...if we succumb to that, we become them, not help them. No, we must pray for them, care for them and use the strength that Christ gives us to endure what they have to say, however misguided, in hopes that some day, we can "restore them gently" to full fellowship with Christ.
So love the wolves, pray for the wolves, but just don't listen to them or get caught up in their mess.
Showing posts with label palm bay west. Show all posts
Showing posts with label palm bay west. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
The Story of "The House That God Provides"
The story: A wonderful story of God’s faithfulness in
During this time, a married couple in our church (who have asked for their names to be withheld) was moved by God to make a bold step as well…to buy a house in
While praying in
The house itself came with a story. The owners of the house go to
It doesn’t end there. Now the Ervins had to find a way to stay in
So, God provides…but understand this…
…if the Ervins had not been faithful to just go with no concrete support for the future, just a promise from God…
…if the couple in Melbourne had not been faithful to what God said about the crazy notion of buying a house in Panama…
…if Nalo had not been faithful in his integrity to God in the face of unemployment…
…if Nalo and Marta had not been faithful to God to pray and wait for God’s timing…the mission to reach the Chinese in Panama wouldn’t have received this incredible confirmation/blessing/tool, and they wouldn’t have seen God’s provision in their lives in this amazing way.
The lesson: (DON'T miss this)
Faithfulness to God is a chain reaction and if I am unfaithful because I don’t see the resources in my hand, I refuse the hand of God and His provision in my life. That’s my choice…that’s your choice...that’s our choice as a church as well…it’s the choice of being unfaithful or faithful and we make it every day. We choose to reject the hand of God when we don’t tithe, when we don’t give our time, when we don’t risk our reputation to share …at each decision big AND small, we refuse the blessings that God has pre-arranged for us and for others and we choose destitution over blessing again and again.
While we were in
business was the making of a plaque that would be affixed on the outside of the house. In Chinese, Spanish and English, a sign exists to be a testament to the God that is faithful…it reads “The House that God Provides”.
 |
| Nalo, Marta and their two children |
Monday, September 12, 2011
Friday recap - Panama
Friday started early...Katye, Caitlin and their translator, Anna, had to be at Sun Yat Sen (a very large and influential Chinese school - not the Christian one we've worked with before) at 8am to meet about having an Music and Arts Camp in January. They are not a Christian school, but are very connected and influential among Chinese society here in Panama City. They left about 30 minutes before the rest of us left, and after their appointment, we all were going prayer walking in a Mall and surrounding businesses in the "new" China town in Panama City.
Katye, Caitlin and Anna met us at the church with very good news. Pastor Ricardo also went with them and they had great success. They were able to meet with the Head Principal, not just an assistant, and she was very open to the Music & Arts Camp. The college group from FBC Melbourne that came in July that did the basketball camp had done a good job with their end of things and had left us a great opening and reputation with them. Pastor Ricardo and the principal hit it off and she actually said that they have "summer school" (December - January is their "summer" time) going on and they would like to incorporate our camp into their existing program in the morning. That worked out very well and it was a slamdunk to really start the trip.
We met at the church...heard the great report and left to go prayer walking. Instead of going to the Mall in "new" Chinatown, Pastor Ricardo and Anna, our translator, took us to "Avenue B", the old Chinatown. Apparently, it is a dangerous place. We found out that Anna had only been there for the first time a couple of days ago and in 25 years of living in Panama City, Pastor Ricardo had never been. He said this was "no tourism" and believe you me, there were no other white people around here...definitely no tourists.
We prayer walked each side of the street, split into two groups, Larry and Pastor Ricardo headed the group and Ben Norton and I guarded the rear of the group as we walked. We had to take off our electronics and most jewelry and leave them in the van (another great praise story, btw...the van or busito, I mean) because the place was known for thieves that would snatch and run to steal things apparently. We stopped in a shop and Pastor Ricardo struck up a conversation with a shop owner about the location of a Buddhist Temple that was supposed to be near there. Pastor Ricardo walked off, telling our group to "aqui" (stay here) while the guy he was talking to showed him directions down the street. As we were standing there, a policeman in bulletproof gear and a few guns came up and starting asking us questions in Spanish. I was reaching to pull out my copy of my passport, but Katye understood that he was asking us if we wanted to go see the Buddhist temple. When Pastor Ricardo came back, he talked to the policeman and he said that he would guide us to it. We called the other group and headed out.
We started going down alleyways and side streets and then came to a door that led up some narrow stairs. If people would lag, our translators would call out for us to catch up and stay close...Some of us really didn't think things were too scary, but then others of us noticed that another policeman had circled in and was bringing up the rear of our party. We went upstairs and saw the Buddhist Temple, praying for the people as we went. it was a beautiful place, but honestly, for me, it really hit me how hard this was going to be...for an ornate place to be built in this tough area and to be kept so well...other religions really had a stronghold on the people here.
The policeman led us down the stairs and out into the street and told us he and the other policeman would take us down another street (Pastor had told them what we were doing and I don't know if they were believers or not, but they were very helpful). The policeman said that the name of the street meant "Leave if you can" (that's comforting)...it was extremely narrow and was filled with little shops a continuous row of huts with tin roofs in the middle of the street...there was only enough room for one person to walk between the buildings on the street and the shops in the middle of the street. We continued to pray and the policemen led us out on the other side and back down the streets to the market when were had parked the van a few streets away. The policeman said never come down there on Sunday, because Sunday is the day there are no police in the area...but we were safe. We really believe that God has big plans for that area and we are confident that He's already working in Panama.
Right now, it's late, and this blog entry is really long, so I'll stop here and I'll get back to you later on the next set of recaps...there's plenty more...good night.
Katye, Caitlin and Anna met us at the church with very good news. Pastor Ricardo also went with them and they had great success. They were able to meet with the Head Principal, not just an assistant, and she was very open to the Music & Arts Camp. The college group from FBC Melbourne that came in July that did the basketball camp had done a good job with their end of things and had left us a great opening and reputation with them. Pastor Ricardo and the principal hit it off and she actually said that they have "summer school" (December - January is their "summer" time) going on and they would like to incorporate our camp into their existing program in the morning. That worked out very well and it was a slamdunk to really start the trip.
We met at the church...heard the great report and left to go prayer walking. Instead of going to the Mall in "new" Chinatown, Pastor Ricardo and Anna, our translator, took us to "Avenue B", the old Chinatown. Apparently, it is a dangerous place. We found out that Anna had only been there for the first time a couple of days ago and in 25 years of living in Panama City, Pastor Ricardo had never been. He said this was "no tourism" and believe you me, there were no other white people around here...definitely no tourists.
We prayer walked each side of the street, split into two groups, Larry and Pastor Ricardo headed the group and Ben Norton and I guarded the rear of the group as we walked. We had to take off our electronics and most jewelry and leave them in the van (another great praise story, btw...the van or busito, I mean) because the place was known for thieves that would snatch and run to steal things apparently. We stopped in a shop and Pastor Ricardo struck up a conversation with a shop owner about the location of a Buddhist Temple that was supposed to be near there. Pastor Ricardo walked off, telling our group to "aqui" (stay here) while the guy he was talking to showed him directions down the street. As we were standing there, a policeman in bulletproof gear and a few guns came up and starting asking us questions in Spanish. I was reaching to pull out my copy of my passport, but Katye understood that he was asking us if we wanted to go see the Buddhist temple. When Pastor Ricardo came back, he talked to the policeman and he said that he would guide us to it. We called the other group and headed out.
We started going down alleyways and side streets and then came to a door that led up some narrow stairs. If people would lag, our translators would call out for us to catch up and stay close...Some of us really didn't think things were too scary, but then others of us noticed that another policeman had circled in and was bringing up the rear of our party. We went upstairs and saw the Buddhist Temple, praying for the people as we went. it was a beautiful place, but honestly, for me, it really hit me how hard this was going to be...for an ornate place to be built in this tough area and to be kept so well...other religions really had a stronghold on the people here.
The policeman led us down the stairs and out into the street and told us he and the other policeman would take us down another street (Pastor had told them what we were doing and I don't know if they were believers or not, but they were very helpful). The policeman said that the name of the street meant "Leave if you can" (that's comforting)...it was extremely narrow and was filled with little shops a continuous row of huts with tin roofs in the middle of the street...there was only enough room for one person to walk between the buildings on the street and the shops in the middle of the street. We continued to pray and the policemen led us out on the other side and back down the streets to the market when were had parked the van a few streets away. The policeman said never come down there on Sunday, because Sunday is the day there are no police in the area...but we were safe. We really believe that God has big plans for that area and we are confident that He's already working in Panama.
Right now, it's late, and this blog entry is really long, so I'll stop here and I'll get back to you later on the next set of recaps...there's plenty more...good night.
Thursday recap - Panama
I've been kind of limited in my WiFi down here this time, so I haven't blogged like I meant to, so I'll try to catch up tonight a little and keep it going tomorrow.
Thursday was a LOOOONG day. We have to be at the church at 5:30am to go to Orlando to fly to Panama...not bad, 1 layover in Miami and out of the country. It was a smooth trip.
When we got to Panama and cleared customs we met with Chris, Pastor Ricardo and his son Richey and they got us back to PVQ (where we are staying). We got to hear about the awesome way that God has been working already to piece things together. The Mission House story is another crazy one...that's huge. A story for another day.
We went to eat and then right back to PVQ to meet with an IMB missionary, Kavin Cawfin (sp?), who is actually from Enterprise, AL (30 minutes from where I grew up) and knows a lot of my relatives in the Enterprise area very well. He talked to us about the work in Panama and after a LOOONNG meeting, we finally got to bed...good day, but a long day...and we had to be ready for Friday.
Thursday was a LOOOONG day. We have to be at the church at 5:30am to go to Orlando to fly to Panama...not bad, 1 layover in Miami and out of the country. It was a smooth trip.
When we got to Panama and cleared customs we met with Chris, Pastor Ricardo and his son Richey and they got us back to PVQ (where we are staying). We got to hear about the awesome way that God has been working already to piece things together. The Mission House story is another crazy one...that's huge. A story for another day.
We went to eat and then right back to PVQ to meet with an IMB missionary, Kavin Cawfin (sp?), who is actually from Enterprise, AL (30 minutes from where I grew up) and knows a lot of my relatives in the Enterprise area very well. He talked to us about the work in Panama and after a LOOONNG meeting, we finally got to bed...good day, but a long day...and we had to be ready for Friday.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Response to the "Urgent Prayer Need" yesterday
Yesterday, I posted an email sent to one of our LifeGroup members, sent from a missionary couple that they support in Papa New Guinea, asking you to pray for a dire need in their lives. Here was the response and the result of that situation. I hope you'll be encouraged.
My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. Dan 6:22
This is exactly what the Lord did again today! He protected us and saved us from the lions! Literally, the accusations made against us were like a lion’s roar but the roar was worse than bite. We are very safe and all is good, know it’s better!
This morning after a not so good night sleep I looked outside and saw men walking around our houses to protect us. I couldn’t see all the angels that were fighting for us J Then the plane came in with the leaders and left to go get the police men. We all met together and prayed and reminded each other to respond as Christ would respond.
The police arrived at the same time as the delegation. So we gave to floor to the religious leaders and they accused us of all kinds of falsehood and that they said we had to leave and gave us a 2 month deadline to get out. The police men then gave us (around 120 people) the floor and they listened to testimony after testimony of how God has changed their lives and that Jesus is the only way to God. I literally cried as a listened to them give God all the glory. The police man had to stop people as hand after hand went up wanting to give testimony! It was AMAZING!
After these men heard the testimonies one man proposed that we can stay until we finish the translation and all of a sudden the lions turned into kittens. They literally changed their demand and said, “We never said they had to leave.” Can you believe it – listen to the purr! The testimony of God’s working in the lives of these people silenced them! 1 Cor 4:20 says that the kingdom of God is living by God’s power and God’s Kingdom is here!
So they even apologized to us and we shook hands and left. Our houses are still standing and we are safe, but more importantly our faith is stronger! This served to unify the church here in an awesome way.
We are exhausted but exhilarated. Our mission leaders said they’ve never seen a heavy like that get settled so peacefully. They too give all the credit to God.
To God be the Glory!
Thank you again for fighting with us. We love you all so much.
Gary for all us Smith’s and the Dinangat Church.
Please continue to pray for Bay West Church as we continue to try to be a church in Palm Bay that shows Christ to all around us.
Monday, August 8, 2011
URGENT Prayer Request for today (Monday, August 8th)
Gary Holland, one of the members of our Osterholm LifeGroup at Bay West, sent this email in asking for prayer for some missionaries that they help support in Papa New Guinea.
As a part of our Radical Experiment commitment for this year, we've been praying for the World and here is a personal request that is tied directly to people at Bay West that we need to pray for today.
Continue to pray for us as we continue to try to be a church in Palm Bay, attempting to honor Jesus at Bay West Church.
"We just got an email from the missionaries that we support in Papua New Guinea. I will try to make it short but it is urgent. The denominational leaders of their area are coming in to question them and challenge them in the areas of church practice. They are treatening to remove them from here if they do not comply with their demands. That was the email from yesterday. Now we just got one saying that they were in another village yesterday and their tempers boiled over. One of the believers from there (Gary's village) was with them and came back with the report that they are going to burn their houses down and force them to leave.
When this villager was telling this there were about 100 listening and said that they would stand around them and not let anyone touch them. One old man shouted that he now knows the truth and you can not get rid of these missionaries, they are God's work men!
They contacted there leadership and they are flying in with the police early this morning. This should all take place around 6pm EST. They are rejoicing with the verse from Acts 5:
Thanks so much,
Thanks so much,
Gary and Beverly Holland"
Continue to pray for us as we continue to try to be a church in Palm Bay, attempting to honor Jesus at Bay West Church.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Generosity and Water skiing
I've really been thinking about generosity and I just have been thinking of the imagery of water skiing...follow me.
If you've ever waterski'ed, you know that in getting up on the skis for the first time, it's a bit of fight and trust. There's a tension of being pulled, and straining yourself to keep your body straight enough to get pulled up. I'm not an expert or anything, but you'd see people just get pulled over, or bent over, sunk in the water just taking a lot of water in the face. That's exactly where a lot of Christians are in being generous, in both tithing and giving to others. They can't trust that if they keep a little stiff against the philosophies of the world that you will actually "pop" up on top of the water.
Then when you get up, you've got to trust that what you are ski'ing on is right. I remember getting up the first time, but falling after a few minutes because I thought that the tension and effort I was putting forth wasn't right, so I pulled to the place of no tension without thinking and found myself falling face first, getting yanked out of my skis and cutting my heal. Some Christians try it, but when it requires some push and strength from them, they feel they are doing it wrong and reach back for the comfort of not trusting God to provide and they fall...hard. I was lucky enough to get back up and get rolling again...but some Christians never do.
Then there's the bliss when you trust the gliding across the top of the water...you get it, you are doing it and it's AMAZING. you are flying and you can turn and pick up speed and it's extremely fun. That's when you have finally trusted God...turned your back on the failed philosophies of the world as far as finances and resources and sharing goes. You look back at when you were being drug around by the boat taking the water in the face and you think "that's nuts". Others that are getting dragged around or those afraid to give it a shot, think you are amazing and they wish they could do that...when they CAN...you know that, but they won't believe it.
There are those who never try and let go, never enjoy the bliss of just absolutely gliding across the top of this world, being pulled along by the Father. They think they have to generate all the motion and they sink in the waves. The great part of ski'ing is that I don't generate the motion or the energy...not my job, that's the boat...I don't have to decipher the direction...that's the boat driver. I'm just supposed to hold my ground and trust the boat...same as with Christians.
I really hope that we, as a campus, can grasp these principles of generosity in our lives. I feel that it is ABSOLUTELY crucial for all of us here. This is a watershed moment for most of us and it will mean the difference between being stuck in the drudgery of water in the face or the excitement of water under your feet. Whether anyone of us stays at Bay West for the next 10 years or the next 10 days, that WHEREVER any of us goes, my prayer is that we can just fly and just tear this life up...that's God's plan for us, for you. Please don't miss it.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Generosity all over the place.
The famous King Solomon of the Old Testament was widely known because he was the wisest man alive at his time...ever wonder how he got His wisdom? The story goes in 2 Chronicles that He became King and took a "firm control" over his lands because God was with him and he got his leaders together and went to worship at a temple. After burning a 1000 burnt offerings to God, that night, God appeared to him and told him to ask for anything...ANY thing...he wanted and he would have it. He basically asked for the wisdom to lead God's people properly....and this was God's response.
It was said after that time that silver and gold were as common in Jersualem as stone...
11 God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—12 I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”
It was said after that time that silver and gold were as common in Jersualem as stone...
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Learning about Radical Generosity
- Generosity begins and ends with God...it is FOR God.
- Generosity is not about the needs that we meet, and all about the God we serve. It's not even as much about the lives we touch, as it is about the honor we deflect to God.
- One of the things that's apparent in this series on Radical Generosity is that generosity is utterly imperative for the Christ follower, so much, that if someone is truly following Christ, it is impossible for them to remain not generous.
Christ is the most generous person to ever live.
God is the most generous being that has ever existed.
If those are your examples and you really follow them, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do that without being generous, first to God and then even more to God by giving to others.
- It's also apparent to me that for the church not to talk about money is almost criminal from a spiritual standpoint.
- What if we met challenges in our life with the predisposition to GIVE and not the predisposition to hold on to what we have? In other words, rather than talk myself INTO being generous, then we should talk ourselves OUT of being generous.
- What if we first budgeted what God gets, then what others should get and then we lived on the rest, rather than doing exactly the opposite?
- I've never seen anywhere in Scripture that we have been given the blanket right to dictate the use of what God has asked us to give...not to others and not to God...yet, we still feel the need to dictate that, yet call ourselves generous. If a purpose is dictated, it is dictated by God.
Before we can be truly generous, we have to understand something.
Generosity is not merely about the relinquishing of possession, but also about the relinquishing of control.
- Generosity is not about the needs that we meet, and all about the God we serve. It's not even as much about the lives we touch, as it is about the honor we deflect to God.
- One of the things that's apparent in this series on Radical Generosity is that generosity is utterly imperative for the Christ follower, so much, that if someone is truly following Christ, it is impossible for them to remain not generous.
Christ is the most generous person to ever live.
God is the most generous being that has ever existed.
If those are your examples and you really follow them, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do that without being generous, first to God and then even more to God by giving to others.
- It's also apparent to me that for the church not to talk about money is almost criminal from a spiritual standpoint.
- What if we met challenges in our life with the predisposition to GIVE and not the predisposition to hold on to what we have? In other words, rather than talk myself INTO being generous, then we should talk ourselves OUT of being generous.
- What if we first budgeted what God gets, then what others should get and then we lived on the rest, rather than doing exactly the opposite?
- I've never seen anywhere in Scripture that we have been given the blanket right to dictate the use of what God has asked us to give...not to others and not to God...yet, we still feel the need to dictate that, yet call ourselves generous. If a purpose is dictated, it is dictated by God.
Before we can be truly generous, we have to understand something.
Generosity is not merely about the relinquishing of possession, but also about the relinquishing of control.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Integrity and Insanity
Here's a little idea that I've been toying with some lately.
I shared a quote that I heard this last week in a sermon by Francis Chan, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Califiornia. He had heard it from a missionary couple that they were "commissioning" to the ministry field, and they'd heard it from a guy that spoke at Cornerstone who was on staff (sorry, I can't remember his name.)..but anyway, the quote is this:
"We should live a life that DEMANDS an explanation."
I'd been thinking on these lines for my article, but expressing it in another way. I think that there are two characteristics that should mark every Christian leader...and every Christ follower for that matter....Integrity and insanity (to the world at least).
First, we all should have the highest integrity to the Word of God and His direction. That should mark EVERYTHING that we do. Due to the nature of the Bible, if you read it fresh, looking at the chances that people took...they really believed what they did. It was life-altering, it was common sense-overriding, and it was baffling to those around them....always to the world, sometimes to other Christians. When you follow a God who has thrown the truth out in Luke 9 that if we want to save our life, we must lose it, that just doesn't track if you don't have a trust in or a framework of understanding for an Almighty God...just the facts there.
Second, that integrity to following a God who has more info than everyone, who engineers an endless stream of "once in a lifetime's" and knows the exact schedule of when they happen within the course of His plan, will take you to a place where your next move can only look like "insanity" to the world. If the world looks at what you do all the time and goes, "well, exactly, that's exactly what I would do", then you've got a problem...a big one.
Why? Because if you possess the integrity to God's Word, that integrity to an uncompromising following of Christ will absolutely lead you to a place of "insanity" to those around you at some point. The greater the task, the greater the risk, the more pronounced the insanity to those around you. You won't actually BE insane, but people around you will question your sanity because the thought "that will never work" or "why would you ever do that" will be all over their minds...and rightly so, because without an Almighty God personally directing what you are about to do, it's going to be an EPIC fail.
Check the Word...check the leaders written about in the Word...you'll find the majority of them, minus a framework of a God who runs it all, looked absolutely insane...and they had too much integrity not to look that way.
Please continue to pray for us at Bay West Church as we attempt to be a church in Palm Bay sharing Christ with those on the folks in West Palm Bay and beyond.
Bay West Church is a satellite campus of First Baptist Church of Melbourne, a Southern Baptist Church, meeting in the West part of Palm Bay, Florida.
I shared a quote that I heard this last week in a sermon by Francis Chan, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Califiornia. He had heard it from a missionary couple that they were "commissioning" to the ministry field, and they'd heard it from a guy that spoke at Cornerstone who was on staff (sorry, I can't remember his name.)..but anyway, the quote is this:
"We should live a life that DEMANDS an explanation."
I'd been thinking on these lines for my article, but expressing it in another way. I think that there are two characteristics that should mark every Christian leader...and every Christ follower for that matter....Integrity and insanity (to the world at least).
First, we all should have the highest integrity to the Word of God and His direction. That should mark EVERYTHING that we do. Due to the nature of the Bible, if you read it fresh, looking at the chances that people took...they really believed what they did. It was life-altering, it was common sense-overriding, and it was baffling to those around them....always to the world, sometimes to other Christians. When you follow a God who has thrown the truth out in Luke 9 that if we want to save our life, we must lose it, that just doesn't track if you don't have a trust in or a framework of understanding for an Almighty God...just the facts there.
Second, that integrity to following a God who has more info than everyone, who engineers an endless stream of "once in a lifetime's" and knows the exact schedule of when they happen within the course of His plan, will take you to a place where your next move can only look like "insanity" to the world. If the world looks at what you do all the time and goes, "well, exactly, that's exactly what I would do", then you've got a problem...a big one.
Why? Because if you possess the integrity to God's Word, that integrity to an uncompromising following of Christ will absolutely lead you to a place of "insanity" to those around you at some point. The greater the task, the greater the risk, the more pronounced the insanity to those around you. You won't actually BE insane, but people around you will question your sanity because the thought "that will never work" or "why would you ever do that" will be all over their minds...and rightly so, because without an Almighty God personally directing what you are about to do, it's going to be an EPIC fail.
Check the Word...check the leaders written about in the Word...you'll find the majority of them, minus a framework of a God who runs it all, looked absolutely insane...and they had too much integrity not to look that way.
Please continue to pray for us at Bay West Church as we attempt to be a church in Palm Bay sharing Christ with those on the folks in West Palm Bay and beyond.
Bay West Church is a satellite campus of First Baptist Church of Melbourne, a Southern Baptist Church, meeting in the West part of Palm Bay, Florida.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Bay West T-shirts - a RADICAL piece of clothing to own
We are in the process of working with Viera Water Network, a year old ministry based up in Viera, that goes to under-resourced countries to build safe water pumps and safe water systems for people. Over 1.4 billion children die each year from preventable diseases caused by unsafe drinking water...that works out to 4,000 deaths per day or 1 every two seconds...that's two children alone that have died from a preventable disease due to drinking unsafe water since you began reading this blogpost.
FBC is forming a partnership with VWN and we will be sending a team to community that we have partnered with in Nicaragua in July. We hope to be able to see VWN repair two water supply areas there in the community and my hope for these T-shirts is that the sale of them will pay for at least 1 of the repairs. I hope to be having Daniel from Viera Water Network in to Bay West to give us a better picture of what they are doing and the ministry they are a part of.
Why minimum price? We chose this term because we know that some of you will probably want to give more to this project, so anything above $15 given to each shirt will go to the project as well.
Why $15? We have 100 shirts and the average cost of a well repair is $1500...our hope is to pay for one at least and possibly pay for another or have money to put toward another.
We have regular T-shirts, soft cloth (blue, tan, black) and some "Junior Cut Ladies" Tees (Pink/black writing & black/white writing) as well.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Time
“Time, why you punish me?” That’s the beginning line to an old song by Hootie and the Blowfish (some people will hate me for saying "old song", but it’s been 15 years people…that’s broaching oldie). Even though it’s been 15 years (ouch again), I can still identify with that line…though probably not in the way it was intended. Sometimes, it feels as though time is flying at you and just punishing you. I remember hearing a story told by a comedian about how a man tried tying himself to a post on a seashore once to prove he was fit enough to withstand the force of the wind…the comedian calmly pointed out that it wasn’t the force of the wind that got you, it was what the winds blew at you. His words were “When you get hit by a Volvo, it doesn’t really matter how many sit-ups you did that morning.” Clever and true.
Time is like that as well. It sweeps in and through, going seemingly faster as you age, and then you think it’s punishing you, but it’s not time, it’s the things that time blows at you…the tragedies, the changes, the harsh realities, the seasons of life that pass and the seasons that never seem to end. It is like this for EVERY person on the planet…we are not alone.
It’s at times like these that I am most comforted to be a follower of Christ. Jesus tells me in John 15:5 that He is the vine and we are the branches and promises help for us as we remain in Him and He remains in us. He supports us from without protecting us from what comes…and then bolsters us from the inside helping us to withstand tremendous collision. He tells us in 1 Corinthians that He controls the things He lets get to us and provides for help even in the toughest of situations. In Romans 10, Paul writes that “all things work to the good of those who love and serve the Lord”, showing us that even the most seemingly cruel situations, God controls and turns them to good in our lives and the lives of others as we continue to love and serve Him.
It’s times like these, when I read the word and see the massive amounts of gigantic debris that time has thrown at those who have followed the Lord throughout the ages that I understand one truth for sure…
God is bigger than time, and time, at times, may “punish me”, but God will sustain me and bless me, if I refuse to be the servant of time, and remain the servant of Christ.
Time is like that as well. It sweeps in and through, going seemingly faster as you age, and then you think it’s punishing you, but it’s not time, it’s the things that time blows at you…the tragedies, the changes, the harsh realities, the seasons of life that pass and the seasons that never seem to end. It is like this for EVERY person on the planet…we are not alone.
It’s at times like these that I am most comforted to be a follower of Christ. Jesus tells me in John 15:5 that He is the vine and we are the branches and promises help for us as we remain in Him and He remains in us. He supports us from without protecting us from what comes…and then bolsters us from the inside helping us to withstand tremendous collision. He tells us in 1 Corinthians that He controls the things He lets get to us and provides for help even in the toughest of situations. In Romans 10, Paul writes that “all things work to the good of those who love and serve the Lord”, showing us that even the most seemingly cruel situations, God controls and turns them to good in our lives and the lives of others as we continue to love and serve Him.
It’s times like these, when I read the word and see the massive amounts of gigantic debris that time has thrown at those who have followed the Lord throughout the ages that I understand one truth for sure…
God is bigger than time, and time, at times, may “punish me”, but God will sustain me and bless me, if I refuse to be the servant of time, and remain the servant of Christ.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Gaps and holes
We talked a few weeks ago about why it's important to study all of God's Word...to read it all for yourself.
One of the primary reasons we talked about this danger was because failing to do so can leave "gaps" and "holes" in your understanding of God's Word. The natural tendency when you don't have information is to try to fill those "gaps" and "holes" with your own logic or wishes or from your sense of justice or mercy...and most of the time, our personal thoughts are not God's thoughts.
I ran across this verse that made me think about this in my reading today...in Jude 1
18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
What the Bible points out here is the dangers of following merely your own natural instincts. It's hard to remember that sin corrupts even our best logic and helps us completely rationalize the most illogical thing we can do...not following God...that's what sin did to us. It made it seem like the "smart" and "logical" thing to do was something other than God's plan. That's why the Word is so important and why we should strive to know it as well as we can. Our earthly intelligence...at its best, will always have a part of it that will try to pull us away from God, because, through sin, it is flawed. We need God...we need His Word.
So take advantage of the gift that God gave you....and get rid of the "gaps" and "holes".
One of the primary reasons we talked about this danger was because failing to do so can leave "gaps" and "holes" in your understanding of God's Word. The natural tendency when you don't have information is to try to fill those "gaps" and "holes" with your own logic or wishes or from your sense of justice or mercy...and most of the time, our personal thoughts are not God's thoughts.
I ran across this verse that made me think about this in my reading today...in Jude 1
18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
What the Bible points out here is the dangers of following merely your own natural instincts. It's hard to remember that sin corrupts even our best logic and helps us completely rationalize the most illogical thing we can do...not following God...that's what sin did to us. It made it seem like the "smart" and "logical" thing to do was something other than God's plan. That's why the Word is so important and why we should strive to know it as well as we can. Our earthly intelligence...at its best, will always have a part of it that will try to pull us away from God, because, through sin, it is flawed. We need God...we need His Word.
So take advantage of the gift that God gave you....and get rid of the "gaps" and "holes".
Monday, February 28, 2011
Radical AND the Power Team
The Power Team had a GREAT time last week and God really moved in the lives of some people, but, NOW, the real work begins for us as a church. "Do you mean that setting the stage and all that stuff wasn't work?" No, it was...but it's just the beginning.
Last week, 181 people made decisions for Christ for the first time, & 59 people who are returning to Christ in rededication. That's almost 200 new people in God's kingdom...We just finished a series on our theme for the year, Radical....time to step up, people of God.
In Radical, it walks about multiplying yourselves and being a part of a multiplying community, here's where the rubber meets the road for that...it's not just seeing decisions for Christ, it's deciding to step in and take people who've made decisions and helping them grow in Christ...taking responsibility for the spiritual "babies" (if anyone who accepted Christ for the first time is reading this, I'm not trying to slam you, but to make a point to existing Christians...you are new, and you need some help to know where to go from here - that's all.)
Don't bring me any weak stuff like "I don't know enough"...every person who's been a Christian knows SOMETHING to pass on to the next one.
Here's where the RADICAL challenge/experiment meets the road now...what are YOU going to do about those spiritual babies? Not me...not Larry...not Dennis or Doug or David or Jenny or Tom or Scott or Randy or Nate or Bevan or the deacons or whatever group you can categorize... but YOU...What are you gonna do?
Here's my suggestion:
If you know ANYONE personally who made a decision, then YOU take the personal responsibility to be PROACTIVE in offering yourself as a resource and mentor through this time for them. I'm not talking about just once, but to call them and then check up on them...ask them to lunch (guys with guys, girls with girls...please)...talk to them about their decision...encourage them once a week for the next two months...help them get to church by inviting them, offering them a ride...be availble, but not just that, be proactive in contacting them. Point them to where you read...not reading the Word? START NOW...you don't have time to waste, them read it with them.
There shouldn't be ANY young Christian that has to wait to ask for help...that's the job of ALL Christians in our churches.
Time to step up people...God dropped 200 spiritual children on your door, church...rubber is meeting the road as you read this...what you gonna do?
Last week, 181 people made decisions for Christ for the first time, & 59 people who are returning to Christ in rededication. That's almost 200 new people in God's kingdom...We just finished a series on our theme for the year, Radical....time to step up, people of God.
In Radical, it walks about multiplying yourselves and being a part of a multiplying community, here's where the rubber meets the road for that...it's not just seeing decisions for Christ, it's deciding to step in and take people who've made decisions and helping them grow in Christ...taking responsibility for the spiritual "babies" (if anyone who accepted Christ for the first time is reading this, I'm not trying to slam you, but to make a point to existing Christians...you are new, and you need some help to know where to go from here - that's all.)
Don't bring me any weak stuff like "I don't know enough"...every person who's been a Christian knows SOMETHING to pass on to the next one.
Here's where the RADICAL challenge/experiment meets the road now...what are YOU going to do about those spiritual babies? Not me...not Larry...not Dennis or Doug or David or Jenny or Tom or Scott or Randy or Nate or Bevan or the deacons or whatever group you can categorize... but YOU...What are you gonna do?
Here's my suggestion:
If you know ANYONE personally who made a decision, then YOU take the personal responsibility to be PROACTIVE in offering yourself as a resource and mentor through this time for them. I'm not talking about just once, but to call them and then check up on them...ask them to lunch (guys with guys, girls with girls...please)...talk to them about their decision...encourage them once a week for the next two months...help them get to church by inviting them, offering them a ride...be availble, but not just that, be proactive in contacting them. Point them to where you read...not reading the Word? START NOW...you don't have time to waste, them read it with them.
There shouldn't be ANY young Christian that has to wait to ask for help...that's the job of ALL Christians in our churches.
Time to step up people...God dropped 200 spiritual children on your door, church...rubber is meeting the road as you read this...what you gonna do?
Monday, February 21, 2011
Look what's going on in the schools in Brevard County
I got an update from Loretta Dozier, the founder of Dove Bible Club, that we had in services a few months ago. Loretta and her husband, Anthony, are doing some great work in the schools in Brevard County. She started Dove Bible Clubs in 2008 in 4 schools...here's her latest update below, including the first DBC started out of the state of Florida in Houston, TX...
Loretta and Anthony really need our prayers for energy, strength and wisdom to continue doing the work God has for them in our schools. For more information on Dove Bible Clubs, including how you can help in your area, check out dovebibleclub.org .
"We just started school #14. We are in all 11 Brevard County elementary schools in Palm Bay and 2 Middle schools (Southwest Middle-Palm Bay and Wells Middle - Houston Texas). We are now moving northward in the Melbourne schools. We started Meadowlane Intermediate in January, with a total of 55 students. We will start school number #15 next month at Meadowlane Primary.
For the month of January, we shared the gospel with 381 students.
The print cartridges are coming in very handy. It is nice to have them on hand, as I need them. I have already used 1 black cartridge and started my second one yesterday. God bless you and BayWest Church for your gift of ink cartridges!"
For the month of January, we shared the gospel with 381 students.
The print cartridges are coming in very handy. It is nice to have them on hand, as I need them. I have already used 1 black cartridge and started my second one yesterday. God bless you and BayWest Church for your gift of ink cartridges!"
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sugar and air
Every year, we make our way around to that time when we all are bombarded with signs of love everywhere. Hearts, flowers and balloons mark the stores, advertisements and commercials on TV. Usually our mental paintings of love consist of romantic fancy and that's certainly a part of the equation. Still, for me, I see this extreme over-emphasis on this small part of love, as more of a detriment in some ways than a help. Don't lynch me...hear me out.
I fear that in focusing exclusively on the emotional part of love in our relationships, we walk away with the wrong definition of what we sign up for. Love is not about that rush of feeling you get, that's not the substance of love, that's like the icing on a cake. Icing on a cake is pretty much sugar and air. In every relationship, there comes a time, where the strength of love is tested. If your version of "love" is just sugar and air, then you are in trouble, because there no substance to it. Icing never stands by itself, it needs a solid substance by which to cling.
The substance of real love is based in commitment and sacrifice. The Bible says that there's no greater love that a man can have than to lay down his life for his friends. The most extreme picture of this definition was when God's Son, Jesus, gave His life for every one of us without a "pre-nuptial" promise beforehand. That's unconditional...freely given regardless of whether it's returned or not.
Everyone longs to be loved in this manner because it's real. The problem is that we all want it, but we don't want to do the work to give it. It's the son that wants his mom to just "accept him", but doesn't embrace her lack of acceptance. It's the wife, that thinks its all her husband's fault, and if he'd just "love" her like he is supposed to, then everything would be fine or the husband who does the same...we all want to have the perfect partner to love, but much like Jesus, who has no choice but imperfection from which to choose to love, it isn't happening. That's part of what Jesus modeled for us, because the strength of love is never in the getting, but in the giving of it. Here's another truth of it...if you aren't willing to give it, you will never get it, it will never come to you by demanding it. You'll just be shouting at the rain. It's a commitment freely given, with risk of it never returning anything. That's hard, but true.
So when you "get" the flowers or the golf clubs or the card, and over a candlelight dinner you gaze into the eyes of someone, don't forget that the feeling of the moment has to have some hard choosing, unglamorous, pride-swallowing sacrifice at its foundation if it's going to last. If not, it'll wash away at some point, either in light rain or hurricane, because ultimately, it was just sugar and air to begin with.
I fear that in focusing exclusively on the emotional part of love in our relationships, we walk away with the wrong definition of what we sign up for. Love is not about that rush of feeling you get, that's not the substance of love, that's like the icing on a cake. Icing on a cake is pretty much sugar and air. In every relationship, there comes a time, where the strength of love is tested. If your version of "love" is just sugar and air, then you are in trouble, because there no substance to it. Icing never stands by itself, it needs a solid substance by which to cling.
The substance of real love is based in commitment and sacrifice. The Bible says that there's no greater love that a man can have than to lay down his life for his friends. The most extreme picture of this definition was when God's Son, Jesus, gave His life for every one of us without a "pre-nuptial" promise beforehand. That's unconditional...freely given regardless of whether it's returned or not.
Everyone longs to be loved in this manner because it's real. The problem is that we all want it, but we don't want to do the work to give it. It's the son that wants his mom to just "accept him", but doesn't embrace her lack of acceptance. It's the wife, that thinks its all her husband's fault, and if he'd just "love" her like he is supposed to, then everything would be fine or the husband who does the same...we all want to have the perfect partner to love, but much like Jesus, who has no choice but imperfection from which to choose to love, it isn't happening. That's part of what Jesus modeled for us, because the strength of love is never in the getting, but in the giving of it. Here's another truth of it...if you aren't willing to give it, you will never get it, it will never come to you by demanding it. You'll just be shouting at the rain. It's a commitment freely given, with risk of it never returning anything. That's hard, but true.
So when you "get" the flowers or the golf clubs or the card, and over a candlelight dinner you gaze into the eyes of someone, don't forget that the feeling of the moment has to have some hard choosing, unglamorous, pride-swallowing sacrifice at its foundation if it's going to last. If not, it'll wash away at some point, either in light rain or hurricane, because ultimately, it was just sugar and air to begin with.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The "Bay" Way
I confess...that's flippin' corny. No doubt about it...I'm going to own that, but as I told my girls about commercials on TV, they aren't written to be the best song or the best acting, they are written to be the most memorable and that's what Bay is all about.
Hence, the Bay Way. I've gone to church a lot in my life and I can navigate the culture pretty much, but if you haven't been in church all your life, you may not get the memo of what's "normal" in being a part of a group of believers. So here's what we are...our core values are explained here. Those are called "the 6" and are they are statements that guide what we are trying to do at BW to keep us on track as an organization.
But past that, for the individual, if you wonder what's the norm for involvement in church, here it is for us...and it's BAY.
Be here. A primary purpose is for us is to help people love God more. Our worship services are designed to help you learn about God and process through various parts of who He is through speaking, singing, and creative experiences.
Among friends. Another primary purpose is to learn to love others more, from a God perspective. Our small groups are designed to develop community and relationship. People learning from God by being a part of each other's lives and learning to care/love each other from a God perspective. These Bible studies meet in homes weekly or bi-weekly.
Your part. Another primary purpose is to learn to serve the world around us. We expect everyone to find a place that is their responsibility within the workings of Bay West. That's usually on Sunday mornings taking a turn on our FIT (First Impressions Team), KidZone, Setup crews, Worship Team or something like that. Everyone needs to be a part. This practice reinforces the truth that we don't come to Bay West for ourselves. It teaches us to give to serve others inside the church and hopefully, that habit translates outside the church. It's important in the church because doing it in the context of "worship" helps us understand that worshipping God isn't a passive activity and we learn more by doing.
There it is, in a nutshell....Be here, Among friends, Your part..."BAY" Way.
Hence, the Bay Way. I've gone to church a lot in my life and I can navigate the culture pretty much, but if you haven't been in church all your life, you may not get the memo of what's "normal" in being a part of a group of believers. So here's what we are...our core values are explained here. Those are called "the 6" and are they are statements that guide what we are trying to do at BW to keep us on track as an organization.
But past that, for the individual, if you wonder what's the norm for involvement in church, here it is for us...and it's BAY.
Be here. A primary purpose is for us is to help people love God more. Our worship services are designed to help you learn about God and process through various parts of who He is through speaking, singing, and creative experiences.
Among friends. Another primary purpose is to learn to love others more, from a God perspective. Our small groups are designed to develop community and relationship. People learning from God by being a part of each other's lives and learning to care/love each other from a God perspective. These Bible studies meet in homes weekly or bi-weekly.
Your part. Another primary purpose is to learn to serve the world around us. We expect everyone to find a place that is their responsibility within the workings of Bay West. That's usually on Sunday mornings taking a turn on our FIT (First Impressions Team), KidZone, Setup crews, Worship Team or something like that. Everyone needs to be a part. This practice reinforces the truth that we don't come to Bay West for ourselves. It teaches us to give to serve others inside the church and hopefully, that habit translates outside the church. It's important in the church because doing it in the context of "worship" helps us understand that worshipping God isn't a passive activity and we learn more by doing.
There it is, in a nutshell....Be here, Among friends, Your part..."BAY" Way.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
So, how are you finishing off 2010?
So, how are you finishing off 2010? If you are like me, it's possibly like running 300 miles an hour and then slamming on the breaks, hitting a wall, somewhere around Dec. 26-Jan. 2. A lot of people I talk to seem to be like that. There’s a lot of stress in the season these days. One really has to wonder how it came to that, because “stress” was about the last thing that God really wanted for us to associate with the birth of His Son. It was quite the opposite actually.
In the Bible, the prophecies that talk about Jesus’ coming tell us things like “God is right here with us”, describing His power and might and endless capability to handle situations and this world…and then it wraps all that up in words like “Everlasting Father”, denoting how this magnificent God views us all. One of the most interesting themes that is thrown out the Old Testament is the theme of “comfort” in Isaiah 40. Prophecy in the Bible usually has an effect for the people of that time, an alluding aspect to a future event and an over-arching principle for all of mankind. In Isaiah 40, the Israelites are just getting back in God’s good graces, so to speak, because they are being delivered from a country’s oppression that has been due to their lack of respect and obedience to God. Isaiah 40 starts off with “comfort, comfort my people” and then it goes on to link this prophecy with the life of Christ in the New Testament. We begin to understand that one of the big things about Jesus’ coming is that we are comforted in knowing that the Master Planner of the Universe is actively working over us with the care of a Father and has sent His valuable Son to rescue us. In a lot of ways, Jesus’ coming was meant to reduce the amount of stress in our lives, limiting us to one main concern, a relationship with Jesus as the source of our comfort.
God’s gift of Christ was supposed to streamline our cares in this world to our relationship with Him. We were supposed to see that God would provide, care for, protect and direct us by giving us access to limitless wisdom and knowledge that is found in the relationship with Jesus.
You see, What we’ve created is far from a simple gathering of a few shepherds with the family. This event was meant to take the pressure off and relax us…but somehow, we’ve found a way to turn it into one of the most stressful times of the year. Sometimes, I have to wonder if somewhere, when Christmas starts again, God just looks at our overstated plans and just, figuratively, shakes His head…and maybe chuckles a little.
In the Bible, the prophecies that talk about Jesus’ coming tell us things like “God is right here with us”, describing His power and might and endless capability to handle situations and this world…and then it wraps all that up in words like “Everlasting Father”, denoting how this magnificent God views us all. One of the most interesting themes that is thrown out the Old Testament is the theme of “comfort” in Isaiah 40. Prophecy in the Bible usually has an effect for the people of that time, an alluding aspect to a future event and an over-arching principle for all of mankind. In Isaiah 40, the Israelites are just getting back in God’s good graces, so to speak, because they are being delivered from a country’s oppression that has been due to their lack of respect and obedience to God. Isaiah 40 starts off with “comfort, comfort my people” and then it goes on to link this prophecy with the life of Christ in the New Testament. We begin to understand that one of the big things about Jesus’ coming is that we are comforted in knowing that the Master Planner of the Universe is actively working over us with the care of a Father and has sent His valuable Son to rescue us. In a lot of ways, Jesus’ coming was meant to reduce the amount of stress in our lives, limiting us to one main concern, a relationship with Jesus as the source of our comfort.
God’s gift of Christ was supposed to streamline our cares in this world to our relationship with Him. We were supposed to see that God would provide, care for, protect and direct us by giving us access to limitless wisdom and knowledge that is found in the relationship with Jesus.
You see, What we’ve created is far from a simple gathering of a few shepherds with the family. This event was meant to take the pressure off and relax us…but somehow, we’ve found a way to turn it into one of the most stressful times of the year. Sometimes, I have to wonder if somewhere, when Christmas starts again, God just looks at our overstated plans and just, figuratively, shakes His head…and maybe chuckles a little.
Friday, October 1, 2010
The invisibility of repentance Part 1
Today's blog is not a solution...it's a beginning to a thought process. Think of it as a jumping off point....you may not agree. You may not find resolution...it's not sewed up and finished. That's fine....Here we go...
This thought's just been running through my head and I'm a little concerned for the church of America today and it has to do with God's grace and forgiveness.
I believe somehow in our society, we've gotten the impression that "admitting" or "confessing" your sin is enough for God's forgiveness and grace. It's become accepted, almost, to some, for us to feel that if we own up to a sinful behavior, but tack on the end, "God will just have to forgive me", then somehow, someway, we feel that's enough to settle accounts with God. Sadly, it's not. I wish I could tell you that only giving the "head nod" and the "yeah, you're right" was good enough for God's forgiveness and grace, but it's just not. What then finishes off that forgiveness for God? REPENTANCE.
Repentance means that you turn around from the direction that you are heading, do a 180 and do it God's way. That's what it is. That's all it is. There is no substitute for that. In other words, if I'm not being kind to someone, then my repentance is to start treating them with kindness. That's what it is. If God has told me to do something, then my repentance is to do what God says, that's the only way that relationship with God is maintained. Here's a thought for you to chew on...I'm not done with this, so really chew on this.
Hebrews 10:26
This thought's just been running through my head and I'm a little concerned for the church of America today and it has to do with God's grace and forgiveness.
I believe somehow in our society, we've gotten the impression that "admitting" or "confessing" your sin is enough for God's forgiveness and grace. It's become accepted, almost, to some, for us to feel that if we own up to a sinful behavior, but tack on the end, "God will just have to forgive me", then somehow, someway, we feel that's enough to settle accounts with God. Sadly, it's not. I wish I could tell you that only giving the "head nod" and the "yeah, you're right" was good enough for God's forgiveness and grace, but it's just not. What then finishes off that forgiveness for God? REPENTANCE.
Repentance means that you turn around from the direction that you are heading, do a 180 and do it God's way. That's what it is. That's all it is. There is no substitute for that. In other words, if I'm not being kind to someone, then my repentance is to start treating them with kindness. That's what it is. If God has told me to do something, then my repentance is to do what God says, that's the only way that relationship with God is maintained. Here's a thought for you to chew on...I'm not done with this, so really chew on this.
The grace of God is a magnificent thing, but it is designed to cover us until we come in line with God's Word...NOT instead of us coming in line with God's Word.
What do you think?
Next time....we'll start here.
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left." Hebrews 10:26
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The definition of God
You know...I don't think we take enough time to think through what being "God" means. It's impossible to fully grasp. God is unique and has a set of rules that apply only to Him. Just wanted to throw out some random thoughts on the subject.
God is perfect...He lacks NOTHING. In other words, He does not need you or I. You and I must act on the basis of need. We need food. We need relationship. We need rest. God is in a total state of perfection...in other words, at every moment, He has NO need. In turn, He never acts out of want or need...He acts ONLY out of free choice. We cannot understand that, because every decision we make, every action we attempt, is, at it's most free, a coerced choice or a "forced choice". At some level, every choice we make is effected by "need". In fact, our entire life is colored by need.
God owns everything. That's me, that's you, that's your Mom, your house, your stuff...it's all His. In the faux ownership thing that we live everyday, really just minding HIS stuff, we don't like anyone telling us what to do with our (HIS) stuff...well, neither does God, and even more, because it is His stuff...and it really is. He's not caught in the fake state of ownership like we are, attempting to "own" everything, including our own bodies. He really owns it all. Unlike us, He's not just holding it until the real owner decides to take it back.
God is not moral. Before you lynch me, follow me a little. I'm not saying that God is immoral. When we say that something is "moral", we are saying that here is a "moral standard" and this thing/act/person conforms to that standard, therefore they are moral. God conforms to no standard...He is the standard. It would be more correct to say "Moral is God." The standard by which we determine something being right or moral or just is what God is. That's the only requirement. In this sense, God is not just...Just is God.
Whatever God decides to do in the moment is right. He is not bound as we are, by a standard that is out there that depicts justice or righteousness that we try to model.
For example, if God decided to completely flip the rules of life tomorrow (which He would never do, because He is unchanging and consistent to His character, but for sake of argument)...if He did...say...make murdering people right and correct. That's just crazy, but I'm just picking something "nuts" to make a point. If he made that switch in morality, then that would be the right and moral thing to do, because He is the standard of right...there is no other.
For us, we can easily fall into a very American mentality of thinking that the authority needs to meet our approval. God cannot be judged or evaluated. There would never be an evaluation that comes back but "that's the most perfect action to be taken". Why? Because whatever God does, by definition of "being God", is absolutely right. The misconception that we all fall into at times is that there is a standard set that we are supposed to judge God by, that He should meet to determine if He deserves our allegiance. That is completely wrong and it makes terribly misguided conceptions of God. It lacks an understanding of what it means to be God. Think about these questions...
What if whatever you decided to do was instantly a law of the Universe?
What if gravity was your decision?
What if what you felt defined reality?
What if the concept of perfection was based on what you are?
What if the way you are determined the way the world worked?
What if physics was based on you and not the other way around?
Getting the picture...to question God is not to understand who or what He is and to demonstrate an ignorance of life itself.
There is no effort required to be perfect or all-powerful or all-knowing...it's just who He is. It's more natural to Him to be all of those things than it is for us to attempt to breathe. Easy and hard are irrelevant terms to God when "nothing is impossible" for you. As I said, the normal rules and assessment techniques don't apply when it comes to God and when we attempt to say things like "God didn't do that right" or "God is wrong" or "I think it would have been better to have done", we just spout ignorance of the reality of the situation, not some sort of evaluative wisdom that God didn't understand somewhere.
And the glorious thing is, in the middle of this situation, that He is aware of our almost insulting ignorance and He's quite willing to walk patiently with us through the complicated and impossible process of understanding...why? Because He loves us that much...and because, nothing is impossible for Him...another by-product of being God.
Please continue to pray for us at Bay West Church as we try to be the church of Jesus to west Palm Bay Florida.
God is perfect...He lacks NOTHING. In other words, He does not need you or I. You and I must act on the basis of need. We need food. We need relationship. We need rest. God is in a total state of perfection...in other words, at every moment, He has NO need. In turn, He never acts out of want or need...He acts ONLY out of free choice. We cannot understand that, because every decision we make, every action we attempt, is, at it's most free, a coerced choice or a "forced choice". At some level, every choice we make is effected by "need". In fact, our entire life is colored by need.
God owns everything. That's me, that's you, that's your Mom, your house, your stuff...it's all His. In the faux ownership thing that we live everyday, really just minding HIS stuff, we don't like anyone telling us what to do with our (HIS) stuff...well, neither does God, and even more, because it is His stuff...and it really is. He's not caught in the fake state of ownership like we are, attempting to "own" everything, including our own bodies. He really owns it all. Unlike us, He's not just holding it until the real owner decides to take it back.
God is not moral. Before you lynch me, follow me a little. I'm not saying that God is immoral. When we say that something is "moral", we are saying that here is a "moral standard" and this thing/act/person conforms to that standard, therefore they are moral. God conforms to no standard...He is the standard. It would be more correct to say "Moral is God." The standard by which we determine something being right or moral or just is what God is. That's the only requirement. In this sense, God is not just...Just is God.
Whatever God decides to do in the moment is right. He is not bound as we are, by a standard that is out there that depicts justice or righteousness that we try to model.
For example, if God decided to completely flip the rules of life tomorrow (which He would never do, because He is unchanging and consistent to His character, but for sake of argument)...if He did...say...make murdering people right and correct. That's just crazy, but I'm just picking something "nuts" to make a point. If he made that switch in morality, then that would be the right and moral thing to do, because He is the standard of right...there is no other.
For us, we can easily fall into a very American mentality of thinking that the authority needs to meet our approval. God cannot be judged or evaluated. There would never be an evaluation that comes back but "that's the most perfect action to be taken". Why? Because whatever God does, by definition of "being God", is absolutely right. The misconception that we all fall into at times is that there is a standard set that we are supposed to judge God by, that He should meet to determine if He deserves our allegiance. That is completely wrong and it makes terribly misguided conceptions of God. It lacks an understanding of what it means to be God. Think about these questions...
What if whatever you decided to do was instantly a law of the Universe?
What if gravity was your decision?
What if what you felt defined reality?
What if the concept of perfection was based on what you are?
What if the way you are determined the way the world worked?
What if physics was based on you and not the other way around?
Getting the picture...to question God is not to understand who or what He is and to demonstrate an ignorance of life itself.
There is no effort required to be perfect or all-powerful or all-knowing...it's just who He is. It's more natural to Him to be all of those things than it is for us to attempt to breathe. Easy and hard are irrelevant terms to God when "nothing is impossible" for you. As I said, the normal rules and assessment techniques don't apply when it comes to God and when we attempt to say things like "God didn't do that right" or "God is wrong" or "I think it would have been better to have done", we just spout ignorance of the reality of the situation, not some sort of evaluative wisdom that God didn't understand somewhere.
And the glorious thing is, in the middle of this situation, that He is aware of our almost insulting ignorance and He's quite willing to walk patiently with us through the complicated and impossible process of understanding...why? Because He loves us that much...and because, nothing is impossible for Him...another by-product of being God.
Please continue to pray for us at Bay West Church as we try to be the church of Jesus to west Palm Bay Florida.
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