Dialogismos

Making the Answer to All Questions the Gospel

2011-03-21T11:02:00.001-07:00

“How do we bring the gospel into the conversation when someone is revealing their difficult life issues during our group meeting?”

All too often we can find ourselves in a group situation where our love and concern for those struggling lead us to want to rescue or fix the problem rather than allowing the work of the Spirit to have its full effect on a person. We quickly relate by sharing similar life experiences and possibly steps on how they might free themselves from their current predicament.

What each of us truly need in times of crisis is a loving community that surrounds us and takes us to Jesus for the answers and inner healing (Luke 5:18-20). These answers are not always easy to hear but they are exactly what we need. We are not the “Holy Spirit” of our friends. They need us at times to simply help by pointing to the very words of Jesus or Scripture. We then let the Holy Spirit do his job of ministering truth and wisdom in the deep places of the person’s heart and soul.

By allowing Jesus to remain the Savior and the Holy Spirit the Helper and Counselor we allow healing and restoration to take place where there would otherwise remain a heart issue that was simply managed for the moment and bound to return another day.

Two things to keep in mind then a two suggestions from Rick Howerton.

To keep in mind...

1. Some people do need a place to vent. However, the venting should not become the primary reason for the group's gathering together and if someone vents more than a few minutes, it is best if the leader graciously requests a private meeting with them to talk about their issues rather than an entire meeting being taken up with venting. But it is important to allow individuals a safe place to share with friends about life's journey.

2. God cannot redeem someone's situation until it is brought out into the light so someone unveiling his/her difficulties is the open door for the gospel to transform. We do want to allow people to unearth their life situations during group time.

A few practical ideas...

1. See if the group will agree that, when a situation is brought into the light that the first thing the group does is to go searching Scripture for God's answer to the question at hand. If no answer is found immediately the group could agree to search for biblical answers through the week and bring God's plan back to the group.

2. When something of this nature comes up in conversation ask the question, "What do we think Jesus would say if He were here right now?" or "Is there a biblical character that had a situation that was anything like this, how did she/he respond and what was the outcome? Or "Is there a biblical principle that comes into play in this situation?”

What Is Ordination?

2010-08-30T14:13:00.007-07:00

Over the last 6 months I have been thinking more intently on the idea of ordination. People have been asking we what it means exactly and although I could point them to Webster's Dictionary or Wikipedia for clarification I've dug in myself for what might seem a slightly different approach to defining it. First of all, this doesn't mean that you are somehow not sinless and removed from all the struggles that others pursuing after Christ find themselves dealing with on a daily basis. It simply means you are willing to be set a part, willing to make a promise to "hold the line" when it comes to the truth God has revealed to His people. As a fellow once broken human being living in a still broken world yet to be completely healed and redeemed, we stand firm. We proclaim the hard truths and the life giving promises even when they fly in the face of modern day conventional wisdom. We bend the knee to no other than Christ alone. And we know Christ and become increasingly more like him as we seek to save and rescue the lost, to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. For it is not our message or ideologies we proclaim but His...and it is Him we ultimately proclaim. He is the good news to all mankind. He is the beginning and end in all that we say or do. He will be the One we praise and give all glory, for He is the only one worthy of such devotion.

Along the way I found an excerpt from the writer of the paraphrased Bible titled The Message.

Eugene H. Peterson writes the following:

The pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shop-keepers, and the shops they keep are churches. They are preoccupied with shop-keepers’ concerns — how to keep the customers happy, how to lure customers away from competitors down the street, how to package the goods so that the customers will lay out more money.

Some of them are very good shopkeepers. They attract a lot of customers, pull in great sums of money, and develop splendid reputations. Yet it is still shop-keeping; religious shop-keeping, to be sure, but shop-keeping all the same... “A walloping great congregation is fine, and fun,” says Martin Thornton, “but what most communities really need are a couple of saints. The tragedy is that they may well be there in embryo, waiting to be discovered, waiting for sound training, waiting to be emancipated from the cult of the mediocre.”

The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them. In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community. The pastor’s responsibility is to keep the community attentive to God.

That last sentence is the great clue to ordination. Peterson goes on to explain exactly what it is people need from ordained ministers in our kind of society, and why:

We need help in keeping our beliefs sharp and accurate and intact. We don’t trust ourselves — our emotions seduce us into infidelities. We know that we are launched on a difficult and dangerous act of faith, and that there are strong influences intent on diluting or destroying it. We want you to help us: be our pastor, a minister of word and sacrament, in the middle of this world’s life.

Minister with word and sacrament to us in all the different parts and strands of our lives — in our work and play, with our children and our parents, at birth and death, in our celebrations and sorrows, on those days when morning breaks over us in a wash of sunshine, and those other days that are all drizzle. This isn’t the only task in the life of faith, but it is your task. We will find someone else to do the other important and essential tasks. This is yours: word and sacrament. One more thing: we are going to ordain you to this ministry and we want your vow that you will stick to it. This is not a temporary job assignment but a way of life that we need lived out in our community.

We know that you are launched on the same difficult belief venture in the same dangerous world as we are. We know that your emotions are as fickle as ours, and that your mind can play the same tricks on you as ours. That is why we are going to ordain you and why we are going to exact a vow from you.

We know that there are going to be days and months, maybe even years, when we won’t feel like we are believing anything and won’t want to hear it from you. And we know that there will be days and weeks and maybe even years when you won’t feel like saying it. It doesn’t matter. Do it. You are ordained to this ministry, vowed to it.

There may be times when we come to you as a committee or delegation and demand that you tell us something else than what we are telling you now. Promise, right now, that you won’t give in to what we demand of you then. You are not the minister of our changing desires, or our time-conditioned understanding of our needs, or our secularized hopes for something better. With these vows of ordination we are lashing you fast to the mast of word and sacrament so that you will be unable to respond to the siren voices.

There are a lot of other things to be done in this wrecked world and we are going to be doing at least some of them, but if we don’t know the basic terms with which we are working, the foundational realities with which we are dealing — God, kingdom, gospel — we are going to end up living futile, fantasy lives.

Your task is to keep telling the basic story, representing the presence of the Spirit, insisting on the priority of God, speaking the biblical words of command and promise and invitation.

I love these words…they ring true in the depths of me. Truth be told, I have often felt this way. As one that keeps telling the basic story, representing the presence of the Spirit, insisting on the priority of God, and speaking the biblical words of command and promise and invitation. All of this in the face of many who would often times rather I just remain silent.

Whether it is to be officially before man or simply before my Creator and Sustainer, I have made a vow. I have chosen to stand for the one who has chosen me. My flaws are present just as any other man or woman but the cost is too great to be driven by the winds of changing philosophies and desires of society. It’s in Christ alone I stand on the revealed Word given to all for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that all of us who claim God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

I end with what could have been Paul's final instruction to Timothy, his student. I often read these words from 2 Timothy 4:1-5 as if they were written directly to me and they give me strength.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure healthy teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Do You Desire God?

2010-06-17T08:33:00.004-07:00

There are days when I am overwhelmed by the love of my Savior, God and King. He's my friend, my brother, my Father, my everything! Draw close to Him and know Him...truly know Him!

Days like today are filled with wonder and awe. Questions that overwhelm.

How great the Father's love for me...a wretch...amazing grace...O how sweet the sound...brought breath to my lungs, life to my heart and gave sight to my eyes...now I see yet never fully comprehending the glory of He who has rescued me...saved me from myself.

Do I desire God...more than any words could express...more than the oceans could write should they be barrels of ink and the skies a scroll...

If you truly know God how could your life not be changed...how could you desire anything other than Him?

This video captures some further thoughts on the desiring the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob...

Do you desire Him?

Grace & Obedience

2010-05-11T23:27:00.004-07:00

Late night pondering and expressions...enjoy!

There is a juxtaposition of walking in grace and walking in obedience. Romans 6 addresses this briefly. Many have been caught up in a performance based form of Christianity? This tends to be obedience driven. Others live almost too freely, if that can be said. Taking advantage of their perception of God's wonderful gift of grace. With an end result of throwing it in His face.

Christianity is not a performance. Christianity is not a free pass.

Never has been never will be.

If you are performing for God's favor or another's you have it all wrong. If you live freely in deliberate sin, soaking it in and calling it freedom you have it all wrong. You are on the wrong path...Stop...Repent...and trust in Jesus alone.

Walking in grace and walking in obedience always go hand-in-hand. Oftentimes, grace is used today as an excuse for non-obedience, i.e., sin. This misses the point of grace. Obedience is possible because grace is wonderful, and it propels us to a life of radical devotion to Christ.

Just as in every command of Christ, there is always the danger that in our sinfulness, we will turn it into legalism. Any good thing that Christ calls us to can be perverted in this way, i.e., prayer can become legalistic, but that doesn't mean we don't pray. Radical obedience to Christ can become legalistic, but that doesn't means we don't radically obey. That means we go to Christ and ask for His grace to obey Him in every facet of our lives, and we do it all, not in order to earn favor before God, but because in Christ we have already been given favor before God and desire to be obedient as we are compelled by His love and demonstrated grace.

Is there an area of your life where you are not obedient to God's desire for your life?

How are you growing in obedience and how is grace a part of your story?

What is radical obedience?

How would it be different from regular obedience for you?

Should there be a difference? Explain.

Are you radical or normal in the world's eyes...how about yours? Why?

What will it take to kick it up a notch to the next level?

Grace powered obedience can accomplish the impossible...rest in Him

A Life of Sacrifice

2010-02-22T10:35:00.005-07:00

I find my self inching ever closer to the complete life of sacrifice and tasting the sweetness of it's reward. Do I sacrifice? Yes. But it is this completeness that evades me. The things that I have yet to rid myself of. Though willing, I still find myself timid, afraid of what may come, afraid of the unknown. It's illogical yet it exists and persists.

There will be a day when I fling myself into the arms of my Savior. A day when He rescues me completely from myself. Until that day I take one step at a time knowing that He will reveal Himself and show me the way when the time is right. It is until that day that I trust His timing and His sovereignty over my life one day and step at a time.

Living a Luke 9:23 life is truly only understood once it is fully embraced. Sharing in Christ's sufferings has a sweetness that is unable to be explained as it must be experienced to be fully comprehended. I have tasted only a portion but anticipate the feast that is promised to come.

Have you?

Where are you on this journey?

How does your life reflect that of your Savior and King?

Radical Christian Sacrifice

The God of Second Chances

2010-01-06T07:52:00.003-07:00

One of the things that I constantly turn to is music. It's a conduit for me and my worship, for truly feeling a sense of connectedness to my Father in Heaven. Needless to say when I viewed the video/blogpost below from a brother in Atlanta I was moved to tears...Marcia can testify. Just the authentic nature and the divine interruption that took place defined the worship and the song itself...The first time through I had some difficulty understanding every word but that didn't hinder the experience...the second time through I caught every word...

One day every tribe, nation and tongue will praise and worship our Father in unison! Oh what a day that will be. Perhaps this moment is just a small taste of what is to come. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this one!

Save Us From These Comforts Danny's Story (ragamuffinsoul.com)

Save us from these comforts.
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that's not of You
And we will worship You

This is one of my favorite choruses on my upcoming album.
It brings out strong reactions in people.
I'm finding 2 reactions the most popular.

1. What? Really? C'mon. You don't really want to sing that.
2. Oh my God. This is the chorus that my church has needed to sing for years. I cant sing it enough. BREAK US LORD!!!

Through my conversations with the reactionaries I am finding some things to be consistent.
Those who are comfortable in their faith really aren't hip with too much disturbance and disruption in their mojo.

I get it.

If things are good. If things are stable, why ask God to save us from these comforts?
And those who are desiring something more from whatever it is they are searching for, are singing this chorus until their voices give out.

Neither is wrong. Neither is right.
But I do know this.
I grow in my faith the most when I am disturbed and disrupted.
I get a spiritual fat @** when I'm not.

This chorus is taken from a book of Puritan prayers.
Those guys wanted something extra.
Something I don't quite understand. Or didn't.
Until I met Danny.

Danny is a homeless guy in Atlanta who happened to walk up on me while I was shooting the EPK for my new record.
I was singing the song God Of Second Chances.
Danny walks up, kneels down, starts crying, puts his hands up in the air and this happened...

If you listen carefully at the end you hear me saying this to Danny.
Keep trying to make it man.
He looked me square in the eye, cocked his head sideways with a confused look on his face and said, Trying to make it? No man. I aint trying to make it I'm making it. Jah puts His soldiers everywhere. Jah says, Yea though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death So He places some of us, in that valley.

Game, set, match

Save us from these comforts.
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that's not of You
And we will worship You

Carlos

Missions Exist Because Worship Does Not

2009-12-31T08:43:00.011-07:00

I stumbled across a live feed of the Radiate TCX'09 conference last night where John Piper was speaking. I had heard this particular message before but as usual there where additional nuggets of wisdom I was able to mine from his focus on glorifying God. If you know Piper you know this because you have heard it from him numerous times. We were all...every human being...created to worship God and to bring Him glory. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. What I wasn't prepared for was the video clip that followed His message that had a global theme to it.

I have tried searching for this video element following the live feed but it has yet to appear by itself on the web (I found it 01.08.10). I present it here for your viewing and consideration. The quote that precedes and follows this video gave me a moment of pause as I reflected on it.

"Missions exist because worship does not." - John Piper

Give that some time to soak into your mental mass. I think it is a deeply profound truth that should compel us and propel us into action whether it be going or sending...There is no third option, no middle ground.

Until the whole world sings the praises of God, every nation, tribe, and tongue, true complete worship does not exist and God's spoken desire from Scripture has yet to be fulfilled.

Above all hear this, with these words you are being both challenged and encouraged...God's will will be done! With you or in spite of you. Choose this day to join in the all surpassing journey of following Christ by partaking in the Great Commission. Don't waste your life. Do Something...anything for the glory of Christ and His kingdom. Don't be silent. I believe true disciples of Christ cannot be silent for God's passion burns deep within them. His truth cannot be contained and those who carry this truth cannot help but spill over to those who surround them throughout the course of each and every day.

Concerning the figures in the video...I trust they are accurate though hard to imagine and believe. Staggering really. Unimaginable and heart breaking. Remember, these are not just statistics, these are individuals, people with names, faces, families, desires...people God loves passing into eternity, many without the opportunity to even hear the gospel and thus be awakened from within to rise and follow Christ.

Please pray.

Quotable Quotes #0008 - Jerry Bridges

2009-11-16T17:18:00.003-07:00

Never Beyond The Reach Or Need Of The Gospel

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, nor are your best days ever so good that you are beyond the need of it.”

- Jerry Bridges, Discipline of Grace

Quotable Quotes #0007 - Charles Spurgeon

2009-11-16T17:09:00.003-07:00

Rising From The Dust

“When a believer has fallen into a low, sad state of feeling, he often tries to lift himself out of it by chastening himself with dark and doleful fears. Such is not the way to rise from the dust, but to continue in it. As well chain the eagle’s wing to make it mount, as doubt in order to increase our grace. It is not the law, but the gospel which saves the seeking soul at first; and it is not a legal bondage, but gospel liberty which can restore the fainting believer afterwards. Slavish fear brings not back the backslider to God, but the sweet wooings of love allure him to Jesus’ bosom.”

- Charles Spurgeon, Morning & Evening, November 6

Genesis 1:28 vs Worldly Wisdom

2009-11-14T17:30:00.001-07:00

Last night got me thinking...Could you go for a year without using toilet paper?

Colin Beavan did.

Granted it was a different scenario entirely than trying to relate to those in need.

The AP reports a story about Beavan and his family, who for the past year have sought to make zero impact on the environment around them.

They shut off the electricity to their apartment. They refused to use anything disposable, and they wouldn’t buy anything that was new. They traveled by bicycle, only bought fresh food from farmers, put away their television, and even gave up toilet paper. They didn’t want to leave a single fingerprint on the earth.

I admire Beavan and his family for their desire to preserve the Earth. But as I thought about Beavan and his year-long experiment, I couldn’t help but think of Genesis 1:28, where God says to Adam and Eve:

“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Based on Genesis 1:28 it would seem that Colin Beavan’s desire to make zero impact on the earth is unbiblical. God has given humanity a mandate to subdue the earth and to have dominion over it. We don’t exist on an equal plane with the rest of creation. The earth exists so that we might subdue it, and make it useful to us, and receive benefit from it. To make no impact on the earth is to ignore the mandate given to us by God.

In his book Business for the Glory of God, Wayne Grudem comments:

God’s command to “subdue” the earth implies doing productive work to make the resources of the earth useful for themselves [Adam and Eve] and others. This is what he wanted Adam and Eve to do, and that is one of the things he wants us to do as well.

We’re called to be stewards of the earth. Yes, it’s possible to sinfully destroy and harm the environment, instead of stewarding it. But it’s also possible to try and preserve the environment too much. God created the earth so that we might use it for our good.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going out to purchase some toilet paper.

I liked these thoughts from Stephen Altrogge.

What are your thoughts?

Amputee - Nate Pfeil

2009-07-06T12:05:00.004-07:00

Here is yet another video from Nate Pfeil...what is your response to this message? What would you say about the motive? Is it loving, condemning, or perhaps both? How would you have communicated this message had this been your video? The same or different?

Is this useful or harmful?

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=fd4de1a17c18e6316e36

Are You Ready For This?

2009-06-10T18:52:00.008-07:00

There is a running joke among those who really know me and my heart. I bring the wood, a two by four. I like to go deep and go there quickly. But my desire to do so comes from a place of love, care, and sometimes concern? Typically I just ask questions to probe a little deeper and allow the truth to reveal itself. Ultimately that is what I am after for both myself and others, the truth. It's not my desire to "bring the wood" consciously, it's just where my conversations tend to find themselves.

I found another who seems to be "bringing the wood." What would you say?

This can be a pretty HEAVY video depending on where you are in your Christian faith and walk. I found myself glued to the screen as I took this in, even convicted at points. I put that out there as a disclaimer. However, I desire and hope that you will watch it completely from beginning to end. Once you have I invite you to post a comment and express your immediate thoughts, feelings, questions, etc...

Let the dialog begin...

http://www.cireyelneh.blogspot.com

http://blip.tv/file/2220280

Unequaled Greatness

2009-06-08T22:06:00.005-07:00

I ran across this today and was moved...I love Sermon Jams...especially ones that are well done. Sermon Jams are simply a message with music put behind them...

I love the truth in this...it never gets old.

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chfxr6kK7as

Quotable Quotes #0006 - Timothy Keller

2009-05-28T13:05:00.007-07:00

Gospel Remorse

“Legalistic remorse says, ‘I broke God’s rules,’ while real repentance says, ‘I broke God’s heart.’ Legalistic repentance takes sin to Mt. Sinai, gospel repentance to Mt. Calvary. Legalistic repentance is convicted by punishment, gospel repentance becomes convicted by mercy.”

Timothy Keller, Church Planter Manual

The Truth Is Not The Gospel

2009-05-25T19:15:00.003-07:00

by Ben Davenport

“Preach the truth.” That’s what they said to me. “Stand for the truth” sounded like pretty good advice at the time. “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” That one’s from the Bible. But will the truth set everyone free from everything? No, it will not.

1+1=2 is truth, and to learn this truth will indeed set an individual free from mathematical ignorance, but will it free a heroin addict from her love affair with death? No. Truth indeed will set the captive free, but in reality, people are held captive by different things.

The first intrepid souls who crossed the Atlantic to forge a new life in a new world found themselves instead facing extinction. The pilgrims were perishing for lack of knowledge. They were starving. They knew nothing of North American agriculture and simply could not grow enough food to feed their families. What did they need to survive? Truth? Yes, truth, but not just any truth, they needed native American agricultural truth. They needed knowledge of how to work the soil of this strange and foreign land. Nothing else would do. For a man to come along and see the pilgrims starving in ignorance and then begin to teach them that 1+1=2 imagining that he was liberating them from their predicament because he was teaching them the truth and that the truth would set them free, would be ludicrous!

The pilgrims would have gone to their graves with mathematical truth rattling around in their heads but without the truth that they so desperately needed, the truth that would have put food in their children’s bellies, life in their bodies, and would have kept them upright and breathing.

The man who would help such pilgrims must bring the truth that meets their most urgent need, not the truth that is most conveniently at hand.

The same applies to the message of the Bible. Remember this: The gospel is truth, but all truth is not the gospel. Everything in the Bible is truth, but everything in the Bible is not the gospel. And it is the gospel that Paul said is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe.

1+1=2 is a truth that cannot free the souls of men. We know this. But we often miss that, “Blessed are the peacemakers” is also a truth that cannot purchase one moment of reprieve from the shackles of slavery. Why? Because the particular truth that sets men and women free from bondage is the gospel of Jesus Christ and no other!

You’ve probably heard that the word “gospel” means “good news.” So is just any ”good news” the power of God unto salvation? No. It is the good news of Jesus Christ! The good news that He has come and conquered and now offers to us not only His pardon, but the opportunity to be partakers with Him in His victory; to tread upon the serpents and scorpions within our souls and upon all the powers of the enemy that should beset us.

“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” is truth, but it was truth before Christ came to this earth and died. “Thou shalt not kill” is truth but it was truth before Jesus ever rose from the grave. That it is good for men to pray and to study God’s word is truth but it was truth before the sacrifice of Calvary; and if these truths had the power to set the captive free then Christ died in vain!

The loftiest truths in the Bible can be read, studied, preached, and memorized and will never be lived out unless the glorious truth of the gospel has dawned, bringing salvation to those who behold it.

The man or woman who would help the wandering pilgrims of the human race must bring them the scripture truth that meets their most immediate, urgent and dire need, not the biblical truth that is least controversial, most convenient, socially acceptable, comfortable, or culturally relevant.

What most men and women desperately need, is something that most, especially in the church, think they already have . . . salvation.

The truth that man is hopelessly lost and dead in trespasses and sins is part of the Christian message and must be presented clearly and with love but without apology. It is a truthful and accurate description of the condition of mankind but this truth is not God’s solution to man’s condition and can hardly be called “good news”.

The truth is not the gospel; and it is the gospel of Jesus Christ and nothing else that is the power of God unto salvation.

This is why Paul said, not that he would “preach the truth,” or that he would, “stand for the truth,” But that he determined to preach nothing but Christ, and Christ crucified, glorying in nothing but the cross.

The mere preaching of truth, even biblical truth, apart from the gospel will never save a single soul from the clutches of death.

Christ condemned the Pharisees saying, “You search the scriptures for in them you think you have life; but the scriptures all testify of Me; and you will not come to Me that I may give you life.”

Scripture truth is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. It is the cross of Christ, not the canon of scripture that makes men into new creatures, that speaks to dead men’s bones and causes dust to come to life.

How many professing Christians, both liberal and conservative, have gone to their graves with orthodox, theological truth rattling around in their heads but without the truth that they so desperately needed, the truth that would have put Christ, the Bread and Water of Life into their parched, starving souls, and would have kept them from ever having to hear those chilling words, “I never knew you”.

There are many truths one can learn that will inform, but only one that transforms.

The only transforming truth is the gospel.

The only saving truth is the good news of Jesus.

He has come to be the Savior and Redeemer of all men; of both the atheist filled with facts and fiction as well as the Pharisee filled with Divine doctrine. The Gospel, the good news, to both the Hypocrite and the heroine addict is the same, “He came to save his people from their sins”. And He is now present and ready to save all those who will look to Him and believe.

He is the way. He is the truth. And it is He who is salvation.

Preach Christ.

Stand for Christ.

Know Christ.

The truth is not the gospel. Jesus is.

Never forget it.

Who Is God? Pt. 02 - Seeking the Proper Balance

2009-05-22T15:53:00.004-07:00

Always seeking a balance and seeking truth I wanted to post this for your consideration.

Quick background...Mark Driscoll is the Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington and one that I follow and listen too on a regular basis.

Marcia and I had a conversation about the reality of God's love and wrath following various other conversations with some friends of ours. They both exist, wrath and love. The reality is that God loves the whole world...John 3:16...It's why Jesus hung on a cross...but the other part of that reality is Proverbs 6:16...He hates evil and those who commit sin...

If we fail to address both issues we do ourselves and all those who may seek Him a disservice. We paint a false picture of who God is and our relation to Him.

Is your God a god of all Love, Compassion, and Mercy?...It's only part of the picture.

Is your God a god of Wrath, Accountability, and Judgment?...It's only part of the picture.

If you only have one of these views of God (and there are many more distortions out there) not a combination of both you are not worshiping the God of the Bible and in fact may be worshiping a God of your own design which is in fact a breaking of the first and second commandments.

It's important that we know to the best of our ability who God is as He has revealed Himself in Scripture.

Who Is God? Pt. 01

2009-05-19T11:08:00.008-07:00

Do you really have a clear picture of God? Is it even possible? Is it important? If so, how important is it? From where do you get your tools to paint your picture, your view, your understanding of God?

The following is just the beginning of a series I will be working on and posting here. I'm looking at the revealed Word of God, the Bible, to strip away years of presumptions and hand-me-down understandings to find what I hope will be enlightening for us all, God's Word about Himself.

I don't want to read another man's opinion through a book, magazine, blog, or article. I have had plenty of that. I want to hear it straight from the amazing God I serve. I expect to be challenged and there to be long days, and possibly weeks, as I examine the paradigms I have built and structured around my understanding. God has only revealed a small portion of all that He is...but...He has revealed Himself and we can know Him. I hope you will join me.

Who is God? - The Fact The fact of God’s existence is so conspicuous, both through creation and through man’s conscience, that the Bible calls the atheist a “fool” (Psalm 14:1). Accordingly, the Bible never attempts to prove the existence of God; rather, it assumes His existence from the very beginning (Genesis 1:1). What the Bible does is reveal the nature, character, and work of God.

Who is God? - The Definition Thinking correctly about God is of utmost importance because a false idea about God is idolatry. In Psalm 50:21, God reproves the wicked man with this accusation: “You thought I was altogether like you.” To start with, a good summary definition of God is “the Supreme Being; the Creator and Ruler of all that is; the Self-existent One who is perfect in power, goodness, and wisdom.”

Who is God? - His Nature We know certain things to be true of God for one reason: in His mercy He has condescended to reveal some of His qualities to us. God is spirit, by nature intangible (John 4:24). God is One, but He exists as three Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17). God is infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22), and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). God exists everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12), knows everything (Matthew 11:21), and has all power and authority (Ephesians 1; Revelation 19:6).

Who is God? - His Character Here are some of God’s characteristics as revealed in the Bible: God is just (Acts 17:31), loving (Ephesians 2:4-5), truthful (John 14:6), and holy (1 John 1:5). God shows compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3), mercy (Romans 9:15), and grace (Romans 5:17). God judges sin (Psalm 5:5) but also offers forgiveness (Psalm 130:4).

Who is God? - His Work We cannot understand God apart from His works, because what God does flows from who He is. Here is an abbreviated list of God’s works, past, present, and future: God created the world (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5); He actively sustains the world (Colossians 1:17); He is executing His eternal plan (Ephesians 1:11) which involves the redemption of man from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13-14); He draws people to Christ (John 6:44); He disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:6); and He will judge the world (Revelation 20:11-15).

Who is God? - A Relationship with Him In the Person of the Son, God became incarnate (John 1:14). The Son of God became the Son of Man and is therefore the “bridge” between God and man (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). It is only through the Son that we can have forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), reconciliation with God (John 15:15; Romans 5:10), and eternal salvation (2 Timothy 2:10). In Jesus Christ “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). So, to really know who God is, all we have to do is look at Jesus. (www.gotquestions.org)

Taking Off The Masks

2009-05-18T10:31:00.004-07:00

http://cireyelneh.blogspot.com/2009/05/taking-off-masks.html

In many ways the last 14 weeks have been much like this video. I've seen the masks come off people I didn't know but would now, after a few months, call friends and even family. The current small group I am a part of has been more willing to open up and get real than many I have been a part of in the past. Each group has had it's own personality and each one has been authentic in varying degrees.

However, this current group of individuals truly seems to have a hunger for both Truth and relationships built upon that truth. They don't presume to have it all "figured out" even after years of involvement in the church. At this point nearly half our group would say they are not yet born again. I trust that God is at work in each and everyone of them and is using the relationships in this small group to break through and break down walls revealing the One in whom they must ultimately place their trust. If you are not in a small group I highly encourage you to join one and get real.

The secrets you have are the prison you build for yourself. The truth always sets us free.

The Gospel

2009-05-11T17:38:00.003-07:00

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...” -1 Corinthians 15:1–4

What is the Gospel? The word gospel simply means “good news.” The central message of the Bible is the gospel, or good news, about the person and work of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, Paul provides the most succinct summary of the gospel: the man Jesus is also God, or Christ, and died on a cross in our place, paying the penalty for our sins; three days later He rose to conquer sin and death and give the gift of salvation to all who believe in Him alone for eternal life.

The great reformer Martin Luther rightly said that, as sinners, we are prone to pursue a relationship with God in one of two ways. The first is religion/spirituality and the second is the gospel. The two are antithetical in every way.

Religion says that if we obey God He will love us. The gospel says that it is because God has loved us through Jesus that we can obey.
Religion says that the world is filled with good people and bad people. The gospel says that the world is filled with bad people who are either repentant or unrepentant.
Religion says that you should trust in what you do as a good moral person. The gospel says that you should trust in the perfectly sinless life of Jesus because He alone is the only good and truly moral person who will ever live.
The goal of religion is to get from God such things as health, wealth, insight, power, and control. The goal of the gospel is not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.
Religion is about what I have to do. The gospel is about what I get to do. Religion sees hardship in life as punishment from God. The gospel sees hardship in life as sanctifying affliction that reminds us of Jesus’ sufferings and is used by God in love to make us more like Jesus.
Religion is about me. The gospel is about Jesus.
Religion leads to an uncertainty about my standing before God because I never know if I have done enough to please God. The gospel leads to a certainty about my standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus on my behalf on the cross.
Religion ends in either pride (because I think I am better than other people) or despair (because I continually fall short of God’s commands). The gospel ends in humble and confident joy because of the power of Jesus at work for me, in me, through me, and sometimes in spite of me.

http://www.marshillchurch.org/about/the-gospel

The Most Important Question You Must Answer

2009-04-24T11:53:00.005-07:00

I saw a video by this guy awhile back. It was pointed and direct at whose money is really in our wallets and whose possessions really surround us in our homes. I think the guy reveals straight truth with a bit of humor and razor wit. It sticks in the head and has you wanting to watch again to catch what you may have missed. It's been awhile, but now he is back, and I believe with an even better video and a far more important question.

I often get asked many different questions about both Jesus and the Bible. Most of the time they can be resolved and answered fairly quickly while others require a little more time, research and a willingness to work for an understanding. The problem is that these individuals usually are missing what's truly important. There is one thing that ultimately matters and in many ways will help clarify and lead to the understanding of countless other questions. This one question is foundational to all others. I invite you to watch and listen closely as this guy delivers up the question in both a powerful and artful way that I would find hard to do myself.

It's a simple, straight forward question...however the implications are huge. You get this wrong, you get everything wrong.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=38195408

Sometimes Life Hits Back!

2009-04-20T16:45:00.006-07:00

For me, today is one of those days where you feel like the entire world may come to an end yet you know that you must keep going. No matter what happens you can't slow down. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other. As a husband and a father there is always this felt need to provide for and protect your family. But what do you do, what can you do when circumstances are out of your control? Who do you turn to then, where do you find your source of strength?

Today my beautiful bride went to our doctor...the news was frightening. After a few questions he wanted to take blood, a urine sample, run an EKG, and send her off to a cardiologist to have her heart checked out. Her heart!?!

What lead to this visit is that simply walking on a treadmill or doing routine exercises will send her heart rate shooting upward very quickly...not exactly normal.

My thoughts today have been veiled even to myself but as the day has progressed I've found myself wondering what would life be like without my wife? How would my son and daughter grow up without their mother? It's unthinkable to me...I almost find myself ready to scream at God and yet nothing has happened to warrant such anger or despair...One of the downsides to my ability to imagine what might be with vivid clarity is that I can become worked up over that which has not yet happened, and may not.

I've invited you into my thoughts as I process them. These are the raw and unedited thoughts of a man who loves his bride and his children and would do anything in his power to protect them, to keep them safe. Is that how life should be lived? Yes, we protect, but we don't shy away from life and living in this dangerous world. We must engage it on all fronts and live it fully for the Glory of God in all circumstances. Good or bad, in sickness or health, wealth or poverty...It's all for His glory...we must have an eternal perspective in this life as we are only visiting and our true citizenship is in Heaven (Ephesians 2:19).

Marcia and I, just this weekend, began dreaming again of our future together and were making plans to travel and take the kids on adventures and missions trips around the globe, all the while teaching them about God and His glorious plans for us and His people. What are those dreams if she is not a part of them? How does that work?

As I have begun processing all of this I decided to send out a prayer request to our small group and some additional friends and family...I was shocked at the response...you see normally I am the one others come to...I don't ever put myself in the position to need others if I can help it. I've learned to put up a wall and only be so vulnerable to prevent from being hurt, as I have been in the past. Within 30 seconds of sending my plea the first of 13 responses came flooding in. I am overwhelmed...moved to tears honestly. I know God is teaching me, in this moment, so many lessons and that, in itself, is worth so much more than I can convey in words. That the God of this universe would not only save me but then reach down in such a way to radically touch my life and teach me truth. I'm so unworthy of such love, yet here He is, in this very moment transforming me still more.

I pray that God never stops teaching me and disciplining me in ways He sees necessary to get my attention. I truly feel and know His love as He invades my life with His presence (Hebrews 12:5-6).

There is so much uncertainty in this life, and it is for this very reason that we must cling to the Rock of Ages...our shelter from all the storms of life (Psalm 18:2).

If I'm completely honest:

I don't know if this is just a simple medical issue or a life threatening one.

I don't know if Marcia will be gone tomorrow or in 50 years.

I don't know if my children will grow up and have full lives, surrendered completely to God.

I don't know if I will make it home this evening alive without being struck dead by another motorist.

I don't really know much about the life I am living or anyone else.

Here's a little of what I do know:

God is sovereign and in control

He loves Marcia more than I ever could

He loves my kids more than I ever could

He loves me, more than I can imagine

He loves you

This is all for His Glory

I can trust that I would see Marcia again on the other side of eternity, and it's just a blink away

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, life is a vapor (James 4:13-15)

Every day is a gift given by God...lived under the grace of God

Only complete repentance and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins will provide assurance of everlasting peace and a hope for tomorrow

You need Him, I need Him, And everyone we know needs Him

Today is the day of Salvation...don't wait!(2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

The intimate community of believers is a necessity for the Christian walk...we were not made to walk this path alone...
You may not need others now, but there will be a day when you do, an hour of desperation...who will be there for you?

With all of that being said...If you are a brother or sister in Christ, I ask you to join us in prayer as we ask that out of all of this, God's will would be done and his Glory would be seen and felt by all who know us. May we all learn and grow and lean into the awesomeness of our Father, who knows what is best for each of us. May we learn to trust in ways we have yet to completely surrender. May we simply fade into the background as God's glory shines about us...as we feel his warmth and feel his security, in the promises He has given of eternal life with Him.

That's My King!

2009-04-11T08:27:00.003-07:00

If you have ever heard S.M. Lockridge's famous sermon That's My King you know how powerful it can be. For Easter weekend I thought I would post just a portion of it. This is such a great video to highlight such a great message.

From Dr. Shadrach Meshach (S.M.) Lockridge's famous sermon.

That's My King!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z15FlTONVo

Sundays Coming

2009-04-10T08:04:00.003-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzto6khRp7w

Quotable Quotes #0005 - Archibald Alexander

2009-04-09T07:10:00.005-07:00

"Error, even when mingled with truth, is like poison in our food. It is a thing much to be dreaded and avoided, to preach what is not true; or what God has never commanded us to teach.

The pastors of Christ's flock have the strongest motives to induce them to “take heed to themselves and to their doctrine.” They should be exceedingly solicitous to know what the truth is, not only for their own sakes, but for the sake of the people; and when they do know the revealed will of God, woe be unto them, if they do not preach it faithfully."

Archibald Alexander

Quotable Quotes #0004 - Leonard Ravenhill

2009-04-06T17:56:00.004-07:00

"Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?"

Leonard Ravenhill

Comfort Vs. Christ Likeness

2009-04-06T13:03:00.014-07:00

It's interesting how you can know the Truth and yet still be caught off guard by something you thought you had a pretty good handle on. I love that God does that. That He disciplines or simply reminds us of where we are and where we should be. It’s proof that He loves me. (Hebrews 12:5-6)

This week at Central we were continuing our series titled Viral and the subject was community. Much was said about the need to be in community and how even Jesus himself while physically on this earth was in community with His disciples (a very intentional and diverse community) not to mention the divine community of the Trinity that He is a part of.

Of all the points made one struck me a bit deeper than the others. The idea that God is calling me/us to Christ likeness not comfort. How this came about was the reality that most people, including myself, tend to join others and surround ourselves with people just like us, based upon an affinity rather than diversity. We want people around us that look, think, act, talk, and believe just like us or at least very similar. I was challenged with this fact because I do desire diversity in my life and Christ likeness but my default is affinity because it equals comfort.

I wonder what the effect of our faith would be if we truly began allowing ourselves to be uncomfortable for the sake of His glory. What situations would we find ourselves in where another person would be open to hearing the message of Truth? What barriers and boundaries that we normally see or feel are nothing more than imaginary.

We are all the same spiritually and have the same needs no matter what culture, history, or lineage we come from. All of us have the same brokenness and need of a Savior. For all of us no matter what color, language, or religion have only one who can save us from a right and just sentencing to eternal separation from God in a very real place called Hell, Yes, Jesus(John 14:6). Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the Good News! All too often I, and many like myself, find comfort more appealing than the actions of Christ likeness based on how we live out, or don't live out, our faith.

The specific application this weekend was diversity in community and small groups. But there are many applications. Many I must wrestle with and begin acting upon. My challenge to you is this. Do the same. Search God’s perfect Word and examine your life…Where are you still “sitting” because it’s comfortable rather than engaging the World or simply obeying Christ’s commands? That is where you must start. That is where you must ask God to help break the chains of your natural desire and give you His.

There will be a day for comfort but now is not the time. This side of Heaven we have much work to do if we are to be called ambassadors of reconciliation. The comfort we must seek is that which comes from Christ when he speaks the words from Matthew 11:29-30. The alarm has sounded and now we have a choice to make. Do we hit the snooze and wait for another hour, another day, or do we set ourselves in motion to glorfy Christ as He has has called us to.
What is God asking you to do and will you obey?

The two videos below are short but speak directly to this subject. Will you obey and who do you say He is in your life? What will your actions reveal about those questions?

This topic is far from being exhausted but let this serve as the beginning of many more conversations and thoughts to be shared in the future. As always I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Comfort

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=7b4dd4de9138d11a6364

Lord, Lord

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f7b8841b8f41fc07fb3a

The New Gospel vs The Old Gospel

2009-04-05T21:36:00.005-07:00

Cruising the web I found this interesting quote by J. I. Packer... I decided I would post it as it's definitely worth thinking about and discussing on a deeper level. I've highlighted certain areas in bold for a quick read but you may want to read it all to get a feeling for the context...I look forward to your comments.

"There is no doubt that Evangelicalism today is in a state of perplexity and unsettlement. In such matters as the practice of evangelism, the teaching of holiness, the building up of local church life, the pastor's dealing with souls and the exercise of discipline, there is evidence of widespread dissatisfaction with things as they are and of equally widespread uncertainty as to the road ahead. This is a complex phenomenon, to which many factors have contributed; but, if we go to the root of the matter, we shall find that these perplexities are all ultimately due to our having lost our grip on the biblical gospel. Without realizing it, we have during the past century bartered that gospel for a substitute product which, though it looks similar enough in points of detail, is as a whole a decidedly different thing. Hence our troubles; for the substitute product does not answer the ends for which the authentic gospel has in past days proved itself so mighty. The new gospel conspicuously fails to produce deep reverence, deep repentance, deep humility, a spirit of worship, a concern for the church. Why? We would suggest that the reason lies in its own character and content. It fails to make men God-centered in their thoughts and God-fearing in their hearts because this is not primarily what it is trying to do. One way of stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say that it is too exclusively concerned to be helpful to man to bring peace, comfort, happiness, satisfaction and too little concerned to glorify God. The old gospel was helpful, too more so, indeed, than is the new but (so to speak) incidentally, for its first concern was always to give glory to God. It was always and essentially a proclamation of Divine sovereignty in mercy and judgment, a summons to bow down and worship the mighty Lord on whom man depends for all good, both in nature and in grace. Its centre of reference was unambiguously God. But in the new gospel the centre of reference is man. This is just to say that the old gospel was religious in a way that the new gospel is not. Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach men to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and His ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed.

From this change of interest has sprung a change of content, for the new gospel has in effect reformulated the biblical message in the supposed interests of helpfulness. Accordingly, the themes of man's natural inability to believe, of God's free election being the ultimate cause of salvation, and of Christ dying specifically for His sheep, are not preached. These doctrines, it would be said, are not helpful; they would drive sinners to despair, by suggesting to them that it is not in their own power to be saved through Christ. (The possibility that such despair might be salutary is not considered; it is taken for granted that it cannot be, because it is so shattering to our self-esteem.) However this may be (and we shall say more about it later), the result of these omissions is that part of the biblical gospel is now preached as if it were the whole of that gospel; and a half-truth masquerading as the whole truth becomes a complete untruth. Thus, we appeal to men as if they all had the ability to receive Christ at any time; we speak of His redeeming work as if He had done no more by dying than make it possible for us to save ourselves by believing; we speak of God's love as if it were no more than a general willingness to receive any who will turn and trust; and we depict the Father and the Son, not as sovereignly active in drawing sinners to themselves, but as waiting in quiet impotence at the door of our hearts for us to let them in. It is undeniable that this is how we preach; perhaps this is what we really believe. But it needs to be said with emphasis that this set of twisted half-truths is something other than the biblical gospel. The Bible is against us when we preach in this way; and the fact that such preaching has become almost standard practice among us only shows how urgent it is that we should review this matter. To recover the old, authentic, biblical gospel, and to bring our preaching and practice back into line with it, is perhaps our most pressing present need." —J. I. Packer

Excerpt taken from the introduction of "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ" by John Owen

Are We the Master's Masterpiece?

2009-03-19T13:51:00.015-07:00

I've been thinking recently about how those of us who are truly followers of Christ are called the Body of Christ and what that means for us today. Each and every one of us has a part to play in the spreading of the Gospel and sharing of God's glory by being the hands and feet of Christ. Whether we are going or sending, we each support one another by the gifts God has given each one of us (Ephesians 4:11-16).

I wonder if it might be similar to a musical masterpiece? Each person playing their part, their assigned role. Perhaps even unbeknownst to each other. They simply keep their eyes on the conductor, following the written instructions laid out before them. If just one instrument is missing, out of step, or playing another tune the finished work will not be as the master intended and thus incomplete or impossible to listen too. However, if each person were to play their role by serving one another with the instrument they were gifted to play and in the way that they have been instructed to do so, how sweet a sound that would be. The Master would crack a smile and the world would stand in awe of the glorious work He had accomplished with such individuals as us. Alone we may not be much, but together in Christ we are great. We are great simply because He is seen in truth as Glorious and brings all things together for His purposes, both good and bad. We must simply reflect His Glory to the world that watches and listens as we fade into the background and join in the praise of Him who made it all possible.

I saw a couple amazing videos today. The following inspired me to write these thoughts...I love music so I can see this parable of the Body of Christ clearly in this video. I hope the simplicty of this truth is also conveyed to you as you experience this fun musical video.

This video is incredible. A guy combed through thousands of YouTube music clips and combined a bunch together to create an incredible song.

If that wasn't enough, here is another for you to feast your eyes and ears upon!

What gift or gifts do you have that the Body of Christ is missing out on? Even those who would argue they have similar gifts, and thus theirs is not needed, probably express them differently just as one guitar player does from another or one drummer from the next. If you are in the family of God you are wanted and needed. It's time to stand up and be counted. Play for the world to hear and see that Your King and Father may be Glorified.

Pay It Forward -->

2009-03-14T12:05:00.008-07:00

There are many simple things we each run across every day that can easily be passed on to another. Sometimes it's a simple word, other times perhaps a deed or good we pass along. We can all make a difference if we would just take a risk every now and then, putting these things out there or in action. Simply applying these truths to our lives and sharing the wealth we have with others can make a profound impact in this world! The crazy thing is, we probably won't even know the true impact God allowed us to be a small part in creating until the other side of eternity.

I plan on sharing such things with you as I continue my humble blog. Occasionally taking a risk and sharing thoughts, ideas, or actions that I believe to carry some weight. Mostly, this blog serves the purpose of helping me sort through thoughts and ideas. I share them here for two reasons. First, perhaps it will help you too in some way. Whether it be a challenge or an encouragement. Secondly, you may have an insight that would help me on my journey to discover more truth. That, my friends, is invaluable. It is within the context of community where we truly discover some of the deepest truths about ourselves and our Creator. I look forward to the journey ahead...and the friends I will meet along the way.

I ran across this simple yet interesting idea earlier today. I thought I would post it here...let the fun begin!

The first five people to respond to/comment on this post will get something made by me. I purposely didn't make anyone aware of this so you would have to find this yourself. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
What I create will be just for you.
It'll be done this year (2009).
You have no clue what it's going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something over the internet. It may be a photograph. It may be a haiku. I might bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure! [me neither]
I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

Here's the fine print: In return, all you need to do is post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for 5 others (One item per person). Spread the love, pay it forward!

Quotable Quotes #0003 - John R. W. Stott

2009-02-26T23:23:00.003-07:00

“Repentance is a definite turn from every thought, word, deed, and habit which is known to be wrong. It is not sufficient to feel pangs of remorse or to make some kind of apology to God. Fundamentally, repentance is a matter neither of emotion nor of speech. It is an inward change of mind and attitude towards sin which leads to change of behavior.”

John R.W. Stott

Quotable Quotes #0002 - C.S. Lewis

2009-02-26T23:18:00.008-07:00

“Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness. It therefore has nothing (as far as I know) to say to people who do not know they have done anything to repent of and who do not feel that they need any forgiveness. It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk. When you know you are sick, you will listen to the doctor. When you have realized that your position is nearly desperate, you will begin to understand what the Christians are talking about.”

C.S. Lewis

“Framing the Sermon” by Mark Driscoll

2009-02-26T23:05:00.004-07:00

I haven't had the opportunity to preach a message in quite some time...we're talking years. Unless you count the opportunities in a small group setting or one-on-one's. If you asked some of them they might say that I can occasionally get carried away...

All joking aside though I think it takes great skill and I have been extremely humbled over the past 5 years as I have really continued down the path of growing in my faith and in Christ. A lot of that is simply due to the company I have found myself in. I have been very fortunate to meet some very wise and very talented men that I am privileged to call friends. I've also been overwhelmed with numerous Pastors that I listen to from across the country that God has truly blessed to open God's Word and teach in powerful ways.

I find my self asking the question "Who am I?" a lot lately, both to myself and to my Father in Heaven. I'm sure I'll be blogging about that that soon enough. It's such a powerful question to ask...

I say all of that simply to say that I ran across an interesting way of forming a message by Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle. I thought it was worth spending some time unpacking and sharing here...

Feel free to share you thoughts, enjoy.

“Framing the Sermon” by Mark Driscoll
1. What does Scripture say? - The Biblical Question
2. What does the Scripture Mean? - The Theological Question
3. What is my Hook? - The Memorable Question
4. Why do people resist this truth? - The Apologetic Question
5. Why does this matter? - The Missional Question
6. How is Jesus the Hero/Savior? - The Christological Question

Quotable Quotes #0001

2009-02-23T17:09:00.006-07:00

I often find myself running across amazing quotes written or spoken. Occasionally they may be simply ones that make me pause for a moment to think about what I just experienced. I don't always agree with them but they make me think.

It's never occured to me to put these here where I can share the wealth not to mention catalog them for future reference and enjoyment.

Today marks the beginning of a new feature on my humble blog. Quotable Quotes. Enjoy them, and please feel free to add your two cents worth.

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can
satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another
world.”
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (London: Collins, 1958), p. 118.

My Journey So Far #001

2008-11-11T16:55:00.008-07:00

The last 11 days have been quite a journey. I was a witness to the very beginning of all beginnings. I have wept and laughed, I have questioned and sighed. In my mind's eye I have seen a thousand years and countless actions and decisions made by man that have me scratching my head.

Why would a God like ours put up with us for so long?

If it were not for grace, that amazing gift, I'm certain we would not be. I am astonished as I sit under this undeserved grace from above. My words cannot find their place on the page to describe this indescribable love. Each of us deserving of the tortures of Hell, the separation from the completeness of love. Yet we have hope. Our hope is found in the very God who opposes our proud hearts and who is the embodiment of Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. It's this love, this act of complete sacrifice, that draws and keeps those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear. Even then it is God who provides the eyes and the ears. What amazing love!

My journey still has before me 49 days of immersion in HisStory. When taking deep and full breaths of Scripture in at one sitting I am refreshed in ways I have never been before. There is a peace that surrounds me, an assurance. I was not sure what to expect as I planned to venture out 12 days ago. I have been met by that sweet Spirit from Heaven, and every day I find myself carried away and falling deeper in love with my Savior and my King!

I have a few pages of notes to lead me back to trails I wish to travel this coming year. For now I will continue to add to this map as I survey the land. Oh what journeys lie ahead? I can't wait to discover them as my Father takes my hand and carries me over the mountains and through the valleys.

See how this started by going here --> The 60 Day Bible Reading Challenge!

Every Vote Counts!

2008-11-03T19:40:00.004-07:00

In the 2000 presidential election a mere 537 people with their votes decided the outcome and future of our nation. During the years following that election two lifetime appointed judges have been appointed to the Supreme Court and national wars and conflicts have been navigated and decided by our current president. Not to mention the many other countless decisions that were handled which we are all dealing with today. Some of these debts we are paying even go back to the prior administration and decisions made 10+ years ago. Who you vote for and how you vote matters...but only if you do.

Will you vote? Our future as a nation depends on it!

Let your voice be heard!

The 60 Day Bible Reading Challenge!

2008-10-31T11:35:00.007-07:00

Over the past couple of weeks I've been examining my life and spiritual walk. One of the things I have noticed is that although I pray consistently (1Thessalonians 5:17) and have God's Word in me (Colossians 3:16) I could use more of both. More uninterrupted time in solitude with the Word and prayer aligning myself more closely to my Fathers desires. Time to not just take what I want, but to receive what I need.

Who is up for a challenge to finish out the year of 2008?

While looking through some of the Bible plans I have on my hard drive and searching for some alternatives online I ran across a post from a couple years ago. There was this guy giving the challenge to complete the entire Bible in 31 days during the month of January. Interesting idea...but what would it take to accomplish? I figured it out and it was roughly two and a half hours a day of reading.

I like to read, I really do, but that would limit all my reading time to just reading the Bible. Not a bad idea. I just want to keep it realistic and I do want to go straight through God's Word at least once. I have typically bounced around. Another part of my motivation for doing this is that I'd actually like to start one of two plans at the beginning of the year. One by M'Cheyne that takes you through the Old Testament once and the Psalms and New Testament twice each year. It also has you reading in four different places each day so you don't get bogged down in places like Leviticus and Numbers. Or the other plan which is a more meditative approach starting in the New Testament focusing more on life transformation, one book at a time, than accomplishing another run through the Bible in a year. Either way I'd like to have read everything cover to cover before diving into either of these specific plans.

In order to prepare for this and see just what it would take to accomplish, I took the number of pages from both the Old and New Testaments in my ESV Personal Reference Bible, and the time required from my Max McLean ESV audio Bible to estimate what it would take to accomplish this in 60 days (November - December). You can modify these numbers for your favorite Bible translation.

NT 18 hours (1,080 minutes)– To complete ESV 296 pages
OT 57 hours (3,420 minutes) – To complete ESV 1057 pages
November has 30 days
December has 31 days

Read Through the Entire Bible in 60 days! With a day to celebrate before 2009

Read 17.5 minutes or 5 pages of the New Testament per day
Read 62.5 minutes or 17.5 pages of the Old Testament per day
So, by spending only 1 hour and 20 minutes per day, 22.5 pages, you can read through the entire ESV Personal Reference Bible in 60 Days.
Just over 1 hour a day!

So what do you think? Are you up for the challenge?

You can do the Old Testament, New Testament, or both
I challenge you to do something.
Leave a comment on this post to make it public.

To get started, here is the Bible Reading Chart that was originally made to help track your progress. It’s nothing fancy, but a way to keep track of your reading. All I need to do is read 22.5 pages per day. What about you?

Christians and Halloween

2008-10-30T10:29:00.007-07:00

The following excerpt was taken from “Christians and Halloween” by Travis Allen Internet Ministry Manager Grace to You

Halloween. It’s a time of year when the air gets crisper, the day gets shorter, and for many young Americans the excitement grows in anticipation of the darkets, spookiest holiday of the year. Retailers rejoice too as they warm up their cash registers to receive an average of $41.77 per household in decorations, costumes, candy, and greeting cards. Halloween will bring in approximately 3.3 billion dollars this year.

It’s a good bet retailers won’t entertain high expectations of getting $41.77 per household from the Christian market. Many Christians refuse to participate in Halloween. Some are wary of its pagan origins; others of its dark, ghoulish imagery; still others are concerned for the safety of their children. But other Christians choose to partake of the festivities, whether participating in school activities, neighborhood trick-or-treating, or a Halloween alternative at their church.

The question is, How should Christians respond to Halloween? Is it irresponsible for parents to let their children trick-or-treat? What about Christians who refuse any kind of celebration during the season–are they overreacting?

Continue reading CHRISTIANS AND HALLOWEEN

Why We Must Guard The Gospel

2008-10-27T22:02:00.008-07:00

I'm currently in the middle of trying to wrestle a curriculum I'm working on to the ground and finalize it. What makes this feat so difficult is the subject matter and the limited space in which I have been given to completely convey all that must be.

I'm writing about the Gospel.

I ran across what follows below on the Against Heresies Blog , however it will not make it into this curriculum simply because of the intended audience and direction it has taken me. I post it here for your consideration and to plead with all who would proclaim the Gospel to leave it as God intended it to be.

When Paul describes false teaching in 1 & 2 Timothy he is not working with the literary style that is suitable for a textbook or encyclopedia entry. Paul's language wouldn't go down well with the false teachers, but it is very appropriate to the reality of what he is dealing with.

What is false teaching? In 1 Timothy 6:20 it is "irreverent babble" (ESV), "godless chatter" (NIV), it is falsely called knowledge.

What happens when false teaching like this spreads? It destroys faith, it is the spiritual equivalent of gangrene (2 Tim. 2:16). The "good deposit" must be guarded, and the pattern of sound teaching must be kept (2 Timothy 1:13-14). And so what appears to be a fairly restrictive and somewhat negative approach to ministry is seen against serious and severe background.

These are not small matters. Unoriginality in this regard is to be prized, for the true teacher will not seek to modify or adapt the content of the message to suit his age or audience. Rather he will see that guarding and keeping are significant aspects of authentic orthopraxy. This is what God requires of gospel ministers.

The real impact of this is not measured by the influence of the church in the present age, but in the eternal destiny of those who listen to false and true gospels. Yet even here Timothy is to take heart that in the midst of a confused church scene, there is no confusion on the Lord knowing his people (2 Tim. 2:19.)

Whose is it really...Is it mine?

2008-10-27T12:50:00.002-07:00

We are currently going through a series titled For Love or Money (this is the 1st week). This weekends message was on the whole idea of ownership vs. stewardship. The point was made very well by Cal that it's all God's and that He can do with it as He pleases.

How faithful are we being with the gifts God has given us? Where did we get the idea that any of the things we "own" are actually ours to keep from God?

As I was sitting listening to Cal speak I was reminded of a video I saw just a few months earlier that I think captures the idea very well in under three minutes. Check it out!

I'm Not Voting For A Man -The Issue That Guided My Vote

2008-10-27T06:00:00.002-07:00

With this coming presidential election just around the corner I feel the need to express some thoughts.

If I am being completely honest with you about how I vote, this year was a very easy decision. Are there a lot of issues to be considered? Most definitely. But as I do each time I prepare to vote in elections such as this I first look at one issue. The right to life. Abortion in my mind is nothing more than legalized murder, or some other violent crime against the innocent. I cannot, and choose not to, have their blood on my hands (Isaiah 1:15-16).

Unfortunately much of the truth about this issue and what it all really means has been hidden from the public and many simply do not know what they are doing when they have this procedure done. Many have been taken captive by smooth talk and the philosophy of our day (Colossians 2:8). I believe that if people really understood the issue of abortion they would not be persuaded by the lies and deception we hear, in fact, I believe there would be an outcry for there to be an immediate end to the violence. To educate yourselves and others there is an amazing site that covers every issue imaginable concerning abortion. I encourage you to check out Abort73.com at least one time and keep it in mind should you ever have questions or know someone who does. It's a wealth of information and resources. The testamony page alone might bring you to tears and a new awareness to just how much pain both physical and emotional is involved when abortion is the direction a woman chooses.

When does life begin? That is the question we all must answer. The answer to that question should dictate our actions concerning this topic and I believe would if the facts were not consistantly hidden from the pubic. This is a battle we must fight for those who are unable to fight it. Here's a quick video to shed just a little bit of light on this question of when life begins. (if you can't veiw it here simply follow this link The Case Against Abortion: Medical Testamony.)

We must set our eyes on God's Word and see the world and our decisions through His eyes...

Here's some Scripture to orient us, because without it we are always confused. Please don't skim over it. Forget the words of men, forget the media coverage of the presidential race. Just think about these words of Almighty God:

If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech…I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him… (Leviticus 20:1-5)

Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. (Deuteronomy 19:10)

He sent them to destroy Judah…Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive. (2 Kings 24:2-4)

There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood… (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. (Ezekiel 35:6)

Randy Alcorn has a great post on this issue that is worth the read if you have a few minutes. His heart has been wrapped around this issue for many years and has some great insight to offer.

On Tuesday November 4, don't think you are merely expressing a preference between two men, choosing who you like, who you'd enjoy hanging out with. You're not voting for a friend, a dinner companion, a dance partner, someone to sit next to at a ball game or to be seen with at a party. Don't allow yourself to vote as if this were American Idol. In the arena of an unborn child's right to live, these candidates stand for things far bigger than themselves. And when it comes to the right to life of coming generations of unborn children, they stand for two polar opposites.

If you claim you're pro-life in its historic sense (which concerns unborn children), please don't violate the sacred meaning of that term by voting for the legalized killing of unborn children. Instead, vote for their right to live. If it helps, substitute the pictures of the men with those of babies, then vote for the baby's right to live.

If none of this makes sense to you, please reread the Scriptures in this blog. Then ask God what makes sense to Him."Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9)"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25:40)

Ballot Box Blues

2008-10-26T16:03:00.007-07:00

A story with a wonderful point...how do you and how should you vote?

Ballot Box Blues by J. Budziszewski
Don and Theresa had asked me for critique of their term papers from the previous semester. We were almost finished talking, or so I thought. "Does that help?" I asked."Yes, a lot,"said Theresa. She glanced at Don. "What do you think? Should we ask him?"
Don said, "Go for it." I gave them an interrogative glance. Theresa asked, Professor T, we have a different kind of question. Do you mind taking off your professor hat and putting on your older-Christian-mentor hat?""I don't mind," I said, "but are any other students waiting for me?"
Don glanced into the hallway. "Nope." "Then go ahead. What's on your minds?"
"Elections are coming up," Theresa said. "So I've noticed." "Some of the choices are easy," she said, "but some are really hard." "You know I can't —" Don finished my sentence for me. "— tell us who to vote for. Of course not. We wouldn't ask you to. But maybe you can help us think through a dilemma."
"Maybe. What's the dilemma?"
"Well," said Don, "none of the candidates are perfect."
I grinned. "Has there ever been a perfect candidate?"
"So what do we do?" he asked.
"If you can't find a perfect candidate, vote for the least imperfect."
Theresa broke in. "Don't you mean the least evil?"
"It could come to that."
"But Professor Theophilus," she said, "you've always taught that it's wrong to do evil that good might result."
"I have. It's wrong to will evil either as an end, or as a means to an end."
"Then I'm confused."
"Which issues are confusing you?"
"They all involve abortion."
"But that's not confusing, is it? Abortion is intrinsically evil."
"We know that," said Theresa. "No Christian can ever support the deliberate taking of innocent human life."She glanced at Don,who grinned and said "Reesi and I first met each other in a pro-life group." "The hard part is when other issues get mixed in," Theresa said.
"I'm not sure I follow you."
"Take my home state, Prof," said Don. "I'll be casting an absentee ballot. Two candidates are competing for a seat in the U.S. Senate. One of them supports abortion, and I know I can never support that. But here's the hard part: Although the other guy opposes abortion, he holds positions on certain issues that I also consider seriously wrong. So no matter which candidate I vote for, I'm voting for something evil."
"Now I understand," I said, "but you're overlooking an important distinction," I
said.
"What kind of distinctions?" asked Theresa.
"Let's say that candidate X and candidate Y both hold certain immoral positions, but candidate X is worse. If you vote for candidate Y because of his immoral positions, then you're intentionally cooperating with evil. That's called 'formal' cooperation. Formal cooperation is always wrong. Are you with me so far?"
"Yes," said Theresa. "What you've just said seems pretty obvious."
I went on, "But suppose you vote for candidate Y for a different reason. You don't do it to enable him to do bad things, but to prevent candidate X from taking office and doing even worse things. In that case you're not formally cooperating with
evil."
"But you're sort of cooperating," said Don.
"It's true that the effect of your action is to make it more likely for candidate Y to take office, where he can do wrong," I said. "That's called 'material' cooperation. But in material cooperation, enabling him to do wrong isn't your intention. Your
intention is to keep the candidate X from taking office where he can commit even graver wrong."
"I don't see why material cooperation isn't wrong too," said Don.
"Try an easier example. Suppose you're a teller in a bank. A robber grabs a customer, holds a gun to the customer's head, and says 'Unless you give me all the money in your drawer, I'll blow his brains out.' What should you do?"
"Give him all the money in my drawer," said Theresa.
"Don?"
"I agree."
"So do I," I said, "but think about it. That's material cooperation too, isn't it? Giving the thief the cash has the effect of enabling him to commit theft, but that's not your intention. You're not trying to help him do wrong, either as a goal or as a means to some other goal. Your intention is merely to keep him from committing the even graver wrong of murder."
"I get it," said Theresa. "You don't share in the guilt of stealing by giving him the
money, because you're not trying to help him steal. And you ought to give it to him, because otherwise something even worse would happen."
"Right," I said, "and it's just like that when you vote for candidate Y. You don't share in the guilt of the wrong things he wants to do when you vote for him —"
Don took the cue. "Because you're not trying to help him to do them."
"And you ought to vote for him —"
"Because if the other guy wins, he'd try to do something worse."
"Right," I said.
Theresa was still troubled. "I understand, but doesn't that force me to decide what counts as 'something worse'?"
"It does," I agreed. "But that may not be as difficult as you think. Don, didn't you say that in your home state candidate X supports abortion?"
"Yes."
"So it would be wrong to vote for him unless candidate Y supported something even worse than abortion, and you voted for candidate X just to stop him."
"I see that."
"So is that the case? In your home state, does candidate Y support something even worse than abortion?"
"No, he doesn't support anything that bad," said Don. "My quarrel with him was about welfare policies. I guess the choice in my home state election isn't as tough as I thought it was. Thanks."
He made as if to get up, but Theresa wasn't finished.
"But something might be worse than abortion," said Theresa, "couldn't it?"
"Like what?" I asked.
Theresa thought for a moment. "Like an unjust war? There's a war going on right now."
"Do you think the war is unjust?" I asked.
"I don't think it's unjust, but some of our friends do. Besides, some wars really
are unjust."
I nodded. "Through history, I'd say most wars have been unjust."
"Do you think this one is?"
"No," I said. "I think it's just."
"Just for purposes of argument," she persisted, "suppose candidate X supported abortion, and candidate Y opposed abortion but supported a war that was unjust. Like some of our friends think this one is."
"Okay," I said, "I'm supposing."
"Don't unjust wars also deliberately take innocent human life?"
"They do."
"So an unjust war would be a sanctity-of-life issue too, wouldn't it?" she asked. "Just like abortion."
"It would," I said, "and an unjust war certainly could be even worse than abortion. But let's think a little further. To be even worse than abortion, just how bad would the unjust war have to be?"
"Well," said Don, "since the main evil is the same in both cases — the slaughter of innocents — I guess there would have to be even an even greater rate of slaughter in the unjust war than there is through legalized abortion."
"Right," I said. "Do you happen to know how many innocent lives are lost each year through legalized abortion?"
"A lot."
"Do you know exactly?"
Don looked inquiringly at Theresa. "You remember things like that, Reesi. Do you know?"
"Just through surgical abortions? We're running at about 1.2 million a year," she said. "More than 44 million babies have been killed since abortion was legalized."
"A third of your generation," I said.
She nodded grimly.
"So to be worse than abortion," I asked, "wouldn't an unjust war have to kill even more than 1.2 million innocent people each year?"
"Hey, that's right," said Don.
"What's the death rate in the present war?"
"Not even close," he said. "Thanks! That'll help you talk with your friends, won't
it, Reesi?"
Theresa sat pensively and didn't answer him directly. "Professor Theophilus," she said, "these differences we've been talking about — now that you've pointed them out, they're so obvious."
"They are, aren't they? What's the problem?"
"Why didn't we think of them ourselves?"
Don nodded. "I was wondering that myself."
She looked troubled. "Do you think — do you think we overlooked them because we don't see abortion going on?"
"But we don't see war going on either," Don said. "Do we?"
"With war there are images," she answered. "The announcers get in front of the cameras and boom, 'Another two soldiers slain by terrorists today. Pictures at six.' Seeing things like that pulls at your emotions even if you think the war is just."
"I see what you mean," said Don. "The talking heads never say 'Another three thousand babies slain by abortionists today. Pictures at six.' Not seeing the pictures has got to influence your emotions even if you're pro-life."
Theresa said, "Yes! It makes all those babies being murdered for a selfish cause seem less real than the soldiers giving their lives for a just cause. It's not right. We shouldn't let our feelings be manipulated like that."
I broke in gently. "Do you remember how the letter to the Hebrews defines faith?"
They looked at each other. Theresa quoted hesitantly, "'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for' — um — 'the conviction of things not seen.'"
"What's that got to do with what we've been talking about?" Don asked. "'Things not seen' — that just means things like God in heaven, right?"
Theresa said, "Don, I think it includes every invisible thing that God teaches us to cherish. "His face changed. "You mean — like the child in the womb."
She nodded. "So maybe we just need more faith."

I'm Not Voting For a Man - Randy's Thoughts

2008-10-26T15:07:00.006-07:00

This is simply a excerpt from a blog I recently read by Randy Alcorn. I encourage you to read the entire article if this grabs your attention.

Yes, I realize Obama is cool. As I said two blogs ago, I really wanted to vote for him, so I could be cool too. John McCain is not so cool. And he's a Republican at a time where being a Republican definitely isn't cool. The question isn't whether I'd rather have dinner or play golf with Obama or McCain. (I'd choose Obama.) The question isn't whether I'd like the Republican Party to change. (I would.) I'm not voting for the Republican Party. In one sense I'm not voting mainly for John McCain. I am voting for McCain because it's my only way in this election to vote for the right of unborn children to live rather than die.

Now, if you think that's an overstatement, that the difference between the candidates isn't that great, or they will not influence the future of abortion in this country, I challenge you to look at Obama's dogged commitment to the legalized killing of unborn children, backed up by his 100% proabortion voting record. And look at McCain's repeatedly stated commitment, also demonstrated by his voting record, to oppose the legalized killing of children. If you think your presidential vote is not for or against unborn children, you don't understand the significance of the Freedom of Choice Act or the significance of the balance of power of the Supreme Court with the Obama judges who are certain to be pro-legal-abortion and the McCain judges who are virtually certain to be anti-legal-abortion.

My conversations with fellow Christians who are prolife but are voting for Obama have common themes these days. They always emphasize "Obama is prochoice,
not proabortion." To which I respond, "actually he is pro-legalized-abortion." This is emphatically true, based on his own words and 100% consistent voting record. It shouldn't be considered a matter for debate. What politician in the country is more strongly committed to legalized abortion than Obama is? Every radical proabortion group knows this, and everyone of them have been working tirelessly to get him elected.

Believing what I do that the unborn are human beings in the fullest sense, to be pro-legalized-abortion is exactly equivalent to being pro-legalized-killing-of-three-year-olds. Or pro-legalized-killing-of-teenagers. Or pro-legalized-killing-of-women. Or pro-legalized-killing-of-Jews. What would you think if a politician said "I'm not pro-rape, I'm simply prochoice about rape. And though I would not choose to rape a woman, I believe that every man should be free to rape a woman if that is his personal choice." And what would you do if that politician promised the rape lobby that if he is elected president, the "first thing I would do" is to sign legislation that
would invalidate all the state laws that restrict rape in any way?

Well, I think I would say that man is pro-rape, wouldn't you? But technically, no, he is simply prochoice about rape. Well, okay. Be prochoice about whether someone should eat Mexican food or Chinese food, or cheer for the Phillies or the Rays. But don't be prochoice about whether men rape women or kill children. Because that is to be pro-rape and pro-killing. Now, no doubt Obama supporters will think this is an outrageous analogy. And those who don't believe unborn children are really human beings would understandably feel that way. (Though, both scientifically and biblically, they are absolutely wrong.) But what about all the people who keep insisting they are prolife, that they really DO believe the unborn children are precious human beings created in God's image? If that's what you really believe, then you must accept the analogy as valid. (On what basis is it invalid unless it's because the unborn aren't really human and therefore don't have human rights?)

Is rape, despicable as it is, really worse than overpowering and tearing apart an innocent child in his mother's womb? If you are REALLY prolife, not just if you say the words "I am prolife, but there are many other issues," but I mean if you REALLY believe these are children, then the analogy to rape, kidnapping, or killing teenagers or women or Jews or African Americans is perfectly legitimate. How could it not be? Don't skim over this—seriously, I want to hear your answer.

So, feel free to go against the clear evidence about who the unborn really are. Then just admit that you are not prolife. Sure, it's irrational, but at least it's a good explanation of why you would support the strongest pro-legal-abortion candidate for the presidency in the history of our nation.

But PLEASE don't just mindlessly say "I'm pro-life" then contradict that statement by saying you are supporting a candidate for president who is utterly committed to not only maintain legalized abortion through policy and appointment of judges, but who also HAS PROMISED (through the Freedom of Choice Act) to try to reverse all pro-life state legislation passed by vote of U. S. citizens in the last thirty years.

I've heard other prolife people say "I don't like either candidate, so I'm not voting at all." Well, ask yourself who you're willing to punish by not voting. If it's political parties who will pay, fine, I really don't care about them. Sure, it would be better not to vote than to vote against God's children's right to live. But if instead of abstaining you have a chance to vote for God's children's right to live, why would you not do that? (Don't vote for the man, vote for generations of children who will have a chance to live if he's elected, even if he's just a mediocre president in other areas.)

Measuring The Right Things

2008-10-23T16:58:00.004-07:00

I was trying to think up an analogy the other day for the church. I was wondering what sort of metaphor could capture how much we miss the point in our faith. If the essence of the gospel is trusting in Christ and his love while being transformed in to his likeness how did we get to the place we are now. If the church is a body held together in sincere love, empowered by the Spirit working through every member why are things the way they are?

If the church were a business we would measure our profit and if we weren’t making enough we would change. If we were a hospital we would measure how many of the sick and injured become healthier. If we were a vocational training institute we would measure how many people get jobs and keep them in their area of training.

Now imagine a school that measured how much people enjoyed the classes, how great the day care was, how inspiring the teacher was, the levels of enrolment and the amount of funding they had but only passively cared about the success of their graduates in the workplace. That my friends describes most of the church in North America today.

We need to change what we measure and how we measure our success.

Do people have a proper understanding of the gospel?

Do they love the people that can offer them nothing in return?

Are people willing to sacrifice for others?

Are people becoming more like Christ in their values and behavior?

Do they have life and freedom?

If we considered these things, we would realize the state we are in and we would change. As long as we measure things based on our own personal satisfaction or by the markers of organizational success we will miss the point.

God Incarnate, Man Divine

2008-10-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

Christ has come from the eternal heart of his Father to a region of sorrow and death;

that God should be manifested in the flesh, the Creator made a creature;

that he that was clothed with glory should be wrapped with rags of flesh;

he that filled heaven and earth with his glory should be cradled in a manger;

that the God of the law should be subject to the law;

the God of circumcision circumcised;

the God that made the heavens working as a carpenter for Joseph;

that he that binds the devils in chains should be tempted;

that he, who owns the world and everything in it should hunger and thirst;

that the God of strength should be weary;

the Judge of all flesh should be condemned;

the God of life put to death;

that he that is one with the Father should cry out of misery, 'My God, My God why have you forsaken me?';

that he that had the keys of death and hell should lie in another man's tomb;

that his head, before whom the angels cast their crowns, should be crowned with thorns;

that his eyes, purer than the sun, should be shut by the darkness of death;

those ears, which heard nothing but the hallelujahs of angels and saints, should hear the blasphemies of the crowd;

that mouth and tongue, that spoke as never any man spoke, should be accused of blasphemy;

those hands, that held the sceptre of heaven itself, should be nailed to the cross for human sin;

his every sense irritated,with the spear and the nails,the smell of death,the taste of vinegar and gall,the sound of curses,the sight of his mother and disciples mourning for him;

the soul was without comfort and forsaken...

Thomas Brooks

Why Marriage Matters

2008-10-20T16:50:00.003-07:00

Opening Thought

Why is defending and standing up for marriage such an important topic that we would take a whole weekend to discuss it and even promote a specific proposition on the ballot? Quite simply, marriage is under attack, and the implications are much larger than may be readily recognizable at first glance. The very secular humanism that we swim in every day has played a part in urging us, and even in some cases, making us tolerant about issues about which God is simply not tolerant. Marriage is one of these issues, and there is no better time than the present to look a little closer at what’s really at stake and align ourselves with the will of God.

Just looking at the political signs that are against the measure to protect marriage should raise questions and flags in our conscience to consider. We are being asked to “Trust the people.” To trust sinful people over the direct will of God as shown to us in His Word is always a recipe for disaster. Marriage, though being clearly defined in Scripture as between one man and one woman in both the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 1:27, 2:20-24; and Matthew 19:3-6), is also much more than this. It’s a living, breathing parable that must be protected.

Time and time again throughout Scripture, God refers to His people as His Bride. We who follow Christ are His Bride, and He is our Husband. When we have a proper understanding of the marriage relationship, these verses and passages come to life and have deep, meaningful, and impactful results. If we defame the institutions which God has put in place since the very beginning of time to help us understand our relationships to Him, and His to us, what hope is there of the world ever “getting it” and completely understanding it?

Marriage between a man and a woman has many implications. Without these two separate sexes coming together, we cannot have families, and therefore, children. The pieces were made to go together. There is a Master Designer, and he knew what He was doing. Each child has the need for both a female mother and a male father. There are differences between a male and a female that the opposite sex cannot make up for, especially when trying to raise a child. The world will tell you differently, but God has created both male and female to complement one another, and eventually, become one (Genesis 2:24). As families, we have the responsibility of raising our children to obey all that God has commanded. It’s His law that we teach our children to obey, and this is done as a family, of one man, one woman, and the children who result from that union (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

We aren’t just fighting for marriage when this proposition is placed before us. We are fighting for the future of our children and our children’s children. If anyone can get married, marriage no longer means anything. We strip it of its parable attributes, and it no longer carries the same weight or meaning. Us “knowing” Christ produces fruit just as a husband or wife “knowing” their spouse produces the fruit of children. The applications of this parable of marriage are many. Will you help keep it pure and let your voice be heard?

“The church is most powerful when it
looks nothing like the world”
G. Campbell Morgan

Memory Verse
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
Matthew 19:4-6

Small Group Discussion Starters

Have you ever considered marriage as a living parable? What are your thoughts about this?

Discuss how this (living parable of marriage) is a reality for you and your walk with Christ or how it relates to your family.

Take some time to look up the words bride and bridegroom in your concordance. Share what you find as a group, and discuss the thoughts that follow in your discussion.

Pray for one another concerning this truth of Scripture, and while meditating on the scriptures found in this study, ask God to reveal how you might draw closer to Him in the coming weeks.

Is there anything you would like to share that has been placed on your heart from this message or study?

Carried Away - Unashamed

2008-10-05T16:42:00.002-07:00

Opening Thought

If I’m honest as I look across the history of my relationship with Christ, I can clearly see times where I was ashamed of the name of Jesus. It’s not that I didn’t speak about Him or associate with Him, it was more in the sense that I didn’t want others to think less of me because of my beliefs. I remember having a day at work where I was sharing my faith with a co-worker, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I would never use the name of Jesus, I would simply say God. Now you may be thinking to yourself that there’s nothing wrong with that, and I would whole-heartedly agree, it’s still truth. But what was at the core of that? What God was gently showing me is that I was afraid of speaking His name. I was convicted in the middle of my conversation to specifically use the name of Jesus.

For most people, simply speaking or hearing someone talk about God is not offensive. There are numerous beliefs in our world today, and many believe in gods of different forms. It may not be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from the Bible that we are speaking of and serve, but it is a god to them. When we dare to speak boldly the name of our Savior, people can become less than OK with the conversation. Now we are claiming a specific deity, and a proverbial line is drawn in the sand. They can no longer ease their own conscience by placing their god in the place of Almighty God as we continue our conversation.

Needless to say, from that day forward I was acutely aware of the difference in people’s responses to my message of reconciliation with God. At the center of all time and humanity stands the cross and the person of Jesus. Without mentioning the name of Jesus, we miss the point of the Gospel. We miss the very person who is the Gospel. We must never be ashamed of such a glorious day in history and of the One who has made reconciliation possible.

“What in the Gospel is the best, highest, final good that makes the gospel “Good
News”?

Is it justification by faith? Is it the forgiveness of sins? Is it the removal of the wrath of God? Is it the liberation from the bondage of sin? Is it escape or rescue from Hell? Is it entrance into Heaven? Is it Eternal Life? Is it deliverance from pain, and sickness, and conflict?

That’s not the highest, best, final good that makes the Gospel good news. In fact, I would say if all of those glorious things that I just said don’t lead to something else, their not good news.

It is possible to believe all those things and never embrace that for which they are intended for you to embrace. All of those things are taking you somewhere. And if you don’t get there you’re not saved. Where are they taking us? Where is justification and forgiveness and redemption and propitiation and rescue from Hell and entrance to Heaven and eternal life and deliverance from pain and sickness and conflict, where are they all taking us?

The verses of 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 are clear. Basically what’s being said is that the light of the Gospel is the glory of Christ who is the image of God. The Gospel is simply Christ seen, savored, embraced, treasured, satisfying your soul, increasingly forever! That’s the heart of the Gospel! If that doesn’t happen through the death, through the justification, in eternal life, after Hell is escaped, you’re not saved!

Christ is the Gospel!

If we don’t get people there we don’t get them saved.”…John Piper….

Don’t be ashamed of Jesus—glorify Him every chance you have. In glorifying Him, you are elevating the very Gospel message that has saved you from the wrath of God and the depths of Hell. Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!

Memory Verse
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
Romans 1:16

Small Group Discussion Starters

Are you willing to stand out for Christ? How will you respond when you are treated like it?

What is the Gospel message? Is there anything to be ashamed about? Do you agree with Piper’s statement?

We may not feel bold right now, but what steps can we take to become more unashamed of Jesus?

Think of the last time you were truly unashamed of Jesus/God and acted like it. Has it ever happened? How can you act like that more?

Take some time to pray for one another concerning this truth of scripture, and while meditating on the scriptures found in this study, ask God to reveal how you might draw closer to Him in the coming weeks.

Is there anything you would like to share that has been placed on your heart from this message or study?

Carried Away - Destination Discontent

2008-09-28T16:39:00.001-07:00

Opening Thought (Before you begin, please read Luke 14:25-33.)

During one of the most moving and powerful services we have ever experienced at Central we witnessed 427 baptisms in one weekend. God was truly moving and people were responding. Even though we will be talking about this for many years to come we must ask ourselves is this enough? Was this the final step of complete submission to Christ’s authority or was it merely the first of a long journey yet to be revealed? I believe if we look to scripture we will find our answers. Luke 9:23-25 mentions that this is a daily practice we must live out. Everyday we take up our cross and follow Him.

I remember Austen Gutwein speaking to us about all the things God was doing through him. Here’s a 14 year old kid who a few years earlier, started making a difference helping orphans and those with AIDS, not just in his community, but around the world. He has made such an impact that CBS highlighted what he was doing in a 12 minute video aired during the NCAA final four. This is just one example of a holy discontent we have seen and heard about. One child, listening to the voice of God, was willing to take on all the obstacles, and find a way to make an impact in this world for Christ. His resources were limited but God’s were not. His expertise was limited; God’s was not. His dream, desire, discontent were mountains to be overcome, but God who made the mountains made the way possible. Austin had a burning passion that could not be quenched until something was done. He stepped forward in faith counting on God to meet him there, and God did.

Now imagine 427 people with a burning desire to follow Christ no matter the cost, no matter the distance. What could be accomplished if God’s people, who are each uniquely made with their own passions and desires, lived out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)? If each and every one of the 427 individuals are in the good soil Christ talks about in Mark 4:1-20, we are in store for some amazing things here at Central. Our community, church, and families will never be the same. When Christ takes over a person’s life as they surrender with repentance and complete trust they are never the same and they never lose sight of the One who saved them. The news is so glorious and wonderful that it cannot help but be shared. It’s the nature of the “Good News!” We pray that wherever you are on your journey that you will continue to seek after Him who saved you and will daily take up your cross, deny yourself, and follow Him. If you do this and listen to hear His voice, you will hear Him calling you to something bigger than yourself-something you can only do with Him as your strength and provider (Philippians 4:13).

Franciscan Prayer:
“May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and the exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, and starvation, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.”

Welcome to Destination Discontent

Memory Verse
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Heb 10:35-36 NIV

Small Group Discussion Starters

What is your cross to bear? What has allowed you to suffer?

What frustrates you? What “pain” or frustration do you have about this world? How do you naturally cope with it? What could happen if you embraced it instead of appeasing it?

What has God been preparing you for? What is God calling you to tackle?

Read Hebrews 10:19-39. Spend some time discussing this passage.

Take some time to pray for one another concerning this truth of scripture and while meditating on the scriptures found in this study ask God to reveal how you might draw closer to Him in the coming weeks.

Is there anything you would like to share that has been placed on your heart from this message or study?

Carried Away - Follow Me

2008-09-21T16:20:00.001-07:00

Opening Thought (Before you begin, please read Matthew 10:34-39, 16:24-28.)

It’s very common to hear one thing in our society while seeing something entirely different play out. As we gaze across the landscape of American Christianity it becomes evident that we all are not in the same place. Just a brief look over the recent polls show great discrepancies when it comes to calling ourselves a Christian nation. How can things like abortion and same sex marriages be making their way into our culture if we boast 69% of our population as being those who claim to “believe in God when described as the all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect creator of the universe who rules the world today (Barna 2007)?” Another survey showed that “One third of born again adults (33%) say that abortion is a morally acceptable behavior, compared with 45% of all adults, 4% of evangelicals, and 71% of atheists and agnostics. (Barna 2004)

It should be obvious that some who are claiming to be “born again” and even those who may claim to be evangelicals simply are not following Jesus as both Lord and Savior of their life. They have yet to get under the cross; they don’t yet fully understand what being alive in Christ is about (Colossians 2:6-15) and the consequences of not getting it (Matthew7:21-23).

As we look at this picture of humanity in the church we would like to be able to make sense of the discrepancies in what we see from what we hear. We can see that some are simply exploring. They haven’t made any commitments yet and they’re just trying to figure out if this is all true while counting the cost. Everyone who makes it over the cross has had to pay a price, big or small; it was something that had to be left behind. Some are growing in their faith, learning to trust in the one who paid it all, while others have seemed to take on an attitude of “I’m here, there’s nothing left to do.” They have placed themselves on autopilot and are just waiting for the time when they will be greeted in Heaven; they are just being. Then you have those who are a biblical picture of the saints who have gone before us. They are living scripture before us and are an inspiration; we like to label these the followers of Christ. So we wind up with these four categories we can easily place people in. Exploring, Growing, Being, and Following.

Now when we turn to scripture we won’t find Jesus ever speaking of these four categories but He does speak of four soils (Mark 4:1-20). Is it possible some of us are in the wrong soil? If we look there we see that only one of the four soils was good and actually lead to the life Christ speaks of. As Jesus lived His ministry day to day for three years we never really hear Him say anything about a middle ground. Jesus was very clear however on many occasions that you are either in or you are out, meaning Heaven or Hell (Matthew7:21-23).

Is it possible that many of us are just kidding ourselves? Are we really in the “following” category? It’s vital that we take a realistic look to determine where we are and then take the steps to get where or stay where we should be. In Revelation 3:15-20 Jesus is speaking to His Bride the Church. He’s speaking to people like you and me who come to church and worship. What is it He says? He says He will spit the lukewarm out of His mouth. Some translations will say vomit you out. These are people who claim to be “born again” Christians but something isn’t right. They are in the Church but aren’t following Christ. It’s time to get serious before it’s too late. We each need to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) to see if we are truly living out our faith, to see if Jesus is really in us.

Will you follow Him? He’s waiting.

Memory Verse
“Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:61-62

Small Group Discussion Starters

Have each person in your group read a different passage listed above silently then have them share their thoughts on how it relates to this message.

What is the most difficult thing about this message for you to wrestle with?

Read Mark 4:1-20. Spend some time discussing this passage.

Do you know individuals who claim to be born again yet are not following Christ? What can you do to help encourage them to make that commitment?

Take some time to pray for one another concerning this truth of scripture and while meditating on the scriptures found in this study ask God to reveal how you might draw closer to Him in the coming weeks.

Is there anything you would like to share that has been placed on your heart from this message or study?

Carried Away - Take Up Your Cross

2008-09-14T16:16:00.002-07:00

Opening Thought (Before you begin, please read Mark 8:33-38.)

For many just the thought of denying yourself has been pretty hard let alone actually applying it to your life. It’s never comfortable when we willingly deny ourselves the comforts we could so easily have for the sake of another, and yet if we want to call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ that is what we are called to do.

This week we focus on taking up our cross. This life is not getting any easier. In the culture and times of Jesus when someone took up a cross and walked through the town, village, or city you knew they were going out to die. It’s not like today where you have crosses of many shapes, sizes and colors hanging from our walls and necks as a feel good symbol. This was an instrument designed for the prolonged torture and killing of those found guilty of the worst crimes. It is in this context that Jesus has called us to take up our cross. Do you wonder what his disciples must have been thinking? What would you have thought hearing Jesus say this to you as you intently hung on every word He said?

The fact is Jesus said many difficult things and never apologized for any of them. He expects us to truly deny ourselves and take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23-26). We are supposed to die to ourselves every day for His glory as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Oh, and we are supposed to be filled with joy as we do this! (James1:2)

Many professing Christians today have no problem believing that Jesus loves them, died for them and is even there for them when they pray. But as soon as anything is required of them they want nothing to do with that “Christianity”. It’s too hard, and they will bring up verses like “Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light” to ease their conscience about their lack of sacrifice and commitment to all that Jesus has commanded us to obey. But they are missing the point of that passage (Matthew 11:28-30). His yoke is easy and his burden is light but it’s because He is there with us. We go through nothing alone when what we are doing is bringing Him glory and honor. When it’s for Him, He provides the strength to endure and He brings a joy that cannot be taken away.

The first disciples had a pretty good idea about the relationship Jesus was calling us to. All but one of the original twelve died a horrible death. The blood of martyrs across all of time paints the history of true Christianity red. Their relationship with Christ cost them something. What has yours cost you (2 Timothy 3:12)?

It’s clear and hopefully undeniable that being willing to die for Christ is a wonderful virtue. Greater still is being willing to die for Him while we still live. One of the hardest things to grasp about the cross is that Jesus went there for us, on our behalf. When we begin to get this, we are on the way to the abundant life (John 10:10). The next step of growth is to grasp that Jesus wants us to follow His example in every way and be willing to die to ourselves. Until we are willing to do this we have yet to obtain a new life in Christ.

Memory Verse
“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, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20

Small Group Discussion Starters

What is the most difficult thing about this message for you to wrestle with?

True disciples of Jesus have all paid a price for bearing His name. What has it cost you?
· Your Reputation
· Time
· Money
· Comfort
· Ignorance, bliss or naivety
· Contentment with the status quo
· Have you been bothered by things that don’t bother other people
· Your physical life

If it was only possible to do one thing in the coming weeks to apply this message to your life, what would it be?

Take some time to pray for one another concerning this truth of scripture and while meditating on the scriptures found in this study ask God to reveal how you might draw closer to Him in the coming weeks.

Is there anything you would like to share that has been placed on your heart from this message or study?

Carried Away - Deny Yourself

2008-09-07T16:12:00.001-07:00

Opening Thought (Before you begin, please read Luke 9:23-26.)

The truth can be a hard thing to swallow at times, but it is the very nature of truth that sets us free. By looking at ourselves as we truly are, we can make the necessary adjustments that lead to an abundant life rather than one with nothing but dead ends and misery. When was the last time you gazed deep into the eyes of Truth?

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Do we believe that today? It was Jesus that spoke the words we just read in Luke 9 and heard a short while ago. He’s saying that if we don’t deny ourselves and take up our crosses while following Him, we’ll miss out. We will wind up forfeiting our very souls. That doesn’t sound good. It’s referring to Hell and the separation we will experience for eternity should we choose to live in the selfish desires we create and maintain for ourselves.

What does denying oneself look like?
How do we take up our crosses?
What does it look like to follow Christ, and how do we know if we are?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?

We were placed on the Earth to do one thing and to do it with every thing we have. Unfortunately, many of us choose to not do this great task but serve our own desires. Our main purpose is to glorify God in everything we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). It’s easy to be noticed as a Christian if you are truly living like one. Your life is never about you. This is why Christianity is different than every other religion and radically different than society as a whole.

Whenever life becomes about us, it is no longer about God. This could include many “good things:” sharing your faith, feeding the poor, clothing the homeless, volunteering, serving, and doing good deeds. What will He say on that final day as many stand before Him (Matthew 7:21-23)?

The call is to deny yourself, and this is very hard to do. From the day we are born we are selfish and want our needs met the instant they arise. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:5-10 to put to death whatever belongs to our earthly natures and act according to the new self we have in Christ that is being renewed by Him.

We are not in this alone, nor are we expected to go at it alone. We deny ourselves by resisting the sin or lawlessness we naturally desire with His help and strength, we take up our crosses with His help and strength, and we then follow Him with His help and strength.

We can do on nothing worthy outside of the help and strength of Jesus Christ. Each and every day we need Him. Each and every day we must choose His help to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow. This life is not about you.

When was the last time you denied yourself?

Memory Verse
“Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”
Luke 9:23-25

Small Group Discussion Starters

How often are you supposed to deny yourself? How often do you?

What good things have you done that wound up being more about you than about God and His desires?

What is one area you or your small group could begin praying about making a difference by denying yourselves and following Christ? If Jesus was physically on Earth today, where would He be? What would He be doing? What would He be concerned about?

How do you personally glorify God on a daily basis? Is it noticeable to others?

Read John 6:22-71. Sometimes things are hard to understand. Do you believe all that Jesus has said as it is recorded in His Word? To what extent are you truly willing to follow Jesus?

Is there anything else you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message?

Carried Away - It Happened One Friday

2008-08-31T16:08:00.003-07:00

Opening Thought

Have you ever been carried away by something so large that you were immediately engulfed in it before you knew what happened? When I was 10 and swimming in the Pacific Ocean, I remember looking back at the shore and not being able to find my family. What had happened was drift. I had been carried away by the strong current of the ocean without even realizing it. Another time I was swept out to sea by a riptide. I will never forget the feeling of being out of control and feeling as if there was nothing I could do to get myself out of that situation. I was literally being carried away, possibly to my ultimate demise.

From the beginning of our existence, we have all been carried away by a force larger than us. It started way back in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. When you read Genesis, you don’t get very far before you see where things go from perfect to a perfect mess. Chapter 2 ends with man being connected with God and no shame. When chapter 3 starts shame enters the picture along with brokenness and separation. This horrible beginning is caused by our disobedience to what God had commanded. We had sinned.

Now some may say that we shouldn’t be held responsible for what Adam and Eve did, and that may be true. However, 1 John 1:8 clearly states that, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and truth is not in us.” The only way to correct this drastic situation is found in the 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

You see, while we were carried away by sin, Christ was carried away by love. The price that had to be paid for sin was blood (Hebrews 9:22). In Genesis, the first shedding of blood was recorded. God himself shed the blood of a living creature so that the shame of Adam and Eve could be covered and fellowship restored. In Exodus 12, Moses is given instructions for the first Passover. A lamb without blemish or defect is to be slaughtered in each household and the blood is to be spread on the doorposts so that when the Lord came, His judgment would “pass over” their households and only affect those who did not know Him. Jesus Christ was, and is, our Passover lamb. Christ came to live a life among us without blemish or defect so that He could die for our transgressions and cover our shame. Jesus was carried away by the cross. He did this for me, and He did it for you.

Jesus went to the cross to save you from what you didn’t even know was killing you.

Just as sin entered the world through one man, sin was conquered by one man, Jesus Christ. Those who understand this and grasp the reality of what has taken place are often carried away themselves by a new life submitted wholly to the discipleship of Jesus Christ. These individuals have died to themselves and have been awakened as new creatures with new hearts that reflects that of Jesus. Their desires and ambitions are no longer their own but Christ’s. We have been set free and are no longer slaves to sin but carried away with the Love of Christ.

Jesus went to the cross to save you from what you didn’t even know was killing you. What will your response be?

Memory Verse
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”
1 John 1:8-9

Small Group Discussion Starters

What is sin? Read 1 John 3:3-5.

Read Exodus 20:1-17.Where have you fallen into sin? 1. God is first in your life. 2. No idols in your life. 3. Don’t use your lips to dishonor God. 4. Keep the Sabbath day holy. 5. Honor your father and mother. 6. Don’t kill (in thought or deed).7. Don’t commit adultery (in thought or deed). 8. Don’t steal. 9. Don’t lie. 10. Don’t covet or want what others have.

Why was Jesus’ brutal torture and death on a cross necessary? Was it?

What or who would you die for? What or who did Jesus die for? Is there a difference between your two answers? What would the common denominator be?

If it really happened one Friday, what should be our response?

Is there anything else you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message?

Fingerprints Evangelism Special - The Whole Truth Must Be Conveyed

2008-08-24T15:48:00.003-07:00

Read the following and discuss before beginning:

1) Romans 10:14-17
2) Ephesians 4:11-16
3) Colossians 4:5-6
4) 1 Peter 3:14-16

Discovering the Gospel

As we look at the entirety of the Bible, something begins to become very clear. From beginning to end, one message is repeated over and over in different forms yet always revealing the need for a restored relationship with God. This is the Good News-that we can be reconciled with God for both today and eternity! This is the Gospel, and this is the message we speak to all who have ears to hear. Let’s look closer at what the ‘X’ factor is in the Bible concerning this message. What makes the Gospel the Gospel?

Hearing the Gospel is what leads people to Salvation. When the whole truth is conveyed or spoken, there is awareness of sin to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see (Romans 10:13-17; Psalm 19:7). It brings people to the awareness of their true state from the inside out, as if they were looking into mirror. Understanding our true state in sin leads us to the only solution, the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).This is the Gospel, trust in Jesus alone who died, was buried, and resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:3-5). It is only then that they are drawn to the cross, find Christ, and the life he offers-everlasting and abundant life. Our daily trust in what Jesus did on the cross and daily repentance from all that we used to be, leads us to a new life in Christ. We are new creatures because of Jesus Christ and all He has done (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

Let’s take a closer look at the diagram and table below to see how this reveals itself in Scripture.
Pair up members to read the scriptures listed and see if they can make the connections found in the table.

Scripture, Previous Condition (Sin), The ‘X’ Factor (Cross/Jesus), Current Condition (New Life)
Galatians 4:1-7,Were Slaves, Redeemed, Now Sons

Colossians 1:21-23, Enemy of God, Reconciled, In Relationship With

Colossians 2:13-14, Dead, Forgiven, Alive

John 3:16-21, Perishing, Saved, Eternal Life/Immortality

1 Timothy 1:13-17, Under Judgment, Saved, Under Mercy

Which example do you connect with most and why?

Which of these do you see relating to someone you could share the gospel with?

What pattern is revealed by just looking at these few examples?

What does this reveal about the Good News and what needs to be apart of the message we share?

What is it we must be saved from?

What or who can save us?

What is the end result of being saved?

Without Jesus in the message, the very center and nature of the message we give, it’s something other than the Gospel. Complete trust in Jesus is the only way any of us stand a chance on the Day of Judgment (John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 5:10). We must convey the message of the Good News, making sure we also convey humanity’s depravity in sin, and our own personal need for Jesus at the same time. Without a complete understanding of our true state in sin the need for complete dependence on a Savior seems foolish without any contribution of our own. The whole Gospel must be proclaimed, and Jesus is the Gospel!

Truths that when conveyed together make up the Gospel.
The Gospel is made up of certain truths that must be heard, understood, believed, and acted upon in order for someone to come to saving faith. Understanding each aspect of the Gospel is imperative if one is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The following are the six main points of the Gospel.

1) The fact of sin-Romans 3:10, 23; James 4:17; Galatians 3:10; James 2:10
2) The penalty of sin-Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:20
3) The penalty must be paid-Hebrews 2:2, 3, and 9:22, 27; Romans 2:12
4) The penalty was paid by Christ-Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18; Isaiah 53:5-6
5) Salvation is a free gift-Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:24; Titus 3:5; John 3:16
6) You must repent and trust in Christ-Mark 1:15, Acts 3:19, 17:30-31, 20:21, 26:20; 2 Corinthians 7:10; John 1:12, 6:28-29; 1 John 5:11-12

People may try other means such as good works, ritualism, church attendance, the sacraments, sacrifice, and morality to earn salvation, but Isaiah 64:6 says all these are worthless—they are "human goodnesses" and are as unclean things.

Evangelism for you may look something like this following example as the Holy Spirit guides you:

Disciple: Hi, Lostinlife. How have you been?

Lostinlife: Oh! Hi, I’m doing okay.

Disciple: Well, I’m glad you’re here.

Lostinlife: Thanks.

Disciple: Did you hear about Fancymoviestar dying last week?

Lostinlife: Yeah, it’s such a tragedy really. They were such a good person, doing so much for the needy in Africa.

Disciple: Yeah, it’s sad to think about all the pain and suffering that takes place all over the world; so many dying each day. I heard it was something like 150,000 people that die on the planet each and every day. Do you ever think about where we go when we die, like Heaven and Hell?

Lostinlife: Sure.

Disciple: How do you think you wind up in either place?

Lostinlife: Well, Fancymoviestar is definitely in Heaven if you ask me. It would be hard to beat what they accomplished in their lifetime.

Disciple: So basically being a good person is your ticket into Heaven?

Lostinlife: Yeah, that seems to make sense.

Disciple: Do you think you’re good enough?

Lostinlife: Well, I’m no saint, but I’m better than most. I’ve never killed anyone. LOL.

Disciple: That’s interesting. Do you know what Jesus said about murder? He said even calling someone an idiot equates with murder. He even said the same thing for adultery. The mere thought is counted against you. You see, God is interested in the matters of our hearts.

Lostinlife: I’m not sure about that. Just because I’ve done a few bad things doesn’t make me a bad person.

Disciple: Well, God says no one is good, not even one. So let me ask you this, just how much fecal matter can I put in your glass of water and still have you willing to drink it?

Lostinlife: Gross, I think I see your point. That’s pretty bad.

Disciple: Even the slightest imperfection disqualifies us from being in a relationship with a perfect God. Yes, God’s standard is high, and all of us have fallen short. I care about you, and that’s why I’m telling you the truth. There is a Hell, and you and I deserve to go there but God…

Lostinlife: …sent his Son, Jesus.

Disciple: Yes, exactly! He paid the penalty that was yours to pay with His life so that you could spend eternity with Him. He cares about you that much, and so do I. That’s why I’m sharing this with you.

Lostinlife: Hmm.

Disciple: You see, none of us can be good enough. There is nothing we can do in our own strength to make up for what we have done. It is God’s grace alone that saves us.

Lostinlife: I’ve never heard it that way before, but it makes sense. I’ve really got some thinking to do. Thanks for taking the time to share that with me.

Disciple: You’re welcome. How could I keep such a great gift to myself? I’d love to walk with you as you are challenged with this. I’ll keep you in my prayers, and we can meet sometime if you’d like, to talk further about this or if you just want to get together again. Can I pray with you before you go and begin your search?

Lostinlife: That all sounds good. I’d like that.

They say practice makes perfect, and we would like for you to get comfortable having spiritual conversations and sharing the Gospel. Let’s do some practice sharing the Gospel.

Break into groups of two or three. Take turns sharing the Gospel as if you would to a friend who does not have a personal relationship with Christ or one with whom you don’t know.

How was it? What seemed difficult, easy, or awkward?

Can you clearly and completely explain someone’s sinfulness in God’s eyes, thus causing their separation and death, without mentioning the law (standard, 10 Commandments, etc.) of God as found in His Word? Were you able to?

Law to the proud and grace to the humble. What do you think of this statement? Does scripture support it?
· How did Jesus, Paul, Peter, Stephen, and others present the Gospel in scripture?
· What are some examples?
· Who received law, and who received grace?
· Read Proverbs 3:34 and James 4:4-10.

What is the purpose of the Law?
Read the following and see what you come up with.
· Galatians 2:20-21
· Romans 8:1-8
· Galatians 3:23-24
· Romans 7:7-13

The New Testament almost always shows God’s love in correlation to the cross (John 3:16; Romans 5:5-8; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4-5, 5:2, 25; 1 John 3:16, 4:10). The cross is the focal point of God’s love for the world! How can we point to the cross without making reference to sin? How can we refer to sin without referring to the Law (Romans 7:7), especially since people think they are good or at least better than they really are (Proverbs 20:6)?

November 2005 Washington Post Poll (Released February 2006) results
· 94% of people said the were ABOVE AVERAGE in Honesty
· 89% claimed ABOVE AVERAGE Common Sense
· 86% claimed ABOVE AVERAGE Intelligence
· 79% claimed ABOVE AVERAGE in Looks

Bill Bright, in his book Heaven and Hell confessed he had been in error.

“I confess I have failed in my ministry to declare the reality of hell as often as I have the love of God and the benefits of a personal relationship with Christ… I have thus come to see that silence or even benign neglect on these subjects is disobedience on my part…To be silent on the eternal destinations of souls is to be like a sentry failing to warn his fellow soldiers of impending attack.”

Bill Hybels, Christians in the Marketplace (p.41)

“We all have the tendency to avoid the sin issue. The message would be so much more comfortable without it. But, unless men and women are aware of their sin, they won’t recognize their need for a Savior who offers eternal life to all who call on His name.”

We must see the true depths of sin, the way God sees it, to truly see the depth of His love and grace.

Frederica Mathewes-Green said, "The more we see the depth of our sin, the more we realize the height of God's love."

This brings to mind Ephesians 3:14-21.

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT

Ephesians 3:14 Begins with “For this reason” or “When I think of all of this” before speaking of God’s immeasurable love in the verses that follow. What is Paul referring back to? He’s referring to chapter 2:1-10. This is the Gospel message. Paul mentions our sinful nature to show us our natural state so we can fully grasp the love of God through His act of mercy, saving us through Jesus Christ.

If you want to show a sinner the true depth of God's love, you need to show him the law. God’s kindness leads us to repentance. But it is His law that shows us the depth of that kindness. The deeper the law, the deeper the kindness, the deeper the repentance. If you believe that God is love, then don't short change it by leaving out the law; you will have a shallow view of sin, and therefore a shallow view of God's love, and that love then will be too weak to lead to repentance. When used biblically, the law reveals sin, and therefore, the true depth of God's love in saving us who did not deserve saving.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7 KJV

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24 KJV

Spend time in your Bible these next few days and weeks looking at how the Gospel was shared by those who began what we are a part of today. Pray and ask yourself, “How was it shared, and how can I share it today?”

10 Question's on Discipleship

2008-08-23T07:35:00.006-07:00

I recently sent out a reminder and challenge to those involved with our Small Group Ministry Leadership (All those who shepherd in some capacity). We wanted to make it simple to remember and focus on just a few things that we are asking them to accomplish. Our Goal is to create Disciples of Christ who are transformed and able to disciple others not to simply create a larger ministry footprint. In order to do this what we do needs to be both relational and intentional while being grounded in Biblical truth. Without some one-on-one intentionality I'm not sure true discipleship is taking place.

I posed the following ten questions to our leaders and asked them to keep these in mind. To use them as a filter or gauge as to how they are doing along with those in their care.

I pose the same to you and ask this...Where is the Holy Spirit nudging you to make some improvements or changes?

Have the individuals in your care developed an authentic love and transparency toward one another which leads to accountability? (John 13:35, 15:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Do they know how to effectively and correctly read the Bible? Do they regularly? (2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 119)
Are they applying God’s Word and living it out in submission? (James 1:22-25)
Do they pray with confidence both privately and corporately? (1 Chronicles 16:11; Matthew 26:41; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Are your people faithfully attending worship services and enjoying the larger body of fellowship? (Hebrews 10:25)
Could each of your people effectively share the complete Gospel message? Are they constantly seeking opportunities to do so? (Mark 16:15)
Are they serving their family, church, or community in some capacity? (Ephesians 6:7; Matthew 25:34-36)
Are they actively practicing stewardship with their finances, gifts, resources, time, etc? (1 Peter 4:10)
Would you say some are progressing to the point where they could effectively lead or teach all of the above? (2 Timothy 2:2)
Where are you personally in all of these things? Where is your immediate family(Deuteronomy 4:9; Proverbs 22:6)

As you can see, these are all fundamental to the Christian faith and discipleship. Please keep these in mind as we work together to help people everywhere Discover, Develop, and Deploy for Christ wherever they are on there journey of faith.

Fingerprints Evangelism Special - Truth In Love

2008-08-17T15:28:00.004-07:00

The simple objective during these studies is to discover your heart for evangelism. Why is it some have no problem sharing their faith while others, maybe you, don’t very often if at all? Let’s dive into this subject by first reading this scenario.

While driving to Walmart you notice a worn looking man, clothes soiled and tattered, holding up a sign saying, “Homeless-need food-God bless.” Unable to stop, being in the far left lane, you proceed to your shopping destination. After parking you enter Walmart, and immediately you’re greeted by a friendly smile and warm salutation. Without ceasing your stride you return the gesture and head straight for shopping. Along your way to the grocery section you notice a husband and a wife arguing as their baby cries uncontrollably. Annoyed, you quickly find what you need, pay the cashier, and head to home sweet home.

Now, let’s break this down.

How many people did you pass by in this scenario?

What is your reaction to the a) Homeless man, b) Greeter, and c) Couple arguing?

What is at least one common issue all of these people share?

How does God see them? (Refer to 2 Peter 3:9.)

Does your reaction to these people align with God’s heart?

What would prohibit you from sharing God’s truth (gift) with these people?
Leader: Before going over the table below please discuss this question with your group, and come up with answers for each person.

Potential Inhibitions, Root Cause, and Correlating Scripture
I don’t really care. Uncompassionate, Colossians 3:12

I am afraid of rejection. Fear of man, 2 Timothy 1:7-8;Mark 8:38;Romans 1:16

I do not know what to say. Unprepared, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Evangelism is not my gift. Uneducated, Mark 16:15; John 17:18;Romans 10:14-15;1 Corinthians 9:16;1 Corinthians 11:1;Ephesians 6:19-20;Philippians 3:17;2 Timothy 1:8;2 Timothy 4:1-5

I am not an extrovert. Fear of Man, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

People don’t want to hear what I have to say. Foolishness, 1Corinthians 1:18-21

If God can use a donkey, He can use any one of us (2 Peter 2:15-16).
We see God’s desire, but whose job is it to speak this truth? If we are disciples of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to look much further than Matthew 28:18-20.

What does the Great Commission say?

Who does it apply to?

Read John 21:15-19.

Do you go out of your way to share your faith with others? With strangers?

How long does it take to create a relationship? A couple of months or a couple of minutes?

Do we need to wait until we have developed a long relationship? Can we share Jesus Christ at the start of a relationship?

Discuss this statement: It is our love for the Savior that causes us to follow Him as Lord and obey what He has commanded us to do. As we learn to love God, He teaches us to love others as we should.

At Central we try to live this out through our 4 Bs: Befriend Belong Believe Become.
It’s important that we know this sequence as we begin to engage people in the evangelistic process. We can’t expect people to feel like they belong if we don’t first befriend them; believing always precedes becoming. Relationships are essential when it comes to witnessing. Some relationships may take awhile to form while others can be formed during one conversation where God, through the Holy Spirit, opens an opportunity to share the best news in the world. Will you be ready and will you be willing to speak it?

Relational Evangelism only works if 1) You really develop a relationship with someone which means talking about more than weather or sports. 2) You actually share the Gospel message with them and live it in your life. If you wait 3 years before you even mention the name of Jesus, but tell them that He is the most important person in your life, they may question the validity of what you say.

“We’ve got to talk about our faith, putting spiritual concepts into plain everyday words. The apostle Paul was adamant about this in Romans 10, where he warned that people won’t figure out the message on their own. Even closely watching the life of a contagious Christian won’t be enough. Somebody has to articulate the gospel to them by spelling out who God is, what kind of damage sin has caused, and how each of us needs to receive the forgiveness and life that Christ offers. But in order for that to happen, we must take the initiative and steer discussions toward spiritual topics.” Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg / Becoming a Contagious Christian (p.137)

Underline phrases that stand out to you from the above quote then discuss why as a group?

“Don’t let sharing the Gospel be a condition for building a relationship and don’t let building a relationship be a condition for sharing the Gospel. Do both as often as you can and as often as people are open to each.” Anonymous

Don’t judge people by deciding they are not open to the Gospel. Let them decide.
There are three things that should motivate you to share the Good News.

Ultimately, we will have an urgency to share the Good News when we have a compassion for people because of our healthy fear of God. Each of these combine into having a heart for evangelism.

Healthy Fear of God
+
A Compassion for People
+
Urgency to Share the Good News
=
A Heart for Evangelism

Compelled by a healthy fear of God-If all else fails you should because God has commanded us to do so. (2 Corinthians 5:9, 11; Philippians 2:12-15)

Compelled by compassion-A love for others and the desire to see true life manifest in them. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 20; John 13:34)

Compelled by urgency-Every person you know is mortal and there are consequences if they are without Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:10, James 4:13-15)

What does this lesson imply about us if we do not share the Gospel/evangelize?
When was the last time you shared your faith?
Who are you currently looking for an opening to share with?
Who can we pray for an opening to share the gospel with?

In our next session we will dive into what the Gospel is and is not. The Bible tells us to be very careful how we present the Gospel and not to add or take anything away from its message (Acts 20:20, 27, 35; Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 15:1-4; 2 Timothy 4:7). You may be challenged by or surprised to discover what is revealed in session three. This week as you go about your daily business, begin looking at everyone you see through God’s eyes. Ask Him to reveal to you how and if you should respond and what He wants them to know about Himself.

Fingerprints Evangelism Special - It's About Love

2008-08-10T15:01:00.003-07:00

Let’s start off by reflecting on a quote by George Bernard Shaw. He said, “The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent; that’s the essence of inhumanity to man.”

Do you love people?

Does God love people?

You see these two very simple questions can be very revealing. They are tied together in many ways, and we are going to start right here with the basics. Let’s take a closer look and see what we discover as we peel back the layers.

Let’s start by looking close to home. How well do you know your neighbors?

What are the names of the people who live adjacent to you? Have you ever asked? Can you see their faces?

What do they do for a living?

What are their interests or hobbies?

What is their spiritual background, and are they currently attending a place of worship?

Are they born again believers in Jesus Christ?

Were you able to answer those questions with little to no difficulty? If I’m going to be honest as I write this, I must say that I myself have a very difficult time answering those questions.

Do you love enough to share the Gospel in your relationships?

All too often we seclude ourselves to the comfortable lives we have created. We only associate with those we know and only do so when it fits into our tightly managed schedules. Unless something or someone breaks into our self-centered world and interrupts our selfishness, we are metaphorically blind to the world in need around us.

Do you love enough to share the Gospel in your relationships?

God’s Word tells us to imitate Christ in how He lived His life in this world. Do we love people as God loved and continues to love people? Let’s read Philippians 2:1-8.

“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:1-8 NASB

Verse 4 tells us to not look only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. What do you know about your neighbors? If you had to sit down and make a list of what you know, how much time would you need? Here’s a question that’s out there. Do you know your neighbors favorite flavor of ice cream? If you know the favorite flavor of your neighbor’s ice cream you are probably not only having dessert together, but talking about life and what’s important to one another. Having the answer to the ice cream question implies that you have a relationship and opportunity for conversations to happen.

Do you love enough…to share the Gospel…in your relationships?

Why do I keep bringing that up? Because it’s what Jesus Himself has called us to do. He wants us to care enough to love those in need-to love those He loved. He wants us to care enough to tell others about Him. His final words to His followers are found in Matthew 28:18-20.

“All Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

If we are going to call ourselves Christ-followers and disciples, then we should probably start following the clear commands He has given, and love those around us.

Do we care enough to break out of the cycle of day-to-day selfishness, to be relational, and to have the conversations that lead to sharing the Gospel, The Good News of Jesus Christ himself?

A recent song by Brandon Heath records his thoughts and realization of his responsibility-our responsibility.
Brandon Heath - Give Me Your Eyes From the album What If We

Look down from a broken sky, Traced out by the city lights, My world from a mile high, Best seat in the house tonight. Touch down on the cold black top, Hold on for the sudden stop, Breath in the familiar shock, Of confusion and chaos. All those people going somewhere, Why have I never cared?
Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second, Give me your eyes so I can see, Everything that I keep missing. Give me your love for humanity, Give me your arms for the broken hearted, The ones that are far beyond my reach. Give me your heart for the ones forgotten, Give me your eyes so I can see, Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah.

Step out on a busy street, See a girl and our eyes meet, Does her best to smile at me, To hide what's underneath. There's a man just to her right, Black suit and a bright red tie,Too ashamed to tell his wife, He's out of work, He's buying time.
Chorus
I’ve been here a million times, A couple of million eyes, Just move and pass me by, I swear I never thought that I was wrong. I need a second glance, Give me a second chance, To see the way you’ve seen the people all along.
Chorus

If you could have God’s eyes for a day:

What would be different?

Would it make a difference in how you see and interact with people?

What or who would you notice that you normally do not?

How would you respond?

Would you say anything about the hope found in Jesus?

The reality of Hell, and the potential loss of your family, friends, neighbors, the unfortunate, and the broken should compel you to say something, to do something. If you truly have God’s heart for these people, the heart that was willing to die on a cross as the innocent for the innumerable guilty, you should care. Will you get out of your selfish sphere and do so? Will you take up your cross and follow? Will you die to yourself for His glory? Or are you controlled by your selfish dreams and desires of how you hope your life will be one day here on Earth (Philippians 2:1-8). Are you consumed with the building of your own kingdom rather than serving for the advancement of God’s?

What is your selfish ambition?

Do you desire the simple, quiet life for yourself rather than eternal life for others?

Do you think more about your grandchildren’s futures on Earth than the afterlife?

Are you more concerned about saving up for retirement than treasures in Heaven?

Would you rather sit on the couch watching TV than spend time getting to know your neighbors?

Where does your money go?

Where does your time go?

Where do your thoughts go?

What consumes you?

Paul counted everything as loss outside of living for Jesus Christ and proclaiming Him as the Good News (Philippians 3:7-12). He lived his life to spread the Gospel and died doing so. Will you?

Make a list of 10 potential people you can begin a spiritual conversation with this year.
1

10

You may have thought 10 people were a lot to list. Perhaps you couldn’t think of that many. Consider the following:

How many people do you come in contact with each day?

How many of those do you know have a personal relationship with Christ?

Are the “good” people you work with really going to be safe on judgment day?

Are you certain everyone in your family is aware of the relationship available with Jesus Christ?

What resources or people do you have available to ask questions to or help you as you begin these conversations?

As we close this session, read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NIV

Be in prayer this week for those on your list and for your own journey as you seek to love and discover how you can share your faith with others. By doing so you will be obeying what God has commanded that all of us who call Him Father do.

Avoiding the Temple of Doom

2008-06-08T14:56:00.002-07:00

Opening Thought

I have a friend who always told me that God had created us all with certain sexual desires and that He intended for us to follow them. This was usually as he continued his pursuit of some unsuspecting female coworker. What really saddens me is that though many “Christians” would claim that is a wrong way of thinking, many still follow that path. We don’t truly hold God’s Word as our standard when it comes to the way we live our lives. We bend and conform to this world’s ideals and way of thinking. We head down the spiral staircase one step at a time before we realize we have descended into the depths of our own depravity and have surrounded ourselves with lies straight from Hell.

The only way to get all the benefits of sex is to do it God’s way.

God desires passionate relationships just as he desires us to have a passionate relationship with Him. But he desires these relationships be within the confines of a committed, covenant relationship (Song of Solomon 2:1-7). Marriage as stated a few weeks ago, a living parable of our relationship with Christ. Intimacy, especially sexual intimacy, is reserved for those who have become one flesh (Genesis 2:24-25). If you pursue sexual intimacy outside of marriage, you are in essence kissing, making out with, fondling, having sex with, and violating a brother or sister in Christ, a son or daughter of the living God. Are we out of our minds!

The only way to get all the benefits of sex is to do it God’s way.

If you are married, keep your bed pure. If you are not yet married, keep your bed pure. The answer is the same whether you are married or not (Hebrews 13:4). Until two have become one there should not be an entwining of souls, passion, and physical intimacy. The person is not yet yours; you are not yet theirs. If you are one flesh through marriage, let no one separate you. For who can separate what God Himself has joined? Avoid some of the messiness of life by following the instructions handed down by the One who loves you more than anyone else ever could. The sex, physical intimacy, the beauty of it all is worth the wait for God’s design and intended plan.

The only way to get all the benefits of sex is to do it God’s way.

Trust God completely today by following Him and abiding in His Word. If you have decided not to, it reveals that in your heart you truly distrust God and think Him to be a liar. I pray it is not so for you today. We all have made mistakes in life and fallen short of the mark in some way. If this is you, there is hope. God desires to be reconciled with you. If you have fallen away as a Christian, there is hope found in Revelation 3:20. He’s waiting for you to answer, to allow Him into your life again. If you have never completely turned your life over to Christ, there is hope found in Ephesians 2:1-10 and 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:2. Today is the day of salvation. Be set free, and start a new life lived solely for Christ today.

Memory Verse
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
Hebrews 13:4

Small Group Discussion

What would you say is the normal view of sex in the world today?

What are some of the benefits of waiting and abstaining from any physical intimacy until marriage? Is this reasonable? Is it biblical? What scriptures would you use to back up your claim?

Read 1 Corinthians 7:1-3. What does this say to those who are married?

Read 1 Corinthians 7:8-9. What does this say to those who are not married?

Is there anything else you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message? Begin praying for each other, your relationships, and your ability to remain pure and blameless as a follower of Christ.

Unlocking the Secret Code

2008-06-01T14:51:00.004-07:00

Opening Thought

Communication is a vital part of our journey with one another. Unfortunately often we are misunderstood or perhaps we are the ones miscommunicating. Either way, what we are intending to impress upon someone is being missed and, quite possibly, dismissed.

So much of our communication these days is technology driven. We are texting, emailing, faxing, instant messaging and all in the name of expediency. We no longer have time to pick up the phone or sit down over a cup of coffee to have a time where ideas and thoughts are exchanged and valued for what they are. Now, we simply want the facts. We’ll decide from the black and white print what is being communicated and consider whether it’s worthy of the continued exchange of facts, or what we like to call communication. Are we really communicating? In some cases we don’t even have time to text or write so we short hand everything, reducing some words to simple symbols (? = Question; or:-\ = undecided), and sentences to complicated acronyms (IMRU=”I am, Are you”; and IYKWIMAITYD=”If you know what I mean, and I think you do”; or TLK-2-U-L-8-R=”Talk to you later.”) Is it any wonder no one feels like they are being listened to or understood.

Here’s a brief recap from the weekend:
The actual content of what you are communicating is only 7% of the total.
Your tone of voice is 38% of what you are communicating.
Your body language and all non-verbal cues equate to 55% of what you are communicating.

If you rely solely or primarily on technology for your communication you are missing 93% of what it takes to effectively communicate. Does this seem wise? Are you truly hearing what people are trying to tell you? Do they accurately understand what you are communicating?

In addition to these obstacles God has also created men and women differently in how we communicate. Men are excellent at compartmentalizing just about anything. It’s quick, efficient and to the point. We are on a mission to solve the problem or come to a satisfactory conclusion. Women, on the other hand, are able to connect just about every topic to another. Moving in and out of different subjects, women sometimes just want to process their thoughts out loud. For them a nice tidy end to the conversation is not always needed, it’s left open for a continuation at a later date.

It would seem the odds are against us in communicating anything to anyone accurately. In James 1:19 this is written, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” Does this describe you? Or what about Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”?

May we all be filled with more and more grace for one another while being prepared to answer people and guide them as they seek to know Christ for the first time, or grow deeper in Him as they continue their walk. The relational aspect of communication is pivotal as we follow Christ and ask others to join us on our journey. Take some time this week to connect with someone in person and watch as the Lord begins to bless that time spent. It may be your spouse, a family member, friend, neighbor or co-worker; just spend time developing a relationship where true communication can take place.

Memory Verse
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Colossians 4:6

Small Group Discussion

How would you rate your communication to others? How would others rate your communication?

How do you spend most of your time communicating? Email, Phone, Texting, in person?

Where could you use help in learning to communicate more efficiently?

Is there anything else you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message? Begin praying for each other, your relationships, and your ability to communicate and listen better as a follower of Christ.

The Search For Respect

2008-05-25T14:45:00.003-07:00

Opening Thought

If you’ve had any involvement with the opposite sex, you’ve undoubtedly noticed differences beyond the physical that affect every area of our lives. We relate to others and communicate differently on many levels. It’s important to recognize these differences and make adjustments so we can live in harmony and in the will and plan of God’s ultimate design.

If we search the pages of Scripture, we discover that God intends for us to live a certain way and has a system in place for marriage. The very God who created us in His image (Genesis.1:27) and knit each of us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139) may have an idea about how this whole thing is really supposed to work. I would gather that He is just waiting for us to surrender control of our relationships and place our complete trust in Him (Proverbs 3:5-7). He is faithful and will guide us as we seek His truth from the very pages He has written as a love letter to the broken, bruised, and battered.

There is a give and take that must take place in any relationship. Those that become one-sided quickly deteriorate. God says that wives are to submit to their husbands in Ephesians 5:22, and in verse 25, it quickly mentions to those very same husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church. Christ laid down His body and His rights for the Body of believers, His Bride. Was she perfect? No, not in any way, but He laid Himself down for her. He did as the Father asked of Him, and we are to do the same as our wives learn to submit to us as husbands.

So men, let’s focus on you for a moment. You bear the image of Christ in this “living parable” of marriage. How are you doing? How are you really doing? Could you, with a truthful heart, speak the words found in Song of Solomon 7:6, “Oh, how beautiful you are! How pleasing, my love, how full of delights!?” Do you value your wife as a prize? When is the last time you got your wife flowers? Went on a date? Wrote her a love letter? If you are going to be committed to your spouse, you need to fill her with your love and make it known to her through actions, whatever those may be.

Now ladies, a quick note to you. As deeply as you desire to feel loved and seen as lovely or beautiful in the eyes of your man, he feels the need for respect. So, encourage him to be the leader in the home. Will he make mistakes, will he stumble, will he fall? Yes. But as his woman, you can hold him up and cheer him on to take the mountains. Let him grow into manhood by allowing him to take on challenges, protect you and provide for you, serve and lead you, to speak into your life, to just be with you, and as his wife to be sexually intimate with you as his precious bride.

Every relationship is a give and take. It will do us all well, men and women, husbands and wives, to remember that we can’t get what we need by depriving our partner of what he or she needs. As we continue to die daily to ourselves, we are able to both serve God and those close to us with a heart that clearly reflects that of Christ’s for His Bride, the Body of believers.

Memory Verse
“Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
Ephesians 5:24-25

Small Group Discussion

What are the biggest needs for a man in a relationship? For a woman?
Where do male/female relationships tend to break down? Why?
This weekend’s message mentioned the acronyms C.O.U.P.L.E. and C.H.A.I.R.S. how close to reality do you think these are? What are your thoughts on these different aspects? Women–Closeness, Openness, Understanding, Peacemaking, Loyalty, Esteem. Men–Conquest, Hierarchy, Authority, Insight, Relationship, Sexuality
Revisit Ephesians 5:22-33. Spend time as a group discussing this passage. What does this say about men, women, Jesus, the church, and the relationship between them all?
Is there anything else you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message? Begin praying for each other, your relationships, and your next steps in following Christ.

The Search For Love

2008-05-11T14:37:00.006-07:00

Opening Thought

I have witnessed the unfotunate reality of this message played out before my eyes. My parents, friends, even some of you as servant leaders have shared struggles in your life long journey in marriage. Some land on the rocks for a season while others tragically dissolve into the sea of tears produced of shattered dreams, lost hope, and broken hearts. Why did this have to happen? What caused the union of two to be torn leaving remnants of each with the other? And can this be avoided?

When love strikes us, we often find ourselves in what can seem like a drug induced state of mind. The person of our affection has captured us; our thoughts rapidly and almost constantly gravitate towards them. We begin to sacrifice in ways we haven’t before. Time, money, energy, almost nothing is too much to ask. We are enraptured. We believe this person is the answer to all our prayers, that they will meet our deepest needs. Many might even utter the line, “You complete me”, from the movie Jerry McGuire. All too often while our passions are running wild we allow the other person to take the very place of God in our lives. In case you haven’t been told, there is a place that only God can, and should, have in our lives.

If we are not careful we will find ourselves quickly spinning out of control and looking for which way is up. We’ll wonder what has happened as we begin to wake up to reality and see the position we have put ourselves. We realize that this other person cannot meet our deepest needs, nor were they ever meant to. Can anyone save us? Is it too late? Has too much damage been done, too many words been spoken in haste?

There is hope.

When we decide to reach out to friends, pastors, and ultimately God we will begin to find answers. Who better to answer your questions and provide comfort than the one whom knit you together in your mother’s womb and has the knowledge of every one of your days (Psalm139)? God has a lot to say about marriage, about people who are single and wish they were married, and even those not even considering it. Our relationship with God is essentially a marriage; it’s a vow of commitment on His part to us and should be on our part to Him (Isaiah 54:5, 62:5; Jeremiah 3:14; Hosea 2:19-20; Matthew 22:2, 25:10; John 3:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:7). As believers our marriages are a living parable of Christ’s love for the church and the example we set for the world needs to reflect God’s love. Much responsibility is thus put on the men but women are responsible as well. Ephesians 5:33 mentions husbands loving their wives as they love themselves and wives respecting their husbands. Where are we in our relationships with one another? Where are we with Christ? Have we become the harlot seeking pleasures away from home, away from the one who has saved us and washed us clean (Deuteronomy 31:16)? May we all examine ourselves as we search for love.

Memory Verse
“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband”
Ephesians 5:33

Small Group Discussion

Since we are going to be talking about the Joneses, make a list of what the perfect family looks like, does, participates in, has, I think you get the idea?

What has been your personal experience in the past concerning relationships, either your own or those of people you were close enough to, to know the details of the health of their relationships? What made them healthy or unhealthy? Great or poor example to follow?

This weekend’s message mentioned the five stages of marriages, where would you place yours? Romance, Reality, Resentment, Rebellion, or Renewal?

Read Ephesians 5:33. As a woman, how can you best be shown love? As a man how can you best be shown respect?

Is there anything else you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message? Begin praying for each other and your relationships?

Veritas - Understanding Secular Humanism

2008-05-04T08:50:00.002-07:00

Opening Thought

Hopefully you’ve had some time to digest the information shared from this message. This one hits us where it hurts; it’s our culture we’re talking about. These are our children, friends, and family that are exposed to what’s happening all around us! Make no mistake, many who despise religion actually participate in and are very interested in the religion of Secular Humanism being propagated and proselytized within our school system. From the elementary level up to the university campuses, we have people bent on exterminating belief in the all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present God that we serve and adore. When you control the education of the youth you control the destiny of the future. Humanist Charles Potter in his book on humanism writes:

“Education is thus a most powerful ally of humanism, and every American school is a school of humanism. What can a theistic Sunday school’s meeting for an hour once a week and teaching only a fraction of the children do to stem the tide of the five-day program of humanistic teaching?” (Charles F. Potter, Humanism: A New Religion, 1930)

John J. Dunphy, in his award-winning essay, The Humanist (1983), illustrates this strategic focus:

“The battle for humankind’s future must be waged and won in the public school
classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith: A religion of humanity–utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to carry humanist values into wherever they teach. The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new–the rotting corpse of Christianity…and the new faith of humanism.”

Secular humanists would like us to put away our “fairytale” thoughts of God and the beliefs we hold to as truth for the existence of everything and the purpose of life. They would like us to pursue knowledge. It is by doing so that secular humanists say we will truly reach enlightenment and solve the problems of the world at large. Secular humanism is the exaltation of man and his kingdom. For them the answers lie in the advancement of scientific endeavors and discoveries. The claim is that as we grow smarter the need for a God is no longer there because we now have enough knowledge to see things as they really are and
move forward accordingly.

Wait! Doesn’t this sound very familiar? Remember back when everything was perfect? There was no separation, no pain, no hard times, no killing, no sadness, you name it? And it was as it was meant to be; it was Heaven on Earth. Into this scene of beauty and perfection comes the serpent. Perhaps you see where I am going. In Genesis 3:1-11, the beginning of a conversation
that set things in motion to change everything is recorded. Take a moment to look it up and read it.

The pursuit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17) led to every problem we have today–death, poverty, suffering, etc. This was due to our endeavor to dethrone God and become His equal. Yet secular humanists try to convince us that the pursuit of knowledge and scientific advancement as the ultimate truth will solve all these problems. It was Satan who tempted us then to pursue knowledge and become like God, seeking equality with Him, and it is the same hissing whisper that persuades many today. The only answer available to solve every broken piece of life since that day is found in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of all (Luke 4:16-21).

Memory Verse
“They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.”
Romans 1:25 NLT

Small Group Discussion

What are some of your initial thoughts on secular humanism? What is one thing that concerns you most about how this is affecting society, the American church, or yourself?
Read Romans 1:20-21, 25, 28-29. What is Paul trying to tell us here? What does Paul say we have done with the truth and what is the end result?
Read Luke 12:15, Colossians 3:1-2, Matthew 6:24, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Kings 17:15, and Matthew 5:14-16 one passage at a time and, after some reflection, answer the following honestly. How does your life line up with these passages? In what ways do you not match these words in the way you live your life? What’s your next step of action to get right with God’s Word?
What truths of God have you exchanged for a lie? Share some of these with the group. How can you explore this more to be sure your world view lines up with that of the Bible? (Consider looking into The Truth Project at thetruthproject.org as a possible study for your group.)
Is there anything you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message or series? Begin praying for each and every one of these beliefs we have covered?

Veritas - Understanding Hinduism

2008-04-27T14:24:00.004-07:00

Opening Thought
Of the religions we have looked at so far, this one is the most complex and is not easily pigeon-holed or described. Hindus have laundry lists of Holy Scriptures they follow, along with 330 million different gods to call upon for various reasons. This week isn’t going to be a walk in the park as we look to dissect and understand the third largest religion in the world.

Because Hindus follow so many holy scriptures, The Vedas, Upanishads, epics, and Bhagavad Gita, just to name a few, the religion itself allows for a very diverse belief system. It can become a literal belief buffet where you take what you want and leave what you don’t. Hinduism has no single creed and recognizes no final truth. This flies in the face of Christianity which does have a single creed and recognizes the Truth with a capitol ‘T’ in the person of Jesus Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus said clearly in His own uncompromising words, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

For Hindus, god, or Brahman as they refer to him, is impersonal, ultimate, and unknowable. Sectarian Hindus will personalize Brahman as different gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and god of stability and control, Shiva the destroyer and god of endings. Most Hindus worship two of Vishnu’s ten mythical incarnations: Krishna and Rama. On special occasions Hindus worship other gods, as well as family members and individual deities. How do we begin to understand this? The God we serve as Christians is just that, the God, singular. He is personal, and the Bible describes Him many ways using words that describe human personality. God talks, rebukes, feels, becomes angry, is jealous, laughs, loves, and even has a personal name (Genesis 1:3, 6:6, 12; Exodus 3:15, 16:12, 20:5; Leviticus 20:23; Deuteronomy 5:9; 1 Samuel 26:19; Psalms 2:4, 59:9; Hosea 1:8–9; Amos 9:4; Zephaniah 3:17). We can know Him, the creator of the universe, personally and intimately.

For Hindus, sadly, there is no clear concept of salvation. Their pursuit is of moksha, which is the freedom from infinite being and a self-realization of the truth. Hindus are trying to escape the merry-go-round life of reincarnation. Yoga and meditation is one way to attain moksha but there are others as well. These other paths include the way of works (karma marga), the way of knowledge (jnana marga), and the way of love and devotion (bhakti marga). Hindus believe that by following these paths they can end their personal existence and become one with their impersonal god. According to the Bible, God’s Word, it is impossible to earn our salvation by good works (Titus 3:1–7), and religious deeds and exercises cannot save us (Matthew 7:22–23; Romans 9:32; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8–9).

Salvation is a gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-11). Hindus believe, much like Buddhists, in reincarnation. This opposes what the Bible teaches (Hebrews 9:27). Will we reach out to those lost and without hope? We have a truth that brings peace, hope, and love. We have truth that brings the reality of a personal God, who paid a very personal price. We have the truth of Jesus Christ who came to ransom us and save us from the emptiness of life and enslavement to sin.

Memory Verse
“You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” Exodus 20:3-6 NLT

Small Group Discussion

What were your initial thoughts on Hinduism and those who ascribe to its teachings? What are your thoughts after hearing this weekend’s message?

Hindus have made for themselves many gods or idols. Have you put anything before God? What idols do you have that need to be torn down and repented of?

Hindus have many teachings to select from and can disregard others if they choose to do so. Given the opportunity, what teachings of the Bible would you choose to have removed? What sins would you elinimate from your Bible? What commands? Why is it good that they remain a part of our faith as Christians?

Hindus have no concept of rebellion against a holy God. Ignorance of unity with Brahman, desire, and violation of dharma (ones social duty) are humanity’s problems. Read the following passages as a group and determine what the Bible has to say about man (Ecclesiastes. 7:20; Romans 1:28–32, 2:1–16, 3:9,19, 11:32; Galatians 3:22; 1 John 1:8–10; Romans 3:23).

Is there anything you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message that you are wrestling with, or found interesting?

How Are We Living?

2008-04-26T15:30:00.008-07:00

I often wonder what God has in mind and how He is at work in all that we do. Do you ever wonder that? It seems we know some things and yet much of God and what he is doing is a mystery, a marvelous mystery. He is captivating and wonderful. His very nature and wildness scares me yet draws me too Him. What an awesome God we serve! To be called up into the journey to work with and for Him in what He is doing in the lives of all those we touch is something amazing to think about. So many faces, so many opportunities to make an impact for the Kingdom...A simple smile or kind word could change the whole course of someone's day. We are ambassadors for Christ if we call him our King. What does that mean?...we are representatives of His Kingdom. I wonder how we are doing? Are we reflecting His Laws, His Love, His Way? I believe if we were we would see two things happen...

One...Positive change both in the world and in the lives of those we know. If we were Jesus with skin on to the world wouldn't they be effected by us being in the world and being concerned for them and their needs. Just being there for them in whatever way they needed sacrificially. The needs are there we only need to open our eyes to see them...then act to meet them.

Two...As we begin to step out and act and truly be God with skin on we would be resisted by the world. By advancing the gospel and actions of Christ would we not in effect be radically different than the world at large. I think the world would be threatened, not to mention the darkness that has a grip on this world. The push back would be great and we could expect to be attacked on many fronts...but isn't that what Jesus said would happen if we were truly followers of Him? Hmmm?

John 15:19-21 (New Living Translation)

19The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. 20Do you remember what I told you? `A servant is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! 21The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don't know God who sent me.

I recently received this from a friend of mine and thought I would pass it along to the rest of you...my hope is that it both challenges you and encourages you.

When I read this it brought to mind the following:

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

"Don't copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is."

Here's the quote:

"..... Are we not all made to fly? Why then do we spend our lives in fear or doubting God's ability to do great things with us, through us and in us. Is a little pressure or others doubts going to crush our faith? Are we always going to try and be popular in the eyes of those we think are popular? Why do we back down when others come against us? Do we not believe that Christ is our king? That the living God is with us? Why then do we walk in the shadows of those crowded highways. Narrow is the true road, really narrow and others will pull together and agree on what their itching ears want to hear, telling you to doubt that narrow road. Follow God alone even if the church, the world, even if everyone is playing another tune, walking another road. Follow Christ!!!" - Ethan Holub

"To fly you must have resistance" - Maya Lin

Feel free to leave your thoughts...

Veritas - Understanding Buddhism - Sermon Companion

2008-04-20T17:22:00.003-07:00

Opening Thought
Looking at Buddhism this week we begin to get a sense of the hopelessness some may feel over time. Essentially everything is imperfect, unsatisfactory, and full of suffering. Everything from the day you are born until the day you die is filled with one form of suffering or another. This is compounded by the fact that Buddhists have no form of deity to turn to for comfort or hope. The only hope Buddhists can find is in losing themselves; detaching from reality and reaching for a life void of desire and attachment to things in this world–family, friends, and the future. It all leads to disappointment and suffering.

You can already see parallels to our Christian Faith. A Buddhist must die to himself and all of his desires. As Christians, we are called to do the same, but for a much different reason. Luke 14:25-33 tells us we are called to die to self and follow Jesus Christ.

Buddhists lose themselves and shed their cravings for the world and all it has to offer by following the Noble Eightfold Path. It’s their spiritual growth plan. 1.Right Understanding, 2.Right Thought or Motives, 3.Right Speech, 4.Right Action, 5.Right Livelihood, 6.Right Effort, 7.Right Mindfulness, and 8.Right Meditation. The hope is that through these eight paths they can escape suffering. The cycle of life for a Buddhist continues indefinitely until they reach a state of Enlightenment called Nirvana where they cease to exist and escape the suffering of life. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, the living of one life after another here on Earth, until they can break free of the suffering.

Once again it comes down to this: When you get Jesus wrong, you get it all wrong. Dying to self is a good thing, and even required by Christ to follow Him. But if you leave Jesus out of the equation, who gets the glory? Were we not created to specifically bring God Glory? (See John 15:8; Romans 15:5-6; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Revelation 5:11-13.) We exist for His pleasure and His purposes. If we fall into the trap of seeking our salvation by our own methods, we will still fall into the hands of the Alpha and Omega when all is said and done. We’ll stand before Him trying to justify our way into His Kingdom with useless currency which holds no value in the land of angels and saints. On that Glorious day, only one currency will have value: the blood of Christ. His blood shed as payment for all transgressions, available to all people, if only they would receive it as their payment in full. It is by Christ’s blood that God will receive the glory, honor, and praise He is due from both creation and a wretched collection of humanity that spans the ages of time.

As a particular company promotes their credit card by saying, “What’s in your wallet?” I will close by saying this:

Who’s paying your debt?

Memory Verse
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment….”
Hebrews 9:27

Small Group Discussion

What were your initial thoughts on Buddhism and those who ascribe to its teachings? What are your thoughts after hearing this weekend’s message?
Where do Buddhists seem to get it right concerning how we should live? Where do they get it wrong? What can we learn from them?
Read John 12:23-26. Spend time unpacking this passage. How does this relate to what we’ve been discussing? How would this offer hope to Buddhists?
Read Luke 14:25-33. Jesus referred to dying to oneself by taking up your own cross to be His disciple in verse 27, and in verse 33, He mentions giving up everything you own to be His disciple. Does that seem extreme? What is Jesus trying to communicate here? Where are you concerning this?
Read John 17:1-5. Who is speaking here? How do we get eternal life? What is eternal life? What did Jesus do here on Earth? How? If we choose to be disciples of Christ by imitating Him, what are we supposed to do? What has Christ told you to do?
Is there anything you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message that you are wrestling with, or found interesting?

Veritas - Understanding Islam - Sermon Companion

2008-04-13T17:29:00.002-07:00

Opening Thought
If we go back to the beginning of our faith and look at Abraham, we will discover the roots and beginning of Islam. It was through Abraham’s relations with Hagar, the maid servant, that Ishmael, the father of Islam came to be. God made a promise to Hagar that Ishmael would have many descendants, too numerous to count (Genesis 16:7-12, 17:15-22). We look around the world today and see proof that God keeps His word.

As we look closer at these cousins to our faith, we see some parallels that begin to demystify the Muslims we come in contact with throughout our daily lives. They believe in submission to God. The very term “Islam” means “submission” or “surrendered.” Allah is the name used for God in almost all Arabic translations of the Bible. But we must note that the God spoken of in the Koran, though having similar qualities such as being merciful, gracious, forgiving, full of wisdom, most high, most great, protective, good, wise, the creator, transcendent, omnipotent, sovereign, omniscient, and unique, is still much different than the one spoken of in the Bible. We even share characters in both religious books. In the Koran you will find people like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Elijah, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus. You will even discover that in both families of faith, our beliefs affect every realm of our lives—educational, governmental, judicial, social, and economic. There is no division of life into a secular realm and a spiritual realm; everything has a spiritual realm to it. It is literally life as we know it.

So what’s the difference then? Even with all of these similarities between our beliefs, it really only comes down to one question. Muslims believe solely in the words of Mohammed who they claim to be the prophet. They claim Jesus was just another prophet and just another man of countless others. They don’t believe that Jesus actually died on the cross, but was switched with Judas at the last minute. However, they do believe that Jesus will come back to judge the world in the last days.

As we have spoken of in the past and even mentioned last week, when you get Jesus wrong, you get it all wrong. One of the most profound questions ever asked by Jesus to his disciples in Mark 8:29b was, “Who do you say I am?” The disciples knew what the surrounding community was saying about Jesus, but Jesus brought it back to what was truly important—the personal decision we must all make. Is Jesus a great teacher, a prophet, just a man, or God in the flesh? Are you able to call Him the Lord of your life? Are you willing?

Who do you say Jesus is?

Memory Verse
“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!”
Hebrews 12:9

Small Group Discussion

What were your initial thoughts on the Islamic faith and Muslims? What are your thoughts after hearing this weekend’s message?
Where do Muslims get it right concerning God? Where do they get it wrong?
Read Genesis 16:7-12 and 17:15-22. What is revealed to you through these two passages?
Did Jesus claim to be God? Read John 10:30-39. What does this mean to the Islamic faith and how can we communicate truth in gentleness?
Is there anything you would like to share that has been stirred up from this message that you are wrestling with, or found interesting?