Coffee with God

Giving is getting

2011-12-28T14:59:00.001-06:00

If you know me at all, you know I love music, and I lovelyrics. I find it interesting that Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull fame wrote asong "Wondering aloud" which declared, "It's only the givingthat makes you who you are." It's a short beautiful song of introspection,ending with that declaration of selflessness. I interpreted it this way,"We are at our best when we are giving it all away."

If you think about it long enough, I think you'd agree thatgiving something away and expecting nothing at all in return is, well,beautiful. I personally think that is the deepest reflection of God. He gave usso much without asking for payment. Yes, He hopes to illicit a response oflove... but we remain free to respond or not. In fact, as He is all-knowing, Heknew many of us would ignore Him completely, yet He gave any way. In somesense, we know God best because He gave.

When we think of extraordinary people throughout history, weknow many of them because they gave their time, or talents, or treasures insome remarkable manner. I'm not talking about tabloid fame, but real admirationtype notariety. These selfless people have inspired us, and the giving-ness iseven perpetuated by their great acts of giving.

That said, I think that when we give in this trulyaltruistic manner, expecting nothing at all in return, we feel really goodabout ourselves. I personally do not think that is a horrible thing - to giveand feel good about it. Why not? It is good. I guess that could be abused andsomeone could give big just to be noticed, but in the grand scheme of things,there are worse acts to be accused of... ;-)

Curiously, Ian Anderson wrote years later a song called,"Wondering Again" where he relates a bitterness, frustration, andeven disgust at the world phoniness and disharmony. The music is somewhat dissonantas he states decidedly, "It's only the taking that makes you what youare." He almost seems to regret that he has to say it is so.

I guess when all things are considered, it is actually both.What we give, and what we take, makes us who we are. I just think it's thegiving that makes us the better us.

The Joy of Set Before Us

2011-12-01T18:42:00.001-06:00

In Hebrews 12:2, we read "For theJoy set before Him He endured the cross." I think about this a lot. Itspeaks to me in so many different ways. I met Jesus in 1991, and not long afterthat read this verse. I am still not done thinking about it. At first, it juststood out and made no sense at all. Over the years, it has only grown in depth.Think about it: Jesus looked at the joy to come, and chose to endure the cross.

It seems to me we need to really understand the joy he was contemplating ...because at least to some degree, we know the cross. After I was saved, Istarted reading everything. First, the Bible over and over.. I couldn't getenough. Then, commentaries and anything else I could get my hands on. I can saywith a certainty, the cross, and how bad it was, has been dissected andexamined to the "nth" degree. The cross was ugly, shameful, painful,and horrible beyond our understanding. It was purposefully that way, to scarepeople into submission. Let's just say, it was very effective.

But, let's take the verse into complete context: Jesus chose to, in somesupernatural way I don't understand, leave the Father's presence, enter intothe world He created as a helpless baby, in extremely poor conditions, grow uppoor, endure the mocking only a bastard child knows, experience the death of aparent, hang out with a bunch of losers, and then for absolutely no goodreason, be beaten viciously, tortured, forced to carry the wood that He wouldsoon be nailed to up a long hill, and crucified mercilessly.

What kind of Joy did He consider so great that He willingly surrendered tosuch insanity? He became human to suffer the most inhumane act of punishment.It's more than ironic.

I know some suffering. I have had a son, a brother, and a parent die. Ithought I grew up poor, until I went to the Philippines on a Mission trip andsaw real poverty. Even the homelessness of America is nothing compared to theslums of Cebu. It is a funny thing... perspective is... I guess I reallyhaven't known that much suffering. Much of my sadness and "suffering"over the years has been a result of my own doings. So, when I look at Jesus,and what He went through, when compared to what I know about suffering, it isunimaginable that He would choose to enter into that deal. What kind of Joy wasit that He considered it a deal worth taking? I want to know... don't you?

Let's try to work through it... What would Jesus get for going through allof that and dying this horrible, ridiculous death? The text reveals the prize:"...sat down at the right hand ofthe throne of God." Wait... that's it? Admittedly, that has got to beone awesome throne, since God owns everything He could spare no expense. Can weinfer that this location, this position, is so incredibly fantastic that theunimaginable suffering Jesus experienced was worth it? But, wait... this iswhere it started, so it can't be just sitting here that was the joy Heconsidered... right? If Jesus was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-2) whywould He leave at all? Couldn't He have simply said, "no thanks." andjust stayed where He was? So it couldn't have been just to sit at the throne Hewas actually already sitting at when He heard the deal. (Note: I am puttingthis into a time continuum that actually doesn't exist, as God exists outsideof time.. but that is another blog.)

Consider Philippians 2:6-8, which declares "(Jesus) Who, being in very nature God, did notconsider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather,He made Himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being madein human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himselfby becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross." Theimplication here is that He did in fact have the option to say "No!"My point is that it can't be considered obedience if there isn't a choiceinvolved. If you are arrested and put in handcuffs and led to a cell, it isn'tobedience if you don't fight... you don't really have a choice. I would callthat force. Or submission to coercion. Again, that's another blog...

So, the question remains - what was so Joyful that the decision to endurethe cross made sense? The text inPhilippians illuminates it a bit more: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the namethat is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, inheaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge thatJesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Okay, we may begetting somewhere. This is some good stuff here: "highest place, aboveevery name, every knee bows, every tongue..." It appears that, if I amreading this correctly, Jesus obeyed to get the highest place and be in totalcontrol. We call Him King of Kings for a reason...

The sidebar here is that if this is true (which I contend it is) then JesusIS in fact, The King of all Kings. How then should we act? How then should weconsider Him, and His words? I am going to let that simmer on the backburnerfor a while, but, we will come back to this. There is just too much here toleave behind.

But, for this blog, let's stay on track. Did Jesus just do all of thatsuffering so He could be in charge? In the first part of that text, it said,"...being in very nature God..."So, same argument as the first - He gave up what He had already to gain onlywhat He gave up? That makes no sense. That's like me giving you a thousanddollars so you can give me a thousand dollars. There is something else here.What was this Joy He saw but we are not seeing?

I am still thinking about all of this, but what I believe is that Jesusobeyed because it is joyful to obey. All of the above is true, and the otherhundred or so verses I could show you support various nuances of why He mayhave seen joy in the obedience. But the bottom line is that the obedience isJoyful. Why? Because God's will is good. Romans 8 states that all things worktogether for good in God's plan, and if you search the Bible for the word"good" in connection to God being good, there are over 400 instancesof God's goodness. Even Jesus God obeyed Father God, and obeyed knowing thatthe obedience would be good long term. In the midst of the act of obedience,maybe not so much... but ultimately, because of Father's plan and Jesus'obedience, Romans 5 says "... soalso through the obedience ofthe one man the many will be made righteous." That's a good plan.Because Jesus obeyed once, we all who believe benefit. Big time.

Application time: Obey. Even when it makes no sense. Even when you aregiving something up, and it isn't fair. Obey. God has plan and it is very, verygood. Don't just trust me. Trust Him. Jesus did.

To Do Business...

2011-05-11T14:19:00.000-05:00

Psalm 107:23-32
Some of you set sail in big ships;
you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.
Out at sea you saw God in action,
saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:
With a word he called up the wind—
an ocean storm, towering waves!
You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out;
your hearts were stuck in your throats.
You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk,
you didn't know which end was up.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
he got you out in the nick of time.
He quieted the wind down to a whisper,
put a muzzle on all the big waves.
And you were so glad when the storm died down,
and he led you safely back to harbor.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
Lift high your praises when the people assemble,
shout Hallelujah when the elders meet!

I was reading through the Psalms the other day and this passage stood out to me... I have read it many times before, but for some reason, it has be echoing in my heart for the last three days since I read it. When I read the first verse of this section, "...to do business...", I thought, "that's me." I mean, I make plans to do business, and set goals, prepare, and then set out "to sea". My guess is that most of us do this is some fashion. Whether it is making plans to buy something (like a large building and 100 acres) or to sell something, (another building) or to effect something in our lives.. to achieve something... to gain something... We all do these things. I am not saying that is bad - don't get me wrong. We need to set goals, make plans, and move forward. If we don't, I think they call that a "couch potato", or a "slacker"... That's certainly not good.
So, are we all in agreement? We all make plans - good, bad, indifferent - we "set out to sea." And then... God!
All kinds of crazy happens. Storms, waves, rain, ad nauseam (literally).
So, what do we do? In this text, the "sailors" cried out to God. And God met them, and saved them. What kind of sailor are you? I imagine it could go another direction, and have experienced this on more than one occassion - the "sailors" (us) complain about the situation, moan and regret how their plans have gone awry. They can cast judgment and blame on others. They can even complain directly to God, because He did not bless their plans. "Woe is me... Why God, why me?" Yeah... I've heard it before. Truth be told, I might have been one of these forelorn sailors a time or two. What about you?
The sailors in this text realized something either sooner or later, but ultimately, they cried out to God. They realized their position as "passengers" on a boat that they really had no control over. Rudderless in a storm, they needed something.. some ONE more powerful. The Surrendered Sails caught no wind as they bowed low in submission. The only strong act of men was to cry out to a Holy, Powerful God, and ask for salvation. In that act, they gave up all sense of control, real or imagined. And God answered. "In the nick of time" God quieted the wind, muzzled the waves, and led the crying ones back to safe harbor. And they responded in praise.
The last few verses of this text show clearly that these "planners" saw the great mercies of God, and were grateful. Their plans were changed, the outcome was not what they planned, and they may have even lost their cargo (their down payment on the above referenced property?) and yet they had a new perspective... that God saved them, and they were overjoyed by His goodness and love.
It is amazing what a little storm can do to our perspective. I think the two paths of response are pretty universal at all crossroads following a "storm". We can choose to complain, or we can acknowledge that our plans just aren't as important as our relationship with Father. If He chose a storm for us, rather than our well thought out schemes, we must have needed that storm to gain correction in our perspective. God is not fickle or wishy-washy -- He desires for us a deep, intimate relationship with Himself, and He is jealous when we place anything in front of Him.. especially a PLAN. We must, if we truly belong to Him, state clearly and with commitment at every crossroad, "not my will but Yours Father." That is the only realistic perspective.

All is Yours God. I am Yours. My plans are Yours God... It's all Yours.

.

Go Away From Me, Lord...

2011-04-29T10:00:00.002-05:00

The scene is evocative. A small boat, rocking abruptly out of sync with the calm lake. A few men working feverishly to haul in a very full net of fish. Contrasting that activity, in the same boat, one man on his knees before another, his heart breaking with the sudden realization of who he was, and who he was kneeling before. The words forcing themselves out of his throat, "Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man." I can almost see the agony in his face, and I feel the pain as if it were my own... it is uncomfortably familiar...

So, why these words? What prompted this seasoned fishing professional to be overcome with such seemingly contrary emotion upon receiving this gift of the largest haul of fish he had ever seen, much less, hauled in himself. The overflowing nets would have made any fisherman cry, but not with such sorrow. And why beg the Man who gave such a gift to go away? A little context could help.

Peter and the guys had been fishing all night. That's just what they did almost every night... they were professional fishermen. In that society, it was a relatively respectable career path. Truly, every faithful young man wanted to be a student, chosen by one of the famous Pharisees to be taught in the Law and the Prophets, the Bible of that day, or what Christians know as the Old Testament. The life of a scholar would be much easier and have more opportunity than that of any tradesman. Teaching, preaching, and sitting around, discussing theological things all day... much more gratifying than casting nets and gutting fish all night and day. These men, having not been chosen by one of the schools of religious training, followed in their fathers' footsteps into the trade of fishing, and were likely resolved that their destinies were pretty much set.

That morning, after an unsuccessful night of fishing, they were there on the banks of the Lake of Gennesaret (also know as the Sea of Galilee, or the Sea of Tiberias) cleaning their nets. A teacher, not yet famous, but certainly becoming known for his contrariness, was teaching from the banks. Apparently, the fishermen had a front row seat, as they continued to finish their work for the day. Whatever Jesus was talking about must have been impressive, because when He was done speaking to the crowd, He turned to Peter and said, "Let's go catch some fish!" (loose translation by me!) Peter, tired, in the middle of cleaning his nets, started to put up an argument, "Master, we have worked hard all night and haven't caught anything..." Notice the term "Master." (Luke 5:5) That's a term we simply won't use today. We would never even feign such a submissive position to anyone... much less someone we did not know. I have heard various explanations of this: 1. That Peter had heard Jesus before; 2. That Peter had actually already established a relationship with Jesus at this point; 3. That Peter had wanted to be a teacher himself, recognized the power in this Teacher who spoke to him now, and simply had an immediate sense of deep respect for Jesus... a view I particularly prefer as most reasonable. Not that it matters that much, but it just seems to me that anything else would have been mentioned.

So, back to the context: we see that Peter, at least, recognized this Teacher as Master. And despite the fact that Peter and the others were experienced, professional fishermen who had already called it a day, Peter capitulated his argument and offered, "...but because You say so, I will let down the nets." The text goes immediately to the catching of fish, skipping past the description of how the men had to gather the nets and whatever tools they use, get back into the boats, and row out into the waters. The text simply states: "When they had done so, they caught such a large number the nets began to break." That's crazy! I am going out on a limb here, but I don't think they had ever seen anything like this. During the warmth of the day, when the fish were normally nearest the bottom and fishing just isn't done, they caught the biggest catch of their lives... maybe the biggest catch ever on that lake. The boat was starting to sink, and they had to call out to another boat to come over and help... we are talking, HUGE! You can only imagine the excitement of all of those involved! The yelling and laughing, whooping and hollering! This was the catch of their lives.

In the midst of the chaos, I can see Peter... slowly standing, countenance fading from outright exuberance to solemn stupor. The realization that this Man, who gave this gift, who said these words, who had commanded such submissiveness from him without any verbal demands, was more than a man. Who else could direct the fish themselves to jump into the net? These fish were usually out of reach at this time of day, not to mention this catch literally defied all realities known to Peter and the others. Fish don't do this. Peter then realized, "Jesus did this... Jesus is sent from God." We know this because of the next word out of Peter's mouth was "Lord". There is a dramatic shift from Master, which is pretty powerful, to Lord, which is Master times a hundred. In our day, that could be something like the difference between "dude" and "Mr. President"... We can only conclude something happened in the time from the shore to the hauling in of fish... Jesus didn't change... Peter did. And in that place, Peter could only ask - no, beg - this Man, "Lord", to go away. "Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man."

This is worth exploring: Why would you ask God to go away? To give you a hint of where I am going, I am just going to say that I suspect we all ask God to go away a lot more than we care to admit. This peek into Peter's soul, that he now knows his sinfulness in a more full way and at the same time, he sees the holiness of God... it breaks his heart. I think we can all say these things: "I am sinful. God is Holy." We can probably even say it in the same sentence: "I am sinful and God is perfectly holy." There. I said it.  I don't think Peter was just saying it... maybe that is the point. Peter experienced something in a profound truth that he had not experienced before. An utter humbling that rocked his world so deep that his only response was to ask God to go away, lest God get stained by Peter's filthiness, or lest Peter burst into flames from proximity to God's perfection. Peter, with his religious background; his past hopes of being one of the elite teachers in the order of the Pharisees or maybe the Sadducees... Peter got it...maybe for the first time. "God is good. God is Holy. I am nothing. I do not deserve anything except condemnation." He stared up into the eyes of God expecting to see that condemnation he deserved. But, that is not what he saw.

Before we move on to what he saw in Jesus' eyes, let's just agree to agree: All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) I don;'t have a clue about what specific sins Peter was thinking of, but I can come up with plenty of my own. I suspect you can, too. Personally, I have a few doozies that I simply can't even talk about. It is quite possible that you feel the same way. The problem at times is that we compare our sins to the sins of others, and then, we aren't so bad after all. In fact, if we could maybe find someone who sins more than us, we start to look pretty good. As if the blackness of sin was relative. That way, we feel better and it sure is easier to get through the day. I have this feeling that many people do exactly that... Justify their own fallen-ness by pointing to the faults of others - then, all is well in the world. The problem is, Truth doesn't work that way.

The Truth is, sin is relative - but relative to God's perfect standard, which is sinless-ness, personified by the Man Jesus.  Jesus, set aside his God-ness, became man, and lived a sinless life. He showed us the Way. And at once, became the Way (or, really always was the Way.)  He is the standard by which we are measured. And, since that is the Truth, my sinfulness looks very, very bad. The Light of Jesus, shined on my sin, reveals me to be wholly unholy, deeply depraved, and, on my own energies, without hope. Condemned by my own doing.

But, Jesus. "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) That's what Peter saw in the eyes of this Teacher, who had just given him the gift of fish. I imagine that Jesus had this look of love, maybe even a hint of joy/sorrow as He watched Peter "get it." You know, that Joy that makes you cry because you know someone you love is at that place where the pain of Truth makes them run to God and ask for Salvation? You hurt, because you know they hurt, but you are so happy because they have entered eternal life... Just thinking about the times I watched friends and family at that place makes me heart leap!

And then, not satisfied to leave it there, Jesus told Peter, "From now on, you will fish for people..." Jesus told Peter, essentially, "I am so happy you see the Truth. But, it doesn't stop there. Living in this Truth, you will lead others to this Truth. Your life will have meaning, and purpose, and Hope. I am NOT going away. I will be with you forever. We will do great things together!" Peter and the rest of the guys left everything - including the fish they had just caught - and followed Jesus till the end. And the world has never been the same.

Jesus says the same thing to you, and to me: "I love you. I want you to know me fully.  I have amazing things planned for you. We can change the world together. Come, follow me." The only question now is, "What do I do with that?" Have you had your "boat" experience? That moment where you realized the sinfulness of you, and the holiness of God, so much so that you cried out, "Go away from me Lord!"? Have you accepted the Truth of salvation found only in Jesus Christ? Can you say, right now, without doubt, that you are a sinner whose only hope is Jesus?

If you have already been to the cross, and heard the words of Jesus, "I love you and I died to pay for your sins." Are you changed? Have you left everything to follow Him? Have you listened for His voice and longed to be as close to Him as possible? I want to challenge you, seek Him. Seek His will in your life. In similar manner, as He told Peter, "I will take who you are, and make you all you were intended to be for the glory of God." He is telling you, too. God is saving you for good reason. Seek Him.

Even Jesus Had Bad Days...

2011-04-08T08:11:00.002-05:00

My wife said it, so don't look at me... I would never say such a sacreligious thing! Or is it....?

When I saw the post from my youngest daughter, quoting my amazing wife, I immediately pictured the conversation they probably had when the sentence entered into existence: my wife was driving my daughter crazy and Rebecca was pushing back, and Kat was giving a reason why she was acting irritated. But, my wife enlightened me... I was totally wrong about the scenario. Not even close.

This is how it went: I was not home at the time, and the two of them were laying in bed talking about life and stuff - Before I move on, you gotta admit.. that's just awesome! My wife and my 16 year old daughter, just talking about life... real life. Not a lecture from a parent, or a tirade from a teenager. No, a deep, passionate digging in of life, love, and just stuff. I hear a lot of people complain about teenagers, but I'm here to tell you, they are not all bad. I've seen some remarkable, godly young men and women at my church, and most fortunately, in my home.

Okay, back to the conversation. Rebecca was explaining her frustrations to my wife about relationships, and friends, and school, and work... pretty much the things we all struggle with day to day. My wife, with poignant precision, states what I now have realized to be a deep truth, "Jesus had bad days, too, Baby." (We call our beautiful, amazing daughter, Baby... a very loaded term of endearment.) The conversation continued and they eventually went to sleep knowing Whose hands they were in. Again, that's just beautiful.

My immediate and irreverent response was to say, "Yeah, but Jesus can turn water into wine... that always helps." But, since I saw that post on Facebook, I have bounced that phrase around and around in my head. Jesus did, in fact, have His fair share of bad days. Let's enumerate a few.

Have you ever heard the catch phrase, "What, were you born in a barn?", usually declared loudly after leaving an exterior door wide open on a very hot, or very cold day. (As the fifth child of seven, I am pretty sure I heard that quite a bit growing up.) Well, Jesus was... born in a barn, that is. Not a great start for the King of the Universe. Since He literally owns everything that exists, you would think that He might go for something a little more extravagant. His earthly parents were pretty poor, so He was born into, and grew up with very little creature comfort. Now, the wise men did give some substantial gifts, but I'm of the mind that those gifts funded the flight to Egypt. That's not "flight" as in Southwest Airlines, but "flight" as in, "Wake up!! We have to leave our home right now and go to a different country or our child will be killed" flight. That was likely a seriously bad day, or two...

There is no mention of Joseph after the story of Jesus at the Temple when He was twelve, so most interpret that to mean that Joseph likely died prior to Jesus' public ministry. Even though Jesus knew His Perfect Father better than any of us, that still had to be a pretty bad day, when He had to bury His dad, and comfort His mom and family. I remember vividly when my dad died... that was a bad day, even though it was a peaceful departure, when compared to most.

In the Gospels, we can see many bad days, and I can only imagine the days that aren't described within the Scriptures. He was a carpenter, so I am sure He smashed a finger or two... I bet He didn't swear, like I do when I smash my finger, but it still swelled up, bled, and hurt. I'm sure He could have healed Himself if He wanted, but somehow, I think He didn't. I think He chose to experience life the way we do... the pain, the hurt, the love, everything. Good days, and bad...

Ultimately, there was THE Bad Day. The arrest. The beating. The crown of thorns. The betrayal. The abandonment. The nails. The Spear. The mockery. The shame. The heartache. The weight of the sin of the world. I really do not think, in as many bad days that I have had - and I have experienced a few very bad days... I am confident not one of my days ever even remotely compared to this very bad day. The most amazing thing is this: He knew ahead of time about this bad day. He even told Peter about it... He mentioned it a few times along the way. He knew. He knew and He went through it anyway. Because He decided, somehow, that I was worth it... that you were worth it. That my wife, and my daughters, were worth it.

Hebrews 12:2 explains this with precision: “...For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The perspective of Jesus, His reasons to endure, the “why” behind the willingness... ours should and can be the same. There is a JOY to be had in the knowing that when we are done here, we will go into an eternity so amazing we have no words to describe it. No more pain, no more fear, no more tears... only good days. Jesus saw this. He also saw that every encounter while He was here was filled with purpose and meaning. It can be, and actually is, with us too. Romans 8:28-29 essentially says, “All things work together for God’s glory...” and continues to speak on His perfect plan to conform us into the image of His Son. To make us become just like Him. If that isn’t “Joy set before” me and you, I don’t know what is!!

Amazing.

So, if we see this Joy set before us, we, like Jesus, choose to endure. We trust that Father is working it all out. We look forward to the conforming of us into Him.

I sit here in wonderment of this Savior of mine. Words from a Casting Crowns song come to mind:

"Living He loved me,

Dying He saved me,

Buried He carried my sins far away.

Rising, He justified, freely forever.

One Day He's coming, Oh Glorious Day.

O Glorious Day."

Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life... a life littered with bad days, that ended on a bad day, now lives in this Glorious Day. This Glorious Day where He lives, and loves His own.. all those who would turn to Him and call Him their own. He chose to endure the most un-endurable day, and now, He lives to justify us with God so that we can enter into eternity to never have another bad day.

For His Glory...

2010-11-30T16:14:00.000-06:00

I am reading through Jeremiah... man, that dude had it tough! He was chosen to tell a stubborn and obstinate people that they had better start paying attention or they were going to be destroyed, and they were stubborn and obstinate, so they didn't listen. Ever. So they were destroyed. Jeremiah also wrote Lamentations - basically, "The Weepings". He was known as the weeping prophet. I don't think I will ever complain about my circumstances ever again.

Before I get on to the topic, I do want to a little side trip to address the concept of reading the scriptures continuously. It is closing in on the end of 2010, and I am reading Jeremiah for the second time. I started in Genesis in January, reading the Amplified version and read through the entire Bible. Then, I bought the English Standard Version (large print ;-) and started back in Genesis... And I intend to continue to read it through, then again, and again. I honestly have lost count on how many versions I have read, and how many times I have read through the Bible from cover to cover. I have also spent periods of time studying a particular book, and have memorized many scriptures. At one time, I had the book of James and Ephesians memorized. I am not saying this to shame you, but hopefully to help you see that it just isn't that hard to commit to reading God's Word. All you need to do is do it... And I guarantee that diving into God's Word with reward you beyond your expectations. Studying what God has already said is absolutely essential to knowing Him and growing closer to Him. If you are not spending some concerted effort reading His Word, I really do not see how you could be growing. I could be wrong, but I don't really think so.

Okay - back to the point: For His Glory. In Jeremiah 13, God said, "'For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the LORD, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’" I have read this many times, but for some reason today, it struck me: God chose us for the express purpose of bringing renown (notoriety) praise and honor to Himself. I know He loves me; I know He has the hairs of my head numbered; I know I am forgiven because of the work Jesus did on the cross... and I know I cannot earn anything from God. He did it all. So I guess that it never occurred to me that He did have a reason that He saved me beyond His inexplicable love; to bring glory and honor and praise to Himself. Wow. That sheds a lot of light on what my life should look like.

As Christians, we always wonder, "what does God want me to do?" We even have bracelets, "WWJD"... We talk about straining to understand God's will in a particular situation, and we often wonder what the heck is going on and what could God possibly be thinking, especially when so much stuff looks messed up and just wrong. The way to deal with these strivings is strikingly clear to me now: "What can I do in this situation that would bring glory, and/or honor, and/or praise to my Father?" If we can answer that, we have our answer even to the toughest of questions.

For instance: Let's say I have a job that is very difficult, and my direct supervisor is a horrible person who treats me inappropriately. I know that my reaction would be to quit... I know this from experience. But, since I know without any doubt that every single thing in my life is to bring honor and glory and praise to God, I need to evaluate the situation a bit more. As I pray, I would ask for clarity and direction: "What would bring You, God, the most honor, glory and praise in this situation?" If the answer is to quit, so be it... But, what if standing up to the boss in a respectful manner is more appropriate, because maybe God wants this man to witness how a follower of Jesus handles conflict? Maybe he had negative interactions with Christians in the past, and my willingness to look him in the eye with love and be honest about what God is doing in my life might surprise him enough to consider that maybe God is real. Maybe he has some bad things going on in his life and he is just lashing out because he doesn't know how to handle it. Maybe the door will open for real ministry if I look him in the eye and love him through the hurt... What if just being submissive is more appropriate? Maybe the silence will catch him off guard and he will observe my godliness in the face of oppression. The point is, maybe God is doing something to bring glory to Himself, and my rash reaction to the situation would cause me to miss on an opportunity for God to be glorified. Yes, that is a heck of a lot of "maybe"s but if we use the lens of "bringing God glory and honor and praise", perhaps our answers might be easier to find.

I am still trying to process all of this, because even though I have read through the Scriptures many times, this is the first time I have really considered this idea. It seems basic, in some sense, and yet to me, today, it is profound. Which brings me back to another reason we are to continue seeking God in His Word: He is so deep, so complex, so amazing... we can spend our entire earthly life reaching for Him, straining for Him, and we will never get to the end of Him. This, too, brings Him glory, and honor, and praise.

Highest and Best Use

2010-11-17T09:58:00.004-06:00

In the Real Estate Profession, there is a term, "highest and best use." The term specifically refers to value of a property; that it's worth is directly related to it's usage. For instance, a residential home in a neighborhood of residential home would best be valued according to the recent sales of similar homes in the same neighborhood. If that same home was located on a busy street, and surrounded by commercial property, the value as a home might be considerably lower than it's value as a commercial storefront.

I was thinking about the condition of my heart, and this term popped up in my mind... "highest and best use." Am I operating my heart in it's highest and best use? If yes, what does that look like? And, if not, why?

I think we could agree that the highest and best use of our heart is to love God. In fact, Jesus stated this truth quite clearly: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). In effect, Jesus was saying, the highest and best use of your heart is to love God first... above everything else. The Scripture is filled with similar references, and even Jesus was quoting the Old Testament when He made this statement. "Seeking the kingdom of God first" is a similar New Testament command, simply setting us straight on what is to be our priority. If we love God first, every thought and every action would be tempered by our love for Him. What we do with our time and our treasures would be directly affected by this love that is first in all things. Those who love God first ACT like they love God... it fleshes out in acts of kindness, humility, goodness, and the other fruits of the Spirit.

Jesus continued, "The second (commandment) is like it: Love others as yourself." This sets the next two priorities: love others, then love yourself. And I'll finish it off by saying everything else comes after those three priorities. Let's expand those two a little...

Love others. I think if we are honest with ourselves, we know what that looks like: Treat others better than ourselves. Lend without expecting in return. Be generous with our time and talent and treasures. Give a lot. Listen closely. Pray unceasingly for others. Be encouraging. Always hope for the best, and celebrate the successes of others. Easier said than done, I know, but we know what it looks like. That doesn't mean we should allow others to abuse us and just be a "doormat"... even Jesus said, "Do not cast your pearls before swine." (Matthew 7:6) The implication is that we need to be discerning about where and what and how we give. I personally give to my family first, then other believers, then others as they cross my path, and not without prayer. I would rather err in giving than withholding though... but I confess I do struggle at times determining where the end of loving is...

I was talking to a young man the other day. He is a youth minister who is a godly young man making a difference in his church and community. Having had a pretty rough week, he was wondering if maybe he cared too much. I quoted a song from Switchfoot: "If it doesn't break your heart it isn't love... If it doesn't break your heart, it's not enough." Sometimes (many times) loving others is painful, and most of the time it is simply inconvenient. Bottom line is this: we love God first, then we love others... that is our highest and best use... it is what we were created for. If that is true, why would we want to do anything else?

Oh, the Love Yourself thing... I think it is worth discussing. Many people have no trouble with this, other than putting it before the other two commandments...If we are honest with ourselves, I think we would admit that we do far too many things because we simply WANT to. We buy stuff for ourselves we don't need, we spend time doing things for ourselves instead of others far too often.. and I could go on. Don't get me wrong, we should take care of ourselves, that is what loving ourselves means. But, taking care of ourselves means we feed our souls by going to church, reading the Bible, and things like that. We should exercise and eat properly. We shouldn't indulge in things that are harmful to us (drugs, excessive alcohol, or anything excessively, for that matter.) We should consider what the Highest and Best use of our free time is and be careful not to simply fall onto the couch and watch brainless television all of the time. Sometimes we do need that... but maybe a nice walk in the evening would be better? If we are really loving God, then loving others, then ourselves... what would our lives look like?

Lastly, love everything else that is good.Philippians 4:8 says, "...Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

That sums it up. The Highest and Best use of us is to Love God, Love Others, Love ourselves, and always think about excellent things.

As in a real estate transaction, there is an appraisal done on any property that is under contract. An assessment is done to be sure that it is valued at its true value. Your true value is this: That God so loves you that He sent His One and Only Son to die for you. He is the Grand Appraiser. When you go to your final "closing", at the end of your life, will you have lived up to His assessment of how incredibly valuable you really are? You cannot do anything about yesterday, but you have today. What will you do?

(Note: Danny Thompson is a Realtor in San Antonio, Texas. Saved in 1991, served as Family Minister at Evers Road Christian Church from 1998-2001. Currently serving at River City Community Church as one of the Worship Leaders, and a Life Group Coach.)

Joy in Brokenness

2010-10-11T17:17:00.005-05:00

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

My dad said that so many times to me, because I was always messing with stuff. I always wanted to know how things worked, and why they didn't. Whenever something broke and he replaced it, he would let me have the old, broken one, and I would take it apart and mess with it until I understood why it broke, and either fixed it, or acknowledged it was unfixable. I love to fix things... and I rarely admit I can't fix something. The heart, though, is a total mystery to me. The things people do, the things I do, because of the heart... I'll never understand. But there is one thing I have noticed: it's the broken heart that runs to Father, that is never denied the comfort of His arms.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:17-18

Somehow, Father is motivated is some deeper way to respond to the call of one whose heart is broken. The scriptures says, "He is close..." oh, my, that is so amazing, but disturbing in a way...

Let's take a look at why this might be. I really find it a bit hard to believe God just wants us to have a broken heart and hurt all the time. I know God is good, and that just does not sound good at all. I have had my heart broken severely several times, and I will confess, I do not like it one bit. My brother died when I was 19, my son died when he was 16 months old, and my dad died a few years ago... add to that the many failures, disappointments, etc... My heart has been broken into so many pieces at so many different times, I fail to believe it is God's will that I suffer such deep heart ache.

If you have children, think about how you feel when you see them struggle, and when their heart gets broken. I have two beautiful, passionate, amazing girls... and I have seen both of them working through pain and heartache. Oh, how it hurts to even think about them hurting. I wanted to run to them, wrap them in my arms and make everything better. And I would do that, with the exception of the making everything better. In our closeness, we talked about the hurt, I listened, and offered small snippets of encouragement and hope. It didn't fix anything, but after some time, they were able to see a bigger picture and move through the pain to the other side. I have seen that they have grown through these times.

Perhaps God gives us children so we can see what He sees; so we can feel something close to what He feels. When we hurt, I think, in some sense, He hurts. His passion and compassion for us motivates Him to run to us, comfort us, and lead us to see the bigger picture. Most of the time, I believe, He didn't cause the heartache, but He was always there to pick up the pieces. And maybe sometimes, He is the instigator of the hurt... but if you know He is good, then you can also know that He is working things out for the good of His plan (Romans 8:28). He takes no pleasure in the pain of His children - not anymore than you do. But He has immense Joy to see us grow through our brokenness and heartache... when we get to the other side and we are stronger, and have a more real sense of the truth. Oh, yes.. He loves when we are closer to the Truth, as He is Truth. And He wants to be close to us, so much so that He wants to live in us!

If you have placed your faith in Jesus, and trust that His sacrifice on the cross for the sin of the world included your sin, and you are trusting Him now, you are a child of God. Father loves you. He knows your hurt, your struggles, and your brokenness. He even knows your sin, your secret sin no one else knows about. (Think about that for a moment.) And still, He loves you more than you can ever imagine. He wants to heal your hurt, strengthen you through your struggles, replace your brokenness with wholeness, and then fill you up to overflowing. He is the Perfect Father, who knows just what to do to help you become all that you were created to be. Don't be afraid to call on Him, even if your brokenness is your own fault... He doesn't care where you have been but only that your brokenness is bringing you to Him. He is able to forgive you, to heal you, and to help you see the reality of this life, and of the next... I promise that you will sense His great Love if you only call on Him. You will be changed.

There is Joy in brokenness, because Father runs to those who are broken, and Joy comes with His presence.

Wondering Aloud...

2010-07-02T14:10:00.004-05:00

I do not know if it is age, or lack of caloric intake, but I have been a bit melancholy lately. My usual exuberance has taken a backseat to a seriousness and reflection... I know... Your thinking that I probably just need some sleep. But, I am pretty sure I am feeling some shift of mindset as I fast approach the Big 5-0... With at least half of my life over, I have been turning more and more toward how I want to be remembered. Wow... I actually said it out loud.

So, here are a few things I have come up with:

1. I want to be remembered as a Giver. Therefore, I must give. I must leave every situation, every encounter, every event, having given something away. Whether that is money, food, or other tangibles, or wisdom, humor, empathy, or compassion. I think this is probably one of the easiest on this list, because you can measure this in some manner. However, you cannot give to be noticed... hmmm... that's gonna make this a bit more interesting...

2. I want to be remembered as one who was full of Joy. Therefore, I must be joyful. So, where does Joy come from? I believe joy is a knowing, a secure hope in something unchangeable and ever true. Happiness is fleeting, and circumstances sway the happy easily. To be full of Joy is quite different. There is a Joy that I know (most of the time) that is rooted in the Truth that I know God is for me (1 John 4)... and that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28) Since I know these truths (among many others) then I CAN have joy unspeakable all the time, knowing that God has "got my back" and that He has a fantastic plan for me and my life, and NOTHING can mess that up.. not even me. Now, if I can just remember that all the time....

3. I want to be remembered as a man of integrity and honesty. I always tell my children, "You want to be trusted? Be trustworthy." It is that simple. I have to choose to be honest and choose to do the right thing even when no one is watching...always. I will say that this has always been important to me, and I have been striving to be this man a long time. I am optimistic that I might live up to these ideals... some day ;-)

4. I want to be remembered as a man who loved his family. Most of the time, this one is easy. I really love my girls... My wife is mind-blowing awesome. She drives me crazy, frustrates me, excites me, challenges me - all at the same time. God really knew what He was doing when He hooked us up! And the girls... never in the history of women has there been two females more easy to love. I would have to get right down to bragging if I were to explain the countless ways that my two jewels are so amazing, unique and special. They are so different in who they are, but they are both happy, secure, strong-willed, smart, and fun. I am so blessed - I think this one is the one I have got down... Everyone knows, including my girls... I'll stop the world to answer their call.

5. I want to be remembered as a man who loved His God. I think this one is the one I have to be the most careful with. It is too easy to act like you love God, but in the depths of our hearts, we can actually be cold and untouched. It like the difference between singing a worship song, and worshipping. It's a matter of the heart that no one but God and me can see. Only He truly knows the realness of my worship. Only He knows if I am opening up to Him, to let Him have His way with me, or if I am going through the motions and playing the part. And since only He knows, the praise and attention from others can mask the truth of the hurt and the distance inside. I must be real. I must face my demons and have someone else who I can tell my hurts and struggles to, so that I don't deceive myself into thinking I am already the godly man God wants me to be. Let's face it... until I look just like Jesus (Romans 8:29-30) God is not done with me. Am I gentle? Am I humble? Will I lay down my life for my brother? Excuse me while I remove this plank from my eye...

I believe these things I have been thinking about will continue to haunt my waking hours, and I can only pray that God will answer these pleas in an affirmative manner. I am confident that these things are good, and that they are in line with His plan for me. I am equally confident that I have a great capacity to complicate them and convolute them as I long to be this man. I strive to continue to pour myself out, to make room for His Spirit to overcome me, that I may disappear into His presence. And the knowing... the knowing that He is near, and He is for me... I remain in His Joy unspeakable.

2010-03-11T10:39:00.003-06:00

Psalm 107:23-32
Some of you set sail in big ships;
you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.
Out at sea you saw God in action,
saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:
With a word he called up the wind—
an ocean storm, towering waves!
You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out;
your hearts were stuck in your throats.
You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk,
you didn't know which end was up.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
he got you out in the nick of time.
He quieted the wind down to a whisper,
put a muzzle on all the big waves.
And you were so glad when the storm died down,
and he led you safely back to harbor.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
Lift high your praises when the people assemble,
shout Hallelujah when the elders meet!

I was reading through the Psalms the other day and this passage stood out to me... I have read it many times before, but for some reason, it has be echoing in my heart for the last three days since I read it. When I read the first verse of this section, "...to do business...", I thought, "that's me." I mean, I make plans to do business, and set goals, prepare, and then set out "to sea". My guess is that most of us do this in some fashion. Whether it is making plans to buy something (like a large building and 100 acres) or to sell something, (another building) or to effect something in our lives.. to achieve something... to gain something... We all do these things. I am not saying that is bad - don't get me wrong. We need to set goals, make plans, and move forward. If we don't, I think they call that a "couch potato". That's certainly not good.

So, are we all in agreement? We all make plans - good, bad, indifferent - we "set out to sea." And then... God!

All kinds of crazy happens. Storms, waves, rain, ad nauseam (literally).

So, what do we do? In this text, the "sailors" cried out to God. And God met them, and saved them. What kind of sailor are you? I imagine it could go another direction, and have experienced this on more than one occassion - the "sailors" (us) complain about the situation, moan and regret how their plans have gone awry. They can cast judgment and blame on others. They can even complain directly to God, because He did not bless their plans. "Woe is me... Why God, why me?" Yeah... I've heard it before. Truth be told, I might have been one of these forelorn sailors a time or two. What about you?

The sailors in this text realized something either sooner or later, but ultimately, they cried out to God. They realized their position as "passengers" on a boat that they really had no control over. Rudderless in a storm, they needed something.. some ONE more powerful. The Surrendered Sails caught no wind as they bowed low in submission. The only strong act of men was to cry out to a Holy, Powerful God, and asked for salvation. In that act, they gave up all sense of control, real or imagined. And God answered. "In the nick of time" God quieted the wind, muzzled the waves, and led the crying ones back to safe harbor. Their response: praise.
The last few verses of this text show clearly that these "planners" saw the great mercies of God, and were grateful. Their plans were changed, the outcome was not what they planned, and they may have even lost their cargo (their down payment on the above referenced property?) and yet they had a new perspective... that God saved them, and they were overjoyed by His goodness and love.

It is amazing what a little storm can do to our perspective. I think the two paths of response are pretty universal at all crossroads following a "storm". We can choose to complain, or we can acknowledge that our plans just aren't as important as our relationship with Father. If He chose a storm for us, rather than our well thought out schemes, we must have needed that storm to gain correction in our perspective. God is not fickle or wishy-washy -- He desires a deep, intimate relationship with Himself, and He is jealous when we place anything in front of Him.. especially a PLAN. We must, if we truly belong to Him, state clearly and with commitment at every crossroad, "not my will but Yours Father." That is the only realistic perspective.

All is Yours God. I am Yours. My plans are Yours God... It's all Yours.

The Nearness of God

2010-02-08T10:02:00.001-06:00

Sean Azzaro, my pastor of River City Community Church, upon delivering a message about the vision for 2010 at our church, challenged us to fast one day a week. The challenge was not the main point... in fact, it was more likely a side point, maybe even an after-thought. His message was to the point that perhaps we focus too much on the peripherals of faith, and forget that the most important aspect of Salvation is the Presence of God... Yes, we are saved from the punishment of Sin, and we are no longer slaves to sin... that's very, very good. Yes, God gave us the Church where we are called to fellowship, teach, reach, and grow spiritually. All these things are good, too. But the main point of the cross is the "tearing of the curtain", "the renting of the veil"... The Nearness of God.

God became man... He started it. He came near to us. And then Emmanuel paid the price so we could "approach the throne of grace in boldness." (Hebrews 4:16) As amazing as that is, we far too easily get distracted by the things of this world, and the peripherals of faith (my description of all things not directly relating to the nearness of God.).

Fast. As in, "don't eat"... Once a week. Stop for a second and think about how you reacted to that phrase as you read it. Was there this slight tinge of fear? I am (almost) ashamed to admit that I first thought, "How will I go one whole day without food?" When you think about it, it's not really a big deal at all, unless you literally have a physical disability that won't allow you to do so. (Diabetes, and other such diseases.) I am pretty much mocking myself when I describe my reaction -- I actually had a plan just in case I couldn't make it... an energy bar within reach, just in case. So I thought the whole thing through, and even though I really didn't understand what might happen if I were to fast, I simply accepted the challenge, as I am prone to do. (I am slightly competitive...challenges motivate me.)

So, as I work out at the gym six days a week, I determined that I needed to fast after Saturday morning workout (I do not work out on Sunday), starting after I have a protein shake.. which I have each morning. I then would not eat for 24 hours. I decided I would spend mealtimes praying. I also determined that every time I felt hungry, I would simply stop, and pray. I did not predetermine what to pray, just that I would stop what I was doing and give God my undivided attention. Okay? Ready.... Go!

The first Saturday, I was very busy with work, and I made it to lunch quite easily. Piece of cake... okay, not cake.. but easy, anyway. As the day rolled on, I felt the need to pray fairly often. As it got late, I was praying almost continually, but I was feeling this sense of satisfaction in the praying times. About 9:30 PM, I decided going to bed was my best bet. (Night time snacks are my weakness.) I got up early as I was leading worship and had to be at practice at 7 AM. I prayed all the way to church, and I really starting feeling this sense of God's presence. I then noticed that I wasn't hungry at all. I was excited about worship, and before I went into the auditorium, I sat in my car and worshipped intimately, just me and Father. Way cool. All three services, I felt an intensity of intimacy with Father... the Starfield song, Reign in us, caused my heart to nearly break. I felt full. Full of Father. Full of His presence. It was amazing. I didn't even think about food until I went home and had lunch.

Here are some thoughts I had that day: The urges we call hunger that we so often satisfy with some type of food product... maybe they are not food urges at all. Maybe over time, we have confused those urges... maybe, just maybe, those urges are actually a hunger for the nearness of God. Maybe we are overweight because we keep stuffing our faces when we really ought to fall on our knees. Maybe we don't sense the presence of God as much as we should because we are misdirecting our hungers. We might be confused about the things that truly satisfy. Stuffing food in our bodies is sort of an analogy for us: satisfying ourselves, fixing it ourselves, handling the problems ourselves. Perhaps if we would identify those urges as "hunger for God's presence" first, asked God to satisfy us as He would chose to, then we might find ourselves standing in His presence more often... and as a result, we find ourselves walking in His will more often, and eventually, continuously.

I am not advocating "not eating". I am not saying everyone who is overweight is not godly. I am very simply saying: Fasting for Father will rock your world. I am challenging you to fast once a week. Do not do it to shed pounds, but to shed some of the trappings of this world. I fasted for the second time a few days ago, and it was as awesome as the first time, and I am planning to keep this up until I find myself in the presence of God every moment of every day.

Let me know if you take this challenge and what your exeriences are, if you care to do so. I am still working through the things that Father is leading me through, but I'll do you a favor and stop here... The Nearness of God is our good. (Psalm 73:28)

In the Strangest of Places

2009-08-23T06:31:00.003-05:00

So, even with many reasons why I didn't need to go: so busy with work, should be with family, already serving in various ministries, i was running late...etc... I went anyway. You never know what God will do... and I just felt this nudge that I should go. Running late, when I arrived under the bridge, the food line has already started and I was overwhelmed by how large the crowd was. My heart broke a little as I thought of all of their struggles... I glanced to the servers, and plenty of volunteers were there preparing plates, scooping green beans and corn, and pouring tea and lemonade. I scanned the homeless already served or just standing around, and began wandering in their midst, trying to engage someone in a conversation.
"How's the food? Can I get you some more?" I asked a small group of guys just finishing their plates. The one squatting down looked up and with a flashy grin, responded, "Food was great! Thanks so much! Do you think they will let me have some more tea?" I offered to get him a cup, but he insisted he would get it himself, thanking me.
The fellow in a wheelchair threw all of his trash on the ground and the realized I was standing behind him, and muttered, "I wonder where the trash can is..."
"No worries... we'll get it." , I told him and asked for his cup so I could get him so more to drink. He smiled a toothless grin and thanked me again.
As I went back to the line to get the drink, the line was still very long. I began praying that there would be enough food. I had to get my friend lemonade as they were already out of tea. Returning and handing him his cup, he thanked me again and the small group turned, saying goodbye, left me standing there... "God, why did you want me here?", I wondered as I looked around. I saw Charlie picking up trash, and others still serving food... One of the volunteers carrying a trash bag approached me and asked why I didn't bring my guitar so I could play and lead worship. I replied that I had done so in the past, that it went well, but really felt like I needed to be talking to the people who had come. (Since I wasn't talking to anyone at that time, he may have wanted to ask me - "So, how that working for you?" But he was gracious. smiled, and continued to pick up the garbage in the area.
I scanned the crowd, and saw a thin, shirtless young man, and went over to him, standing near him, hoping he would turn and talk. I stood there like a dummy for a few minutes... waiting. He had large tattoos on his back - two of the larger ones were of a woman's face with a background reminiscent of a Catholic shrine. There were various other tattoos, but I didn't want to stare.
He turned to me with a huge smile, and greeted me. "Kique" he said grasping my hand firmly. "Danny", I said... "Those are cool tat's... who are they?" I blurted, for lack of something more interesting to say. He spoke in a broken English/Spanish blend: "My ma, this one.. my grandma, this one." , he stated, and began to talk quickly and expressively... I am, not really sure what he said, but he was enthusiastic. I showed him my large "tat" that I really wish I didn't have and he laughed, saying that he thought it was "very nice." I asked him if he wanted some food and he declined. I asked him where he was from, as I was unfamiliar with his accent, and he told me he came from Cuba back in 2004. His work Visa had expired and he was unable to get real work. We talked about family, work, money, living on the streets, drugs and other related things... I prayed under my breath for some leading to know what to say, and then it happened: Kique began to tell me about Jesus.
Yes... that's what I said. Kique told me about his faith. And I must admit, I had never heard the gospel more real, more raw, and more clearly stated in my entire life. I have never heard the gospel presented with so many curse words, but maybe that made it more real in a way...
He told me how he reads his Bible everyday, and that its is like food to him... how you simply cannot know God better without reading your Bible. He said, "I don't know if I will be alive tomorrow, but if I am, I will be reading my Bible in the morning." He declared that he had read it through many, many times... and it is always new.
He told me that he was rich... that he had nothing, but he was rich. He said he sees people who are rich, but they are poor. I wish I could communicate the accent, the emphatic gestures, and hand motions - we were having church... He said the rich have nothing if they don't have God.
We spoke of Abraham and God's test of the sacrificial son. We spoke about God's testing, God's presence, and His deep love.
And then this homeless man spoke of God's provision. He said, "Do you have enough? You must have enough, because if you needed something, God would have already given it to you. I have enough, and this is where I am. Some may say I have nothing... but I have everything... everything I need. Many people want more, want more, want more... and they do not have God... so they do not have what they really need. They are poor."
He also spoke of purpose: "I am here still. That means I need to know more.. more about God, and more about me. God has me here to learn about myself, and to know myself. And to know Him. I do not know everything yet, but when I go to Him, I will know everything."
Kique grabbed a watermelon from a passing volunteer with a tray - almost empty. With a big smile took a bite and laughed. His eyes were bright, his ideas were clear, though his words were not anything like any preaching I ever heard in a church setting. His faith covered him in a way that made me want to sell everything. His hope was before him.
Kigue grabbed my hand, and said, "It is time for me to go down there.", motioning toward the shelter down the street. We hugged and I thanked him for his time and his words. We laughed as he left me standing there in wonder. In the strangest of places, God shows up and does the unexpected. I laughed and thanked God for this "Divine appointment", so glad that I obeyed the nudge to come to the Under the Bridge ministry this night. As I turned back to the food line, the tables had been packed up and only a few volunteers remained, cleaning up the remnants of a large feast.
God is good.
All the time.
We only need to show up.

Epiphanies are Fun!!

2009-05-11T07:33:00.004-05:00

You know that moment when you really get something - that moment of clarity on something that is really deep.. really important? Wow!! It's like being on a mountain, a cool, crisp breeze blowing in your face... and a Truth hits you like a phone call that says you just won the lottery! We all have Epiphanies once in a while, and we all yearn for them, whether we know it or not. And then, there is theEvery Day.

The Every Day is the entering into the sameness of yesterday. We can trudge along through it and lose our sense of awe and amazement, mostly because we do not see anything to be in awe of or be amazed at. Oh, an Epiphany.. my kingdom for an epiphany!!

Hey, I am not knocking those moments of wonder. I am just saying sometimes we are so busy trying to understand the deep, that we forget the obvious. In less poetic terms: we skip the basics.

Anyone following Jesus Christ, or trying to follow Jesus Christ (much better said) prays. We pray for ourselves, we pray for others. We pray for wisdom and understanding. We pray for direction... "God, should I turn left, or right?" "Father, should I go to school or ministry?" This is good and right. But sometimes we are so busy seeking direction for the future we fail to hear the present call of a follower of Christ - "Be holy, as I am holy." "Do not be angry." "Do not be drunk with wine." "Be gentle and humble." Need I continue????

Here is the Epiphany of the day: Don't forget the basics. The basic call of holiness is what gets us before the Throne of God in the first place. If we ignore the basic commands of God, why should He help us with the deeper things? Do we honestly thing God ignores our "little sins"? Brothers and sisters, I must declare without any reservation: We are called to be holy. Holy means to be set apart for "special" purposes. In the context of faith, set apart to do God's will. That isn't just the big, wonderful things that get written about in a book. It means the mundane, the ordinary, the Every Day. Like the guy who finds the wallet filled with cash and returns it to its owner. The woman who sees the cashier forgot to charge for something and goes back and pays for it. The drivers who do NOT wave the one-fingered salute to someone who cut them off. (Yes, I just said that...)

I am convicted about the Every Day. I love the Epiphany, that's for sure... I am just like you. And I struggle today, and will likely struggle tomorrow. But I have a God who owns the Every Day as much as He owns the Epiphany. His grace and mercy pour over me and wash me clean. His Spirit fills me and gives me eyes to see not only my own sin, but the needs of others, and the will of God.

God is good. All the time. His plan and purposes are good. Seek Hard.

State of Amazement

2009-05-08T06:21:00.004-05:00

As I was praying this morning, I kept thanking God for all the things He is doing in my life and around my church. I declared, "God I am so amazed by You and the things You do." Suddenly, it hit me: Why am I not always in a constant state of amazement? I mean think about it - God is always all powerful, all-knowing, all seeing, ever compassionate and full of grace. Why am I only amazed right now, in the midst of some huge things He is doing in my life? (Long stories-- I am in the midst of a few major moves of God - I will present soon... just waiting for the right time...)

Then came the answer: I am not watching close enough. The truth of the matter is God is always doing the impossible; He is always doing something amazing. Too often, I am caught up in my own myopic perspective and I fail to see the myriads of things God is doing around me, through me, and to me. I repented.

Brandon Heath released a song recently... "Give me Your Eyes". In the song he talks of what is really going on underneath. As he walks the street of his town, he struggles to see past the smiles and into the hearts of those he encounters. He asks for the ability to love them, and make a difference in their lives. I dare say that condition of blindness is common, and is from the enemy. My brothers and sisters, this ought not be.

Jesus told the disciples to look at the people - the fields ripe and ready - and He said to pray that there would be the faithful, the workers, to harvest. (Matt 9:35-37) Guys - that's us. God is calling us to open our eyes and see what He is doing around us. There are people dying because they do not know Him. Think about what your life would be like if you did not know Jesus -- and recognize that there are many, many people living like that. I don't know about you, but my heart is breaking right now. If the fields are not harvested, they will die.

So, let's imagine something better: Your eyes are open and you see what God is doing all around you. You see the hurting, the ill, the lonely... and you are filled with compassion. You see God orchestrating "divine appointments" with you and others, and you are amazed. You see how God prepared someone to hear just the right words, and you are amazed. You see someone healed of cancer. And you are amazed. You see someone receive the money they needed just in time, and you are amazed. You see the faithful giving sacrificially of themselves and of their treasures, and you are amazed. You see God doing things that you never could have imagined - God, moving in His people, bringing about the Impossible. And you are amazed.

That's what I want. Yes, today, I am amazed... God has done and is doing some amazing things in my life right now and it is easy to see. What about tomorrow? Will I return to the everyday... the everyday where I only see the physical things, the obvious? Or will I continue to see with the eyes of faith? Will my eyes open wide with amazement as the God of the Universe interacts with me and the lives of those around me?

Father hear my prayer. I need to see with Your eyes. I am not complete, as Your son, unless my eyes are healed so I see what is really going on in and around me. Father I pray that I live in a constant state of amazement as I see You working to save those You love, as You grow the faith in those who love You. I desperately need you to remove the scales from my eyes, and soften my heart, that I might have the compassion to love others as You do. I am Yours. Use me as You will. Amen.

Grace and a Blind Eye

2009-04-28T06:42:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I have posted here... it certainly is not because God and I haven't been talking. In fact, our relationship has been very active. But, I have been very busy at work, at church, at home. It has been a bit overwhelming...just plain busy. I am going to go out on a limb and assume a few of you out there know what I am talking about. And, there is no way I can go back over the last few months and explore all the things that I have wrestled with, failed at, and discovered. So, I'll just share what's up today...

This morning, out on the couch on the back porch, I was just bouncing all the things in my head that have been going on in my life, trying to focus on what God might be saying to me, and the one thought that pierced through the murkiness was "grace". I am not sure it was God telling me to stop and be grateful for His grace, or if it was me just thinking about how many times I have failed, or just done what I wanted without seeking Him, and yet He was still there with me... still willing to listen to my heart, willing to love me. A cool breeze of grace poured over me, and I was reminded of the very basic of basics: God loves me.

Can you say it with me? Out loud? Ready? One, two, three: "God loves me."

The absolute immensity of that truth is perhaps the most overlooked, underestimated truth in the universe. God - all powerful, all knowing, all seeing, ever present, perfect God...loves little, bitty, frail, foolish, stubborn, sinful me (...and you.) From a scientific approach - it's ridiculous. God doesn't need anything and we can only give Him that which He created to begin with. Yet, He wants a relationship with us. Not like a pet, spontaneously purchased at the side of the road on the way home from the grocery store, at once enjoyed and entertaining, and later, after a time, just an annoyance that requires a minimum amount of attention. But rather, like a child, born of a mother once thought barren, cherished through every smile, every cry, every first step, first tooth, first word, first grade, first love... Stop, as I did this morning, and really think about that. And so, the word "Grace" echoed deep in my heart, reverberating through my entire soul. And even that thought, that realization of His love, is a gift of grace.

Does God, my Father, have a blind eye toward my sin. my failures, my outright disobedience? Or is every single "bad" thing that happens a punishment, doled out tit for tat by a score keeper who makes absolutely sure we are aware of our every mistake. The verses that shout out to me this morning are in Ephesians chapter 2... a stunning chapter worth the read. Worth memorizing, for that matter. The whole chapter is a heart's cry of a Father who longs to have His children understand the depth of His love. Following are the first 9 verses:

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

There are books written about the depths of this passage. I encourage you to memorize it... and I pledge to do so as well. Even as I cut and pasted it into this post, as I read it, I was stirred with gratitude of a Holy God who loves me that much. I was dead in my sin, and He intervened into my life and rescued me. He made me alive, fully knowing the depth of my failures of the past, and my rebellion in the future. Not with a blind eye, my friends, but with a heart big enough to love me through my sin, my rebellion, my failures.. With compassion of a Perfect Father, He interacts with me in my life, day by day, moment by moment, drawing me into a deeper love relationship. He encourages me to be the man He created me to be. He forgives me when I fall, which is far too often. He answers my prayers perfectly. He leads me through difficulties, and even uses those times in my life to grow me, draw me, shape me, love me.

The song says, "Grace flows down and covers me." It is amazing. I am simply amazed. My hope for you is that you are amazed too. The God of the universe is with You, longing to amaze you. He knows everything about you, and yet, He longs to "seat you in the heavenly realms with Christ" and give you the life you have always wanted. Not necessarily a life of success in the world's eyes - but an abundant, meaningful life. A life of joy unspeakable, and purpose. A life not measured by what you have done and will do, but a life set free of the burdens of failures and the entanglement of sin. A life overwhelmed by Grace flowing down. That is real. That is real life.

Seek Him, and He will be right there. Father loves you, not based on your value in your own eyes, but simply because He does.

Make Every Effort

2009-01-12T20:29:00.003-06:00

I was praying the other day, and asking God why I still struggle with some of the same old sins. I mean, really, I have been saved for over 17 years. I really thought by now I would be holy. It still is so much work to stay pure, keep my eyes where they belong, and not get angry at stupidity. That's sounds harsh, but maybe that gives you a peek into my frustration.

The next morning, I read this:
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2nd Peter 1:5-8)

I have read that many times over the years, and it sounded good and sensible, but for some reason, it offered me hope... and a slight tinge of correction. I think God was saying to me that morning that it is a process, and it is a process that requires my full participation. Sure, I have been reading the Bible for 17 years, attending church, having Bible studies, home fellowship meeting, and volunteering for various things. I have gone on mission trips as far as the Philippines... But God gently reminded me that my struggles would not be removed as a reward for doing things. God doesn't give us a list of do's and dont's and if we do really well, He removes our sinful tendencies... He never said that at all.

The truth is this - we have to "make every effort..." Yes, the Holy Spirit is active in us and we are given faith, and grace, and God is working everything together to conform us into the likeness of His Son, but we must "make every effort" to be holy. Have I made every effort? The answer to why I still struggle is abundant clear now... and it isn't God's fault.

So the process starts with Faith. It is impossible to please God without faith, and our life with Him starts with faith - the belief that He is, and He is able to do all He said He will do. To Faith, we add goodness. We make every effort to be good, to do good, to act good. Good to our family, our friends, and strangers. Every effort - good. Got it? To that, make every effort to add knowledge... we need to read the Bible, study, seek God, talk to others who are learned, and make every effort to become more knowledgeable about God, life, salvation, and humanity.

Self-control. Really? Self-control. I am confident that I have not made every effort to be self-controlled... this possibly could be a sticking point, and it may take me a while to get to the next level... But, if I would have been making every effort to be good, and adding knowledge, I think the self-control might be a little easier... I think I see a pattern here....

Perseverance. Stick-to-it-edness. When the going gets tough, the faithful get on their knees. Then, they get up and keep going. God doesn't explain all of our obstacles, and He certainly doesn't remove them. But He is with us, and He is asking us to make every effort to persevere.. stick with Him. It is worth it.

Godliness. Honestly, I think if I could do the above better, I would be godly... The cool thing here, and the reason I am encouraged, is because this process makes sense, and it seems doable, with His help, of course. But to be godly, "like God" is a very, very awesome thing. I really want to be more godly... I guess it will take some effort on my part. Every effort.

Brotherly kindness seems pretty easy after getting through the previous challenges. If I am making every effort to be good, adding knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness... I am pretty sure brotherly kindness will be a piece of cake. The funny thing is, I think I have the brotherly kindness thing down fairly well right now, but I am lacking in the previous areas. Perhaps I have gone out of order and went to the easier ones. I mean, it is easy to show love to my brother.. He is my brother after all... that isn't that hard.

And finally, Love. This seems almost like a "just in case I missed anything" sort of thing. But it lines up with what Paul said to the Corinthians: If I give everything to the poor... but have not love, it is useless and worthless. (DannyT's paraphrase) I think the point here is that if we are making all this effort, don't miss the whole point of it all - Love. God is Love, and He has called us to love. Love changes things. People get saved because we love. People come to know God because we love. Love.

The entire Chapter 1 of 2 Peter is eye-opening, and I encourage you to dig deep into the richness of His Word, and remind you of the encouragement within. God spoke, and He still speaks today. He answers our cries, and He offers hope. He empowers us to become all that He intended us to be. We must engage, and make every effort to grow closer to Him. It isn't easy to do, but the process is understandable, and attainable.
Our God is a great God, who loves us more than we can imagine or comprehend. I am grateful for this God who offers a loving answer in response to my heartfelt cry of frustration. I am thankful that He accepts me as I am, but loves me way too much to leave me this way.

I hope to encourage you to seek Him. Cry out. He will answer you.

That's What Faith is For

2008-11-24T07:54:00.000-06:00

Hebrews 11:1 says that "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." NASB
There seems to be a few loopholes in this description. No offense to the writer, but isn't it possible we can hope for all kinds of stuff, and then be sorely disappointed? I know I have hoped for a few things that never materialized... is a 29 inch waste asking for too much? Heck, lately, I'd settle for a 32 inch waste. It's be nice to be able to reach my feet without grunting.

Okay, all kidding aside, my point is that we need to be sure that our Faith is centered on the Truth of God. God has said a lot of things. He had men over many years write down the things that He really wanted us to put our Faith and Hope in. Most of what He wrote, with the help of the Holy Spirit, is plain to see. The Big Stuff, I mean... You know, the propitiation of our sins by the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior... the Salvation of our souls. It is crystal clear that for some reason and in some manner, the death, and resurrection, of Jesus Christ, and our faith placed in Him, saves us. I didn't say it was easy to comprehend, just easy to see. The scriptures say this over, and over, and over. The New Testament shouts it, and the Old Testament foreshadows it. The cross is the center of time.. everything comes down to the cross. Our salvation depends completely on our faith in the One who, at the right time, stepped into time and took our sins to the cross at Calvary. He died, they buried Him, and then, He rose again. That Truth, is the focus of our Faith.

The Bible is a big compilation of books and letters and, yes, I am saying it all comes down to that aforementioned fact. Of course, there is much to read, study and chew on. But it begins and ends with the Cross. Are you with me?

So, Hebrews 11:6 says something else interesting:"Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." A REWARDER... God gives a reward for those who SEEK Him. That is really an interesting turn of words. If pleasing the God who created everything that exists seen and unseen is important to you (and me) we might want to look closely at this text. We MUST have faith - faith in the Truth given by God - or we will NOT please God. Somehow, NOT pleasing God sounds a bit scary to me. What's even more interesting here is that it doesn't say, "You must do everything right and perfect to please God..." I am not saying that what we do doesn't matter, but that God is mostly concerned about our Faith. And He is pleased when we put our faith wholly in Him.

Let's look at verse 6 again - God is the rewarder of those who seek Him. So, Father is pleased by our faith, and rewards our seeking. Faith Seeks! This supports James comments that "faith without deeds is dead." Sure, that means those who have faith do good, even great, deeds. But it is much, much more than that: Faith seeks. Faith pursues. Faith wrestles with truths. Faith obeys. Faith longs for a better day. Faith weeps over those who don't have this faith. Faith hates sin. Faith repents. Faith worships. Faith fellowships. Faith reads. Faith prays. Faith cries. Faith celebrates.

After taking a long look at Faith, I think I see why it pleases God. I think I see why God is so incredibly interested in our faith in His uncomplicated Truth that He loves us, He sent His Son for us, He died for us, and He now lives for us. It is us, His unruly followers who complicate things. Pride and selfishness get in the way of the simplicity that is the Gospel. Misdirected faith muddies the water...

Let's get back to the basic Truth of what God said. Let's clear our heads and center our hearts on the simple Truth that Jesus Saves. And then seek. We will be rewarded. Not necessarily by anything earthly, though that does happen... but seeking God is its own reward.. because He will be found. And God is good. All the time.

ADD...and Other Spiritual Dilemas

2008-11-17T07:02:00.000-06:00

So, I am sitting down, cup of coffee in hand, and starting a time of prayer and reflection. Then I hear a sound... something outside... I must look to see what that was. I see a piece of trash that just has to be picked up now. So I go outside and notice that a bush needs to be trimmed. The I think about President Bush... I voted for him.. twice. The I think about work and how the economy is affecting the homes sales. I wander back inside (without picking up the trash, or trimming the bush) and now I am thinking about a myriad of things that need to be done in my real estate business. Half a cup of coffee gone and I haven't heard from God yet.

So, I sit back down, push everything out of my head and ask God to help me clear my mind so I can hear Him speak to me. Oh, I wrote a song called "Speak to Me." And there is a cool song we sing at church with the same name... Did I clean my guitar before I put it away? Yesterday's worship was awesome. That was some worship. I need to sell that other guitar. But I don't like eBay... and on, and on, and on... and on.

A.D.D. - it is a terrible thing. (Attention Deficit Disorder)

Now, I will admit, I actually do have ADD, so some of this is funny, but some of it is sad. I really do have trouble concentrating at times... on the bright side, I am never bored.

Anyone else out there have this struggle? I am certain I am not alone. It really is frustrating to carve out time for God and then at the end of that time find that He couldn't get a word in edgewise because my thoughts were too busy spinning out of control.

The solution I propose is simple, and profitable. When I can't find my way to meaningful prayer, I force myself to grab a Bible, and simply read. Currently, I have been looking at Romans, but really isn't important what you read, just read. God's Word has the power to cut through ADD, and any other spiritual disorder. Choose a book. If you haven't read through the New Testament lately, start with the Gospel of John. Then, move onto Matthew, Mark, Luke, then Acts. After that, just move on through the entire New Testament.

If you are like me, I have to read straight through. (A little OCD keeps me on track) (Obessessive Compulsive Disorder) If you like to read slowly and thoroughly, fine. No matter what your technique, the point is open the Bible and read. If you are well-studied in the scriptures already, choose a book, and read it over and over. Read it in several different versions. And all the while, ask God, "What are You saying to me?" (I wrote a song with that title too...)

I am not sure how it works, but God uses His word to sneak into our hearts, right past our heads, past our ADD, OCD, and any other letters that keep you distant from Him. God loves you, and me. He has something to say. And nothing, nothing will stop Him from speaking... But, we do have to listen.

Are you listening?

Just Words...

2008-10-11T07:10:00.000-05:00

A person I care about deeply called me yesterday. He thanked me for some words I spoke to him not too long ago. He explained that he thought about the words for a long time... he played them back in his mind over and over... and when he was ready, he believed the words, and he acted on them. And things got better. A chain of events that he never thought would happen, and could only hope for, have begun. The healing of a wound from long ago has begun... and there is hope.

The funny thing is... that wound... the one that is now being healed... it came from words, too.

Created in God's image, as men and women, we have been given the privilege of words. No other creature under the sun has the ability to communicate at a level of reason. Sure, monkeys can be trained to "talk" through signs and gestures... but no monkey ever wrote poetry. No monkey ever wrote a "Dear John" letter. No monkey has ever wrote a suicide note.

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

I am a talker. I am a salesman and I essentially make money by talking. I have been trained to speak in public. I love to teach. And I have seen people learn and grow and excel because of words I have spoken. But, I have looked into the eyes of my wife, after I reacted and said something cutting just so I would "win", and have seen pain... I have watched tears well up in my daughters eyes because I opened my mouth and said some things that were technically "right", but said in a hurtful manner. Oh, and I have just said some foul stuff... just because I was angry. And I wish it was just once or twice... but sadly, far too many times, I open my mouth and it ain't "praise" that comes out.

What the H..E.. double toothpicks is that all about??!!

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

I have been saved since 1991, and I cannot plead ignorance. I cannot blame it on my upbringing, my childhood, my situation... I have tasted the Life with the Lord, and I am filled with the Spirit of God and I really, really, really... really have no excuse. I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination, and have been given more than I deserve. In the big scheme of things, I have no problems (external, anyway...) I know the Holy God, Creator, Saviour, and I am made New... I really have no excuse. And believe me, I have been looking for one...

So, what is the deal? Why does unwholesome talk ever come out of my mouth? I should be a walking, talking, shouting even, bucket o' blessings! And yet... if I had a tape recorder of every word I have spoken for the last year, far too many times I have said things I wish I could take back. It may be true that many blessings have been spoken, and how I hope that the ratio of blessings to cursings would make my Daddy proud, but I guess where I am going here is that not one cursing should have been uttered. Not one. There shouldn't be a ratio...

Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus said that... I am only repeating it. So don't curse me. Oh yeah, we can all debate how it is not possible to really be perfect, and we can cut theological slices of the Greek, etc, ad nauseum... But Jesus did say it. To you, and to me...

I will give you that perfection is a very, very high bar to set. And a person could go crazy trying to actually achieve it. But, I will cut to the bottom line: Far too often, we set the bar so low that we do not even notice how our words are hurting people, not blessing them. We make excuses that we are justified for some righteous reason. Or, we are just teaching someone a lesson... bull-hockey! My brothers and sisters, this ought not be!! We are called to a holy calling of perfection and grace. We are called to encourage and speak blessings to all men, and women... and wives... daughters...sons.

Anyone out there feeling me? Can I get an amen?!

Here it is... the only solution I know: Jesus. He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30

Hebrews says to "fix our eyes on Jesus." That is setting the bar. We have to quit making excuses and call a sin a sin and strive to be better and better each day. We have to long for holiness, as it brings glory to God. We have to remove from our lives the things that cause us to slip into the coziness of mediocrity. That may mean watching less TV and movies that have bad language. It may mean reading the Bible more so we can see Jesus for who He was and who He is. It may mean asking someone to hold us accountable... allowing someone in our lives to weekly ask us the hard question: "How were your words last week?" We need to be honest with ourselves, and with those we love. And... here is a biggie: we need to go apologize to anyone we have hurt with our words. We need to speak blessing back into their lives and bring healing.

Whose eyes have you looked into and seen the tears in response to your words? I pray that God will give you and me the courage to face the truth of the answer to this question. And I pray that He will give us the grace and wisdom, and the right words, to speak life and love and blessings.

Go. Love. Speak.

Do you love Me more than These?

2008-10-07T06:38:00.000-05:00

Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me more than these?". I guess I had always thought that Jesus was referring to the other followers there on the beach that day. (John 21:15) I have read commentaries with that view several times. But, in a recent message preached by Pastor Sean Azzaro at River City Community Church in San Antonio, Texas, it was pointed out that the "these" may have been the fishing gear, boat, and the fishing trade that Peter had gone back to. You see, it is easy to think that Peter was just going out for a fishing trip, but harder to think that maybe this one time fisherman, follower of Jesus, was now returning to his old trade - that maybe he had given up, even after seeing everything that he had seen. After all the miracles, teachings, and even scoldings, he still wanted to return to the familiar. It's hard to see it that way, but it is possible that it is true.

So, if that is true, then Jesus was asking a very pointed question: "Do you love me more than all this stuff that makes you comfortable?" And what's worse, I think He is asking me that same question.

This morning in my Coffee with God time, and really over the last few days, I have been thinking about my "these". I have a lot of "these's". From a worldly standpoint, I should be proud. I have worked hard and accomplished much. But, when I really let myself look at this from the perspective of a follower of Jesus, I think I just have stuff that is making me comfortable... and I am not so sure anymore that I am supposed to be comfortable.

Even as I type these words, I am feeling this fear of exposing myself as an impostor. Sure, I lead a Life Group, play guitar and sing at church, read my Bible, and really try to love others... but do I love Jesus more than my "these"? I want to say I do, but it is possible the evidence points the other way. I have a lot of "STUFF". Have I allowed the things of this world to cloud my view of who I am in Jesus? The conflict raging in my heart right now says that it is possible. I know I must act. I must.

Peter was grieved when Jesus asked for the third time, "Do you love Me?" I think I am feeling that grief. Maybe Peter was thinking, "Yes, Jesus, I did sort of run back to the things I knew that I was good at... the things that are comfortable in my life, didn't I?" It grieved him to look into his own heart and see that his lack of faith showed up again. I am acutely aware of that grief, and I do not like it. Not one bit.

That leaves me with a question that has to be answered by action. What are my "these's" and will I let them go. If I am going to love Jesus more, I think I have to take a full inventory of my "stuff", my life, and see if anything is getting in the way. I have to look at my house, my cars, my job, my guitars, my tools, my everything. Not that I think any of these things are evil in and of themselves. But if they somehow are getting in the way of me giving my all to Jesus, then for me, they are evil. I will admit, I am feeling some serious conflicts in my heart, and that is telling me that I need to make some changes... I need to make some choices.

Even more embarrassing now is that I wondering what others will think of me... I believe that is called "pride". But my hope is that all of this is coming from a God who loves me more than anything, and He has my best interests in His heart. If I want to truly follow Him, then I really have to follow. Here at a local church here in San Antonio my first Pastor, Phillip Walton, would always say, "If you are following someone, then you will be walking behind them... following." In other words, you go where He goes, you do what He does... there is evidence to the following.

We are called to take up the cross, and leave our "these". If we have placed our trust in the One True and Holy God, we are called to follow Him, to Trust Him, and to love Him more than anything else. And when we do, it looks like it... there is evidence of the following, the trusting, the loving.

I am sharing this with the hope that writing it down will make it a point in history where I have declared that I want to follow in truth. And as I struggle through this "cleansing" for lack of a better word, I hope this challenges you to consider what your "these's" are. If you are anything like me, you will feel fear. You might be embarrassed, and you may want to avoid the question. Maybe that is why Jesus asked three times: "Do you love me more than these?" Maybe it took three times to sink into the heart of a conflicted man on the beach in Judea. Maybe it takes at least three times to break through the heart and mind of a man in San Antonio.

I guess we will see.

I got plans...

2008-09-27T06:43:00.000-05:00

We all have 'em. You know... dreams, aspirations, hopes, goals... plans, baby! And, we need to have plans. Imagine a home built without a set of plans. The owner hires excellent tradesmen to do the work. But the plumber didn't really know where the bathrooms were going, and the electrician didn't know what that room was for, and so on... That would be one messed up house. (I am licensed Realtor, and I think I have seen this home...) The point: Plans=good. No Plans=bad. Most successful people, from a worldly perspective, got there on purpose. Few people succeed without a lot of planning and due diligence.

James 4:13-14 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Okay... so Plans=bad. No Plans=good??? I wasn't planning on being confused...

Verse 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

Hmm... Plans, subject to=Good! I think we are on to something here.

"If the Lord wants us to..." Does that sound familiar? I believe it was Jesus who said, "Not my will but Yours, Father."

As it is with many issues, the discussion really isn't an either-or proposition. I am not trying to persuade you to see things my way, so I am not trying to corner you with a debate technique. What I am hoping to help you to see is that there is a way to freedom in Christ that includes, of course, submission to His will, but also the responsibility to make plans, set goals, etc... It is BOTH. It is to set goals, projections, plans, subject to the will of God.

For many years, I had to pray this prayer, "Lord, I want to want to be totally Yours every day. Help me to really want to completely Yours." It is a little like the prayer of the father of the epileptic in Mark 9:24, "Lord, I believe! Help me in my unbelief!" It has been a struggle since the beginning of belief. The balancing act of believing that God has our best interests at heart so surrendering to His plans, His will, and being willing to walk away from our own plans at a moments notice... it is tough. But it is the true walk of every follower of Jesus.

What would that look like? A lot like Jesus. "Father, here is what I want, but I want what You want more. If this cup could pass, that would be preferred... but if not, I am all in." In my life, that looks like this: "God, I would like to sell 70 homes this year, have two days off a week, teach two classes a month, lead a life group each week, lead worship a few times a month, improve my guitar skills, be a great dad and husband, be healthy, wealthy and wise... but, if not, I am all in." And then the tough part, "I really mean it, Father... I am all in. I want more than all of my wants to be in Your will."

If you think about the word, "Follower", it really says it all. I am a follower of Jesus. Where He goes, I go. Where He leads, I go. What He says I say. But a follower is not the Leader. Each follower is a separate person, and so you bring a bit of self to the equation. Therefore, our paths will look different, but always carved out in obedience. Since we are following the Unseen God, the Omnipotent, Omnipresent God, He can lead each of us in a very specific path (without getting confused, I might add.) His will for us is good - good from His perfect perspective. I'll concede that it may not look good from our own personal perspective at times. That's where faith is essential. Bringing us to the bottom line: Scriptures says it is impossible to please God without faith. We HAVE to believe in God to follow Him. To follow Him well, we have to believe that He loves us and that His plan is far better than our own. That means we have to know Him and trust Him.

So, I have to choose to follow. I have to make plans to follow Him. I have to shape my day around making sure I keep Him in view, so I can follow. In real life, that doesn't mean I stay home and wait. It means I get up, get dressed, go to work, be the best Realtor I can be so I can bless others, and watch and listen for the Spirit of God to lead me, nudge me, speak to me. (Christians should be the very best employees.. but that is a whole other topic...) Following Jesus is a full contact sport. In this world we live in, being the best follower we can be includes a calendar or Day-Planner. We have to make plans to be able to be effective in our jobs and our ministries. We have to have budgets, spreadsheets, and goals. But, always with the phrase added, "Not my will but Your will, Lord."

How is your following going? Do you know Him? I mean really know Him? Are you seeking to know Him better? Are you crying out today, "Lord, I believe... Help me in my unbelief!" And then, trust Him with Your Day Planner. His plans are better than Yours, and He is good.

Obsession

2008-09-23T06:46:00.000-05:00

I confess I am a bit obsessed with guitars. I love acoustic guitars and wish I could have everyone of them. I own way too many, and can't pass by a music store without going in and looking. It is a bit sick.. I think I need help. I literally have to put Ebay on my website blocker. :-)

Do you know that feeling? Not about guitars specifically, but that feeling about something that seems to almost make you go nuts... become irrational? It makes others look at you and just shake their heads. (They, too have something that makes them go nuts. Almost everyone does, if they would be honest with themselves.) I was thinking about all the things we get obsessed about. Sports, cars, beer mugs, old coke bottles, our yards, shoes... the list can really go on. I guess we can call those things "Irrational Obsessions".

So I was talking with God and He "said", "Why aren't you obsessed with Me?" It's a good question... and I told Him so... He already knew that.

So, to put it in perspective, let's take a look at some reasons why it could be good to be obsessed with God: Uhhh.. He made everything; He knows everything; He can do anything; He loves you and me beyond our wildest imaginations... We can ask Him any question, and He can answer (though sometimes He chooses not to... I admit that is frustrating sometimes.) We can ask for anything and, should He choose to respond affirmatively, He can give it, take it, make it happen.. whatever. Basically, He lacks nothing, yet He is obsessed with us. Yep.. that is what I said: He is obsessed with us.

Think about it.. He created everything fully knowing we would do what we do (sin, in case you don't know what I am talking about...) He wrote the Bible even when He knew most of us wouldn't read it and some just outright mock it. He gave us Nature when He knew many would start to worship it. And in the epitome of obsession, He died for us, well aware that many would simply turn their backs on Him. Now that is real obsession... and completely irrational. But, completely real and true.
(I just realized that I called God irrational... I thought about changing that, but when you really think about how much He loves us.. from a worldly perspective, it is completely irrational. Therefore, it stays as said: God is irrationally, and completely in love with you... and me. That's pretty amazing actually.)

As we return to God's original question, "Why aren't you obsessed with Me?" I have to say, whatever your answer may be, if it isn't, "But, I am obsessed with you!" then it is the wrong answer. When the truth is weighed, the only rational thing to do, the only rational obsession that exists is to be obsessed with God. All other obsessions give nothing back, nothing lasting anyway. But God gives so much in return.

Let's pretend we are obsessed with God... what would that look like? Let's see, I wake up, spend time with Him and ask Him to direct my day. I would ask Him to use me for His glory, and really mean it. Every thought I think would be directed towards Him first for His approval. My day planner, though filled with things to do for my family, for work, and for my church, would be filtered through His plan. I would be ready to change my plans at the nudge of His Spirit at any time. I would be in constant communication with Him, obsessively asking for His approval at every turn, at every decision. I would know that all things work together for good, for God's plan, and I would constantly be asking to be a part of that plan, and to obey. I would ask for His eyes, to see what He sees, His heart love like He loves, His mind to think as He thinks. I would count others as better than me, and I would weep for those who do not know this obsession. I would be honest about who I am, a sinner saved by His grace, a man in process of becoming a holy man, and I would practice humility, gentleness, self-control. I would be joyful, no matter the circumstances, knowing that God has the world in His hands. I would fall to sleep in His arms, grateful for a day of purpose, hope, and meaning.

I think that obsession would be a good thing.

I think I want to be that obsessed. With God. My Father. My Savior. My King.

What about you? What are you obsessed with?

Living in the New.

2008-09-22T06:59:00.001-05:00

2 Corinthians 5:17 says we "...are a new creation." (NIV) One version says, "Look! You are a new creation!" The emphatic is appropriate. My version would say, "Holy Cow! Unbelievable! Totally Awesome!! I am not who I was, I am new!!" But this begs the question, "If I am new, how come I feel so old?"

Before we deal directly with that question, let me say that the scriptures are true... cover to cover. Therefore, we are new when we are in Christ. In this text, as well as several others, believers are described as dead to sin, as having died to this life, and have been made new, and that Christ is living in us. The implication is that there is a death, and a re-birth. (Hence, being born again...) If God's word is true, which it is, then the problem with how I feel is not His word, but me. Something in me doesn't feel new, act new, live new.

So here we go... "why do I not feel new sometimes?" Simply put, it is not a feeling. It is a fact. The reality that we struggle over the question is a new thing in and of itself. If I was still lost in my sin, I wouldn't even understand this question. But God, who is stirring in me New Life, is drawing me into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Himself, and as I grow, I am more troubled each day by my lack of newness. That troubling is part of the New. I was never troubled before by my lack of closeness to God, not in any real sense. So the struggle, in fact, signals that I am alive to God.

So far, this is not satisfying.. let's keep going... In order to have a new life, we have to die first. Have you died to yourself? Have you taken up your cross and committed to following Jesus? If so, you are in the new. If not, we need to talk.

When a person is born, they are called a.. come on everyone, what are they called? Yes, a baby. What does a baby do? Well, they eat and cry and poop and sleep. They are amazed by the simplest things. They strive to learn everything and anything. They struggle to reach, to move, to crawl, then to walk. I think you are getting my point here. When we are born again into the New Life, we enter into this life as babies. Typically, a new believer is absolutely stunned by the grace of God and they are ecstatic about what is going on in their lives. Later, as they grow, some of the struggles start. Where each person's particular struggles manifest are particular to each believer. What I have seen in real life is that God chooses the areas of your life that He wants to work on. He is gracious, and perfect, and He loves you. He loves you the way you are, but He wants more for you... He wants you to truly experience the New Life, so He begins to conform you into the person you were created to be. And though we are New, we still need to be conformed, and it is a process (Romans 12:1-2)

Again, why do I feel so old sometimes? Final thought is, you are not alone. Even Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament, struggled. Ever read Romans 7? Go ahead.. check it out... He struggled too. You see, the real problem is not God... it is us. We return to the familiar. C.S. Lewis wrote that we are like children playing in a mud puddle, unaware that an ocean of grace is waiting for us. We are too easily frustrated, too easily discouraged. We are afraid of what the Deep of God might call us into. We are afraid of drowning in Him and losing our identity of the Old Self. (The fear of the unknown is greater than the fear of staying in the known.) That fear is unfounded, and I believe the source of that fear is from the enemy. It is a lie that we should fear the Deep of God.

God is good... that is absolutely true. But He is not safe, as though He will lead us through fields of flowers and puppies... No, He is not safe (Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis) Even Jesus remarked that He would be with us through our troubles. He didn't say He would keep us from troubles. Even green pastures have chiggers. But, my bottom line is that I would rather have the New Life in Him, troubles and all, than any kind of life without Him. God is good. His plans for us are good. And He will bring us into the New... He promised.

Enjoy the journey.

Everything

2008-09-17T21:40:00.001-05:00

"May every word that I speak, every thought that I think, and every thing that I do, bring glory to You."
Somewhere in the conversation a few mornings ago, I said this to God. And, I am actually sure that I meant it. And even more incredible than that, for the very first time, I really believed it was possible. What I mean, is that it is really possible for this finite, foolish, messed-up dude to be able to bring glory to God all day long. Every word, every thought, and every thing...
At first glance, it sounds like one of those prayers you get on a bookmark... great sentiment. (For all I know, there is a bookmark out there with this prayer... as posted earlier, I am not sure that I ever had an original thought :-) But you know what I mean... it sounds really pie-in-the-sky; unreachable, yet really fun to "wish" for. The funny thing is, though, I really did believe it. And I still do.
Now you are thinking there must have been something else in my coffee besides caffeine. I swear, I don't do drugs...any more :-). I am serious: I really can bring glory to God all day long - every word, every thought, every thing. Romans 8:28 says: " For we know all things work together for good, for those who love God, for those who are called, according to His purpose." God did say all things. I used to repeat this verse over and over and over, as I trudged through th emuck of my life... kind of a montra to take away the pain of the mystery of why so many things in my life are screwed up. But something new has entered into my mind. And I think I like it: I potentially can become the man that God has created me to be! Yes!! (spoken fiercely, fist clutched, elbow drawn quickly back to my waste...)
Follow me here: God says that even as messed up as I am, He is going to conform me into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29). Well, Jesus brought glory to God all day long... right? True, Jesus is God, but He was also 100% man as He lived for us on earth. Scriptures says He came down here to be with us so He really knows how it feels to be human. If He had some special "something" that in truth made Him not really man, something that we could not attain, then we would be in trouble. I believe the truth is that we really can give glory to God all day long, every day. Granted, it is a tall order, and the probability is remote, but it is still something to aspire to. Ever Peter reminded us that God said, "Be holy as I am holy." While I am sure the pessimistic phrase, "Nobody's perfect." is a true statement as it applies to all humans other than Jesus, I really do not think that is what bringing glory to God means. Not that we are perfect, but that we are intimate with God. Really, really intimate.
So, what I am saying is that if we could just get up in the morning, and start thinking for the glory of God - pure thoughts, thoughts of how we can participate in what God is doing in our lives that day, and speak truth and grace into the lives of those we encounter that day, and obey God as He nudges us along... I really think that is what giving Him glory looks like. Not me, walking around holding up one hand with two fingers up and two fingers gently folded, like the statues I saw growing up in the Catholic church... but me loving others... putting them first... listening with empathy and compassion...remembering that everyone I encounter is a miracle, and they are loved by God. I think that's what "perfection" looks like. It's real life. Filled with Joy, Hope, and Grace. And that's what I hope for today.. for you... for me.
Have a great day!

Just getting started

2008-09-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

This, being the very first blog, will be the most boring. I know, that is not the way you are supposed to do these things... but, I really do not like the conventional. Not really. Not at all. I think the rules say you need to start with something profound, but you know.. it's about 9:42 PM and I am just tired.
I did want to say that the blog name is "Coffee with God". Honestly, I thought I made that up. I was really proud of how creative and deep that was... that's probably not a good sign about how good this blog will be :-) But really, I thought it was like, a new idea... You know.. coffee.. a very popular drink... and then God... I mean He is REAL popular. His book has been translated in to pretty much every language that has writing, and tons of movies have been made about Him. Some people give tons of money to His followers, and some people just get REAL mad when you talk about His Son. ((Jesus, in case you don't know Him yet...) So anyway - I thought it was a cool idea. So when I googled it, it turns out I wasn't the first one. And then, when I tried to get the address here on blogspot, it didn't work again. The bubble... she was bursted... that's all I am gonna say about that.
So, the coffee with God thing... no really, I have changed subjects... for the last few weeks, I have woken up, I grab a cup of coffee, and go outside on my back porch and just sit with God. (He hasn't touched His cup...) I hang out.. sometimes I pray... some times I just listen. Every time, it is a good time. Time well spent. Me and God, we are getting to know each other better. (If you know God, you will know He knows me completely, so that statement really was intended to be tongue in cheek...)(You will get used to me)(and I do use a lot of ...) (yep... I know.)
And there you have it. The first post, or blog, or whatever you call it. It's in the can... or whatever the proper geek term is.
Just relax... grab a cup of coffee... Let's just see what happens:-)

God is good.