Holiday Break - See You in 2015!

I'll be taking some time off until after the first week of January.
I pray that you have a Christ-filled Christmas & New Year, and enjoy wonderful times with those you love!
Shawn

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism - The Most Popular Religious Belief

This is an important read for anyone who wants to know the huge difference between popular religious beliefs and the actual historical teachings of Jesus & the Bible. I found it to be a bit over-the-top and mildly offensive in a few spots, but other than that I thought it was right on

CLICK THIS LINK:
http://adam4d.com/mtd/

7 Ways to Avoid God's Intervention in Your Life

7 Ways to Avoid God's Intervention in Your Life:

1. Base your opinions & reactions on how you feel, rather than on how you think He would respond in your shoes; because being true to yourself is the highest value.
2. Hold on to the belief that your challenges and the world’s problems are beyond His ability to help; because the claims about His care & power seem to surpass what you’ve actually seen or experienced. 
3. Don’t read the Bible; but if you do, read only random verses at a time so you can avoid having His perspective tamper with your beliefs and values.
4. Rely on movies, music, social media, tv, news, and video games to define your sense of reality; because He always seems to want to strip-away your exposure to ideas & activities that oppose His ways.
5. Don’t pray; but if you do, be sure not to get carried away; because the more time you spend alone with Him, the more His character and perspective will infect your soul.
6. Don't hang around Christians, their all hypocrites. Instead, immerse yourself in relationships and activities that emphasize pleasure rather than morals; because He’s always trying to spoil your fun.
7. Ignore the gnawing, constant impulses that you feel in your spirit to seek Him; because He is constantly wooing you to pay more attention to Him than all the other important aspects of your life. 

Obviously, I’m satirizing some of the lies we seem to often believe about God and ourselves.  This temporary world is full of mirages and counterfeits that have a way of camouflaging the truth. I believe, with all my heart, that the answers we seek and the peace we desperately need can only ultimately be found in relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. I pray that you join me in seeking Him today.
 
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:6-9)

One Disillusioned American Middle-Aged White Guy

This morning, I watched footage of the group of white police officers who accidentally killed a black man while trying to subdue him for a minor infraction in front of a few shops in New York.  It was all filmed on a witness' cell phone.  It became news yesterday because a Grand Jury decided not to press any charges against the officer who choke-holded the guy.  It seems very obvious that the death was an accident, and I'm sure the officer who's responsible is very sorry...but to let him off scott free with no punishment is total bull crap...and having this news come-out so soon after a similar situation with a white officer killing an unarmed black guy and being pardoned in Ferguson, MO, is unbelievable.

I'm not one to rant...but my own opinion about all this is that it's exposing layers of race prejudice & discrimination that are still alive and well in this country.  To me, these are just recent examples of the same type of hypocritical self-interest that my European ancestors brought with them when they systematically conquered North America from the Native Americans, stole slaves from Africa to work their fields, and who still work against new immigrants who want to come here to chase their dreams.

We white people seem to have a pattern of disregarding the rights & interests of other people in order to promote and protect our own, and today I am somewhat ashamed to be an American middle-aged white guy.  All I can do is try to live my life in a way that will communicate the love, value, and equality that every single person shares in God's eyes.

Cause & Effect Contrast

Yesterday I experienced a contrast in cause & effect.

We live in a world full of people.  We are God's most wonderful & loving creation, but we're also pretty messed-up...just read the news.  Yesterday morning, there were social-media threats of guns at my son's school.  Some knuckleheads were likely just messing around, but in modern America gunshots take the lives of children every year.  It can make one feel helpless and hopeless. But on the other hand, mixed-in with news reports like that, are the countless acts of kindness done by people that work together to create light.  I love stories that bring hope and healing, and I dream of a day when so much good is being done by so many people that it catalyzes changes in our culture that will swallow the darkness.  Call me a dreamer, but I'm seeing it happen in our little corner of the world!

I'm here to tell you that in 2014 Catalyst NW has mobilized more volunteers to help more people than in any previous year...and it's having a marvelous effect on the the lives of those we serve.  420+ volunteers gave over 3,000 man-hours of their time to pull-off 21 projects for elderly, disabled, and low-income neighbors. On their behalf, I'd like to thank all of our 2014 volunteers and donors who worked together to make this happen!  Much gratitude for your partnership this year, and hopes that 2015 is even better!

To learn more about the ministry of Catalyst, visit www.catalystnw.org

Being a Bird in the House of a Cat

Sometimes we can fall into the temptation of seeing God's ways - His moral absolutes, rules, statutes - as obstacles that get in our way of freedom.  This is especially true for us fiercely independent Americans, who value our freedom above almost anything.  I offer this alternative view.

Imagine that you are a bird.  A little, charming parakeet or something.  You were designed to fly freely and eat whatever you happened to find in God's wild world.  Yet you live inside a small cage in a house.  Imagine also that there is a cat who lives in the house, who constantly has his eye on you and paces beneath the dresser where your cage is kept.  Is the cage a repression of your God-given right to fly freely?  Or is it protection against an unsafe world that wants to eat you?  Don't fall into the trap of resenting the direction of the Lord, as if you invented yourself and didn't owe your very existence to Him in the first place.  The Creator and Lover of us sees everything - past, presence, and future.  Trusting Him is the answer, even when we don't want to.

As long as we see God's Word as hindering us, and not helping us, we will always struggle with buying into resentment and sin.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand...Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:6-9)

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:1-4)

Jesus did not use guilt to motivate others, neither should we

There are different ways to motivate people to do what they ought to do...or what you want them to do.  The method we use to motivate others has a huge influence on whether or not the person will follow.  Guilt can be a very powerful motivator, it's also the easiest.  If you point out to someone why they ought to do, or not do, a certain thing - and accompany that "ought" with a heaping measure of condemnation, name-calling, and shaming, you can get people to do almost anything.  Which is fine, as long as your main goal is compliance and control.  However, as is the case in many other areas of life, the easy path is often the most destructive.  You know people who use guilt on you…you may even have the image of someone popping into your mind right now.  I do.  These people hold sway over your soul, and have a way of holding your peace & joy & contentment for ransom until you do, or don’t do, what they require in order to approve of you.

This is not the way of Jesus.  Although there are many in today’s world who see Christians as self-righteous and narrow-minded guilt-police…and often this accusation is painfully accurate…Jesus did not use guilt to motivate others, neither should we.  When we lose our grace, and start enforcing rules as a means of acceptance, we become just like the Pharisee’s in Jesus’ day….His greatest adversaries and enemies.  

Jesus led with love and service, self-sacrificially.  In no way does this mean that He condoned wrongdoing, but He didn’t hold His acceptance of others over their heads until they did right.  He loved and accepted people as His friends, and then influenced them in ways of righteousness out of the context of that love-based relationship.  This is by far the more difficult method of influencing others, it demands the most of us…but it is right.

This is the kind of Jesus that this sinner fell in love with as a 16-year old…the kind of Jesus people are longing for today. 

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command….This is my command: Love each other.”  (Jesus, in John 15:13-17)

Transforming Setbacks Into Opportunities Through Prayer

These words were adapted from this morning’s daily devotional in “Jesus Calling”, by Sarah Young.
Every time something thwarts your plans or desires, use that as a reminder to communicate with God through prayer.  This practice has several benefits.  The first is obvious: Talking with Him blesses you and strengthens your relationship.  Another benefit is that disappointments, instead of dragging you down, are transformed into opportunities for good.  This transformation removes the sting from difficult circumstances, making it possible to be joyful in the midst of adversity.

Begin by practicing this discipline in all the little disappointments of daily life.  It is often these minor setbacks that draw you away from the presence of God.  When you reframe setbacks as opportunities, you find that you gain much more than you have lost.  It is only after much training that you can accept major losses in this positive way.  But it is possible to attain the perspective of the apostle Paul, who wrote: “Compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, I consider everything I once treasured to be as insignificant as rubbish.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

Working through my frustration at God

This morning I went on a run in the rain.  Not super fun, but once you get into it and warm up a bit it's not THAT bad.  The weather was fitting for the state of my soul.  Very frustrated.  I pray when I run...and as I did I found myself beating around the bush with God, as if He doesn't know my heart better than me anyway!  Honestly, I was frustrated at God.  First off, we need to know that it's ok.  Frustration is a secondary emotion to something deeper....pain, confusion, disappointment.  The Important thing is what we do with our frustration.  Have you ever been disappointed with God?  Are you now?  I was disappointed with God this morning because I always seem to come back to the same basic struggles...ruts of sinful & self-centered patterns that sabotage me from the inside out.  So why was I frustrated with God?  Because He's God, and He's supposed to fix me right?! 

Sometimes all of us get frustration, angry, even enraged at God because He doesn't overcome the natural limitations that He has setup in this world...whether it's in our own hearts, or in the fallen world we live in.

I was angry at God because I want Him to do a miracle in my life, and deliver me from my crap so don't keep making the same mistake.  I was reminded that the Apostle Paul wrote:

"I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message, even though I have received wonderful revelations from God. But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud.  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)

So I kept running out the stink in my soul, and began feeling better...more relaxed knowing the God is indeed with me in my journey through this short life. 

Sex is not a toy

Sexuality is by far one of most powerful forces inside of us.  It's supposed to be, we were made that way by our Creator .  That being said, everything that our Heavenly Father creates has purpose...and sex is no different.  As a father of teenagers, and a still-recovering teenager myself, I am thoroughly disgusted by the denigration of one of God's most precious and holy gifts to men and women by those who would make it merely a toy...a pleasure to indulge in, like a piece of cake.  We live in a culture where sex is practically idolized as a goddess, we just don't have it attached to a mythical "Ashera" or "Aphrodite."  Biblically, sex was created to be such a wonderful, special, holy glue between a husband & wife that they would spend their whole lives exploring & enjoying it together... hoping never to get over the bond it creates as it interconnects their very souls.

When God made me, He made me ______

Answer this question about yourself:

"When God made me, He made me _________________."

Fill in the blank with that one, timeless attribute of you that is the most immutable, timeless, persistent aspect of your personality throughout your entire life.  Avoid the temptation to fill the blank with something you would like it to be, or something religious.  The answer needs to be totally primary for it to be worth anything...something deeper than any behavior...morally neutral.  For me, it's the word "rebellious."  That may surprise you, because it doesn't sound morally neutral...but it all depends on what you're rebelling against and the effect the rebellion has on the world around you. Ask anyone who's known me for most of my life and they'd likely agree that "rebellion" has been a common theme with me...for better or for worse.  That's the point I want to make.  So often, we don't appreciate who God has made us to be, the gifts He's given us; so we spent our lives frustratedly trying to be someone else, instead of embracing His intention for our quirkiness and letting Him use it for His purposes.

Now, just as all of God’s greatest gifts can be used either for good or evil, to elevate self or others, to make matters better or worse; each of us has the ability to wield our gifts as instruments of God’s plan to bring beauty and love and unity in the world.  Or not.  God grants us the gifts as well as complete control of how they will be used in our lives, their influence on others, and the world we inhabit.

The Apostle Peter wrote, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”  (1 Pe 4:10-11)

So.....who are you?  And what does God want to do in you and through you?

Moments of Peace

These words really inspired me today...written by my new friend John Garrick:

"Peace is a state of mind and spirit that occurs when I align myself with a loving, creative and ever present God who delights in interacting with His kids. And at that moment, His unconditional love and redemptive work through Christ overshadows my penchant to fix on the temporal, uncontrollable circumstances that bend my trust and hope toward my own limited capacities and capabilities. Although I cannot fully understand it, I embrace it."

believe or BELIEVE

What does it mean to "believe in God?"  Does it matter? Does it make a difference, or is it just a non-confrontational way of saying "I believe there is a God out there but my idea is no better than your idea so let's not fight about it?" Is that really believing?  What did Jesus mean when He said the word "believe?"  What did the Apostles and eyewitnesses mean who recorded his Words & peoples' reactions, and gave us phrases and meanings that were meant to completely transform our lives?  In my opinion, there is a huge chasm of difference between what we mean when we say "believe" and what Jesus and the Apostles mean when they say "BELIEVE in scripture."

I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and BELIEVES him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24)

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who BELIEVES in me will never be thirsty.  (John 6:35-36) 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17) 

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you BELIEVE and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who TRUSTS IN HIM will never be put to shame. (Romans 10:9-11) 

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God...This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. (1 John 5:1-4)

Perhaps, as a Jesus-follower, if I am experiencing inner-condemnation and shame, it's because I'm not truly believing that I am forgiven and free from the power of sin.  Or if I'm losing the struggle against my own thirsts and desires, it's because I'm not fully believing that the satisfaction and peace I seek can only come through Jesus. Or if I'm not overcoming the word - but being absolutely beat-down & buried by it - it's because I'm disobeying God's way...and thereby relying on my own strength rather than the mighty power of Jesus in me.

"Belief" in the Bible is translated from the same root as the word "faith" - "To put one's trust in", "to be committed to."  Biblical BELIEF breaks the chains of injustice, makes sacrifices, loves the unlovely....leans heavily on Jesus in the ebb & flow of life, just as much as a surfer depends on his board to stay afloat and ride the wild surf!  This kind of BELIEF is totally focused on Jesus and His priorities for our lives, rather than how we can USE HIM to improve our comfort or status.  How is this kind of BELIEF different from the dismissive kind of "belief" we so often fall into when we proclaim Jesus with our lips but deny Him by our lifestyle?  

Let's believe Him today.

This Is The Secret Of Happiness

The secret is that happiness, the way this world defines it, is that you'll never find it by seeking it...It's a mirage that pales in comparison to the JOY that is found in relationship with the God who made you and loves you.

This is not about being pessimistic or negative, it's about being real and transparent...and taking God at His Word.  We cannot ultimately find lasting happiness in this life.  But what we CAN DO is experience JOY that is anchored beyond it into the realm of its Almighty & Loving Creator!  That's how God set it up, and created us.  But it doesn't seem like most people want that answer, so they end up chasing after alternatives...one after the other...in a never ending cycle of disappointment.  Many of us naturally spend our lives going from one thrill to the next, or burrowing deep into one bottomless pit, because God built us that way so that we would seek Him and His Kingdom.  This is the true adventure...the macro-story and meaning of the whole world!  It's kind of like the Matrix, but again, most people don't see it, and don't want to.  This is essentially why people get into drugs, have affairs, and cheat on their taxes.  They're looking for something else to fill the void.  Because we think we need more of something to make us happy.  I can say from personal experience, after smoking lots of pot in my teenage years, that the freewheeling sensation of being high never fulfilled what I really needed.  And I had to keep doing more of it to feel the same way.  We all have little false gods, and struggle with them every day.  I am so thankful that, in my 16th year of life, I discovered a truth that set me free!  The truth is that this world is just a stepping stone to eternity...a test...a practice run.  But it's rigged because the world is broke, and so is the heart of every one of us:

"The creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:20-22)."

 "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 'I, the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

OK, don't stop reading....this is the GOOD NEWS!

"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do....Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it....For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!...Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." (Romans 7:15-8:4)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers....What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?....We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:28-39)

The Death Of Church?

Yesterday morning, my family and I visited the last Sunday morning service of Potter's Hands Christian Church...a congregation we helped to start from 2003 through 2006.  It was a bitter-sweet morning for sure!  We reconnected with lots of old friends & kids who had grown; and we saw & heard many memories from our past.  It felt like a cross between a reunion and a funeral.  It was a chance to honor & celebrate what God had done through the past 11-years of a vision, but it also had the taste of death to many people who still called that congregation 'home.'  The closure, in short, was the result of struggles in leadership, involvement & finances over the past several years....which had finally came to a head...so they had to 'close the church.'  My heart went out to those people, many of whom I labored with years ago...but I also found myself hearing a lesson that the Holy Spirit desperately wants us to learn in American churches...that Church is not an institution or occasion...it's the people, not what we do when we gather on Sundays.

For me, it's a travesty that 70-80 people who love God and each other, who are bound together as a spiritual family, can't find a way to continue following Jesus together without having a traditional worship service led by paid staff in a rented facility.  This underscores a chronic problem that is closing the doors of American Churches at the highest rate in our nation's history...when push comes to shove, we instinctively believe that church is a religious organization, rather than a sent people...that worship is singing praise songs once a week in a sequestered environment, rather than following Jesus every day in a messy world...that organization and leadership dictate the existence of a congregation, rather than existing to empower a group of people to impact society in ways that could never be directed or controlled.  This is not what Jesus and the Apostles meant when they said the word 'Church.'

I hope and pray that I'm not coming across as cold & jaded....I sincerely care about those people and the legacy we share together in Christ.  But I'm tired of hearing about, and experiencing, congregations closing their doors in disillusionment while the harvest fields are white all around us.  We need to reevaluate who we are and what we're doing if we're going to be effective in the Mission of Jesus.  Founding pastor Sean Thome' returned to PH to preach yesterday, in what I think was the best sermon he ever preached.  He reminded us that it all comes down to 3 things: Remaining in Jesus, loving each other, and producing fruit.  I think there's a multitude of ways that communities of faith (aka 'churches') can pursue these simple, foundational aspects of following Jesus together.

Dear Church that was/is Potter's Hands, I am praying for you that the Living God will indeed encourage you and empower you to be His Church....you are not dead!

Darkness Does Not Exist

Did you know that?
Think about it....what is darkness?  It's not a thing, it's the absence of a thing: LIGHT.
And cold....again, the absence of something: HEAT.
Hatred....the absence of LOVE.

Why is this important?  Because it's a great metaphor for God inside us...in the world around us...and the way His truth & love interact with us in this fallen, broken world. We tend to throw lots of time & energy into things that don't exist....and wonder why we struggle with anger & depression & disillusionment.  If we fail to invest into those things that offer light and heat in a dark & cold world, then we will end up seeking false hopes...trying to find peace & contentment & meaning in people, things, activities that will never give them.  If we react to the lovelessness inside us by turning against those who hurt us, we fall prey to the trap of bitterness and hatred.  In the end, all these things are mirages, shadows cast by untruths.

The way of Jesus is often opposite to our instincts & impulses:

• "Find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them...But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible...Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:10-16)
• "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)
• "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:43-45)

Gluttony of the Spirit

Quote of the Day: "A glutton is one who raids the icebox for a cure for spiritual malnutrition." Frederick Buechner

Oddly enough, I really needed to see this today.  Odd because I keep myself in super-good shape, race in running & triathlon event, but really struggle with food cravings.  Not cravings like, once in awhile I like sweets or junk food....but cravings like "standing at the kitchen counter at 11pm eating as many chips as possible for 15-minutes before my conscience can catch-up to tell me to stop" cravings.  Why do I do that?  I don't like how it makes my stomach feel for about the next 18-hours, I don't like the weight gain, I don't like the feeling of being out of control....I LOVE the taste, but a few chips would fix that.

This is where my subconscious mind...what the Apostle Paul calls the sinful nature...struggles against the voice of God within me.  Not that eating chips is sinful...food is a small thing in comparison with other, larger issues in life...and enjoying chips, sweet treats, and other pleasures is just fine!  BUT when that obsessive switch within me turns, it becomes something unhealthy; and it connects to the bigger stuff in my life as well....and pulls the focus of my spirit away from depending on God for peace & comfort, and instead seeks solace in a convenient but insufficient counterfeit.  What, exactly, are "urges?"  Why do we have them?  What do they mean, in the eternal scope of things?  They are echoes of the larger battle within us between living for God and living for Pleasure... Today's reading is Galatians 5:16-25:

"I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.

"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives."

This Sunday, I Worshiped God By Building A Roof

"Worship" is a very confused word.  Most often when we hear it, it is meant to communicate something about singing religious music or attending a religious event in a religious location.  So now that I've irritated you by using the "R" word 3 times in one sentence, let me assert that I do not believe the word "worship" refers to that which we would consider "religious."

Worship, in my opinion, is speaking or acting in a way that puts Jesus first, Others second, and You last.  When you do this, you're acting the way Jesus would act if He were You....no matter where you are.  THIS is the heart of worship, and this weekend I had the pleasure of working my butt off with a few dozen volunteers to rebuild a terribly damaged roof for a 91-year old low-income widow.

Two of my favorite verses about this:

"I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."  (Romans 12:1-2)

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

I am certainly supportive of gathering with other followers of Jesus to worship....BUT, how would the world be impacted if Christians were focused on worshiping God primarily outside of religious places and events?

Most Christians Today Are Not Contagious - Are You?

"It's Not "Go And Become Disciples"" Jesus did not say, "Go and become disciples." Of course, you can't give what you don't have, so becoming a disciple is important. But for at least one generation, we have emphasized "becoming" at the expense of "making." The result? We have created a spiritually obese generation of disciples with no vision to make other disciples. They are spiritual overeaters that don't get enough exercise. It has created a huge bottleneck for reaching younger generations with the Gospel. Most Christians today are not contagious. We sneeze and nobody catches what we have. The solution? There is a lot to it – like training. But the starting point is that we need to recast the vision for "making" disciples. And what if you are already making disciples? Make sure you're equipping your disciples to "make" disciples, not just "become" disciples. You’re not making disciples until your disciples are making disciples." --Patrick Morley

Your Reputation: Self-Sacrificial or Self-Righteous?

Would you consider yourself a follower of Jesus?...a "Christian" (which literally means "little Christ")?  If so, then hear this: The world we live in could care less about the doctrines we believe, because they don't believe that we care.

The way we live our lives, the way we gather together, the way we position ourselves in the world, our financial priorities...everything must reflect Him.  If not, then we are missing His intent, thereby missing Him within us, and mis-representing him to the world around us...and falling into the same trap as the Pharisees.

What was Jesus' reputation in society? A man of extravagant grace to the weak and sinful, but strongly opposed to the religious establishment that put up barriers between people and God.  He personally sought relationship with His Father through holy living, fervent prayer, and personal sacrifice...but in His dealings with the surrounding culture was characterized by such scandalous grace for those in need, and mercy for those living in sin, that He was excommunicated and murdered by those who thought that godliness was about upholding all the rules and keeping impure people out of the fellowship.

In our world, in our culture, in this day, we need to reflect the truth that each of us has been forgiven of much.  We need to be known and appreciated as people of self-sacrificial love for people who don't believe what we believe, rather than a bunch of self-righteous zealots who shut the door of the Kingdom of God in peoples' faces.

What pattern is your life weaving?

Are You More Focused On Grace Or Truth?

Most of us are one or the other, but not both.  It can switch back & forth; depending upon the circumstances we find ourselves in, or the current condition of our own fragile egos.  Grace-oriented people tend to live from their hearts, focused on finding the good in others and building bridges between people.  Truth-seekers are more about discerning wisdom and meaning in everything, understanding the world within them and around them in terms of what is right & wrong.

Which are you?  Which is right?  Which is more reflective of Jesus, and His will for us?

Jesus is both.  He has the uncanny ability to hold one without losing grip on the other.  We're most often not like that.  (This is probably going to sound funny, but I think that women are better at this than men.  It's related to multi-tasking, and everyone knows that men, for the most part, are lame compared to women in this.  Do I mean that women are stereotypically more like Jesus than men?  Yeah probably.  But that has nothing to do with this blog, so I digress....)

Why is this important?  Because I think we're all lopsided toward Grace OR Truth, and if we're really going to live the life of Jesus, and reflect Him to the world around us, we need to learn to embrace the TENSION He invites us to live inside of between the extremes.  This is about balance.  This is about the big picture.  This is about Jesus' ability to teach unashamed against sin, and simultaneously to extend friendship to the sinner.

A group of very religious men once brought to Jesus a lady who had been caught in the act of adultery.  (which brings a bunch of questions into my mind, but once again, I digress...)  They wanted to see which side Jesus would land on.  It was a trap, because the law of the land at the time demanded that the woman be stoned to death. I can almost hear their rage-filled, raspy voices yelling condemnation.  Jesus, after ignoring them for a bit of time, simply says “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”  One by one, they all let go of their stones and leave. Jesus speaks to her:

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  (John 8:10-11)

I think this is absolutely amazing, and something that all of us who want to follow Jesus need to learn more about.  Jesus extends grace/friendship, "neither do I condemn you"; but maintains truth/right & wrong, "leave your life of sin."

This hits me between the eyes....between the extremes of legalism/judmentalism on one side, and looseness/complacency on the other.  Am I condemning someone that Jesus is calling me to love? Am I ignoring the sin of someone Jesus is calling me to confront?

What is Jesus saying to you today?

Living With Godly Focus In An Unraveling World

I really liked this morning's devotion in "Jesus Calling"...

"Seek to please Me above all else.  Let that goal be your focal point as you go through this day.  Such a mind-set will protect you from scattering your energy to the winds.  The free will I bestowed on you comes with awesome responsibility  Each day presents you with choice after choice.  Many of these decisions you ignore and thus make by default.  Without a focal point to guide you, you can easily lose your way.  That's why it is so important to stay in communication with Me, living in thankful awareness of My Presence.  You inhabit a fallen, disjointed world, where things are constantly unraveling around the edges.  Only a vibrant relationship with Me can keep you from coming unraveled too."  (Matthew 6:33; John 8:29; Colossians 3:23-24)

This resonated with me for a few reasons:

1. I need constant reminders about what is truly important.  According to scripture, the only things that are going to last into eternity are God's Word, His Kingdom, and People.  Holding onto the "please God above all else" mantra gives me a filter through which to judge my motivations & activities.  How are the priorities of my life, and the effects of my character, living-out God's Word or reflecting His Kingdom or influencing the people I am surrounded by in daily life?  THAT is the question.
2. I'm prone to temptation.  Have you ever had a stray, evil from the pit of hell, burst into your consciousness and race through your mind out of nowhere?  me too.  Scripture calls that temptation...."we are dragged away and enticed" (James 1:15) to throw away our allegiances to Jesus and follow the desires of our flesh for a minute, or two, or more.  This is the enemy's sabotage of the Holy Spirit's reign in us...and I need to set my heart & mind constantly on Jesus as my focus.
3. The stability of my spirit, and God's within me, unravels a bit with every choice I make that dishonors Jesus as my first love.  This happens in cycles with me: recognition of sin, repentance, victory, joy, laziness, sin, repentance.....and so on.  

I actually DON'T agree with the devotion's words "only a vibrant relationship with Me can keep you from coming unraveled...."  That implies perfection in our relationship with Jesus as attainable....which I do not believe is possible this side of death.  That's part of why Jesus had to die in the first place!  In my view, the sentence could be better written "only a vibrant relationship with Me can put you back into order each and every time you become unraveled."   When we are weak, He is strong.

Overcoming Evil With Good

I can't think of a better way to respond to the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, or to honor the people who senselessly died there, than to share about the good, life-giving projects that Catalyst is involved with.  There always seems to be plenty of bad news in the world; but by sharing & giving away some of the time & energy & resources we've been given, we can overcome it with good...at least in the world within our reach! 

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Click this link to learn about the good that 100 volunteers did for a struggling single mom and her family in August 2014 at the HOWARD PROJECT near Portland, OR.

Any act of self-sacrifice done on behalf of another, with no benefit sought for the giver, overcomes evil in this world and becomes a conduit for the overpowering love of God in it.

What Worship Is & Isn't

This morning during my Bible time, I came across Psalm 9.  At first I didn't recognize it, but as I continued reading I realized that parts of this Psalm were the basis for one of my favorite songs from back in my days as a worship leader.  For those of you who've only known me for the past 15 years or so, it's probably hard to imagine me as the guy on a church stage with a guitar and microphone, but that was one of my main roles in several ministries back in the day.
 
Psalm 9 Song Lyrics:
    I will praise You, Oh Lord with all my heart.
    I will tell of Your wonders. I'll be glad and exalt in Thee.
    I will sing praises to Your Name, Oh Most High!

Those days are long behind me now; and if I'm being totally honest, I don't really miss them.  Not because I don't love to sing worship songs to God...I do.  But as the years have gone by, and I've met and sang songs with thousands of worshippers, I have not seen much genuine, lasting transformation happen as a result of it.  I think we've put too much emphasis on it.  Call me disillusioned or skeptical, but it's always bugged me how the word "worship" has come to be defined as "singing worship songs in a religious setting"....and how so many fervent church-goers walk out of the "worship center" and it makes little difference in how Jesus is made manifest in their daily lives.  This is why I'm not nearly as "into it" as I used to be...why I don't sing all the time in those environments.  I'm often looking around wondering how many of the people closing their eyes, raising their hands, and singing with all their hearts actually really truly mean what they're singing and intend on living it out on Monday through Saturday....or....do they think that this is what God wants from us, that these kinds of moments are what He needs to see from us in order to bless us.  Is that what worship means?

The word "worship" in the New Testament is most commonly derived from the Greek word "PROSKUNEO"...which literally means to "kiss towards"...or, figuratively, to "blow a kiss"....and it virtually never refers to singing.  Singing was mentioned a few times in the New Testament, but for the most part it was a function of the Old Testament temple.  So what does "worship" refer to? What it DOES refer to is living.  Worship is not a religious activity...it is living a lifestyle that honors, loves, and blows kisses to God in the midst of daily life.
    Worship is being kind to irritating people.
    Worship is obeying and honoring your parents.
    Worship is sacrificing what you want for the benefit of another.
    Worship is telling the truth even when it hurts.
    Worship is speaking words that build others up in love.
    Worship is being a faithful employee.
Worship is living this kind of God-honoring lifestyle, not because was HAVE TO in order to be accepted by God, but because we WANT TO OUT OF GRATITUDE for what He has done for us out of His IMMEASURABLE GRACE!

My favorite "worship" scripture is Romans 12:1-2 - "I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.  This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is; His good, pleasing, and perfect will."

Screwing-up God's Plan For Your Life - Part 2

It seems like my last post struck a nerve!  That's good.  I think that God's Word, and thereby His intentions, are often manipulated to mean things He did not intend.  There are many false teachings and myths that are widely believed, and this ends up eroding the faith of people who are seeking truth.  After reading the last post, my good friend Bruce Ecker emailed me the following:

"Wise and helpful words, Shawn. This "God's will" language was part and parcel of my Christian life for many years. I too consider it a "false...unbiblical" teaching that has created much anxiety and confusion for believers. I finally realized that this language portrays a kind of god that we better "please" or he will somehow punish us for straying from his pre-set path for our lives. The punishment, I suppose, would be intended to get us on the "God's will" path again. This contradicts so many God/human interactions in Scripture because God can use/does use the unintentional negative situations we may find ourselves in or self-destructive behaviors we bring upon ourselves to bring us back to Him. It's not fun to deal with it and often we deny our own involvement in our crises (think Jonah), but God is not limited by our decisions/attitudes or the behavior of others. In the OT, Joseph showed his deep trust in God when he told his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Joseph understood that God used the evil that was imposed on him by his brothers to save many lives. He had the long perspective. And so should we."

Some scriptures about what God's will IS:

"I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2)

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.  (Titus 2:11-14)

Screwing-up God's Plan For Your Life

This morning I met with a younger guy for coffee.  He's about 27, is working in a retail job he hates, and is at a fork in the road regarding his career.  He wanted to ask me questions about construction, non-profit work, and generally making wise decisions according to God's Will in a world full of options.  We had a great conversation, and it was a pleasure for me to share some of the pearls I've picked-up along the winding path of my own life.  I remembered feeling the same way many years ago.  One specific thing I remember from those days is the feeling of absolute DREAD that, if I made a wrong decision, I would totally screw-up God's master plan for my life...and spend the rest of my life hurting because of it.  There is this belief, which is held onto by many but which I consider to be unbiblical/false teaching, that God has pre-written a very detailed script for each of our lives...all our decisions, relationships, circumstances, etc....and that our job is to figure it out so that we can be "in His will."

Now, don't get me wrong here.  Scripture is very clear, often, that God has plans for our lives....and even uses the word "predestination" in some places.  But if we read carefully, we find that God is much more concerned about our characters than our circumstances....in fact, some of God's greatest work in Biblical people and modern people alike is born out of failures, unwise decisions, and outright sin.  God does not condone or promote our frail tendencies toward sin, but we should all be eternally grateful that His Will in our lives is not limited by it!  God's will is about who we are and how we honor Him with our lives...how that plays-out is, I believe, is up to us.  Romans 8:28 is a key in unlocking this.

Here's a closing email I just sent to my friend,

     "Sometimes, when faced with making important decisions in a way that’s consistent with God’s will, we can put undo pressure on ourselves and the Lord by believing that God has pre-ordained a script of all the specific things we’re supposed to choose, decisions we’re supposed to make….and that if we somehow fail to figure each one out just right, then we will screw up God’s plan and be “out of His will.”  In my experience and ministry with many others, I have found this misunderstanding to underlie a lot of anxiety that God never intended.  God’s will is for us to love Him with all we are, love others as we love ourselves, and be about His mission, as we go about our lives.  The details of circumstances will be filled with wise & unwise decisions, but we aren’t going to mess up His will for us….He uses everything toward transforming us into the image of Jesus over time.  So, as you look into different potential paths to follow, it’s good to be wise & patient, etc., but try not to put too much pressure on yourself…God will be with you no matter what, carrying you and leading you and using you no matter which direction you choose."

Indulgence is a trap

Some days it seems that from the moment we wake up until our heads hit the pillow, we are bombarded with lies.  Our media/advertisement addicted society constantly entices us with empty promises....and we often believe them:
   "If only I looked like....
   "If only I had....
   "If only I could eat & drink....
   "If only I could wear....
   "If only I could have sex with....
   "If only I could experience....
   "If only I had more money....
   ....THEN I WOULD BE HAPPY"

I wonder...if an alien from outer space came to America today and formed an opinion about our values by watching TV & movies, reading the news, watching us live...if it might come to the conclusion that we were all addicted to indulging ourselves with things that don't satisfy us.

Ultimately, true fulfillment cannot come from circumstances, things, places, pleasures, experiences, even relationships.  We chase these things because we were made to pursue fulfillment, and we're suckers for counterfeits!  We were created to find fulfillment in active partnership with God. Jesus and His early followers had much to say about this:

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age..."  (Paul, in Titus 2:11-13)

"Godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (Paul, in 1 Timothy 6:6-10)

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. Don’t have so little faith! Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Jesus, in Matthew 6:25-34)

"Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Jesus, in John 4:14)

Primacy of LOVE

I was in a church service yesterday morning with my wife at Westside-A Jesus Church.  At one point, a guy named Greg was sharing about the great love that Jesus displayed as he hung on the cross, and the example He was setting for those of us who would follow in His steps.  I really appreciated what he said...my favorite was,
      "Let’s not save-up love like we’re going to retire on it, but give love away like we’re made of it."

I loved that!  So often, I think we forget the primacy of love!  It reminded me of several scriptures that challenge and enlighten me today to keep the MAIN THING the main thing:

"If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever." (1 Co 13:1)

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (1 Jn 3:16-19)

"There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Morning food for body & soul

'Nuf said...

Christians Don't vs. Christians Do

I used to believe that being a Christian was all about what I didn't do.  Maybe that's because I was such a screwup in my early years, and needed to lay hold of the discipline of Jesus in order to excise self-destructive thought & behavior patterns from my character.  I worked hard to lean into the Spirit, who "teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:12).  As I have now been walking with the Lord for 31 years, I'm reaching the stage where I'm understanding that God's power to repress my carnal passions is only the side-effect of something much larger...much more important and vital...for me, those I love, and the watching world around me.

Indeed, Jesus had much to say against sin, from within and without our own souls.  However, He did & said a lot more about what we should be DOING and BEING in order to OVERCOME AND DESTROY the effect of evil in ourselves and in the world.

So many of the world's people look at followers of Christ with disdain because we are often withdrawn and self-righteous...just like the Pharisees were during Jesus' days in the body.  Of course, they'll talk negatively and riducule anyway, but I'd rather it be because of selfless acts of sacrifice, love for my neighbor, and supernatural stuff they can't explain but desperately need!  That's the kind of legacy I want to leave.

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." (John 14:12-13)

Why Following Jesus Won't Make You Happy

There are good & bad reasons to follow Jesus…just like there are good & bad reasons to get married.  Marriage is, in fact, a very good analogy for what walking with God is supposed to be about…that’s why it’s used throughout the Bible to describe our relationship with Him.  Strong marriages are marked by the mutual respect of two people who are absolutely committed to sacrificing themselves on behalf of the other.  The more we give to our spouses, and benefit from their service to us in return, the more happy & fulfilled & secure we are in the marriage.  But when we seek happiness & fulfillment & security as ends-unto-themselves….as the goals…then we inexorably start stepping over the sacrifice that’s required to get it, and we start using our spouse for our own benefit.  And it doesn’t work.  This is why over 50% of marriages fail in America today…because people’s focus is on themselves, and they are asking the wrong question.  

Our relationship with Jesus is like this too.  It was never supposed to make us happy.  The invitation of Jesus is to “marry” yourself to Him…to give up everything about the solo-you in order to be completely devoted to Him….but through this self-sacrifice, this death-to-self, you will find LIFE that overcomes the temporary circumstance-based happiness that lures your soul in this life.  In this way of living in Him and for Him, much happiness is found….but only as a by-product.  I’m meditating on these scriptures this morning:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.” (Philippians 1:21-22)

“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.”  (Colossians 1:24)

“And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  (Luke 14:27)

Antidote to Overwhelmtion

Yes, I realize it's not a word...but you get it, right?

Feelings of being overwhelmed, for me, are usually associated with either trying to go too fast for too long (aka-sprinting on a long run) or simply trying to do too many things at once (aka-spinning too many plates).  If you know me well, then you know that being overwhelmed is part of a cycle I go through fairly regularly.  It is in these times that my faith in Christ is exercised to the point of exhaustion...then growth.  Just how muscles regenerate themselves to be stronger than they were to begin with, following rigorous strain to the point of failure.....as long as it is followed by rest and nourishment!

I'm in one of those seasons right now.  Today is Day #6 of Catalyst's Howard volunteer project.  And yes, once again, I am feeling overwhelmed as we're reaching the final stretch.  These words from today's "Jesus Calling" devotional were perfect:

"When things seem to be going all wrong, stop and affirm your trust in Me.  Calmly bring these matters to Me, and leave them in My capable hands.  Then, simply do the next thing.  Stay in touch with Me through thankful, trusting prayers, resting in My sovereign control.  Rejoice in Me-exult in the God of your salvation!  As you trust in Me, I make your feet like the feet of a deer.  I enable you to walk and make progress upon your high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility." (Job 13:15...Psalm 18:33...Habakkuk 3:17-19).

This is how I keep going...

God's Love is Meant to be Seen Before it's Heard

You see these folks surrounding the older couple in the middle?  They're heroes.  They patched-up a leaky roof for this elderly couple, volunteering their time on a Friday and Saturday...and their church (Tigard Christian) covered the cost of materials.  Their cause is not to push a political agenda or force a religious view down anyone's throat.  Their role is to serve, care for, and create common ground; making space for God to work in the hearts of the people they come into contact with...as well as their own.  Allowing people the freedom to come to their own conclusions.  They know the important truth that, as followers of Jesus, it is not our responsibility to convert people, but to love people...and leave the results to God.

Linda is a friend of mine, she's in the picture with her arms around the other lady.  She was the advocate on this job, and did a fantastic job.  After it was all completed, she said this:

"I was able to visit with the Lowries during rest breaks and discovered that they are a nice couple.  They expressed their gratitude to Catalyst many times, and told me all of the workers were in their prayers.  The next door neighbor was also grateful as he was usually the one called to go up on the roof when yet another place leaked!  I was also able to meet another neighbor out walking her dogs.  She stated that i didn't live there, and asked what i was doing and why was I doing it.  I explained about how God was using me as His hands to prune the roses to show the Lowries how much He loves them.  She brightened up and asked a bunch more questions."

1 Peter 3:15: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Rest As A Discipline

REST is becoming much more important to me.  Not just because I'm getting older, but because I am more keenly aware of my prone-ness to error without it.  This weekend proved to be good for me.  I say it like that because I was very fitful in my resting...There's a lot going on in my world right now, many things that I'm responsible for and worried about.  It was a real effort to let my hands "release the plow", and I fretted for a while about what I wasn't doing, and what was waiting for me when I got back to work.  But as time went on, and I continued to pray for God's peace and love and grace to soak into my soul, I gradually let down and started feeling the effects of His perspective and comfort.  I slept well last night and woke up refreshed...ready to roll, but with less anxiety and more connection with my Master.

This morning I was reading a blog from 3DM, a ministry blog I subscribe to...it said:

"But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray." (Luke 5.15-16)

"Jesus lived a regular rhythm: crowds/solitude, preaching/prayer, healing/rest. He was well acquainted with the deserted places in and around Galilee. Regularly he would return to the desert, the place of his 40 day fast, to reconnect with the Father. To listen. To be filled with all the fullness of God."

"Why would the God-made-flesh spend such a large portion of his 3 years of active ministry ‘taking a break’? Wouldn’t he want to get all he could out of those 36 months? Preach as many sermons, heal as many lepers, perform as many signs as he could? Yes he did, but the man who had such a short time to bless the world also knew that his productivity for the kingdom was directly proportional to his connectivity to the King."

"If God-made-flesh needed to abide in the midst of 3 years of ministry it would follow that his disciples (those who are ‘with Jesus to learn from Jesus how to live like Jesus’) would need seasons of abiding in the midst of their ministry. Unless, of course, we think we need to be less dependent on God the Father than Jesus."

The "Make My Life Count" Error

I've always been hyper-focused and hyper-active - like my whole life - so I consider my dad to be an expert in understanding my ways - both the strengths and the shortfalls.  It's really important for all of us to have at least one person (if not more) who knows us deeply and truly cares for us anyway, for the long-haul.  I'm very privileged and thankful to have such a great relationship with my dad.

Anyway, I was expressing frustration about some goals I'm working toward that don't seem to be getting closer...and how it makes me feel alarmed & panicky inside.  He said:

     "Few of us have the patience to let things develop naturally, because we want to make things happen."

For me this comes back to a deep-seated driver in me that's good....but it often ends-up taking the reins out of God's Hands and it becomes an inner slave-master.  Western individualistic society has created the notion that much of our worth as humans comes from our accomplishments.  "I want to make my life count," and "I want to make a big difference" are mantras I've been telling myself since I was doing lame skateboard tricks in my parent's driveway.  I believed that if I could "do great things" in my future as a man, then that would make me great.  Although my spirit and mind and body have come a long way since those childhood dreams, I think my heart still believes them.  Don't get me wrong, we were made to be productive and innovative; but not as a means to attain worth.  Rather, our identity is to be found in our relationship with God primarily, and with others in His world   But it's hard to get away from the barrage of other self-worth messages all around us, which are most-often designed to make us feel like we need to buy something.  We would do well to keep our focus on Master Jesus, set our hearts on faithfulness rather than results, and releasing our grasp on things we cling to in order to feel good about ourselves.

Micah 6:8 says:
     "He has showed you, O man, what is good. 
     And what does the Lord require of you? 
     To act justly and to love mercy 
     and to walk humbly with your God."

Thanks, dad, for the reminder.

Appointed vs. Anointed

As I continue my journey of discovering God, His world, and my place in it, I've come across a strikingly excellent paper written in 2002 by Scott Rodin called "Becoming a Leader of No Reputation."  There are about a million amazing phrases and truths in there that resonate with me, and one of them is about the difference between being appoint responsibilities and being anointed for them.  This is vitally important for me, and people like me, because I often find myself spending lots of time & energy doing things I shouldn't be doing....not because they're not worth doing, but because they're things that I'm not meant to do.  The word "meant" connotes an origin...and that origin coincides with his use of the word "anointing."

Anointed is a weird word, I know; but it's all over the Bible as a key ingredient for how God works through people....so if it sounds too 'hocus pocus' and makes you queasy, you might as well get used to it and learn what it is.

This has to do with why and how we become who we are...and do what we do in the world.  An appointment is an obligation/responsibility we put on ourselves or others put on us.  An anointment is a deeper burden/conviction that God plants within us that seems to drive our motivations and values...something we always seem to come back to.  

Here's what Dictionary.com says:
a·noint  [uh-noint] - verb (used with object)
1. to rub or sprinkle on; apply an unguent, ointment, or oily liquid to.
2. to smear with any liquid.
3. to consecrate or make sacred in a ceremony that includes the token applying of oil: "He anointed the new high priest."
4. to dedicate to the service of God.

These definitions are interesting, because none of them refers to the anointing I'm talking about...these ones all have to do with something WE DO  in order to connect with God.  Although these acts of devotion and sanctification are, indeed, found throughout scripture, they are all based on the common precedent of God's anointing on individuals....something that HE DOES to those He chooses as His servants. Here are some excerpts from Rodin's paper:

     "I know of few Christian leaders today who were anointed before they were appointed.  We have employed the business model of doing careful searches looking for Christian leaders whom we can appoint to office.  We check their credentials, put them through rigorous interviews, and even give them psychological tests before we make the critical appointment.  Once in place, we then anoint them and ask God to bless their work.
     "The Biblical evidence seems to indicate that God selects leaders in the opposite order.  Samuel anointed David before he appointing him King.  The selection criterion for leadership was not based on who would most likely get the appointment, but whom God had anointed for this task.  And appointment without anointment always led to disaster...
     "With God's anointing comes God's power and presence...without it, we are continually thrown back upon ourselves to make things work.  With it, we have the resources of heaven at our disposal if we will be the faithful servant."

I find that when I fail, which is often, it's usually because I've been trying to either do something the wrong way (ie. 'push' on a door that says 'pull'), or that I'm trying to do things that are wrong for me to do in the first place....taking on an appointment for which I am not anointed.

What are you anointed for?

Post-Vacation Reflections

I returned to work yesterday, after taking last week off for 7-days of "glamping" at the Rogue River between Grants Pass & Medford.  Our family had a wonderful time together, though we stayed in bathing suits & tank tops most of the time in the heat - it was 108 for two of the days we were there...the trailer's AC saved us!  BTW McKenzie already told me that my outfit didn't match, so don't bother.

Coming back from vacation is always a mixed-bag.  For me, trips away from home are opportunities for much-needed R&R, extended exercise, and uninterrupted family time.  To-do-lists are forgotten, my iPhone is forgotten, and my watch is removed.  It's wonderful.

That being said, my heart is usually ready to delve into the next challenge upon my return.  This time, it's a lot of introspection.  First, Marina and I are really convicted that our lives are too busy & complex to maintain sanity.  Generally, we've been saying "yes" to too many good things....and consequently not having enough time & energy for the people & activities that are best.  Second, I see that I've been straining to do too much in my work. The public service and ministry scope of Catalyst has become quite large in the past year, and I'm realizing more & more how difficult it is for me to adapt in order to stay out of God's way.  Both of these realizations are recurring themes for me....it's so frustrating!  Why can't I just learn a lesson once and then "have it" in me from then on?  Have you ever felt like that?

Sometimes vacation gives us a break so that we can return with renewed strength to work harder.....but this one was about remembering the sanctity and necessity of REST, and the overarching value of keeping first things first.  God, Family, Friends.  As my dad always says: Relationships really are the most important thing in life.  These words of Jesus come to mind:

"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"  Matthew 11:28-30

The New Face of Idolatry

Excellent words from today's "Jesus Calling" devotional:

     "WORSHIP ME ONLY. Idolatry has always been the downfall of My people.  I make no secrets about being a jealous God.  Current idols are more subtle than ancient ones, because today's false gods are often outside the field of religion.  People, possessions, status, pleasure, and self-aggrandizement are some of the most popular deities today  Beware of bowing down before these things.  False gods never satisfy; instead, they stir up lust for more and more.
     When you seek Me instead of the world's idols, you experience My Joy and Peace.  These intangibles slake the thirst of your soul, providing deep satisfaction.  The glitter of the world is tinny and temporal.  The Light of My Presence is brilliant and everlasting.  Walk in the Light with Me.  Thus you become a beacon through whom others are drawn to Me."

Holy Failings

These wise words are from my friend and coach Greg Getz, of Field USA:

“I want to work with people who will get out there, make mistakes, learn from them, tweak and try again. Failure is our friend because it eliminates what doesn’t work and moves us closer to what does.”

Right on the heels of that, a new friend of mine posted this on Facebook, “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” Whoa! Wow!! AMEN!!!

Never forget that God did some of his best work with failings… Jonah… Moses… Elijah… Peter… Paul… John Mark… In every case it was what THEY thought was right… what THEY thought was possible… what THEY thought was safe… what THEY thought others would admire…

It seems like the issue is not only OBEDIENCE, but when we fail under our own agendas, flesh, safety, power, etc., we get up and say, “Sorry LORD, now what was it YOU wanted me to do?” I call it having, “Holy Guts!” and you need that to take the Divine Risks!!

What will you risk today for Him?

God's Will Is Not A Mystery

There is a BIG FAT LIE believed by many of us.  

The lie is that God, in His omnipotent, omniscient wisdom, has a plan for every minute....every second...of every life on earth.  That He is this Supreme Puppet-master pulling all the strings so that everything on earth happens "according to His will"...and that our role, in relation to His Will, is to figure it out and align ourselves with it.  Well, it is true that our role is to align ourselves with God's Will, but the idea of seeing His will as a complex, inter-related system of constant control is misleading.

When we read in scripture about "God's Will," it consistently seems to be couched in terms of our character being transformed into that of Christ....in other words "sanctification" - the process of being "set apart", or "dedicated" to God.  It's about our character being transformed into who Jesus would be if He were me...or you. God’s will is that each one of us grow more and more, each day, into the image of Jesus.  I think there’s a lot of flexibility inside of that.  I do not believe that God has a specific plan for everything in my life.  Many people I have known or read about have driven themselves crazy with a hyper-religious world view that God has predestined every aspect of our lives according to a complex master plan for every single little thing.  Does God have master plans, even for specific things?  Absolutely.  But “every” specific thing?  Does He care what you eat for lunch? What car you drive?  What socks you wear?  What team wins today's big game?  There can be great comfort in believing that we don't have to make hard choices, because God wants to make them for us....but I think this type of thinking is short-sighted, immature, and untrue to God's "revealed will" in scripture.  

Instead of spending so much time trying to figure out God's hypothetical plan, let's spend our time & energy living-out what WE KNOW is God's will, always: "Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Self-Control" in Galatians 5 is a good place to start.

Be Still My Soul

One of my favorite meditative songs of all time is “Be Still My Soul” by The Imperials. Yeah, I know, you’re either saying “who the heck are the Imperials?” or “I can’t believe Shawn likes Imperials.”  Whatever, the song is rad.  It’s meaning & impact are simple but very profound, based on Psalm 46:

(verse 1) Surrounded by the cares of life.  Situations rise, they press against my soul. Desperate thoughts have blocked me in, feels like I may lose control.  A voice from somewhere inside of me, brings comfort and fills my heart with courage.  It lets me know that everything will be alright. 

(chorus) I hear Him say ‘Be still my soul and know that He is God.’  Stand quietly, He is the Lord.  If God is for me, who can be against me.  He is God…be still my soul, He is the Lord.

(verse 2) Teach me, Lord, to stay in you when my emotions try to rule me.  Remind me, Lord, of who I am.  Show me what You want me to be.  There is great strength and confidence, knowing that You are with me.  I’m not afraid of tomorrow, what waits ahead.

(chorus)

As I read that, and hear the song echoing through my mind, I say AMEN.  So be it in my soul today.  So help me, God, to stay in You and Your shalom today.

My Morning Ritual

This is my view from the brown couch I sit on every morning.  Bible open, reading glasses for my getting-older eyes, in the wee hours of the morning after shaking-off the cobwebs & downing a cup of coffee.

My Bible time is an invaluable exercise this sinner uses to start my day off in the right direction.  Every morning, my attitudes & fears & hopes & dreams are influenced by God's Word.  Every morning, I drink from the living water of Jesus for purpose & direction & encouragement...and His waters are deep!

"Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts....As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me! ...I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you....I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Your laws please me; they give me wise advice." (Psalm 119, excerpts)

"O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." (Psalm 5:1-3)

Why Pray? (prayer, part 2)

From my previous post, it could appear that I don’t believe in prayer…or that I’m skeptical about God’s ability or desire to answer our prayers.  Neither of these is true.  I believe deeply in the power of prayer…and I practice it every day in a variety of forms.  I pray sometimes with my eyes closed in “traditional” ways…like before or after meetings or reading scripture.  I also pray with eyes wide open…especially in nature.  By far, my most meaningful times of prayer are during runs and bike rides.  I do believe that prayer works, and the Bible is absolutely full of examples and commands about prayer.  Here’s one:

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

So yes, totally, God answers prayer! However, prayer is not a cure-all formula that obligates God to intervene in our favor.  For example, the above quote was written by the Apostle Paul.  The Bible doesn't specifically say how the Apostle Paul died. We know he was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, during that time, Christians were being beheaded for their beliefs. Therefore, it may be safe to assume that Paul was beheaded too.  So, did God become unfaithful by letting those early martyrs die?

What I believe about prayer tends to be a bit different than the norm.  I don’t think prayer is about getting God to do what I want, or to bless my favorite team, or even to favor my own country.  I think prayer is about setting up a communication line between my heart and God’s for the purpose of CONFORMING MY WILL TO HIS.  This is different because I think many people pray for comfort…either their own, or for others they care about.  And, although it is totally obvious in scripture and in my experience that GOD DOES ANSWER THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE, it’s not because He wants us to be comfortable.  In fact, I think that denying our comfort is often on God’s priority list…not because He likes to cause pain, but because He knows that we grow in Him most deeply out of need.  Our discomfort drives us to fill the hole, and we often choose easy counterfeits instead of pressing into the struggle He has us facing…and we can actually short-circuit the will of God by praying for and chasing other solutions….then calling those things His will.

So…..why pray at all? 

1)      As stated in the scripture above, and in many others, it often does move the Hand of God in miraculous ways

2)      Obedience & surrender to God’s Kingly Reign in our lives

3)      To experience His peace that passes understanding……

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6–7