Fearless has been a word on my mind lately. I used to be very afraid to speak in public. Oral presentations in high school were the bane of my existence. I hated talking in front of people because I was so afraid of what people thought of me. Now, I get in front of people and talk almost everyday of the week. It's amazing what God can do in a person's life.
However, I would not say that I'm fearless. I still have fears about what people think of me. When I first came to the church I'm a pastor of now, I was afraid of upsetting anyone or doing anything wrong. So, lately fearless has been at the forefront of my mind. I have been praying for boldness and courage lately because I have looked at my everyday routine and wondered to myself, "Is this what living for the kingdom looks like?"
Biographies have captured my attention lately. I have read one on Dietrich Bonhoeffer and am currently reading one on William Wilberforce, the man who took a stand against slavery in Britain in the late 1700s. It is amazing the courage these men had in the face of dire circumstances. Also, I have been thinking about the life of Paul as well. This was a man who faced the most extreme circumstances, but kept going till the end of his life, spreading the message of the kingdom of God wherever God took him. These are the kind of men I aspire to be. I aspire to be a man who is fearless in spreading the Gospel. I also want to fearlessly live the great adventure of following Jesus. I don't want to be satisfied with a normal existence. I don't want to be satisfied with a life that is lived good enough. I want to live a life that is full of days ( a phrase used to describe Job at the end of the book of Job). I want to live a life that is fearless not in the sense of doing daring deeds, but in the sense of boldly, passionately, and fearlessly spreading the story of the King I love and live for. I want to live the words of Paul when he said "I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew then for the Gentile" (Romans 1:16). In the words of Casting Crowns, "We were made to be courageous." The world needs courageous people who are not afraid to share the message of hope. Families need courageous men who are not afraid to be the husbands and fathers their wives and children need them to be. Families need courageous women who will not be afraid to stand against the women's liberation movement and be the wives and mothers their husbands and children so desperately need. Churches need courageous leaders who are not afraid to speak the truth in love, never compromising for the sake of worldly acceptance. Teenagers need courageous peers who will not be afraid to stand out from the crowd and be different for the sake of holiness. Lord, make us courageous!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
The provision of God
Today was a day full of provision. We celebrated my wife's 29th birthday. The verse of Scripture that is our verse for each other is Philippians 1:3, "I thank my God every time I remember you." I truly thank my God every day for my wife. I prayed for so long that God would send me the right one. There were wrong ones along the way. One day God spoke to me and said she was coming and that I just had to wait. A month (that is a rough estimate because my memory is terrible) later I met Allie and we have been together ever since. She is such a joy to my life. She does so much for me and I would truly be lost without her. Whenever we celebrate her birthday, I feel like I'm celebrating mine because she is the greatest gift I have ever received. She challenges me and encourages me. She puts me in my place and holds me when life is beating on me. I love her and I look forward to the next 29 years with her by the grace of God.
God also provided in another big way today. As many people know we are expecting our third child in the midst of owning a small SUV and a four door sedan. Needless to say the car space we have is not going to be enough to hold three car seats at a time. So, we started our search for a mini van and since I am the stay at home parent, I will be driving the aforementioned van. I have come to grips with this reality and I refuse to let it take away my cool points (if I even had any to begin with). The boys were being a little wild today and we both felt like we needed a little break and had time to kill, so we got a last minute babysitter to watch them for a couple of hours so we could go look for a van. After getting some frozen yogurt (which was awesome!), we headed to the dealership with the intent of inquiring and not buying. Maybe it was the yogurt, but 2 hours later, we had just traded in our sedan for a minivan. I was nervous about the purchase, but my amazing wife was convinced that this was God providing for our family. We got what we wanted on the trade-in and our monthly payments will actually be less for the van than they were for the car. God is so amazing how He knows exactly what we need and leads us to the right places to provide it for us.
The last way God provided was in the form of opportunity. The salesman was very helpful and nice. Through our conversation, I learned that he was a musician who plays many instruments (27 to be exact). So, I invited him to our church coffeehouse. He said he hadn't been to church in a while and hinted that it was not a big priority. I will be praying for more opportunities with him and praying that God will lead him to our coffeehouse so that he may hear the beautiful story of Jesus.
The last way God provided was a teaching moment. I felt like I could have taken more advantage of the opportunity He provided with the salesman, but I still get nervous at times when talking about things of faith. It does not happen all the time, but there are times when it does. I used to be very shy and that shyness still lingers. As I rocked my youngest son to sleep tonight, I prayed that God would give me boldness. I want to stop caring about what people are thinking of me and serve my Lord with all my heart and soul. I want my passion for Him to pour out of me and my conversations and words to be seasoned with salt and full of grace.
So, what I will take away from today is that there is no better place to be than living under God's provision whether it comes materially or in a time of teaching. I love how He provides and know that it is only by His grace that I have what I have.
God also provided in another big way today. As many people know we are expecting our third child in the midst of owning a small SUV and a four door sedan. Needless to say the car space we have is not going to be enough to hold three car seats at a time. So, we started our search for a mini van and since I am the stay at home parent, I will be driving the aforementioned van. I have come to grips with this reality and I refuse to let it take away my cool points (if I even had any to begin with). The boys were being a little wild today and we both felt like we needed a little break and had time to kill, so we got a last minute babysitter to watch them for a couple of hours so we could go look for a van. After getting some frozen yogurt (which was awesome!), we headed to the dealership with the intent of inquiring and not buying. Maybe it was the yogurt, but 2 hours later, we had just traded in our sedan for a minivan. I was nervous about the purchase, but my amazing wife was convinced that this was God providing for our family. We got what we wanted on the trade-in and our monthly payments will actually be less for the van than they were for the car. God is so amazing how He knows exactly what we need and leads us to the right places to provide it for us.
The last way God provided was in the form of opportunity. The salesman was very helpful and nice. Through our conversation, I learned that he was a musician who plays many instruments (27 to be exact). So, I invited him to our church coffeehouse. He said he hadn't been to church in a while and hinted that it was not a big priority. I will be praying for more opportunities with him and praying that God will lead him to our coffeehouse so that he may hear the beautiful story of Jesus.
The last way God provided was a teaching moment. I felt like I could have taken more advantage of the opportunity He provided with the salesman, but I still get nervous at times when talking about things of faith. It does not happen all the time, but there are times when it does. I used to be very shy and that shyness still lingers. As I rocked my youngest son to sleep tonight, I prayed that God would give me boldness. I want to stop caring about what people are thinking of me and serve my Lord with all my heart and soul. I want my passion for Him to pour out of me and my conversations and words to be seasoned with salt and full of grace.
So, what I will take away from today is that there is no better place to be than living under God's provision whether it comes materially or in a time of teaching. I love how He provides and know that it is only by His grace that I have what I have.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Are we getting it wrong?
This question hit me yesterday in regards to the Gospel. I grew up in a solid Southern Baptist church, being taught that I must turn to Jesus in order to escape hell and get to heaven to live with him forever. That message has been the crux of the Gospel preached in churches for decades in this country. However, is this the message Jesus proclaimed? Are we leaving something out?
The more I read the Gospels and the more I read books about Jesus the more I think that we are leaving out a big part of the Gospel message, if not the main part. One major part is eternal salvation, i.e. getting to be with Jesus forever. But, I have come to realize that part of the message is more of a benefit of the Gospel rather than the main focus of the Gospel. The apostle John in the first chapter of his Gospel said that Jesus (the Word) came that we might have life. Was John merely talking about an eternal life that awaits us in the future after we die or Jesus comes back? I don't think so. I think the apostle was teaching that Jesus came to give us a new life on this earth in the here and now with the ultimate benefit of this new life being eternal life with him one day. Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." The ESV text note says this about verse 10, "Jesus calls his followers, not to a dour, lifeless, miserable existence that squashes human potential, but to a rich, full, joyful life, one overflowing with meaningful activities under the personal favor and blessing of God and in continual fellowship with his people." This is the message Jesus died for. He died so that we might live, not just eternally up in the sky one day, but live a full, new life here on this earth. He died so that we might live the life we were created and meant to live. To preach the Gospel in the light of just heaven and hell is to cheapen the Gospel. We are leaving out the best part. Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven in John 3. This concept of born again points to a new life here and now.
When God led his people out of Egypt and slavery, he led them to the Promised Land. This was the land he promised to give to Abraham's descendants. This was a land flowing with milk and honey. The Promised Land for us is heaven. We aren't there yet. We have to go through the wilderness of this earth in order to get there, but the best part about that journey is that God has set us free from slavery to sin so that we may live a new life as free men and women for his glory and kingdom. The benefit of this new life is the Promised Land of eternal rest and life with Jesus Christ our Savior forever.
I believe this is one of the reasons why people are rejecting Christianity in our society today. Most people have no problem with Jesus; they have a problem with the church. If we are the Body of Christ and they have no problem with Christ, then they should have no problem with us. There is a disconnect somewhere and I believe it's found within the Gospel we are preaching. We need to get back to the Gospel Jesus preached. He preached a Gospel of freedom for the prisoners and a new life for those who would follow him. He preached about heaven and hell, but only as a benefit for accepting his offer of a new life or rejecting it. Luke 4:16-21 says this, "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is has been fulfilled in your hearing.'" This is the message Jesus came to proclaim, a message of freedom and life. This new life does not promise to be worry-free, pain-free, or problem-free. But, this new life does promise one who will take our worries, our pain, and our problems and give us a burden that is light and give us peace. This is the message the world needs to hear. This is the Jesus people need us to introduce them to.
The more I read the Gospels and the more I read books about Jesus the more I think that we are leaving out a big part of the Gospel message, if not the main part. One major part is eternal salvation, i.e. getting to be with Jesus forever. But, I have come to realize that part of the message is more of a benefit of the Gospel rather than the main focus of the Gospel. The apostle John in the first chapter of his Gospel said that Jesus (the Word) came that we might have life. Was John merely talking about an eternal life that awaits us in the future after we die or Jesus comes back? I don't think so. I think the apostle was teaching that Jesus came to give us a new life on this earth in the here and now with the ultimate benefit of this new life being eternal life with him one day. Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." The ESV text note says this about verse 10, "Jesus calls his followers, not to a dour, lifeless, miserable existence that squashes human potential, but to a rich, full, joyful life, one overflowing with meaningful activities under the personal favor and blessing of God and in continual fellowship with his people." This is the message Jesus died for. He died so that we might live, not just eternally up in the sky one day, but live a full, new life here on this earth. He died so that we might live the life we were created and meant to live. To preach the Gospel in the light of just heaven and hell is to cheapen the Gospel. We are leaving out the best part. Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven in John 3. This concept of born again points to a new life here and now.
When God led his people out of Egypt and slavery, he led them to the Promised Land. This was the land he promised to give to Abraham's descendants. This was a land flowing with milk and honey. The Promised Land for us is heaven. We aren't there yet. We have to go through the wilderness of this earth in order to get there, but the best part about that journey is that God has set us free from slavery to sin so that we may live a new life as free men and women for his glory and kingdom. The benefit of this new life is the Promised Land of eternal rest and life with Jesus Christ our Savior forever.
I believe this is one of the reasons why people are rejecting Christianity in our society today. Most people have no problem with Jesus; they have a problem with the church. If we are the Body of Christ and they have no problem with Christ, then they should have no problem with us. There is a disconnect somewhere and I believe it's found within the Gospel we are preaching. We need to get back to the Gospel Jesus preached. He preached a Gospel of freedom for the prisoners and a new life for those who would follow him. He preached about heaven and hell, but only as a benefit for accepting his offer of a new life or rejecting it. Luke 4:16-21 says this, "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is has been fulfilled in your hearing.'" This is the message Jesus came to proclaim, a message of freedom and life. This new life does not promise to be worry-free, pain-free, or problem-free. But, this new life does promise one who will take our worries, our pain, and our problems and give us a burden that is light and give us peace. This is the message the world needs to hear. This is the Jesus people need us to introduce them to.
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