Saturday, March 29, 2008

Waiting

I hate sitting still! I can't imagine what it was like to be Caleb. You've seen the land that God has promised, you know where you are supposed to be, you're ready for the adventure, but other people's fear stops you dead in your tracks. Their fear cost Caleb 45 years…read that again 45 years!
I'm not sure I could handle that!

But after those 45 years he was still ready for the adventure!

The people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite spoke: "You'll remember what God said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me back at Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of God sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. And I brought back an honest and accurate report. My companions who went with me discouraged the people, but I stuck to my guns, totally with God, my God. That was the day that Moses solemnly promised, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance, you and your children's, forever. Yes, you have lived totally for God.'

"I was ready 45 years ago, but because people didn't want to move out of their comfort zone, I've been wandering out here for 45 years! No longer."

Now look at me: God has kept me alive, as he promised. It is now forty-five years since God spoke this word to Moses, years in which Israel wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I'm as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I'm as strong as ever in battle, whether coming or going. So give me this hill country that God promised me. You yourself heard the report, that the Anakim were there with their great fortress cities. If God goes with me, I will drive them out, just as God said." Josh 14:6-12

"I've been waiting for this moment most of my life, I maybe 85 years old, but I'm ready for the adventure, give me those giants!
I refuse to surrender the journey!"

If you feel frustrated in the lack of movement by God's people, pray that you can wait upon the Lord like Caleb.

If you feel afraid, take a risk and follow God, don't be the one to cost someone 45 years of their life!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Christianity is a lifestyle, not a religion

Jesus did not say, "I have come that you might have religion … that you might have meetings … that you might have a ritual … that you might have doctrine … that you might have this or that ceremony." But He said, "My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."
Jesus says that Christianity is a life. He came to teach people how to live. Until you know Christ, you're not living, you're just existing.


 

Most people are searching for life; they're looking for it in anything. From one fad to the next, one commercial to the next, that will give me life! They call it other things – happiness, sex appeal, fame, status. But what they're looking for is "What in the world am I here for?" And the church should be the one place in society where people go to figure out how you live. The church ought to teach people how to live because Christianity is a life.

You think too much...



...know wonder!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Before you get on with life…

Coming off of Easter and the resurrection I wanted to remind us of a few things before we get on with our lives:

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.

The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

"Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message."

The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there."

Meanwhile, the guards had scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, "His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping." They assured them, "If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we will make sure you don't get blamed." The soldiers took the bribe and did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council, is still going around.

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."
Matthew 28 1-20


  • No one was prepared for what happened. In our culture we don't want any suprises, we value being in control.
  • Everyone is a beginner in this business and there are no experts. We pretend to be.
  • Those that thought they were – the Pharisees, Saduccees, and the Essenes – were looking the other way, and totally missed it. Don't miss it.
  • The men and women who are the most valuable in advancing the Kingdom sometimes are the most unlikely: the poor, minorities, the suffering, the rejected, poets, and children.
  • The resurrection took place in a quiet location without publicity or spectators. Why didn't He send out a direct mail piece?
  • And then there is fear. "Fear of the Lord" keeps us it keeps us on our toes, from thinking that we know it all, and prevents us from closing our minds to what is new.


Don't miss the wonder. Don't miss the mystery. Don't just go back to your ordinary life!


Go out!


Sunday, March 16, 2008

Palm Sunday - Guest Blog

Today is Palm Sunday
Today is the day Jesus traveled to Jerusalem by horse back. As he came down the road from the Mount of Olives a whole crowd of disciples praised god by screaming Hosanna, Praise the Lord, Blessed is the king, Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd asked Jesus to "rebuke the crowd". Jesus replied "If they keep quit,the stones will cry out"

Altough I don't know if the stones would truley have cried out, I think the point was you can't stop what is by Gods' design. All of Gods' creatures were made to worship,plants, animals, and people.
Trees sway in the breeze, coyotes howl at the moon, birds sing songs, stars shine brightly in the sky, and Mountains reach for the Heavens, all praises to God.
All by His design.
People are also designed to worship. The difference is we have been given the ablity to choose who or what we will worship...........money, sucess, fame, sex, etc... or GOD

steve

Steve is one of my close friends who has learned to walk the narrow road. Thanks Steve for your insights and your friendship!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Eyes open

Friday was a travel day for Jesus. Imagine the scene; the road from Jericho to Jerusalem is packed, literally packed with those making the pilgrimage. Jerusalem was usually a city of thousands but on Passover it swelled to as many as three million, at least that is what historian Josephus said. Think about how crazy it gets around here for a FSU home game, now multiply at least 50 times!

Can you imagine, there you are in the crowd, moving toward Jerusalem, asking your friend, "have you heard about this guy Jesus?" The whole time He might have been walking right beside you and you didn't even notice. You wouldn't be the first…or the last.

Last week I was teaching a group on campus and asked "what mighty acts of God have you seen lately?" (Psalm 145) Silence. No one said anything for awhile. Then a young man opened up and said "I guess I haven't been paying attention, I'm sure God is still at work."

The more I study God's Word the more I am amazed at the number of people who were right there and missed Him. But isn't He the one that said "but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matt 7:14)

Be one of the few; don't miss Him as He passes by.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Preparing

Easter will be celebrated on March 23, which is just a week and half away! This is the earliest Easter since 1913! (Easter is a different day each year because Passover is determined by the lunar & solar calendars).

So in preparation I thought I'd post the daily accounts in Christ life leading up to Easter.

On Thursday:

Jesus is passing through Jericho on his way to the Passover in Jerusalem, hearing this the chief tax collector, a man named Zacchaeus, wants to see him for himself. Luke 19:1-10

Regardless of his past, Jesus was pleased with his attitude and generosity and counted him as a son of Abraham. Jesus purpose was to find and save people like Zaccheus.

Take a moment and give thanks that He came looking for you while you were lost. Ask Him to give you the desire to do the same.

After a short visit, He stopped to tell a parable the disciples had heard many times: The Parable of the Ten Minas .

Truth be told, not even His longest-term disciples figured out what this parable meant until about a year later. The point…Jesus is going away and wanted His disciples to be trustworthy in His absense.

Am I?

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Just thinking...

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:28

That passage along with looking at Elijah and the prophets of Baal started me thinking about the whole worship experience.

Rarely in our culture do we come before the Father in that order, obedience and then worship.

Don’t we come expecting to get something out of worship? Think about it, how many times have you heard “I really didn’t get anything out of the worship today”.

We shouldn’t seek a worship experience, it should be something we do regardless of how we feel about it; the experience should develop out of the obedience and worship.

Worship (“my God”) should be the act of obedience (“my Lord”) to who God is.

Elijah prayed “O Lord, God of Abraham, Issac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all the things you have commanded…then the fire fell. 1 Kings 18:36, 38

Just thinking…

Monday, March 10, 2008

A spark...

“One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4

One of the first things that struck me upon moving to Tallahassee from Texas was the amount of homeless people here. Someone explained to me that being in a warm climate, next to an interstate, and having 3 Universities with plenty of open restrooms and showers attracts many of them.

I started noticing one frail lady daily on the corner of Tennessee, if you live in Tally you might have seen her, she’s pencil thin, tanned and everytime I’ve seen her she has a towel wrapped around her head.

One day I was sitting at the intersection watching her and thinking what would happen if I gave her $2,000. She probably doesn’t have a bank account. With that much cash she’ll probably get mugged. How many times has she been beaten for a buck? Where could she stay for any extended period of time for $2,000? Does that help her in the long run? How do I make a difference? Then, God reminded me of this verse.

"For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home." Matthew 25:35

Could I do that? Am I at that point in my faith? Could I be that obedient? Would I take that kind of risk?

Well, I didn’t. But, God had me “chew on” that verse for sometime. I even shared my struggle from the stage and confessed my lack of whatever that kept me from opening my home to a stranger.

Today, one of our family members, who God has transformed, shared with me how God used that in her own life. She said that while I was sharing what God was doing in my heart, she was convicted about a homeless guy she knew. So, what did she do? She had the courage to be obedient to that “gentle whisper” and she invited him in. No way, yeah I know! Is she crazy? I ask the question all the time, “what are you doing that makes absolutely no sense unless there is a heaven”, well she answered that!!

The guy she invited in had been strung out on crystal meth, but was now clean. He’s been sober now for a little over a year because of a personal encounter with our great God. He started coming to FOTH, serving immediately and has become an integral part of setting up our services every week!

Every week I have the joy of looking into their tear filled eyes and seeing my Savior! I love watching the chains come off!

God started a spark in me that became a raging, all-consuming fire in another!

J and D, you guys rock! Thanks for being my brother and sister in Christ, to Him be the glory forever and ever!

Live to tell of His mighty acts!