The Good Shepherd

Consider these three Bible passages as we look at our relationship with one another and with Jesus. Have a blessed Sunday!


Ezekiel 34:1-6 The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

11-16 'For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As shepherds look after their scattered flocks when they are with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.


Psalm 23 1-2 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters…


Matthew 18:12-14 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

The Message of Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [19] that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The other day I wrote that as a Christian my worldview has changed. I should not be looking at others in a judgmental way. Rather I should look at others as individuals created in the image of God. Since we know that God created us as a craftsman would create a work of art, all of creation is valuable, we have worth.

We live in a fallen world separated from God. Thankfully Jesus came to bridge that gap and He brought heaven to earth. Unfortunately many have not experienced this heaven on earth. Many are still looking for answers: “what is my purpose;” “is this all there is;” “why do bad things happen to good people.” There are people who are hurting physically, mentally and spiritually. No matter how hard they try to please God it doesn’t appear they have done enough.

To reconcile is to restore something or someone to its former condition. For a checkbook we reconcile it back to a balanced condition.

Jesus died on a cross as a sacrifice to restore our relationship with God; it has never been about what we did. God’s plan was for us to be in communion with Him from the beginning. We can not sacrifice enough of ourselves or our possessions to restore that relationship, no matter how hard we try.

As God’s ambassadors, or spokesmen, we have been given a ministry of reconciliation. Our job, as Christ followers, is to restore others’ relationship with God. The message of reconciliation is the Gospel of Jesus. To me, the message of the Gospel of Jesus is love. We need to allow that message to be heard by our actions. People will know we are Christ followers by the way we love one another. Without love, we cannot experience joy and peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers. I pray that we may show others the love of Christ and that they will be reconciled and restored and made right again. May we all enjoy our relationship with one another and with Christ who loves us.

Proverb for today

I love the Proverbs! Today's reading:

Proverbs 27:15-16

A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;

restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

Rob Bell: The gods aren't angry

Last night was amazing. Rob Bell hit us with some amazing thoughts about our relationship with God. The night started with mankind discovering the forces around them and crediting it to a god or gods. They felt that as they offered or sacrificed something to the gods they would be pleased. If the crops are large should the offering to the crop god be large? If it isn’t raining should be the offering to the rain god be increased? How do we please these gods? Are the gods angry?

Today, are we trying to please our gods? I am excited to go even deeper and look into sacrificial systems. Imagine a gathering of men dancing around an altar in a religious, drunken or drug induced frenzy willingly castrate themselves to please their god. OUCH!

We would think that we have gotten beyond trying to please these false gods. But have we really? Rob talks about the ways that people are hurting and the pain that they inflict upon themselves. Consider the cutter and compare them to the Baal worshipers on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:27-28). Consider that many of us are carrying guilt from past offenses and as hard as we try we can never get rid of the guilt. For some this becomes their identity.

The sacrificial system was set up to clear our conscience. The system was not set up to please God. Does God need our slaughtered bulls and goats? Psalm 50: 9-10 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

Are we working so hard to please others (in-laws) that we are good enough? Have we been told by people, who should love us, that they hate us?

So what is the bottom line of the night? “Do we have the same old gods and we’ve just given them different names?” We do not have to keep approaching an altar of sacrifice to please God. We do not need to live in guilt and shame.

Jesus came and changed the system. We can freely approach God. Rob used a Brennan Manning story explaining that Jesus doesn’t remember your sins. You don’t have to live like this!

So much more to process!

kata sarka, “according to the flesh”

2 Corinthians 5:16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Do we really think that our fellow Christians are a new creation? What about people outside the church: those not in community with us? Do we judge them? Do we look at them as people created in God’s image? We are all on a journey of being recreated to resemble Christ.

Consider that Paul says the old ways are gone: the worldly point of view (kata sarka, “according to the flesh”) is gone. We know longer are viewing things the way the world does but rather we see things through the lenses of God. We do not view people or culture with prejudice as we once did. All people have value and worth because they were created in the image of God. We are not trapped with a limited existence because we know there is more than this and we want all of mankind to experience this mindset.

But is it just us that have been changed? Could it be that through the resurrection of Christ all of creation has changed? I like to think of Jesus bringing heaven to earth. He gave us that glimpse through His life here on earth. I do not think Jesus took heaven with Him when He ascended. Heaven is not just a destination but it something that can be experienced here and now. We do not live lives kata sarka(according to the flesh/world) rather we now live lives kata pneuma (according to the Spirit).

Jim and Casper go to Church

Many of you know that I think very highly of the book "Jim and Casper go to Church." I encourage all in church leadership read it. It will challenge your thoughts on how we think church should be done. Matt Casper, co-author of the book came and spoke at Saddleback Church about his journey and friendship with Jason, a house pastor. Jason also shared his experiences with Matt. Follow this link to listen.

Day 41

I have been thinking more about what I wrote previously, “40 Days and 40 Nights.” In those 40 days we seeing a testing in some cases, in other cases we see God’s provision. But what happened after the 40 days? What happened on Day 41?


For Noah, the rain stopped on Day 41 and there was sunlight and a rainbow. God recreated (read Genesis 8 and compare to the creation story in Genesis 1).


For Moses, he came down from the mountain, twice, and presented what God had spoken to him. Moses had received the Ten Commandments. On one Day 41, Moses had to literally throw down the law at the Israelites. During those 40 days Moses did not eat or drink, I am sure he was hungry, and on Day 41 he ate and drank.


In the Book of Jonah, the people of Nineveh repented. The warning of God’s wrath that Jonah gave the people did not happen. On Day 41, God relented and showed compassion on these people, even though Jonah could not.


Having being fed by an angel for 40 days, Elijah was told to get up and move. On Day 41, Elijah goes to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God and seeks shelter in a cave. Elijah experiences a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire but Elijah hears God in a quiet whisper.


After 40 days of being taunted by a giant named Goliath, the Israelite army sends a young boy to battle him on Day 41. David demonstrates that God protects and God uses the small things for greatness. And through David, God saves a kingdom against a bitter enemy.


Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert and on Day 41 He met with the devil. We see courage and strength. We see the ability to confront lies. We see a man lowered to the point of breaking standing firm. After 40 days of not eating and a day of temptation by the devil, Jesus is attended by angels. I am sure they set up quite a feast for Him!


Jesus appeared to many witnesses after His resurrection from death. On Day 41, Jesus ascended into heaven. I am reminded of what Jesus told Thomas in John, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”


God works in some mysterious ways. We are reminded of these mysteries throughout the Bible. Nothing sounds more mysterious and marvelous than the way He guides us through our 40 days and strengthens us on Day 41.

40 Days and 40 Nights

When we need to take a nap we say that we are going to get 40 winks. I never understood where the term came from but I did discover an explanation on the internet (I have not determined if this is true or not). A wink was an old Roman measurement of time, equal to 30 seconds, 40 winks = 20 minute nap. But we do know that the number 40 represents a period of time. 40 days is a long period of time, such as a month. 40 years can represent a generation.

Throughout the Bible periods of time are described as 40 days and 40 nights or 40 years. While Noah was in the ark, God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights. Once the rain stopped Noah waited an additional 40 days before he opened a window in the ark.

Moses had his times of 40. It is said that Moses was 40 years old when he left Egypt after killing an Egyptian. Moses then spent 40 years in the desert of Midian where he married and was a shepherd for his father-in-law. Moses speaks to God through a burning bush and receives orders to confront Pharaoh. Once the Israelites are set free they spend 40 years traveling towards the Promised Land. During their desert journey, Moses spent time, 40 days and 40 nights, on a mountain with God. He did this twice. On one of these trips up the mountain Moses received the Ten Commandments. Moses died at 120 years old.

Goliath taunted the Israelite army for 40 days, twice a day. Elijah was given food by an angel of God as he hid from Jezebel. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. Jonah came into Nineveh stating that God was going to overturn the city in 40 days. But God saw their acts of repentance and had compassion on them.

After Jesus was baptized, he went into the desert to confront the devil: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). After fasting for 40 days and 40 nights Jesus was hungry. It is here at Jesus’ weakest that the devil attacks and tempts our Lord. Jesus also appeared to the disciples and a group of witnesses after the Resurrection for 40 days before He ascended to Heaven.

Tomorrow marks a period of 40 days in my life. A period time when I have left one way of life as I head into a new journey with God. I wish it was pleasant. My former way of life was predicable. It was a time when I knew what was expected and I was comfortable. During these past 40 days there have been times of loneliness. There have been times of doubt and even despair. But through these 40 days, I have grown closer to God and His purpose and plan for my life is becoming clearer. I am looking forward to day 41.

Jars of Clay

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Earthen vessels are found at most every archaeological dig. These vessels can be pots, vases and many other forms of pottery. Many of these vessels are broken and must be put back together like a jigsaw puzzle. But from these vessels we learn much about ancient peoples and their community and the ways they lived.

Decorated on some vessels would be scenes from daily life. We learn what was eaten by what is found stored in these containers. Think of some of these vessels as ancient Tupperware where for centuries wheat, corn or some other grain or liquid was stored.

Many times these vessels contained important artifacts. They were a way of hiding valuables in an unlikely place. A thief would not look for something valuable in something as ordinary as a water jug. The problem with these vessels are they are very fragile and once broken they are good for nothing.

I love talking about the creation of mankind. In Genesis 2:7 we see God getting into the dirt and shaping and forming mankind. God did this as a craftsman. He created us as a work of art. Adam literally means dirt man. Like earthen vessels we are weak and easily broken. But inside each of us is a treasure. As Christians we carry the death of Christ in us so that we can reveal to others the life of Christ.

Realize that we, earthen vessels, do not equal the value of our contents. Regardless of how well we decorate ourselves. The more we decorate ourselves the less attention on the real value stored in the vessel.

As pastors it is not about me to present a message in a way that out shines the Gospel. I do not want to be a messenger that people flock to hear, rather I want people to hear The Message. Lord help me to get out of the way! I am just a weak and fragile vessel that is sometimes broken, cracked and flawed. But this broken, cracked and flawed vessel contains a message that is rich and valuable.

What is our standard?

From my Bible reading today:

Ezekiel 5:5-7 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. Yet in her wickedness she has rebelled against my laws and decrees more than the nations and countries around her. She has rejected my laws and has not followed my decrees.

"Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed my decrees or kept my laws. You have not even conformed to the standards of the nations around you.

Time for a morality check.

What is our standard? How well are we at influencing the world, or is the world doing a better job at influencing us?

Let's pray that we can first align ourselves with God and follow His commands, love God and love neighbor. And may our influence come from a lifestyle, not by pressure, but through love.

Have a blessed Sunday!

No water

As twilight falls over this town, Mayor Tony drives up a dusty dirt road to the community’s towering water tank and begins his nightly ritual in front of a rusty metal valve.

With a twist of the wrist, he releases the tank’s meager water supply, and suddenly this sleepy town is alive with activity. Washing machines whir, kitchen sinks fill and showers run.

About three hours later, Mayor Tony will return and reverse the process, cutting off water to the town’s 145 residents.


This is not an African community, this is happening in the United States. I remember when restaurants would not bring water to a table because of a drought we were facing in California. Washing driveways, sidewalks and patios were frowned upon. Lawns started to brown as people cut back watering their yards. Drought is ugly!

We are facing a time of crisis. Some areas are being flooded, other areas are facing drought. The fires we just experienced could be blamed on drought. I am not sure of the how’s and the why’s, but all of this happening. The questions becomes, “What do we do?”



News article taken from “Worst-case scenario in the South: Tennessee town has run out of water and has to truck it in” By Greg Bluestein, Associated Press Writer

Biblical Thought

From my Bible readings today:

Hebrews 3:12-13

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Any thoughts?

Letters of Recommendation

On my resume I have a section that list references from a group of people who will stand up for my character and for my work ethic. Most all employers will do some background check to see if you are a good worker or to check on your moral character. These references can be college professors, coworkers, bosses and associates. It is good to have an extensive reference list.

It is said by some that Peter holds the keys to heaven. As you approach the Pearly Gates, Saint Peter is there standing guard, he is like the bouncer for Heaven. He will interview you to see what you have done with your life, “Were you a good person?” He will also check to see if your name is recorded into the Book of Life which will grant you admission into Heaven. Now I am not a big advocate of this type of theology. But let us assume that we need to have references to get “in,” who would be on your reference list?

Some of the problems of recommendation letters are they puff us up. We can create an extensive list with numerous references. These references can be the big hitters of the faith: Christian writers and musicians, success pastors, world leaders and other recognizable names. But is that what gets us into heaven?

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3 that what is written on our hearts matters to God, nothing else. In the Old Testament the Law was written on stone and men could not live up the standard. Because of this death was the result. Christ’s covenant with us becomes a heart matter, it is something we are and what we are becoming. And because of this covenant we have life. We do not need to prove ourselves through letters, but rather we are recognized by our heart.

What is written on your heart?

Flaming Arrows of Death

My Bible reading for today included this verse from Proverbs:

Proverb 26:18-19

Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death

is one who deceives a neighbor
and says, "I was only joking!"


Wow what a powerful proverb. This proverb speaks of threatening someone with weapons that can hurt and then when countered say, “I was only kidding.”

The tongue is a compared to a flaming arrow that can penetrate deep. And if you are shooting your mouth off, you must be a madman!

So a madman is shooting flaming arrows at his neighbors, his friend and probably at his family. Why? Many times it is survival.

When we are caught in our deceitful ways we are quick to respond that it was just a joke. But who is left laughing?

James 3:8 … no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

The Ticker Tape Parade

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ

When I was little I would get up early on New Year’s Day and watch the Rose Parade. I also remember watch the Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving and watching those large inflatable balloon characters like Under Dog. There was also the Santa Claus Lane Parade which always ended with Santa waving to the kids. You knew Christmas was just around the corner.

I also remember times of national pride when individuals that had accomplished greatness were celebrated in a ticker tape parade in New York. When the crew from Apollo 11 returned from the first moon walk there was a ticker tape parade. It was as if they had returned from battle victorious.

Paul uses the idea of a victory parade in 2 Corinthians 2:14. I am sure it was common in Paul’s day, and because of his travels throughout the kingdom of Rome, to see or hear about the return of the victorious Roman armies. Leading the entry would be the commanders or generals of the army followed by their supporters. Behind the leaders would be the spoils taken from the fallen cities followed by the fallen king or ruler of the land conquered. If there were a stock market and sky scrappers there would have been a ticker tape parade.

As we battle to do life we discover that we are weak. We attempt to live lives separated from God and make it on our own. We also discover that because of our weaknesses we are sinful. Left to our own devices we would lose the battle, we need someone to save us. Christ wins that battle and we willingly surrender and become His slaves. And as Christ leads in the triumphal parade in His Kingdom we become the spoils of that victory.

Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Willing to Forgive?

In our lives we face scandals, those times when we feel that others are out to get us. Like a trapped animal we lash out, there is no way that we are going to be captured without a fight. Facing the scandal only makes us sad and defensive.

Dealing with the scandal we discipline the sinner. Sometimes the punishment is banishment. Sometimes the punishment is being ostracized. The punishment can be severe and it can be less harsh. Each individual takes their punishment differently. A harsh punishment can be less severe to one and extremely painful for another.

But when the punishment is met forgiveness should be given. When repentance is demonstrated forgiveness should be given. But forgiveness is hard!

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22

While I was reading 2 Corinthians I read about a situation that Paul was helping the church of Corinth through. He told them not just to forgive the unnamed sinner but to comfort and love him. To come alongside that man and support him.

Christ died on a cross paying the price for our sins. He did the time. Through this process our sins are forgiven. Denying someone forgiveness is denial of the cross. Is the scheme of Satan that Paul warns us of?

2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm. So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent--not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

My Favorite Show!

Living Completely for Christ

There are times when I am misunderstood. Maybe it is because of the way I express myself. Maybe my words are misunderstood and misinterpreted. My intention in ministry has always been to work my hardest and to be the best pastor God intends.

One of the most important character traits of anyone in ministry or business is integrity. I have told students that the word integrity comes from the Latin word “integra” where we also get the word integer. I love math! Integers are whole numbers, negative or positive and zero. Notice there are no fractions. There is a sense of wholeness or completion. The Latin word integra means whole and complete.

As we consider what that means as a Christian consider that I am completely or wholly a Christian. I am not a half Christian. What does that look like we when evaluate our lives? Are we a follower of Jesus just on Wednesday and Sunday? If so, does that make me a 2/7th Christian? How do I live completely, everyday for Christ?

My desire is to be speak in a way that is clearly understood. I do not want to be misunderstood. May my yes always be yes and may I never be swayed by worldly things.


2 Corinthians 1: 15-22 Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"?

But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Don't Do Drugs

Today I was enjoying a great lunch with my wife Monica and my daughter Becky and her boyfriend Wyatt. After the meal I realized that I had to use the bathroom. I drank many glasses of lemonade, if you have ever gone to lunch or dinner with me you know that lemonade is one of my favorite drinks, right after coffee.

While in the bathroom I was looking into the urinal and noticed that the toliet was very clean. The urinal was equipped with a clean red strainer. While I was looking at the strainer I noticed something that struck me as very funny. You know, I have seen this type of urinal strainer many times in the past but never noticed this until today.




How many men can honestly say that they do not do drugs because they read the urinal strainer?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Prayer Team

Recently I have asked many people to join me in prayer as I enter a time of transition in my life. I strongly feel that my calling is in youth ministry. I do not feel that God has taken that calling away or has called me to another ministry. The question becomes, “Where does God want me to be?” “Who does God want me to minister?” It may require moving away. It may require that I become bi-vocational again (no this is not a sin).

I do know that it has been hard on me and Monica. We worry about the future.

Now the hardships I am facing are not life threatening. Being released from a job is not terminal. But I understand it is a hardship and I am unable to fix it myself. Through this experience godly men and women have rallied behind me and given me some great advice. One piece of advice has been to gather a team of pray warriors and allow them to give to God.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 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.

I am looking forward to seeing how God uses the prayers of so many. I am encouraged that so many have positively responded back to me that they are honored to pray for me and Monica.

Comfort in Times of Need

I have been told recently to read through 2 Corinthians and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to me through this time of reading. I started with chapter one and I haven’t gotten past the 7th verse without having to stop and discover what is being said to me.

2 Corinthian 1:3-7 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Throughout these first verses I am reading over and over again the word comfort. In contrast are the words troubles, sufferings and distressed.

We face times in our lives when things occur that discourage us. Being discouraged takes the wind out of our sails. Times discouragement can knock us flat on our butts. When I face these times I do not want to do anything. I am not happy. I tend to moan and groan about my situation to anyone that will listen. I become unhappy.

What gets me out my funk? Encouragement. To have someone come along side and help me and to cheer me up. The Greek word for comfort is paraklesis which means to come alongside. The Latin word for comfort is cum-fortis, which means with strength.

As I am facing my times of trouble, those times when I feel alone and discouraged I know that I am not by myself. As I face times of testing, tribulation and trouble I know I have help. And when I am feeling my weakest I know that I can be strengthened.

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Mr Deity

I was shown this video by Katelyn, she was shown the video by her professor at Cal Baptist. Now the theology is a little off, but it is really funny. I would love to hear your thoughts!




Tell me what you think!!

Find the guy!

I decided to start the day for those of you that read this blog with something a little more lighter. Thanks Chris Campbell for sending me this!

Nothing is going to jump out at you - this is a real puzzle and yes, there is a man in the picture.

Doctors (I do not know which doctors) have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, your right half of your brain is better developed than most people. If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, your right half of the brain is developed normally. If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger!!!

Tell me how you did!

A Time of Dark Isolation

Continuing through the book, Mother Teresa: Come be my Light, we see a deeply religious being living through a dark time of isolation in her ministry. Prior to being a servant to the poorest of the poor Mother Teresa heard Jesus say to her to, “Come, come, carry Me into the holes of the poor. Come be my light.” But after the ministry to the poor started Mother Teresa was herself in a time of darkness: isolated and separated from the felt presence of Jesus.

With regard to the feeling of loneliness, of abandonment, of not being wanted, of the darkness of the soul, it is a state well known by spiritual writers and directors of conscience. This is willed by God in order to attach us to Him alone, an antidote to our external activities, and also, like any temptation, a way of keeping us humble in the midst of applauses, publicity, praises, appreciation, etc. and success. To feel we are nothing, that we can do nothing is the realization of a fact. We know it, we say it, some feel it.

When I walk through the slums or enter dark holes—there Our Lord is always really present.

As for myself—there is but one desire—to love God as He has never been loved—with deep personal love.—In my heart there seems to be no other thing but He—no other love but His: the streets, Kalighat, slums, & Sisters have been places where He lives His own life of love to the full.


Mother Teresa’s desire was to satiate, satisfy the thirst of Jesus on the Cross: to bring souls to God and God to souls, despite her dark isolation.

Yesterday was a Good Day!

Yesterday was good. I got to enjoy the company of two of my former high school students. We meet after school at Starbucks and watched a small dog drink a green tea frappuccino. Afterwards we headed to BJ’s and enjoyed a couple Pazookis together, on the TV screen was American Gladiator!

I dropped them off at 5 and then headed to Corona High to watch a little volleyball, to watch another former student play. I saw a couple more former students at the game and around campus, it was great getting hugs from them and hearing that they missed me. The game was close, Corona always gives Santiago a tough time. But the girls did ok, I am not sure what the final scores were or who actually won.

The day ended with our weekly Tuesday Pizza Night. We have not gathered as a group for two weeks since I was out of town those past Tuesdays. It was great seeing everyone, a couple more high school students came by. I do not think any of them really understand what strength the group brings to me each week.

So my tank is full again and I am ready to get busy!

Read through the Bible in a year

I am starting a systematic time of reading through the Bible in a year. I invite you to come and join me. I would love to hear your thoughts on the passages we are reading through daily.

Today the passages I read through are:

Jeremiah 28-29:32
1 Timothy 1:1-20
Psalm 86:1-17
Proverbs 25:17

The Proverbs passage is great!

Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house—
too much of you, and you will be hated.

I guess it was good that we left Amanda and Jonny's home and did over stay our welcome!

Oklahoma

This week has been filled with so much. We went to see Amanda and Jonny’s property as the grass was being mowed to be bailed for hay. They have 20 acres of land and many ponds surrounded it or nearby.

We went to see the Federal Building that was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing. It was a sad reminder of man’s ability to inflict violence and death on so many, including many children. I will post some pictures later.

Wednesday night the town paper came out. We raced to get a copy and read about the news of Lincoln County. Oklahoma is celebrating their 100 anniversary of statehood.

Yesterday I drove to the town of Perry to visit with some pastors and talk about churches and ministry positions. The town is old, and dying. I took some cool pictures on my cell phone that I will post later.

Last night we enjoyed a real farm cooked fried chicken dinner, with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls and pecan pie. Yummy! We drove by the high school football stadium on the way home. It was truly a Friday Night Lights, the entire town was at the game, unfortunately Chandler High School lost. I am sure the town will be grumbling about this loss today.

Today we are going to a parade in downtown Chandler, it should be a blast. The theme of the parade is the land run of 1889. I will post some pictures. It should be like the Placentia and Yorba Linda parades.

Tomorrow we are going to church. Afterwards we head to grandma’s for brunch with the family and then to see the property on quads.

"I am thirsty" Jesus

Mother Teresa gives some clear insight into the phrase “I am thirsty” that Jesus spoke from the cross in John 19:28. What was Jesus thirsty for?

Thirst is that physical characteristic that each of have when our bodies cry out for fluids, especially water. Being thirsty can be a painful reminder that we are missing something. We have to replenish our intake of water to survive. Without water we die.

According to Mother Teresa, Jesus was thirsty for us. Jesus’ pain in being thirsty is a desire for us to be a part of Him.

Jesus wants me to tell you again…how much is the love He has for each of you—beyond all what you can imagine…Not only does He love you, even more He longs for you. He misses you when you don’t come close. He thirsts for you. He love you always, even when you don’t feel worthy…

For me it is so clear—everything in Missionaries of Charity (MC) exists only to satiate Jesus. His words on the wall of every MC chapel, they are not from [the] past only, but alive here and now, spoken to you. Do you believe it?...Why doe Jesus “I thirst”? What does it mean? Something so hard to explain in words—…“I thirst”? is something much deeper than just Jesus saying “I love you.” Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you—you can’t begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him.

Jesus died on the cross and experienced the desperate needs of the poor everywhere. Jesus died alone. Jesus died feeling hated. Jesus died broken in spirit and in body. Jesus died thirsty. Not a thirst for water but a thirst for love, charity and sacrifice. Mother Teresa and the Sisters lived this out in their four vows of Absolute Poverty, Chastity, Obedience and Charity for the poor seeking to quench the thirst of Jesus.

The Saint of Calcutta

Imagine for 30 years God quits speaking to you. Prior to these empty thirty years God has spoken clearly about your call and purpose in life, but now loneliness. Imagine doing a job for your entire life and never asking for recognition. Imagine that you even ask that every letter you have written be destroyed. Imagine that the world knows you and recognizes your work but you wish not to be acknowledged.

I must admit, although most of you probably have figured this out, but I have an addiction. It may be hard for you to understand that a youth pastor is addicted to anything, but I am. My addiction may need severe intervention to overcome, I know that I cannot do it alone, it will take help from my friends, family and medical doctors.

I just started reading a book on the life of Mother Teresa (Mother Teresa: Come be my light: the private writings of the “Saint of Calcutta”). I have only read the introduction but I am already amazed at this wonderful woman’s life. Here is a woman that knew her call from God was to serve the poorest of the poor. Here was a woman that heard and knew God’s voice. But in 1961 she no longer heard Him.

With the grasp of her spiritual directors, she progressively came to grasp that her painful inner experience was an essential part of living out her mission. It was a sharing in the Passion of Christ on the Cross—with a particular thirst of Jesus as the mystery of His longing for the love and salvation of every human person. Eventually she recognized her mysterious sufferings as an imprint of Christ’s Passion on her soul. She was living the mystery of Calvary—the Calvary of Jesus and the Calvary of the poor.

I need intervention. Unlike Mother Teresa, I live for the recognition and the fame and the glory. In my life I need to be surrounded by people and need to feel that people love me. It is my addiction. I have overcome so many other addictions, but this one lingers. It may sound like nothing but consider the difference: Mother Teresa lived for God, Rick Ellis lives for self. Who would you like to be?

Mother Teresa wrote many letters and she did not want them to be used for her glory. Her life was lived out for God, not for herself. The letters and ultimately the books that would follow would focus on her and not the glory that was deserved of God. In one of her letters she expressed that the writers focus on the poor.

I am perfectly happy and grateful to God for what He gives—I [would] rather be and remain poor with Jesus and His poor.—I prefer to beg and struggle with little—let him write about “the work” and our poor and struggling people.—help me to pay for the schooling of our poor children and give the clever ones a chance in life.

I am only His instrument—why so much about me—when the work is all His. I hold no claim to it. It was given to me…

I have a long way to go to overcome my addiction. I pray that in the days, months and years to come I would deny more of myself.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

A New Generation's Response to Christianity

David Kinnaman, the president of The Barna Group, has written a new book titled unChristian. I am excited about reading through this book and have added it to my Amazon Wish List, if you feel compelled to purchase it for me. I have directly quoted much of what was written at The Barna Group in the article: A New Generation Expresses its Skepticism and Frustration with Christianity.

According to research by The Barna Group the Christian image has shifted substantially downward, fueled in part by a growing sense of disengagement and disillusionment among young people. This study also shows that those outside Christianity are less likely to view evangelicals favorably because of negative views of Christianity.

Common negative perceptions include that present-day Christianity is judgmental (87%), hypocritical (85%), old-fashioned (78%), and too involved in politics (75%) - representing large proportions of young outsiders who attach these negative labels to Christians. The most common favorable perceptions were that Christianity teaches the same basic ideas as other religions (82%), has good values and principles (76%), is friendly (71%), and is a faith they respect (55%).

Another view is that the church is anti-homosexual. The feeling is that Christians are so opposed to homosexuality that they demonstrate excessive contempt and an unloving attitude towards gay and lesbians.

This study also recognized that many young Christians hold these same views of Christianity. Maybe this is why we see many college students willing to leave what they once held dearly. To these Christians homosexuality is viewed as the biggest of sins. The study recognized that young people in the church and out had similar views of Christianity.

So as we tap into how Christianity is viewed I ask our older generation to evaluate ourselves. How do we view the issues that young people are concerned with? How are we communicating our values to young people? How are we embracing their values? Should we communicate those values? How well are we listening to young people? Do we really know what they are dealing with?

According to the study, older generations more easily dismiss the criticism of those who are outsiders," Kinnaman said. "But we discovered that young leaders and young Christians are more aware of and concerned about the views of outsiders, because they are more likely to interact closely with such people. Their life is more deeply affected by the negative image of Christianity. For them, what Christianity looks like from an outsider’s perspective has greater relevance, because outsiders are more likely to be schoolmates, colleagues, and friends."

I would love to hear your views. Read the blog before this one and listen to what this young person is saying. What are you hearing?

Expressed Frustration

Yesterday I read the following blog from a dear friend. I have not asked permission to use his blog in this article nor will I identify him. I have censored the curse words that he used but you will be able to figure out the words he used. This is the voice that many 16 to 29 year olds are expressing today. For you outside this generation, read this with an open ear and be willing to listen without responding.


I think I’m done with a lot of bull****....


So I'm thinking that I don't really want to follow the church anymore... I don't necessarily agree with what they have to say, pretty much at all. I want to clarify that I'm not pissed off right now, I'm actually in a pretty tranquil state of mind and just feel like sharing my thoughts.

I don't agree with what I have been taught for what is right and wrong necessarily... Everyone says that there is such thing as a conscience and use that as a crutch but to me it seems that it's just something that is in our subconscious that speaks to us about what we have been socially conditioned to. Try to tell me other wise, I would love to hear it, seriously.

"I like your Christ, but not your Christians." - Ghandi. I think I agree.

"Today, there are a total of 30,000 different religious views worldwide, out of those, FIVE THOUSAND of them are differing/bickering sects of Christianity. If that doesn't sound ridiculous to you, I don't know what should. The fact of the matter is, that when religion is taken too seriously, it **** EVERYTHING. It causes war, hatred, terror, ignorance, close-mindedness, and the inability for those under its spell to live their lives to the full extent. Most religions come with a built in story to instill fear in the hearts and minds of those who follow it. (i.e. YOUR GOING TO HELL YOU SINNER! WORSHIP ME! OR SPEND ETERNITY IN THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH!)"

I don't know if I like that necessarily either...

I pretty much think that not really anybody knows what the fuck they are talking about...

"There are alot of good things about 99% of the religions out there and most of them have nothing to do with the actual religion. The support and help that the community can give a person who is down on their luck or the shoulder's to cry on that some people just don't have without them. Religions are just like Fraternities or Secret societies or even the birthday club at Baskin Robbins. They all provide benefits of being part of something larger than yourself. And most importantly, a sense of belonging and helping another person."

I think the worst part about it though is that half or more of the people in the church don't even really think about these things. They don't see other perspectives and it makes me wonder a lot of things....

So..................

I'm doing my own thing, and im pretty happy and excited right now.

P.S. (I'm not saying I don't believe in Jesus)

I just don't believe in bull**** teachings anymore


And I still have TONS of respect for some people who have had an influence on my life (most of you know who you are, some might not), just because your a Christian doesn't make me not respect you, if thats what you got out of this

GL on your individual journeys my friends


Tomorrow I am going to talk about an article written at Barna.com: A New Generation Expresses its Skepticism and Frustration with Christianity. I encourage to read through this article. A great book to read is They Love Jesus but not the Church by Dan Kimball.

Living in Yesterday

Today I was watching the morning news when Beaver and Wally Cleaver were guests. Wow, I remember watching these guys on TV when I was little, man they are old! I loved to watch Beaver get into trouble. What made the show fun was watching an era, even before my time, when it appeared there was nothing but innocence. No bad words, no stealing, no bad tempers, no car chases and no moms working outside the home. Kids obeyed their parents and the parents never had to say “I love you.”

Tomorrow night I am going to my high school reunion. I have been out of high school for 30 years! It was so long ago. I am sure that some would look back at the 70’s as a time of innocence too. But like the 50’s when Leave it to Beaver was on TV, it was not as innocent as we might like to think. We were involved in much of the same sin issues our students in high school face today.

There are many that love the past. If the had their way they would be still living in the past. Some were the jocks or the cheerleaders in high school and those were their glory days (great Bruce Springsteen song!). For some those days were the highlights of their life. Nothing great has happened since high school. They might not even have something to look forward to.

We cannot live our lives in the past. We have moved on, forward if you will and the past is past. Nothing we can do will ever change the past. We do have control of our todays and we can be involved in our tomorrows, but what about our yesterdays?


Is today only a reflection of our yesterday?

Late Night Conversations

Last night I got to hang out with about 50 middle school students at Citrus Heights Friends Church. It was fun. Andre has some cool toys for the group. They have a ramp and a couple bar for grinding for the skaters. The church just set up a basketball court outside that looks great. Andre loves hardcore music, so does his kids, and they pump it out into the outside gathering area.

Many of the kids from camp ran over and gave me an incredible hug. It was great feeling their appreciation and love for me. It kind of makes this place a second home and I know that it will be just as much fun tonight with the high school students.

The evening ended with some quality time with Dom, the high school pastor and his wife Cala over desert. We got to talk about ministry and life and how to train up and recruit leaders. It is amazing to me that parents want the best for their kids but sometimes fall short. Are we as parents willing to get involved with the spiritual formation of our own kids?

We have kids involved in sports, sometimes multiple sports at one time. We push for great grades, anything less will not get you into a good college. We allow our kids to be involved in any other activity that they are excited about: band, dance, motorcycle riding, etc. All these things are great. But are we as parents spending quality time with our kids? Do we sit and just talk? Do we have dinner around a table and spend time together as a family? Do we talk about the Bible, God, Jesus and our relationship with Him to our kids? If so, how frequently?

Deuteronomy 6: 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [5] Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. [6] These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. [7] Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. [8] Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. [9] Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

If you are following the shema, the verse above, doing all those other things are great. If you are following the shema youth group becomes unnecessary, except to gather with a group of brothers and sisters in the Lord. You do not need youth pastors if you are following the shema, the parent becomes the pastor.

In the days of Jesus there was no separation of spiritual life and work life, or school life, or sports life, or home life. It was all connected. Spiritual life was connected with every aspect of the daily coming and goings of the family. Your spiritual life dictated how you conducted business and how you raised your family.

Thankfully for a large group of youth pastors, parents are not following the shema. Thankfully for a large group of youth pastors, parents are not allowing their spiritual life to exist with their “regular” life. So for a large group of youth pastors we have job security and late night conversations about doing ministry will continue.

Road Trip: Off to Sacramento

Tomorrow morning, at around 4am I am heading north. I am excited about my trip and reuniting with a group of junior high and high school students at Citrus Heights Friends Church. I know it will be a great trip. Look for my posts about my trip, if I can find a free Internet coffee house.

TP: An Act of Love

This is what I woke to this morning! Thanks Katelyn, Hayley and Brett, I feel the love!

Last Day

Well today marked my final day at West Community Friends Church. It really was an amazing day. The students put together a memory/scrapbook for me. The book was presented at both services in front of the congregation. The students came up and laid hands on me and prayed over me. The act of creating this book said so much about their love for me. It has touched my heart deeply and I look forward to reading all the comments. I know I will need Kleenex.

During second service I was given the opportunity to speak. I challenged the church to look at the high school students that were gathered with me in the sanctuary, over 45 high school students were there. For a church of just over 300 this is an impressive number (over 30 middle school students were at first service). This is the future of West Community Friends Church. If the church wants to be relevant to the current and future culture these students need to be embraced, challenged and utilized.

After church services the congregation put on a cake party in my honor. It was nice and the cake was fantastic. Sally always decorates the best cakes and bakes the best cookies; I am going to miss her treats. It was nice saying goodbye to all the families that came.

Finally we all ended up at Sami’s home for a party with over 50 students. What a great time to talk and hold one another. It was great. There were some tears but it was the memories that were being cherished. I am proud of these students and of their spiritual growth, I think we call this discipleship. They are ready to take on the world and the church. I am going to be their biggest cheerleader.

Katelyn, I know that you did a lot of the planning and organizing for this day. I am proud of you! Thank you for making my last day the best!

Tomorrow I will post the message from 1 Corinthians 15:58 that I gave to the group today.

Melancholy Day

I have been attempting to write daily on my blog. It is my hope that I can read more and write more. Today though I did not accomplish much reading or writing.

Last night was my last midweek night with my high school students. It was a great night. About 20 of us started with dinner at Miguel’s. For the past month I have really enjoyed our shared meals together. Nothing to me says more about community, and family and church than a shared meal. Our time together was nice and we had a great time of worship, thanks Jeff! But there was something about last night that we all felt. It was the sense that things were not going to be the same next week. The sadness in the youth room was felt by everyone. There were a lot of tears.

Today I have feeling melancholy. I received some great emails and potential job offers but last night’s sadness lingers.

Tonight I went to the Santiago High School football game to watch some of my girls perform with their color guard team at halftime. They did an amazing job and I am very proud of them. But that only builds on my sadness. I know I will be at fewer and fewer of their games, dramas and halftime shows.

Sunday approaches and I know that it will be filled mostly with more tears. I would love it to be a time where we celebrated the accomplishments. But I know it will only be filled with the realization that we will soon be separated and that change is coming.

My hope is that tomorrow I can write about those accomplishments that we achieved as a youth group. This group has been the best and I would love to share why I love them so much!

See You At The Pole 2007

I have a real love—hate relationship with See You at the Pole. I love to see so many students take the opportunity to meet at their flag poles along with their friends to pray. I love to see their courage as they demonstrate their faith in front of their peers, many who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I love that it is student led. I love to see the creativeness of the students and the spontaneity.

But I hate that it is so early in the morning!

I have to get up around 5:30 to shower and get ready to be at the first flag pole by 7. The sun is not even up that early. I arrived at the first school (Corona High) ten minutes early. I saw three of my students hanging around the pole, but I decided to relax in my car, listen to the radio, drink my coffee and pray for a great day.

The day was great! At Corona High many of my high school students (around 15 students) came out to pray for their school along with about twenty other students. They gathered around and lifted up some incredible and powerful prayers to God, asking for safety, asking for revival, praying for the teachers, the staff and the administration. It was awesome.

I left Corona High and headed out to visit my first junior high (Corona Fundamental Intermediate School , CFIS). When I arrived there a large group of junior high students were already circled around their flag pole and singing Father Abraham. You have to love these students. They were so joyful about the day that they demonstrated it through the music they were singing. Every time a student joined the circle the students would clap and cheer and demand the students introduce themselves and tell what church they were from. They did an awesome job. There were about 6 or 7 students from my church at CFIS and about 40 other junior high students.

The last school I visited was Raney Middle School. Raney starts later in the morning than the other junior high and high schools in Corona: 8:55. This means that the students did not need to arrive to their flag pole until 8:15. I started my wait across the street at 7:45 with my coffee that was now cold. Nothing screams stalker more than a middle aged man parked in a car across the street from a middle school. I sat in my car for almost an hour.

Finally, at 8:45 a group of five girls from my church approached the flag pole. We had less than ten minutes to pray. It was short and sweet but it was still good that the students there were able to pray for their school.

I am praying for all schools, that Christian students will love others in the way that Jesus loved the world. That they would demonstrate through their love that we are all created in God’s image and that He wants to reconnect with everyone. Don’t stop praying for your school.

I would love to hear about other See You at the Pole stories.

See You At The Pole

The Giving Kiosk

Recently I have heard of a new way to encourage giving by the church, The Giving Kiosk: and ATM type of machine, placed in or near the sanctuary, that accepts your giving. Now I am not going to get into the theology of giving and if Jesus ever commanded us to give or not, but I do recognize that most churches need the finances from the giving of the congregation to survive. Budgets are written and proposed each year that limits spending based on the previous year’s giving and the current trends of growth of the church. Most churches have a mortgage, utility payments, salaries, ministry needs and many other expenses that have to be addressed yearly. It is my hope that all churches use a portion of their received gifts in ways that help their community, the world, missions, and any other group that is making a difference for Jesus and the Kingdom of God.






We live in a culture where the economy dictates what we spend and how and where we spend our money. We live in a time where many homes are being repossessed by banks. Interest rates and creative financing have put people in a corner where their only way of keeping on top of the bills is walking away from their homes. Gas prices continue to climb and we are slaves to our cars. We work miles away from our homes and walking to work would be impossible. Mass transit is not even an option any of us want to consider. This past week we have heard on the news that the US dollar has dropped in value allowing others to come into the US for deals because their dollar buys more. I thought that was why many went to Mexico. Lastly, salaries are not rising to meet the cost of living.


Realizing that we are facing some difficult times giving to the church has dropped. Budgets are not being met and budget cuts become the necessary course of action. Churches become creative in ways of meeting their budgets. Fundraising, golf tournaments, concerts, guest speakers, workshops, car washes, bake sales are just a few ways that some churches raise money to offset expenses. It is funny though that the people targeted for these events are the same people sitting in the pews. Other methods of giving have been online giving: a secure way of giving from the safety and convenience of your home pc. And if you use your credit card you can earn frequent flyer miles!


For most of us giving is a part of our act of worship (2 Corinthians 9:7) as we cheerfully give back to God a portion of what He has blessed us with. We bring to this offering to God and to His storehouse (Malachi 3:7). I am afraid if we are looking for a reward or convenience for our offering we are missing the point of sacrificial giving (Luke 21:1-4).


One pastor who uses these giving kiosks was quoted as saying, “We're just trying to connect with the culture and that's how the culture does business. It's more than an ATM for Jesus. It's about erasing barriers.” It is funny that this would be his concern instead of reaching those in the culture and inviting them in.

What is Love?

Have you ever wondered about love? We use the one word to express our love for our wife and tacos. I would die for my wife but would I die for a taco? So what does love really look like? How do I know I am love?

In the Bible two Greek words are used to describe love, agape and phileo. Phileo is love for one another, as in a friendship held in high esteem. Sometimes friendships are built on shared interests. Philadelphia is known as the city of brotherly love. Hydrophilia is an attraction to water; bibliophilia is a love of books; and philosophy is a love of wisdom. So maybe tacophilia is how I should describe my love for tacos.

There are two other Greek words for love not used in the Bible: storge and eros. Storge can be best described as the love a parent has for their children. Eros is the sexual love a man and woman have for one another. Eros is where we get our word erotic.

Agape is the unconditional love one has for another. It demands nothing in return. Real charity does not happen unless agape love is involved. Agape love is a choice. We can display our agape love for God or we can display our agape love for the world (2 Tim. 4:10, Matt. 6:24).

God displayed His agape love for us by sending His son to die on a cross for us:
1 John 4:9-10 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Marriage should be built on agape love. Our love for our spouse needs to be selfless and looking for nothing in return. Countless times I have done a project for my wife only because I wanted something in return. “I did this for you because…,” does that sound familiar?

In Ephesians 5:25 men are instructed to love (agape) their wives as Christ loved (agape) the church. It goes on to say that Christ gave Himself up for her, the church. Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself for us. Therefore for me to truly demonstrate my love for my wife I need to be willing to sacrifice (to give up something I value) for her without looking for something in return.

For an even clearer picture of what agape love is read 1 Corinthians 13. May your agape love for God and your spouse be one that never fails!

Moral Filth

Today I was doing a Bible study with a group of junior high students after school.  It is a great time of eating cookies and drinking sodas in a park across the street from their middle school.  We get together every Friday afternoon, it is one my highlights in my busy week.  We are currently reading through James.

I have read through James a thousand times.  But today God showed me something I have read over and missed.  Isn’t that amazing how your eyes see something new in the middle of familiarity?  

James 1:21 says, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Today moral filth became visible to me.  Do you see it?  What is moral filth?  Moral is the ability to know or sense right and wrong.  Filth is something dirty, foul, disgusting, and unclean.  So what is moral filth?  It is something that is ok in the world’s eyes but unclean in God’s eyes.  Abortion is ok in the world’s eyes.  Premarital sex is ok in the world’s eyes.  Astrology is ok in the world’s eyes.  Most pornography is legal.  Greed and covetousness is ok in the world’s eyes.  But all these things are not ok in God’s eyes.

Verse 27 is a bookend for this idea: “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.”

Don’t get polluted by the things that the world says is ok.  Seek truth through the Bible and live for God!

Stages of Grief

Stages of Grief


Psalm 46

[1] God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

  [2] Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

  [3] though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.
        Selah

  [4] There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

  [5] God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.

  [6] Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

  [7] The LORD Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
        Selah

  [8] Come and see the works of the LORD,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

  [9] He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
    he burns the shields with fire.

  [10] "Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth."

  [11] The LORD Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
        Selah


On Jan 17, 1994 Southern California was awakened at 4:30am to a fierce earthquake.  This was the first major earthquake under an urban city in Southern California since 1933.  This was the Northridge earthquake and it was a magnitude 6.7.  57 people died and 9,000 people were injured.  Over 20,000 were left homeless.


The Earthquake lasted between 10 and 20 seconds.  The shaking from this earthquake was felt as far as 85 miles away.  


The scoreboard at Angel stadium had to be torn down because of damage it sustained during this quake.  11 major roads had to be closed due to the damage from the earthquake.  25,000 buildings were damaged.  


When we face grief we are shaken, sometimes shaken to the core.  The actual event may only last but a few seconds but there is a lasting effect.  And there is damage.  Once the shaking has settled we must survey the damage.  


In our lives we will go through the grieving process way too frequently, we face grief everyday.  When we enter into the process we want out as quickly as possible.  Some are capable of getting through the process quickly while others may take longer.  Some prefer to go through the grieving process alone and others may require and desire that they grief in the company of others.  I do not have a pill to magically get you through the process.  But realizing there are steps may help you get through the process faster or with less anxiety.  


In my life I have my moments of grieving:

A broken 7th grade relationship
Cut from baseball team
Missed promotion
Columbine in 1999
CW Perry’s death in 2000
The 911 attack in 2001


Some times the thing that drives us back to church is because we are grieving.  People have come because they are experiencing a deep, fundamental grief, remembering losses that had caused them deep and transforming pain, and anticipating perhaps the finitude of their own lives.  Death, pain, and suffering are a part of every person's life and it is this search for answers that throws us into the embrace of God.  What is there beyond all this?


Types of grief
Divorce, separation, breakup
Unfaithfulness
     Missed opportunity, promotion
     Financial Crisis
     Empty nest, children moving away
     Health crisis
     Death


Psychologist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross developed the five stages of grief

1. denial


2. anger


3. bargaining


4. depression;


5. acceptance

A simple example of this is:

Imagine that your car has broken down and the battery is dead.  

DENIAL --- What's the first thing you do? You try to start it again! And again. You may check to make sure the radio, heater, lights, etc. are off and then..., try again.

ANGER --- "I should have junked you years ago." Did you slam your hand on the steering wheel? I have. "I should just leave you out in the rain and let you rust."

BARGAINING --- (realizing that you're going to be late for work)..., "Oh please car, if you will just start one more time I promise I'll buy you a brand new battery, get a tune up, new tires, belts and hoses, and keep you in perfect working condition.

DEPRESSION --- "Oh God, what am I going to do. I'm going to be late for work. I give up. My job is at risk and I don't really care any more. What's the use".

ACCEPTANCE --- "Ok. It's dead. Guess I had better call the Auto Club or find another way to work. Time to get on with my day; I'll deal with this later."

In Judaism, the first year of mourning is broken down in five distinct phases:

1. The first phase is the time between death and burial


2. The second phase is the three days that follow, when the family is given space to grieve privately


3. The third phase is called shiva , a weeklong shared mourning with family, friends, and community members


4. The fourth phase (which includes the shiva) is a 30-day period after the burial, in which the bereaved person eases back into life


5. The fifth phase is the remembrance of the first anniversary of death, at which time the headstone is placed, and things return to normal, relatively speaking

I like to use the acronym SARAH to help us deal with disappointment and grief.  


Shock and Sadness

There is a disbelief that this has happened.  You ask questions of why? How? What could I have done?  You walk in a fog, disconnected to the world.  It feels like a dream.  

In John 11 we read about a man named Lazarus who was sick and dying.  His sisters were concerned for his welfare so they sent for Jesus to come and heal Lazarus.  Unfortunately Jesus does not arrive in time and Lazarus dies.  

Finally Jesus does arrive.  Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days.  They were at a time of shiva.  The community has come to help the family in their grieving process.  Jesus notices the sorrow that Lazarus’ sisters are going through.  Jesus sees the mourners gathered to comfort the family and Jesus is moved.  This was probably the closest thing to a family Jesus had away from his own family.  

In verse 35 we read and see Jesus’ humanity and that even Jesus grieved, “Jesus wept.”


Anger

Anger becomes the next step in the grieving process.  Anger happens in the grieving process for numerous reasons.  Plans are changed.  Life is different.  People are disappointed or embarrassed by the situation they have been thrust into.  

There are feelings of bitterness, rage, or hatred.  Uncontrolled anger can lead to hurtful words and physical or psychological abuse.  It becomes a reactionary time.  Think back to 911, people wanted revenge quickly.  President Bush was quoted on September 14, “This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger.”

Going back to John 11 did you notice that Lazarus’s sisters were upset?  Both Martha and Mary tell Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Our frustrations can even turn towards God.  Our disappointments and embarrassments are attributed to God.  He let me down.  We stop blaming ourselves and blame God.  You may ask, "Where is God in this? Where is his love? His powerfulness? His compassion? Is this really God's will?"

In Job we read about the death of his family, the loss of his business, and his health under attack.  For you and me we would say the worst or the end had come.  His wife’s anger rages and she tells him to curse God and die.

     Listen to Psalm 22, do you hear Jesus’ anger on the cross?

          (1) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?

(12) Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.

I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.

They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.


Wrapped up in sadness, shock and anger are depression, denial and bargaining.  All of these stages require time to enter and exit from.  Sometimes the person grieving will return to these.  Anniversaries are notorious for prompting memories of a loved one or of an event or a missed opportunity.  But we are constantly on the move towards recovery.


Reflection

At the top of my bell curve I have reflection.  Notice it is at the top of the curve.  We have the opportunity to stay on the side of sadness, shock and anger, depression, denial and bargaining or we can move forward into acceptance and happiness.  

Reflection gives us the opportunity to stop and survey the situation.  We have endured an earthquake of emotions.  What is the lingering damage?  Am I recovering?  Am I still angry?  Can I move on with my life?  Have I forgiven others?  Do I need to ask for forgiveness?  

In Jewish tradition there is a mourner’s prayer called the Kiddush.  After a great loss like the death of a spouse or a child, you might expect a person to lose faith in God, or to cry out against God's injustice. Instead, Judaism requires a mourner to stand up every day, publicly, in front of 10 adult men, and reaffirm faith in God despite this loss.  The theme of the Kiddash is the greatness of God.


Acceptance

Now acceptance does not mean that life has returned to its former state.  In the case of someone dying, acceptance does not bring someone back to life.  Acceptance does not get you a promotion.  Acceptance does not rebuild the Twin Towers.  

Acceptance begins the stage in our lives when we can move on.  Our lives have changed and we must adjust.  It is about acknowledging the loss and learning to live with the loss.  

     We may need to grant forgiveness to someone who has wronged us

     We may need to ask for forgiveness from someone we have wronged

We may need to show repentance from a sinful life we have lived that might have led to our grief.

Read 2 Samuel 12:13-22, David was willing to accept God’s judgement


Happiness or joy


     What does happiness look like after grieving?  How about sleeping through the night?  
How about remembering a lost one with a smile?  How about the willingness to date or fall in love again?  

Happiness can be the reality that our loved ones are being cared for by God.  

Revelation 21:1-4  

Consider the prodigal son story.  A father has allowed his son to leave the family unit.  He grieves the loss of his son.  He waits daily at the window for his son’s return.  Finally after months, or years, of waiting his son returns home.  The son has lost everything.  But the father is overjoyed as he is reunited with his son.  

Happiness is realizing that we need Jesus to get us through our times of grief.  Happiness is realizing that Jesus got us through our time of grief.  Happiness is realizing that Jesus never leaves us.  


Philippians 4:12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.


James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.


We are growing.  In the process of grieving we grow.  We grow in our faith.  We grow in our knowledge of Jesus.  We experience spiritual maturity.


Support groups are everywhere to help people who are grieving.  It is part of God’s plan that we help others who are grieving.  Remember the third phase of mourning?  Sitting shiva is where family, friends and the community would come together to share in the grieving process


There are some in our church who have recently had a loved one die, they need your to sit shiva.  

There are some in our church that are sick, they need your to sit shiva.

There are some that are facing divorce, they need your to sit shiva.

There are some that are facing financial hardships, they need your to sit shiva..

Some are grieving the situation our church is going through, they need your to sit shiva.


2 Corinthians 1:3-7  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.  And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.