The Urgency of Missions

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

I Am His Son

Here is an older picture of my dad and myself.  This was taken in our backyard, at our house in Salem OR.  Although I don't remember having this photo taken, it looks like I was about 8-10 month's old.

Our backyard was the life of the neighborhood.  As I grew older, all the kids usually ended being in our yard for various games and exercises (not like jumping jacks just fun stuff).

Seeing my dad in this picture brings back a lot of memories of him.  When I was 9 years old, our Heavenly Father thought it best to take my dad to be with Him.  This, because God works all things together for good, was a good thing.  Being 42 years old, I can honestly say that those 9 years of my life being with my dad were absolutely amazing.  Every second counted for something and I enjoyed every part of it.

He was my dad.
I was his son.

A week or so ago I was reading through Matthew 3.  In it is the recording of Jesus' baptism.

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented Him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' But Jesus answered him, 'Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he consented.  And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold, a voice from heave said, 'This is My Son, with whom I am well pleased.'"

Upon reading this, I remember Paul's words in Colossians 2:12

"having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead." 

 So putting these thoughts verses together, what I believe Scripture is telling us is that when our Father looks at us, He sees His Son, Jesus.  When He sees His Son, His first response is to declare "This is My son..." In other words, when God our Father looks upon us, He declares us to be His sons, with whom He is well pleased with.

What grace!
What unfathomable grace!

Remember to Play With Your Kids

After five years and 300 interviews, Sherry Turkle, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Initiative on Technology and Self, has found that children of parents who are continually online via smartphones, computers or multimedia devices often express feelings of "hurt, jealousy and competition." Turkle says, "Over and over, kids raised the same three examples of feeling hurt and not wanting to show it when their mom or dad would be on their devices instead of paying attention to them: at meals, during pickup after either school or an extracurricular activity, and during sports events." 
 
[nytimes.com, 6/9/10]

 

The Routine of a Father

I guess some of us like schedules and some of us don't.  It really depends on our personality, right?

Some of us, if given the choice could sleep in to 10AM or later every day.  
Some of us couldn't think of sleeping past 6 o'clock.
Some of us have no problem letting our lawns grow a foot before we cut them.
Some of us couldn't imagine having anything but a "golf course" for our back yard.


Choices.
Regular choices.
It's those choices that weave us through each day from start to finish.  When I was a child, I chose things that were young.  Now that I am older, I am hopefully making wiser choices.


Being married and having kids, I have had to learn to make wise choices.  Not just for myself, but for my family as well.  I have not just had to make those choices, but I had to choose to put myself into a routine of making right choices.


For my family, those choices look something like this:

1. Wake up early.
2. Talk with Mary.  Now this is a conditional one.  Sometimes Mary wants to talk and sometimes she doesn't.  I want her to have her time to wake up.  She doesn't need me telling her what to do at 5:45 in the AM.
3. Exercise.  This too is conditional.  There was a period in my life that I couldn't exercise.  Not because I was lazy, but because there were other priorities that needed to take place.  I must confess though, that for a long time, I did exercise and leave Mary to do so much work alone.  I was completely selfish during that time.  So look at your time to work out only if you have the time for it.
4. Personal quiet time.  Not in some book, but in THE BOOK.  The enemy hates us.  Hates me.  Hates you.  Hates all of our relationships.  Hates our marriages.  Hates our children.  He has three goals in mind - to kill, steal and destroy.  The only way to withstand the fiery arrows of the devil is to be in the Bible.  David said, "Your Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against You."  I take that as saying that to keep from sinning, I must be in the Word.  
5. Get myself ready for the day.
6. Breakfast with the family.
7. Devotions with the family.  Take the time for this.  We have the ability to set the tone for the whole day with this action.  It doesn't take much time, but you just have to do it.  Your wife will be reminded of what is important.  Your kids will be reminded of what's important to you as well.
8. Work.  While at work take time to pray.  Short prayers are still prayers.
9. Home from work, lovingly set the leadership role in your home.  Take the time to listen.  See what needs to be done and who needs to be served.  Don't just become a kid again and start rolling on the floor waiting for dinner to be served.  Take the time to listen to your wife.  She, more than likely, needs to talk to another adult.  So just shut up and listen to her.  She will love you for it.  Keep in mind that you are not your wife's "helper" you are the leader of your home.
10. Dinner.  Converse with your family.  Ask them questions about their day.  Enjoy each other.  Eat. Laugh. Love.
11. Devotions the family.  This is how we do it in our family.  For breakfast and dinner.  Again, it helps to remind the whole family what is truly important. 
12. Clean up.  Men - that's our job.  Let your wife have a break.  She has been "cleaning up" all day.  She will be grateful.
13. Play and interact with the kids.  They will think you are amazing!
14. Put the kids to bed.  Men - again our job.  Spend some more time thinking about the Lord or singing worship songs with your kids.  They will now what is in your heart.
15. Love your wife well.  Serve her by making sure that all the responsible things are taking care of.  Laundry, bills, groceries, house maintenance (honey-do-list)...

Now this is how it's done in our home, and your home may look completely different.   That is OK.  As the head of the household, I had to realize that I needed to get into a routine as a husband, as a father, as a leader.  If I didn't, what would be the alternative?

Have you figured out your routine?  If so, what is it?  I would love to see how you manage your family and your day.

Fear or Joy

When I was young, our family would often take trips from Oregon to Michigan to be with our extended family.  This, of course, was a blast.  We were able to participate in so many things that we normally didn't or wouldn't back in Oregon.

One of those "things" I remember vividly.  It was a trip to a lake with my aunt and uncle and their kids.  The adults decided to make a day out of it, so we brought along a lunch and a bunch of snacks.  Swimsuits, water toys and my uncle's boat.  This was going to be a great day!

After a while of being there, we all decided that it would be fun to go around the lake taking turns on the toboggan.  So we all got in the boat and one by one, everyone started taking their turns. 

Then... it was my turn...

As a nine or ten year old who hadn't experienced much of inland lakes, I was a bit timid terrified.  I couldn't see through the water.  I couldn't see the bottom.  Would the fish in the lake touch me...  I was getting freaked.  I was not going to be riding the toboggan. 

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

My uncle, on the other hand known better.  He picked me up and threw me in the water.  I went kicking and screaming.  He then jumped in after me, grabbed me and forced me to get on the toboggan with him.  I was yelling over and over again that I didn't want to go.

He kept telling me that I was going to be fine.  That there was nothing to be afraid of.

The boat started out.
The rope got tight.
We raised up out of the water.
We took off.

Once we were around the small lake once, I asked him if we could go around the lake a second time.

My fear turned to joy.

Sometimes, that's a little what it's like in following Christ. 
Often times, we have no idea where He is taking us. 
What He are doing. 
How far we will go. 
Why we are here...
and we look down at our feet and start to fear.

There is where I am.  Between the fear and the joy.  Perhaps this is where I will be until glory.  To be honest, I have to say that in every time that I have gone into the unknown with Christ, I have never been disappointed.

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
(Matthew 14:28-33 ESV)

  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
(3 John 1:4 ESV)

Treasure Christ

He Was Here First

If you are anything like me you pray to God like this,

“God I need you to move in this situation.”

“I need you to show up in my life here.”

“I need to come and change this for me.”

“I need you to do something here”

The truth is we have it backwards. 

It’s always been His plan. 

This is His universe. 

He has created us into it. 

It’s always been His “party” and He has just invited us to it.

He was the one who was here first.

He is the one who is orchestrating all things. 

He is working all things to work to the end for His own glory. 

All of this… this… stuff is here so that He will be glorified in it.

When we start to pray, “God, where are you? How come You are not showing up here?”  Are we not restating what already is?  If God is already here and He is already working, what are we really crying out for?

Sometimes when we are praying, we are trying to manipulate God into doing what we want done, rather than praying for God’s will to be done.

Psalm 131 

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.

The Talent of Doublespeaking

I am so talented.

I have the ability to talk out of both sides of my mouth.

Can you do that too?

As I look within my heart to identify this problem, I am noticing a trend.  I don't really do it out in the general, meaning I feel free to be honest and truthful over "public" issues or items.  The problem is much deeper than that.

I am finding that I doublespeak to and about those closest to me...

my kids

my wife

my Savior

In doing so I make a mockery of both them and myself.  

So on this day, I am thankful for the grace of Christ that covers both the praise and the profane.

The Practice of Marriage

The other day a friend of mine asked if I could share a bit of a testimony regarding my wife and I's marriage.  At some point, that task can be daunting, because there is no way to recall everything that has got us to this point.  Needless to say, here are some things that have come to mind.

Through the early years of our marriage, I can recall some pretty tough days/weeks between Mary and I.  For the longest time, I thought that it was my Godly duty to change Mary.  To make her more like the woman that should be mine, that would "complete me."  I had come to a place in my heart that the only way to change Mary, was to change myself first.  Years ago, while still living in Michigan, I would be in our basement lifting weights while Mary was upstairs, making bottles, cleaning the house, changing diapers, doing laundry, making sure the bills were all paid, etc... and I was just thinking of myself.  She would get so mad at me, she would blow up in a huge way (as if it was WW III). Sometimes she would even threaten to leave me.

It wasn't good.  Obviously, it wasn't good.  Something had to change.

I have learned now, that it was my deal. That I am called to be the leader of my home, the 'servant leader' or 'lead server.'  The problem wasn't that I was lifting weights, it was the fact that I wasn't serving nor was I listening.  I was only taking care of me.  At the core of who I was, was a selfish being.  Devoted to my pride, my ideals, my look - I wanted it picture perfect so that I could look good.  In truth, I loved all this other stuff more than I loved her.

There are times even know that I will slip into that line of thinking, and Mary will feel like she has become second best.  Then I "wake up" and remember my roll.  My responsibility.  So I now take time to listen to her heart.  I need to take time to listen to all the tasks that are on her shoulders and what her thoughts are behind her eyes.  I used to try to give her answers and solutions; but now I know she needs a friend; a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.  Mary wants me to take care of her. 

So what does that look like now?  I wake up each day choosing to serve and listen and guide.  I know what makes the house run well so I get to work to make that happen... first, by doing my devotions and listening to Mary if she needs to talk or giving her space if she wants to be alone before the kids wake up.  Sometimes I empty the dishwasher, I'll take the time to straighten up the living room, get myself ready, make our bed, do devos with the kids. If I sense she is frustrated I ask if there's anything in particular I can do and sometimes she'll even get snippy with me, but I just smile and let it go and do what she says if she needs something done.  Sometimes, she just asks me to get out of her face, and that's ok.  I know that she doesn't just "wake up" like I do.  She needs space. 

One thing that God really convicted me of is to not responding in a negative way when she would talk down to me or yell an order at me.  I started either choosing not to start an argument when she was trying to and I would choose to not respond if she made a negative comment.  It changed the tone in our home and slowly she softened.  She says that by my actions she changed and slowly respected me more and more and now appreciates my leadership and will ask my advice and will honor what I say.  We both have grown so much, by God's grace.

In the evenings I come home from work and and I have to lead again.  So I gather everyone to the table for dinner, doing devos again, cleaning up dinner, asking Mary if there's anything she needs me to do.  I am learning to constantly look for things to do and taking time with the kids to ask them about their day and sometimes play games with them.  Then I make sure I honor Mary by getting the kids to bed on time and do it myself so she doesn't have to. Why?  Because Mary is so worth it!

She is the biggest and best prize I could ever win.  I don't make the bed or vacuum the stairs and then tell her that I did those things.  Absolutely not, the biggest joy of my life is to know that Mary doesn't 'have' to do those things.  I am learning to love her and treasure her in a way that I haven't in years.  She is not just my wife, but she is also my best friend.  I would do anything for her.  The more I serve her the more I love her and the more I server her, the more she loves, trusts and honors me back.  It's amazing.  It's like I found the 'secret' in marriage!

All that to say, that I changed.  I was the one who took the initiative to make the first move.  God convicted me to serve my family as Christ served the church and gave Himself up for it.  Then you know what happened?  After I started changing, she did as well.  Little by little, our Father started chipping away at our stubborn hearts and He is molding them into something different.  I know this because of both where we have come from and because of what He is currently doing in us.  This is His promise.  I also try to make efforts to tell Mary she's beautiful and to give her cards and to smile at her as often as I can. 

Eph 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

God is continuing to change me and Mary both.  Our marriage is far from perfect, but He continues to mold us and shape us into something that reflects His grace - because we need a lot of it!

Good Advice vs. Good News

When I was just a kid, my parents had purchased some property out in the country from where we lived.  We all had dreams as to what life would be like on these overgrown acres of flowing fields...  all of my siblings and my dad.  My mom on the other hand had nightmares about it.

Regardless, we never ended up moving there.  The property was sold at a later date.

Although while we did own it, my dad had some pretty good plans in his head about what to do with it.  Across the back of it ran a creek with overgrown, wild blackberry's.  I guess the word "overgrown" would be an understatement.  We knew that there was a creek because we could hear the water moving through it, but we couldn't see it because of the overgrowth.  My dad's vision was to clear a path from one side of the overgrowth to the other.  This would be done with a machete and clippers and rakes and saws... well, you get the picture.

On one Saturday, he and I went out there to accomplish this task.  

Did I mention that I was seven years old at the time?  

He told me walk around the neighbors property to get to the other side and then we would start cutting the overgrowth, slowly working ourselves closer to the creek, to each other.

Needless to say, I was not doing my part.  I couldn't.  The blackberry bushes were not bushes - they were trees.  I couldn't manage to cut anything down.  Nothing.

My dad, ambitious as he was, was plugging along and doing great.  Cutting through those blackberry's as if they were spiders webs.  Periodically he would try to show me how to cut them down, but it was no use.  I couldn't do it.  I didn't have the strength.  I was only seven years old.  He did it all for me.

Now he could have given me great advice; 

"John, this is how you cut through this.  Use your forearm strength.  Swing harder.  Make sure the blade is in this direction." 

But the truth is, is that any amount of advice would not have gotten me any closer to the creek.

I needed good news. 

I need him to do it.

Friends, this is how it is with our walk with Christ.  

Good advice would say, "Be holy.  Do not sin.  Worship God alone."

Good news says, "Christ has fulfilled the law for you."

There is a difference between good advice and good news. The first can lead to death, the later to eternal LIFE.

Romans 8:3-4

 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.  By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I AM Is Committed to You

The electronics company, Toshiba, put a statement out recently on it's commitment to social responsibility.  It says

"We believe our Group slogan "Committed to People, Committed to the Future" is an integral part of our corporate ethos & we have designated corporate social responsibility as one of our company initiatives."

Truth be told, Toshiba can't really make a claim to be committed to people, because

1st) they have laid people off.  They aren't committed to their former employees.

2nd) they can't possibly be committed to ALL people ALL over the earth.  That's just impossible.

Now before I get too far, this is NOT a bash Toshiba segment on my blog.  In all honesty, I can only assume that Toshiba is a great company to work for... but their commitment to people can only fall short.

Such is all of our stories. 

The command is there to be committed.

To Christ.

To our spouse.

To our kids.

To our church.

...but we fall short...

In the last few days the following verses have been a comfort to me personally.

Romans 8:35-39

    "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'

    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And here lies the twist.  In all of the areas that we fall short - in our commitments... Christ stands committed.

He is committed to
Us.
Me.
You.

This is a promise that cannot be broken.  His Word is sure and true and right and it cannot be repealed. 

Dear friend, when your world seems to be falling apart, remember that Christ is committed to you.

Everything Falls - Fee

you said
you'd never leave or forsake me
when you said,
this life is gonna shake me
you said
this world is gonna bring trouble on my soul
this i know

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
you're the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on

when i see
the darkness all around me
when i see
that tragedy has found me
i still believe
your faithful arms will never let me go
and still i know

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on

sorrow will last for the night
but hope is rising with the sun
(its rising with the sun)
there will be storms in this life
but i know you will overcome
but i know you will overcome

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on
-Steve Fee

Naked and Unashamed

John8 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning He came again to the temple. All the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them.  

3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” 

 6 This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.  

10 Jesus stood up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said,  
“Neither 
do 
I 
condemn 
you; 
go, 
and 
from 
now 
on 
sin 
no 
more.”

The tables were turned.
She was no longer the one naked.
All of her accusers were exposed.  Holding onto their sin.  The call was to repent and they refused.  The call was to bow before the One who fulfilled the law of sin and death. 

Battling Sin

What are you tempted by?  

Lust

     Anger

               Money

   Power

                    Jealousy

           Success

                              Resentment

Which of these do you bring into your marriage?  Which of these do you bring into your home?  Is your spouse safe?  Are your children safe?

Hebrews 13:4

Let marriage be held in honor among all,

and let the marriage bed be undefiled.

None of us are exempt from sin.  We all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.  It's true.  We just need to look in a mirror and see it for ourselves.

The other side of that coin is just as true.  For those of us who are in Christ, we are new creation, the old has gone away, the new has come.  We have been justified by faith through Christ.  Just as if we never sinned.

So how do we go through this life as a sinner/saint?  How do we walk with Christ, dealing with sin?  Many books have been written on this subject alone.  Seminars, CDs, DVDs, you name it, it's out there.  Below are some steps that I have found to be good in battling sin.  Please when you read this, don't think that I don't struggle with sin. I certainly do struggle with it, but I am learning where the true battle lies.

Regardless, I hope these help.

I know you don't feel like this, but you are a good man.  God has created something in your heart that is good.  He is moving you in a new direction.  The battle is sure (Romans 7 reminds us of that), but the grace of God, through the Spirit, is shaping you to be more like Christ.  That is a promise.

A few things to ponder:

• Recognize what temptation is and how it works.
• The devil will not just tempt us not with sins to just bring us down, but also with sins to help us boast of our self righteousness.  
• Remember not to give into the temptation to boast of your sinlessness.
• We walk by the Spirit - in humbleness, both the good days and the bad days.

Galations 5:25

If we live by the Spirit,

let us also walk by the Spirit.

• Remember not to listen to the devil.
• he is a liar. 
• he is a thief.  
• he wants to destroy you.  
• he would love for you to listen to him tell you how horrible you are.

James 4:7

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal

and kill and destoy

• Remember your depravity. 
  
• As long as we are on this earth, we will never know how deep our sin is.  How horrible our sin is.  How base our sin is.
• Jack Miller used to say "Cheer up.  You are a whole lot worse than you are.  God's grace is a whole lot bigger than you can imagine."  We will never know the depth of our sin, nor the richness of God's mercy.  I praise God for the one and increased knowledge of the other.

Romans 7:24

Wretched man that I am!

Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Revelation 3:17

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered,

and I need nothing,

not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable,

poor, blind and naked.

• Confess your sin.  Repent.
• This is not a little thing.  Confession is good for the soul for a reason - it ushers in a promise, a response from a loving and forgiving Father.
• Repenting from our sin sets us straight again.  It realigns our sanity.  

Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to You,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"

and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

• Serve Christ.
• Nothing helps to get your mind of off sin like submitting yourself to the service of Christ.  Commit yourself to get out of your comfort zone.  
• Spend time with someone who does know Christ.
• Serve at a food pantry.
• Give stuff away.
• Give your time away.
• Don't do this out of guilt, do these acts of service as true acts of worship.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,

making His appeal through us.

• Worship Christ alone.
• Submit yourself to God and His glory.  Commit yourself to worshipping Him.
• In song
• In reading the Word

Psalm 95:6

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the LORD our Maker!

• Find someone who will disciple you.
• I have had the privilege of having many men speak into my life. 
• Contact your pastor, elder, friend or me.
• Walk with someone else in your journey.

 Hebrews 10:24-25

Let us consider how to stir up

one another to love and good works,

not neglecting to meet together,

as is the habit of some,

but encourage one another,

and all the more as you see

the Day drawing near.

• Put on Christ today.
• The Gospel calls us to war.  War with the devil and war with our sin.  When Paul instructs his followers to put on the armor of God, he is not merely suggesting it to them as a good idea.  This is a command, for we are at war.

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore take up the whole armor of God,

that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,

and having done all,

to stand firm.

• Remember to rest in the active work of Christ.

Ephesians 1:7-8

In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of our trespasses,

according to the riches of His grace,

which He lavished upon us.

Colossians1:13-14

He has delivered us from the

domain of darkness and transferred us to

the Kingdom of His beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness is found at the cross and empty tomb.

THAT IS GOOD NEWS!

 

Men Want Spiritual Help With...

Found this on the Family Builders Inc website:

Men Want Spiritual Help:

1. With their marriages—the number one request on men’s surveys.
2. Battling sexual temptation—the temptation men struggle with most.
3. Getting control of their anger and becoming more patient.
4. Managing their personal/spiritual lives, sticking to the right priorities and spiritual disciplines.
5. Investing their lives, not just for success, but for significance.
6. Being the spiritual leader in their homes and effectively training their kids.
7. Seeing their job as a calling from God and finding encouragement and motivation for the daily grind.
8. Knowing how to reach out effectively to their lost friends and work associates and take a stand for Biblical truth in the culture.
9. Finding a brother for encouragement, strength, and accountability.
10. Knowing how to satisfy their hearts more by delighting in God.

The Root Need:

True discipleship is not behavior modification; it is heart transformation. It is not piling more discipleship tasks on the tired backs of men; it is leading them to the feet of Christ, in whose presence the inner desires and motivations of his heart are changed. The root need of every man is the gospel of grace deeply taking root in his soul.

Many men today are tired of the constant demands upon them to perform. They can’t provide for their family as they want to without working long hours. Instead of his home being the place where he feels appreciated and refreshed—it is full of exhausting demands to perform more. In many ways he feels better suited to performing at work. He finds it very difficult to figure out what his wife wants and what his children need. He is supposed to tell his wife how he feels, but if he does, it often ends up hurting her or leading to a fight. He righteously fights to keep his sexual appetite directed towards his wife, but is often ridiculed about the way God has hard-wired him—“All you ever want is one thing.” He is challenged at church to work hard at meeting his wife’s needs but wonders why she is rarely challenged to love him the way he wants to be loved.

He is supposed to suck it up, rub it out, and keep performing. He carries a 100 lb pack on his back called his responsibilities. Some Christian men are so weary of the pressure to perform that they one day just chuck it all, and run off with another woman or resort back to their drug days. Others look for escape in the secret pleasure of viewing Internet porn, gambling, or having a secret affair.

The answer to the constant pressure to perform and the feeling of not being valued can only be fully met by the gospel of grace. Basking in God’s unconditional love, letting our failures drive us to our savior, is the only way the soul of a man can be refreshed, his strength renewed, and his heart re-energized to follow his calling. The bigger the demands upon us, the more we need to shun the myth that men should be self-reliant and let that pressure drive us to Christ for help. In his presence, we see that some of the pressure comes from our idols of success, respect, pleasure. In his presence we realize that God specializes in impossible situations and our faith is renewed. When we do fail, we remember that the greater our sin—the greater is the love of our savior in forgiving us.

Only the gospel of grace can transform the heart of a man—and that is the ultimate goal of discipleship.

Remembering Easter

So it's been over a week since Easter.  Is it still fresh in your head or are you already thinking about the next holiday?

When Jesus cried out with a loud voice "It is finished," one thing he was saying was that the task that he and the Father had agreed upon in eternity, before the world began, was in this sense completed. Nothing more was required for the salvation of believing mankind. The requirement of perfect obedience in order for man to inhabit heaven had been met. The covenant of life broken by the first Adam was "mended"—met—by Christ, the last Adam.

The above is from a fantastic article written by Paul S. MacDonald and it's published in New Horizons Magazine.  Read the entire article found here on the OPC website.

(The author, an elder at Penobscot Bay OPC in Bucksport, Maine, is a member of the Committee on Christian Education. He quotes the ESV. Reprinted from New Horizons, April 2010.)
 

What Does Grace Look Like to You?

The Little Tiny Bug

The other day, after I was working in my garden, I was sitting by our dinning room table enjoying time with our family.  After sitting there for a while, I felt something crawling up my leg.  Now living here in the South, the possibility of getting a "carry-on" from outside is pretty common.  Regardless of what it was, I am glad that it was on my leg as opposed to being on my head or some place worse.

As I looked at the little fella, I became a little curious by him.  He, I am sure it was a he, was quite small.  Round-ish, with some sort of black "armor" type of exoskeleton thing.  He was not biting me, just sitting there in the hair of my leg.

I picked him up.
He fell on the floor.

I picked him up again.
Again, he fell on the floor.

Almost like he was playing dead.  Or playing with me.  Not like a dog plays with his owner, but like a cat plays with a mouse, and I was the mouse.

I think to some extent this was his defense mechanism.  Almost a "if-I-fall-to-the-ground-no-one-will-notice-me" attitude.
"Just forget about me."
"Don't think about me anymore."
"I am nothing."
"See, just a speck on the ground."
"Don't worry.  It's almost like I am not even here anymore."

Hmmmm.  Doesn't that remind you of someone?

Here is the truth.  The devil doesn't want us to believe in him anymore.  He wants us to just forget about him.  To not worry about the little stuff.  Because if we forget about him, then we won't be surprised by the fact that he has taken over so many areas of our lives.

Remember, satan is a beautiful creature, and he can disguise himself incredibly well.
What are you being tempted by right now?
Is it beautiful?
Is it valuable?
Does it sound good?
Can it make you feel good?

Let me remind you of something.  Satan has no power over you.  If you are in Christ, you are free.  Keep in mind that "our adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  We have to keep our eyes open to really see him.  So the call on our lives is to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:11).  The choice here is will you give into the temptation or not. 

So what happened to the bug?  He is gone.  Forever.  After the fourth time falling from my finger, I brought him to the porcelain bowl.  Flushed down the drain.

That's Real Love

From Central Christian Church