A Very Merry Christmas

It's Christmas morning and everyone will be up soon and unwrapping their gifts. There will be squeals of delights, oohs and ahhs, and in some cases, silent disappointment. Whatever gifts show up under your tree, the most important gift to be rediscovered is that for which this Season is celebrated - God's Son Jesus Christ. I hope yo will take time to sqeal with delight over His this morning.

Here's why. Last night this was our Christmas reading at our Christmas Eve Service. It wonderfully decribes Christ our Savior.

"There was no doubt - Jesus was the One. The Magi, kings from the East, had no hesitation or reluctance to fall down and worship this infant King. Why? He was the One. He is the One... the Hope for all mankind. He is more than a great prophet, more than a great teacher, more than a great leader. He is the One that Jehovah God sent to earth to fulfill His amazing plan of redeeming fallen man. For ever need, Jesus is the One.

To the hungry, He's the Bread of Life.
To those in darkness, He's the Light of the World.
To the sick, He's the Great Physician, the Healer of Broken Hearts, Broken Homes and Broken Lives.
For the thirsty, He is the Water of Life that quenches the thirsty soul.
To the weary, He's the Burden Bearer.
To the confused and perplexed, He is counselor.
To the lonely, He's the friend who is closer than a brother.
And for the fearful, He is the King who protects His own.
For those so stressed by the pressures of life, He is the Prince of Peace.
For the discouraged, He is the Hope of Glory.
For those who are lost, He is the Way.
For those trapped in bondage, He is the Door to freedom.

He is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father - the Prince of Peace. He is our Comforter, our Hope, our Healer... Our Savior!"

To all my readers, I say, "Merry Christmas!"

Which One Are You

Another good quote from my recent required graduate reading assignments:

"The values of God's kingdom are different from the values of this world. In the world, greatness is judged by the power a person exercises over others. In the kingdom, greatness is judged by service to people. As children on the King, we follow kingdom values." (Dune Elmer, Cross-Cultural Servanthood, page 25)

Elmer then talks about the the difference between wearing the robe or carrying the towel. Jesus is able to do both. Yet he has called us to do only one; carry the towel.

Winning a Hearing

I have been traveling a lot and trying to finish a graduate course on Anthropolgy and Cummunication. There has been a lot of reading and writing in this course. In one of the books I recently finished, the following words caught my attention. When preaching the gospel, we cannot command a hearing.

(We) "must win a hearing by demonstrating that (we) are people of integrity, credibility, and goodwill" (David J. Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, page 146).

How true. The fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control must be present and visible. Then we have won a hearing from those we want to share Christ with.

Faith at Work: Living Out the Will of God

I shared these thoughts in a small group setting of twenty-somethings this past Friday from James 4:13-17.

Keep in mind that James is addressing Christians. He is speaking to Christian believers who were not living their life with God’s plans first and foremost in their thoughts and life. The key verse in this passage: verse 15.

Jeremiah 29:11 reads, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If there is one thought seems to permeate throughout James 4, it is this: Submission to God.
We are to submit to God our desires and wants (vv. 1-3).
We are to submit to God in our relationship with Him (vv. 4-6).
We are to submit to God in our relationships with one another (vv. 11-12).
We are to submit to God our plans (vv. 13-17).

James addresses Presumptuous Living by Christians. Proverbs 19:21 reads, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Some examples of Presumptuous planning can be found throughout the Bible. Here are just a few: Gen 11:4 (humankind after the flood); Jer 22:13-14 (the luxurious king); Luke 12:16-21 (the Rich fool); and Jame 4:13 (the venturesome business man).

In making goals and plans for the future, believers must always consider God’s will. We must not act like the rich fool in Luke 12; rather we must recognize that peace, contentment, and happiness is found in our daily living, completely dependent on God. We must consider the Lord’s will in our planning and daily living. “…If the Lord’s will” should not be just a “tag line” in our speech and prayers. Hudson Taylor the great missionary to China had definite convictions about how God’s work should be done: We can make our best plans and try to carry them out in our own strength… or We can make careful plans and ask God to bless them… or “Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes.”

Have you asked God?
“God, what is your will for my life?”
“God, what is your will for me this year?”
“God, what is your will for this week?”
“God, what do you want from my life as leave this gathering today?"

Discovering God’s will and submitting ourselves to His plan is not always that simple. James offers us seven suggestions (vv 7-10) that could help us: 1. Submit, 2. Resist, 3. Come near, 4. Wash, 5. Purify, 6. Grieve, 7. Mourn, 8. Wail, 9. Change, 10. Humble.

This passage has been very helpful for me in determining God’s will or Divine plan for me: Luke 5:1-11 (The miraculous catch)
1. Right place and right position: listening (vv 1-3).
2. A specific word or directive (v 4).
3. May appear unreasonable (v 5a).
4. Requires obedience – submission (v 5b).
5. Results in success – peace, contentment, joy (v 6).
6. Causes a generosity – cooperation (v 7).
7. Glorifies God – humility, acknowledgement (vv 8-10).
8. Changed direction – lifestyle (11)

Here's another practical suggestion for determining God's plan in your life: the witness of three in agreement (mature believers, Written Word, and inner Spirit) - Mt 18:20; 2Co 13:1

Do what is right (v 17). If you don’t submit to God’s will and plan after knowing what it is, you sin. Reflect on this: How does James relate to your plans for the future? How will you involve God in your plans in the future?

Discovering God's Will

Ephesians 5:17 NIV
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

I think everyone deep down inside wants to know what's best for their own life; that is to live a good life. How can we discover this good life? It begins with God. The psalmist prayed, "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground" (Psalm 143:10 NIV).

One prevalent misconception is that God has one perfect plan and if we stray from it, then we must settle for second or third best. At times, I have talked with a believer seeking a perfect marriage partner; an individual seeking the perfect job, perfect life, or a perfect ministry. I have observed on occasion, how they have missed out on the relationship with the Planner (God). Our life should flow out of our relationship with God. Our life should be to know Him more and to love Him forever. If the plan is our focus, then it will be doomed to failure. God begins with you where you are with Him. He has a plan for your life when you turn yourself over to His leading. You are not doomed to failure when you trust wholly and completely in Him. Peter stepped out of the boat at Jesus' invitation to come. As long as Peter was focused on Jesus he was able to walk on water. Don't let fear cause you to miss a golden opportunity of your life time.

I keep this quote nearby me in my study. "The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you." (unknown)

Handling Disappointments

I recently shared these thoughts from John 3: 22-30 as a devotional with our Presbytery. The verse that really caught my attention was John saying, "That joy is mine, and it is now complete" (John 3:29).

Have you ever been disappointed? If we are honest, everyone of us will answer, "yes." John the Baptist's disciples were disappointed. They had been following John. Now they were seeing people leave their group and begin following Jesus and his disciples. Both Jesus and John were now baptizing in the same area of the Jordan River. How quickly envy and jealousy can take hold of us when we see someone else being blessed in some way. John's disciples apparently had forgotten the words of John some days earlier when he had said concerning Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:35). It was a defining moment in John's ministry.

The disappointment of some of John's disciples was apparent in their complaint, "The one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him" (John 3:26).

How did John answer their disappointment? How did he handle the moment? He compared himself to that of a bridegroom's best man (attendant). Today in our culture, who do most people focus their attention on at a wedding? The bride. To be honest, the bridegroom is of little interest. The best man is of even of smaller importance. But John points out that his joy is complete in being the attendant to the Bridegroom.

Several things to notice about John's complete joy:

1. His joy is the result of knowing who he was not. John said, "I am not the Christ." Maybe its time for us to be authentic believers. Stop trying to be the "savior" who works out all the problems in someone else's life. Maybe it's time to acknowledge the the limits of what we can do or can't do. Maybe its time to be ourself and stop trying to be someone we are not.

2. John knew his role in the scheme of things and just did what he was suppose to do. He was an attendant to the Bridegroom. If a door needed to be opened, he did it. He was available to serve, not be served. Seeing and hearing the bridegroom was enough. Knowing that the Bridegroom was pleased with his service brought him joy. Later Jesus would say of John, "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matthew 11:11).

3. John readily accepted one of the great paradoxes of the Kingdom of God. "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30). John knew something that we all need to take and hide in our heart if we want real joy. The more we increase the less joy we have. The more we decrease the more joy we experience. Think about that for awhile and you will begin to find joy and happiness, in the middle of disappointing circumstances That will be when you will be able to say with John, "My joy is complete."

Pursue Wisdom

James 3:13-17

You might want to read this passage from several different Bible versions. It adds a great deal of perspective as to what james wants the reader to glean from this passage.

There are two kinds of wisdom available to us: earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom.

Earthly wisdom (wisdom of man) produces envy, selfish ambition, pride, and lies. The result of such earthly wisdom is disorder and evil practices.

Heavenly wisdom (wisdom of God) produces good life, good deeds and humility. The results of God's wisdom includes, purity, peace, consideration, submissiveness, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, and sincereity.

It's pretty obvious which wisdom we want to be at work in our daily life. But how do we go after, pursue, or obtain Godly wisdom (heavenly wisdom)?

King Solomon is known as the wisest man of men mentioned in Scripture. Indeed, the Scriptures tell us that not only was he the wisest man to have lived, but that there is none as wise as he was since then. Solomon wrote most of the book of Proverbs and all of the books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. Therefore, we need to look at his life to begin to understand how to obtain wisdom for ourselves. Rather than study his whole life, we will begin to look at the moment of his rising to leadership as king over Israel. A key phrase can be found in the final verses of Ecclesiastes that sheds light on Solomon's wisdom: "Fear God and keep his commandments."

Read 1 Kings 3:1-28 (a parallel passage can be found in 2 Chronicles 1:1-17). As you read answer these questions:

1. Why did Solomon want wisdom?

2. By God giving more than Solomon asked, God was saying what?

3. In what situations did Solomon feel the need for wisdom?

4. Do you pursue heavenly wisdom? How? You may want to read Proverbs 8:1-21 and 9:1-6. Try reading these verses from The Message. Also look at Proverbs 2:1-8.

The world looks first to prosperity, power, and prestige as the means for gaining wisdom. That's an earthly wisdom which leads us down the wrong path. Heavenly wisdom seeks after God and his wisdom. Once heavenly wisdom is found, God gives to those who fear Him, prosperity, power and prestige (Matthew 6:33).

5. What has been your toughest decision this past year? What prevailed? Your feelings? Other's advice? Your circumstances?

6. What do you need more of?

Jesus said:
"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here." Matthew 12:42 NIV

James wrote:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 NIV

Armloads of Life

Jeanne & I are presently reading Proverbs during our morning devotional time. This is what we read today:

Proverbs 8:12-21 The Message
12 "I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity;
Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
13 The Fear-of-God means hating Evil,
whose ways I hate with a passion —
pride and arrogance and crooked talk.
14 Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics;
I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.
15 With my help, leaders rule,and lawmakers legislate fairly;
16 With my help, governors govern,
along with all in legitimate authority.
17 I love those who love me;
those who look for me find me.
18 Wealth and Glory accompany me —
also substantial Honor and a Good Name.
19 My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary;
the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
20 You can find me on Righteous Road — that's where I walk —
at the intersection of Justice Avenue,
21 Handing out life to those who love me,
filling their arms with life — armloads of life!

At first Jeanne & I burst out laughing when I read out loud the words "I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity..." We joked together that she must be lady wisdom and I, sanity and wondered if maybe sanity is the best way to describe me as I can be pretty weird and insane according to some of my young 18 to 20 something friends. But in all seriousness, the words above provide us who are in ministry a wealth of instruction on how to live and minister.

Almost daily I talk or counsel with a pastor by phone who is facing some level of conflict with a board member or church member. I remember some of my own blunders throughout my ministry and now in hindsight realize what a dumb or ignorant decision I made. If only I had gone to "Lady Wisdom." How often do we make foolish decisions in the course of our life that results in unnecessary emotional pain or affliction either to ourself or toward someone else. There really is good counsel in the above passage for us who are leaders. I hope you will take note of that counsel. I wish our politicians and school board members would listen to the counsel of Lady Wisdom.

Peter Drucker said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Leading is about good character and integrity. It is about setting priorities and high standards for life in both the private and public setting. Read again the words of wisdom above and as you do so ask the questions: Am I seeking after Lady Wisdom who lives next door to sanity? Is knowledge and discretion nearby me? If so, you can be sure that insight, virtue, honor, justice, wealth, righteousness, and love is nearby. Your arms will be filled with Life!

Negating a Changed Heart

In 1 Samuel 10:1, we read of Saul's anointing as king by Samuel the prophet. The prophet told Saul that three thing would happen to him to confirm Samuel's action.
1. The donkeys that Saul had set out to look for would be found.
2. Three men would meet Saul at the tree at Tabor and offer him two loaves of bread that he was to eat.
3. At Gibeah, Saul would meet a procession of prophets and he to would join them in prohecying. His heart would be changed that day.

And so it was, we read, "As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day." (1 Samuel 10:9)

Saul was also given a fourth directive by the Lord's prophet, Samuel. "Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do." (1 Samuel 10:8)

A few chapters later, we find Saul waiting for Samuel to come to Gilgal. Finally, after seven days of waiting and still no arrival of Samuel, Saul took the matter into his own hands and offered the sacrifice (1 Samuel 13).

The lesson we can learn here is that we can negate the heart change that God works within us by our own selfish actions. Self-centeredness, pride and fear works against what God does in the heart. God desires obedience over our sacrifice of offerings.

13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command." (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

Fulfilling God's Call - Be Faithful!

You may have been wondering where in the world have I been, since I haven't been posting many blogs lately. My free time has been consumed with reading a book for my grad studies: The Life and Diary of David Brainerd. It's not the easiest book I have ever read, nor was it it the hardest. But it came close to the latter, because of its 18th century English style. But it has also been an inspirational reading.

David Brainerd was a missionary to Native American Indians in the early 1740's. Brainerds diary and journal gives us a glimpse into a missionary's faith and struggles in early America. He faced depression, loneliness, physical illness, and the physical elements of an unsettled frontier life to bring the Gospel to Native Americans. We discover the power of prayer and the faithfulness of God through one's onbedience and sacrifice on page after page of the book. Brainerd's devotion to God and to the people he was called to minister to, is an amazing and inspiring first person account.

The most meaningful or significant statement for me in the whole book can be found in the words of David Brainerd's prayer. In his diary on Thursday, May 22, 1746, he wrote:

“Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort in earth, or earthly comfort; send me even to death itself, if it but in thy service, and to promote thy kingdom.” (195)

Within a few months of this written prayer, he would be forced to say farewell to his Native American friends in the wilderness and return to civilization because of an illness from which he would not recover. Throughout his writings, we discover and rediscover the passion, dedication, and sacrifice that he was willing to forge in order that some might be saved. For nearly three years prior to his prayer, he had been living those words daily by example and deed. Brainerd had lived a simple and often destitute life, without proper nourishment or rest in substandard conditions, even by the standards of his day.

After close to two years of ministry among the Indians, Brainerd’s calling as a missionary was tested. The church at Millington, near his hometown of Haddam, called him, in March of 1744, to come and pastor the congregation. He turned it down, praying that the Lord would raise someone else up to take care of them.

He had another offer to pastor the church at East Hampton on Long Island. Jonathan Edwards called this “the fairest, pleasantest town on the whole island, and one of the largest and most wealthy parishes.” (116) Yet, Brainerd writes in his diary, “Resolved to go on still with the Indian affair, if divine providence permitted; although before felt some inclination to go to East Hampton, where I was solicited to go.” (116)

There were other opportunities too. Each time the struggle was resolved with a sense of burden and call. There was no freedom to pursue a better life for himself. Brainerd’s desire was to see the conversion of his Native American Indians. He was willing to forgo the comforts of life, if it was necessary.

Brainerd’s prayer is a reminder to all of us that are laboring in the Lord’s harvest fields that our call is not to self-centeredness but to servanthood. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a longing to discover the spiritual disciplines that enhances one’s ministry. Brainerd’s account of his missionary endeavors is a testimony of a man’s faithfulness to God’s call and God’s faithfulness to a man.

Called to Ministry?

I recently had an opportunity to share with some third and fourth year VFCC ministry students my thoughts about ministry calling and the credentialing process. I want to share them with you too.

Being a minister is a great calling. It is a demanding task and a rewarding experience. It takes a special person!

What is the essence of a call to full-time ministry? The apostle Paul was keenly aware of his calling as an apostle (Rom. 1:1 and Gal. 1:1). The emphasis of Paul’s calling was on that of being a servant-leader.

How can I know God’s call? Very few people ever hear God’s audible voice calling to them. Instead some individuals have a hunger or a yearning to know God in a deeper way. Other’s describe an inner sensing or feeling to say “yes” to God’s call. Still others speak of an inner “tugging” at one’s heart.

How can I be sure of my call? It will be clear. There will be a witness of three: God’s Word (Scripture), God’s Spirit (within you), and God’s people (mature Christian friends). The following five tests can also help you to discern the genuineness of God’s call:

1. The test of God’s grace. Are you saved? Do you live a holy life? Is the fruit of the Spirit evident?
2. The test of gifts. Are you being used in the Spiritual gifts? Are you able to reason and communicate with people in a loving manner? Do you listen to the counsel your pastor and friends?
3. The test fruit. Are you influencing others? Are you open about your faith? Have you brought others closer to the Lord?
4. The test of an abiding sense of a divine call. Is there an inner awareness of God’s leading? Do feel like you have this inner passionate drive to serve others? Are you willing to “pay the price” and give yourself in preparation and service as part of the calling?
5. The test of open doors. Has the Lord opened doors for ministry preparation? Have you had opportunities to use your talents and gifts in the local church?

Is it wrong to desire a call to full-time ministry? Absolutely not! “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer (includes bishop, pastor), he desires a noble task” 1 Tim. 3:1 NIV). Not all who desire—or even prepare for such a work—will be called by God. But it is commendable.

Why should I become a credentialed minister? Why would you not want to be officially recognized? Would you want an attorney, not recognized by the “Bar Association” representing you? Would you want a surgeon performing an operation on you who has not been recognized by the appropriate medical association? Of course not. Credentials don’t limit the freedom to minister; they open a world of possibilities to you through fellowship, accountability, and networking with others of like faith.

The Assemblies of God, which I am a part of, offer three levels of credentials:
1. Certified Minister—shows promise of usefulness in the gospel.
2. Licensed Minister—has a clear evidence of a divine call.
3. Ordained Minister—demonstrates mature ministry.

If you want to know more and learn more about becoming part of this wonderful fellowship, contact me.

Growing In The Lord

A couple of days ago, I wrote a few thoughts on 1 Samuel 2:26 and Luke 2:52 about growing in stature and favor with both God and man. As I was reading chapter 3 of 1 Samuel, I was struck by Samuel's learning curve and sensitivty to God's voice over the course of the chapter. The chapter begins by noting that as Samuel ministered before the the Lord as a boy, "the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions." By the end of the chapter we read, "The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word" (verses 19, 20, 21, NIV).

The more time we spend in secret with God, the more others recognize God in us.

In my reading of The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, I am in awe of his daily "secret times" with God. His impact on Johnathan Edwards and others was a direct result of his daily time in the presence of his holy God. Brainerd never had intended that his personal journals be saved. However, Edwards and others were able to convince him in the final days of his life to entrust them to the care of Edwards. After his death, Edwards had much of the journals published in order that we might get a glimpse of a man, his struggles, and his overcoming faith. It is no wonder that in a short span of four years, Brainerd was able to accomplish so much as a missionary to the native Americans before his death at the age of twenty-eight.

Enlarge upon your secret times with God.

Faithfulness Regardless of Life's Circumstances

I just started another book. This one is a biography, The Life and Diary of David Brainerd. I only had time to read the preface this morning, but already I am intrigued by the man's short but powerful witness of his faithfulness under extremely difficult circumstances in just a short 28 years of life. Brainerd was a missionary to native Americans in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York during the early 1740's. My ancestral roots revolve around those three states too, so the book only adds to my interest. Brainerd was a close friend of Jonathan Edwards. Both these men were profoundly affected by the Great Awakening. I was reminded of the Apostle Paul's words as I was reading, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV). God calls us to be faithful regardless of life's blessings or life's trials.

Favor with God and Man

It is apparent that Christianity no longer gets fair treatment from the media as do other religions. Jesus warned us that we would be hated by the world. Yet, as I was reading this morning, these words stood out:

1 Samuel 2:26 NIV
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.

I found myself praying, "Lord, I want to grow in your stature and with men." As I continued to meditate on these words, I recalled a similar verse in Luke about Jesus.

Luke 2:52 NIV
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

As I reflected on both Samuel's and Jesus' spiritual growth, I began asking myself this question: "How can I grow in stature with the Lord and with men in this world when there seems to be so much hatred toward Christianity?" It seemed that the Lord was giving me the answer in Proverbs.

Proverbs 3:1-4 NIV
My son, do not forget my teaching,but keep my commands in your heart, or they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you;bind them around your neck,write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Another version says it this way in verse 4: "Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of the people." (The Message)

I like that. Be faithful to God and love your enemies. Isn't that what Jesus said?

A Recent Question

Someone recently asked me, "What are you reading beside the Bible?" My answer, "I am reading a book by Vince Poscente, The Age of Speed." The question then popped up. "How do you choose the books you read?"

I have a habit of walking into bookstores and scanning the recent bestseller rack and the the rack filled with recent books for business men, leaders, and managers. That's how I found my present book.

Here's my favorite method of choosing a book and the one that I shared with my young friend. It may work for you or it may not. But what really counts is that it works for me. You need to discover your own style.

1. The title of the book usually causes me to stop scanning the racks.
2. If the title grabs my attention, I usually pick up the book and read the back cover to find out what others have to say about it. It's helpful to me if one of the commentors is an author that I am familiar with or I have read their book.
3. If I am still interested, I usually open the book to the table of contents and read the chapter headings.
4. If I find an interesting chapter heading, I will turn to those pages and stand in the bookstore and start skimming through the chapter.
5. By now my interest has really been pricked, so I go back to the preface and read why the author is writing the book. I no longer can resist the temptation and off I go to the counter to buy the book.

That's my favorite method of choosing a book. Sometimes, a friend or colleague will recommend a book to me. I will then get it. But by far my favorite way is just to wonder into a bookstore and start looking. I guess I like to shop for a book like some people enjoy shopping for clothes.

The important thing is that you never stop reading and are always expanding your mind. I can thank my mom for my interest in reading. I remember her for almost always having a book nearby that she was reading.

An Angry Individual

An angry individual is an out of control person. They create havoc all around them. In James 1:19, one reads that "It is best to listen, speak little, and not become angry." It takes very little to upset us. We need to let anger become a controlled emotion. James says be slow to anger.

In the original language "angry" did not mean explosive anger. The anger that James is talking about does not express itself outwardly, but describes the anger that resides in the heart and builds into deep bitterness and a hostile resentment. This kind of anger expresses itself by grumbling to God or by complaining about others. It is more an attitude of resistance or rebellion in the heart. Some people don't lose their temper, they just keep it inside their heart as a spirit of rebellion and resentment. There are a lot of angry people in the world today. Kingdom people are to be different.

Here are some other Scriptures to consider when it comes to anger.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 The Message
Don't be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head.

Proverbs 16:32 NIV
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 14:17 NIV
A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.

Proverbs 14:29 The Message
Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.

The Twist and Turn of Life

My past weekend was filled with twists and turns.

First twist: On Saturday I drove a van load of twenty-somethings to Boston for a day outing. The day started out foggy, so I traveled with headlights on. We parked outside Boston and took the "T" into the city for a sunny fun filled day. We returned to the van, only to discover that I had forgot to turn the headlights off that morning when we had parked. So we faced the obstacle of a dead battery. It was easily overcome when a helpful young lady and her companion in their car offered to jump start the van after a search for cables which led us to another willing individual who provided them for us.

Second twist on Saturday. Penn State was playing Michigan and I really hated to miss the game on ABC, so I taped the game on my DVR for later viewing when I got home. I was careful not hear or look for the score during my day in Boston. I got home around 10 PM and decided to zip through the commercials and watched the recorded game. I stayed up until a little past mid-night, only to have my Penn State team lose to Michigan for the ninth straight time 14-9. Two critical fumbles on Penn State's behalf really sealed the lost. A dismal loss.

The Lord's Day, Sunday, I make my way to church to worship the Lord and spend time with the family of God. It was a beautiful Fall day. Sunday afternoon, I had to choose between my watching my Patriots or getting a few hours of sun out on the lake. I chose the latter, knowing that my NE Patriots could dispose of Buffalo - which they did. But in the back of my mind I was still thinking about how Penn State had lost, so I didn't tape the game to watch later. The day ended on a positive note - to a packed weekend.

Life is filled with twists and turns, disappointments and joys, surprises and the obvious. Although nothing really serious had occurred to me this past weekend, the events reminded me that regardless what happens to us in life, there is always One who is prepared to help us and lead us. As I opened my Bible Sunday morning in church, I found these notes that I had hand written near the passage of Scripture that described the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:

"Today's decisions foreshadow tomorrow's challenges and reflect yesterday's choices." - Alicia Chole, Anonymous.

More Is Less - Less Is More

Now my thought about the title was sparked because of a verse that Jeanne and I were reading during our morning devotions together yesterday. This has been a practice of ours for many years, to read a few scripture verses and pray together to begin our day. We just started reading the book of Proverbs from The Message. Yesterday's passage contained this verse:

Proverbs 1:19
When you grab all you can get, that's what happens:the more you get, the less you are.

That thought stayed with me throughout the past couple of days as I have also been personally meditating upon Paul's words from Philippians 2:5-11. These verses instruct us as to the type of attitude that we should have. Verse 7 reads that Jesus "made himself nothing" in the NIV translation. God's Word Translation says "he emptied himself . . ." How opposite is Kingdom living from worldly living. In the Kingdom of God less is more. To "empty oneself" is to have less of self in order to allow more room for God. But if we choose to grab more of the world and make room for more of our selfish desires the less there will be of God in our lives. More is less and less is more!

Listen Before Speaking

James 1:19-21The Message
19 Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. 20 God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. 21 So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

So often, we want to be heard. We want to get our opinion across or point made. We want to convince others that we are right. James urges us to be quick to listen. When reading these verses in the greater context of the verses surrounding these, James is not just talking about listening in general but listening to the Word of God. James is really writing, "When you are listening to the Word of God, give careful attention."

We don't listen very well when we are talking. If we really want to hear what God is saying, then we need to stop talking and listen to him. Very few times does God shout at us. More often He speaks to us in a "still small voice." Prayer for us is seldom a conversation, more often it is a monologue. We tell God what we think He needs to know. Maybe you should try another approach if you think God is not answering your prayer. Try listening. Hear His quiet soft voice.

Temptation Under Pressure

James 1:13-15 The message
13 Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. 14 The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. 15 Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

James T Draper, in his book Faith That Works writes, "we need to recognize that in every test of our faith, in every trial in our lives, in every pressure that we experience, there is an element of temptation. It contains for example, an opportunity to become bitter or resentful, or to let animosity and hatred build. Within every trial, designed to strengthen and test our faith, there is also a temptation to evil" (page 39).

It is hard for most people to accept responsibility for their own actions. The tendancy on our part is to blame others. We see and hear others doing this daily, all around us. Let's be honest, we do it too. James reminds us that God is not responsible for our actions. He has no affinity toward evil. Temptation occurs because of a sinful side to us. When we do wrong we should not say "God tempted me." God is not responsible for our wrong choice or decision under pressure. We shouldn't even say "That is the way that God made me." It would be more aprropriate to say, "That is the way sin made us."

We shouldn't even blame the devil from a pratical standpoint. Sin is our own fault. The devil can't make us do anything. We give him too much credit. We give into our own desires and lusts. Whatever we do, we do because we choose to do it. Ouch.

The good news is that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sin (John 1:9). The good news is that God provides us a way of escape our temptations to sin. When we are tempted, we will never be the same again. We will be either better or worse, stronger or weaker, more fulfilled or more frustrated. It is God's desire that we emerge from the pressure points in our lives as victorious over evil and wrong doing.

This week take personal responsibility for your actions and the words that you speak. Don't blame someone else. Own up to the fact that sin still resides within. We are a battleground for good and evil. However, as you and I lean on Jesus, we can overcome temptations.

Your Faith At Work Under Pressure

James 1:2-4 The Message
2Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

My thoughts today are still on these verses from James. Verse 3 in the KJV reads that "the trying of your faith." The Greek word for "trying" (KJV) or "forced" (Message) carries with it the idea of sterling quality. It carries with it the idea behind the refining of precious metal. It's a purging. The metal is heated until it is liquid and the impurities rise to the surface so that they can be scraped off. This is called purging. Iron and steel are purged so that the metal becomes strong and sturdy.

The "trying" of our faith develops patience. Various translations use the word perseverance or endurance. Have you ever grown impatient under fire? We become stronger and more steady if we allow the purging process to be completed. Our faith is stronger and more pure.We must learn to allow our trials to run their course. It's like learning to ride a bicycle. How many times did you fall before you finally were able to ride shakily in a circle? And with each turning circle became more steady? Have you ever watched a child learn to walk? How many times did that child stumble and fall? Remember the joy by all who witnessed that little toddler taking those baby steps? Don't short change God in his refining of your faith. Instead rejoice and enjoy the knowledge that He loves you too much to leave you the way you are.

We all have pressure points. God uses them to refine who we are in Him.

Pure Joy?

James 1:2-4 The Message
2 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

The NIV starts the above verses with the words Consider it pure joy . . ." By human standards, we do not consider trials of life to be joyful experience. But most gifts are considered an enjoyment to receive. James is writing to the twelve tribes that had been scattered throughout all the nations. Jewish believers had faced persecution in Jerusalem and were now scattered. They were still facing difficulties or trials for their faith. The Greek word used for "trials" (NIV) or "temptations" (KJV) means "testing" in the sense of a young bird testing its wings. Testing does not mean to fail, but to fly. Our trials or testings are not meant to make us stumble but to stand up. Tests are a measure of achievement. God's testing is to strengthen us, not to defeat us. A perfect example of this would be the story of Abraham offering up his son, Isaac in Genesis 22. When Abraham raised his knife to kill his son on the altar, God said, "Stop! I just wanted to see if you would withhold your son from me. I was testing you." According to James, our testings come in many different ways. How we handle our trials reveals the quality and depth of our faith. Our faith is tested everyday. Sometimes in very big ways such as a terminal illness or more often in little things such as an unkind word that is spoken to us. How we respond to either reveals the kind of faith we are living. Our joy is not in the test but in the sure knowledge that God believes in us enough to live in such a way that we will glorify Him. God is with us and wants us to live successful lives.

I Am Back

Hi All! Sorry about my lack of blogging. I have been traveling a lot during the month of August. After General Council in Indianapolis, I was in the office for a few days then went on vacation. We spent some time home relaxing and enjoying the boat and beach on the lake. We then spent the Labor Day weekend visiting with Joy at Valley Forge Christian College.

I did get to read a book during this busy time in preparation for an upcoming grad class. The book: Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal Relationships. I would highly recommend it.The author, Sherwood Lingenfelter discusses the tension between time and event orientation, dichotomistic and holistic thinking, crisis and non-crisis orientation, task and person orientation, status and achievement focus, and concealment or willingness to expose vulnerability. He includes a basic values questionnaire and graph in order for the reader to observe and think about their own basic values. The author also dicusses how Jesus was able to bridge these cultural differences.

Enjoy your day. I have lots to catch up on.

More Parallels Between James and the Gospels

Here are some more parallel passages between James and the Gospels.

James 2:5 parallels Matthew 5:3,5
James 2:6 parallels Luke 18:3 and Luke 20:47
James 2:8 parallels Matthew 22:39
James 2:11 parallels Matthew 5:21
James 2:13 parallels Matthew 5:7
James 2:14 parallels Matthew 25:21-46
James 2:15 parallels Matthew 6:25

The book of James is knit really close together with the sayings of Jesus in the Gospels. The writer of James must have had a deep and long lasting relationship with Jesus. How well are we "knitted" with Jesus. Do the words we speak echo the words Jesus? The Psalmist said, "I have hidden your words in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11 NIV).

James and the Gospels

Most theologians believe that James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote the epistle titled James. In my study of the book, I discovered another reason for believing that Jesus' half brother is the author of the book. It has to do with the fact that there are so many parallels to the Gospels. In chapter one of James alone, at least 7 parallel can be found.

James 1:2 parallels Matthew 5:11
James 1:4 parallels Matthew 5:48
James 1:5 parrallels Matthew 7:7
James 1:6 parallels Matthew 9:29
James 1:17 parallels Matthew 7:11
James 1:22 parallels Matthew 7:24
James 1:23 parallels Matthew 7:26

These parallel scripture passages in James indicates that the author must have had a pretty close and intimate relationship with Jesus and the events before his resurrection and ascension. The lesson today for you and I... the more intimate we become with Jesus the more our life will parallel that of Jesus. In other words, the more we commune with Jesus the more we will be like Jesus in thought and deed.

The Book of James

I have begun a personal study of the Book of James. As I was reading the following introduction to James from The Message, a thought occurred to me.

"When Christian believers gather in churches, everything that can go wrong sooner or later does. Outsiders, on observing this, conclude that there is nothing to the religion business except, perhaps, business — and dishonest business at that. Insiders see it differently. Just as a hospital collects the sick under one roof and labels them as such, the church collects sinners. Many of the people outside the hospital are every bit as sick as the ones inside, but their illnesses are either undiagnosed or disguised. It’s similar with sinners outside the church. So Christian churches are not, as a rule, model communities of good behavior. They are, rather, places where human misbehavior is brought out in the open, faced, and dealt with."

I find myself involved more often in church disputes than I wish to be involved in. But the above introduction to James reminds me that once we become believers, we carry a lot of worldly baggage into church. Anyone who expects the church to be perfect is misguided in their faith. We are merely sinners saved by grace. Our salvation experience is a journey toward perfection. As we allow the fruit of the Spirit to produce in our lives, we will become more and more like Jesus and less and less like the world in our thoughts and actions.

The book of James is a book of practical outward expression through the working of our inward faith. James deals with such matters as trials and temptations, listening and doing, favoritism, faith and deeds, our tongue, wisdom, submission, boasting, wealthy individuals, patience in suffering, and our prayer of faith. I am sure that living out the words of James will diminsh many of the conflicts that evolve in the community of believers. Will it end all conflict? Of course not, because if we are a true New Testament church, new believers will be added daily to the community of believers. These new believers will be bringing in their baggage. Thus the cycle of instruction, discipline, and growth continually occurs. The church is a hospital where our emptional, physical and spiritual man is to be made whole. People heal differently. Some heal quickly. Others heal more slowly. Still other choose not follow to the advice of our Great Physician and will live in their personal misery.

What are you doing with your talents?

I was reading the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30 this morning in preparation for a talk with my twenty-somethings tomorrow night at our gathering. Here were just a few of my thoughts as I read and reflected on this passage. The Parable of the Talents is one of several parables that Jesus shared regarding the coming kingdom of heaven (chapters 23-25).

Think back in your life to when you were in school. Who was one of the most talented people you ever knew? What happened to that person? What were you known for in school? What talents did people recognize in you?

How am I cultivating and developing my Spiritual gifts? Paul exhorted Timothy with these words:

“. . . train yourself to be godly.” 1 Timothy 4:7

“. . . fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” 2 Timothy 1:6

It is my Christian duty and responsibility to cultivate (nurture) those gifts that God has given to me “so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Eph. 4:12).

If my Master, Jesus, returned today, what would he have to say about the way I have used the Spiritual gifts (talents) that he has given me? What kind of responsibility do I feel I have toward God regarding these Spiritual gifts? Toward others? I hope my questions have stirred you to reflect about those gifts, talents, and abilities with which God has blessed you.

General Council Indy 2007

Our General Council in Indianapolis is finishing up this afternoon with a combined rally of youth and adults of between 15,000 and 20,000 in the RCA Dome. During the week business was conducted during the day and services for adults and youth were held seperately. I am pleased with the election of new leaders for our Fellowship. My good friend Dr. Goeorge Wood was elected General Superintendent; my friend Rev. Alton Garrison elected Assistant Superintendent, Rev. John Palmer elected General Secretary; Rev. John Bueno re-elected World Missions Director; and my good friend Rev. Zollie Smith was newly elected as U.S. Missions Director. I am excited to see that we are moving toward more diversity in both both age and race. We have a long way to go in seeing more diversity in age, gender, and race. But we are on the right road. Beth Grant, a woman was one of the top three nominees for Assistant Superintendent. Zollie Smith is an African American. My friend Doug Clay (fortyish) was considered for offices and was elcted as an Executive Presbyter at large. I am excited about what God has in store for the Assemblies of God. We must pray that we be open to His plans and purposes for our Fellowship. We must prepare ourselves for the changes that He will want to make through our leadership. I took a few pictures with my cell phone. Sorry about the quality. But I wanted to give you sense of this historic event in our Fellowship.

Life Is Like . . . Boating

It is a really hot day today. In fact it has been this way most of the week. It's a good thing. I am on vacation and can enjoy these hot days out on the lake. Which got me to thinking about an upcoming topic that I have been asked to address in my preaching at one of our newer church plants, Life! Church. The pastor asked me if I would participate in a series of Sunday messages called "Life Is Like . . ."

Some of the topics being approached is Life Is like . . . Skydiving. Another is Life Is Like . . . Hiking. My assigned topic: Life Is Like . . . Boating.

Here's the outline of my general thoughts.

Introduction
- Jesus was an avid boater. He spent a great deal of time near the Sea of Galilee. Boats were used for travel, transportation of goods, and livelihood (fishing).

- My boating world is for pleasure. I have learned some valuable life lessons through my boating experience.

Talking Points
1. Boating requires preparation - Luke 5:1-3

2. Boating requires launching. Be sure your drain plug is in - Luke 5:4-5

3. Expect the unexpected when boating. Keep your life preserver nearby – Mark 4:35-41

- Unknown currents (drifting) – Hebrews 2:1
- Unforeseen (hidden) surprises – Matthew 14:22. Think Titanic. Quote: “life below the waterline” – Gordon McDonald
- Storms (wind and waves) – Matthew 14:23-27. Know the signs – Matthew 16:1-4
- Breakdown (failure) – Matthew 14:28-32. Quote: “The only time you fail is the last time you try.” - unknown

4. Boating is fulfilling – John 10:10

- Boating is fun in spite of the surprises and cost. So is life! – Luke 5:6-11.
- Serving Christ only will lead to fulfillment in life.

I am off to morrow to attend a Church Planting Facilitator Training Summit, General Prebyter meetings, and General Council, all being held in Indianapolis. I won't be back until the 13th. Hopefully, I will have some time to blog and let you know what is happening and what I am thinking. This General Council is pivotable for our Fellowship. Keep the Assemblies of God in prayer. We are electing three of executive officers and several important issues are to be discussed and acted upon during the general business sessions. For more on that, you can go to http://www.futureag.blogspot.com/

Team Communities

Most of my life as a youth, I was involved in team sports. Recently in my master's course, Effective Leadership, I wrote about team leadership. Teams are effective. Bill Hybels talks about team communities in his book, Courageous Leadership. I quote from his book the following:

When Dr. Graham stood to receive his medal, he looked at the award and then quietly said, "This medal is really not for me. This medal is for our team. We've been together for forty-five years. Wwithout each member my life would not have been the same. I owe them so much." Then he listed, one by one, thames of those who had formed the core of his evangelistic ministry. As he spoke their names he struggled to contain his emotion.

Still, I did not fully realize how deeply Dr. Graham and his associates valued team until, sometime later, I enjoyed a visit at his home in Montreat, North Carolina. He led me down the hill from his home and pointed out the houses being built nearby bsome of his team members. Apparently, forty-five years of togetherness was not enough for this tightly knitm. Even as they neared the end of their lives, they wanted to be together, caring for and supporting each oth, just as they had throughout their ministry years. I was deeply moved by their commitment to stay together all the way to the end.

Jesus too provides us a model of a leader who built a cohesive, loving team. One incident toward the end of his life is particularly touching. On the eve of his betrayal, he gathered his team together in the Upper Room and drew them close with these words: "I earnestly desire to share the meal with you." Then he broke the bread and shared the wine. His instructions for the future were specific. They were to continue this practice of remembering him, in community. Think of it. The first time communion was ever taken it was a team experience. And it's suppose to continue to be a team experience.

Has anyone experienced authentic team community? Does anyone desire to be a part of such team community? What is team community like for those who are experiencing it?

I have experienced similar team community while playing peewee football. Our team was always together on and off the field. We would spend nights together, eat together, play together. We would go to the high school football games together and sit in the bleachers together. We would where our game jersey everywhere so people could identify us as a team. And because of that community we had a winning record, undefeated champions in our division. I again experienced team community playing high school football. We were always together, doing things together. And when we get together now at our reunions we reminisce about "the good old days." Then we called it camaraderie. Today, I think Hybels would refer to it as team community.

I am also experiencing it today, being involved in the District leadership team. I have a wonderful relationship with my fellow district officers. It is a pleasure to get together with them. We deeply care aboout one another and each other's family. We spend time together. In fact, I am looking forward to next week at General Presbytery meetings and General Council as the three of us can spend time together. We have been apart lately due to vacations. I miss our talks and laughter. I miss the sharing time. It will be good to catch up.

Now what about you? Let me know what you think about the concept of team community.

An Interesting Discussion with Twenty-Somethings

Last night at Paradigm, a gathering of twenty-somethings, some of our discussion about our personalities and behavioral blends centered around a quote from Rex Miller's book.

"Our communication tools have changed over time: from spoken word, to written word, to broadcast-image word, to digital multimedia word. With each change has come a new and different way of seeing the world." (Rex Miller, The Millenium Matrix, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 15.)

The bottom line of all our discussion was this. Regardless the form of communication we are now using daily (text messaging, IM, MySpace, email, etc.), we all still have an inner desire and hunger for face to face time; where we can see, touch, feel, and hear one another; where all our senses are being used.

What I did not quote at our talk was the rest of Miller's words following the above quote. Miller went on to say:

"Here's what happens:
*When our communication tools change, our perception changes.
*Changed perception creates changed understanding.
*Changed understanding changes our psychological makeup.
*Changed psyches change our interaction with the world (bold emphasis is mine).
*Changes in our interaction with the world change our relationsahips to one another (again bold emphasis is mine).
*Changes in our relationships leads to changes in the institutions that facilitate those relationships.
*Our psychological makeup changes, and we reshape the world in our own image." (Miller, The Millenium Matrix, 15-16)

Miller then later suggested trying this: "Imagine living in a different world where there is only verbal communication without written or recorded media" (no technology). What do you think?

My Current Reading

I'm at Maine Bean this morning. That's right, it's Friday. Having a good cup of "Cabin Comfort," a medium flavor coffee and am enjoying a good book. Currently I am reading Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels. I highly recommend every person in any kind of leadership in the church to read this one. Hybel's is not writing it for the leadership gurus or big time CEO's. He's writing it for you and I with a challenge to fan into flames the gift of leadership. Enjoy your day. I'm gonna enjoy my book and cup of coffee.

Interesting Blog Thought

I usually do not blog more than once during a day, however, I came across an interesting blog site. It has to do with our Assemblies of God Fellowship's election of a new General Superintendent in August. You can follow the discussion and even participate with your own comments. Go to http://www.futureag.blogspot.com/ The dialogue taking place in most cases has been fabulous. The moderators are not allowing inappropriate comments to be posted.

One of the commentors made the following thoughts. Myself, being 56 years old, found it interesting. I think the anonymous writer did some good parsing of generational issues. Unfortunately, he left himself unamed. The individual did reveal that he was 50 years old. He or she wrote:

1. Information control—Older generations are content with a top-down approach to information dissemination; Younger generations value instant access to information (including background information on GS candidates).


2. Theology—Older generations are committed to systematic/dogmatic theological formations; Younger generations value biblical/narrative theology and are comfortable with mystery and paradox.

3. Change—Older generations are vested in status quo denominational systems; Younger generations prize innovation, change—even disequilibrium.

4. Size—Older generations equate bigger with better; Younger generations are committed to smaller more mobile systems.


5. Institution—Older generations believe in institutions; Younger generations are distrusting of institutions.


6. Diversity—Older generations have been content with all-male, all-Anglo leadership; Younger generations value diversity—gender, race, socio-economy.

7. Education—Older generations viewed higher-education with suspicion; Younger generations value training—formal and informal, technical and professional.


8. Collaboration—Older generations looked internally for resources and support; Younger generations look externally to best practices from the marketplace and other church groups.

I have to agree with the above. However, I have been taking steps to avoid being caught in the trap of being unable or unwilling to adapt and change by spending a great deal of my time with youth and twenty-somethings. It is amazing what they can teach you, if we are willing to listen and learn from them.

Play By The Rules

It seems that recently, I have been reading a lot about athletes and even referees who are not playing by the rules. Barry Bonds is about to surpass Hank Aaron's all time home run record of 755. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by allegations and innuendos regarding steroid use. Then there is the Tour de France rider, Alexandre Vinokourov, who has been banned because of blood doping charges. There is also Michael Vick, charged with dog fighting. Finally, there is NBA referee, Tim Donaghy, accused of having made improper calls to shave points. Even my beloved Penn State football team has a shadow cast upon them as several players were disciplined for an off campus fight. What is going on?

Paul exhorted Timothy, "if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules" (2 Timothy 2:5 NIV). There is way that we believers should live, so that we do not bring reproach upon ourself or others who bear the title, "Christian." The sports world is getting a black eye. Let's not be too critical or judgmental. Instead maybe we need to evaluate our personal behavior and lifestyle in light of God's Word.

Run the Race in Order to Finish

Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 The Message
[24] You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. [25] All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. [26] I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! [27] I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Back in the 1980's and early 1990's I was an avid long distant road runner. I trained daily and ran in 5K and 10k road races weekly. I even ran in a marathon. I learned some valuable lessons from those earlier days that have guided me spiritually, also. Here's a few of those thoughts.

1. The Christian race is not a sprint. It isn't over in 10 seconds as is the 100 meter dash. It is more like a marathon. It's grueling. It's long. Therefore, pace your self for the long haul.

2. Because our Christian race is more like a marathon, we must learn to run our race at at a pace that is best for each individual. One of the things I learned was that I might do well in my age bracket, but there were always runners who could outrun me. I soon learned that it was more important to run against my personal best time than to run against the best of the best. Each time I tried to run against the best, I found myself doing poorly (time wise). I go home from the race frustrated and disappointed with myself. However, when I ran against my personal best time and beat it, I felt good about my accomplishment. I learned that it was more important to run against myself than to run against others in the race. In our Christian race we need to learn how to pace ourselves. We need to learn how to accept our limitations and learn to depend more on God in our weaknesses. It's not just about winning - its about finishing. We don't have to prove ourselves. It is God who validates who we are. Somebody will always be better than you.

At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, only a few thousand spectators remained in the stadium following the running of the marathon. It was more than an hour since the first three runners had finished. As these final spectators were leaving, they were suddenly aroused by the sound of sirens going off and policemen blowing their whistles. Confused, the spectators turned to look toward the entrance floor of the stadium. There entering the stadium came a lone figure wearing the colors of Tanzania. The runner's name was Steven Akhwari. He was the last runner to finish. His leg was bloody and bandaged and he grimaced with each step. He had severally injured his knee in a fall. He painfully hobbled around the 400 meter track. The remaining spectators rose and applauded the courage of this man as if he were a winner. After crossing the finish line, he walked off the field without turning to the cheering crowd. Later asked why he had not quit, since his task was so painful and he had no chance of winning a medal, he said: “My country did not send me 7000 miles to start the race. They sent me 7000 miles to finish it.”

Competition can be good. It helps us to strive to become better. But it can also become a weight around our neck when we begin compare ourselves to others or are unwilling to recognize and accept our limitations. I think the emphasis that Paul is making is on finishing. We all are winners in God's eyes when we cross that final finish line.

Some Awesome Twenty-Somethings

Jeanne & I with just a few of our awesome Gen X'ers!

Gen X'ers in the Word!

Amazing How Fast Time Goes By

The Psalmist wrote:

Ps 90:5-6 NIV
[5] You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning — [6] though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.

Ps 103:15-16 NIV
[15] As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; [16] the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

Isa 40:6-8 NIV
[6] A voice says, "Cry out. "And I said, "What shall I cry? All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. [7] The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. [8] The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

Wow, time flies by when you are having fun. It has been some time since I last wrote something on my blog. A lot has also happened. I was in meetings with our Presbytery for two days. They were good meetings as we interviewed five individuals for credentials as ministers in the our Fellowship. That is always exciting. I then had a lot correspondence to catch up on and phone calls to follow up on over the next three days. In between all this, I received notice that our General Superintendent, Thomas Trask, is stepping down as leader after having given 14 years to the Assemblies of God as its overseer. And then there is today, my 56th birthday.
This all brings me to the point of the Scriptures above. Life is short. Make the best of it. Do something that will make a difference in the world and in the Kingdom of God. Be a positive influence and impact lives of others in a positive way.

About a dozen twenty-something year olds showed up at the house last night with party hats and streamers to surprise and celebrate my birthday. As I listened to the chatter and laughter, I was struck by the thoughts of how fleeting life is and how important priorities are. Have a great day. I will.

Understanding Our Spiritual Gifts

There is often a lot of confusion about Spiritual gifts and their use. A good starting point is looking at what the Scripture has to say. Too often, we rely on experience in trying to define, determine, and defend Spiritual gifts. Apparently this was a problem in Paul's day. The church in Corinth was struggling over the issue of Spiritual gifts and their proper use. I like how chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians begins in The Message:

"What I want to talk about now is the various ways God's Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often misunderstood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable."

Study the Scriptures.

Spiritual Gifts - Romans 12

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you" (Romans 12:3 NIV).

Sometimes we over estimate ourselves. At other times we under estimate ourselves. Paul instructs us to be balanced in our evaluation of who we are and the strengths (gifts) we have. We need to understand ourselves (how we are wired), but must do so carefully. I like how The Message reads: "The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him."

When it comes to our spiritual gifts that God has given us, we must remember that to be effective they must be used interdependently, not independently. Again, Paul wrote: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us" (Romans 12:4-6 NIV).

What good is our toe if it is not attached to our body? What good would our thumb be if it were not attached to the hand? And what good is a hand if it is cut off and lying on the ground somewhere. So also our gifts. They are useless if not connected with the rest of the body of Christ (church).

Paul goes on to list some spiritual gifts in this passage in Romans 12. They are: prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy.

A Spirit-Filled Life

Well, vacation is over and I am rested and ready to face a new week. It started early this morning. I have been busy the past hour doing my email responses. Seems like a ton of them. I still have several to go but thought about a quick break to blog, since I even stayed away from that for a week. An not to mention my in file with a stack of paper to go through. Why is it that vacation gets you rested but when its over you have double the amount of work to do catching up? Doesn't seem fair does it?

This morning I was reading from 2 Timothy. Paul exhorted Timothy "to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you" (2 Timothy 1:6 NIV). Since I have begun a series on the Spirit Filled Life among a group of twenty somethings, this verse grabbed my attention. How often we allow the gift or gifts that God has given us to either grow cold or lay dormant in our lives. By doing so, we remain or become ineffective in life and in the church. God gives us gifts to be used for His glory. In a previous letter to Timothy, Paul had instructed this young man to "not neglect your gift, which was given you" (1 Timothy 4:14 NIV). Spiritual gifts are given to each and everyone of us for a purpose. Paul told the church in Ephesus that spiritual gifts are meant "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13 NIV).

A question that we need to be asking ourselves is, "What gifts have God blessed me with?" Another question we need to be asking "What am I doing with those gifts to glorify God and build up others?"

W.I. Evans wrote: "The need of the Pentecostal people is not primarily to pray for the gifts. Gifts are here. Our need is to seek God and press into God in living faith so that the gifts lying dormant, enough to set the world on fire, may come into exercise."

Have a great day! It's time for me to get back to catching up on my office work.

Selah!

I have been reading several psalms this morning. Several times the verses ended with the word "selah." Selah means to stop or rest. It means to pause. In other words the Psalmist is reminding us to reflect on what we have just read. Well, that got me to thinking. I am on vacation this week. It's my "selah" - a moment of time to stop, rest and reflect. I will be doing a lot of that out on the lake in my boat that will soon have a name on it . . . Selah!

A Church Planting Thought

I have been spending this week facilitating/coaching a small group of church planters here in Manchester, NH. These guys & gals are really fun to be around. They are passionate and excited about doing something big for God in His Kingdom. My group is really interesting. The couples come from different parts of the country. But what really intrigues me is the way in which they have been connceting to each other because of the extreme range of ages. There is twenty something couple, a thirty something couple, a forty something couple and a fifty something couple and me an almost fifty-six year old coach. To watch this group interact and connect has been something to behold. There sure is no generation gap in this group. They laugh, talk share, dream, ask questions, and learn from one another. It is almost as if there is no age difference. I am convinced that their driving passion to church plant has caused them to set aside differences in order to accomplish their goals. This group has connected with each other in a deep and powerful way. There must be a lesson here for all of us.

One of our presenters shared this thought with us today. If we can't serve the Lord with joy and gladness, then we will give ourselves and the work over to the enemy. He used Deuteronomy 28:47-48 as the scripture text:

"Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you."

I hope your ministry is a joy and not a burden!

Listening

One of the discussions at our bootcamp for church planting and revitalization centered around we as coaches, being able to listen. The following scripture was shared:

Proverbs 18:13 NIV
He who answers before listening — that is his folly and his shame.

Among those quoted:

Steve Ogne
"He who talks most listens least."

Peter Drucker
"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't being said."

The session ended with the question: "What happens when people feel listened to?"

Ministry Update

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of hanging out with 14 twenty somethings on the lake with my boat. These Gen-Xer's are probably the most forgotten generation in our churches. Yet, they have so much talent and ability if we will just tap into them by building relationships with them individually. We had an absolute blast, tubing, wake boarding, playing volleyball, and just plain "chill'in". Talking individually with them, I am learning alot about their hopes, dreams, struggles, and desire in wanting to be used of God.

Today begins a week long bootcamp in our District. It's an intense time of training in areas of church planting and church health. Our District in hosting it and I am looking forward to hanging out with some really serious "go getters" for the Kingdom of God. Hopefully, I will be able to post a few tidbits gleaned this week on my blog for you.

An Overcomer

This has been a very busy weekend for Jeanne and me. We have been celebrating the graduation of a very special young lady friend of ours. Her name is Joy. For the past three and a half years, Jeanne and I have been investing our lives into this teenager. as mentor, tutor and friend. We consider her family.

It all began while I was observing a fifteen year old young lady, with outstretched arms, desperately crying out to God on a Sunday morning for help. In that moment, God gently spoke to me that He was going to answer her cry through my obedience to Him. I went home that Sunday and told Jeanne about God’s impression upon me. Together, Jeanne and I entered into the journey fully committed to fulfill God’s plan, whatever that might be. It has been a wonderful journey for all of us, in spite of a few bumps and prodding along the way. Jeanne and I are so very proud of all her accomplishments in such a short time. God has truly blessed her commitment and hard work, as she tenaciously pursued to become all that He wanted her to become.

I clearly remember one of my very first conversations with Joy, not long after God impressed upon me, that I was to do whatever was necessary to encourage and lead her in His plan. It was a Sunday night at youth group, and I had asked Joy what her goals were. She basically answered that she didn’t have any, other than that she hoped she could complete her high school education, although at the time, it seemed like an impossible task. Over the course of the next few years much has occurred. Together, with her parent’s permission and encouragement, we embarked on an ambitious plan that included a more structured home school setting, tutoring, and eventual enrollment at Windham Christian Academy.

Joy has exceeded and surpassed everyone's expectations, including her own. She finished her Junior year at Windham with a 92 average and as an honor student. This year she has graduated with high honors and a 96 GPA (2nd in her class). I have watched her blossom and come alive with confidence during the past three years. She has overcome a low self-opinion of herself and turned into a bright, cheerful and confident young woman. She has taken advantage of the opportunities that have been afforded her, to develop academically, emotionally, and spiritually. Joy has had to work double hard to get to the point of where she is now. Where as before, she had little hope and few goals for life, now before her are visions and dreams and great opportunities. She has a hope filled future.

Joy is about to embark on a new journey. She is accepted to Valley Forge Christian College and has received several scholorships to help make her dream financially possible. Joy is an overcomer! Her successes did not come about the easy way. It was the result of having put God first in her life and by diligently and doggedly working hard. God has rewarded Joy's efforts. This all brings me to my point of this blog this morning.

God makes many promises to the overcomer. He mentions seven in Revelations:

Revelation 2:7 NIV
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:11 NIV
who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Revelation 2:17 NIV
To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Revelation 2:26 NIV
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations . . .

Revelation 3:5-6 NIV
He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

Revelation 3:12 NIV
Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.

Revelation 3:21-22 NIV
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

God rewards those who dilgently seek after Him. Congratulations Joy! Jeanne and I so very proud of you. I have always believed in you because God first believed in you. You are an inspiration to anyone who faces obstacles and difficulties. They can be overcome as we put our faith, trust, and confidence in Him. The Bible clearly states that we will reap what we sow.

I Say "Amen!"

I'm sitting at my favorite coffee shop in Windham, Maine, sipping some good coffee and catching up on some reading. I just got done reading The Pastor's Weekly Briefing by H.B. London and was deeply moved by it. I want to share the article with you.

WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN?

It is very difficult not to get caught up in the adventures and consequences of Hollywood's "bad girls." The names Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie dominate news shows, newspapers and magazines. These young ladies, all under the age of 26, have become famous more for their misdeeds than their accomplishments. It has been said, "Fame, money and power change everything." Would you agree?

It is also a sad commentary on our society when the young ladies mentioned above become the role models for pre-teen and teenage girls around the world. Paris Hilton was in jail (apparently now under house arrest), Lindsay Lohan is in re-hab, Nicole Richie is fighting to stay out of jail, and Britney Spears, the mother of two, is saying she has hit bottom ... and yet they are role models? Go figure.

In a USAToday survey taken last weekend, people said money, fame and the negative influence of Hollywood had more to do with their bad behavior than parents doing a poor job. I wonder? I believe parents matter and they matter a lot. I also would think the parents of the four troubled ladies are heartsick at what they see.

Pastors, your children live in a fishbowl. The smaller the church, the larger the bowl — simply because your children find themselves in the spotlight.

Bev and I are very proud of our two sons. They are both married with two children. Each of them has a teenage daughter. I know our girls are aware of the "famous four" we have been discussing.

I wish the following for my two granddaughters:

I want them to experience unconditional love, but with limits and parameters.

I want them to grow under Christian influence. I want them to model their parents' values.

I want their fathers to be their heroes, not some rock star or movie celebrity.

I also want for them good guidance from their moms on what they wear, and how they look in public. Sometimes, parents must say "no" regardless of the reaction.

I want for my granddaughters open communication. I want them to be able to discuss anything with their parents.

I also want them to understand the value of a dollar.

I want for them friends who have good morals themselves, and good parental influence.

I don't want my granddaughters to think Britney, Lindsay, Nicole and Paris are "cool." I love them too much.

What do you want for your children?

Be blessed and be a blessing. —HBL

All I can say is "AMEN!"

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Power of the Lord

I am inspired and intrigued whenever I read this verse.

1 Kings 18:46 NIV
The power of the Lord came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

I am inspired by the thought of imagining and experiencing such power. He had already faced and won the challenge with the false prophets of Baal. Now, here he is filled with power. My thought is that he was filled with power when he stood against the false prophets moments before. Why the mention of "power" now? Yet, it was the power of the Spirit that undoubtedly gave him strength and stamina to out run King Ahab's chariot to Jezreel. My mind conjures up the picture of Road Runner, the cartoon character, taking off like a shot out of a cannon. This is the inspirational point for me.

I am intrigued that after all this, Elijah retreats and hides, almost immediately, out of fear for his life (1 Kings 19). What happened to "the power of the Lord" that had been on him? I guess we have all at some point in our ministry experienced a let down after a great spiritual victory. We might refer to it as the "Monday morning blahs." The good news is that the Lord will refresh us. If you are feeling a spiritual let down at the moment, let the Lord refresh you. Eat and drink, Elijah was told. We can feast on Jesus's words, which is bread and water for us.

Miracle Thoughts

This morning I read from 1 Kings 17 about Elijah and the widow from Zarephath. Two miraculous incidents occurred. First the widow was able to feed Elijah during the famine without her flour and oil running out. By the way, she only had enough to make one meal for her child and herself and then she was going to die. The second miracle was that later after the famine had ended, the widow's son died, Elijah prayed for his recovery and he came back to life.

How do miracles occur? Just some real quick observations:

They occur at a great cost. What is the price you are willing to pay in order for a miracle to occur? The widow had to offer her last bit of food. The widow had to see her son die. Life can be hard on us.

Miracles are the result of perseverance. Elijah had to travel through the countryside where the famine occured. He had to ask a widow who looked as though she had little to offer for help. In the case of the dead son, he had to plead with God three times for his life. He didn't give up after his first attempt.

Miracles occur because of obedience. We find that Elijah obeyed the Lord's instruction, regardless how odd the instruction appeared to be outside the natural realm.

Miracles require humility. A widow about to die was used. Imagine - asking someone who appeared to be less than you for help.

Do you need a miracle in your life?

Interesting Reading

With my shoulder seperation slowing down my activity level, I spent the weekend reading former Attorney General John Ashcroft's book, Never Again: Securing America and Restoring Justice. I don't know about you, but I am not enjoying the media's portrayal or attention that is being projected into politics. In fact, such an early attention being given to a presidential election that is so far away, is turning me off. I wonder how many others are also being turned off?

I found John Ashcroft's book enjoyable and surprisingly refreshing for several reasons. First he is a deeply committed Christian, secondly he was born and raised up in an Assembly of God minister's home, and thirdly, his father preached at my ordination service in 1984. The media and liberal politicians battered John during his tenure as Attorney General. Thus reading the book provided me a great deal of insight into John's handling of misinformation and outright lies. What stood out throughout my reading was Jesus' warning, that world would hate his followers. Jesus teaching about how to rerspond to such attacks are summed up in the Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:11-12 NIV
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

As I read John's book, I am deeply thankful for a man who attempted to live according to Jesus' words and not according to the ways and thoughts of men. The political races are just beginning to heat up. I suspect that we are going to hear and see a lot nasty things being said and done. We need to pray for our country - and for a revival to sweep across the political scene. Policticians need to stop talking about their religion and begin living out their faith in a Godly manner - no excuses!

Ouch!!!! Give Thanks!

I tried to keep up with some teenagers this past Sunday night playing dodge ball. Well it happened, I was diving for a loose ball and crashed driving my shoulder into the floor with all my weight. By Tuesday morning, I was in the doctor's office having it looked at. Turns out I injurded my AC (short for acromioclavicular joint). Not much can be done except ice, sling and rest. So my typing is now limited. I'm learning to be left handed, and wondering about what this will do with my summer plans, not to mention water skiing.

The Bible teaches that we are to give thanks in all things - which I am doing. There is much to be thankful for. It could have been worse. It could have been someone else. It gives me time to reflect on how I am learning to adapt to this temporary inconvenience. There is so much that we take for granted in this world.

Some Gen X Thoughts By Gen X'ers

This past Monday Morning Insights blog that I have an RSS feed to, had a post by a good friend of mine who has been having a running dialogue with some twenty something age friends. I would love to hear your comments on Earl's blog. You can read the article An Inconveneient Spirituality yourself and the posted comments. Do you agree? disagree? or have some more thoughts about what Earl and his friends have to say? Help me to better understand your world perspective. Talk to me.

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day is the kick off to the summer crunch for many of us. Yes, that's my boat and I am also thinking about my free summer days out on the lake . . . water skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing, or just floating and soaking up the sun.

But there is another Son to soak ourselves in. He is Jesus. Memorial Day is set aside to honor and remember the sacrifices by many so that we might enjoy our freedom. My thoughts turn to my dad, who would turn 100 this October, if he were still living. He passed away in 1989 at the age of 82. He was proud to have served in the North African and Italian campaigns during World War II, with the 85th Infantry Division, 85th Signal Company. So I honor him with my thoughts.

I also honor Jesus with my thoughts too. He sacrificed His life that I might be free from sin. We observe Him and His work on the cross through communion. The cup and bread is a memorial of all that He has given us - abundant life - now and in the future.

So as you begin your summer activities, give thanks and honor, to both the living and dead who have served in our armed forces - and honor and give thanks to God for His Son Jesus.

Heart Beat of God

Sorry about my lack of blogging, again. My travels took me to Cape May, New Jersey for a regional Secretary/treasure meeting. The hotel we stayed at charged $9.95 per day for wireless connectivity to the internet. Needless to say, I was just too cheap (frugal?) to pay the fee. I guess I should also say that I just missed the Jersey shore so much that I couldn't resist walking the beach during all my free time. I spent the first thirty years of my life in Jersey. There's nothing like its beaches. So why bother doing email or blogging?

During one of the devotion times the following was shared by one one of my colleagues. He called the devotional, "The Heart Beat of God." The text was:

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The points were these:

1. "All Authority." The enphasis is on all! Authority speaks of power. There is nothing or no one who can stand against God and His servants.

2. "Go and make." This is the plan. Methods may change but the plan is always the same. This plan of God will be accomplished.

3. "I am with you always." Always is the emphasis. We do not fulfill God's plan alone. He has all the power, a perfect plan, and keeps His promise.