Strangers

Spent some time last night talking to students about the importance and power of sharing our faith with others.  Over the course of the discussion the realization came to them, that not sharing their faith was a pretty selfish decision.  Christ has given us an amazing gift; the gift of salvation.  It is a gift not to be hoarded but rather shared.

Jesus makes it clear that we are to be engaged in sharing our faith.  The amazing part of it all is how God uses that.  We may think that our only impact is on those we spend time with, but the truth is, it goes much further than that.  That stranger sitting next to you in the coffee shop may be following Jesus, because of you!

 

The Struggle of Faith

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"  He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:19-21

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"  He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. Luke 17:5-6

After the disciples failed attempt to drive a demon out of a young boy suffering from seizures, they came to Jesus to ask why.  His answer, "you have little faith."

How is your faith?  Are you finding success and victory in accomplishing the tasks God is calling you into?  Are you enduring the tests God brings your way? 

My wife Robin, and I,  pray together each night.  A couple of months back I prayed a prayer that brought concern to her.  In my prayer I asked God to increase my faith.  The look she gave me at the conclusion of our prayer, made me realize one thing.  I had just prayed a dangerous prayer!  "Do you realize what you just prayed?" she quipped.

My prayer was heart felt and sincere.  God is now answering.

Since that time, we have been tested as individuals and as a couple like never before.  It has been a struggle and a challenge. Through it we have realized the need to rely more on our Savior than ever before.  It has been a season of discovery. A time of realizing the amount of faith I have, and in what, and in whom, I have placed it.  It is growing, but is not yet where it should be.

Have you ever seen a mustard seed?  They are very small!  To be able to see the mountains and the the mulberry trees in life moved with a faith no larger than the size of a mustard seed, is to me both incredible, and convicting.  We all have our own mountains we face.  There are many staring down at me this very moment.  I am confident they will be moved.

To walk by faith is not easy, yet as we do, there is a peace that comes from God that cannot be achieved or experienced any other way.  I often find myself in moments of anxiousness.  As I release that anxiousness to God, and realize that He is in in control, the peace comes flooding in.  It is in those times, that the mountains move.

There are days in which I wish I had not prayed that prayer that night, yet I am glad I did.  It is in the stretching times that our story is written.  A story worth telling, so that others might be brought into God's story of living in and by faith.

How is your faith?

Cat's In The Cradle

This morning as I was driving and listening to the radio, an old classic song came on. A song that has been around since 1974. I have known it for years; in fact it was one of the first songs I ever learned to play on the guitar. Musically it's great, lyrically it's frightening.

As a father I think often of how my son looks up to me, and in many ways tries to be like me. Read more of my thoughts here. The task of parenting is not one to be taken lightly. In my estimation there is no greater endeavor.

As a pastor one of my greatest desires is to see healthy families. Healthy families begin with parents that are completely and fully following after Christ, and modeling that life for their children. I believe the number one reason that the Church is seeing so many high school grads drop away, is that our kids have not seen a genuine faith modeled for them by their parents. There is no greater influence in the life of a child than mom an dad.

Listen to this classic Harry Chapin song, and let the message run deep.

Rooted

As we move into Spring, I find myself thinking about seasons. I enjoy the change of seasons. As we leave winter behind I am especially excited about the warmth, fragrance, and color of Spring. Spring also means my favorite season, Summer, is just around the corner!

Just as the calender brings different seasons, so does life. Some are more welcomed than others. I often wish the seasons of life would be more spring and summer like, but often, they are not. As the winter months bring harsh and trying weather, there are often seasons in life which bring harsh and trying times.

Here in the Northwest it is not uncommon to see large trees topple to the ground as strong Pacific storms blow through. As the harsh winds beat relentlessly against the trees there is but one determining factor that decides whether they stand or fall, roots. The tree with the weak and dying root system rarely fairs well, where as the tree with the deep, healthy, and strong roots stand.

Much like the tree, it is our roots that make the difference. As we seek to grow in our knowledge of Christ, our roots grow healthy and deep. As we are well rooted in Christ, our faith grows, and as our faith grows, we will experience the strength needed to ride out the unwelcomed storms of life.

How are your roots?



So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

To Be Like Dad

I recently posted this picture of my son, mowing the lawn with me to my Twitter account. My accompanying tweet said, "Getting the lawn mowed. Nice to have a 'little help.'" Little did I know, such a simple picture would inspire my friend Greg to write the following blog post. It is so good, I share it here.

Consider My Servant

Recently, a friend of mine went out to mow his lawn. While he was mowing, his 4 year old son came out, with his toy lawn mower, to “help” him. My friend was so excited and proud and impressed that his son wanted to help, that he took a picture of it and posted it on Twitter.

It’s a very cute picture: there is the front of my friend’s lawn mower (I think it’s a John Deere). To the right of the mower is the freshly cut grass, to the left of the mower is the uncut grass, and right in front of it is his little boy pushing his toy lawn mower that looks almost like Dad’s.

Now, you know he’s not really helping…it’s a toy, it’s not really doing anything, but I wonder what was going through that little guy’s mind. I came up with five things he might be thinking:

1. I want to be with my Dad.

2. I want to be like my Dad.

3. I want to please my Dad.

4. I’m really helping him out.

5. I bet he’s proud of me.

(Knowing my friend like I do, and the fact that he posted the picture, I know number 5 is true.)

I thought of a similar story in Job 1:6-9:

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

(A side note: If God twittered this question it would look like this: Have U considered my servant Job, that thr is none lk him on the earth, a blameless & upright man, who fears God & turns away from evil?)

Just like my friend, God is proud of His people who do good, after all it’s what we were created for. (Ephesians 2:10)

The thing that struck me the most is the fact that, even though God is proud of me for doing good works, and even though I get all full of myself for “helping” my Heavenly Father, I sometimes wonder if I’m mowing the lawn with a toy lawn mower. And then I think, maybe that’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)

My motivation for doing good should be 1, 2, 3, and 5 on that little boy’s list:

1. I want to be with my Dad.

2. I want to be like my Dad.

3. I want to please my Dad.

5. I bet he’s proud of me.

If I convince myself that any of my good works are worth anything I’m kidding myself. (Isaiah 64:6) But I’m going to keep doing them, because I want to make my Daddy proud.

So good! May we all strive to be more and more like our Daddy.

Letting Go

Letting go of what I hold so dear, has never been an easy thing for me. Yesterday my departure from Grace Point Community Church was announced. It was difficult, and it was painful. To leave a community of people that you have shared life with and love so much, is a task that without God to lean on, would seem unbearable. It for me is a step of faith and a step of trust.

It is one thing to teach, preach, and sing about living a life of faith. It's another matter when God asks of you to step forward and and walk in it. As I feel God prying my fingers from all that I hold so close to my heart, I find myself asking why, but in the process, know that He holds the answer. I appreciate the words of Oswald Chambers, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading." I love my God, and in this process desire to know Him more than ever before.

As I now let go of the familiar, the things I love and hold dear, I must learn to let go of my pain and my fear as I venture into uncharted territory. God has never let me down. God has always surprised me with His amazing blessings and opportunities. I know He will do it once again.

Jeremy Camp's "Letting Go" is a song that resonates loudly with me right now.



To my family at Grace Point, know that it has been nothing but a pleasure and honor to share life and ministry with you. You are loved and close to my heart, and always will be.

How Much Do You Hate People?

How's that for a title to get your attention? Now that I have it, check out this video and be challenged by a man who not only does not love God, but does not even believe in him.

Listen as Penn of Penn & Teller shares his thoughts on how anyone who believes in God, heaven, and hell, should be sharing (proselytizing) their faith with the world around them. Very thought provoking. Very challenging!



What do you think?

Faith Of A Child

This morning as Robin and Benny were having devotions together, she asked him what he would like to pray about. He said, "Bugs and spiders and beetles." When asked what specifically he wanted to pray about them, he replied, "To pray that they would fly way, way, way up high into the trees and stay there."

She then asked him what else he wanted to pray about and he said, "There are people who don't have any lights to turn off, or blinds on their windows, or a house to live in, or chocolate chips to eat, they really need chocolate chips to eat."

He gets it! If only the rest of us would.