“He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove.”
— Matthew 3:16
What would it be like to see God? Would we respond to him differently than those in the first century? Would we respond to him differently than we do today? Would we act any differently at all?
I wonder if we would be more willing to follow him if we could see him? I wonder if we would be more willing to believe in him if we could have the kind of representation that John the Baptist had? According to John 1:33 he knew that the Messiah would come to him to be baptized. I have to wonder if he lived the life that he did because he was waiting on the Messiah to come to him, or if he lived the life that he did because he was called by God, or if it was because he understood what God asks of all of us. In any case, he lived the life that he did in faith. Faith that he had heard God. Faith that the Messiah was coming in his lifetime. Faith that the Messiah (and God the Father ) wanted him to call others to repentance. Remember that he did not see the Messiah and the Spirit of God until after he had done as God asked him to do.
God is always with us. He is always here to help us do what he asks us to do. We simply need to pray that God would open our eyes to see him!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Slippery Paths
I was glad to see the white stuff flying yesterday and the night before. I love snow. I love to drive in snow. I Love to see it pile up in the yard. I love to see it stick to the trees in the field next to us. I just love snow. The kids don't really like to play in it any more. Actually, they never really did. I guess they just don't like to get all dressed up for a few short minutes of fun. I was surprised to see that drivers in the mountains aren't really any better than on the flat lands however. Not all of them, but enough of them to scare me. It was always interesting for me to sit in the park and watch the college kids in my hometown drive up and down the hills in their four-wheel-drives. It never ceased to amaze me how they missed the concept that four-wheel-drive doesn't help you stop on snow and ice. They assumed that the extra traction would help them stop too. Although I supposed it went along with some of the half-truths they were getting in secular college. The way I figure it, truth is what gives us traction for our lives. When we don't have the truth, don't understand the truth, or misunderstand what truth is, we find ourselves slipping all over the place. Going slower helps a little, but only if we are slowing down to learn more. having a Bible on the shelf is kind of like assuming that four-wheel-drive helps you stay on the road all the time. If we never pick it up and read it however, it can't help us at all. We will still slip and slide as it sits there beckoning us to read and understand. Don't find yourself sliding off the slippery paths of life because you are too busy or too sure of your knowledge to read again and again and ask for help in understanding. Psalm 26:2-4 "Test me, oh Lord, and try me, examine my heart and mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. I do not sit with deceitful men, not do I consort with hypocrites." Let's make that our prayer and motto.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Wondrous Variety
Watching people create things inspires me. People truly shine when they are focused on clay, or marble, or paper and pencil, or computer, or paint and canvas. The "creative juices" get to flowing and they arrive at a place of meditation and spiritual peace. Maybe it's the nature of God in us as Creator that is being tapped into. Maybe it is the desire to have something new. I believe God likes new things. The psalmist tell us to sing a new song to Him. He rejoiced at each stage of creation. Personally, when it has been a long time since I tried something new (food, a genre of book, an activity, etc.) I start to get stuck in a bad rut. Someone said that a rut is just a grave with the ends knocked out. I'm not advocating reckless abandon to the lifestyle of Christianity!!! But, I wonder if God does want us to enjoy our world and try new things more often? My favorite line from, one of my favorite movies (Robin Hood with Kevin Costner), is when the little girl asks why Morgan Freeman's character is black. She asks if God painted him. When he replies yes, she asks why. He responds, because Ala loves wondrous variety. I don't believe he had the god correct, but he did have His desire for creativity and variety right!
Spend sometime on a new creative project today. Find out where your hidden talents may be that you can use for God's glory. Sing a new song to God at the very least. See what God will produce from your willingness to try new things with Him.
Spend sometime on a new creative project today. Find out where your hidden talents may be that you can use for God's glory. Sing a new song to God at the very least. See what God will produce from your willingness to try new things with Him.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Fanatics
It sure is hard to draw a crowd anymore. Unless you have a Dallas Cowboys Stadium size big screen and all the action that goes with it, that is. It used to be that a name like Billy Graham would draw just as big of a crowd. In the 1850's the politicians in Chicago could draw a crowd to rival the Superbowl. But, people are so busy being entertained elsewhere that they need a really big name or a really big event to give up their time.
That's why I feel it is growing more and more important to build relationships with people in order to bring them to Christ; a task that is equally difficult to do. People value their privacy just as much as they do their independence and time. But, it is a task that is worth the effort. Many people are aware of the name of and man Jesus (according to the book UnChristian most of the teens and twenties coming up are aware of Jesus and His teaching), but not too many people trust those who follow Him. So, we need to develop relationships based on honesty and transparency. They think we have an agenda to make them one of us and that is all (again according to UnChristian). We must build relationships that show we care about them as people! That means we have the freedom to concentrate on one person at a time. We don't have to go out today and win the whole world for Jesus. If we are attempting to impact one person for Him this year, we will make a difference!
That's why I feel it is growing more and more important to build relationships with people in order to bring them to Christ; a task that is equally difficult to do. People value their privacy just as much as they do their independence and time. But, it is a task that is worth the effort. Many people are aware of the name of and man Jesus (according to the book UnChristian most of the teens and twenties coming up are aware of Jesus and His teaching), but not too many people trust those who follow Him. So, we need to develop relationships based on honesty and transparency. They think we have an agenda to make them one of us and that is all (again according to UnChristian). We must build relationships that show we care about them as people! That means we have the freedom to concentrate on one person at a time. We don't have to go out today and win the whole world for Jesus. If we are attempting to impact one person for Him this year, we will make a difference!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Unfinished Business
Exodus 40:1-16
When the Israelites had finished the work on the Tabernacle (an elaborate tent that would be used to house the presence of God and for the sacrifices of Israel to Him) some may have thought they were finished. But, God came to Moses and gave him further instructions. He told him to begin setting up the tent and all of the devices used for worship and sacrifice. Some of the Israelites may have been content with making these items, but God was not content until the first sacrifice was made. Incidentally, the setting up of the place of worship was to happen all in one day; the first day of the year.
The New Year is a good time to finish unfinished business. Whether it is a relationship gone south, a practice of piety you felt you needed to begin, giving in some area of your life, or painting the house. This month is a good time to take down all those projects from the shelf and dust them off. To ask for forgiveness from that one you offended. To forgive that one who offended you. To begin a sacrifice of giving to those who need more than you. To begin saying yes to God more and no to yourself more often.
Don't let the Devil hold it over your head and tell you you're a failure for not having finished. Just get in there and do what you can. Let God, through the Holy Spirit, give you the passion and the strength to finish what you started!
When the Israelites had finished the work on the Tabernacle (an elaborate tent that would be used to house the presence of God and for the sacrifices of Israel to Him) some may have thought they were finished. But, God came to Moses and gave him further instructions. He told him to begin setting up the tent and all of the devices used for worship and sacrifice. Some of the Israelites may have been content with making these items, but God was not content until the first sacrifice was made. Incidentally, the setting up of the place of worship was to happen all in one day; the first day of the year.
The New Year is a good time to finish unfinished business. Whether it is a relationship gone south, a practice of piety you felt you needed to begin, giving in some area of your life, or painting the house. This month is a good time to take down all those projects from the shelf and dust them off. To ask for forgiveness from that one you offended. To forgive that one who offended you. To begin a sacrifice of giving to those who need more than you. To begin saying yes to God more and no to yourself more often.
Don't let the Devil hold it over your head and tell you you're a failure for not having finished. Just get in there and do what you can. Let God, through the Holy Spirit, give you the passion and the strength to finish what you started!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Noise
The neighbor kid must be sick today. The incessant blowing of a whistle and barking of his dog is driving me to...
It's hard to hear through the noise of the world. It's hard enough to hear when things are quiet. God I mean; it's hard to God. Sometimes the noise of your own mind just drowns out everything else! Sometimes the pastimes we feel the necessity to be involved in take God's time. Every once in a while though God comes through anyway!
Like last night. I was sitting watching a pretty good game between the Eagles and the Giants. I wanted the Giants to win so Philly wouldn't be on top of Dallas; oh well. But, right in the middle of the best part of the game I started thinking about and hearing from God about the vision for NPCC. Oh, it's nothing earth shatering. It just hasn't been so clear before.
Loving God and loving people has always been the 'what' of our ministry. But the 'how' is different from place to place. I can't say that I have everything worked out yet, but it feels better to have a direction!
Pray with us that we know the specific 'how' of loving God and loving people in Woodland Park!
It's hard to hear through the noise of the world. It's hard enough to hear when things are quiet. God I mean; it's hard to God. Sometimes the noise of your own mind just drowns out everything else! Sometimes the pastimes we feel the necessity to be involved in take God's time. Every once in a while though God comes through anyway!
Like last night. I was sitting watching a pretty good game between the Eagles and the Giants. I wanted the Giants to win so Philly wouldn't be on top of Dallas; oh well. But, right in the middle of the best part of the game I started thinking about and hearing from God about the vision for NPCC. Oh, it's nothing earth shatering. It just hasn't been so clear before.
Loving God and loving people has always been the 'what' of our ministry. But the 'how' is different from place to place. I can't say that I have everything worked out yet, but it feels better to have a direction!
Pray with us that we know the specific 'how' of loving God and loving people in Woodland Park!
Monday, December 7, 2009
At Home in a Foreign Land
I spent my Monday in a Spanish class at the High School. I never took Spanish myself. I took German, Latin, Greek, and a little Hebrew, but not Spanish. As I looked around the room I saw all sorts of funny looking words I did not know how to pronounce nor did I know the meaning of them. As the students read aloud there books and worksheets, I felt an eerie feeling of being lost in my own city; like my home had transformed into a foreign land all at once. I felt as if I had entered an alternate dimension as I traveled down the long and winding hallway that is the foreign language department.
Have you ever felt that sensation? Perhaps on a trip, or in an airport? Have you ever felt that way at church? I hope not, but it's possible. The way we pastors talk sometimes I wonder if anyone gets it. And I sure hope there are no non-Christians in the service when that happens. They may feel as if they will never understand the religious we are practicing. Like we are in some secret society that wants outsiders to stay outsiders.
Hopefully the non-Christians you have conversations with don't feel like I did in that classroom; all left out and alone. Hopefully you don't feel like me when you are trying to teach someone about the subject of Christ! If we don't understand the language why do we use it? If we don't understand the language why do we think others will? If we don't understand the language of the religion we subscribe to how can we understand the language?
So, are we to learn a whole new language to go along with our religion or are we to change the language of our religion to match our everyday vernacular? Both. We need to understand the language used by the writers of the Bible and we need to be able to 'translate' those words into our everyday language. That souns like a lot of work, but it's worth it to those who need to grow in Christ or meet Him for the first time. 2 Tim 2:15 - look it up.
Have you ever felt that sensation? Perhaps on a trip, or in an airport? Have you ever felt that way at church? I hope not, but it's possible. The way we pastors talk sometimes I wonder if anyone gets it. And I sure hope there are no non-Christians in the service when that happens. They may feel as if they will never understand the religious we are practicing. Like we are in some secret society that wants outsiders to stay outsiders.
Hopefully the non-Christians you have conversations with don't feel like I did in that classroom; all left out and alone. Hopefully you don't feel like me when you are trying to teach someone about the subject of Christ! If we don't understand the language why do we use it? If we don't understand the language why do we think others will? If we don't understand the language of the religion we subscribe to how can we understand the language?
So, are we to learn a whole new language to go along with our religion or are we to change the language of our religion to match our everyday vernacular? Both. We need to understand the language used by the writers of the Bible and we need to be able to 'translate' those words into our everyday language. That souns like a lot of work, but it's worth it to those who need to grow in Christ or meet Him for the first time. 2 Tim 2:15 - look it up.
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