I can’t write with empty mind the thoughts you steal with joy and hope. I find the best is gone when you leave and the same is true when you return. This is happy and go lucky went to bed a long time ago. What are we doing if not acting like fools to claim the innocence before our betrayals? Your love is wasted on the things defined by subtle hints of preferring this over that. Come to the truth and let it feast on the fatness of your pride. Eat away the lies and the bitterness, and kill the devilish force of self that robs pose of all its beauty. Weak is new and it needs expression in simplicity; the vulnerable are not much for the show. The lights blind and break the puffed up into pathetic pieces. Forgiveness isn’t offered to the perfect but to those willing to accept their need for it. Your mistakes aren’t so important as to defeat grace with all their complexities. Some choose to relinquish control, while others wallow in pity, because of this: You can never rightly deserve anything. If I can convince myself that my failures are too great for the forgiver to forgive then I can convince myself that maybe I, too, am great, and either way pride becomes the winner. Will the carousel of trying to usurp Creator ever end? This thing spins a thousand different ways, each one fighting the constant battle of placing self as supreme, only manifesting the counterfeit truth in different ways: Forgiveness, Future, Right and Wrong, Church Life, Education, Experience, Holiness, Sinners, Money, Happiness, Love, and on in to eternity.

Has anyone read that story in Mark 8:22-26 where Jesus encounters a blind man who was in need of healing? The story goes that Jesus spit on his eyes..that's an interesting component in itself...and then asked if he could see. The man said, "I see men, for I am seeing them like trees, walking about." Apparently Jesus' miracle didn't work on the first try, so he again laid his hands on him and, this time, he could see. What is the point of this story? Why would Mark seek to include it in his gospel. Especially in a gospel that emphasizes the "events" of Jesus' life rather than extensive depth in his teachings. Wouldn't this second attempt at a miracle undermine the purpose of Mark to show that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, with all authority to not only perfrom miracles, but also to save? If you know anything of the structure of Mark, you'll notice all throughout the book certain "bookends" that sandwich truth. There's an opening event or theme followed by some "unpacking" and then closed with something similar to the opening. In this case we have the opening being the healing of a blind man at Bethsaida (8:22-26) followed by some teaching and closed again with another healing of a blind man in 10:46-52. So, what's the point? In the opening healing, you have a blind man who is "healed" but still can't see clearly, requiring Jesus to do it again. Jesus was giving his disciples an object lesson, one that they obviously didn't understand. He was trying to relate to them the truth of how they aren't seeing things "clearly". Immediately after this "unclear" healing, Jesus begins telling his disciples about his death, and what does Peter do? He protests! The Bible says that Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him! In Peter's mind, how could their conquering king restore the kingdom if he was dead? They didn't see clearly. So Jesus again predicts his death in 9:30-32, and this time the disciples argue over who's the greatest in the kingdom. They didn't see clearly. Again for a third time Jesus predicts his death in 10:32-45, and this time James and John are playing politics, asking Jesus to give them the highest status! They still don't see clearly! Jesus ends this section saying, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." Apparently the object lesson was over, or maybe Jesus just got tired of his disciples not getting it, so the next blind man he came across was healed on the "first try", which I think is not a coincidence. Simple Application: Are you seeing Jesus like a tree? Understanding is the marker of a disciple. Do you have understanding? Do you "perceive" the things that God is doing in your life, or the things He wants to do through your life? If it's as clear as mud, ask Jesus to help to help you see clearly!

If you guys haven't heard of the new revolution that is called Shallow Waters Daily Devotional of the Week, you seriously need to check them out. They will prove not only to inspire you in your walk with the Lord, but will also make you laugh. Please joing the revolution and see this link. Go to www.jessewatson.org and look for the installments of Shallow Waters Daily Devotional of the Week.

When will the truth that it's all about the heart ever settle into our hearts? When will we stop taking the truth of the heart to our heads to puff it up and make it seem more secure to outside observers? When will we be satisfied that grace really does cover us and stop working so hard for it? When will we be able to simply live in front of people without postulating the perfection that we think they expect from us? When we stop pretending and start living. Let's stop using the standards of self to determine what is right and wrong. Let's stop forcing agendas on to morality. Let's stop giving preferencial treatment to the things that are easily followed. Let's stop twisting words. Let's stop brutalizing context. Let's stop justifying death as another expression of life. Let's stop making fools of faith. Let's stop following the lead of those with the loudest voices. Let's stop searching for ways around a life submitted. Let's stop inventing a beautiful substitute experience. Let's stop focusing efforts on a presentable outside and replace the disgust of ruined life on the inside. Let's stop pretending, stop lying, stop faking, losing, dying, and start living.

The crippled nature of my existence is emersed in the subleties of my addictions. Every person, strong and weak, exists to defeat at least one divinely inspired test; and each person has developed an efficient ability to defeat in the strength of humanity. Both strong and weak make lists of victories and the occasional failure. The strong boast in their accolades and justify their greatness to be the resounding force of a righteousness achieved. The strong are proud and their names ring truer in their own minds than a thousand amens. The weak forge lists in the shame of failure and the disapproving glances of the sanctified. Victories one and two, but failures ten and a hundred dominate the verdict; apparent lack of power consumes the honesty of the weak, while the strong drown in the wake of their own beauty. Failures one and two, with victories ten and a hundred still deserve death. The standards of sucessfully producing a virtuous life are set on the system of a sin-sick society. The strong can justify life by the failures of the weak and the meritous exploits of achieving perfection, but the death will still come. Even though now I am strong...I am being crippled by the subleties of my addiction, and so this is my prayer...Inspire me to something of reality. Reach into me like you created the universe to do. Give to me the force that raised death to life. Let me be the creation that embraces the purpose of existence, but let me be pure in my pursuits. Callosed hearts don't happen by accident, and neither do passionate pursuits and encounters with you. Give death to the past, even the comforting thoughts of grace given. Let the life of your present presence grow in me until experience is equal to the life of concecration I die to you.

Some things aren't easily understood, like how we all think that we are infallible in our associations with others. Mostly, our lives, as applied socially, amount to nothing more than a collaboration of double standards that we selfishly ignore. Each man searches the path for an easier route, sometimes approaching dangerously close to the flames for a season to secure more ability to control some other person doing the exact same things, each of course suited with an impregnable amount of righteous determination. Rather than assume that most people are calculating and scheming to advance their allotted pawns, I'll merely state that it's the details magnified and mutliplied that pose the biggest threat; the small things, easily forgotten, but easily the foundational elements to any relationship. How someone handles and respects the details is how they endure the entirety of life. It's amusing to think that we can escape the mound of disrespected and mishandled details in our lives; to do so would require nothing less than death. Know that life is detail and the details of your life are not perfect, so don't expect perfection from others, or you will live a life of constant disappointment.

The cycle is the same as it has always been: a momentary grief of continued disobedience and the lack of a true desire to be real. Devotion has been in the context of fear of the supernatural, and emphasizing on the ability to reason and grow in knowledge. But, knowledge of divine things can only create a cynic when that knowledge is void of experience. Continued efforts of the same fabric hopefully won't hurt more than help. Why does experience evoke a response of indifference in a hesitant pursuer? Experience is one of teh most irrational and subjective abilities we have of testifying about divine things. People can convince their minds of all kinds of testimony that would prove the existence of even the most unreasonable entities ie. bigfoot and the lock-ness monster. But, there has to be a place for experience; we can't just eliminate all experience just because some experience is taken too far beyond the accepted limits of reason. It has to be valid for some things and maybe simply not more so than within the context of those who already share certain belief systems. Experience, however, cannot prove the existence of God and we really shouldn't ask it to. Experience can prove only the existence of faith, or belief, in God, and we should allow experience to grow in that arena, and not in the realm of proving or disproving God. Testimony might, however, be able to stand strong if it is a consistent chronicle of percieved divine interaction; afer all, we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. But, experience cannot only be wrapped in the context of feeling better after a long bout with sin. It cannot be returning home after being deployed by self into the realms of a nature that at its very core stands opposed to divine things. There is a battle that is more fiercely contested than any mere loss of human life can comprehend and its casualties are all found in the soul of man, in the form of his sinful and spiritual nature. Experience must thrive in the light of the what is good, holy, and pleasing, otherwise it will not build a foundation of faith, but a foundation cracked with the subtleties of sin, which leads to death. This war is not like other wars; we fight eventhough it's already won. The enemy of our soul gives us the impression that somehow it's worth forfeiting victory to toil in the trenches. Why do we believe his lies so consistently? My prayer is simple: to allow my mind, my battlefield, to conquer the enemy's power to distort my ability to perceive, and thus experience, spiritual things.

You all know "that guy". The guy from high school who was just drenched in arrogance, almost to the point of it being a caricature. This guy was the epitome of perfection, in his own mind. I've made this point in the past when reflecting on life, but to me, I see life as a really good balancing act. Most of the time, as life goes on, you see the hard edges of arrogance begin to be softened as the "reality of life" sets in. The subtle ways that life deals trouble and difficulties, even to the most proud and arrogant, serve as incredible humbling agents. I'm sure if I was to encounter some people from the "old days" I would see them in a completely different light, tested by the circumstances of life and hopefully a little better, and humble, because of it. It's those that continue to live their lives exhibiting incredible pride and arrogance that trouble me the most, primarily because either life hasn't dealt them the same kind of testing moments it has the rest of us, or they just go out of their way to avoid it. Either way they are missing something. Today, while contemplating, I applied this scenario to Christianity. Did you know that there can be some rather arrogant Christians? Surprising I know. How do they get to that point of being calloused, critical, cynical, and judgmental? I think it's not unlike the person who carries over their youthful arrogance into adulthood, they simply either haven't been tested or go out of their way to avoid it. Think about it, Christianity is supposed to be an active faith that should be shared as a light into darkness, not simply the fulfilling chapter in a personal journey to God. Trials and perscecution are built-in features to Christian faith, but for some reason we do everything to avoid them, not realizing that they are vital in keeping us fresh, relevant, and humble. Isolate your faith to where it is all about you, and you will be arrogant. You will judge people. You will criticize the faith of other believers. You will hold your "efforts" for the work of the Lord above all others. You will lose your ability to identify with sinners. You will become detached from ever personally leading anyone to Christ. You will slowly begin to think that you actually do deserve grace, maybe even that you've earned it. Just some thoughts to ponder. Simple Application: Are you suffering from Christian Arrogance? Probably the simpliest test is this: Are you experiencing any level of persectution in your life? How you answer that question will reveal if you are living a Christian life void of the trials and persectutions, because of the name of Jesus, that are guaranteed to come your way. If you are living void of those trials and persecutions, you are in danger of Christian Arrogance.

I was reminded again this week of the need for the Armor of God. It's easy to forget about the reality of the spiritual battle that is taking place right in the middle of our lives, and sometimes without us even thinking about it. I think the only time we actually think about it is when we are feeling the obvious effects of some kind of spiritual warfare taking place, otherwise we live our lives like there has been some kind of peace treaty. I doubt seriously that the enemy of our souls is actively persuaded into signing a peace treaty, leaving us alone. We are in constant battle. I don't want to sound the alarm of paranoia, but some effects of the battle can be so subtle that they don't even register as attacks. Not every tactic of the enemy is catastrophic. I think the simplist and most effective devices are those that are consistent in chipping away at the foundation of our faith, which opens the door to the utlimate collapse that the enemy is surely hoping to accomplish. The admonition in Ephesians 6:13 to, "Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground," is a significant indicator that we are in a battle! The fact that we need to put on armor should be a clear indicator that we will need to use it! Simple Application: Don't wait until the obvious "attacks" of the enemy to clothe yourself with the armor of God. It is possible to guard yourself from the enemy's schemes without looking for a "devil behind every corner." Be aware and actively solidify your relationship with Christ.

What can we learn from the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus called an "evil and adulterous generation?" Jesus had been performing incredible miracles: healing lepers, raising the dead, healing the mute and blind, and casting out demons. He was doing things and saying things with unbelievable authority, an authority that the Pharisees attributed to Satan! In fact they even said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons." Their judgment against Jesus was wrapped in so much hypocrisy that Jesus immediately called their bluff...answering back, "If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out?" There were those from within their ranks who made a profession out of performing exorcisms. Jesus made a strong argument that a house divided against itself will not stand, and if they had any ability to claim Jesus was using the power of darkness to defeat darkness, then they would need to seriously examine their own sons! The point Jesus was making was this: Messiah had come with all authority! These signs that Jesus was performing were fulfilling prophecy. Jesus was living Isaiah 35 and 61! The time to recognize that Messiah had come was now upon them and they couldn't see it! An often misunderstood idea in scripture is this: The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What does it mean? It means exactly this: It is an indictment against the Pharisees for their rejection of Messiah. Jesus tells them that they will not be forgiven, yet after their indictment, they still desire signs! They say, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." Incredible. After they attributed Messiah's earlier signs to Satan and officially begin rejecting Him, they ask for a sign! They were wanting Jesus to perform more spectacular healings and miracles, but Jesus gives the first allusion to his death saying, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." There seems to be every indication that a desire for signs when the Messiah is so obviously already providing them is an expression of rejection in itself. What does a request for Jesus to constantly "prove" himself mean other than to bear witness to overwhelming doubt? Jesus' response is clear: He will meet constant desires for signs with a single act, the resurrection from the grave! The choice to accept or deny that particular sign will be the deciding factor as to whether a person experiences forgiveness or not! Simple Application: What thing are you doubting? What thing is God doing that you are asking for sign after sign after sign for Him to "confirm"? I'm by no means throwing you in the same category as the Pharisees...just some things to think about.

Look at the similarity of the following passages. I wonder what the impact of those similarities really reveals. Abraham's servant addresses Rebekah in Genesis 24:17, "Please let me drink a little water water from your jar." He then reveals the intended plan of offering Isaac in marraige... Elijah and the Widow from Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:10, "please give me a little water in a jar, that I may drink." He then reveals a miraculous provision from God during a time of drought. Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4:7, "Give me a drink." He then reveals His plan of salvation, leading many to beleive. What an incredible use of an ordinary situation, turning it into a life changing moment. I suppose every person that walked to the well, in each instance, wasn't expecting their life to be completely turned upside down. There can be power in the ordinary. There can be life change in an instant. The important thing is to see beyond the routine of ordinary situations, and look for the moment when God can use you to change a life. Simple Application: What are you doing at the well?

I was interested to see what everyone is reading. I find that when I'm pouring into my life through consistent devotions, prayer, scripture, and good books-I'm usually functioning at a higher rate than if I am not intentionally pouring in! What recommendations can anyone make? Let me know!

I am being challenged daily by my Basic Evangelism class at the seminary. I had taken evangelism classes in my undergrad at Central Bible College, so I figured I had a fairly easy grasp of the subject matter. The problem doesn't lie with knowing about evangelism, the problem, I'm realizing, is that actually doing the work of evangelism is something that is seriously missing from most Christian people's experience. For a long time I have bought in to the model of "be a witness and speak if you have to," which I'm realizing has more to do with character than evangelism. The Great Commission is lacking the phrase, "Go into all the world and live rightly before men," or, "Go into all the world and slowly build relationships in order to share the Gospel." There is a time for "lifestyle evangelism" and "friendship evangelism", but there is also a time to proclaim! It seems to me that too many people have forsaken the proclamation of the wonders of who God is and His plan for salvation for the easier "lifestyle" versions of evangelism. What have we done to evangelism that we make it a mute, cowardly, and neglected mandate! We have taken the power out of winning disciples because we have taken the proclamation out of evangelism, and until we put it back we will continue to see decline in our churches because the work of evangelism was meant to be a staple of every believer's life, not simply a thing the church does as an organization through bi-annual events. I've often wondered why people in our churches struggle so much to find the depth of experience with God that they so desperately seek after: I think it is in direct connection with a lack of personal evangelism-telling people about Jesus and offering them hope. I think I can trace my own lack of personal evangelism over the years to one event while I was at Bible College learning the ways to become a Pastor and what it meant to be in "full-time" ministry. I was involved in various ministries throughout my time in Springfield and for the most part felt like I was doing my best to serve God, mostly through those ministries and most always in a "church" environment. I remember one night walking through the neighborhoods close to the campus and distinctly hearing God's voice to knock on a door and share Christ. I had never before heard God speak so clearly. I knew without a doubt that God was leading me to that door, but I said no. I fought against it and just kept walking. I think back to that night often and wonder what might have happened had I listened, had I not justified my "ministry" inolvement in the local church and on ministry teams as a reason why I was excluded from evangelism. I think that night was the beginning of me throwing myself into the "work of the church" as a way to justify my own lack of "proclaiming" to lost people, in season and out. I am so thankful that God is stirring my heart again to snap out of the rut of justifying a lack of personal evangelism! Simple Application: Be sensitive to God's leading and proclaim the Good News! Don't fall into the trap of simply living for God in front of others and think that it's enough....it's only a beginning. Be a witness and speak if you have to...well...at some point...you'll have to!

I am getting really excited about our first Break Stuff Night! It's an elaborate sermon illustration where I've asked the students to bring anything they want to destroy: computer monitors, stereos, old Nintendos, TV's-anything that will be completely awesome to watch get destroyed. Don't be alarmed...there is a point...Matthew 21:44, "He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." I'll have to post the video!

How many of you have ever sat through a sermon and the whole time wondered, "what is the point of all of this?" Or maybe you've been the one preaching and thought, "man, I should just go sit down and let someone else finish...". I think it's always a good idea to remind ourselves that we aren't immune to "missing it." Face it, you aren't the most dynamic speaker in the world. People are not lined up for miles to hear the latest "nugget" that descends straight from heaven and out of your mouth. CNN and Fox News are not simulcasting your services for the masses. And occassionally, just every once in a while you will deliver a "dud". You will be so far form the "pulse" of what your people need to hear that you end up just giving a very well thought out lecture, that on the surface seems to hit all the right buttons, but leaves no lasting change. Here is a very important piece of information-you can assemble a great series, with incredible illustrations and really drive home each point with power, but still lack the necessary element that will see results. That element is the "pulse". What is the pulse of your group? What is God's heart for those particular people at that particular time? And I'm not talking about preaching on gossip because you just found out that there's a bunch of gossips in your church! Look at this passage in Jeremiah 23: 21-22, "I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds. To me, that is an incredible passage and it places an incredible burden upon the messenger to stand in the council of God and hear His message so that we can proclaim it, in order that we might see people changed! Again I ask-what is the "pulse" of your church? What is it that God is telling you when you stand in His council? What message is He giving you to proclaim? Simple Application: Before you start your next series...get the "pulse". I'm interested in hearing from you all...what do you do to ensure that you are getting the pulse? How do you pray and prepare for messages? Give me some feedback!

There were many replies to my review-I was actually surprised by the number-I guess there are more people reading this blog than I thought. The winner is: Jared McCarty of Central Bible College. He has lived and breathed www.mikejames.org since the beginning of the book contest, hoping to win a free book. I suppose that's why I took so long to post the review...to make him wait. Congrats Jared and enjoy a great book!

Wild Goose Chase-A review by Mike James I was inspired while reading Mark Batterson's previous book, "In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day," so, of course, I approached, "Wild Goose Chase," with a similar expectation to find within the contents some "nuggets" of inspiration. One of the most fundamental aspects of the book is that Mark Batterson seeks to write a book not about You or Me-it's not meant to provide us encouragment in OUR quest for spiritual adventure-but to make it clear to us that God is wanting to write HIS-story through our lives. The intention of the book isn't only to inspire us on our journey, but to open us up to the possibilities that lie within the power of the God who wants to accomplish great things through us. The author has outlined 6 cages that keep us from allowing God to truly accomplish great things in us: the cage of responsibility (instead of making a life we end up making a living, FIND your God-ordained passion: in the words of Mother Teresa, "find your own Calcutta."), the cage of routine (don't miss the voice of God because you are drowning in life sucking routine, what can you do to get back the freshness?), the cage of assumptions (challenge the assumptions in your life: "people cannot discover new lands until they have the courage to lose sight of the shore!"), the cage of guilt (sin-grace=guilt, sin+grace=gratitude, what guilt is holding you back-forgive or be forgiven), cage of failure (gaining the right perspective on failures is key), the cage of fear (take some stinkin' risks, are you more worried about missed opportunities or messing up?). I think these are great foundations for serious personal reflection, but one thing that is certain-it's not about us! It's not about us generating a vision after deep personal reflection...it's about getting that God-sized vision for our lives! And I think Mark Batterson does an incredible job of painting that picture. I would encourage you to secure your copy of this book at Borders and begin your chase! The first to reply to michaelneiljames@gmail.com will win a free copy. Please send your name and address.

In order for you to win a free copy of Mark Batterson's, "Wild Goose Chase," all you need to do is email me at pastormike@liberty-assembly.org, as soon as I post my review. The first person to respond to my email after I post my review, will be the winner. Here is what I need...name and address..and a link to your blog. Be checking back because I will be posting my review at any moment throughout the week. Seriously, this is like winning $20.00. Who doesn't like winning $20.00?

Just watched an amazing video talking about laminin. Louie Giglio is speaking on the incredible nature of our existence. He ends his presentation with the development of the protein molecule that holds all our cells together, you will be amazed. Incredible.

I joined the twitter revolution a while ago, for those of you who are not in the know, twitter allows you to give short one-line updates throughout the day to friends and family. It allows people to always know what you're doing...at least when you twitter. Honestly, it's a neat thing in a lot of ways, but at the same time something doesn't sit well about it. I mean twitter is simply an updating service...much like the status updates on myspace or facebook but without the opportunity for further communication at any deeper level. I find myself checking my twitter feeds and being updated on people's lives, but not really communicating with them. Can this communication overload we have through twitter and facebook be sabotaging real communication? Just things I'm pondering as I struggle my way through my twittering experience. Simple Application: Don't let real human communication (face to face, or even on the phone-and not text messaging!) become obsolete!

Here in the next few days I will be receiving two copies of Mark Batterson's new book "Wild Goose Chase" in the mail. One will be for me to read and review, and the other for me to give away right here on the blog. I'm trying to think of a creative way to give it away...maybe to the person who leaves the most comments when I post my review. Be watching... Here is a look inside: Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something… Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure. —Introduction to Wild Goose Chase.

Philosophies about man's condition don't bring any comfort during the pain of man's condition. Without active love and compassion during difficult times, we fail to bring the character of God into relevancy in people's lives. If you can profoundly express the logic of man's sinfulness and need of a savior, and even the continued need for believers to grow, yet never exhibit the character of God to a person during times of need-your theories are dead! My favorite quote by Francis Schaeffer, ''Our calling is to exhibit God and His character, by His grace, in this generation.'' Simple Application: Are you enjoying nice theories of Christianity, or are you actively exhibiting the character of God? When you truly start living that way people will have to notice.

I think truly developing the thought that you can actually accomplish anything is somewhat of an oxy-moron. You can’t accomplish a thing in yourself, yet at the same time, you can. What an interesting parallel we find ourselves in. What do we do to stand in the middle of this predicament? If you lean too heavily to one side, you’ll sink in the self-glorifying abyss and miss it, but lean too heavily to other, and you’ll fall into the powerless depths of never being good enough. There has to be balance. There has to be a place in the middle-working and putting forth personal effort, while understanding that if the steps of the righteous are ordered by God then He will make sure we are exactly where he wants us to be. Where does success enter? Are we all of a sudden successful when we achieve the fruits of our labors? When people give us acclaim? When we have applause? When we take the next step into greater leadership? Or is it when we are faithfully walking, and trying our best to bear fruit where we are-and waiting on God to do the rest? I’ve been reading a lot about leadership, and I'm somewhat unimpressed with the lofty ideas of personal development. I’m tired of reading about the 12 steps to becoming a better leader, or the best ways to maximize your potential. It’s almost like they are giving future leaders manuals on how to manipulate people into doing what they want, rather than focusing on generating a personal God-given vision for a certain situation, or ministry position, first. Do we just assume that people are spending the time truly seeking, and listening to, God for what He wants to do in a given situation? I think it’s dangerous to assume, because if I know people-or myself-then the easiest thing we do is take a good idea for a situation and fast-track it as a God idea. We then run the risk of manipulating people to conform to our agenda, rather than motivate them with a God inspired vision. I’m all for gaining leadership principles-but not at the expense of shortcutting a true vision. I think personal development, or leadership development, apart from a consistent humility before God that truly says, “God, unless you do this thing it won’t happen,” is fundamentally flawed. You cannot seek to be a Christian leader and put the development of carrying out a vision before the actual vision-getting process. I’m not saying that we should bury our heads in a false humility, denying the things we’re good at, or giving up completely by dismissing those things we need to work on to improve ourselves, but what I am saying is that if there is more effort spent on working to improve yourself with natural means than by developing true dependence on God’s power and provision, then you will never be the leader God has designed you to be because you are not following closely enough the lead of the One who is giving the vision. Praise God for men who have found positive and efficient ways to carry out a God-given vision! Thankfully, they can pass their wisdom on to us! Unfortunately, they can't pass their vision on to us. It is our job to search deeply into the heart of God for our people, our churches, our families, and our lives! Simple Application: Before you ever expect to motivate others to accomplish something, make sure that you pass the test of Divine origins. A God-birthed dream will captivate you and truly motivate you, long before it will captivate and motivate anyone else.

I remember having to write about this statement in college, and either agree or disagree with it: Every man is an island. I'm sure back then I was probably young and stupid enough to think that I could take on the world alone and survive, but over the last few years I've realized just how important it is to surround yourself with people who can encourage, strengthen, and motivate you. I am so thankful for my wife. Eventhough I have dragged her into a life of ministry (with all the joys and pains that brings) she's adapted well and is continuing to grow into that "new" role as pastor's wife. I was thinking the other day about my first ministry position out of college: I was young, single, and clueless. I wonder how much different things would have been if she was there with me. I believe that she is just now starting to realize the incredible opportunities that are waiting for her. I'm thankful for friends who periodically call or send an email; it's good to be reminded by friends, some of whom have been separated by a long distance for some time, that the impact I had on their lives still holds value-and vice versa. I'm thankful for new friends who can challenge and sharpen my life. I'm thankful for podcasts and blogs of leaders I respect-what a great tool for ensuring that someone is always pouring in and mentoring-even from hundreds of miles away. I'm thankful for the incredible resource of books by amazing theologians, philosophers, church leaders, and pastors. I'm thankful for family who can provide a sounding board and good advice. Here is a good piece of advice: If you aren't intentionally surrounding yourself with people who can help bring out the best in you, then you will, by default, be surrounded by people who will probably not take time to actively pour into your life. Simple Application: Find a mentor or find a detractor, the choice is yours.

Have you ever known anyone who was so radical about Jesus, and sharing His message, that it seemed like they took the "machine gun" approach to evangelism? It's almost like any person that happens to be standing around will be assaulted with the truth claims of Jesus, ready or not! Maybe you've driven downtown and seen the people holding signs outside of certain establishments condemning everyone to hell. I think it is vital to share the message of hope and forgiveness we have through Jesus, but I think there's so much more to it than a simple mass assault. Leading a person into saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is not a game. It's not something that we can justify away by saying, "at least I shared Christ." If all you are doing is dropping "Gospel bombs" on people and waiting until the dust clears to see who has been impacted, then I can assure you that you are not being as effective as you could be. Could it be that God is more interested in you listening to His leading to influence specific people at specific times, rather than simply being an evangelism superstar for a few hours on a Saturday night? I believe that God is in the business of supernaturally drawing people to himself and he employs us to accomplish a great deal of the work. Are we listening? When God says go, do we know to where He's sending us? When God says hold off and wait, are we listening, so that we won't do damage? Is God burdening us with specific people to share His love with? I believe that if you can't share the Gospel with those people who you are constantly around, then you have no business doing the work of evangelism, because it starts with those closest to us, those that we have the most influence over. Acts 16:6vv, "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to...During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Simple Application: Let the Holy Spirit lead you to those that He wants you to be a witness. I promise you'll be more effective!

I believe in fighting double standards. I believe in not being labeled something that I'm not. I believe that some things are right and some things are wrong, and I can't compromise. I believe that there are standards that qualify people for certain things. I think decision are best made by rational people. Frustrations don't always have to be the result of emotional issues. I believe that selfish people are blind. I think they are impossible. I think I'm tired of losing. I think there are forces that want to destroy life, some don't see the truth. Some people blame, others work towards resolutions. I believe quarrels will harden hearts over time. I believe there is no purpose in continuing in futility. I believe this day would be a great time for freedom.

Acts 13:9, "Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas (the sorcerer) and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about , seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord." Acts 9:3, "Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him (Saul). He feel to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do..." Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing...and later...Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized." There are a lot of interesting parallels in these two stories. Do you see how Paul uses the method of his own conversion to proclaim the gospel to the proconsul? Paul was a vicious enemy of the gospel; Elymas was also a man working against the ways of the Lord-both were effective in hindering the spread of the gospel: Paul as a persecutor, Elymas as a false prophet. Paul was struck with blindess and heard the voice of the Lord, leading to his conversion and call into Christian service. Paul struck Elymas with blindness as a sign of the gospel he was preaching to the proconsul, leading to his conversion and belief in the gospel. What can we learn here? I think that, at some level, whatever means God used to bring you to repentance can be useful in leading others to Christ. I think we need to embrace the work of grace in our lives and seek out opportunities to minister to others in a similar context. Will God always have us minister from the familiar? No. But I think there is definite power when we proclaim the power of God to minister to a person, or situation, that we have personally seen manifested in our own lives. Simple Application: Is your grace encounter leading you to extend the love of God to others, or is it just an exhibit in your personal museum of spirituality?

Why is consistency so often replaced with complacency? It's almost like it takes over. You desire to consistently do a thing, and instead it seems like the only thing that is consistent is the complacent. I wonder what happens in the transition? What motivates a thing to become stagnate and eventually forgotten, needing a jump-start intervention later on? Do we train ourselves to rely on our own personal focus intervention to set things right again, jumping from peak to peak, rather than being steadily taken on a journey from one stop to the next? I think things get damaged in the process of setting ourselves up on a mountain top and having to jump all the way back up again when we fall off. We need to stop relying on the "jump" to redeem us, to put us back on track, or to make us consistent-AGAIN! We've got to find the balance of being consistent-which means finding the triggers for whatever causes the complacent to swell and suck the breath out of a life of consistency, whether it's because of routine, boredom, a lack of vision, pride, spiritual emptiness, or whatever it might be... Simple Application: Are you being consistent? A person of prayer? A person in the Word? A good spouse? Dedicated to God's plan for your life? Join me in fighting complacency!

The fact that I have an affinity for fast food is no secret. I'm sad to say that it is a thing of the past. My wife has convinced me to start living a healthier lifestyle. I have to admit I was nudged a little by a post from Jesse Watson telling men to get healthy and be there for their families for the long haul. I am now four days in and actually feeling pretty good. They say it takes 3 weeks to solidify a habit, we'll see...Shannon has even starting making my lunch. I'm not sure if it's to help me out, or to catch me cheating if I come home with a full lunch box!

I wasn't able to post last week while I was at camp so here's a little catch up: God's presence was refreshing this past week. I felt almost re-introduced to the awe of just enjoying the presence of God. Kind of sad that I haven't been "there" more often as of late. God is doing deep works in my heart and life. I am feeling the pressure of making sure things are ready in the next two months to "officially" launch our ministry this fall. We have made incredible leaps forward and now is the time when things will take off or remain the same-and it all hinges on my ability to effectively cast vision and have the systems in place to carry it out. We are working on it.

I think I might be a Pharisee. Not on purpose, but merely by a series of simple compromises. According to Timothy Keller's definition I might have slipped deeply into serving God out of a Pharisaic motivation: "Despite all their legal righteousness, then, Pharisees have lives that are, if anything, more driven by the despair of sin. They build their sense of worth on their moral and spiritual performance, as a kind of resume to present before God and the world...Pharisees know deep down that they are not fully living up to those [standards]. They are not praying as often as they should. They are no loving and serving their neighbor as much as they should. they are not keeping their inner thoughts as pure as they should. The resulting internal anxiety, insecurity, and irritability will often be much greater than anything experienced by the irreligious." wow. How often can we find ourselves in this cycle? I think the danger lies in the fact that since we have experienced a very real conversion experience, and maybe even many fulfilling moments since in our Christian life, we can begin to place our value on the standards of being devoutly religious, finding our identity in those things. As time evolves, our motivations, even if they lead us to the same intended results, have the power to cripple our spiritual life. A motivation to gain approval before God and men that leads us to "acts of intimacy" with God is still fundamentally flawed. To base our identity on service to God, or even the amount of time spent in prayer and the Word can only create spiritual pride or spiritual faking. Our identity must be firmly rooted in the unmerited grace of Jesus Christ, changing our motivation and putting a heart within us eager to love and serve God. I am struggling right now with really understanding where I sit in the equation. I know the sincerity that rests in my heart, but I also know all the other junk that lives there too. I need a fresh outpouring of grace to check my motives. Simple Application: What are your motives? Are you creating spiritual pride and spiritual faking?

Youth Pastors, are you having a hard time with crowd control? You might want to consider getting one of these Can you imagine the consequences?

I'm reading Timothy Keller's , The Reason For God, and am thoroughly enjoying it. I find it an easy read, which for a book with an apologetic nature that is a rarity. Here is a great illustration the author quotes from philosopher Alvin Plantinga on the issue of the creation of the universe, "He imagines a man dealing himself twenty striaght hands of four aces in the same game of poker. As his companions reach for their six-shooters the poker player says, 'I know it looks suspicious! But what if there is an infinite succession of universes, so that for any possible distribution of poker hands, there is one universe in which this possibility is realized? We just happen to find ourselves in one where I always deal myself four aces without cheating!'" This argument will have no effect on the other poker players. It is technically possible that the man just happened to deal himself twenty straight hands of four aces. Though you could not prove that he had cheated, it would be unreasonable to conclude that he hadn't." Another illustration by John Leslie, "imagine a man who is sentenced to be executed by a firing squad consisting of fifty expert marksmen. They all fire from six feet away and not one bullet hits him. Since it is possible that even expert marksmen could miss from close range it is technically possible that all fifty just happened to miss at the same moment. Though you could not prove they had conspired to miss, it would be unreasonable to draw the conclusion that they hadn't." Of course these illustrations are in a context of examining the "clues for God", one of which is the incredible way we exist in the midst of the perfect combination of elements and conditions. While I suppose it is possible that life could have "happened" without a Creator, I find it hard to trust the one in a trillion-trillion chance, but more difficult to understand is the way this potentially random formation is sustaining itself: the clues lead to a Creator.

Psalm 91:1, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." He who dwells-takes residence, lives, rests in the shelter-safety, comfort, protection what is it to dwell in the secret place? -Psalm 91:9, "If you make the Most High your dwelling..." -intentional, dilibertate, action -acceptance of God's grace -Loving God, calling on upon Him (vs. 14, "Because He loves me..He will call upon me...") "Dwelling" involves making it a priority to be in the shelter of the Most High, by making it a priority to love Him and call upon Him. "Dwelling" requires some activity. It isn't simply resting in the knowledge of salvation, or even in the plan of salvation. It is an active rest: one that involves diliberate, intentional intimacy with God. Colossians 3:3, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." -We are given access to the "secret place of the Most High" through Christ. Look at some of the things that aren't found there: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language... -Look at some of the things that are found there: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing others burdens, forgiveness, love, peace of God, thankfulness, dwelling in God's word, singing psalms, hymns, and spirtual songs. simple application: Am I actively resting in God's presence by intentionally, diliberately seeking intimacy with God?

Shannon returned home yesterday! It was so great to see her again. I can now go back to being a fully functioning adult. Anyway, welcome home love.

We were privileged to meet Alicia Britt Chole at our District Council, through which we were put in contact with her book, "Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years...and yours." Our Pastor began a study, loosely based on the materiel and ideas found in that book, and it was an amazing 40 minutes. Let me share some highlights: -The iceberg principle: 10% is visible above the surface, 90% invisible (making it indestructible) -It's the hidden parts of life that will make your life either destructible or indestructible Jesus Pattern Day 1- Holy Birth- followed by hidden days Day 8- Dedication- followed by hidden months Year 2- Wise Men visit- followed by hidden years Year 12-Temple Visit- followed by hidden years Year 30-Baptism- followed by 40 hidden days Jesus began his public ministry with God's love and approval. That approval existed before Jesus did any saving, healing, redeeming. God was pleased with Jesus because of what he did in hidden times. He was preparing himself all throughout the hidden, secret times of his life in order to be ready when the time was right for his life to take a very public role. simple application: Can God be pleased and approve of me in the secret places of my life? Are we actively seeking to develop ourselves in the hidden place, or short-cutting the moments meant to be spent growing, learning, and preparing for what God has in store for our lives?

Shannon has been in Georgia now since last Thursday, visiting her family, and I'm realizing just how pathetic I am without her. I can't sleep at night, I'm eating way too much fast food, I'm bored out of my mind, and I'm basically barely functioning in general. And I've got another week of this still ahead of me! Hopefully I can make it.

Yesterday we got a call from Georgia (home for Shannon) that her great-grandmother, everyone calls her "Big Mama", was desperately needing prayer because she was very near the end. So, we made the necessary arrangements and Shannon boarded a plane yesterday to be able to spend some time with her before she passes. As of right now, I don't have any updates, other than that she is doing much better-but still very serious. I was struck by the fact that Shannon has never lost a close family member before, and, when I think of it, my grandfather passing away a few years ago was a first for me as well. Surprisingly, it never gets any easier losing loved ones, even when they've lived a long fruitful life. I'm reminded every time I feel the pain of losing a loved one just how broken humanity is apart from God. It's almost like our pain is humanity's way of shouting out the truth at the center of life-that we weren't created to experience this! Even our bodies know, at some level, the original plan of creation. We might get better at dealing with death, but we were never really supposed to experience it, and I think that's why it's always a shock. If anything, death reminds us of our broken nature. It tells us that our existence needs fixing, and death is just a glimpse and symptom of the separation of humanity from God. I can only hope in the fact that Christ came to bring that redemption, and make us fully alive in God! So, in the next few days while we wait, we'll be reminding ourselves of that hope, and hopefully be able to find the peace he promises while we trust in him. Pray for Shannon and her family.

Let’s imagine that we’re invincible and pretend to not feel the vicious attacks of tongue and indifference. Let’s communicate our apathy with the ease of simply giving up. Why don’t we just ignore the issues completely and then throw ourselves to something else entirely? The sticks and stones hurt for reasons of otherwise unreachable reality: the sting of life is one that bruises while it blesses, hurts while it heals, and loathes while it loves. True emptiness cannot be found in humanity as long as that humanity still has breath, no matter how dispensable the condition might seem. A connection is always made, from an unconscious need to belong, to something with the power to fulfill the most basic of life’s functions: interconnectedness. The treasure of the heart is always being spent on something, whether eternal or temporal, consequential or insignificant, even real or imagined. Feelings of betrayal and complete isolation are considerable maneuvers meant to usurp the ability of humanity to know the joy of inviting a major blessing into life: relationships that encourage, strengthen, and sustain. Here’s the truth: humanity will connect to something because it is bound by its very nature to do so, and if it isn’t getting meaningful connections with other people, and even God, it will ultimately secure those needs through other things. Simple application: Are you giving yourself to building meaningful relationships with others, or are you content to fill the void with “stuff”?

Weird title, I know. I've been involved in ministry for quite a while now and I think it entitles me to question certain things, like: will the debate over hymns vs chorus' ever end? Will people ever regain their personal involvement in the mission of the church and not leave it up to the professionals (pastors)? Do we need Royal Rangers to succeed in reaching boys (to anyone affiliated with Royal Rangers-please don't be offended by that one, it's just an example)? Does it really matter what color the carpet is? Will the world really end if we rearrange the stage every so often? But more serious questions as well, like: Does anyone in the community even know where our church is? Are we making a difference in people's lives-who don't regularly attend our church? Is the ministry we work so hard at actually producing the results it needs to be producing-people equipped to do ministry themselves? Are we humbly seeking God's direction in the things we do, or have we just become very good at giving God permission to bless our efforts? Are we praying? Are we growing? Are we surrendered? I'm reminded of these questions when I see church services that are so well put together that it seems like they are an end in themselves, and not a means to an end. Don't misunderstand my sentiment, I enjoy a quality service done with excellence in every area, but if the thing is steeped in flash and no foundation, it's dangerous and ultimately ineffective. If the leaders are all charisma, hype, and flash, then I have a fear that the ministry has drifted, maybe in small ways, from its purpose. Just some thoughts. Simple application: Guard your ministry by asking yourself this question: Is my "flash" fleshy? (is it about me?)

I was reminded again this week of Isaiah 44:12 vv- "The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm...the carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; and roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man..that it may dwell in a shrine...he cut down cedars...it's man's fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles the fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it." Simple application: what common thing are you allowing to become an idol in your life?

"If you want to maintain an image of infallibility, find something else to do besides leading people," J. Oswald Sanders

Quote from Randy Alcorn's book: The Grace and Truth Paradox.

Alcorn states, "We should never approach truth except in a spirit of grace, or grace except in a spirit to truth. Jesus wasn't 50 percent grace, 50 percent truth, but 100 percent grace, 100 percent truth." (John 1:14) Through an amazing analogy, Alcorn illustrates the power of God's grace. Imagine a great and generous king. In the midst of his benevolent reign, he hears that his subjects have revolted. He sends messengers to investigate. The rebels kill them. So he sends his own dear son, the prince. They murder him viciously, hanging his body on the city wall. What would you expect the king to do now? Send his armies and take revenge, right? Kill those rebels! Burn their villages to ashes! The king certainly has both the power and the right to avenge himself. But what if the king turned around and offered these criminals a full pardon? "I will accept my son - whom you murdered - as the pyment for all your rebellion. You may go free. All I require is for you to admit your transgressions and embrace my son's purchase of your forgiveness." We'd be stunned - blown away - to hear this, wouldn't we? But the king's not finished. "I invite any of you to come live in my palace, eat at my table, and enjoy all the pleasures of my kingdom. And I will adopt you as my own children and make you my heirs, so everything tht's mine will be yours forever." Incredible. Then he says, "I won't force you to accept my offer. But the only alternative is spending the rest of your life in prison. The choice is yours." That is a grace that is hard to comprehend. That is the grace we have been given. Yet some still want to point a finger at God and call Him unjust and unfair.

A basic belief that life is a bigger story than simply the story of us would lead anyone to believe that there must be a plan for life, and that plan must be discovered and followed. The Planner of the plan has a plan for every life. When worry and doubt cloud our abilities to figure out the plan, it’s not a stretch to assume that the plan is being forced and not followed. Forcing is not listening, not trusting, not humble, not surrendered, and not best. Following is focused on knowing that there is a plan, it’s lining up with that plan, it’s listening, it’s trusting, it’s humble, it’s surrendered, and it is the best option for living with purpose. I think forcing is a symptom and expression of selfishness. Forcing only happens when something isn’t meeting our expectations or desires. When things are one way and we think they should be another, we force. When things don’t meet our comforts, we force. When things give an advantage to another person over us, we force. We manipulate, and conform, our circumstances according to whatever we desire. Isn’t this the American dream? Making your life into something important, something great, and something worthwhile? The American dream doesn’t have to be baptized in the fire of selfish expression and then forced. It can be an expression of diligent and selfless following.

Joshua 3, "Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites (remember there was millions of them) set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before...Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." There are more than a few great things in this passage, but one that stands out as extremely relevant. Joshua had an issue on his hands...getting millions of people to cross a river that was by no means an easy obstacle. He could have looked at this situation as simply something that needed a little hard work or planning, maybe even delegating the decision of what to do to a committee. But Joshua knew that this issue needed to be fought on spiritual grounds, and that is why he sent the Ark of the Covenant (the physical representation of God's presence) before the people, so that they could follow God's presence and direction. Simple application: What issues or obstacles are we facing that we have been trying to overcome with our own abilities, rather than by trusting in God and seeking His presence and guidance? I believe we can listen and hear Joshua saying to us: "consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." part one part two

Check this out. Unbelievable. Really. woman stuck to toliet

I read an article in the sports section this morning that prophetically declared that absolutely no work would be done today by men sitting in offices. I found that to be a little true as I've found myself checking this site frequently.

Yesterday I went to see this: It was a mixture of wonder and disgust with an aftertaste of shame.

I'm so close to being finished...yet...so far

I have been working on the Easter production for church, learning the ropes of video editing, and making some progress-when it all crashed! I lost everything...and my computer had to be "born-again" as well. I have a love/hate relationship with technology at this point. All is ok, however, because I'm already beyond the point I was at before the catastrophic failure.

Have you ever thought about just how true truth is, or thought about truth in light of the also very real things that stand opposed to it? The opposite of a thing validates not only its own reality, but the reality of the thing it's opposing. Our basic ability to classify a thing-A and another thing non-A, means that we were given the ability to know truth and non-truth equally. The question I ask is this: Does truth have to , in itself, validate non-truth? Simply because a thing is true doesn't mean that it will be responsible for "creating" its own opposing non-truth, because it doesn't need it to exist-it stands independent of its opposite. But a thing described as a non-truth as it stands opposed to truth must have truth to validate itself. A non-truth can't reasonably exist without its opposite, truth. A non-truth, therefore, must always come after a truth, being born out of a perversion of truth. If God is the creator of existence and, as the beginning of that existence, is unable to tell a lie, then it is reasonable to assume that God and truth are the same, the things God reveals about Himself are true, and that truth is as eternal as God, because God is truth. You can pin this logic to any of the major ontological arguments and show that evil, pain, suffering, and sickness shouldn't be viewed as having always existed, eliminating the responsibility of God to have "created" these things.

How can humanity remain so calloused and unaffected when visited by the creator, yet blush when in the presence of celebrity? All of creation speaks to the glory of God, truly declaring Him to be the Famous One!

Look at your culture of friends: what do you see? Is there anyone around you who needs to be influenced by you? If you listenend to your sociology professor, you might remember that people tend to gather into groups and form community based on certain shared characteristics-race, religion, background, etc. Unfortunately, Christians aren't exempt from this natural occurance. I don't want to downplay the role of Christian fellowship, because I believe it's vital for spiritual growth and accountability, but I do want to shed some light on some problems I see in the friend culture of many Christians: Take this test: 1. All of your friends are Christians T/F 2. You fear being friends with non-Christians T/F 3. Your social life revolves around church activities T/F 4. You don't see a need to have non-Christian friends T/F 5. You don't know how to lead someone to Christ T/F If you answered True more times than False I can almost assure you that your friend culture is too exclusive-I can almost guarantee that you will not lead a single person to Christ this year. Please hear what it is I'm saying and more importantly what it is I'm not saying: I am not saying to not have Christians friends and dedicate time to building those relationships. I am saying to bring light into darkness through relationships with non-Christians. I am not saying to only associate with non-Christians. I am saying to be able to lead a person to Christ you must have some contact with people who are not already in your "group". Get it? Now rethink your friend culture and influence people toward a relationship with Christ.

Last night I went to a debate at a seminary in town featuring Bart D. Ehrman, author of "Misquoting Jesus" & Mike Licona, author of "Paul Meets Muhammed". The debate was on the question, is the resurrection of Christ provable? It amazed me to watch these men, who obviously stand at complete extremes of the issue, go back and forth with point and counterpoint each explaining why their point of view is correct. After all of the references made to Apollonius of Tyana and other "christ motif" figures in history, historical references to "resurrection-like accounts, and explainations of history seeking the most probable occurance, I couldn't help but come to a simply conclusion-no one won the debate. History didn't prove Christ's resurrection that night, nor did it disprove it. I came away from that debate frustrated because it's clear that the acedemic disciplines fail to prove or disprove theological issues-the only one that comes close, mostly due to the logic it imploys, is philosophy. The argument really shouldn't have been is Christ's resurrection proven by history, but that does God exist at all? Point and counterpoint of the debate last night were both motivated by different presuppositions: one that God exists, therefore making Christ's resurrection the most probable occurance (because God raised Him!) and one that God doesn't exist, therefore making Christ's resurrection the least probable occurance. No question was answered independent of those precepts and therefore no real good was done.

Joshua chapter 2 Joshua sent out two spies on a mission. First thought: Joshua wasn't sending them someplace he had never been. He was leading from an understanding of what he was asking of them. Simple application: don't ask the people to pray more, to give more, to sacrifice more, to be involved more-if you are not doing the same things. Second thought: the mission-Joshua said, "Go look over the land, especially Jericho." The "especially Jericho" part stands out to me and makes me ask why? What is so important about Jericho? It was a fortified city with a water source, simply-it was the best of the area. Which means it would be the most difficult to capture, yet contain the biggest rewards when it was captured. Simple application: we can't be afraid to seek out the difficult situations or dreams, because they often contain the biggest payoff.

I found this old post and thought it needed resurrecting... Time plays tricks and I feel like the future becomes the stepchild to excuses and the perfect defense to the weak. If you don't enjoy the present you can just claim sanctuary in the cathedral of future. If decisions need to be ignored put them on the slow train to tomorrow. If feelings need to be spared invite your fear of confrontation to sign the peace treaty of an emotionless and undefined time to be announced. Ride the fence and make plans for a future that you know might never happen. Give it enough accumulations of days and a thing that is nothing might become something. Give false hope in the abused form of future, it even enjoys the dysfunctional affection of being lied to. Time plays tricks and I feel like we claim too much responsibility for things we can't change. The moments that were weak are gone. The moments that beg you to raise them from the grave should be comfortably enjoying their resting place not shouting for new life. The love's that seemed so real are better known as missed opportunities now. It's even too late for the words not said, the thoughts not acted upon, and the decisions not made. It's even time to release the over-celebrated successes and stop reliving the moments when everything was perfect; perfection is something to be strived for and it's certainly not found in the past. Time plays tricks and now is the time to liberate mind, soul, and body with simple applications. First, be honest about intention. Don't play along with the tricks of time and utilize the comfort of allowing the future to be what it may. Second, don't allow the voice of time passed to cloud the truth of reality lived in the present; whether good or bad. Third, if you must reference future, do so with the brutal understanding that it doesn't belong to you.

"If leadership is rooted in service, then service is rooted in encouragement. Leaders help unlock the strengths and passions of people through encouragement." -Brendon Burchard

I have decided to begin a systematic study of the Book of Joshua and I'm finding so many principles leaping out of the pages. Here are some key thoughts I have right now. Joshua 1:2, "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give...to the Israelites...(vs. 5)...No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life." What a promise! But it is founded on another promise...that God would be with him and never forsake him. Yet, in the midst of the promise that no one could stand against him, and that God would never leave him or forsake him, God commands Joshua four times to be strong and courageous. Verse 6, "Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people..." There are a few things that interest me here. God didn't give Joshua a if/then proposition. He didn't say, "If you are strong and courageous then you will lead." He says, "because you will lead be strong and courageous." God had chosen Joshua. He was going to use Joshua and he needed Joshua to rise up to the call. I think the people following Joshua needed him to be strong and courageous more than anything. He had to win their confidence and trust. The key to Joshua's leadership success, however, wasn't that he was strong and courageous, but that he was careful to obey all the law, not turning from it, and meditating on it day and night. Verse 8b, "Then you will be prosperous and successful." Our competence as leaders must be motivated by obtaining a clear vision from God and then having the strength and courage to cast that vision to those who will follow us, while maintaining the priority of living out the Word that is hidden in our hearts.

I just talked to one of my former students yesterday and what he said challenged me greatly. He told me of his plans to put off going to college so that he could give every cent he earned to missions. I was blown away, and immediately convicted. I wondered if I've ever sacrificed that much to be obedient to God. Could I give every dollar I make to God? Or what if it isn't money that God is requiring from me? What if it's obedience in another area? I guess the real question is: Am I listening?

I left for church at about 6:20 am and didn't arrive until almost 7:15. It's supposed to take 15 minutes. I'm always amazed by the people who drive a million miles an hour when there's 5 inches of snow on the ground. The drive home should be fun.

I'm reading the book, "Love and Respect," by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, and it is somewhat of an answer to prayer. I had heard of the book, but never read it-mostly because I wasn't married; on September 29, 2007, that changed and so did my need to really understand how to be a good husband. Which is a completely new dimension of my life that, although I'm a Pastor and Christian, I was utterly unprepared for. Here are some key thoughts that I needed to remind myself of: "We easily see what is done to us before we see what we are doing to our mate," "His love motivates her respect and her respect motivates his love." The author goes beyond the common themes of communication barriers and I feel pinpoints the cycle of conflict that my wife and I sometimes find ourselves in: "Without love she reacts without respect; without respect he reacts without love." I highly recommend this book to anyone. The foundational scripture the author uses for this book is Ephesians 5:33, "Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." I'm anxious to read through it with Shannon.

This is my prayer. I'm sure it won't be exactly like yours, but it should motivate you to ask yourself this question: Am I dealing with God in honesty? "God, let me deal with you in honesty. Honest in my pride, admitting that it needs to be defeated. Honest in my anger, realizing that there shouldn't be such a struggle to find joy and peace. Honest in humiltiy, finding a way to remind myself that I truly am nothing when compared to you. Honest in my need, forfeiting self-dependance for the recklessness of giving you complete control." It's easier to fake spirituality when isolated, because there's no one to be accountable to; only self. An isolated person is usually a liar, lying about relationship with God and love for others. At what point can an isolated person break free of the cycles that keep them isolated? The path to freedom has been so familiarly faked that it's hard to get off of that path. This is key: The most reliable avenue is to give the Word of God a chance to be the light that will open up more God-directed paths to freedom. I find it true that when I feel like I am going nowhere spritually, eventhough I might even be spending time in prayer and worship, it's because I haven't placed the Word of God in its rightful place, to guide my life. Think about it, we can lie to ourselves in prayer, making ourselves "feel" like we are getting closer to God-just because we are using words, and, in the same way, our hearts can be far from being in the right place when we worship. But, when we hide the Word of God in our hearts, and begin to do what it says, there is no chance of being led in the wrong direction. I think the whole point is this: God's word will make us deal with Him in honesty.

Has anyone ever been so irritated with a person, or situation, that you start questioning your own salvation? It's almost like your anger is saying, "There is no way that I am showing the love of God to anyone ever!" There are times when I find myself in that exact spot: annoyed at the kid taking my order at the fast-food place, road-raging my way down the street, being impatient while standing in line, or upset with someone for not doing something exactly the way it should have been done the first time. Now, there are some justified moments when a little righteous indignation does a little good, but mostly when I find myself getting upset unjustifiably, I also find that my concern for the needs and hurts of others is easily forgetten as well. These are questions I ask myself: 1. Is my annoyance compatable with humility? Many frustrations can be attributed to a lack of humilty, which causes us to think we deserve more than we really do. 2. Am I seeing all there is to see in this situation? Find the purpose for whatever the issue is. If a person is at the center of the contention there might be a need in that person's life that isn't being met, and they might need you to meet it, and why not in that situation! 3. Can God be pleased with my attitude? I don't want my life to resemble a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. The only way to ensure that it is something pleasing to God is to ensure that I am constantly living out the love of God.

I've forgotten what it was like to be a golf fan until today. Why? Because today Tiger Woods is back in action.

I don't usually make a New Year's resolution because I know how pointless they are, not because change isn't a good thing, but because I know myself well enough to know that it won't last. I decided to give myself one more chance this year, and in doing so I decided that I would stay away from the obvious: losing weight, working out, no more fast food, less XBOX 360, more books. Instead, I took a second to realize how isolated I've become. I've let my relationships become dusty in a lot of ways. I haven't intentionally neglected friends or family, I've simply bought into the lie that I'm just busy enough to not have to put forth effort and it be ok. I think when we are able to let go of our relationships with others, in a way, we are letting go of a major dimension of how our faith is supposed to be lived out and strengthened. Those people that had been major influences, are now more in memory than in fellowship, and I think I suffer a little for it. This is what I've decided to do this year: Be intentional about my relationships with friends and family, allowing myself to be strengthend, encouraged, and even useful. I think we should all try living out this Biblical principle of loving God and loving others.

I'm learning more about the way I truly view life as each day passes. I think I've been stuck for a while in the realm of Christian thought that for some reason seems best suited to stay wrapped up, in all of its complexities, as an idea. That form of Christian thinking is so hard to live out because it isn't practical. Faith is a complex issue, especially Christian faith. There are some amazing concepts that a person truly has to wrestle with and accept. But is it really as hard as we make it? If we are supposed to have the faith of a child, then why do we make our grown-up faith so difficult? What use is it to a person trying to live for Christ if they can win the battle of truly knowing theology and every nuance of the Bible, but when tested, can't do what it says? Our pursuits to know God shouldn't be taken hostage by our minds; almost like the tool God has given us to know Him is sometimes betraying its purpose by leading us around in theological circles and vain pursuits purely for knowledge about God. It is my hope that the more I know about God, the more I will truly encounter Him. My challenge is this: Are my studies hindering or helping? Am I living out what I strive to learn? Am I like Jesus?

Some lessons are better learned by watching others struggle through them, rather than by trying to do it yourself. For you anti-DIY'rs out there, learn a lesson in simple honesty from me. My wife has this unbelievable love for animals-it is almost consuming. The compassion she has for the lost and dying little puppies, kittens, and rabbits of the world greatly impacts whatever schedule or agenda there was previous to the arrival of their helpless condition. On one such occassion I was driving Shannon to work when, with the precision of an eagle's eye, she noticed a helpless little puppy. She made me pull the car over while she got out to rescue this little animal. It was like a scene from a movie; the little guy sprinted into her arms and they twirled around in a loving embrace...Anyway, at this point she's so worked up about finding this puppy's home, she starts knocking on doors asking if anyone knew where it belonged. Of course, no one did. This puppy was about to make her late for work, and so my wife says to me, "after you drop me off at work, I want you to take it to a shelter." At that point, I had to. But, here's the problem, it's a lot harder than you might think to drop a puppy off at a shelter. I don't know how many places I tried to take that puppy and each time I was gently denied. I, too, was on a time budget, and that's when I made the pivotal mistake. I thought to myself, I can drop this puppy off where we found it and surely someone will find it; so that's exactly what I did. I made my mind up that I would go to my grave letting Shannon think the puppy was safe and sound in an animal shelter awaiting its rightful owner. She called me later that day asking about the puppy and I led her to believe that I had indeed dropped the puppy off, and that was the end of it. Or so I thought. The very next day as she was driving to work, guess what she saw? And then I had a lot of explaining to do.

What I am currently doing? I am a student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and I am loving it. I'm in the process of earning either a Master of Arts in Biblical Languages, or a Master of Divinity; I'm not fully committed to making that decision for at least another semester. What are my passions? I think, like with anything, passions change over time. Right now, I'm focused on learning. I feel consumed by the desire to gain a deeper insight into Scripture, and, for me, the only way I can do that is by learning the Biblical languages. My desire is to someday actually know what I'm talking about. Where do I see myself in 5 years? Hopefully in 5 years I'm finished with my Masters and involved in a New Testament PhD program. I would love to also be involved in some form of teaching ministry.