Be Cool

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Ephesians 5:1-2
"Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that." - MSG
I definately do not have the corner market on "cool", and really who does? But what I do know is that Jesus was the ultimate cool person. Of course this depends on how you define cool I would guess.
I do not define cool as it relates to culture, or Hollywood, or a pop magazines, but how it relates to being like Jesus. I would add that it's not in only "knowing ABOUT" Jesus, but "being LIKE" Jesus.
Q: And HOW can we BE LIKE Jesus?
A: Get to know Jesus; then do what He did!
"Now, go ye into all the world and be cool"

Balance

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Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

When trying to maneuver through this life we often forget the reality of the scripture above. I know this is a message that resonates in my heart; "staying biblically balanced". It's so important that we stay balanced in all that we believe and do. It’s easy to get off-base and the fix for that are 2 very critical spiritual disciplines that lend to true spiritual formation;
1) Bible Study - Reading the scriptures!
2) Prayer - Talking with God!


There are 3 others that I believe are important too;
3) Solitude - Being alone!
4) Silence - Being quiet!
5) Fasting - Denying yourself of pleasures for a time... i.e. food, entertainment, etc.

It's very easy to get busy with the day... reading other books, watching tv, playing, doing, busy-work... all fine and good! BUT when we let life crowd out the giver of life we error!

Notice the scripture above; THY WORD is a LAMP and LIGHT…! Let’s stay true to the Words that bring clarity and light to our lives!
Shalom!

Q: Is Myspace sinful?

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A: No!

Mark 7:14-16 "Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart."

I am amazed at what some Christians get up in arms about; Harry Potter, Drinking, The DaVinci Code, Myspace, Gays, great music by great artists who aren't professing Christianity in each song they sing...
Myspace is what it is... a place to connect, engage in converstations, find friends, sell, promote, create community, reach people, meet people, etc. Yes you can see bad stuff on Myspace, hello, it's the internet! There are many places on the internet 50,000 times worse then Myspace! And to that I say... don't go there! Yes, Myspace has some stuff you have to be smart about... to that I say... BE SMART!
I personally have a software protection program that notifies 3 accountability partners what I have looked at on the internet and that includes Myspace profiles.
We (our church) have actually reached people through our Myspace page. This was the whole reason we even created a Myspace page. This is because we believe you CAN NOT reach the world by hiding in your little Christian Cacoon with other Christians.
There are many sites a lot like Myspace; i.e. Facebook, Bebobebo, hi5, flixter, friendster, yuwie, xanga and I am sure there are 100 others. I have heard Facebook is much cleaner (Rated PG) which would be a better choice for a teenager I would think.
Peace!

Beyond the "Box"

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Thomas Edward Lawrence wrote, "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day [believing] that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible."
We've all heard people talk about "thinking outside the box", but the box is still the reference point. I am not sure that is a good thing? Not saying that it isn't, I just wonder if it is a hindrance to all GOd wants to do IN us and THROUGH us?

I believe that the church, me included, needs to be deprogrammed to this kind of limiting thinking. I really think that the Wright Brothers were not just thinking “outside the box”, but BEYOND the box when they took their first flight. I beleive they were thinking way beyond the box!

Our culture, parents, school, friends teach us to live realistic, live on earth. Constantly telling us “we can’t…” not that living realistically is bad, we must “live in the now” as Garth told Wayne in the 1992 film Wayne’s World when he wanted a guitar he couldn't afford. But I think we should allow for the “beyond the box times” as well.

I feel this is extremely necessary for those who serve in the local church. We must think beyond the normal church “ways” of doing things, beyond what has been classified as “safe”, and let’s not use the “box” as a reference point. And just in case you are concerned about me, I DO NOT think the Bible is the BOX! The Bible should be our reference point not some “box” that has been passed down through the ages.

The “box” in my opinion is empty, and God is not in it, and most likely not even around it, He is beyond it!

Reconciliation

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1 Corinthians 13:5
“Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable,
and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.”

TEXT: Luke 19

BIBLE CHARACTER: Zacchaeus


STEPS to RECONCILIATION


1) REPENTANCE.

2) RESTITUTION.

3) REHABILITATION.

CHALLENGE: Take the first step in reconciling a broken relationship.
DIG DEEPER

Monday
[Luke 19]

Do you need to reconcile any relationship?

Tuesday
[Pray]

Pray for the person you need to reconcile with.

Wednesday
[Reflect]

How do you feel about this person?

Thursday
[Think]

What would life be like to be reconciled?

Friday
[Do something nice]

Take that first step to reconcile.

Reflections on Beer and the Bible

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Our Next...
BEER AND THE BIBLE
Tuesday, November 13 - 7:00pm @ FUEL
We had our first Beer and the Bible just a few days ago, and it went very well! We had 45 people there, and we had a wonderful discussion about John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..."
Questions we discussed:
1) Who does God love?
2) What does His love mean to you? In you? Through you?
3) What should be our response to God's love?
4) How should God's love in us affect those around us?
5) How can we show God's love to others?
We had many great conversations... We hope you join us for the next one!

Help Those Who Can Not Help Themselves

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CHILDREN’S CUP INTERNATIONAL RELIEF
I must admit I am touched by the stories of hurting children and those who are oppressed around the world. And I would assume that every human on earth with a heart at all would be saddened by this as well.
Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
The above ministry is just one of the 13 missions organizations we support each and every month to help hurting, lost children in VIETNAM, SWAZILAND, and ZIMBABWE by providing a permanent home for over 200 orphans and providing schooling for 500 at-risk young people.
When I see these children I am reminded of how much EXTRA we here in America have. I actually get sick to my stomach when I see all the excess that is here, when there are parents who are wondering if they will be able to feed their already hungry children. It breaks my heart! I hope it breaks your heart too, but in a good way!

Forgiveness

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Ephesians 4:32
“Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.”

Old Testament Character: Joseph (Genesis 30-50)
WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT…IT’S NOT…

1) EXCUSING what they did.


2) RECONCILIATION.


3) DENYING what they did.


4) FORGETTING what they did.


5) PRETENDING we are not hurt.

DIG DEEPER

Monday
[Genesis 30-35]

Is there someone in your life you need to forgive?

Tuesday
[Genesis 36 - 39]

Are you having difficulty forgiving this person?

Wednesday
[Genesis 40 - 44]

What is preventing you from forgiving them?

Thursday
[Genesis 45 - 49]

Is this bitterness affecting other relationships?

Friday
[Genesis 50]

How would you benefit from forgiving?

I'm in October 22 issue of Newsweek

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Lisa Miller from Newsweek called me last week for an article she was writing entitled, Love Thy (Gay) Neighbor... she mentioned me in her article.

"It is undoubtedly getting much easier to find evangelicals with authentic Bible-belt credentials expressing love and support for their gay friends and neighbors. Gabe Lyons, an author of the Barna study, says he has spoken privately with Daly about his dream of starting a meaningful conversation between the nation's gay and Christian leaders "and not just spout off our views." On Good Friday this year, a pastor named Timmy Gibson from Olathe, Kans., took 15 parishioners to a mall in downtown Kansas City, where all of them held huge pink signs that read GOD LOVES GAYS. Students on a handful of evangelical campuses—Samford University and Eastern University, for example—are starting gay student groups, some without their administrations' approval."


Read the rest of the article: http://www.newsweek.com/id/43417