Ampd Youth Ministry

Raising a Generation of Revolutionaries

2011-03-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

I have been working through Pastor Sergio De La Mora's Book "The Heart Revolution." It is full of rich life impacting stuff and I thought I would share some of it with you.

This generation, our generation, is desperate to make a commitment to help the next generation live out their call. There is a hunger in them to right the wrongs, to stand for those who have fallen, to rebuild what has been broken down, and to display an unquestionable commitment to capture the heart of the next generation. We have a responsibility to re-inspire them to follow Christ by modeling an example marked by truth and faithfulness. They will learn to love God with all their hearts, value the things God values, and make choices each day to follow him in their relationships and desires from watching you and me set the example. That’s why this Heart Revolution is so powerful. You can’t give away something that you don’t first possess. Before it can overflow from you, it must first overtake you.

Most of what we are dealing with today in our families is the result of what the previous generation could not conquer. Poor decisions of past generations can be felt for years, but in the same way, right decisions and right commitments can turn history around for all future generations. In the Bible, Hezekiah took his place as king in a generation that had turned away from God. He saw the devastating effects the past decisions of their ancestors had on their families, and he chose to stand up and lead the revolution:

In the first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah, having first repaired the doors of The Temple of God, threw them open to the public. He assembled the priests . . . and said, . . . “Our ancestors went wrong and lived badly before God—they discarded him, turned away . . . and walked off . . . This is why our ancestors were killed, and this is why our wives and sons and daughters were taken prisoner and made slaves. I have decided to make a covenant with the God of Israel and turn history around.” (2 Chron. 29:3, 6, 9–10 Message)

God is challenging you to make the same commitment today. The next generation doesn’t have to live as slaves because of the mistakes of their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. You can take a stand today to change everything. You can choose to rewrite history for the next generation by what you do today.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revolution book by Sergio De La Mora. Purchase your book today from Amazon.com

Daily Devotion

2011-03-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

It's not About Jesus

Before you freak out about the title, follow me to the end.

You can take a look through the New Testament and come to the conclusion that for Jesus, it wasn’t about Him:

He had that attitude coming into the world.
Philippians 2:6-7
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

He had that attitude while He was in the world.
Matthew 20:28
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

And shockingly, He even has that attitude about when the world ends.
Luke 12:37
It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

Yes, everything is for Jesus’ glory. But Jesus gets His glory by being a servant and a giver.

So the title of this post isn’t what scares, angers, intrigues or confuses you. It’s something deeper than that. Something that you’ve known deep down all your life but haven’t wanted to embrace.
There’s a harder truth to get your mind around and accept than the concept that it can simultaneously be not about Jesus and all about His glory at the same time. And it’s this:

If it wasn’t about Jesus, then it definitely isn’t about you.
Or me. Or anyone. Our selfish desires. Our glory. Our comfort. Our pleasure. Our anything.

If Jesus had every right to say it was all about Him but gave it up and made it about everyone else, then how can we, who don’t have any such right, not do the same?

Your life will only be as great as the impact it makes on the lives of others. And the measure of the impact you make will only be as great as the level to which you understand and embrace the truth that it’s not about you.

That’s hard to accept, but if you do you’ll be in good company.
It wasn’t about Jesus either.

Some People Just Don't Like You

2011-02-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

I think one of the hardest parts about life is getting used to the fact that some people just aren't going to like you. Everyone knows that someone doesn't like them. Maybe even someones don't like you. You might know why or you might not. But some people just don't like you, friend.  
You know how psychologists say there are five stages of grief? I think there are five stages of realizing-you-annoy-the-crap-out-of-someone. Here they are.  

1. Confusion.  Negative comments at weird intervals, offering up unsolicited criticism, going bonkers over your actions whilst ignoring others' actions ... these can be quite bewildering coming from a fellow human being when you've never, you know, punched in the face or told they have a gigantic nose or something. This confusion can last a long, long time. Especially if you consider yourself to be quite delightful. (I am delightful, for instance.)
  
2. Rationalizing . When confusion spurs you to action, you may start to try to figure out exactly what you did to make this person so enraged at the sight of your delightful face. Did you talk about how totally rad the Backstreet Boys are when she camped out for two nights for 'N Sync tickets? Did you mention your loathing of of comically large hoop earrings the day before she was going to wear her gold ones? Did you step on his toe? If there's a reason, you'll find it. Or you'll invent one. ("I must remind him of a kid in grade school who gave him a gigantic wedgie," for instance.)  

3. The Conversation.  If you're really brave, or you're really neurotic and you just can't take the tension anymore (either one will work), you might make it to step 3. I would warn you against it, but you're going to do it anyway, so I won't waste my breath. Step 3 is asking her for coffee, or stepping into his office and asking if you can close the door. (Closing the door means business.) Then you pour your heart out. "Did I step on your toe? Because I so did not mean to!" The good part about this step is that if you really did offend her in some way, maybe she'll bring it to light and you all can put it behind you and go purse shopping. But if she is someone who dislikes you because of you, then this step will be frustratingly futile. He'll pour out his innocent heart and tell you how much he loves and appreciates and respects you and he just has no idea where you got the crazy notion that you make him want to punch the elderly. And you'll have gotten nowhere.  

4. Anger . If step 3 doesn't go too well, you're on a very dark road, my friend. Now you're going to realize you just can't figure this out. And it's going to make you angry. What the heck did you do to deserve such scorn? Why won't he admit that he can't stand you? And worst of all— if it's not for a rational reason, how on earth can you solve this issue between you? Step 4 is the worst. You could spend your whole life here, and I think some people do. But moving into step 5 is when you know you're growing up.  

5. Acceptance.  I know this is the same as step 5 for mourners, but it's not plagiarism. Because I thought of it, and then I realized it was the same step for mourners. (That's how you know). Anyway, step 5 is very, very important. Step 5 is when you have exhausted your investigative skills and you've strained your memory for any possible offense and you truly can't find any. You've even gone a little deeper, wondering if you have a problem with her and it's somehow coming out in your actions, unbeknownst to you. (As we say in the Human Resources world—"everything communicates.") But in the end you realize something very important. She just doesn't like you. She just. doesn't. like. you. Something about the essence of you has her angry, jealous, annoyed, whatever.  This thought should be freeing to you. Because you're off the hook. But as it's freeing, it can be overwhelming as well. Why doesn't she like you? Aren't you so likable? Didn't Mom tell you that you're the sun to her shine? You think you're pretty swell. Are you wrong? Does everyone hate you but you, and you're compounding your dumbness by missing that?  

Get over that hump. Because you won't find a reason, and just like in step 2, you might invent some and start to believe them. And that's just not productive. For anyone.  

Have a sigh, friends. Some people just aren't going to like you. Be OK with it. If you've searched your heart and you're living like you should be, take it as a compliment. Maybe something pure in your spirit is stirring something dark in his, and it's uncomfortable. Maybe it's just old-school jealousy. Maybe she's just old-school crazy.   The other thing to appreciate when someone doesn't like you is the searching it made you do. Maybe God wanted you to take that opportunity to get to know yourself. When you take that hard proverbial look in the mirror and ask questions like: "Am I a snot? Am I disrespectful? Do I think I'm better than everyone else?" the answers can only help you become better. That kind of searching is a gift.

And be real with yourself here, too—anyone who would let their dislike for you show so fiercely, without there being a rational reason for it, is someone you probably shouldn’t really care about liking you anyway.
Now I'm reminded of a quote from Dennis Miller, regarding Sarah Palin. He said he didn’t know much about her yet (this was a while ago), but he had a good feeling. "I like her,” he said. “She bugs the right people."

Maybe you do too.

Daily Devotion

2011-02-03T09:09:00.001-08:00

Isaiah 30:9-11
For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the LORD; who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; and to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel".

Not all the things you need to hear from your Bible teachers are pleasant!

The Apostle Paul tells us that in the last days, people will pursue Bible teachers who "tickle their ears". That is, the Bible teachers who are popular will be those who simply tell you what you like to hear (2 Timothy 4:3).
But God wants you to know that what you like to hear is not always what you need to hear. When you are choosing your Bible teachers, make sure you choose those who are willing to teach what is unpopular, who don't only teach the `feel good' truths of the Bible. It is healthy for your spiritual life to be convicted and challenged about how you live.

You need to go beyond the surface, elementary teachings of Scripture and get into the in-depth study of the Bible that will make you a mature believer, able to discern what is right and wrong, and able to teach and counsel others

Daily Devotion

2011-01-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:8-9
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" He said, "Go…"

Brokenness and restoration make you usable to God!

Look at the chain of events in Isaiah 6. First, Isaiah had a devastating personal encounter with God ("I saw the Lord" - v. 1). This changed his whole view of life and of himself; he became a broken man before God ("woe is me, for I am ruined!"- v. 5). His brokenness and confession led to total forgiveness and restoration from God ("your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven"- v. 7). That new heart-condition then made him sensitive to God's heart and God's leading in his life ("then I heard the voice of the Lord"- v. 8).
What started the whole process that ended in such a powerful ministry, bringing great glory to God? It was Isaiah's personal encounter with God. Don't try to bring yourself to a place of brokenness. You can't do it. It must begin with you truly coming to grips with who God is and encountering Him personally.
For some, this deep personal encounter with God happens at their conversion. For others, it comes later in their Christian lives. God may meet with you in this special way several times in your life. The result will always be brokenness

Daily Devotion

2011-01-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:6-7
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven".

Brokenness and confession from me lead to forgiveness and restoration from God!

The angel touched Isaiah's lips with a coal from the sacrificial altar. God gave the people of Israel the sacrificial system as a symbol of what Christ would do for them at the cross. Jesus had not yet come and so God gave them the symbol of the substitutionary death of an animal as payment for their sins. But really it was the great sacrifice of Jesus for us that would make a way for our sins to be "taken away" and "forgiven".

After Isaiah's heart cry of brokenness and despair over his own sin, "then" came God's forgiveness.

God's reminding you today that He doesn't want you to downplay your sin and make it seem not so bad. What He responds to in your life is open confession and grief in your heart about your sin against Him. And He's also assuring you that when you see your sin the way He sees it and come to Him with it, He's so ready to restore your relationship with Him to relational closeness.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:5
Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

You'll only really understand yourself when you have a personal encounter with God!

Isaiah's immediate response to his personal encounter with God wasn't great joy, excitement and vigor. No, Isaiah was devastated. He'd thought quite well of himself. He had a good self-image.

But suddenly that self-image was shattered by his exposure to God. In the face of God's presence, holiness and glory, Isaiah suddenly realized that he wasn't the center of his own existence, that his sense of his own goodness was a delusion in the face of God's holiness. Here was this unfallen, perfect angel covering his face in the presence of God. What hope did Isaiah have?

Isaiah fell before his great God a broken man, aware of his weaknesses, failings and sins. That is just where he needed to be; it was where God wanted him. That brokenness was God's goal in Isaiah's life.

It is God's goal in your life too. Brokenness comes first; anointing comes later. Tears come first; joy comes later. Confession comes first; healing comes later. God comes first; then He makes you what you need to be. But you'll never find that brokenness until you encounter God Himself.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6: 3-4
And one [of the angels] called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

The holiness of God is the most unavoidable thing about Him!

In the Hebrew language that Isaiah used, saying a word twice magnifies its meaning greatly. In Isaiah 26:3 the word "peace" is used twice in the Hebrew, but in English we translate it "perfect peace".

If saying "holy" twice would mean "perfect holiness", what a huge emphasis it is when the angel says "holy, holy, holy"! Exposed to the fullness of God's being, that angel is overwhelmed with the inexpressible, unavoidable, irreducible, unutterable, perfect holiness of God and the fact that the holiness of God is His glory. In a voice that shakes the massive foundations of the temple he cries out, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory."

Isaiah never forgot it. The holy ‘different-ness' of God became one of the great themes of his life.

God wants to help you see His holiness today. Take some quiet time and just think about what Isaiah saw and heard, and ask God "the LORD of hosts" to show you His holiness.

Faith No More - Jill Strahand (A Must Read)

2011-01-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

This is a must read. I read an article about Jill Strahand a while ago and it's one of those interview/stories that make a lasting impression and stays with you for a long time. Here is a little about Jill

Jill Strahand was like a lot of Christian teenagers. She grew up in a home where both parents were believers and raised her to regularly read the Bible, pray and, of course, go to church. By the time she reached high school, Strahand was actively involved in her youth group—leading worship, helping the Christian club at her school, attending Bible studies.
Reflecting on that time in her life, Strahand says, “My boyfriend at the time and I were even the token Christian couple at church.” She also remembers, “If anyone asked me about God or Jesus, I’d start to get excited that they would be accepting Jesus into their life and join the Christian family.”
Strahand was “on fire.”

When her family moved, things slowly began to unravel. Strahand tried another congregation in her new city and immediately joined the worship team. But the experience just wasn’t the same now that she was getting older.

“I felt too old to be a part of the high-school groups but too young to be with the college groups,” she says. “I started phasing out church events, using my part-time job as an excuse, but I still was ‘on fire’ for God. Soon, I started to have seeds of doubt about Christianity itself, but I knew all the ‘Christian’ answers and would tell myself those so that I would believe again.”

When it was time to go off to college, her disbelief grew, and the “Christian answers” she had been taught were no longer working. The support group of peers that Strahand developed in youth group was no longer there to help. She says she blamed the doubt on a “lack of fellowship with fellow Christians.” Shortly after that, she completely abandoned the faith that, she thought, seemed to have abandoned her.

“It still took a long time not to label myself a Christian anymore, mostly because it was scary,” she says. “I think I hung onto my religion so long because I was terrified of what people would think.”

Today Strahand doubts that she ever really believed in the first place.

Strahand’s story is not uncommon. The latest numbers are staggering, as a recent survey from The Barna Group suggests only one-fifth of twentysomethings have maintained the same level of spiritual activity as they did in high school. Barna’s research shows that twentysomethings—even ones who were very active in church during their teen years—have lower levels of church attendance, study time, Bible reading, donations to churches and small group involvement compared to older adults. Perhaps the most jarring statistic reflects the overall attitude of twentysomethings when it comes to maintaining the faith of their youth: 61 percent of those involved in church at some level as teenagers completely disengage in their 20s.

David Kinnaman is the vice president and strategic leader of The Barna Group, a leading research group targeting Christians in the United States that uses scientific research analysis to help reveal underlying issues that contribute to the drastic decline in twentysomething church attendance.

Kinnaman believes there is a series of factors that can lead to an "Faith No More"once teenagers hit college age. The first is the slow realization that, It doesn’t make sense anymore. It’s an idea that is common among free-thinking college students and increasingly independent young adults.

“One of the primary things is that they haven’t been taught to think,” Kinnaman says. “As we look at the interviews with teenagers and with young adults—their perspective theologically, and even their perspective about the world—very few have what’s called a ‘biblical worldview’ or perspective about the world that’s informed by the principles of Scripture.”

The research also finds that, along with the lack of empowered thinking, the “one-size-fits-all ministry” discourages engagement, especially from a group as independent as twentysomethings. The disengagement only furthers doubt fueled by questions without easy answers. Often, young adults like Strahand know the “right” answers, but lack the theological and philosophical instruction to apply it, not only in an academic setting but also in times of doubt and fear.

To help this problem, Kinnaman says that many ministries have attempted more relational strategies, but, on a practical level, it’s nearly impossible for a small handful of leaders to maintain personal interaction with every individual. It’s a problem that leads to another key element in the process of disengagement: a lack of discipleship, with many ministries neglecting to develop leaders among their congregation.
Strahand reveals, “Had I stayed in the church, I’d still be ignoring my gut feelings about the gray areas of Christianity. So for me, it was a good thing I lost fellowship, because it was reaffirming all the ‘Christian’ answers I would be telling myself. Now that I’ve had time to step back, I can see how everything ‘makes sense’ in the Christian box. There are no unanswered questions; it’s just faith. In all honesty, I wanted to believe since it would make everything so much simpler, but now I’ve seen the world from a different perspective.”

Her thoughts only confirm Kinnaman’s ideas about discipleship.
“A problem with a lot of churches is that we just have a fixation with attendees rather than disciples,” Kinnaman says. “Youth groups, whether they care to admit this or not, fall into that same track; if we can get more butts in the seats, we must be doing something right. And yet discipleship is a very individualized proposition.”

But Strahand admitted it was her own lack of fellowship with Christians that served as the tipping point. And for Christians who stick with the faith, fellowship is often the factor that serves as reinforcement in the tough times.

Rob Fauch is a 23-year-old recent college grad. Like Strahand, he was raised in the church. While at college, he encountered other Christians who were leaving the faith, growing bitter and challenging ideas that they’d always known, but he says that what grounded him during this time was not a flashy young adult church service—it was relationships with fellow believers. Though he doesn’t deny the importance of attending church in his own life, he says it was crucial to maintain a community of close friends who supported and shared his faith.

“God did not intend for us to walk alone,” he says. “The Church seems like it is going in this crazy direction of huge multimedia presentations and all this stuff, but I really think that people want other real people. Every single relationship you have should emulate your relationship with Christ in some way, so if you are missing that in your life, you’re not going to be connected. The Church has done such a terrible job of making sure that Christians stay connected.”

He says that too often his peers see that leaders are caught up in creating a “Super Bowl-like event” and miss the mark of what twentysomethings are really looking for in a time when so many struggle with loneliness, depression and purpose.

Strahand’s situation is not uncommon, and Kinnaman thinks that the problem of doubting “gut feelings” can be fixed through real-life application and finding life purpose in Christianity. This idea has to do with the focus of twentysomething ministries; when young people are in college, their thinking is consumed with figuring out their own identity and finding out what they want to do in life. Kinnaman says that because every person is completely unique, finding the right career path for using individual gifts and passions becomes a primary focus, and often one that is not effectively addressed.

“We are learning that very few churches have any kind of program that asks not just ‘how do we build people theologically,’ but ‘how do we build people in terms of their vocational and educational and gifting choices’—how to help them understand their leadership ability,” he says. “That will help them play out their most important role as a human being.”

But Kinnaman is optimistic when it comes to facing the issues at the source of twentysomethings going down the path of doubt.
“Doubt is not a bad thing,” he says. “Doubt is a really healthy part of the way God created us intellectually. Some people have a lot more doubts just by their very personality. God has given them the gift of asking really tough questions—challenging the process. That’s a leadership gift. That’s a real spiritual gift, a prophetic kind of gift.”

Kinnaman believes that the doubters—the very same individuals who are leaving the church, like Strahand—actually have some of the most powerful leadership potential. But to reach and equip those looking for big answers, the Church must find practical ways of providing them.

There is hope. This holistic thinking about ministry is becoming a grassroots movement, sparking upstart, often unconventional churches across the country. Status, a twentysomething group in Orlando, Fla., has become its own entity after getting its start as a young adult service for a parent church. In the last two years, the ministry has grown to attract more than 1,000 twentysomethings a week, many of whom have never set foot in the parent church’s Sunday-morning service. But at its core, Status isn’t about big numbers. It’s about reaching individuals who are dealing with doubt through one-on-one relationships and an emphasis on small, weekly home church meetings.

Josh Loveless is the “NexGen” pastor at Status, and he believes that the disconnect between the established church and authentic twentysomething ministry communities stems from a dissatisfaction with the way church has been presented. At Status and other rising young adult ministries, he says the congregation wants to deal with “the uncomfortable weight of the Gospel” not just simple ideas. Loveless says that many twentysomethings are not satisfied with the comfortable, easy lifestyle that is often associated with church.

“I feel like Christianity, within the Church, has been painted as a fairy tale, meaning every great fairy tale really ends at the beginning,” he says. “You close a movie or a book with some great romantic scene in which a relationship really finds itself at the beginning, and that’s how many churches present Christianity. And what we are trying to do is to talk about that fairy tale not being the ending, but being the beginning. The romance, and the story of God, is one that allows you to wrestle with what happens after the final scene of a fairy tale.”

Part of this “ever-after” faith is not only welcoming questions, but embracing them. “What Status tries to do is to ask those great questions as a community, not just let people ask those questions on their own or feel on the outside for asking questions about faith or who Jesus is and how that is represented in the local church,” Loveless says.

The ministry has a heavy focus on home groups and Bible studies, modeled like house churches, where members of the community face issues, doubts and questions head-on. Through emphasis on small groups, along with a large Sunday-night service, Status raises up new leaders who are equipped to deal with young adults seeking the deeper answers.

“Like any other relationship, there are going to be times that suck, there are going to be times where you question the relationship, there are going to be times you are frustrated because you’re not experiencing what you used to experience, and we want to embrace those things about the spiritual journey and following in the ways of Jesus,” he says. “And we want to do that in community and in relationship with one another. We are trying to draw people into the life of the Church.”

To Fauch and other faithful twentysomethings, staying connected to the “life of the Church” has been the most important part of maintaining not just his basic beliefs, but also his daily walk of faith. His advice to those slipping away from faith and the Church is to connect with people who are in the same situation.
“People that have that mentality, that are on the edge or on the line, for every person that is like that, there are 10 or 20 other people just like them,” Fauch says.

Today, Strahand’s doubt and the story that started when she unplugged from community reflects that of many twentysomethings. But fortunately for those who have walked away from their faith, there are more and more young believers who have found the value of Christian relationships and a community of twentysomethings who are not quite ready to give up
on them.

We as the Body Of Christ must invest in the lives of our Young People. What are we doing here at GCC? In what ways can we invest better? Are we over looking the seriousness of our Youth? I believe these are all healthy questions we can ask ourselves in the year 2011

The Spiritual Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

2011-01-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Remembering the civil rights icon means remembering his calling from Christ.

The Church has a long history of remembering folks who followed hard after Jesus in their own time and so show us what it looks like to live faithfully in the places where we are. To call these sisters and brothers "saints" isn’t to suggest that they were perfect, but to recognize that their lives were claimed by God. Many of the Church’s saints are people who took up their crosses and followed Jesus to the death that crosses demand. This is why the Church remembers saints on the day of their death.

How we remember King has everything to do with whether we believe his finest hour was on Aug. 28, 1963, or April 4, 1968. At thousands of community and state events today, the dream that King shared with America on Aug. 28, 1963, will be replayed and remembered. A country that was founded on the principles of liberty and justice for all will remember how justice was too long denied to African-Americans, how the civil rights movement made clear that separate is not equal, and how King’s dream of all people living together in peace was "deeply rooted in the American dream." We will celebrate the progress that was purchased with great sacrifice and struggle, making it possible for a country that once enslaved African-Americans to now be governed by an African-American. And we will be challenged by King’s dream to continue the work of living up to our highest values and deepest convictions.

I’m glad to live in a country that remembers King as a national hero. But as a disciple of Jesus, I want more for my son than the American Dream. I want to be free not only to pursue my own happiness, but to love God and my neighbors in the radical way of that rebel from Nazareth who saved the world not as a national hero, but as a crucified enemy of the state. This is why I want to know the witness of the Martin Luther King who laid down his life on April 4, 1968.

Most people know King was a Baptist preacher. In the church world where he was raised, he was something of a prodigy, going to college early, mastering the art of public speaking, getting a Ph.D. in theology. A promising young man with a young family, King did what most folks in his position do after graduation: He went looking for a good job. He found it at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala.

Dexter Avenue was supposed to be the first step in a ministerial career for the promising Dr. King. But King’s career was interrupted by two things: the civil rights movement and Jesus. By his own account, the movement called him first. After Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man on a city bus, the new pastor, King, was drafted to lead the African-American community in a boycott of public transportation. Several weeks into the struggle, he tried to resign. He hadn't bargained for death threats or round-the-clock meetings. After his resignation was refused, King soon went to jail. The movement was beginning to get in the way of his career.

Then Jesus came calling. He came late on a winter night, when King was overwhelmed by fear after receiving yet another call from someone angrily threatening his life. At his kitchen table, King bowed his head in frustration and bewilderment. Then, by King’s own account: “Something said to me: ‘You can’t call on Daddy now, you can’t call on Momma. You’ve got to call on that something in that person that your daddy used to tell you about, that power that can make a way out of no way.'” In the dark of night, Jesus came calling. King was never the same.

King followed Jesus from Montgomery to Washington, and the dream he shared with America some eight years later was certainly as rooted in the Gospel as it was in the U.S. Constitution. But because King was following Jesus, he could not stop with his triumphal entry into Washington. He could not rest when the crowds were cheering or when Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. He heard the voice of Jesus calling still to press on, so he challenged the militarism of America that was destroying innocent lives in Vietnam. He listened to the voice of the prophet Amos, so he took up the Poor People’s Campaign. Already a national hero, he moved his family into one of Chicago’s worst neighborhoods to walk with poor people in their struggle.

All the while, King knew he was marked for death. Not only did he continue to receive death threats, he became increasingly aware of the unspeakable powers that defend the status quo with violence. To challenge those powers is to take up your cross, King knew. He did it—and he did it with love—because his life had been claimed by Jesus. This is the legacy we remember on April 4.

Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, KJV yes the Old School KJV). The radical message of the Gospel is that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In short, Jesus laid down His life for His enemies. When we pay attention to the life of King as a life of discipleship, we can see that his assassination was also a willing sacrifice of himself out of love for his enemies. To see King’s life through the lens of his death is to see how it was an imitation of Christ. As such, it teaches us something about what it might mean for us to follow Jesus here and now.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:1-2
I saw the Lord…Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

A personal encounter with God removes all your pride!

There are many different kinds of heavenly beings, which we lump together and call "angels". The Bible talks about angels, archangels, principalities, powers, cherubim and seraphim. These that Isaiah saw were the seraphim, which means "burning ones". Their name implies that they have a brilliance and glory about them.

These are probably the same beings that appeared to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus. When the first one appeared, Luke tells us (Luke 2:9) that "an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened".

The appearance of one of these angels brought awe and fear to those who saw them, and yet the far greater brilliance and glory of God causes even these great and amazing beings to cover their faces. They also covered their feet, a sign of deep humility before God.

If you find yourself thinking that maybe your opinion is almost as significant as God's opinion, or placing a low value on God's place in your life, then you need to set aside some time simply to ask God to reveal Himself to you in a greater way.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:1
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

God's glory always accompanies His presence!

The "train" of a robe is the long part of the robe that trails behind the king. It represents the king's glory and majesty.

When Isaiah saw the Lord in all His beauty and greatness and magnificence, the train of God's robe filled the temple. That is, there was an overwhelming sense of the glory of God!

This is the same thing that happened when Solomon first dedicated the temple. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 tells us: "Then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God."

When you have a personal encounter with God, you too will begin to see His glory—the evidence of His presence—in everything. In the circumstances of your life, in the Bible, in your prayer life, in your worship, in your fellowship with other believers, in your ministry to others, in God's provision of your needs.

At every turn you will find reasons to honor and praise God for His kingly presence filling every corner of your life.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

Meager Offerings

John 6:11

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

It was a meager offering when the young boy brought his lunch of five loaves and two fish to Jesus. Even Andrew said, "But what are they among so many?" (John 6:9). But Jesus took it, blessed it, and multiplied it—and thousands were impacted.

God can take your meager offering and do a lot with a little. A. W. Tozer said, "The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice, a voice from God—not an echo of what others are doing and saying, but an authentic voice." What the world needs to see today is an authentic Christian, not a perfect voice, not a flawless person (because there is no such individual), but authenticity. That is what people need to see.

John Wesley said, "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth."

Imagine what would happen if just 100 believers took this to heart. What if 200 did? How about 400? How about 500? What about 800? What about 1,000? What about 2,000 or more? What would happen in our cities? What would happen in our states? What would happen in the United States? What would happen in the world? A lot.

Sure, all of us are flawed. All of us fall short. None of us are qualified in and of ourselves. But God can do His work through imperfect people. In fact, it seems as though He goes out of His way to find imperfect people to work through.

What God is looking for today is not ability as much as availability. Are you willing to be someone who will shake your world?

Daily Devotion

2011-01-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:1
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

God is far and away greater, higher, better, bigger, more awesome and magnificent, more beautiful and different than any other thing that exists or ever has existed or ever will exist!

Nothing is like our God!

When Isaiah says, "I saw the Lord…lofty and exalted," it is like he is saying, when I saw God in His unconstrained glory, I realized that God stands alone in His category. He is not only different from any other thing, but He is infinitely better and greater. He is above everything else that is!
No wonder the psalmist cried out, "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple!" (Psalm 27:4).
No wonder also, that when all of humanity sees God as Isaiah did, "every knee will bow...and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11).

What is God revealing to you about Himself today? Can you picture Him exalted on the throne, yet interacting with you? Respond to Him right now.

Acuire The Fire 2011

2011-01-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

Ampd Youth Group is heading up to Fresno this March for Acquire The Fire Youth Conference. The Dates are March 18th-19th. The Cost will be $65. That includes ride to and from Fresno, Motel Room and tickets for the Conference. Sign up this Week at Ampd Youth Group

All Together Now, "Awwww"

2011-01-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

Just came across this and thought you might enjoy the story. Click the link to see the video.
A dog Saved His Family from a house fire, barking at the smoke and flames and waking the family in time for everyone to escape ...

Daily Devotion

2011-01-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:1
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. (please read 1-5 again)

Jesus Christ is the highest authority in this universe!

"I saw the Lord sitting on a throne." In Isaiah's vision of the Lord, the Lord wasn't battling for authority; He wasn't struggling over the throne. No, He was sitting in absolute power and authority over all things.
In John 12:41, the Apostle John quotes a verse from later in this chapter of Isaiah and clearly states that it was Jesus that Isaiah saw on the throne. Jesus Himself said to the disciples, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18).
In Ephesians 1:20-23, the Apostle Paul declares that God the Father "raised [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

Today I encourage you to physically get on your knees before Jesus Christ and speak with the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 6:1
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. (please read 1-5)

We would never be the same if we saw the Lord!

Think about what Isaiah says—"I saw the Lord". Imagine it! Isaiah was in the temple, where he probably often spent his time. We don't know why he was there or what he expected. But we know that God broke in on Isaiah's awareness and allowed him to see God in the fullness of His glory. That encounter changed Isaiah forever. He would never be the same.
There's so much that God wants to do in your life through His word, the Bible; He wants to transform you by the renewing of your mind. He also wants to empower you through the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. But in addition, there's an aspect of the transformation He desires for you that doesn't come by a renewed mind, or by greater dependence on the Holy Spirit, but only through a personal spiritual encounter with God Himself.
God may not give you the same kind of vivid experience that Isaiah had, and He will meet with you through His word and through prayer, or maybe in a meeting, maybe even in a totally unexpected place. But I encourage you to begin asking God to reveal Himself to you personally.

Fit fo LIfe Series

2011-01-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

Join us this Sunday Night at Ampd Youth Group from 7-9 as we begin this brand new series: Fit For Life! During this series,we will discuss the important core values that lead to a spiritually healthy life. Begin the New Year with a fresh start by applying practical truth to your everyday life

Daily Devotion

2011-01-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

There is such a thing as absolute truth, despite how `good' and `sweet' popular opinion may seem!

God is not just a power that can be bent in whatever way suits us. God will not be what we want Him to be or what we think He should be. He will not behave according to our plans; nor will He adjust His morality to fit our expectations.
Remember, God was here long before humanity existed. God is who He is, not who we want Him to be.
Our job is not to decide what God is like, but to find out what He is like. He has a moral nature that defines morality in His universe. He has revealed His moral guidelines in the Bible and in His Son Jesus.
When we start redefining what God has said about morality, or sexuality, or spirituality, or marriage, or love, or any other area of right and wrong, we are setting ourselves against who God is and how He has revealed Himself.

Today the Lord is reminding us to go to His word for our guidance on the issues of life. It makes life so much simpler and ultimately sweeter when we trust God's wisdom and obey Him.

Hollywood's Confusing Portrayal of Marriage

2011-01-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

New films make marriage look like a prison. Is that really all holy matrimony is?

Throughout our nation's history, part of the American Dream has been to find the perfect partner, get married, buy a house, pop out some kids and live happily ever after. And as home of the world's dream factory

And Hollywood—America has also long provided the world with images of domestic bliss and suburban sunshine.

Well, at least that’s how it used to be. Take one look at the hit ABC sitcom Modern Family—and you'll see a very different idea of what constitutes family, with a gay couple and a divorced guy in his 60s on his second marriage. Already the Emmy-winner for Best Comedy Series after its first season, it's both a trendsetter and a reflection of the attitudes Hollywood is presenting on a widespread basis these days.
And just as Hollywood once presented a much more rigid (and incorrect) view of connubial enchantment, one has to wonder if the much more complicated portrayals we see now in both TV and films are merely following trends or setting them in society at large. It's an especially vexing question for Christians, as we seek to avoid overly poisoning our minds and spirits with negative influences, yet still want to enjoy stories that aren't just simple-minded either. Let's face it—the Bible itself would be pushing the ratings envelope if its tales of murder, lust and greed would ever be filmed in a literal sense, and those moral conflicts also provide rich drama.
You might say most shows and movies still feature traditional families, so frequently, in fact, that they're often just accepted background characters and subplots in the bigger stories. But even one of my all-time favorite sitcoms, Everybody Loves Raymond, featured incredible amounts of dysfunction amid its overall positive portrayal of an intact Catholic family.
But during this Oscar season and the couple of years prior, it seems that “alternative families” are getting more positive coverage than ever, while heterosexual marriages and family life are shown almost exclusively in states of misery or mockery. Hollywood may be making just a small percentage of films and shows that have these attitudes, but perhaps the bigger issue here lies in the way the media culture has shone a highly biased spotlight upon them, furthering their agendas into discussions on the news and talk shows and ubiquitous advertising.
Cases in point: The Kids Are All Right and Blue Valentine are two of the most buzzed-about films of the current Oscar race. In Kids, Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are likely to both be nominated as Best Actress for their portrayals of a longtime lesbian couple who have two teenage kids fathered by the same sperm donor. When the kids are teens, they decide to track down the donor (Mark Ruffalo in another Oscar shoo-in) and have a father figure in their lives, which leads to all sorts of complications.
Ruffalo soon begins a torrid and inexplicable fling with Moore, leading to Bening turning to the bottle and the family nearly coming apart. So, yes, while the lesbian relationship/marriage is seen through an overall positive viewpoint, serious cracks are shown and the issue of kids needing a father figure in their lives is also strongly addressed. But critics and the film's champions within showbiz are glossing over the problems and calling the film a fresh and modern take on the American family and acting like this is a wonderful portrait of how families should be.
Critics and film-industry figures are also raving about the new film Blue Valentine, for which Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are also likely to garner Oscar nominations. Here, they play a straight married couple, and the film shows their relationship in a passionate and positive fashion at the start. But the thrust of the film is devoted to how their relationship and marriage deteriorate over six years, and includes a sex scene so bleak and awkward that the film nearly received a dreaded NC-17 rating (according to IMDb)
Blue’s stars have told the Los Angeles Times they believe the couple they portray might still have a happy ending hinted for their future, but based on the onscreen evidence, the marriage is seen as a psychological and emotional prison that can only be escaped via the most emotional confrontations imaginable. Any couple in real life, even Christian ones, will have fights along the way, but this film is the downer of the decade and it's hard to imagine a happy date night including a screening of it.
Other recent examples come from director Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar for the dark suburban satire American Beauty, and who staged a one-man war on happy marriage with the one-two punch of his comedy Away We Go and Revolutionary Road. Away We Go features an unmarried-and-cohabiting couple blissfully traveling the country as they await the birth of their out-of-wedlock child ... and everything is just dandy. Meanwhile, Revolutionary Road stars Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet portraying a married couple whose lives are ruined by having children and being repressed by marriage in the pre-sexual revolution days of the early '60s, with the ending featuring Winslet bleeding to death from a self-induced, home-based abortion.
So what's going on here? There are still some positive portraits of family life out there, like last spring’s Date Night, which showed the reality that marriage is work but also showed a couple who was willing to sacrifice for each other and for their marriage. It didn’t make marriage look like a walk in the park—but it also showed that a sacrificial relationship is completely worth it, and can be fun along the way. Although some of the scenes in the movie were uncomfortable to sit through (typical Hollywood) and inappropriate.

And there are some others who find a balance both the critics and public can enjoy, such as Pixar's brilliant The Incredibles, which satirized family dynamics amid a family who had to save the world. And it had a marriage that was worth fighting for.
So there is hope out there. And Hollywood is having to learn the hard way that the downer films can't be the only way to go. In general, moviegoers aren’t spending a lot of money to see movies that are a serious downer, in marriage or in general. As a result, Hollywood is unlikely to produce a barrage of these negative films, but when critics and awards shows are saying the few films that push the envelope are the best of the year, their messages still resonate far past the multiplex.
Christians ought to be careful to not let these publicized messages impact how we view marriage. Just as overly positive portrayals of blissful, never-sad marriages have damaged our perception of holy matrimony, so can the new, more “realistic” view of marriage as an emotionless jail. Instead, we must rely on God’s promises to heal even the most broken of relationships. Christians shouldn’t be blind to problems—but we shouldn't wallow in them either.
-Just a thought-

Daily Devotion

2011-01-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 3:10-11
Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions. Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him.

Salvation—being forgiven for your sins and welcomed into God's family forever—is a free gift. It was purchased for you by Jesus when He went to the cross for you.
You don't earn your salvation by being good enough. It's entirely dependent on what Jesus did, not what you do. You simply receive God's gift by faith. No wonder the Apostle Paul exclaims, "thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
But God is reminding us today that although salvation is a free gift, it does not mean that God doesn't care how we live after we're saved. Just the opposite—the terrible price Jesus had to pay for our forgiveness shows just how much God hates sin.
Today, Isaiah is telling us one of the basic truths about how God has set up this universe. Those who do what's right will ultimately be blessed for it and those who do what's wrong will experience negative consequences. Any actions that seem to have escaped their consequences in this life will find justice in the next. It's never a mistake to do what is right.

Faith and Films "The Social Network"

2011-01-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

True Connection or False Validation is The Social Network's Question

DVD Release Date: January 11, 2011
Theatrical Release Date: October 1, 2010
Rating: PG-13 (for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and strong language)
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 120 min.
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, Rooney Mara, Joseph Mazzello

Last night Lily and I watched "Social Network". It was an interesting movie for me because I am a huge fan of Facebook and the networking it brings. Here are some thoughts I had on the movie.

Facebook is a searing examination of the world's biggest social media Web site. To date, The Social Network is the most important film about American culture in the twenty-first century.

Not that it's overtly about that. On the surface, this is an exposé of Facebook's formation and its Ivy League founder Mark Zuckerberg. Beneath the surface, what drives Zuckerberg—i.e. the need to define himself to the world—isn't too far removed from what drives millions of people to update their Facebook status ten times a day (or Twitter account—Facebook's obnoxiously-needy little brother).

The parallel is clear (if not stated) and perceptive in disturbing ways. Every status update is more than informational; it's defining. It's about class and status, about being liked and affirmed and cheered and, well, "friended." What are the implications of (and revelations found in) the need to post every precious thought that crosses our minds? The Social Network isn't just about Zuckerberg's narcissism; it's about ours.

To be fair, it's hard to discern how much of this scandalous retelling is actually true, and we should respect that personal reputations are on the line. Still, fidelity to facts becomes moot as the fable told here unveils broader truths about our core impulses—individually and collectively—in ways that should, quite frankly, cause millions to reflect on their own motives and obsessions. It's not so much a biography as it's "The Morality Tale of Our Times."

Based on Ben Mezrich's best-seller The Accidental Billionaires, The Social Network depicts a more debaucherous and cutthroat origin than one would ever expect. What began innocently enough as a way to help Harvard students connect online steadily ballooned into a media empire—and at a rate that Zuckerberg couldn't handle, at least not morally.

Yes, he's a genius. A computer-programming whiz with deft instincts about what people would respond to, Zuckerberg was born to birth this revolution. But a cocktail of arrogance and insecurities sabotaged his working relationships—and friendships—until, billions of dollars later, Zuckerberg was sued by the people he burned.

That legal action is intercut throughout, providing context to events as they unfold at a blistering, exhilarating pace. Zuckerberg—equal parts elitist and geek (and the worst sides of both)—takes advantage of the naïve while disposing of partners when they don't tow his line, and does so in a way that no one sees coming.

It's a trail highlighted by parties and littered with groupies; excess that grows with success (which gets a little redundant I must say) Yet while Zuckerberg's crew is seduced by immoral trappings, the film's tone—from dark atmospheres to Trent Reznor's unnerving score—paints it as a destructive slippery slope. (One soundtrack cue title defines it best: "The Gentle Hum of Anxiety.")

Facebook isn't just about the need to connect (though it is that), but more so the compulsion to control your identity; to create the best version of You. It's how you want to be perceived; an illusion of who you fully are. Many will walk away from this film judging Zuckerberg; instead, even if not guilty of the same sins, they should be chilled to the bone by recognizing the same impulses.

Using Zuckerberg's compromised ascent to the "status" of Youngest Billionaire Ever as a parable, The Social Network asks a broader question of us about the Web site he founded: does Facebook offer true connection or false validation? The answer lies, as with all things, not in the amoral device being used but rather in the souls that use it.

Here is what to look out for (Thanks to IMDb)

CAUTIONS:

Drugs/Alcohol Content: Party scenes where alcohol (both as drinks and shots) are consumed, as are drugs (from bongs to lines of coke). More benign drinking occurs in bars.
Language/Profanity: Though not pervasive, most profanities are used—including one f-word. Others include the usual suspects: a few variations of the a-word, b-word, and s-word, as well as a couple uses of the Lord's name in vain. A lewd word for male genitals.
Sexual Content/Nudity: No nudity, but women strip down to their underwear at parties. Two couples go to bathroom stalls, begin to strip, and then from outside the stalls sex is briefly heard/assumed. Oral sex is implied off-frame but not literally seen. Conversations that include discussions of sex and sexual dialogue. Provocative dancing, kissing, and making out at parties, close physical intimacy. A woman gets out of bed in her underwear.
Violence/Other: One person flips both middle fingers at someone.

It is a good watch. It's interesting and well acted. But I wasn't too impressed with the Content of the movie.
My Rating B-

Daily Devotion

2011-01-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.

No matter how guilty or dirty you feel, God can bring you total forgiveness and make you totally clean!

When it comes to removing stains, it seems like red is the hardest color to get out, isn't it? Red clay, red wine, red blood, red lipstick. So when God wants to communicate to your heart how completely He can cleanse you, what color does He talk about? Red!
Even if your sins are "as scarlet"; even if they are "red like crimson". Do you ever feel that way about your sins? Maybe you've done something so terrible that you feel you don't deserve forgiveness and that God would never forgive you. Or maybe your sin isn't so huge, but you keep coming back to that same sin again and again and you think that God must be completely fed up with you. Even if your sin is red like that, God's promising you today that He will forgive you and cleanse you.

And when God cleanses and forgives you, there's not even any pinkness left! "White as snow…like wool"—do you know what that means? Complete forgiveness and total cleansing! "Come now", and ask God for that inner cleansing today.

The Best Quotes of 2010

2011-01-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

“I am on the toilet thinking about writing a third book.” – former baseball player, Jose Canseco

”It is not a sweatshop. You go in this place and it’s a factory but, my gosh, they’ve got restaurants and movie theaters and hospitals and swimming pools. For a factory, it’s pretty nice.” – Steve Jobs

“Its a official dat i am leavin skool and enterin draft. … i aint doin anotha yr.” – Oklahoma point guard Tommy Mason-Griffin declaring his career choice via Facebook (via ESPN)

“The internet’s completely over. … The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can’t be good for you.” - Prince

“I hear comments sometimes that large oil companies are greedy companies or don’t care, but that is not the case with BP. We care about the small people.” – BP Chairman, Carl-Henric Svanberg

“I thought it was gum.” — Paris Hilton, denying responsibility for packet of cocaine Las Vegas police found in her bag.

“I didn’t have the balls. This is not my thing.” — Christian Hernandez, 22-year-old Mexican matador arrested for breach of contract when he dropped his cape and fled from a bull midfight.

“Letting fatties roam the site is a direct threat to our business model.” — Robert Hintze, founder of dating site BeautifulPeople.com, which dropped 5,000 members who appeared in photos to have gained weight over the holidays.

“I need a vacation spot for my lice…Beards: Uggs for your face.” – Bryan Allain

I learned that it takes precisely 6.5 weeks to be able to laugh about a bombed performance in front of 13,000 people. – Tyler Stanton

Daily Devotion

2011-01-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 1:3

An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master's manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.

Going your own way instead of God's way is just plain stupid!

Even an ox knows that the one who owns it has the right to tell it where to turn and what to do. Even a donkey knows that it gets the food it needs from its master's feeding trough. Yet, how easily we forget these most basic truths in our desire to be our own masters.
How frustrated God must get when we ignore the fact that He is our Maker and Lord. How ridiculous it must seem to Him when we think that our own feeding trough is better than His—that life will be better when we go our own way than it is in the path of His blessing—the path of obedience.
Think of how good your inner life is when you choose God's way over your own way. And think of the stresses and frustrations you bring on yourself when you choose to ignore God. He wants us to enjoy being His people, but sometimes we choose to live in disobedience.

God's message to you today? Don't be foolish, but be wise in bringing your life back under His total leadership. His way is the only way worth living.

Daily Devotion

2011-01-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Making time for spiritual things is more important than focusing on material things!

Paul says that the "things which are not seen" (spiritual things) are more important than the "things which are seen" (material things) because spiritual things are eternal.
Are you focusing your life on things that will have no value after your eulogy is read? Or are you focusing your life — your time, your energy, your abilities, your money, your relationships and your thoughts — on things that will last forever? Things that bring God glory, things that lead other people to faith in Christ, things that encourage others in their spiritual growth.
A focus on self always leads your life in the direction of things that do not last. A focus on God always leads your life in the direction of things that really matter. What is the focus of your life?

Ask God to `open your eyes' to what really matters

Daily Devotion

2011-01-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

Exodus 3:9-12
"Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain."

Moses was deeply concerned for the plight of his people in Egypt. He'd been chased out of Egypt for standing up for them. He must have been so glad to hear God say that He was going to respond to the prayers of His people.
But it caught Moses by surprise when God told Moses he'd be a key player in the process. It's one thing to be concerned and pray for someone from outside their circumstances; it's another thing altogether to get involved in those circumstances as part of the answer.

When you pray, God wants you to have an attitude of availability if He calls you to get involved.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

When a person comes to mind, turn that casual thought into a prayer for that person. Look at how the Apostle Paul prayed for the Colossians and learn from it how to pray for the people in your own life. When you get off the phone with someone who is going through a hard time, stop and pray for them. Prayer is always a right response in any situation.
God is reminding you today to make praying for others a part of your prayer habits. God works when we pray! You can help your friends more by praying for them than in any other way. And when you pray for them, you will want to help them in other ways too!

The Dangers of EmoPorn

2010-12-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

We (rightly) worry and fight against visual pornography. But what about the dangers of pornography of the mind and heart?

I watched the pilot episode of Glee when it premiered a few months before the show was to begin airing regularly. It was decent enough to at least give some time to the next few episodes. But by the end of episode two, I was getting a little uneasy. As I watched it, I was becoming aware of what the writers wanted me to feel—the good guy teacher to cheat on his evil wife with the gentle co-worker, and the main male character to cheat on his hypocritical Christian girlfriend with his female lead counterpart.It was one thing to want the characters in the show to do this thing or that, but I turned it off in the middle of a scene in which that male student finally decided to cheat on his girlfriend. It wasn’t because I was offended at the content before my eyes. Rather, in that moment, there was a transference of energy. I found myself thinking about whose girlfriend I should have stolen in high school and how easy and awesome it would have been.

Flash back to Wasco, May of 2009. I’m driving in my Jeep, scanning radio stations. I stop on the local Christian station, and the female DJ is talking about the coming The Notebook: The Musical. She goes on to fawn over the romance in the story and how well it will be adapted to the stage. “But what about A Walk To Remember?” she says. “That would make a fantastic musical. I just loved how that made me feel. And, of course, Switchfoot would have to have some songs in it.”

There’s certainly a war against the prevalence of visual pornography in many corners of our society—especially in the Christian culture. There is an attempt to expose pornography for its promotion of unrealistic sexual expectations and exploitation of human sexuality. And that attempt is a very necessary one.

But what about the unhealthy emotional and relational expectations portrayed in so much of our media? Is there really much of a difference in the hyperbolized sexual imagery of typical pornography and the hyperbolized momentary emotional high felt in a romance film or romantic comedy that sends us looking for a “love” that doesn’t exist?

I heard an interview on NPR with a female author named Elizabeth Gilbert. She was talking about the proliferation of the “Soul Mate Complex” in our modern culture and how the film Jerry Maguire served to reinforce it with the now illustrious line, "You complete me.”

It’s not necessarily only the resulting effects of such a movie that parallels the traditional definition of pornography. Just as there is sexual excitement surrounding the mystery and allure of what flesh might be seen in a movie known for its racy reputation, so too are we drawn in with an anticipation for the emotional and physical high of a romance film.
As a result, we’re taught to crave the moment of romantic ecstasy or to live for the wedding day. We’re raised to think these are the real stories of love and relationship, and we’re confused when they are so few and far between that we aren’t sustained. So we turn back to that which led us to believe in this fantasy all along. And we’re left with an old woman sitting alone, in her love seat, in front of the television watching her “stories.”
Kids eventually understand that pumpkins don’t turn to glass carriages and Fairy Godmothers don’t grant wishes, but many girls never grow out of the idea that one day they will be rescued from reality by some magic and a fictitious prince. And little boys never live up to the fantasy of the mind or that they’re supposed to be that prince and that their spouse is an all-fulfilling princess.

Next time you’re thinking about seeing a movie, be aware of what’s pulling you toward it. If you decide to watch it, recognize the moment when you feel the emotional reinforcement of fake love. And when you walk out, recognize what you now hope for and expect.

There is such a thing as love. There are beautiful moments. But love is about God and His life through you. And that life is about the long haul.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-30T14:39:00.000-08:00

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

It is so easy to feel very negative about many things in life. The news is full of reports that concern us, and our own lives have many stresses, struggles and anxieties. But the Lord is reminding us today to take those negative thoughts and translate them into positive prayers to God for His involvement in our world and in our lives.
Complaining doesn't really benefit anyone—not you, not the person you are venting your complaints onto, not the people you are complaining about! But what would happen if you turned your thoughts into prayers, not gripes? How much more pleasant you would be to spend time with! What's more, God would be acting in response to your prayers, sometimes changing the circumstance and sometimes changing you. His response may not always be just what you asked for, but you can be sure that He loves to act when His people pray.
Praying instead of complaining gives you a much more pleasant mindset about life. Your response to life becomes constructive instead of negative.
What do you feel like complaining about today? How can you turn those thoughts to prayer instead?

Daily Devotion

2010-12-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 4:15-17
For this reason it says, " Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Besides being a great song by the band Everyday Sunday. This is a great verse to challenge us to use our spare moments for prayer!

Make the most of your time. As you work to develop prayer habits, learn to turn your heart to God in those little moments of downtime. When you are waiting at the lights, or standing in a queue, or vacuuming, or mowing the grass. Turning to prayer at these times is not an obligation; it is an opportunity! It isn't some big activity you are adding to your schedule; rather, it is using what is already in your schedule to deepen your walk with God and to lift others up in prayer.
It only takes a moment to put a situation or need before the Lord and ask for His work in that circumstance or in that person's life. And it is cool also to just chat with the Lord about life and about your relationship with Him. This kind of open, frequent communication is what makes a relationship extra meaningful and deep, that puts it at the center of your life. Today God is inviting you to speak with Him often during your day.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Job 42:10

The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends.

How closely tied together are God's grace towards us and our grace towards others! Job's friends had wronged him badly — emotionally, judgmentally, spiritually. Yet he prayed for their forgiveness. (Compare this to what Jesus says about freely forgiving others in Matthew 6:12-15 and 18:21-35.)
Could that have been the final victory for God in this contest with Satan over the heart of Job (see chapters 1-2)? The final proof that Job's heart was still pure after all that Satan had done to him was his ability to forgive and even offer grace to these men who had wronged him so badly.
That was when God's grace overflowed to Job, when Job did not assert his position over those men. "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
Are you at the end of your rope, desperately needing God's help? Learn to be a giver of grace to others, and you will find God not only meeting your need for Him, but overflowing your life so that you become a blessing in the lives of everyone around you as well!
It is not only what God wants to do for you, but what He wants to do through you in the lives of others that matters. It may start with forgiving someone who has hurt you. Are you willing?

Is the Church Lost?

2010-12-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

Where the Church has gone wrong and how we can get back on track.

Western culture is all about the self and how to gain bigger and better things. It’s no surprise, then, that this mentality has affected the way most of us think about church. It’s easy to get stuck in a mindset that continuously assesses the quality of a church based on what they have to offer us. There is even more of a tendency to evaluate churches based on the specific desires of one’s self when searching for a new church.
Questions like, “Was the sermon good and did it move me?”, “How well did the band play and did I like the songs?”, “Does the church have fun events coming up that interest me?” and “What was the facility like and did it have a good atmosphere?” are regularly asked by churchgoers every week. A decision about returning to a church is largely based on whether the church’s programs and style are pleasing to us or not.
Church leaders are very aware that people ask these questions. As they seek to carry out the mission God has placed on their hearts for ministry, it can be easy for pastors and administrators to find themselves spending hours in meetings trying to figure out how to market their church to meet everyone’s tastes. When a church’s focus has drifted from Jesus to these external factors, the success of the church is usually then measured in terms of numerical growth, financial giving and programs.

An argument for this mentality is that trying to focus on and please people is a necessary evil in an attempt to reach more people with the Gospel. The problem with this is that when you look at Jesus’ ministry, He spent little to no time entertaining people or making sure they were comfortable. Instead, He stuck to the truths of the Gospel. Many times this approach made people uncomfortable and walk away.

The fact is, the questions we use to assess our churches are not the same questions that God wants us to ask.

In Crazy Love, Francis Chan writes: “God's definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love.”

This love is uncomfortable and it means sometimes listening to music that’s not your style or understanding a sermon that didn’t do much for you might have helped someone else that Sunday. It means that sometimes church isn’t big and cutting-edge, but small and simple. More so, it means not coming to a church focused on consuming, but instead coming to give and serve.

Christians must understand that God does not define “good” churches by the quality of their programs, the size of membership or the look and feel of a facility. Focusing on those things can cause us to completely miss the point of what God actually wants of His Church. God has called us to draw near to Him, share the freedom and life of Jesus, and to love and serve others. Everything else must come second to these goals.

John Ortberg describes what happens in many churches in the 2010 Spring edition of Leadership journal:
“Out of this vision [of who Christ is and what He wants to accomplish] flows a desire to do good things for such a God. And sometimes these activities may lead to results that look quite remarkable or impressive. [Eventually] people begin to pay more attention to what they are doing than to the reality of God.

"At this point the mission replaces the vision as the dominant feature in peoples' consciousness. Once this happens, descent is inevitable. For now people are living under the tyranny of Producing Impressive Results.”
Is “Producing Impressive Results” a sin? Not always. Programs and numbers and quality are all good things, but when church focuses mainly on these things instead of Christ ... it is sinful.

The original Greek word that is translated as sin in English literally means “to miss the mark.” Sin is when we go in a different direction than what God wants for us.

The direction God wants us to go is toward Him. That is the whole point of church. Church should be a group of people, regularly gathering in an effort to draw closer to God, living life together in love and service, and sharing God with others. That’s it! There are no rules or guidelines to how that specifically looks, sounds or feels. It’s not about external elements, but about our internal hearts and what direction they are facing. It’s about love for God and love for one another.

Today there are very impressive churches that meet all around the world. You can walk into an impressive building, hear incredible music, fantastic preaching and participate in some amazing programs to help others in need, all while being surrounded by hundreds or thousands of others doing the same thing. None of that really matters though. What matters is where the hearts of the leaders and members are focused.

Consider the letter to the church in Ephesus recorded in Revelation 2:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.”

Jesus is saying, “You are a good church doing many good things!” However, He continues:

"But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lamp stand from its place among the churches” (NLT).

This message is just as much for us today as it was for the church in Ephesus almost 2,000 years ago. As we attend, serve or lead a local body of Christ’s Church, we cannot allow ourselves to make our gatherings focus on external things that can take the place of God within our hearts.

Instead, we must stay focused on the love of Christ—His sacrifice, His resurrection, His grace; and the impact of those things on the hearts of those who come together.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

Job 7:20; 9:17

Why have You set me as Your target [God]?...For He [God] bruises me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.

Job is in the middle of the suffering. He has no idea of the scenario being played out in heaven between God and Satan (described in Job 1-2). Job's mind sought for a reason why he was suffering. Not finding an answer in his own reasoning, he assumed that there wasn't a reason and stopped trusting God!
No wonder God's response to Job later was to say, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge" (Job 38:2). Job didn't know about the confrontation between God and Satan. He didn't realize that he was not even the main character in the situation. He couldn't see what God's purpose and plan was. He didn't know that God would restore and bless him at the end of the test. And he lost sight of the greatness of God.
As people, we are capable of enduring almost any suffering, so long as we know there is a reason for it!
Are you facing suffering or pain today? God is reminding you to trust Him. Even when you can't imagine a reason for your suffering, you can trust God that there is a reason (Romans 8:28). He will bring good out of this for you.

Take some time to express your trust to God right now.

Debunking Christmas Myths

2010-12-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Exposing tardy Wise Men, superbabies and other seasonal inaccuracies.

Christmas. It’s all about the good times: family and friends, candlelight services, stockings, mistletoe, rampant misinformation. Few holidays are more tangled up in folktales, urban legends and outright unbiblical ideas than the one celebrating our Savior’s birth.
Not that we talk about it all that much. Disputing the time-honored verses of Christmas carols or exposing the errors of the children’s living nativity scene is a good way to get a Yule log to the head. It’s practically Scroogetastic. Nevertheless, here are a few things you may not have known about your favorite Christian holiday.

-Jesus wasn’t born on Dec. 25.
According to biblical scholars, it’s unlikely that the Christ child arrived on the day we celebrate Christmas—or even during the winter season. For one thing, we’re told of shepherds “keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). Decembers in Bethlehem are cold and regularly drop below freezing once it gets dark, which means most shepherds only “kept watch” in the field from April to October. In the winter, they sheltered their flocks and stayed inside.
And that census decreed by Caesar Augustus? It required travel, and no self-respecting governing authority would ever schedule such a major undertaking during the winter months—when bad weather, muddy roads and angry citizens would foul things up. Nope, these usually took place in September or October, after the harvest season.
Celebrating Christ’s birth on Dec. 25 was popularized in the fourth century as a way to steal the limelight from the winter solstice and its link to pagan feasts celebrating the Roman sun god and the Persian god Mithras. Most scholars think Jesus was born toward the end of September. And for those of you keeping score at home, it was probably the year 6 B.C., not 0 A.D.

-Three Wise Men didn't appear at Christ’s birth.
These guys are fixtures of the nativity scene. They show up at the manger accompanied by camels, and are usually dressed all glittery and stuff because they were kings. Christian tradition has even named them: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar. Funny, then, how none of this is in the Bible.
Matthew 2 tells us about the “wise men from the east.” Following the star and looking for the King of the Jews, they make it to Jerusalem, where they have a run-in with King Herod. Next stop is Bethlehem. There, they find Jesus—whom Matthew describes as a “young child,” not a baby—with his mother in a house. Yes, a house. Not a stable. No mention of a manger.
No indication there were three of them, either. That’s just an assumption we make because Matthew 2:11 details the three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrhh. But there could have been a dozen of these guys, for all we know. Nothing about camels or flowing capes or sparkly crowns. Nothing to indicate they were kings. In fact, most scholars figure they were astrologers. And since the passage specifies them meeting the “young child” in a house, many believe the Wise Men didn’t deliver the gifts immediately after the birth. It could have been a couple of years later.
So pretty much everything we think we know about the Wise Men comes from sources other than the Bible. Like Christmas carols. Speaking of which …

-The second verse of “Away in a Manger” is a crock.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes/ But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes…
The traditional second verse of this favorite carol isn’t original to the song, which first appeared as a poem (containing what are now the first and third stanzas) in a Lutheran Sunday School book in 1885. Verse two was added in the early 1900s by Methodist minister John T. McFarland for a children’s program.
It implies that the baby Jesus didn’t cry when the cows, apparently peeved at the unorthodox use of valuable manger space, woke him up with noisy moos. Yet a fairly important precept of Christianity is that Christ was fully human—and not some blissful, preternaturally calm superbaby. This means the little Lord Jesus acted like an infant. He spit up. He peed. He left a few, um, deposits in his swaddling clothes.
He cried like a baby.

-People who call it “Xmas” are taking the Christ out of Christmas.
Lots of Christians start feeling like martyrs when Christmas gets abbreviated, believing this is just another way for modern, secular society to dis our faith (guys this was me even 3 weeks ago up until I did some research and personal study. I encourage you to do the same). Not exactly. The first letter in the Greek word for “Christ” is chi. And in the Roman alphabet, chi is represented by this symbol: X. So guess what? Xmas is an entirely justifiable replacement for Christmas, and it goes back a long, long way. Look I get getting upset over "Happy Holidays" just because they just want to be "Politically Correct" because it irritates me too lol. But some people who use "X-Mas aren’t demeaning Christ. Instead, they’re (consciously or not) appropriating a usage that’s nearly as old as the faith itself. We Xians shouldn’t get so upset about it.
So this holiday season, when someone invites you to attend their church’s Christmas program, feel free to point out the errors of their wise men and angels and the maudlin carols in the background.
Or, perhaps not, Ebenezer. Don’t be a jerk.

Just remember: like many of the tightly held traditions of our faith, not all of them are quite as biblical as we think. Merry Xmas!

Daily Devotion

2010-12-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.—Isaiah 9:6

We celebrate Christmas in order to rejoice over God's most precious gift to us. The birth of Jesus Christ is a gift from God that came in simple wrapping, as well as a gift we don't deserve. But the gift of Christ also explains His purpose for humankind.
The gift of Christ was no afterthought. Long before there was a stable in Bethlehem, before Adam and Eve ever set eyes on each other, and even before there existed a garden called Eden, God decided to send His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.
From the beginning, God knew humankind would fall short of His glory. That is why the Scriptures proclaim that Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8).
God made a decision from the very beginning that Christ would come to this earth to live and die and rise again from the dead. God's gift to us proves His purpose to redeem us.
The gift of Jesus Christ is what Christmas is all about. Jesus came near to us so we could come near to Him.
Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or gifts under a tree. Christmas is about the gift God gave on the tree where Christ died for our sins, giving us the gift of eternal life.
That is what He has accomplished. This is the gift He extends. And if you receive it, you will experience the merriest Christmas of all.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

Job 2:7-10
Then Satan…attacked Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a [piece of broken pottery] to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. Then his wife said to him, `Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!'
But he said to her, ‘…Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

"Do you still hold fast your integrity?" Integrity is when the way you live matches the words you say! Job's wife was amazed that his integrity would go that far, that it wouldn't stop when the suffering got too bad.
As you read this devotion, ask yourself, "What would it take for me to let go of my integrity? What temptation or what suffering would cause me to no longer live my life to please, praise and exalt Jesus Christ?"

Then ask God to take the roots of your relationship with Him so deep that they can never be pulled up! You see, if your commitment is simply commitment to the Christian way of life, it will never stand the test. You need deep relational commitment to the person of Jesus Christ in your life to "hold fast" in faith when adversity strikes.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

Job 1:13-22
A messenger came to Job and said, `…The Sabeans attacked and took [the oxen and donkeys]. They also slew the servants'…While he was still speaking, another also came and said, `The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants'…Another also came and said, `The Chaldeans…made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants' …Another also came and said, `Your sons and your daughters…died.' Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

When you read Job 1 in your Bible, you see that Job was enjoying a happy, contented, blessed life, when out of the blue everything on earth that was important to him, except his wife, was utterly destroyed. He lost his 10 children, his servants, his financial security. As you keep reading you see that in spite of Job's trust and faith in God, God also allowed a terrible disease to afflict Job. Only Job's deep inner spiritual life prepared him to face such devastation!
The reality of life is that there is no time to get yourself ready to face suffering when it arrives, it's there. The deep reservoir of Job's relationship with God meant that he was spiritually prepared for those dark days of loss.
Get close to God. It is the only way that you will be able to continue to trust Him when He entrusts you with suffering.

Militants Claim Christians Have No Right to Worship

2010-12-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

Indonesia (MNN) ― Seven house churches in Indonesia were forcibly closed by 200 to 300 Muslim extremists last week in West Java, Indonesia.
Members of Muslim hardliner groups like the Islam Protector Front, Muslim Forum, and the Islamic Reformation Movement gathered outside the seven houses to do sudden building inspections.
The house churches were being used by members of the Protestant Batak Christian Huria Church. The militants argued that the houses contained "illegal church meetings" and forced the congregation to go elsewhere. House owners were forbidden from hosting any more worship services.
These evictions are built on a long history in Indonesia of Muslim-Christian run-ins, especially in West Java. In 2005, three female Sunday school teachers were convicted for "proselytizing Muslim children," despite the woman's protests that they had parental consent. In 2008, a church was shut down for not having enough signatures from villagers on a petition. Just this last July, Voice of the Martyrs reported an increase in death threats from Muslims to Christians. The constant push for sharia law in the country doesn't help.
Now Christians are again being threatened. Please Pray that God would use this ordeal to strengthen the church and build their platform for evangelism. Pray that believers would continue to reach out in love to those around them, persevering despite persecution. Pray that the hearts of the Muslim extremists involved in this particular attack would be changed for the Gospel.

Christmas Charity Isn't the Answer

2010-12-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

It's a nice gesture, but truly serving the poor should require more of us than one Saturday a year.

For the years I was in Bible College the highlight of the holiday season was the day my church put together food boxes for the less fortunate in our area. One of the benefits of being a megachurch is access to mega-resources, and my church spared no expense when it came to giving out holiday food. Hundreds of volunteers from the church would show up to assemble gigantic boxes filled with every imaginable food stuff: whole turkeys, roasting pans, gallons of milk, bags of fresh apples, onions, potatoes and carrots, and whole pumpkin pies from Costco. The boxes we put together rivaled much of my own family's traditional feast, and it made me proud to know we were giving the best to those who needed it most.

For years, other like minded-volunteers and I would cram our cars with several food boxes and set off to deliver them to different parts of the city. The boxes would go to neighborhoods I rarely found myself in, given to families who either didn't speak the same language as I or who were simply too exhausted to try. Most of the deliveries left me with a heartwarming moment—carrying in all the food, watching the eyes of the children grow wide as they stared at the huge assortment, merrily shouting, “God bless you!” as I left. Other experiences weren't quite as positive, like the single mom who screamed into her cell phone the entire time I lugged in food (it took several trips), barely registering I was there at all. For the most part, however, delivering the feast was one of my favorite holiday traditions.

For the past several years, I have started to rethink all the warm fuzzies I got from these experiences. What is a single Hispanic mom with no money to pay the electric bill going to do with several boxes of stuffing and cans of green beans? More importantly, I began to question the very nature of complete strangers delivering food to the poor one day out of the year.

What if I had a relationship with the single mom who seemed to be having a really rough day? What if I knew the story about the middle-aged shut-in who lived in the apartment complex specifically designated for drug addicts in recovery? What if I knew my neighbors well enough to be invited in for a cup of tea, instead of dropping off food like an underling for Santa Claus?

I realized that one of my main problems with Operation Food Box was the fact that many of the households we delivered to were addresses given to us by other aid organizations—very few of the families and individuals were known by members of the church. What does that say about a church if they have to outsource in order to find the poor and needy? For me, it meant there was a big enough disconnect between my desires (help the poor) and my reality (where are they?). I found that they were, indeed, all around us, and in order for myself to feel good about giving food, it needed to be more about the relationship with the people and less about having a "BIG outreach."

While food boxes definitely have their place in the modern Christian tradition of giving, I can't help but think an attitude of food sharing would be more beneficial. It would mean knowing our neighbors well enough that “the poor” is not a mere concept—and the “hungry and thirsty” aren’t an abstraction, they’re real people. Developing relationships and networking with organizations to empower families to never be hungry, regardless of the holiday season, is more in line with the teachings of
Jesus than delivering one goody-filled box.

In this new year let's actually change the way we live our lives. Let's begin to get involved in peoples lives. Even if it's just one person. Let's involve our lives in theirs and reach out to them with the Love of Christ year around instead of cramming all of this into one day or one month.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

Exodus 33:12-14
Then Moses said to the Lord...‘If I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You'…And He [the Lord] said, `My presence shall go with you'…

To respond rightly to God you must know the presence of God!

All this week our devotionals have been focusing on right responses to God from Psalm 99. But notice that we are talking about RESPONSES. Too often our Christianity is something initiated by us.
But Christianity really only works right when we are responding to God's initiatives. As long as your Christianity is simply your attempt to live the way you think God wants, rather than a personal response to His presence in your life, you will struggle with frustration.
God is present and active in your life. But you must stop and pay attention and learn to recognize His presence and activity. God is speaking to you through His Word. But you need to change the way you read, so that you are not just reading content, but listening for the Holy Spirit's voice coming to you personally through the Scriptures.

Ask God to meet with you in prayer right now. Ask Him to begin to help you be more aware of His presence and His initiative in your life. Make your whole life a response to God. Like Moses, say to God: "let me…know You."

Will the Real Santa Clause "Please Stand Up"

2010-12-20T10:27:00.000-08:00

Taking a deeper look at good ol' St. Nick.

Saint Nicholas is possibly the most popular saint worldwide, though much of his fan base is largely unaware he is a saint. They know even less about the life of this man who would eventually become a symbol for Christmas.
Nicholas was born sometime around AD 280 in Lycia to wealthy, Christian parents. Not unlike many saints, the tales of Nicholas’ life focus on his goodness. He is said to have shown remarkable piety even from birth. There is at least one account of Nicholas, on the day he was born, standing up and praying to God in the middle of his bath, and there are numerous reports of the infant Nicholas refusing to nurse on days of fasting. It is hardly surprising, then, that from a young age, Nicholas was known to enjoy church and memorizing songs and Scriptures.
When he was still a boy, Nicholas’ parents died in a plague, leaving him with great wealth. He continued in their charitable work, striving to use his money for good. His uncle, the Bishop of Patura, became his guardian and ensured his education in the church. Nicholas was an exceptional student and became a priest at a very young age.
Once, while traveling by sea to Jerusalem, a storm threatened the safety of Nicholas and the ship’s crew. Legend has it that Nicholas prayed to God and immediately the storm was calmed. Upon returning from that trip, he visited a church in Myra. A priest was outside the church waiting. When Nicholas arrived, the priest asked his name. As Nicholas answered, the priest began praising God. He explained that God had told him to wait outside the church and the next person to come by, named Nicholas, would be the new Bishop of Myra. While Nicholas at first humbly refused, claiming unworthiness, he eventually became their Bishop. He was called the Boy Bishop, because of his age, and was supposedly loved by all.
The stories of miracles performed by Nicholas are numerous—increasing grain cargo on a ship in order to feed his people, appearing to an emperor in a dream to save three wrongly accused men, again calming a stormy sea, bringing a drowned boy back to life and many others. It is said that he performed at least 20 miracles in his lifetime.
Two stories of Nicholas are more popular than others, perhaps because of their connection to the image we have of Saint Nicholas today. It is said that during a famine, an innkeeper captured three boys, chopped them up and put them in a barrel of salt water, with plans to eat them. Nicholas somehow found out, imprisoned the innkeeper and brought the boys back to life. Because of the story of this miracle, as well as others,

Nicholas gained a reputation of protecting children.

The other popular story is that of a man with three daughters. The man was poor and could not afford dowries for his girls. At the time, this meant they would have to succumb to a life of prostitution. Hearing this, Nicholas dropped a bag of gold down the chimney (or, according to some, threw it in the window) on the night before each girl needed a dowry for marriage. One story says the last bag of gold Nick threw in landed in a sock, hanging to dry above the fireplace. Sound familiar? Another version of the story tells of Nicholas’ request to remain anonymous until after his death.
From these stories, it is easy to see how Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, eventually morphed into the Saint Nick we’re familiar with today. He is the patron saint of children, so the custom arose of giving gifts to children in the name of Saint Nicholas on his feast day, December 6. The Dutch eventually brought this tradition to America. Their name for Saint Nicholas—Sinte Klaas—eventually evolved into Santa Claus.
Saint Nicholas (as well as our modern Santa Claus-version) was known for his generosity, his love of children and his care for the poor. Because of these qualities, and his December death-day, he has become associated with Christmas. It makes sense, given that Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the One who perfected generosity and love for children and the poor.

This Christmas, instead of complaining about Santa Claus taking over, we can strive to remember the life of a man who is known for living out Christ’s love. May we, too, be aware of the needs of those around us and be willing and generous enough to help.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-20T09:37:00.000-08:00

Psalm 99
He [the Lord] spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept His testimonies and the statute that He gave them.

Obedience is a right response to God!

We talk so much today about how you can find God's help for your life, for your finances, for your relationships, for your work, that we can gradually come to think that the universe, and even God Himself, exist for us — that we are the center of all things.
How important to remember that God is the one who sits on the throne of the universe. He is the one around whom all things revolve. He is God and we are just creatures. We are so wrong when we take God's directions for life as mere guidelines — general suggestions that we should take into account.
The reality is that God has set two ways of living the Christian life before us. One way leads to life and blessing and fullness of joy. The other way leads to frustration and emptiness and wasted life.
Today God is inviting you to live the way of obedience to Him. If you choose to keep enough Christianity to appease your conscience, but still live for yourself, you will come to the end of your life full of regret at how you wasted it.
Respond to God's invitation to you today by bringing your whole life under His leadership. Listen when He speaks.

Why Is It Hard to Be Broken in Church?

2010-12-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

A While ago, I asked a question to a number of students I was working with at the time, “What’s one thing you feel you can’t say in the church?”

I didn’t anticipate the response it would receive.

This question obviously struck a chord with a lot of people. I thought and thought about the comments for months. I wrote some out and kept them on my nightstand, trying to understand the scope of why so many people felt they couldn’t say so many different things in church. Surely there had to be a common denominator.
Fear was obviously there. Shame. Rejection. But those feelings were more of the why people didn’t speak up more often.

I was looking for the what.

What did things like poverty and being gay, worship, money, porn, sex, depression and abuse have in common?

One night months later, it hit me:

Brokenness

Whether it’s as a result of sin, or fear of the response we’ll get by speaking up about something like politics or relationships or mental health in a broken world, it all boiled down to brokenness.

And if this fracture in whatever part of our lives threatens our reputation, our character or our dignity, we hide.

If something in our spiritual life is broken or is confusing to us, we hide.

If a relationship is broken, we hide.

If there’s an unhealthy habit we fall back on, we hide.

If there’s a controversial political or social issue confronting us, we hide.

We ultimately want to hide what’s broken, whether it occurs individually or in a community. The Bible is filled with broken people, most of whom at some point or another tried to cover up their brokenness. Yet it seems like the people who are the most broken, the most helpless, are the people God often uses the most.

King David committed adultery and murder, yet he was considered a man after God’s heart. Rahab was a prostitute, but she understood her culture and helped protect Joshua’s spies. (She later gave birth to Boaz, making her the great-great-grandmother of King David, whose lineage continues on to Jesus.)

The disciples were considered spiritually worthless in their culture and had already been rejected by various rabbis (that’s why they were all working in their respective family trades when Jesus found them), and they were the 12 people Jesus most closely associated with.
Through church experiences and relationships in my own life as a child and as an adult working in a church, the pressure to be perfect and to have all the answers strongly influenced my decision to keep quiet about a lot of broken things. Some were decisions I was making that were sin. Others were the result of the sin of others, or simply questions about my faith and my God.

We’ve all seen how dangerous it can be to be vulnerable in the church. But now, we have the chance to do something about it.
The church is supposed to be a safe place for everybody, especially the people who are the most broken, right? The Bible says the Kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit—those so broken they have nothing to offer. Jesus came to heal the sick.

Although unofficial in title, the concept of the church being a refuge dates back to the time of Moses and Joshua. In the Hebrew culture, there are historical records of fugitives seeking protection at altars, which recognizes religion’s role in protecting human life even for the most terrible offenders.

The Christian church adopted the right of sanctuary in the fourth century. Because of Christendom’s strong belief in the sanctity of life, clergy and priests began acting on behalf of the criminals, defending them from unfair judgment and execution. It wasn’t an easy out for the criminal; they were often restricted in their daily activities, but at least their lives were safe in the church until they received the king’s pardon or a fair punishment.

Anyone was welcome to take safety in the church at this time—not only criminals, but slaves who escaped cruel masters and those who couldn’t repay debts. Village townsmen, women and children who came under attack from outlaws could take refuge in the church.
However, as time went by, people with power interfered with the system and began excluding specific groups or crimes. At first, those who had committed treason or murder were no longer allowed to find safety. Over the next few centuries, slowly, fewer and fewer crimes were given the right of sanctuary, until the end of the 18th century, when it was abolished altogether.

Outside of the legal system, hundreds of years ago, when a person confessed certain sins or doubted or renounced their faith, some Christians refused to welcome that person back into the church, even if the person had truly repented. These kinds of Christians felt like the church was better with these so-called sinners out of the picture.
I find it interesting that in our current culture, we identify the church as a safe place for broken people to find refuge. Church is a place for us to claim the right of a modern-day sanctuary where we can name our sins or ask our questions, and be protected and sheltered while we search for grace, forgiveness and answers.

Yet as history shows us, for hundreds of years, churches have been sacrificing the beauty of confession and brokenness for religious trappings and the malady of perfectionism. In some cases, if we don’t measure up to a manmade cocktail of moral codes and checklists—if we aren’t “good enough”—we no longer feel welcomed in a church or around other Christians.

We feel ashamed.

We feel ashamed that we don’t measure up to the “holiness” of others.
And shame tells us to keep those ugly, messy parts hidden. Without our secrets showing, maybe then we can be accepted.
We think, and in many cases have experienced, that if we share our secrets or our questions, we’ll be rejected. And alone.

And so people—broken people like you and me—feel pressured to choose.
Either we can conform to an institutionalized and over-organized product of religion, masking and repressing our secrets or questions or shortcomings, or we can escape the walls of the church and find a place outside a faith-based environment where we are free to share all of who we truly are.

Most of us choose to live in one of these extremes: conforming or escaping. Few can find peace living in the tension of both. Those of us who do wonder if we’re too idealistic to believe a faith community can be a hospital for our wounds to be welcomed and healed. That true sanctuary can be found both within the walls of the church and outside the church as well.

At the risk of sounding overly idealistic, I’d like to say that for those of us who believe the church should be one of the safest and most grace-giving places a person can experience here on earth, it’s time to reclaim what our faith stands for.

It’s time for us to politely but passionately disagree with those who make church a “safe” place by removing all the messiness.

It’s time for us to put all we have out in the open—not for the sake of self-depreciating exploitation or attention, but for recognizing the things the Cross stands for and left for us: ultimate love and undiscriminating grace.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

There is a story about a little girl who was being tucked in to bed by her mommy. The little girl was scared to be left alone and asked her mom to stay in the room with her. The mother kindly answered, "Honey, it's okay. Jesus is with you." The little girl said back, "But Mom, I need someone with skin on."
People need to see and feel Jesus through us. We have heard repeatedly that God loves us. However, sometimes, we do not sense that love. God does not use His arms to physically touch us because it is our spirit that responds and testifies to the love of God. But sometimes, others need to see Jesus and feel Jesus to accept His love. God does that by using us. Think of Moses when He was called by God in Exodus 3:7-10:
"And the Lord said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. Therefore, I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
God was saying to Moses that He was going to answer the Israelites' prayers by sending Moses to free them. Moses became "Jesus with skin on." He is asking us to do the same thing today.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

Psalm 99:6-7
Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the Lord and He answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.

Calling on the Lord is a right response to God!

In the Bible, "calling on the Lord" means asking God to be involved in areas where you need His help. When you study those who were men and women of God in the Bible, you find that those who were more Godly called on the Lord more. That is, they recognized that they needed God's involvement in every area of life!
Sometimes they called on the Lord for forgiveness (see verse 8), or for help in battle, or for guidance, or for His anointing on their work for His Kingdom, and the list goes on. When "they called...He answered."
As you read this devotional today, God is inviting you to change the way you approach life so that you involve Him in every aspect of your life. What relationship do you need to call upon the Lord about? What decision do you need to bring before Him? What ministry are you trying to accomplish with your own abilities and resources?

God wants you to learn to take every daily issue of life to Him.

A More Materialistic Christmas

2010-12-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about December is celebrating the birth of Jesus—the God of the universe. But on a lighter note, one of my other favorite things is watching everyone walk around like Charlie Brown asking, “What is Christmas really all about?”
When we look a culture at large, Christmas is undoubtedly about stuff. Super sales, money, discounts, stockings and a (if you really think about it weird) myth about a fat guy in red who brings stuff down chimneys.
But no matter what your faith, unless you want to invite scorn, skepticism and have everybody look at you like you’re the Grinch, you probably won’t say outright that Christmas is about stuff.
Even in American culture, nobody says that. Here are some examples:

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas ... all I want for Christmas is you.”
—Mariah Carey
“Christmas is all about forgiveness.”
—Finn from Glee, “A Very Glee Christmas”
“Let’s get back to the real meaning of Christmas: being with family.”
—My Friend
See? When anyone gets serious about Christmas, they don’t talk about stuff, they talk about relationships and abstract concepts like joy or forgiveness. But going metaphysical with Christmas doesn’t necessarily get you anywhere. And I for one think followers of Jesus could get more materialistic in talking about Christmas. Here’s why.

What Christmas Is Really, Actually, Really All About

The celebration of Christmas is actually seriously really about the incarnation of God into human form. And while this has VAST implications for all of philosophy, life, eternity and other abstract things, one thing it also implies is that we should reconsider what we think about stuff. Plain things. Materials.
The incarnation is the divine affirmation of material things, because it’s the crazy point in history where God took on material form and lived in the material world.
Christians aren’t used to this view. We like to think that the “spiritual” will always trump the “physical.” Perhaps it’s the lingering philosophical residue of Gnosticism, perhaps it’s just contemporary wisdom. But whatever it is, it isn’t biblical.

Stuff the Bible Is About

The Bible is filled from beginning to end with stuff.
Start with Genesis 1 & 2. It’s a marvelous picture of the Grand Triune Artist flinging stuff around like Jackson Pollack throws paint. And the thing He keeps yelling is “Tov! Tov!” (Roughly, “Its good.”)
Think about Exodus when God instructs the people of Israel how to worship Him. He guides them in an ultra-specific (picky like Michelangelo) process of “stuff-creating” that involves golden lamp-stands, acacia tables and robes woven from blue and purple yarns.
Then, when Jesus comes He catches a lot of flack for “eating and drinking”—which entails pouring wine, carpentering tables and roasting fish.
Later, Paul promises us that when we rise from the dead, we’re going to be like Christ with new bodies.
Finally, in Revelation we read about the New Earth where we walk streets of gold, gates of jasper and trees with leaves of healing next to rivers.
The point? God loves stuff. He made it, He sent His Son in the form of it, and the New Heavens and the New Earth are filled with it. And since in no way does He seem to want to get away from it, why should we?

Worshiping Stuff? Nope

So materials aren’t bad! In God’s created order, things are the stuff through which we experience, understand and come to know Him in His fullness. Not in spite of them, but through them!
God is our rock. Jesus is bread and water. God is my shield and portion.
If we’re not well acquainted with the material world, then we certainly won’t be well acquainted with Him—because God is always comparing Himself to things.
Of course that doesn’t mean we should worship stuff. Materialism in a bad way is when things (iPhones, designer shoes, a new baseball glove) become our little Baals. We look to them for a happiness they can’t bring. (Far be it from me to suggest we become more materialistic in that way.)
But the possibility of loving stuff too much doesn’t make stuff bad. It means loving wrong. It means we need Christ to order our loves so that all things (concrete like your new car and abstract like your ego over it) are means through which you worship, not forget about Jesus. And that’s what Jesus came to do when He came to Earth to die and rise—to redeem all things.

Worshiping Through Stuff? Yes

So we need to be more materialistic in the sense of loving God through stuff. We need to be good at mimicking Him and shouting, “Now that is really Tov!” when we see and experience good stuff He created. And the incarnation makes that possible because now we have Jesus’ life in us.
One way of course is through gratitude to and reflection on Him.
In each thing the world presents to us—a chip of pottery, the magnolia blossom, a sleeping girl—lays a possible epiphany, a startling occasion for gratefulness and worship. These things are telling us something about Him if only we have the ears to hear and the eyes to see. And if we don’t praise Him through them, then that stuff (like the rocks) will cry out and praise Him instead.
But another way of worship is simply by enjoying stuff unto Him.
We ought not be limited to worshiping God at Christmas through prayer, songs and Scripture reading—but also through enjoyment of His earthly gifts. At Christmas, for example: the startling white of snow, the curious texture of eggnog, the refracted light on tinsel, the warmth of slippers.
It’s worship just to engage with this stuff and call it good like God called it.
What’s at stake in all this talk about stuff is this—will we worship God in fullness or in fractions.
If we get the point—that Jesus became man incarnate, lived a material existence and still now at the right hand of God exists in a body—then we might see that all this stuff surrounding Christmas are matters of worship. (The word “matter” was chosen carefully.)
When we spend eternity with Jesus, we won’t be doing it in some sort of disembodied spiritual meditation, but rather we’ll be feasting in a scintillating world that delights the bodily senses and spins the heart like a top.
I suggest we begin practicing that now by proclaiming the incarnation of Jesus in all its implications—material ones included.
What’s Christmas all about? That Jesus came as the salvation of our souls and our bodies—and proper celebration of the Incarnation will require both.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

Psalm 99:2-5
The Lord is great in Zion, and He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name. Holy is He. The strength of the King loves justice; you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool. Holy is He.

Worship is a right response to God!

There are three words in this passage that express how we respond to God: praise, worship and exalt. We praise God for what He has done; we worship God for who He is; and we exalt God in the eyes of other people.
If you truly come to an awareness of the presence of God in your life, these three things will be the natural result. The more you realize of what God has done for you, the fuller your heart gets, until you just have to praise Him for it.
"Worship at His footstool." The more aware you become of who He is, the more you will become aware of how very little you are; you will realize that the world does not revolve around you, but around Him, and you will want to direct the energy and worship of your life toward Him.

And the more God becomes the center of your life, the more you will look for ways to help others see Him for who He is.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-15T08:09:00.000-08:00

Psalm 99:1
The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake.

Trembling is a right response to God!

Sometimes we get very used to the idea that God is there for us, that He is involved in our lives, and we begin to take Him for granted. We can even begin to ignore Him and think nothing of it.
If God was distant, not involved in this world, then we could safely ignore Him. But when the Supreme Being, the maker of all that is, the one who holds all the power that exists, the God of purity and purpose — when HE gets personally involved in your life, you dare not ignore Him or get used to Him.
Just as standing beside a massive, thundering waterfall can make you gulp and respect the power of water, so being in the presence of God makes us gulp and fear and respect Him in a new way. We are secure in His love, but we recognize that He is not tame. As C.S. Lewis wrote of Aslan the lion, "He isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King."
God is not building His life around us; rather, we must build our lives around Him.
Have you gotten used to God's presence in your life? Take some time right now to remember who is on the throne of this universe and re-orient your life around Him!

Daily Devotion

2010-12-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 3:17-19
…So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

There are two different kinds of knowledge mentioned in the last lines of this passage. If we write those two different meanings into the translation it would go like this: "…to know-by-experience the love of Christ which surpasses intellectual-knowledge…"!
When you think about all the amazing things God does for us and you ask, "Why would God do that for me?"—so often the answer is simply, "Because He loves you!"
But when you go back one step further and ask, "But why does He love me?", our minds are left groping for an answer. King David put it this way in Psalm 139 — "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it."
God has revealed so much of Himself to us in His Word. But He is infinite in all His ways, and there is so much beauty in what goes on in the mind and heart of God that we have not seen yet.

Take a moment to respond to the immeasurable love of God today.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-13T09:35:00.001-08:00

Romans 8:35-39
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God's love is dependable!

If you have begun a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then you have an anchor for your soul that will hold you steady no matter what you face in life.
No matter what person on earth rejects you, there is One who will "never leave you, nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5). No matter what things crumble away beneath your feet, you will find that "underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). No matter how many of the things you once found security in suddenly disappear into clouds and darkness, the lighthouse of God's Word will always shine this message into your heart—"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you" (John 14:18).
Even if you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, He will be with you every step of the way. This makes you different from every person who does not have Jesus Christ.

The love of God. You can depend on it.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

Psalm 145:2
Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Janet, Ann, and Jenny all agreed. This year they were going to get together daily to pray together and share their experiences. Over the past few months they had spent more time in fellowship with one another, and it was the best part of their weeks. They all worked in the same office, ate lunch together, went to church together, and they lived close enough that they could meet at one another's homes when necessary. In covenant with God and one another, they promised to get together for praise and prayer.
Perhaps such a set-up is not realistic for everyone, but it is easier and more enjoyable when we can share our faith with others. Other people hold us accountable to the commitment we make in a way that God does not. He will not force anyone to make time for Him. It is from a willing heart that God wants our time with Him to come. Friends and prayer partners can help us remember God every day, and help us praise Him always.
Every day will I praise You, Lord. I will try to take time each day to reflect on the great gifts I have been given and the wonderful love that is in my heart. Thank You for that love.

12 Things I HATE about Youth Ministry

2010-12-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I reflected on 12 things I love about youth ministry—it was hard to keep the list to just 12! Serving in youth ministry is great, but sometimes I allow my priorities to get mixed up and give it more than I should. When the needs of the ministry consume and devour my life, and it results in no margin, no accountability, and no joy…it’s time to change things. Here are some of the warning signs, 12 things I hate about youth ministry:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. Fatigue can result in poor leadership decisions. This season, I need to get some rest!

2. The nagging feeling that I may have given up too early on that one high maintenance kid.

3. Overload leads to taking short cuts and doing what’s easy rather than doing what is best (or right).

4. Sometimes I am tempted to skim in my spiritual life since people really don’t know if I skip my personal time with God.

5. I can take criticism personally and use it as a club to beat myself up.

6. I believe the lie that the youth ministry is the most important one in the church. I become territorial and build high walls around youth ministry within the church.

7. Insecurities and fears feed one another until they’re consuming. While cocooned, I rest, refuse to take risks, and become satisfied with the way things are.

8. My drive to be faithful and grow the ministry can move us from honest persuasion to manipulation.

9. I feel like an unsung hero, wallow in self pity, and then feel guilty for having the need to be affirmed.

10. I get confused or indignant when other leaders seem to love the ministry as much as I do.

11. I let success feed the self-deception that says, “I did this on my own power…or…I can do this on my own power.”

12. The pressure to perform and please others distracts me from trusting God.

Christmas is a great time to step back and remember the important things in life: God’s love for us is unchanging, uncompromising, and unconditional. He loves all of my students more than I do and is working within to draw us closer.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

Read Luke 15:11-32
I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men'. So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. (vv. 18-20)

God's love for you is unconditional!

This parable is usually called The Prodigal Son, but some people call it The Parable of the Father's Heart. That is a good name for it, because Jesus used this parable to show people how He feels toward those people who are rejected by the self-righteous (see vv. 28-30).
Do you feel that you have sinned and offended God to such an extent that you cannot approach Him, that He does not want to see you? That is how the son in this parable felt. But when he finally decided to come back to his father, he found his father waiting for him with open arms. As soon as his father saw him returning, his father took off running to meet him.

Even if you feel "a long way off", as soon as you turn back to God in your life, He is running to meet you, with embraces and kisses to welcome you back!

12 Things I love about Youth Ministry

2010-12-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season has a lot of movement. People are usually stressed and borderline psycho during a time when they should be slow and reflective. The pace quickens: Christmas parties, visiting family, special church services, and last minute shopping. Everything seems more urgent.
With a little intentionality, this season can become a natural time to reflect on the important things in life. So, instead of singing the 12 days of Christmas (which I would love to do, but you would hate it), I thought I would share 12 things I love about Youth Ministry

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. Youth Ministry is fun! How often do you see the ushers or senior pastors playing red rover while blindfolded?

2. Youth Ministry makes a real difference for the Kingdom. Teenagers are not the church of the future, they are the church of TODAY.

3. Youth Ministry helps students connect to their passion. Students are old enough to be discovering WHAT MOVES THEM, but not yet old enough to be dulled by disappointment and lulled into apathy.

4. Youth Ministry is direct, teenagers often speak their mind even if it’s not polite or acceptable…which I find refreshing.

5. Youth Ministry attracts fun people, and it’s great to be serving alongside the most fun people in the church.

6. Youth Ministry is strategic. The decisions teenagers make during adolescence have implications for the rest of their life.

7. Youth Ministry is catalytic. Students can be quick to take risks and rise to challenges without a lot of excuses or “experience” that holds them back.

8. Youth Ministry lasts longer than pop culture. When teenagers return from college to volunteer in youth ministry you can laugh at their fading fads.

9. Youth Ministry is a constant stream of blessings. I know the secret: working with teenagers produces fruit in your own life. Sometimes it’s so great doing youth ministry that I feel guilty for calling it “ministry!”

10. Youth Ministry lasts longer than the annoying students. I can outlast them because they will eventually graduate from our ministry. It’s okay, I can be thankful for that reality, I am just keeping it real!
lol jk I love you all!!!

11. Youth Ministry “feeds” students who are so hungry to know Jesus.

12. Youth Ministry is unpredictable. CHAOS: At Anytime and Anywhere Anything can happen. It’s fun and exciting and often painful. lol

Most of all I love working with Teenagers because I once was a teenager. And NO it was not during the Cold War only a few short years ago lol. And I know what it is like going through those years with so many different emotions, questions, and struggles. I do not have it all figured out but one thing I love is living this life among them and helping them discover the Love of God and the Plans He has for them!!

Daily Devotion

2010-12-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

God's love extends to all!

Are you a part of this world? Then by Jesus' own words in this verse, "God so loved you, that He gave His only begotten Son."
Have you ever allowed yourself to truly feel the depth of what it means to be loved by God? It is not that we all deserve to be loved and so He loves us. Just the opposite! We have hurt His feelings, offended His justice, defied His authority, rejected His love, broken His laws, ignored His self-revelation, grieved His Spirit, and ignored His truth.
Yet He loves us, and reaches out to us, and introduces Himself to us, and softens our hardened hearts, and helps us see our need for Him, and offers us forgiveness, and welcomes us into His family.
"The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Still, just like any gift—no matter how much it cost, no matter how valuable it is, no matter how much we need it, no matter how much love is in the heart of the giver — the gift must be accepted and received by the person to whom it is given.

Have you received God's wonderful gift of love?

Daily Devotion

2010-12-08T12:14:00.001-08:00

Hosea 11:8
"How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me. All my compassions are kindled.

God's love does not change!

Some people refer to "the God of the Old Testament", as though God changed when the New Testament started. But God did not change. When you read the Old Testament stories of God's relationship to Israel, they show God relating to that nation just like He relates to us as individuals today.
God loved them. He forgave them time and time again as they continually went through a process of returning to Him, then falling away, then returning again in repentance. Each time they turned back to God, He was waiting to restore their relationship with Him, waiting to bless them again.
Romans 8:35 asks, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ?" And the answer—"Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (vv. 35-39, NLT).
That same kind of persistent love as God expressed to Israel, He has for you today. Are you one of God's children? His heart is full of compassion for you. Stop worrying that God will stop loving or receiving you, and focus on loving Him back!

Daily Devotion

2010-12-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

Matthew 4:19-20
And He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men'. Immediately they left their nets, and followed Him.

If you want to get to know God more, you must learn to respond immediately to God's leading in your life!

When Jesus called the disciples, they immediately left everything and followed Him. That response was the beginning of such a wonderful journey of growing relationally close to Jesus.
Matthew also tells the story (Matthew 19:21-22) of another young man Jesus invited to leave everything and follow Him. The next verse after Jesus' invitation says, "But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property." He valued the comfort of keeping things the way they were more than he valued responding to Jesus' invitation.
The way to increase your sensitivity to what God is saying is to respond to what God is already making clear to you. If God is speaking to you about something in your life right now, and you ignore it, your heart becomes hardened toward Him and your relationship with Him suffers. But if you learn to respond immediately to God's leading, your relationship with Him soars.

In faith, the fishermen left their nets. The rich young man also had a net—a safety net. But he couldn't give it up. What do you need to respond to God about today?

Daily Devotion

2010-12-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

Mark 1:35-37

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, `Everyone is looking for You'.

Jesus' relationship with His Father, while Jesus was walking the earth as a man, shows us what our relationship with God can be like!

Jesus certainly had an ongoing conversation with God taking place behind the scenes at all times. But even when you have learned to speak with God throughout the day, you still need to set aside special time that is for nothing else than communication with God — speaking to Him, listening to Him, and just being quiet in His presence.
Jesus' relationship with His Father needed these "quiet times" and so does ours! These verses describe one of the busiest times in Jesus' ministry. The only time He could find to spend with God was "in the early morning, while it was still dark." You may choose a different time of day, but do not neglect this crucial part of a growing relationship with God.
It is true of every relationship in life.

The only way to get closer to someone is to spend focused time with them. Find a "secluded place" and a quiet time and get alone with God today. You need it, and He deserves it.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

John 11:41-42
Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.'

Want to get to know God better? You may need to change the way that you pray!

Remember, you're not trying simply to learn more about God, you're trying to know Him better on the personal level. Learn to have conversations with God — just like Jesus did, speaking naturally to His Father in the middle of this event!
Resist the urge to let your prayers be just a shopping list of things you're reciting, that you hope God will do for you. By all means bring your requests to God, but learn to make your prayers much more than that. Learn to be responsive to God. When God speaks to you in the Bible, interrupt your reading and respond to Him. When God speaks to you through someone's preaching, immediately respond to God in your heart.
All other kinds of prayer originate from us (request, praise, intercession), but responsive prayer is completely relational. It is you responding to what God is saying and doing in your life.

Learn to start your day in a conversation with God. As you wake, say, "Good morning Lord!" And then carry that conversation throughout your day. He's always listening.

Daily Devotion

2010-12-02T09:39:00.001-08:00

Psalm 119:103
How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me." (John 5:39)

He said these words to people who searched the Scriptures for the wrong reasons. But for those of us who have a living relationship with Jesus, these words of His draw us to search the Scriptures for the right reason!
Because we love Jesus, we love the Bible. We want to get to know Jesus more, and so we soak our lives in the Word of God.
If you have a relationship with another person, and you want to get to know them better, you have a conversation with them. You listen carefully to what they share with you about themselves. You focus on them.

It is the same with your walk with God. God is speaking to you; but as long as your Bible is closed, you miss out on so much of what God wants to say and do in your life. The Bible can be dry if you approach it academically. But if you approach it with an open heart, listening for the voice of God in your heart, it will be "sweeter than honey to your mouth."

No one can taste it for you. You must open your Bible and savor its sweetness for yourself.

Prove them Wrong

2010-12-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Worried about failing? About rejection? About falling on your face?

Don’t bother (worrying, that is).

For everyone with high expectations on you, there’s someone who thinks you’re going to bomb.

Prove them wrong.

And if you don’t prove them wrong, then so what? So that last effort was a misfire? Hey, everybody misfires.
They’re thinking you’re gonna pack it up and go home now.
They think you’re done.

Prove them wrong.

Show them you have something to say, that you aren’t going anywhere, that you started this for a reason.
Show them you WILL put the time in.
Yes, Allen Iverson, we are talking about practice.
It doesn’t make perfect, but it makes better, so keep at it.
The expectations are low.
Or the expectations are unrealistic.
And the expectations will always take you down if you let them.

Forget the expectations.

Life’s too short to live scared, so go ahead.

Prove them wrong

Daily Devotion

2010-12-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory

Why was Jesus referred to as "the Word"? Because He is God speaking to us—God wants you to know Him! Jesus expressed in word and action what God is really like.

The whole Bible is about God revealing Himself to people. Even in your own life, God is constantly reaching out to you, inviting you every day to live your life in close relationship with Him.

That's why He has given us the Bible, which is also called "the Word." God wants to be totally involved in your life today. He doesn't just want you to be a "committed Christian"; He wants to walk with you through your day on a relational level.

I encourage you to make your life a pursuit of God! When the Bible talks about "seeking God", this is what it means. It means that you look for any way, any opportunity to get to know God better on the personal level.
As you read this devotional and think about this day, ask yourself: how can I personally get to know God better? God is inviting you to a closer walk with Him. He wants to live with you. Use this devotion to journal your own response back to God.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 3:12-15
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called `Today', so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin…Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

Fellowship is one of the tools God has given us to transform our lives!

Do you see in your own life the danger that this passage warns us about? Do you feel your heart growing hard toward God in some area? The best way to avoid a hardened heart is to get close to other people who have a real love for God. Really get into each other's spiritual lives.

Don't just hang out together. Rather, share with each other what is happening in your spiritual lives. Talk about what God is teaching you. Pray together. Study the Bible together.

If you can't find a group like that, then start one, even if you are not a leader or a strong Christian. Find someone else and just start making your spiritual lives the center of your conversation. At the end of your time together, suggest that you each pray together for each other's spiritual life.

You will find that this keeps your heart soft toward God and you will be growing spiritually as you "encourage one another

2 Things NOT to Say to God

2010-11-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

There are two easy lies that we are tempted to believe and say in our hearts. These two questions addressed in Malachi get down to the heart of a sinner. And we ﬁnd out that there are no shortcuts around the awe and fear of God.

“You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17)

Context

The book of Malachi is written to Israel at a time when they were losing faith that God was going to do what he said he would. Even the priests bought into the lie that God only asks them to do a few religious dances, and if they do the right steps they will receive all of the blessings of the covenant that God made with Israel.
Just like the Israelites, we are tempted to believe that God is a safe, and if you have the right combination you can just open him up and take out all of the gifts held within.
But God is furious when his creatures try to use him like this. He gets so angry that he tells the priests heʼs going to rub feces all over their faces (Mal. 2:3).

Lie 1: God is okay with evil.

God is not a tooth fairy who rewards certain actions but can more or less be ignored when goodies arenʼt involved. God is active, and he opposes the wicked.
God is also not the Oprah “spirit” who hovers around making people feel warm and fuzzy while being impotent in authority and judgement.

A lot of people joke about hell, not realizing that it may very well be their home in a short time. Godʼs judgement is real, active, and not to be fooled around with. The people in the time of Malachi thought they could just give God the leftovers of their time, treasure, and talent, and heʼd bless them with the stuff they wanted so badly. They really needed a changed heart.

Lie 2: Where is the God of Justice?

This question shows the heart of the questioner. This person assumes they are righteous and God should come give them all of the wonderful gifts they deserve—and judge all of those OTHER people who arenʼt like them. This person is arrogant and presumes to have more wisdom than God. At times, this person may be you.

2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God is not slow to exercise his judgement. Heʼs patient, because so many of us are unrepentant and have stubborn, God-belittling hearts.

Righteous Fear and Awe

God paints a picture of the heart-change that needs to happen to really worship him. He tells us about Levi and tells us:

It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name.

(Malachi 2:5)

You need to hear this, so listen up—on a daily basis you and I both put created things like money, power, friends, notoriety, comfort, or convenience in the place of God. We donʼt fear God. We try to use him to serve the things our hearts really long for. And we approach God with this theology that is sweeping this nation that God owes us something.

It is only at the cross that we see the gravity of the sin that we take so lightly. God hates this sin so much that blood will spill—yet at the same time he is such a great God that he went to the cross to pay the price for your sin, and made way for the Spirit to change your heart.
Please take some time to look at the fruit of your life. Where are you making these statements with the way you act?

Pray that the Spirit would soften your heart, show you your sin, lead you to repentance, and let you stand in awe-full fear of this amazing God.

Don’t minimize your sin. Repent and believe the gospel every day.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

Matthew 26:40-41
And [Jesus] came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, `So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak'.

Your spirit is willing; it wants to do what is right, to be pleasing to God. But your flesh is weak; you often find yourself unable to resist temptation, to live God's way!

In order to be able to live the godly life you desire, you must be "transformed by the renewing of your mind." You must use the tools God has given you to renew your mind. As Jesus says to Peter, one of the most significant tools He has given us is the tool of prayer.
As you begin spending time talking to God, focusing on your relationship with Him, taking the issues of life to Him, things begin to change. You find yourself more concerned with the things of God; you start placing more value on spiritual things; you find yourself caring less about the temptations of this world.
Don't sit around moping because you can't seem to change; and don't sit around waiting for God to change you some day. Pick up the tool of prayer that God has given you and start renewing your mind. The next thing you know, you will be experiencing "transformation"!

How Thankfulness Changes Our Hearts

2010-11-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

For those of us in America, this is the week where we will devour massive amounts of food in the name of thankfulness. It’s easy to get caught up and distracted by planning, house cleaning, stressful travel, football games, overeating, avoiding certain family members, and shopping--all while pretending to enjoy Aunt Gurdy’s plumb-custard-quiche-ala-nasty.

Lets explore EIGHT WAYS thankfulness and gratitude can transform our heart from the inside out.

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1. THANKFULNESS RE-FOCUSES MY PERSPECTIVE
It’s easy to complain and point out problems, no one ever grumbles their way into a better attitude. Fortunately thankfulness can shift our focus to the blessings we’ve received from God. No matter how bad things get, in Jesus there is always reason to be thankful. It’s our responsibility to receive God’s gift and thank him.

2. THANKFULNESS INCREASES MY HUMILITY
Every blessing in our lives is a gift from God and not something we could have created or earned on our own. Everything belongs to God, and the only way we “have” something is because of his generosity. Because of the numerous blessings received, it’s easy for a feeling of entitlement to slowly creep into our lives and darken our hearts. Thankfulness turns on the light and recognizes God as the provider for our needs.

3. THANKFULNESS BUILDS MY FAITH
Gratitude recognizes the past work of God in our lives. When we remember God’s faithfulness, we position our hearts to trust him to provide for our future. God has given us everything we’ve needed, and he will continue to give us what we need. Developing the habit of being thankful also creates the capacity to trust God during the lean times.

4. THANKFULNESS CHANGES DISPAIR INTO JOY
There’s a lot of pain in this world and sometimes the ugliness is overwhelming and overpowering. Thankfulness doesn’t deny the evil, but it does open the door for joy to enter the scene. Lasting joy is a promise the world makes but can’t deliver, but when we remain in Christ, his joy is a gift for every believer.

When we develop the discipline of thankfulness, heart transformation is within reach. Here are four more ways gratitude leaves a mark in our lives.

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5. THANKFULNESS RE-ORDERS MY PRIORITIES
It doesn’t take a busy holiday season for our priorities to get out of whack. As youth, most of you have so much going on that it becomes really easy to major on the minors (issues) and slip into a selfish mode of living. A grateful heart is more open and aware of God’s work in our lives. Being thankful helps us understand what’s REALLY important in the grand scheme of things and moves us beyond the busyness of the moment.

6. THANKFULNESS CHALLENGES OUR WANTS
For all of us, the closer we grow to Jesus, the more we realize many of our “needs” are really about our “wants.” No, we’re not too excited to admit this, but this is a reality that we’ve become aware of in our spiritual journey. Thankfulness can turn our hearts into a fertile soil for contentment to grow into full bloom. Learning to be content in every situation is a measure of spiritual maturity. The power of “I WANT” is weakened in the light of “I’M THANKFUL.”

7. THANKFULNESS BREAKS THE SHACKLE OF ENVY
When our desires run wild and unchecked (and aren’t satisfied), the result is envy. Few things can rob one of peace like envy. When it gets really bad, envy also destroys community by morphing into jealousy. This happens when we lose our capacity to be excited for others. This is a particularly deep and dark pit of selfishness. When we’re trapped by envy and jealousy, the only way out is thankfulness for what we do have, and for what others have, too.

8. THANKFULNESS ENHANCES OUR COMPASSION
We have a lot, not just materially, but also spiritually. When we are thankful for the spiritual gifts we have in Christ, we can’t help but to have greater compassion for those who aren’t in God’s family.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-26T09:12:00.000-08:00

Psalm 119:9-16
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word. With all my heart I have sought you; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your Word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You… I will meditate on Your precepts, and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your Word.

God has given us His Word to help us renew our minds!

God did not tell us to change ourselves. He is the one who will change us. He tells us that the part of us that needs to change first of all is our minds. They need to be renewed. When that happens, transformation will follow.
And God went even further: He gave us a number of things that we can put into our lives that are like God's tools for the renewing of our minds. As you see in today's reading, God's Word is one of the most significant. We need to treasure it in our heart.
The world also offers you tools to help you focus your mind on its agenda and its values. What are some of the tools the world offers you?
When you choose to fill your mind with God's Word and reject the world's tools, then you will find God's Spirit using His Word to totally transform your life.

David VS Goliath - A Modern Retelling

2010-11-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

A while ago I was up late watching college football while reading the Bible (like you haven’t done that before?). Somewhere in the middle of 1 Samuel, with the football game still blaring in the background, I fell asleep and this happened.

—
Elijah Musburger: Ladies and Gentlemen you are looking live at the Bank of Jerusalem Battlefield in South Israel where today history will be made. I’m Elijah Musburger alongside Isaac Herbstreit, happy to have you along for this historic matchup between Goliath of Gath and David of Bethlehem.
Isaac: Yeah, you’d have to be a simple Canaanite to be unaware of the storyline here. For over a month now, Phillistines Head Coach Isiah Thomas has been sending out his 6-time All-Star Goliath to battle an Israelite. The 9-foot, 6-inch giant’s continued taunting of the Israelites have earned him a record 114 personal foul penalties and a 12-battle suspension that is currently under appeal by the Phillistine Warriors Union. For more let’s send it down to our sideline reporters Jezebel Tafoya and Rahab Andrews.
Jezebel: Thanks Elijah. It was not until today that Goliath’s invitation to rumble was accepted by the unlikeliest of challengers from King Saul’s army. And if you haven’t seen David yet, well, picture a malnourished ewok shaved head to toe. For more on that story, let’s send it over to the Israelites sidelines and Rahab Andrews.
Rahab: The Babylon Sportsbooks have the over/under on this donnybrook at 10 seconds, but I don’t see it lasting that long. The youngest of 8 brothers, David the shepherd boy went undrafted coming out of Bethlehem University last Spring. Despite a slow forty time and a below-average Wonderlic score, his impressive defeats of a lion and a bear were enough to earn him a spot to fight for the Israelite army. King Saul took a chance on the young waterboy, who now finds himself facing the greatest challenge of his life. Back to you, Elijah and Isaac.
Elijah: Thanks Rahab. Before we start let’s remind everyone that today’s action is sponsored by Over Armor Sports Apparel, Promised Land Iced Tea with new ‘Milk and Honey’ flavor, and Delilah’s Supercuts, “a great haircut guaranteed or you can chain us to a temple pillar and poke our eyes out”.
Isaac: As Goliath steps onto the field of play, let’s go over the rules with our viewers. Rule Number 1 is that there are no rules. First person to kill the other person wins.
Elijah: Let’s also remind everyone what is at stake today, Isaac.
Isaac: Well Elijah, besides being able to hoist the coveted Golden Calf Trophy over their heads in victory, the winning side will also get to make slaves out of the losing team. I mean, can you imagine this in the NFL? Hard to picture Carson Palmer cleaning Tom Brady’s toilet.
Elijah: Actually I CAN picture that.
Isaac: Yeah, you know what? So can I. In any event, the stakes have never been bigger than they are today.
Elijah: Speaking of never been bigger, let’s not forget David’s initial response to hearing Goliath’s taunts of his countrymen. In a tirade that has gone viral on ThouTube this week, David referred to Goliath as an “uncircumsized Philistine”, choosing to mock the loins of the Warrior from Gath.
Isaac: Considering the size of Goliath’s sandals, that might have been a mistake.
Elijah: Indeed. But back to the action, Goliath has approached the 50-yard line and he doesn’t look particularly pleased with the diminutive size of his competition. I haven’t seen anyone this angry since the time I painted my wife’s kitchen with sheep’s blood.
Isaac: And you really have to wonder if rust will be a factor with the long layoff Goliath has had between gruesome murders. It’s been almost two years since he ripped off that remarkable streak of 61 consecutive dismemberments. He was untouchable until he lost a toe in a freak winepress accident, but he swears he’ll be competing at 100% today.
Elijah: Thanks for that history lesson, no doubt brought to us by Goliath’s Wikipedia Scroll.
Isaac: Don’t thank me, thank Alvah Gore for inventing the intercave system.
Elijah: Check this out, David is sprinting towards the 50-yard line to meet Goliath, and he’s waving around a small piece of leather that looks like, umm, an iPhone case?
Isaac: I think that’s a slingshot.
Elijah: Whatever it is, Goliath is bracing himself for what should be a quick kill and WOAH!!! David just hurled a smooth rock at Goliath that found it’s mark right between Goliath’s mangy, unkempt eyebrows! The stone appears to be lodged deep into the skull of the giant, who just collapsed to the ground like a sack of fossilized donkey excrement.
Isaac: I can’t believe what I’m seeing here! It is total bedlam in the Valley of Elah as David has toppled the mighty Phillistine. I hope you’ve got the DVR going folks, because you are witnessing history right now.
Elijah: David just mounted the Philistine giant and he’s standing triumphantly on Goliath’s chest. It looks like he just pulled a Sharpie out of his sandal and is signing his name on Goliath’s forehead. Wow, this could draw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Isaac: Yeah, he’ll be hearing from the league office this week to the tune of a 50,000 shekel fine for that display. Kids these days could learn from the old schoolers and act like they’ve felled a giant before.
Elijah: OH GREAT JEHOVAH, did you see that? David just took Goliath’s sword and cut the head off the dead giant! Now he’s holding it up and waving it around to the delight of the fans who made the trek all the way from Jerusalem to take in the action live!
Isaac: Blood is shooting from Goliath’s severed neck and showering the battlefield. This is a gruesome scene.
Elijah: David is making it rain! Pacman Jones would be proud.
Isaac: Call me Josiah Buck if you like, but like the Randy Moss fake-moon incident that will happen in a few thousand years, I find this to be completely unnecessary and a disgusting act.
Elijah: Necessary or not, it looks like David’s barbaric display has made an impression on the Philistine army. Faced with the prospect of doing David’s laundry for the rest of their lives, they’ve decided to make a run for it.
Isaac: And that is already turning out to be a bad decision with all that heavy armor they’re wearing. The Israelites – wearing their ultra-light and breathable Over Armor clothing – are chasing them down and savagely killing each and every one of them. And what’s worse, some of the fans have stormed out of their seats and have taken down the goalposts at the north end of the battlefield. This is why they should stop selling wine at halftime.
Elijah: Let’s throw it down to Rahab Andrews, who’s with a beaming David.
Rahab: David, what a win, how did you do it?
David: First I want to thank Yahweh, I couldn’t have done it without Him. You know, and all week long people were saying that we didn’t have a chance, that I was too small, and that I was a sissypants for writing poetry. I just wanted to come out here and prove everyone wrong.
Rahab: David, my gag reflex tells me that you’re holding Goliath’s bloody stump of a head only a few feet away from me. Can you tell us why you decided to chop his head off after you had already claimed the victory?
David: I don’t know, you know? I’m sure I’ll get fined for it, but I got no regrets. It was just a heat of the moment kind of thing, and sometimes I do that kind of stuff without thinking. Hi mom, hi dad, hi sheep, I love you.
Rahab: David, what happens next for you? Talk is already circulating about you starting a political career.
David: I don’t know. I just want to soak this one in. I’ve got nothing but love for Saul, and I don’t have any political aspirations right now. I just want to get this dude’s head mounted on my wall, go chill on the roof of my building and enjoy the view, restring my lyre, and maybe write some canonized poems.
Rahab: Well, there you have it: fearless warrior by day, sissypants poetry writer by night. Back to you, Elijah.
Elijah: Thanks Rahab. That’s all the time we have for today. We’ll be back next week live from Babylon as Daniel tries to defend his title at the National Lion Taming Championships. Stay tuned for your late local news, except on the West Bank where you’ll be watching an all new episode of CSI: Judea.
Isaac: Oh and one more thing. Wake up Derek. Wake Up. Hey, Wake Up.
—

At that moment I realized it wasn’t Isaac Herbstreit trying to wake me up

I told my wife all about the trippy dream I had just had and tried to convince her that I was not drunk on Listerine again. She suggested I try reading the Bible with the TV off, like a normal person.

But I don’t know, that was kind of fun.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

John 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments…He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…He who does not love Me does not keep My words…If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.

Commitment to God is the natural expression of your love for Him!

You'd almost think that Jesus thought we were hard of hearing when you read this passage and see how often He makes this point. He knows how easily we miss it!
Jesus is saying to us that if you are struggling with your obedience to Him, you should not look for the solution in your willpower — look for a solution in your love-relationship with Jesus. The whole point of your Christian life is walking close to Jesus, not straining to meet a standard, or following Christian rules, or not doing certain things that you struggle with. Those issues matter, but they are not the heart of the Christian life.
The core of Christianity is for you to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. When that happens, obedience and commitment will not be something you have to force out; they will overflow as the natural result of your love.

A Must Read for Parents - The New Phone Sex (WARNING EXCPLICIT CONTENT)

2010-11-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

The New Phone Sex

Beyoncé’s Newest Song “Video Phone”

They’ve been used to record fights at school. They’ve been used to film silly (and dangerous) stunts performed by teens. And according to Beyoncé’s latest song, “Video Phone,” camera-equipped cellular devices can also be employed for something far more sensual.
From her album entitled I Am…Sasha Fierce comes Beyoncé’s latest hit, “Video Phone.” In this song, the seven-time Grammy winner sings about meeting a guy in a club who wants to film her on his video-enabled cell phone.

Sound a bit forward? Promiscuous even? Well, take a look at how Beyoncé responds:

You like it when I shake it
Shawty on a mission
What yo name is?
What? You want me naked?
If you likin’ this position
You can tape it
On ya video phone
Hustlers keep on talkin’
You like the way its poppin’
You sayin’ that you want me
Press record I'll let you film me
On ya video phone
Make a cameo
Tape me on your video phone
I can handle you
Watch me on your video phone
On your video video
If you want me you can watch on your video phone

The rest of her lyrics are just as racy, and the music video pulls no punches either. Throughout the storyline, Beyoncé is seen dancing in more skin than clothing. In several scenes, she holds various guns/rifles, rubbing them seductively. The video also features men (who have video cameras instead of heads) gawking at her every curve.

The song’s sexiness is doubled due to the fact that Beyoncé invited Lady Gaga to join in on the song and video. Instead of one talented hottie singing in skimpy threads, there are now two.

A Tainted Image?
Beyonce has always dressed risqué and used seductive dance moves in her performances. But let’s be honest—our world doesn’t really see a problem with this.
Some people equate Beyoncé with one of the more wholesome acts in show biz. After all, it was Beyoncé that once again won the hearts of America when she turned the stage over to Taylor Swift after the teenager’s acceptance speech was hijacked by Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. It was for these kinds of gracious and selfless acts that Billboard named Beyoncé Woman of the Year in 2009. Further, Mrs. Knowles identifies herself as “a devout Methodist” and credits the name of her original trio Destiny’s Child to a passage from the Bible. The singer has also been known to pray before going on stage, asking God to “take away anything that’s not of You, God.”
The seductive message – and images – of “Video Phone” doesn’t line up real well with the clean persona and vibe Beyoncé has tried to emit during her career. If she’s not careful, these kinds of songs could taint her good image.

Wait a second; it appears as though the singer is as crafty as she is talented.

In an attempt to protect her real-life image, Beyoncé created an alter ego named Sasha Fierce that can be blamed for anything that comes out of Beyoncé’s professional life. (That fictional name also serves as the title of her current album I Am…Sasha Fierce.)

In this article, Beyonce explains the meaning behind this self-assigned multiple personality. “I have someone else that takes over when it’s time for me to work and when I’m on stage, this alter ego that I’ve created that kind of protects me and who I really am. Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I’m working and when I’m on the stage.”

So, let me get this straight. To shirk any unwanted responsibility in my life, I just need to create an alternate identity for myself?

Maybe Beyoncé can get away with shooting a sexy video on some guy’s cell phone in a club, and then blame it on Sasha Fierce, but what about her teenaged fans? Who can they pin their responsibility on?

Does Life Imitate Art?
Let’s hope not; the last thing we need is for our young girls to allow sexy videos to be shot of themselves on cell phones and then shared with a digital world. If our teenager’s lives imitate Beyoncé’s “art,” they might find themselves dealing with lots of unnecessary pain.

But I have a feeling that this song, produced by such a well-known star, has the potential to negatively influence a generation of young people who have already shown a lack of judgment when it comes to proper use of their cell phones. Today’s teens have been known to use their cell phones to browse online porn, and also to send sexy text messages and/or images to one another. And remember, we know that sexual messages promoted by our culture are having a distinct impact on kids.

Without a doubt, this song is being heard and the video is being watched. As of this writing, “Video Phone” was ranked on the bubble at #98 on Billboard’s Hot 100 (though it peaked at #65 and its music video has been viewed online several million times).

The good news is, in spite of the song’s exposure, if we play our cards right as parents and youth workers, we can help ensure that this sort of musical message has minimal effect on our kids.

Our Response as Parents and Youth Workers:

This song gives us yet another reason to monitor our teenagers’ music choices. Talking with them about their music not only shows you care about their choices, but it also gives you a chance to interject your concerns into the equation. Guard against lecturing in these moments; asking questions is usually the best route to helping a teenager make the right decision at the time, and down the road. For instance, you might ask:

Do you like this song? If so, why?
What do you think the real meaning of this song is?
Why do you think Beyoncé would allow herself to be videoed on a stranger’s cell phone?
Do you think that’s responsible behavior?
How does this song intersect with what the Bible teaches?

Legitimate questions –asked in loving and not judgmental tones – almost always pave the road to influence. And that’s what we want with our teens.

This song also gives us a reason to re-address sexual temptation that must be avoided these days. Having sex isn’t the only way for kids to get in trouble with sex anymore. There are so many sexual problems for kids to avoid; in fact, the job of keeping kids sexually pure these days is a growing one. Take the particular problem mentioned in this song – shooting sexy videos of one another on cell phones. The technology to do this didn’t even exist four years ago (prior to most phones offering video cameras). Now that this danger has surfaced, it has to be added to the list of sexual temptations to be avoided.

In light of these kinds of songs and their dangerous messages, we may be tempted to take extreme measures – canceling their cell phone service, smashing their iPods, ripping down posters of Beyoncé from our kids’ bedroom walls.

OK, go ahead and take down the posters.

But what would those severe resources really teach our kids? That’s right, nothing. Let’s don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Let’s teach our teens how to properly, responsibly, and safely use their personal technology.

Like I said earlier, video-enabled cell phones weren’t even available in mass just four years ago. Teaching them how to handle today’s technology will prepare them for proper use of tomorrow’s tech.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

Romans 8:30
…and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

When God decided to reach into your life and reveal Himself to you so powerfully that you would turn to Him in faith and be saved, He began an inevitable process that will end in your experience of glory!
Your glorification is so certain that Paul speaks of it here in the past tense—it has already been accomplished and now it just waits to happen. But what does it mean to be "glorified"? Paul has already described this glorification in verses 18-25.
It means that God is going to restore all things to the way He intended them to be all along, before sin and the Fall of mankind damaged all of creation. In place of this fallen world, God is going to create "a new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1-5).
In place of our fallen bodies, which so often struggle with sickness and pain and death, we will have unfallen, redeemed, glorified bodies (Romans 8:23). Where we now struggle and battle constantly with our fallen sinful nature that draws us away from God and into selfishness, when we are glorified we will leave that nature behind and live forever in unhindered love for our Lord and one another (Revelation 22:3-5).

You are not there yet, but God wants you to know that, that is the beautiful destination you are traveling toward in your relationship with Him.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

Romans 8:29
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.

God is actively pursuing transformation in your life. He is working in you to make you more and more like Jesus!

The "image of God" was severely damaged in the first man and woman when they disobeyed God, and we have inherited that damage. But God is working in your life to restore in you the "image of His Son."
As we saw in yesterday's reading, God will use every kind of circumstance and influence in your life to accomplish this inner transformation. If you choose to embrace what God is trying to do in your life (and not just grit your teeth grudgingly), then you will grow by leaps and bounds in your spiritual life and this inner growth will overflow in the way that you live.
But if you resist what God is trying to do in your life, then He will have to resort to more and more drastic means to get your attention and turn your heart back to what really matters. As a result, your spiritual growth will be stunted.
Many of the things God wants to change in us can mean painful lessons, but if you want to grow, you must respond to Him in all things. Let the lessons drive you deeper into Him.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God is using every circumstance in your life to shape you and use you for His purpose!

It can be hard for us to accept this idea of God using "all things" in this way. We know that God uses His word to renew our minds and transform us. We can accept that God uses our fellowship with other believers in this way, and that His blessings in our lives assure us of His loving care for us. But "all things"?
Yes!
It does not mean that God is pleased with all things. God grieves when you bear the brunt of someone else's sin. He is angry when a drunk driver slams into the car of someone you love. He knows from His own experience on the cross what that physical and emotional pain you are experiencing is like, and He groans with you.
But God sits on His throne above all these things, and He overrules even the most evil purpose and uses even those fallen, evil or senseless things to accomplish His good purpose in your life. That means that you can embrace any circumstance you find yourself in (good or bad) as God's opportunity for you to grow and to minister in His name to others.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-09T14:52:00.001-08:00

Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

Faith and obedience to God are inseparable!

If you are trusting God, you are also obeying Him; if you are not obeying God, then there is a problem with your faith. When you get frustrated with your spiritual life because there is an area of sin that you cannot seem to overcome and you don't know why obedience is such a problem to you, you can be sure that it finds its root in unbelief. There is something that God has said that you do not believe.
Faith leads to obedience. You follow God because you trust Him. And in a beautiful upward spiritual spiral, obedience also leads to faith! When you step out and obey God, you inevitably find that God responds to your obedience with His faithfulness. Your experience of God's dependability then leads you to greater faith and greater obedience. And so your faith continues to grow.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

To increase your faith, increase your communication with God!

This is one of the shortest verses in the Bible—just three words—but it is one of the most powerful keys to your Christian life. Your faith will flow from your current of communion with God. When you are experiencing God Himself in your life and His nearness is something that you are consciously aware of, what is there to fear in anything else that comes along?
Your living, interactive, personal connection to God makes your faith bulletproof. It is this kind of connection with God that Paul is talking about in this passage and that God is challenging us about today.
God wants you to not only have a special time with Him in His word and prayer each day; He also wants you to learn the practice of communicating with Him throughout the day.
Keep your awareness of the presence of God constant and you never need to worry that your faith might falter at the critical moment. Your faith will pour out of your experience of God.

If you are able to think while doing other things, then you are also able to pray while doing other things. Why not work on it today? Develop the habit of constant fellowship with God.

Daily Devotion

2010-11-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ...

If you want to strengthen your faith, exercise it!

When someone wants to build muscle, they know it doesn't happen all at once. They don't go into the gym on Thursday evening at 7pm and come out at 8pm bulging with muscles. No, they know that it'll be a long steady process of exercise that makes them strong.

In the same way, God's letting you know that He allows annoyances, difficulties and trials along life's road to gradually strengthen your faith. When difficulties come along, don't view them as obstacles to your faith, but rather as opportunities from God for you to trust Him and grow.

Haunted House…Haunted World

2010-11-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

You went trick or treating - right? Do you remember how excited you were as you put together your pirate/ghost/Teletubbie/Toy Story/Barbie costume and prepared your appetite for a boatload of candy and a sugar coma? And walking around the neighborhood to the sights and sounds of graveyards, spider webs, and pumpkin-filled porches? My personal favorite decoration is the witch that smashed into the tree…but that’s just me.

So what’s a person to do when you’re past the appropriate trick-or-treat age because you can now grow facial hair or the people giving out candy might mistake you for a mom? Well, you can find a costume party and go as something genuinely terrifying like Lady Gaga, or you can do what millions of teens shell out a good chunk of change to experience: a haunted house.

I don’t mean a real one, but one of the thousands that are professionally designed to thrill and chill you as you walk through each room. You find out quickly which of your guy friends can take the spooky environment, and which ones scream like little girls even though they are 6’4” and 220 pounds. Yep, personally witnessed that one at a haunted house called “Frightmare.”

Have you ever wondered if any of that haunting stuff is real? In most of the Halloween attractions it’s obvious that we have a lot of makeup and actors who didn’t get a part in

Paranormal Activity, but is there anything inside you that believes that there is an unseen world of spiritual beings that are just as real as the intense screeching you hear from the groups of girls at the haunted houses?

And…if it is real, should that impact the way we live our everyday lives? Think about it, if I gave you a pair of glasses that allowed your eyes to pull back the curtain that hides the paranormal dramas being played out all over the world, what might change about your worldview?

Guess what? Those “glasses” actually exist. They aren’t physical frames, rather they are spiritual lenses—and once you put them on, it becomes the filter by which you see everything. Are you ready to see things differently? Then meditate on this passage for a minute:

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For weare not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:10-12).

In other words, this world is haunted. Not by ghosts or ghouls, but by “evil rulers and authorities in the unseen world”—i.e., Satan and his host of demonic spirits. Although they are invisible to our physical eyes, the war they wage is as real as it gets.

And what is this war all about? Simple. in a word...souls. Satan haunts and hunts this world with a two-fold strategy. First, he wants to deceive, distract, and if he can, destroy any man, woman, and child who is fighting for the cause of Jesus Christ by sharing the gospel message every chance they get. Basically, he wants to trip you up so he can shut you up—then your witness will be worthless.

Second, Satan has organized his army to keep people who haven’t trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation from hearing the good news. He uses the media, technology, and the pursuit of power/pleasure to drown out the plea from our Heavenly Father to find an authentic and fulfilling life in serving and loving him.

When you keep these facts in mind and wear your “glasses” as you go about your day, it really feels like you are walking through a haunted house. Around each corner is an opportunity to face the enemy and courageously move forward with your mission despite his attempts to frighten or discourage you. You see your friends who don’t know Jesus in a different light—they are trapped and they are targets…you have the most powerful message of freedom in the universe.

I totally *get* that people go to haunted houses for the rush and the fun, but I invite you to take on this haunted world. Pray each morning that God would cover you with his armor, and that you would find opportunities to boldly share his love and the gospel message.
There’s no admission charge. And the thrills you’ll get from pulling people out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light will make your journey through this life more exciting than you can imagine.

Flashpoint: Ignite Into Action

The Halloween season definitely presents a great opportunity to bring up spiritual topics. Talk to your friends about whether or not they believe in an unseen world, and what it consists of. Pray for God to open a door to talk about the real nature of that world, and why it is critical that we trust in Christ.

Accelerant: Feed the Fire

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them
(Mark 4:15).

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
(Romans 16:20).

If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes
(2 Corinthians 2:10-11).

Daily Devotion

2010-11-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 1:18-21
…knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Your true value is seen in what God was willing to pay for your freedom!
Regardless of whether or not you value yourself, acknowledge this: God values you. Look in the middle of the passage above. "[Jesus] was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you…" He came into this world "for the sake of you." In this passage, Peter writes off silver and gold as "perishable things" and says these were not what God paid for your rescue. Rather He paid "with precious blood…the blood of Christ."

There is no way you can read this passage and miss God's message to your heart today: "I value you so highly!"

Daily Devotion

2010-11-01T13:38:00.001-07:00

Romans 1:1, 5-6

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God … to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.

You have a clearly designed part to play in what God is doing in this world!

In this passage, Paul knows that God "called" him to be an apostle; he knows that he was "set apart" for a special purpose that God had designed him for. As we read the Bible it is so obvious to us that Paul was right about this. He played such a crucial role in laying the foundations of the early group of believers. Through him the gospel spread throughout the Roman world.
But notice the last clause of the passage above, where Paul says, "…among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ." Paul is saying to us: "I was called for a special purpose God had designed me for; and you also have been called for a special purpose that God has designed you for."

Does your life have meaning? God is giving you a resounding YES today. Where will you find that meaning? Ask God to begin to unfold to you what He has designed you for, how He wants to use you in the lives of others. God wants you to know His purpose, so ask confidently!

CHINA — Police Detain Christian Attorney

2010-10-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

CHINA — Police Detain Christian Attorney

On Oct. 20, police detained Dr. Fan Yafeng, a prominent Christian lawyer and leader of the Chinese Christian Legal Defense Association, according to China Aid Association.
A group of police reportedly entered Dr. Fan's home last Wednesday and prevented him from leaving. When they blocked his exit, Dr. Fan struggled through the doorway. Police then shoved him and assaulted him, causing him to sprain his ankle. Police immediately took Dr. Fan to Shuangyushu Police Station in Beijing, and at last report he is still being held there. Authorities have provided little information about Dr. Fan, and his wife is very concerned as she struggles to negotiate with authorities.

I encourage you to pray that Dr. Fan will be released and that God will heal his injuries. Also pray that Dr. Fan's testimony will draw his persecutors into fellowship with Christ.

Daily Devotion

2010-10-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure

We present Jesus as the Messiah who came to die for our sins. We tell people that if they accept Christ they will go to heaven when they die. What's wrong with that? First, it's only half the gospel. Second, it gives the impression that eternal life is something we get when we die. Jesus had to die for sins in order to cure the disease that caused us to die. Then He gave us life, making us new creations in Christ.

Suppose that you are a prostitute. One day you hear that the king has decreed that all prostitutes are forgiven. Since you're a prostitute, that's great news! But would it necessarily change your behavior or your self-perception? Probably not. You may dance in the streets for awhile, but chances are you would continue in your same vocation. You would see yourself as nothing more than a forgiven prostitute.
Now suppose the king not only forgave you, but he made you his bride as well. You're a queen. Would that change your behavior? Of course. Why would you want to live as a prostitute if you were a queen?

The church is the bride of Christ! You are far more likely to promote the kingdom if you are the queen rather than a forgiven prostitute. We are not redeemed caterpillars; we are butterflies. Why would you want to crawl in some false humility when you are called to mount up with wings as eagles?

"I would be filled with pride if I believed that," says the skeptic. You are defeated if you don't believe it! Humility is not putting yourself down when God is trying to build you up. Self-abasement has the appearance of wisdom, but it has no value against fleshly indulgence according to Colossians 2:23. Humility is confidence properly placed. We need to be like Paul and "put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3). Let's put our confidence in God: "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

Prayer: Lord, thank You for not only forgiving me but also for taking me as Your bride. May this realization shape my walk with You today.

Daily Devotion

2010-10-29T17:51:00.001-07:00

Romans 8:14-17
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Together with Jesus, we will be glorified in the end!

When you put your faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, God says that you were united with Christ. Jesus became intertwined with your past, bearing the guilt of your failings before God. But in the same connection, you became intertwined with His future!
You are so valuable and significant to Jesus that He is willing to share His incredible relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit with you (John 17:19-20).

Your life experiences may have given you a depressed view of your worth in life. But listen to what God is saying to you in this passage today. To Him, you are so very valuable. He has made you a fellow heir with Christ—an heir of His glory, of His love, of His promises. Don't ignore what God is saying to you about your true worth.

Daily Devotion

2010-10-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The significance of your life is found in your relationship with God!

Without God we're no more than complex animals, serving our instincts for pleasure and self-preservation, caring for our young until they can independently pursue their own pleasures and self-preservation. Such a life holds no meaning, it's mere existence.

But when God touches our lives, we become part of His family and His great purpose. Our essential nature changes—we become spiritually alive, His Spirit begins to guide us. This is far more than existence; it's transcendence! We have a meaningful relationship with the God of the universe, not because we deserved it, but because He reached out to us in love and revealed Himself to us. We can know Him!

As J.I. Packer puts it: "What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we have in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? To know God. What is the best thing in life? To know God. What in humans gives God most pleasure? Knowledge of Himself."

Daily Devotion

2010-10-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.

You are not here by accident!

No matter the circumstances of your birth, you are here on purpose—God's purpose. God sent you into this point in history as a unique person to make a difference for Him in a way that no one else can.
The words in the verse above were spoken by God to Jeremiah when He appointed him a prophet. Jeremiah thought there must be some mistake. He felt completely incompetent to be used by God in any way. But there was no mistake. God told him the same thing He is saying to your heart today: "I wanted you born and I made you for My purposes. You fit into what I want to do in the lives of the people you touch!"
With this understanding of purpose comes a flood of meaning into our lives. Every day becomes an exploration of what God might want to do through me in the lives of the people around me. My eyes lift from a search for what will satisfy me and make me feel better to a focus on representing Jesus in my world. Imagine yourself being formed, known and consecrated by God before you were born...then use the space provided to journal your response to what God is whispering into your heart today.

Worship - The Whole of Me Responding

2010-10-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ¹⁷ ” ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn.’ – Matthew 11:16-17 I believe this is a call to this generation of believers young & old to wake up and respond to the call that is clearly going forward in our culture. For years now the authentic church have been crying out to the nations to turn, repent and seek the Lord as true worshipers. We are in a direct season to give a response to God in worship, our lifestyle. What will your response be… Will you answer His call or simply silence the sound? The idea of worship only taken place at church for 25 minutes before the message is one of the biggest lies from Satan. Worship is a lifestyle… In everything I do, I should be worshiping God. The way I act, talk and handle regular business should all bring Glory to the Father and recount Jesus. If my heart is connected to God or desires to be – The Whole of Me will worship him. Not just singing, or dancing, in church so the pastor can see my outward expression; but all of me, everywhere, all the time! If your time of worship doesn’t draw you closer to God and allows you to be transparent before him.. you are not worshiping – you just singing a song. So, If Jesus was to live your life outside of the church walls and services… would he be Glorified in your worship? The Christian life is not lived in church, but it is lived in the darkness, influencing [invading] Culture with Vision [light/truth] – John 3:18-21, Romans 12:1, John 4:23 “Worship is obedience, sacrifice and connecting to God in its core. The authentic songs, creative art, passionate dancing, etc. are just merely an outward act of what is going on inside one’s heart. The very heartbeat of worship must be about Jesus, for nothing else matters. He must be the focus and the reason. It’s a lifestyle set apart or dedicated to God. Coupled with Prayer, it is the center of this awakening and revival for this generation and the church. This generation needs a sound to awaken it from a slumberous/somberness state and cause us to be true worshipers with a heart to pursue God. It’s time for the church to arise and unleash the roar of Heaven!”

Daily Devotion

2010-10-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Philippians 1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

God will never stop working in your life to make you like Jesus!

Look at the verse again. The Apostle Paul is totally confident about this principle. When you think about it, it's obvious. After the massive investment God made at the cross to begin a new life for you, of course He will keep on working to bring it to maturity.
Although you will have some very powerful landmark experiences with God in your Christian life, you will never be at a point where you have ‘arrived', until the "day of Christ Jesus." That is, until you stand with Jesus in glory, you will never arrive at a fixed place in your spiritual life where you no longer need to grow and mature.

But God's emphasis to us today is on the positive side. Your spiritual growth is not only dependent on what you can produce. From the other side God is actively working in your life to pull you up towards Him. He wants to help you grow. And He will keep on helping you mature until the day you die. He works through people in your life, through your time in His word, through your circumstances, through your prayer times. Don't ignore the things that God wants to use in your life.

Daily Devotion

2010-10-25T11:28:00.001-07:00

Romans 6:16-17
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.

No one is a free agent!

"You are slaves of the one whom you obey." Once you choose your life principle, you are bound to it. If you decide that pleasing yourself is the guiding principle of your life, then your own passions and desires will rule you. Just try to buck those passions and desires and you will see the truth of this passage.
On the other hand, if you decide that pleasing God is the guiding principle of your life, then God's word will rule you. You will go to His word because it is there that you find out what pleases Him. As you do what pleases Him, His pleasure will give you pleasure. You will know the freedom of making God your master.

There is no better life than the life you live with God, not yourself, at the center of it. That is why you must recognize that the one true freedom you have is the freedom to choose your master. Choose wisely.

Daily Devotion

2010-10-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

1 John 1:8-9
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You will fail on the pathway to being like Jesus!

I don't write those words to discourage you, but to acknowledge a reality that we all know too well. Although we all are very aware of our own shortcomings, too often we don't acknowledge that failure is a part of the journey of spiritual growth. When we approach spiritual growth with the idea that as we respond to Jesus we will never sin, then our failure totally demoralizes us and leads to even less growth.

This is not to say that we should treat sin in our lives lightly! We should hate what sin does to our own spiritual lives and how it hurts the heart of the God we love. But what God is saying to us in today's passage is that He knows we will sin and has made provision for our forgiveness and restoration to a close walk with Him. How can this happen? Don't hide your sin in your shame and refuse to talk to God; rather, bring it into the light.

Acknowledge it to God and ask Him not only to forgive you, but to restore your walk with Him. "He is faithful"!

IRAN — Pastor Sentenced to Death

2010-10-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

IRAN — Pastor Sentenced to Death

Christians in Iran are reporting that Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani has been sentenced to death for what is called a "thought crime."
Some inside contacts confirm that the pastor's trial was held in recent weeks in the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan, but a formal verdict has not yet been delivered by the court. Pastor Youcef, a leader in the Full Gospel "Church of Iran" network, is one of several members of his church who have been imprisoned. The Iranian government has also threatened his wife with life imprisonment and has threatened to take away their two children, who are currently being cared for by relatives. Pastor Youcef was arrested in October 2009 after protesting a decision by the government requiring that his son study the Quran.
Media reports suggest that Pastor Youcef was transferred to Lakan prison, which is supervised by the Political Police of the Islamic Republic. If a death sentence is officially handed down by the court and Pastor Youcef is executed, his would be the first judicial execution of a Christian in Iran in two decades. This arrest is the latest in a series of arrests of believers in Iran in the past year. Eighty-three Christians are known to have been arrested in Iran since the beginning of 2010. Of those, 65 were subsequently released, but 18 are still believed to be in custody. Pray for Pastor Youcef, his family and other believers in prison. Ask God to protect them and to empower them to proclaim his name in the face of great persecution.

What does the “M” In MTV Stand For?

2010-10-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

We live in a world of acronyms and abbreviations, most of which carry significant meaning. Almost everyone knows what ASAP, VIP, AWOL, and NFL stands for. But when it comes to MTV, there’s some confusion about what that “M” actually represents.

“M,” As In…
MTV aired its 27th annual Video Music Awards show (aka, the VMAs) a little while ago. The self-proclaimed “biggest night of the year” is usually a gathering of the latest and hottest celebrity music makers who provide millions of viewers with a glimpse of their personality…and sexuality.

In large part, MTV’s 2010 VMAs stuck with that unoriginal game plan. Sadly, this award show is both a reflection of today’s pop culture and a prediction of where pop culture is headed.

However, after watching this year’s VMAs, I began to wonder “What does the “M” in MTV actually stand for?” Once upon a time, the “M” in MTV stood for Music, as in Music Television. But during the live show, I began to think the “M” stood for “mute-button.” (Yes, once again, MTV pushed the limits in all areas, including foul language that required “bleeping.”)

If you’re familiar with the programming of MTV, and more specifically the VMAs, you might have your own suggestions as to what the “M” in MTV stands for. Based on what I saw at the 2010 MTV VMAs, I have three guesses.

The “M” Stands for Mucky
Even before she took the stage, host Chelsea Handler’s opening video clip showed her getting her butt slapped by everyone in Hollywood…including Lindsay Lohan. Channeling Lady Gaga, Handler then took the stage and stuck to her usual script: crude, vulgar, and painfully unfunny standup. Here are a few quotes from her opening monologue:“I didn’t drink all week in preparation for my hosting duties tonight. And my plan was to stay sober the entire show, but in an interesting twist, I am as high as a kite!” After the crowd cheers, she attributes her stupor to attending a prayer circle with Snoop Dogg.

“I was excited to do this awards show because every year something so exciting happens at the VMAs. But what I’m scared most is, that, this year, everybody – all of you idiots – will suddenly get your acts together, so I want to encourage everyone to be on their worst behavior!” (The crowd goes wild, of course.) “And I’m not talking about just like some predictable awards show girl-on-girl kiss. We’ve all seen that, OK. I’m over that. I wanna turn this mutha out! Get your tongues ready because I want one shoved someplace it’s not supposed to be!”

“And if anybody wants to whip out a booby and give a nipple wink to the crowd, go for it! Once again, I’m talking to you, Taylor Swift. I would have directed that joke at you, Snooki, but your nipple’s already out. Oopsie.”

When she got on the subject of teen sensation Justin Bieber, she talked about his usually well-behaved and docile personality, but admitted, “There are a few things that actually piss him off. The main one being mistaken for a 28-year-old lesbian. His song ‘Baby’ is so amazing! It’s an amazing love song! Just imagine how good his music will be when he sees a vagina.”These examples were only from her opening monologue. Throughout the night, she continued her sexual rants, as often as she could. At one point, she mentions being “dry humped by the guy who used to hold the umbrella” for a certain hip hop star. And when she referred to Katy Perry as both “boobalicious” and “assalicious,” the crowd got the point, even though she invented the words on the spot. (I apologize if I didn’t spell those words correctly.)

Katy Perry joined in the mucky humor. While making a presentation during the show, she handed the silver, metallic “moonman” award to young female rapper Nicki Minaj (who many know for her course rapping in “Bedrock”) and quipped, “Here’s one of your five men. Have fun tonight; he’s stiff.”

The cast of Jackass also presented an award…while simultaneously promoting their upcoming 3D movie. One of the members of the crew ripped off his clothes, revealing a bizarre pair of exotic underwear with a dangling penis-like sock puppet.

There were more examples of the sex-laden humor, but I think you see why the “M” could very easily stand for mucky.

The “M” Stands for Monsters
When you think of “monsters,” you probably recall those creatures you thought lived under your bed when you were a kid. But that’s not what Lady Gaga thinks of when she says “monsters.” She’s referring to her fans. And at this year’s 2010 VMAs, she referred to them a lot…mainly because she won a lot.

Lady Gaga took home 8 different moonmen for her smash hits, including the grand daddy of all the awards, Best Video. While accepting her award for Best Female Video, early in the show, she said, “Tonight, little monsters, we’re the cool kids at the party.” Her closing words for this particular awards reception were, “And thank you to the gays for remaking this video over and over again.”

Later, while accepting her award for Best Pop Video, Lady Gaga dropped a line about “born this way” that got a few members from the cast from Glee – a cast known for their homosexual-friendly views – really excited. It was only after she won the biggest award of the night, Video of the Year, that she clarified her earlier statement.

“And I promised if I won this [award] tonight I’d announce the name of my new record. It’s called Born This Way.” A tearful Lady Gaga then spontaneously burst into previously unheard lyrics, a cappella:

How beautiful in my way
Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track baby
I was born this way
There is no doubt about it; Lady Gaga and her “monsters” had a sensational night. And if Lady Gaga has any say in the matter, MTV’s “M” will continue to represent her “monsters”… her fans.

The “M” Stands for Music
20 long years ago, the “M” in MTV clearly stood for one thing, and one thing only: music. Today, that’s not the case. In fact, earlier this year, MTV actually (and officially) dropped the word “music” from their famous logo.

But this year’s VMAs definitely revived music as the show’s missing link. In fact, I can’t remember a VMA that crammed as much live music into it as this one did (which may explain why the show went 15 minutes over its allotted running time).

The show opened with a live performance by Eminem and Rihanna, and never looked back. Justin Bieber escaped a street full of screaming girls to take the stage and perform a medley of his hits. Usher switched gears a bit, and offered millions of viewers a medley of his own…coupled with a heavy dose of technology-aided dancing.

Florence + The Machine sang a live rendition of “The Dark Days Are Over.” Linkin Park rocked Griffith Park with a cool version of “The Catalyst,” and Drake sang “Fancy” with a little help from Swizz Beatz and Mary J Blige. Rounding out the group efforts was B.o.B with Haley Williams singing their smash hit “Airplanes.”

And what will surely be the most-talked-about moments of the entire show began when Taylor Swift sang “Innocent,” a song that’s probably about her unexpected run-in with Kanye West during last year’s show.

And how did Kanye respond during his show-ending live performance?

In typical Kanye fashion: with unmatched conceit and vulgarity. Here’s the chorus (from Runaway) he sang over and over again during the last song of the night:

I think it’s time we have a toast
Let’s have a toast for the douche bags
Let’s have a toast for the assholes
Let’s have a toast for the scumbags
Every one of them that I know
Let’s have a toast to the jerk-offs,
That’ll never take work off
Baby I got a plan
Run away fast as you can
Yep. Kanye had yet another memorable “moment” at the 2010 MTV VMAs.

Making Sense of the “M”
Regardless of what the “M” stands for, you and I have to help our teenagers make sense of it. MTV is not in the business of reporting culture; it’s in the business of defining culture. But we can’t afford to let MTV define our teenagers in the process.

If the “M” stands for mucky humor filled with sensual references, we must offer a clear understanding of sex. There were many twisted messages about sex that came out of the 2010 VMAs, for instance, “a person is only as valuable as they are attractive,” and “when it comes to sexual acts, nothing is off limits or out of bounds.” Let’s face it: there are many, many voices wanting to weigh in on our kids’ sex lives. We can’t let the lies of Chelsea Handler or Katy Perry be the predominant message our teenagers hear. We have to speak often and clearly.

If the “M” stands for monsters, we must prepare ourselves for the forthcoming message from Lady Gaga about homosexuality. Don’t be confused; Lady Gaga is as much a spokesperson for homosexuality as she is an entertainer. And when it comes to homosexuality, Lady Gaga has an agenda that’s longer than Lil Wayne’s rap sheet. Parents and youth workers will need to formulate their own understanding of homosexuality before helping teenagers make up their minds. And our basis of truth on the matter must be the Bible, not Lady Gaga. (Hint: If Lady Gaga disagrees with the Bible’s teaching, at all…go with the Bible!)

If the “M” stands for music, the simplest of the three possibilities, we still have to help our teenagers make wise choices with their media selections. Most of the music performed at this year’s VMAs contained disturbing messages and/or explicit lyrics. (Like I said earlier, producers wore out the mute button.) But don’t be misled: just because an artist doesn’t drop the f-bomb doesn’t mean his/her music is “clean.” We must put parameters in place that will guide our decision-making process in our choices of music. I suggest Paul’s standard in Philippians 4:8-9.

Maybe the “M” in MTV actually stands for “media.” After all, teenagers take in awhopping 10 hours and 45 minutes of media each and every day. To be relevant and helpful, parents and youth workers must address this huge intake of media and engage in conversation with our teens and tweens about their daily media choices.

If not, the “M” in MTV could stand for “mistake.”

Daily Devotion

2010-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Religiosity will not make you like Christ!

Being like Jesus does not have to do with following an outward set of religious expectations. The verse above is from a conversation Jesus had with a Pharisee. Jesus' message to the Pharisees was constantly that they had missed the boat by focusing on legalistic expectations. Real spiritual life, He said, flows "from within." In this same conversation, Jesus assured the Pharisee that for this new way of life to happen, you must gain a new "within." He said, "You must be born again."

If you want to become like Jesus, stop and ask yourself today, "Have I been born again? Am I changing because of what God is doing in my inner life, or am I just trying to meet up to religious expectations?" If you realize that you need a new inner life from God, you must acknowledge to Him that you have been going your own way in life, not His. Thank Him that Jesus died on the cross for you, so that you could find forgiveness from God.

Ask God to give you His life on the inside, to change you from the inside out. Only the God that `so loves' can so change us!

When Airplanes Reminded Me of Salvation

2010-10-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

When Airplanes Reminded Me of Salvation

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars?

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)…

Yeah, I could use a dream or a genie or a wish
To go back to a place much simpler than this.
Cause after all the partyin' and smashin' and crashin'
And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion
And all the pandemonium and all the madness
There comes a time where you fade to the blackness…

I’m pretty sure that these words aren’t new to you - right? B.O.B. (ft. Hayley Williams) Airplanes is a hugely popular award winning tune - but did you also know that it was written by a 22 year old college student from Cornell University named Tim Sommers? Oh and Eminem also threw in a verse - so we have this unlikely collaboration of Tim, Eminem, B.O.B., and Hayley that produced a smash hit that gets stuck in your head like the Barney theme song did when you were a kid.

Speaking of when you were a kid, do you ever wish you could go back? Airplanes is mainly about Tim or B.O.B or somebody wanting to go back to a time when things were pure, less complicated, and simpler - so for most of us that would be when we we’re children, right?

But now you’re not. Friends have changed, life has drama and complications that you never saw coming when you were a child playing hide and seek or sardines in the neighborhood on a lazy summer night. Maybe that’s why Airplanes has connected so well with so many…we all could use a wish, and we all sometimes wish we could go back to being children.

And why not? When we were little children, we weren’t loaded down with the burdens of worry, peer pressure, rejection, and performance expectations. We put all our trust in people who would love us, provide for us, and take care of us.

Guess what? I don’t have to pretend that airplanes were shooting stars in the night sky that I could throw up a wish to, because when I start feeling the strain and stress, I remember this event from Jesus’ life:

One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: "Let the children alone, don't prevent them from coming to me. God's kingdom is made up of people like these (Matthew 19:13-15, The Message).

Interesting, isn’t it? Jesus’ disciples thought He was too important or too busy to waste His time with little kids, but in fact Jesus describes His followers as “people like these.”

What did He mean? Easy…when we trust in Jesus Christ as our only hope of salvation, we bring the faith of a child to God, then we become the children of God!

Sure, I have the burdens of worry, peer pressure, rejection, and performance expectations…and when they creep into my soul and darken my life, God reminds me to go back to being His kid. He sits me down like a loving parent and fills my mind with these promises:

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! (1 John 3:1).

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions and be satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have; for He God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down or relax My hold on you! Assuredly not! (Hebrews 13:5, Amplified Bible).

When you trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, you enter into a Father and child relationship with the God of the universe. So go back to a simpler time, because God’s got your back!

And remember your friends who don’t know Jesus and are stressed out beyond recognition because life is beating the stuff out of them. Share the gospel message that paints a completely different picture of life: the perfect Father who loves His children and promises to take care of them completely.

Flashpoint: Ignite Into Action

Ask your friends what they think about the song Airplanes and if they ever wish they could go back to a different time. Talk about the very unique nature of Christianity - that when we trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, God becomes our Father and promises to take care of us forever!

Accelerant: Feed the Fire

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children (Matthew 11:25).

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-3).

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me" (Mark 9:35-37).

Daily Devotion

2010-10-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:28-30
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

God has already decided to make you more and more like Jesus!

Because He's committed to this process in your life, God uses every circumstance in your life to shape you to this end. Even when evil things come into your life from evil sources, God's able to take those experiences and use them to strengthen you, get your attention, and refocus your life on Him. Read that first sentence of today's passage again. Lock it into your mind. When difficult times come, trust God.

As you read the whole passage it becomes clear that this work of God to make you like Jesus is a continuous process that starts when you're born again and continues until you're finally with God in heaven, "glorified."
God's reminding you today that while He's constantly working through your circumstances, they'll only make you more like Christ if you respond to them with trust in God and a willingness to choose His way in your life.

Social Media And Your Soul

2010-10-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

Social Media And Your Soul

I’ll be the first to admit that I often see things differently than Shane Hipps. However, I really appreciate the thoughtfulness in which he approaches life, culture, and Scripture. I think that if we all would approach different ministries and people with that attitude we would be able to accomplish more fro the Kingdom of God. And while him an I may not end up at the same conclusion, he always encourages me to look at things in a different, deeper, soul searching kind of way.

He recently wrote an article for Relevant entitled, Is Facebook Killing Our Souls where he makes some pretty convicting and controversial statements regarding social media and its impact on our lives.

The narcissism created by these technologies is unique. It encourages not just self-absorption, but, more accurately, self-consumption. We become creators and consumers of our own brand. We become enamored by a particular kind of self, a pseudo-self. A self-image controlled in much the same way corporate brands are controlled. Complete with pictures, videos, songs and, most of all, metrics—the number of friends we have, the kinds of friends we have and the kind of associations we have. We endlessly refine, create and consume a digital projection we want others to see. However, we are rarely what we project. This image approximates reality, but it is not reality.
This heavily edited and carefully controlled self easily hides certain parts of ourselves we don’t want others to see. This is hardly new, of course. In any social situation, we seek to control the impression we give. The problem is that in real social settings, there are limits to what we can hide. At a certain point, people intuitively see through us. Eventually they get a sense of who we really are. And in this way, real friendships can function as a healthy mirror. They become an honest mirror that loves but doesn’t flatter us. Facebook is more like a funhouse mirror. Feeling short and squatty, no problem, just bend the mirror and presto! You are who you wish you were.
Over enough time, this subtle effect creates a minor split in us. A split between who we are, and who we think we are. This tiny fracture may seem insignificant, but if we remain unconscious, it leads us away from a life of wholeness and integration.
Narcissism is a rather exquisite vice. It is very difficult to detect in oneself. And when something is hard to identify it makes it hard to dissolve. The real buzzkill, though, is how it affects relationships. Studies indicate narcissists have trouble forming meaningful relationships, tend to be materialistic and are prone to higher levels of infidelity, substance abuse and violence.
So while Facebook and other social media connect us to more digital relationships, at the same time, they deteriorate our ability to maintain healthy relationships in real life.
Our social technologies are increasingly serving as an obstacle to this process in young people. If certain kinds of social media are introduced prematurely in the lives of teens, they may inadvertently short-circuit basic developmental milestones crucial for establishing healthy relationships later in life.

So a couple questions that come to my mind.

1) Do you think there is a connection between social media and narcissism or are people with narcissistic tendencies just finding a new platform in social media?

2) Is it a leap to say social media deteriorates our ability to maintain healthy relationships?

Loving or Hating Glee

2010-10-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Glee
If you’ve never seen it, heard about it, been shamed by a friend who is mad you’re not watching it or “Modern Family,” then let me quickly describe it. Glee is a comedy/drama/musical (way too much singing in my opinion) centered on a glee club at a high school. Despite leaning heavily on “theme episodes,” they often tackle tough social issues in some surprising ways. It’s blown up in the last year. So much so, that bands who initially refused to let them use their music have come around. When I tweeted that Coldplay said no to Glee, people told me that was because Coldplay had too much “integrity.” Then the ratings exploded and Coldplay apologized to Glee and asked them to use their music.
But what I keep noticing is that there are two popular Christian reactions to Glee:

1. You’ve got to watch it!

In church one Sunday night a friend described to me some of the Christian undertones and discussion that often peppers the script of Glee. Then someone else tweeted me and implored me to not only watch it “It’s awesome! You would be crazy not to be watching it!” That’s what some people tell me but I have not been converted to the glee cult just yet.

2. I can only assume that satan is the executive producer of Glee.

Worst show ever. In addition to butchering Journey songs, they’re pushing a really horrible agenda on us. It’s garbage. I would sooner slow dance with the Golden Compass or share a sleeping bag with a bunch of Harry Potter books. I hate that show and all Christians should.

There’s no middle ground. You hate it or you love it. Or so it would appear. I’ve not watched a whole season or even more then 10 episodes and don’t have a firm opinion on Glee. (I don’t love it as much as I love the new music from The Script for instance or Hillsong United)

How about you though? Do you watch Glee? What’s your take?

Daily Devotion

2010-10-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Psalm 143:3-6
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart is appalled within me. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; my soul longs for You, as a parched land.

Stop and think about God!

Who God is forms the cornerstone of the universe. God made things the way they are because of who He is. God acts in your life because of who He is. Everything God does flows from who He is. Because of this reality, nothing could be more important than for you to stop and think about God. In fact, as AW Tozer put it, the most important thing about you is what you think about God.
In the verses above, you'll see David has been in a time of great difficulty, stress, and pressure. But instead of thinking less of God for allowing it, he stops and thinks about what he knows of God. He thinks about "the days of old", all that God has done in the past. As he takes time with God, he finds himself reaching out to God rather than pushing Him away. God wants you to take time to think about Him today.

The 5 People You Meet in Air Travel

2010-10-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

Lily and I went flying to Pa to see my family a few months back. And while on the plane I scribbled down some random notes to keep my ADD mind occupied. The funny thing is I just came across them and I thought I would share them with you (whoever reads this blog) so here we go.

The 5 People You Meet in Air Travel

1. The Lazy Security Lady

She’s the first person in the security line that you encounter and she has only one job. Make sure that you, your boarding pass, and your ID match up.
I’m still not sure how Lily got by her holding MY boarding pass, but needless to say she was a bit embarrassed when Lily realized it and called her out on it.
I guess she figured the next security guy would catch it? Or maybe they only check last names in LAX. Security FAIL.

2. The Guy on the Airport Golf Cart

Give this guy a horn and a 20 horsepower engine and suddenly he thinks he’s Henry the 8th. Make way for royalty, make way!!!
Look, I realize it’s not easy to drive through the foot traffic of an airport terminal, but do you have to be such a loud mouth about it? You drive right up behind people and then lay on your horn until they move. And when they turn around to see who it is they’re moving for, you don’t give them the “sorry to inconvenience you but I have to drive by” face, you give them the “you’re lucky I didn’t run you over because you’re a useless waste of a soul” face.

3. The Flight Attendant Charade Player

Nobody pays attention to the flight attendants when they go over the safety stuff, but if you happen to look up from your book, you might notice at least one of them is not really showing you what to do in case of an emergency.

He doesn’t want to put the mask on, he just pulls back on the elastic.
He doesn’t show you how to blow into the air tube to inflate your vest, he just flicks it.
He doesn’t point to the emergency exits on the air plane, he just waves his arms like he’s wafting a fart.
He doesn’t show you how to buckle your seat belt, he just holds up both ends and rolls his eyes as if to say, “if you don’t know how to buckle this, I hope we crash and you’re the only one who dies”.

I can’t really blame him. I’d probably mail it in if I had to go through something similar a few times a day at work.

4. The Small Bladder Guy

You’ll recognize this guy from two specific behaviors:
1. When the crew tells you that portable electronic devices are now permitted, he thinks this suddenly means you can take your seat belt off and break dance in the aisle. He immediately gets up to make a charge for the bathroom, only to be stopped in his tracks by a crew member, who was waiting for Small Bladder Guy to jump the gun. “The Captain has not yet turned off the fasten your seat belt sign, so you may not use the lavatories at this time, Small Bladder Guy. Sit down and hold it.”
2. Once the Seat Belt sign DOES go off, Small Bladder Guy is already out of his seat and halfway down the aisle like he’s being chased by a bear. Did he drink a gallon of water after he checked his bags or is his bladder the size of a kiwi?

5. The Loud Pilot

I understand if you’re bored up there in the cockpit and need someone to talk to. That’s fine. Jump on the radio and tell us our altitude and how we’re going to get to the gate 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Knock yourself out. But can we please, for the love of hammers and anvils, turn the volume down a few notches on the loud speaker?

Is there a law I don’t know about that requires everyone on board to be woken up from their nap every 20 minutes? If so, can you bring me a copy of it, as well as a napkin to clean up the blood that’s dripping from my shattered ear drums?
It would literally be more tolerable if you came out of the cockpit, walked right up to me, and screamed our estimated arrival time right into my face. At least then I could smack you in the forehead for waking up the baby in the row behind me.

Bonus

6. The Sleeper

There’s 37 people being loud within a 10-foot radius of this guy, yet he’s sound asleep in an extremely uncomfortable chair at the gate.
What’s his story? Has he been in the airport for 24 hours? Is he drunk? Does he have sleep apnea? Is he hungover from a 48-hour partying binge with Rihanna and Lady Gaga? The possibilities are endless.
Next time you come across The Sleeper, spend a good 10 minutes coming up with an elaborate story for why he’s conked out in R.E.M. sleep in the middle of a bustling airport. Good times.
—

Any other characters at the airport that I missed?

Daily Devotion

2010-10-14T09:21:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Stop and think about where you are headed!

Where you are in life does not matter nearly as much as where that way of life will take you. Where you are in your thinking is important because of where you will end up if you keep thinking that way.
A good way to evaluate where you are headed is to think about where you were in your life two years ago compared to where you are now. Have you been moving toward God, becoming more like Jesus, building your life more around His word? What about in your thinking? Have you been allowing God's way of thinking about life, revealed in the Bible, to become the basis for your way of thinking about life?
If not, then God is calling you today to make a change. If your life is not headed towards God and His word, then it is impossible to get there without changing directions. This change does not happen automatically because you want it to. You must stop and think about what is taking you in the direction you are going in, and what it would take to move you in God's direction.

Stopping and thinking is the first thing to do. Then make choices and take action, confident that God's ways lead to life!