David's Blog ~ Hope, Encouragement & Serendipity

scandalous

2012-01-29T20:47:00.006-05:00

now reading...

fantastic book! understand your true freedom in Christ!

a nonjudgmental presence

2011-12-27T09:56:00.003-05:00

can you tell I have the week off? :-)

A Nonjudgmental Presence

To the degree that we accept that through Christ we ourselves have been reconciled with God we can be messengers of reconciliation for others. Essential to the work of reconciliation is a nonjudgmental presence. We are not sent to the world to judge, to condemn, to evaluate, to classify, or to label. When we walk around as if we have to make up our mind about people and tell them what is wrong with them and how they should change, we will only create more division. Jesus says it clearly: "Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge; ... do not condemn; ... forgive" (Luke 6:36-37).

In a world that constantly asks us to make up our minds about other people, a nonjudgmental presence seems nearly impossible. But it is one of the most beautiful fruits of a deep spiritual life and will be easily recognized by those who long for reconciliation.

- Henri Nouwen (Bread for the Journey - Dec. 27)

shipwrecked at the stable

2011-12-23T09:34:00.004-05:00

I've been reading "Reflections for Ragamuffins" (Brennan Manning) as my evening devotion this year, and it has been great! From last night's reading...

The shipwrecked at the stable are the poor in spirit who feel lost in the cosmos, adrift on an open sea, clinging with a life-and-death grip to one solitary plank. Finally they are washed ashore and make their way to the stable, stripped of the old spirit of possessiveness in regard to anything. The shipwrecked find it not only tacky, but utterly absurd to be caught up either in tinsel trees or in religious experiences— “Doesn’t going to church on Christmas make you feel good?” They are not concerned with their own emotional security or with any of the trinkets of creation. They have been saved, rescued, delivered from the waters of death, set free for a new shot at life. At the stable in a blinding moment of truth, they make the stunning discovery that Jesus is the plank of salvation they have been clinging to without knowing it!

All the time they were battered by wind and rain, buffeted by raging seas, they were being held even when they didn’t know who was holding them. Their exposure to spiritual, emotional, and physical deprivation has weaned them from themselves and made them reexamine all they once thought important. The shipwrecked come to the stable seeking not to possess, but to be possessed, wanting not peace or a religious high, but Jesus Christ.

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in
Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all
those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ —their Lord and ours.
1 Corinthians 1:2

more cheers...

2011-11-04T20:24:00.002-04:00

More Cheers to me from Droid-Life... Guess I'm the first one up on the East Coast looking for updates every day and hoping for Ice Cream Sandwich sooner rather than later.

Cheers David! on Droid-Life

2011-09-28T11:43:00.003-04:00

I got a "cheers" shout out this morning from Droid-Life for sending in a tip about the latest update to my Transformer!! (see bottom of this page, and/or follow the permanent link to see it on the Droid Life page)

Asus Transformer Receiving Android 3.2.1 Update Now

On 09.28.11, In News, by Kellex

A couple of readers turned on their Asus Transformers this morning and found a little surprise that needed their approval. An update to Android 3.2.1 was/is available, bringing the most popular Honeycomb tablet on the planet up to the most current version. Since we had yet to see a changelog after the XOOM WiFi received a similar update, we cruised over to Asus’ Facebook page and sure enough, they had posted the details:

Google Update: Android 3.2.1

Security enhancement

New Feature:

Supernote

IME/Translation:

Added Farsi IME support
Czech IME improvement : support Qwerty & Qwertz
JP SKU fixed translation bug and Polaris office font
Added more language translation into ASUS App

APP Updates:

CN SKU 3rd party app bug fix
Polaris office & ASUS WebStorage update

Improvements:

Browser with Adobe Flash improvement; ex: YouTube
Browser force-close improvement
Improve Wi-Fi stability
Improve Chinese handwriting prediction : recognize character from each stroke

Go grab it now!

Cheers David!

electronic discoveries

2011-09-18T16:42:00.006-04:00

Here are a few neat discoveries I found online recently:

Evernote - Take notes - original, clips from website, email, etc... and sync them across your smartphone, computer, laptop, tablet, etc. (This is what Pastor Martin mentioned in service this morning.)

SugarSync - Want 5GB of free storage? Backup your files to the cloud for free. SugarSync. Use this link and we'll both get a little extra storage for free!

https://www.sugarsync.com/referral?rf=evrfv6tfqnqz2&utm_source=txemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=referral

fearing failure?

2011-07-17T19:54:00.004-04:00

The Snare of Fearing Failure
You know, in spite of the fact that Christianity speaks of the cross, redemption, and sin, we’re unwilling to admit failure in our lives. Why? Partially, I guess, because it’s human nature’s defense mechanism against its own inadequacies. But even more so, it’s because of the successful image our culture demands of us. There are some real problems with projecting the perfect image. First of all, it’s simply not true—we are not always happy, optimistic, in command. Second, projecting the ﬂawless image keeps us from reaching people who feel we just wouldn’t understand them. And third, even if we could live a life with no conﬂict, suffering, or mistakes, it would be a shallow existence. The Christian with depth is the person who has failed and who has learned to live with his failure.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
- Psalm 51:6

from "Reflections for Ragamuffins" - Brennan Manning

can Baptists dance?

2011-04-13T11:19:00.003-04:00

YES, they can!

I'm so happy to see Baptists of all ages throwing off the denominational stupidity, traditions, and unbiblical belief that we shouldn't dance!

good morning, snow

2011-02-10T08:32:00.003-05:00

the best kind of snow... light dusting overnight, and clear and sunny in the morning with no problems or snow on the roads or sidewalks!

thinking about this lyric

2011-01-24T10:53:00.007-05:00

I heard this on muzak yesterday at lunch...

"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
the sinners are much more fun..."

- Billy Joel, from "Only The Good Die Young"

An interesting phrase, isn't it? Why is this lyric so often true, when sentiment should be exactly the opposite?

just thinking...

more snow!

2011-01-10T14:45:00.004-05:00

look out below!!

the boy...

a safe place

2010-12-28T10:28:00.003-05:00

Being Safe Places for Others

When we are free from the need to judge or condemn, we can become safe places for people to meet in vulnerability and take down the walls that separate them. Being deeply rooted in the love of God, we cannot help but invite people to love one another. When people realise that we have no hidden agendas or unspoken intentions, that we are not trying to gain any profit for ourselves, and that our only desire is for peace and reconciliation, they may find the inner freedom and courage to leave their guns at the door and enter into conversation with their enemies.

Many times this happens even without our planning. Our ministry of reconciliation most often takes place when we ourselves are least aware of it. Our simple, nonjudgmental presence does it.

- from Henri Nouwen's Bread for the Journey (Dec. 28)

the only difference between men and boys...

2010-12-08T09:17:00.005-05:00

...is the price of their toys!

This truly is TOO much... in a worship service even!!

maybe now I can justify adding an iPad to next year's worship budget?? HAHA

Merry Christmas!

amazing video

2010-11-05T09:38:00.002-04:00

How fun must this have been?

the way it ought to be

2010-08-30T09:58:00.009-04:00

This is one of the most excellent "arguments" for a unified worship style that I have ever read. Written by William Graham Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced cha-vi-jin) - a Florida native, the pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, a visiting professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, and grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham. His blog and the original article are here.

This Is The Way It Ought To Be

Given the amount of attention and feedback we’ve received this week with regard to removing the “traditional/contemporary” split in worship at Coral Ridge in favor of a blended format (you can read about it here) [and below, DT], I thought it would be a good idea to do a follow-up post going into even more detail regarding why we made the decision we made. Later this week I’ll do a post answering some of the questions we’ve been asked.

First of all, this was not first and foremost a music decision. It was a gospel decision. In other words, while I certainly don’t claim to know each and every situation in each and every local church, I don’t think a local church can experience the degree of deep, rich unity that Jesus prayed for the night before he went to the cross by having a “traditional/contemporary” split in worship. I think by segregating ourselves this way we miss out on some choice blessings that Jesus intends for his one body to enjoy.

Let me tell you a story.

A couple years ago my wife and I went to my daughter’s end of the school year kindergarten musical. As I sat there watching her sing and dance and laugh on stage with friends she adores—I was surprised by a rush of sadness that overcame me.

Some of Genna’s friends are white, some Hispanic, some black. Some come from families having very little, some from wealthy families. Some come from single-parent homes, others from homes where Mom and Dad are happily married. Some are physically uncoordinated, while others are already remarkably athletic. But to my then six-year-old daughter and her friends, none of these differences made a difference. They didn’t even seem to notice those things that, in time, will tend to separate them.

By the time Genna and her friends are in high school, our culture will have tried to convince them to join “their own kind.” Over time they’ll be informally segregated into cliques: cheerleaders with cheerleaders, nerds with nerds, jocks with jocks, artists with artists. The rich will be influenced to stick with the rich, the poor with the poor, blue collar with blue collar, white collar with white collar. Movies, magazine covers, and TV shows will influence them to believe that “beautiful people” should enjoy life with other beautiful people, leaving the unattractive to their own groupings.

By the time they reach adulthood, many of these young friends will be torn apart by the very differences God intends for us to celebrate and enjoy—differences that make each one of us unique.

During the musical, my daughter’s eyes met mine, and she waved and smiled. I did my best to hold back my tears and smile back. Unexpectedly for me, a time intended for sweet memory-making had brought a moment of sorrow. I sat there groaning inwardly for my daughter, who would soon be pressured to view human life and community very differently than she does now—very differently, in fact, than God intended.

What I experienced that afternoon was the sad reality that this world is irrefutably tribal. In spite of how open and freethinking we believe our society has become, segregation is still fashionable—now more than ever, in some ways.

We segregate by age and socio-economic classes as well as by race, physical appearance, and cultural background. We’re grouped according to likes and dislikes, preferences and personality traits. We form clans of people who all look, talk, think, and act the same. Some of this separation is both understandable and unavoidable. From elementary school through high school, academic institutions separate students according to age, recognizing the benefit of age-appropriate teaching. But for the most part, when people separate from those who are different, they miss out on so many things intended to enhance human life and relationships.

In The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis mentions two friends, Ronald and Charles. After one of them died, Lewis realized there was no consolation to be found in the possibility that he and the surviving friend might now actually “get” more of each other as a result. “Far from having more of Ronald, having him ‘to myself’ now that Charles is away, I have less of Ronald.” He would never again, for example, observe Ronald’s unique reaction to one of Charles’s jokes. Lewis notes, “In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets.”

The same dynamic of relational loss is at work when we segregate according to kind. We see and experience much less, not more, when we gravitate toward, and surround ourselves with, those who are just like us. When young are separated from old, rich from poor, black from white, “traditional” from “contemporary”, our world becomes a much smaller and less remarkable place. Our preferences and perspectives remain plain and narrow. We lose sight of the beauty and the brilliance that accompany gospel wrought diversity.

You see, when the gospel really grabs you, something happens.

Some of my closest friends today are people I would never have hung out with in high school. That’s as it should be—the work of God the Son reconciling us to God the Father must also result in our reconciliation with one another. When we come to God through repentance and faith in Christ, we come into a new relationship with God’s people, many of whom are quite different from us. The church ought to exemplify a radically unusual social order because it integrates people who are very unlike one another.

In Paul’s day the world was rigidly divided between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female. Those walls of separation were thick, and the groups on each side were hostile. But that didn’t stop Paul from boldly proclaiming God’s intention to establish a new community—the church—that not only included all these but also allowed them to enjoy deeply interdependent relationships. As Paul argued for the Gentiles’ place in God’s redemptive plan, he said, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon him” (Romans 10:12). As Paul decried certain Jewish leaders for teaching that the sign of circumcision was a condition for justification, he wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). And when he addressed class distinctions threatening to divide the church, he asserted our newness in Christ, in which “there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). If he were writing to the 21st Century church you could almost hear him say, “There is neither ‘traditional’ nor ‘contemporary’ worship; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Paul kept affirming a foundational reality that always accompanies true gospel belief: when God makes us one with Christ, he also makes us one with each other, removing the barriers of separation erected by our society. In contrast to the tribal-mindedness of the world around us, the church is to bring together people who would remain separated in any other sector of society. The divisive and fundamentally worldly notions of class, race, economics, and age prove to be painful sources of loneliness, fragmentation, and alienation in the modern world—things the church should strive against in establishing a new community.

The primary reason, though, that stylistic segregation in worship shrinks our souls is because it prevents us from knowing God deeply. The only way to know him deeply is to have many different types of Christian people in your life, since each person will help to reveal a part of God that you can’t see by yourself. This means the great tragedy of segregation isn’t so much that we see less of each other but that in separating from each other we see less of God. All of us need other lights than our own to see more of his myriad facets.

So, we miss out on some great things God intends for us to enjoy when we separate in worship according to musical tastes. The idea to do this comes, not from the Bible, but from American consumerism and we adopt this practice to our own peril.

As my friend Steven Phillips rightly says, we ought to use the best music, prayers, and traditions of our Christian past, so that our worship is guided and enriched by our fathers in the faith. In doing this we demonstrate that our Christian faith reaches back thousands of years. And we ought also to use the best new songs and styles – to “sing a new song to the Lord” as the Psalms say – so that we can demonstrate that the grace of God is ever new. God’s saving power is available now, in the present day, to all who call on Him in faith.

By musically blending things in this way we exercise love toward those who resonate with different musical tastes than us. We recognize that our worship service is a shared time and a shared space, so that if a particular song or style doesn’t inspire us, we can still look across the sanctuary and give thanks from our hearts for the diversity of people who are here. The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us to look across the aisle and say, “Though this song or style may not appeal to me, I see that God is using it to move you. I love you in Christ and I’m glad you’re here.”

Brothers and sisters, this is the way it should be–especially when we gather for worship! And thank God, this is the way it now is at Coral Ridge!

We Are One

Today was a monumental, historic day at Coral Ridge.

For many years Coral Ridge had two very distinct worship services–one contemporary and one traditional. The result was the unintentional development of two different churches under one roof. It wasn’t healthy. So back at the end of Spring we started talking about what we could do to unify our one large church.

Given our desire to re-plant Coral Ridge around a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the gospel we concluded that we needed to make a change. After all, since the gospel is the good news that God reconciles us not only to himself but also to one another, the church should be breaking down walls, not erecting them. God intends the church to be demonstrating what community looks like when God’s reconciling power is at work.

Most churches would agree that any segregation arising from racial or economic bigotry runs contrary to the nature of the gospel and should not be tolerated. But there’s another kind of segregation, perhaps more subtle, that many churches today have unapologetically embraced.

Following the lead of the advertising world, many churches and worship services target specific age groups to the exclusion of others. They forget that, according to the Bible, the church is an all-age community, and instead they organize themselves around distinctives dividing the generations: Busters, Boomers, Millennials, Generations X, Y, and Z. Many churches offer a traditional service for the tribe who prefer older music and a contemporary service for the tribe who prefer newer music. The truth is, however, that if the only type of music you employ in a worship service is old, you inadvertently communicate that God was more active in the past than he is in the present. On the other hand, if the only type of music you employ in a worship service is new, you inadvertently communicate that God is more active in the present than he was in the past.

The only way to musically communicate God’s timeless activity in the life of the church is to blend the best of the past with the best of the present. In other words, we must remember in our worship that while “contemporary only” people operate with their heads fixed frontwards, never looking over their shoulder at the stock from which they have come, and “traditional only” people operate with their heads on backwards, romanticizing about the past and always wanting to go back, the Church, in contrast from both extremes, is called upon to be a people with swiveling heads: learning from the past, living in the present, and looking to the future. That’s the only way to avoid in worship what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery.”

You see, when we separate people according to something as trivial as musical preferences, we evidence a fundamental failure to comprehend the heart of the gospel. We’re not only feeding toxic tribalism; we’re also saying the gospel can’t successfully bring these two different groups together. It’s a declaration of doubt about the unifying power of God’s gospel. Generational appeal in worship is an admission that the gospel is powerless to join together what man has separated.

Building the church on stylistic preferences or age appeal (whether old or young) is just as contrary to the reconciling effect of the gospel as building it on class, race, or gender distinctions. In a recent interview J. I. Packer said, “If worship services are so fixed that what’s being offered fits the expectations, the hopes, even the prejudices, of any one of these groups as opposed to the others, I don’t believe the worship style glorifies God.” One of the leading ways the church can testify to God’s unifying power before our segregated world is to establish and maintain congregations and worship services that transcend cultural barriers, including age and musical styles.

So, I am thrilled that as of this morning Coral Ridge broke down a thick wall that had been separating this church family for years. Because of our firm commitment to and love for the gospel, we worshiped together as one body around one table united to one Christ by one Spirit–and we felt God’s infinite approval!

funny dad's life video

2010-07-23T11:01:00.003-04:00

listening with our wounds

2010-07-11T18:08:00.002-04:00

Listening With Our Wounds

To enter into solidarity with a suffering person does not mean that we have to talk with that person about our own suffering. Speaking about our own pain is seldom helpful for someone who is in pain. A wounded healer is someone who can listen to a person in pain without having to speak about his or her own wounds. When we have lived through a painful depression, we can listen with great attentiveness and love to a depressed friend without mentioning our experience. Mostly it is better not to direct a suffering person's attention to ourselves. We have to trust that our own bandaged wounds will allow us to listen to others with our whole beings. That is healing.

- Nouwen, Bread for the Journey (July 10)

thanks for 25 years!

2010-06-14T08:19:00.004-04:00

Following is the text from my thank you to Truth Tabernacle of Praise on the occasion of my 25 year ministry anniversary celebration yesterday...

Well surprise! This seems like an episode of the surreal life...

It's hard to believe I've been doing music and leading worship in church for 25 years! When I started doing this on June 2, 1985 as an interim, I had no idea my life would take this crazy 25 year journey.

All I know to say is that I'm very humbled and so appreciative of your presence on this occasion - so many of you have traveled great distances to be here. Am I surprised? I have to say that I did find out last week from someone via email who obviously didn't know this was to be a surprise... BUT I am surprised so many of you would come to be present today!

I have to thank some people specifically, and I'll try to make this quick, but you only celebrate 25 years in the ministry once, right?

A special thanks to each of you... from each 4 of the different churches I've served

First Baptist Church of Callahan, FL - my home church - where I started as an interim and ended up staying for 12 years. For most church members to have known you since you were born, and still follow your leadership for 12 years - is nothing short of amazing. I thank each of you, and Pastor Lynn Hyatt for believing in me and seeing something that I didn't even see myself. For going along with some of my grandiose ideas back when I was young and stupid and didn't know some of the things we DID "couldn't be done", and for helping me grow up - I'm grateful. Also want to recognize my good friend, Steven Clifton, who served as our children's pastor, and got me started hacking around on repairing/upgrading computers! (He adopted my mom & dad, and they call him "son" as well)

Mabel White Memorial Baptist Church in Macon and Pastor Steve Johnson. Probably the most gifted "large" choir I ever had the honor of directing... and an amazing group of soloists! I learned so much about leadership and team building from Steve. We really had some incredible times of corporate worship there - made the first CD ever released by the choir there - relocated from the old church on Eisenhower to the new location on Bass Rd. It's there that I met David Duncan who became and has remained one of my closest friends, through thick and thin, and so many ups and downs. Thank you, David, for being here today, and for being a friend, like Jesus, who sticks closer than a brother!

I'm also very thankful for my time at Rehoboth Baptist Church. That statement is probably hard for some of you to fathom, but I have always and still firmly believe in the sovereignty of God, and that each assignment God gives you is in some way preparing your for your next assignment. Had I not been called to Atlanta by Pastor Bobby Atkins, I would not be here today. Even though there were some very dark days there, there was a remnant of people who really wanted the freedom in worship that Pastor Bobby and I attempted to facilitate. ..... Another reason I'm thankful for Rehoboth, is because without Rehoboth and everything that some of us experienced there, there would be no Truth Tabernacle of Praise. Romans 8:28 is true... ALL things work together for our good.

What can I say about Truth Tabernacle of Praise (affectionately known around here as TTOP)? This IS a place of freedom... a place for broken and wounded people... where ANYone is welcome, and in the spirit of adoption, invited to become a part of this family of believers, which truly is like a family. The people that make up this body have shown me what the kindness of God looks like. Although small and few in numbers compared to many churches, they have the biggest heart of compassion I've ever known. Thank you for sticking in there through thick and thin, and for making this a safe place of rest, refuge, and restoration for everyone - even pastors! After leaving my home church, I feel that I'm finally back at a place I can call home - Truth Tabernacle of Praise!

Yvette & all of her "helpers". My family. One of the reasons I'm not surprised today is that my wife is one of those people who just cannot let a special occasion go by without some sort of celebration, so in my mind it was really not a matter of IF but of WHEN. Honestly, this celebration really should be about her - someone who really had no interest in being in the ministry 25 years ago, but was willing to go along with the idea to be with me. Why she would agree to be a ministry wife or marry me is still a mystery, but I feel like SHE has become the REAL minister in our family. I think at least a few of the churches we served tolerated me so they could keep her! Anyway, thanks so much, dear, for standing beside me and working as hard if not harder than I do every day - I love you for it.

Needless to say I am very humbled by it all. Your part in my 25 years of ministry celebration will not ever be forgotten.

So, what have I learned in 25 years? Many things, but I'd like to share just a short list of what I feel are the most significant things.

never say never
you can't make anyone do anything; you can try to manipulate, but it only makes you and the other person miserable
you never REALLY know what someone has gone through or is going through unless you've walked in their shoes
God's grace is big enough for everyone, and can cover whatever you've done or will do
God can use you in spite of yourself - he has done that most of my 25 years ministry...
finally, and most importantly; the story of the prodigal son is for all of us, and applies to each of us... I've been the brother who stayed home, resentful of the other brother who went out and enjoyed the wild life. I've had my years of being the prodigal - drifting further and further away from God in my own selfishness. And now it's my turn to be the father in the story... one who sees both sons, and can offer a place of safety to come home.

You know, each of us is someplace on that journey - either home, away from home, leaving home, or on the way back home - the beautiful thing is the Father (our Heavenly Father God) already knows we were going to be where we are, but He's always there - waiting, watching, and looking for us so He can run meet us and welcome us back home!

Why do I worship the way I do? ...seems crazy and out of control to some along the years... I guess it's because I've always really known me, and knew that God even knew me better than that, but still He loved me anyway. That can't help but make a messed up, imperfect sinner (turned saint by His grace and mercy) sing out loud, shout, dance, kneel, or fall on the floor in His presence.

I’m just one beggar, trying to point other beggars to bread, really. One who is still discovering the freedom God desires for us in worship and that wants to encourage others toward the same. Thank you for your love and support over these last 25 years. I would definitely not be the person that I am today without each of you. Keep worshiping God with all your heart, with all your mind, soul and strength!!

Thank you!

our best effort

2010-06-09T08:58:00.002-04:00

Great quote from Francis Chan (read full article here)

Churches that are built through our effort rather than the Spirit's will quickly collapse when we stop pushing and prodding people along.

Now we should push, prod, and persuade men, but I've learned to spend a lot more time praying and asking the Spirit to move and begging God to send forth laborers.

The more you look at Scripture, the more you realize that nothing happens unless God is behind it. Jesus is building his church. I just want to be a part of that. I'll keep doing my work, but the fruit is up to him. We can only pray, "Please, please, please let us see your Spirit at work. May it be like a mighty wind that moves us."

Friday video - hilariously sad but true

2010-05-14T07:09:00.000-04:00

Oh my, I can't tell you how many times I've seen this done...

supper tonight (off topic)

2010-05-07T18:29:00.003-04:00

What was for supper tonight? (with Dad cooking!)

Easy Cajun Tilapia
my variation: sprinkle with breadcrumbs while sauteing in skillet.

How was it? very yummy, if I do say so myself!

Also saving this for next time...
Baked Tilapia with Cajun Bread Crumb Topping

Friday video - 3 days early

2010-05-04T13:22:00.002-04:00

check out this video!

2 good days from Oswald

2010-04-26T09:56:00.005-04:00

The last two days from My Utmost for His Highest have been outstanding.

The Warning Against Desiring Spiritual Success
Apr 24 2010
Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you . . . —Luke 10:20

Worldliness is not the trap that most endangers us as Christian workers; nor is it sin. The trap we fall into is extravagantly desiring spiritual success; that is, success measured by, and patterned after, the form set by this religious age in which we now live. Never seek after anything other than the approval of God, and always be willing to go “outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:13). In Luke 10:20, Jesus told the disciples not to rejoice in successful service, and yet this seems to be the one thing in which most of us do rejoice. We have a commercialized view— we count how many souls have been saved and sanctified, we thank God, and then we think everything is all right. Yet our work only begins where God’s grace has laid the foundation. Our work is not to save souls, but to disciple them. Salvation and sanctification are the work of God’s sovereign grace, and our work as His disciples is to disciple others’ lives until they are totally yielded to God. One life totally devoted to God is of more value to Him than one hundred lives which have been simply awakened by His Spirit. (emphasis added - dt) As workers for God, we must reproduce our own kind spiritually, and those lives will be God’s testimony to us as His workers. God brings us up to a standard of life through His grace, and we are responsible for reproducing that same standard in others.

Unless the worker lives a life that “is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), he is apt to become an irritating dictator to others, instead of an active, living disciple. Many of us are dictators, dictating our desires to individuals and to groups. But Jesus never dictates to us in that way. Whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He always prefaced His words with an “if,” never with the forceful or dogmatic statement— “You must.” Discipleship carries with it an option.

"Ready in Season"
Apr 25 2010
Be ready in season and out of season —2 Timothy 4:2

Many of us suffer from the unbalanced tendency to “be ready” only “out of season.” The season does not refer to time; it refers to us. This verse says, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.” In other words, we should “be ready” whether we feel like it or not. If we do only what we feel inclined to do, some of us would never do anything. There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. The proof that our relationship is right with God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not.

One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. When the Spirit of God gives you a time of inspiration and insight, you tend to say, “Now that I’ve experienced this moment, I will always be like this for God.” No, you will not, and God will make sure of that. Those times are entirely the gift of God. You cannot give them to yourself when you choose. If you say you will only be at your best for God, as during those exceptional times, you actually become an intolerable burden on Him. You will never do anything unless God keeps you consciously aware of His inspiration to you at all times. If you make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life, never to return until you are obedient in the work He has placed closest to you, and until you have learned not to be obsessed with those exceptional moments He has given you.

have questions?

2010-04-26T07:52:00.001-04:00

We spend a lot of time and energy raising questions. Is it worth it? It is always good to ask ourselves why we raise a question. Do we want to get useful information? Do we want to show that someone else is wrong? Do we want to conquer knowledge? Do we want to grow in wisdom? Do we want to find a way to sanctity?

When we ponder these questions before asking our questions, we may discover that we need less time and energy for our questions. Perhaps we already have the information. Perhaps we don't need to show that someone is wrong. For many questions we may learn that we already have the answers, at least if we listen carefully to our own hearts.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen - Bread for the Journey - April 25

freedom attracts

2010-04-19T08:41:00.003-04:00

When you are interiorly free you call others to freedom, whether you know it or not. Freedom attracts wherever it appears. A free man or a free woman creates a space where others feel safe and want to dwell. Our world is so full of conditions, demands, requirements, and obligations that we often wonder what is expected of us. But when we meet a truly free person, there are no expectations, only an invitation to reach into ourselves and discover there our own freedom.

Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be.

- Henri. J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, April 19

Going on 25 years of working as a church staffer this year, sadly, I've observed first hand that so many "church people" are not free, but are "full of conditions, demands, requirements, and obligations". I wonder what the church would look like if we truly were free, and did nothing but unconditionally love each other as God loves us.

3 great questions

2010-04-15T12:30:00.003-04:00

...for worship leaders (great questions for anyone actually)

What does God desire?
What does God require?
How should we aspire?

Haven't read it (yet), but the questions were taken from "Levite Praise" by Dr. Cheryl Wilson-Bridges, Creation House Publisher (Questions sourced in March/April 2010 worship leader magazine)

deep roots

2010-04-05T09:39:00.003-04:00

Trees that grow tall have deep roots. Great height without great depth is dangerous. The great leaders of this world - like St. Francis, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr., - were all people who could live with public notoriety, influence, and power in a humble way because of their deep spiritual rootedness.

Without deep roots we easily let others determine who we are. But as we cling to our popularity, we may lose our true sense of self. Our clinging to the opinion of others reveals how superficial we are. We have little to stand on. We have to be kept alive by adulation and praise. Those who are deeply rooted in the love of God can enjoy human praise without being attached to it.

- Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, April 5

God knows you...

2010-03-21T08:16:00.003-04:00

is that disturbing or comforting?

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)

Knowing the truth - that God knows everything in your life, can either be very disturbing or very comforting. It depends on your relationship to Him, whether you're trying to fool Him or not.

Have you been acting as if God is totally unaware of your life in any of these five areas?
God know your faults and failures, but he still loves you unconditionally.
God knows your feelings and frustrations, and he sees your hurt more than anyone else can.
God knows your future, so he can tell what you need to know.
God knows your fears, and he wants you to hand your worries over to him.
God knows your faithfulness because he sees every good thing you do.
The fact that God knows everything is a tremendous motivator for me to live a godly life. I realize that nothing in my life is in secret; nothing I face will hinder his ability to help me; nothing that is to come will catch him by surprise; nothing I fear will be too big for God's strength; and nothing I do in his name is ever done in vain.

God says, "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:11, MSG)

- Rick Warren

global warming

2010-03-02T13:34:00.003-05:00

this is what global warming looks like in Hotlanta today... 11:30 a.m.

and to think our old pal Al Gore goes ballistic again over this stuff... here
and another great observation from here

iPad = iRad or iFad? (off topic)

2010-01-27T16:55:00.008-05:00

Okay, this is an off topic post, I guess... Yes, I admit to being a tech geek. Who doesn't love a cool electronic gadget? On today's big announcement from Apple, the iPad. (I'm sorry... the name makes all this just too easy!!)

Today's iPad "show"... my thoughts... few words come to mind:

iPad - cute name, but i think iSlate would have been cooler. What about iTablet with a whole Moses tie in of biblical proportions? Yes, I get the whole iPod, iPad thing, but the name makes it all too easy to do what I'm about to do...

iSad - what I was after realizing there was not "one more thing" and that iPad was all that we were going to get from Apple today (other than a few tweaks of their software). Also iSad = the Kindle and other ebook readers... all about to become extinct with a pretty good price point offered on Apple's version of a "kindle" that has received it's glorified body. :-)

iRad - what the iPad could have been if Apple had been a little more forward thinking and listened to the wishes and dreams of users. And believe me there was no lack of wish lists floating around cyberspace on the subject of an Apple tablet. Unfortunately the iPad "show" (IMHO) did not live up to all the hype. I guess we can all dream of the Summer refresh hinted at today.

iGlad - AT&T executives, upon receiving yet another reprieve from losing their sweet Apple exclusivity deal with Stevie baby. Did you hear the sigh of relieve coming from AT&T headquarters?

iMad - what many of us were after realizing that (1) the 3G version of this thing will be tied (at least for the foreseeable future) to AT&T and (2) the "one more thing" that many of us hoped for was not going to happen - i.e., a refresh of the iPhone line with the option of getting one from Verizon!! Did you hear the groans from all the Verizon customers waiting to get their hands on an iPhone as well as the groans from all those locked into AT&T and tired of horrible service? Huddled masses yearning to be free (from AT&T)! Yes, Mr. Jobs, there's a MAP for that!!!

iBad - not offering the thing for less money on a 3G network... what happened to subsidizing the cost of new equipment? Shouldn't you get a break if you sign up for (subpar) 3G service with AT&T? Instead, you'll get to pay more for your iPad if you want 3G connectivity. That makes no sense. Also in the iBad category - not having it available today... how long have we been waiting for this thing? How long have the rumors been circulating? In the Apple hay-day, you'd hear the words, "and it's available TODAY" (instead of 60-90 days after the big event), right before you heard, "and one more thing." I guess those days are over... which brings me back to iSad.

iFad? probably not. There are too many addicted to having Apple's latest gizmo for this thing to be a fad. It probably will eventually change the way we use technology and computers and read magazines and newspapers - the latter being 2 things that may go the way of the dinosaur if Apple has it's way. I'll wait until the next refresh at least before being tempted - let them work out the bugs and add a few more cool features. Let the early adopters pay for the R&D and be real time beta testers. Which begs the question, how will they push updates to this thing - I guess via the iTunes store like they do with our iPods.

Alright, that's my two cents worth on this momentous day. After all that hype about their "latest creation" - a big let down - at least for me.

incurvatus in se

2010-01-09T09:39:00.002-05:00

The great reformer, Martin Luther, in the Lectures on Romans (1515–1516) gives the depiction of the sinner as incurvatus in se, “curved in on self”:

“due to original sin, our nature is so curved in upon itself at its deepest levels that it not only bends the best gifts of God toward itself in order to enjoy them (as the moralists and hypocrites make evident), nay, rather, "uses" God in order to obtain them, but it does not even know that, in this wicked, twisted, crooked way, it seeks everything, including God, only for itself. As the prophet Jeremiah says in Jer. 17:9: "The heart of man is crooked and inscrutable; who can know it?" i.e., it is so curved in upon itself that no man, be he ever so holy, can know it (apart from a testing experience). As it says in Ps. 19:12: "Who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from my hidden faults!"

stepping over our wounds

2010-01-09T09:34:00.001-05:00

Stepping over Our Wounds

Sometimes we have to "step over" our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Then we become the "offended one," "the forgotten one," or the "discarded one." Yes, we can get attached to these negative identities and even take morbid pleasure in them. It might be good to have a look at these dark feelings and explore where they come from, but there comes a moment to step over them, leave them behind and travel on.

- Nouwen, "Bread for the Journey" (Jan.9)

successfulness and fruitfulness

2010-01-04T09:22:00.004-05:00

So many pastors and churches want their ministries to be successful. Perhaps that is the wrong focus. How great to be working toward a fruitful ministry instead. Success passes, but fruit remains (John 15:16).

Another great quote from Nouwen...

Fruits That Grow in Vulnerability

There is a great difference between successfulness and fruitfulness. Success comes from strength, control, and respectability. A successful person has the energy to create something, to keep control over its development, and to make it available in large quantities. Success brings many rewards and often fame. Fruits, however, come from weakness and vulnerability. And fruits are unique. A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another's wounds. Let's remind one another that what brings us true joy is not successfulness but fruitfulness.

- Nouwen, Bread for the Journey (Jan. 4)

reconciliation

2009-12-30T08:05:00.003-05:00

two great quotes on reconciliation from Nouwen...

A Ministry that Never Ends

Reconciliation is much more than a one-time event by which a conflict is resolved and peace established. A ministry of reconciliation goes far beyond problem solving, mediation, and peace agreements. There is not a moment in our lives without the need for reconciliation. When we dare to look at the myriad hostile feelings and thoughts in our hearts and minds, we will immediately recognize the many little and big wars in which we take part. Our enemy can be a parent, a child, a "friendly" neighbor, people with different lifestyles, people who do not think as we think, speak as we speak, or act as we act. They all can become "them." Right there is where reconciliation is needed.

Reconciliation touches the most hidden parts of our souls. God gave reconciliation to us as a ministry that never ends.

Letting Go of Old Hurts

One of the hardest things in life is to let go of old hurts. We often say, or at least think: "What you did to me and my family, my ancestors, or my friends I cannot forget or forgive. ... One day you will have to pay for it." Sometimes our memories are decades, even centuries, old and keep asking for revenge.

Holding people's faults against them often creates an impenetrable wall. But listen to Paul: "For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old order is gone and a new being is there to see. It is all God's work" (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Indeed, we cannot let go of old hurts, but God can. Paul says: "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding anyone's fault against them" (2 Corinthians 5:19). It is God's work, but we are God's ministers, because the God who reconciled the world to God entrusted to us "the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). This message calls us to let go of old hurts in the Name of God. It is the message our world most needs to hear.

- Nouwen; from "Bread for the Journey" (Dec. 29 and 30)

mom's wedding cookies

2009-12-26T08:57:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's been a while since I posted. Isn't the holiday season and busy schedules crazy?

Anyway, my mom has a delicious wedding cookie recipe that I want to keep handy...

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups of nuts (pecans)

A. cream butter and sugar with mixer
add vanilla and mix

B. mix salt and flour well

C. add salt and flour to butter and sugar mixture
batter will be very stiff

D. add nuts on low speed

E. roll 1 round teaspoon of dough in hands making a ball

F. place on an ungreased cookie sheet

G. 325 degree oven for 20 minutes

yields approx. 70-85 cookies

after cooling, cover with powdered sugar if desired

spiritual maturity?

2009-11-04T10:26:00.005-05:00

How do you define spiritual maturity?

We're so committed to discovering and applying God's principles for making life work that we no longer value intimacy with God as our greatest blessing. We're more attracted to sermons, books and conferences that reveal the secrets to fulfillment in everything we do than to spiritual direction that leads us through affliction into the presence of the Father...

We no longer identify ourselves as a community of visibly broken saints, men and women profoundly grateful for grace, knowing we're dead without it...

- Larry Crabb, The Pressure's Off, p.183

are you poor?

2009-11-02T08:55:00.003-05:00

Who Are the Poor?

The poor are the center of the Church. But who are the poor? At first we might think of people who are not like us: people who live in slums, people who go to soup kitchens, people who sleep on the streets, people in prisons, mental hospitals, and nursing homes. But the poor can be very close. They can be in our own families, churches or workplaces. Even closer, the poor can be ourselves, who feel unloved, rejected, ignored, or abused.

It is precisely when we see and experience poverty - whether far away, close by, or in our own hearts - that we need to become the Church; that is hold hands as brothers and sisters, confess our own brokenness and need, forgive one another, heal one another's wounds, and gather around the table of Jesus for the breaking of the bread. Thus, as the poor we recognize Jesus, who became poor for us.

Henri J.M. Nouwen - Bread for the Journey

happy birthday internet (off topic)

2009-10-29T14:56:00.001-04:00

today is the 40th birthday of the internet (sorry Al Gore it wasn't you!)

actually 1 day before my mom's birthday - so happy birthday, mom, too!

if on a winter's night... (sting)

2009-10-27T14:47:00.008-04:00

I picked up Sting's newest release today, "If On a Winter's Night..."

A nice project. Christmas? I'd consider it more of a classical pop CD than anything else, but it was very relaxing to listen to while working this morning. Rather funny listening to Sting attempt to sing in a "classical" style on some of the tracks.

A soothing musical backdrop for a cold, rainy day like today.

disordered desires

2009-10-27T14:30:00.005-04:00

(bold is mine - DT)

If we are honest, we all know something about disordered desires. Most of us know the possibility of forming a false attachment to someone, looking to them to meet needs that can never be met by any human. Or if we have never felt the fleeting gratification of such an idolatrous attachment, perhaps we... know the desire for it. Most of us also realize that we can form the same sort of false attachment to possessions, money being perhaps the easiest object for this. Many of us also know disordered desire that comes from a false attachment to reputation and image.

One of the ways I have found helpful to distinguish between ordered and disordered desires is the particular, though some times subtle, effect each has on me. Ordered —or purified— desires expand me and connect me to others and the world in life-enhancing ways. Disordered desires suck me into myself and rather than adding vitality to life, leach it away. This is because ordered desires spring from willingness and surrender, while disordered ones are my willful attempt to arrange for my own happiness and fulfillment.

When I desire nothing more than God alone, I experience a deep sense of well-being and connectedness. Paradoxically, this is a longing that leaves me feeling not empty but complete. It is a longing that draws me not only toward God but also toward others. It is a longing that leaves me feeling open and alive.

In contrast, when my lust for respect rears its ugly head, I become aware of a feeling of deficit. There is something that I think I need in order to feel complete, and this something is outside of me, beyond me. Thinking I can produce it by my own efforts rather than receive it as a gift, I willfully set out to get it by sacrificing reality on the altar of appearances and hoping that others will notice the appearance. But because this involves treating people as objects — potential sources of the soothing balm of admiration to which I am addicted - I feel cut off from those whose esteem I seek. And because the choice of appearance over reality always involves turning my back on God, I feel equally cut off from life and vitality.

But why talk about this as a disordered desire? Why not simply call it sin?

While it is sinful — as is anything that springs from the kingdom of self, any idolatrous attempt to live independently of surrender to God — I find it helpful to think of it as a disordered desire because this language reminds me that at its core it is something good. At the core of my desire to be viewed with respect is a God-given desire for love. The love that I really desire and most deeply need is not however, dependent on my performance. The love I most deeply long for is the only love that can truly set me free — the perfect and absolutely unconditional love of God.

- David G. Benner, Desiring God's Will, p.85-86

farm music machine?

2009-10-23T08:58:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately this is another urban legend, but it is a pretty cool video, and would be way cool if you really could make something like this out of farm equipment.

and to prove it's animation...

not guilty

2009-10-16T08:58:00.004-04:00

Yes, it's been a few weeks since my last post, and the Friday videos too... has anyone missed them? Well, it's been a busy few weeks, attending the Brooklyn Tabernacle Music Conference and family visiting the week before that. But here I am, and here's this week's Friday video. Great song!

don't read this book...

2009-09-29T16:24:00.015-04:00

...unless you're weary, struggling to make your life work, just can't seem to get it right, or ALL OF THE ABOVE!

Seriously, this is one of our current small group books, and it has the potential to be life changing! Several of our small group members have said it has already changed their lives, and we're not even halfway through it yet. I firmly believe it's a message every person needs to read. (You can order a copy from amazon.com by clicking on the image to the right under "currently reading".)

Here's one of my favorite quotes so far...

“People who live the New Way believe the Law of Liberty. They come as they are. They do not bathe before they approach God. They come to God for the bath. They feel no pressure to change either their inner life or their outer life, but they desire change in both spheres. And they are eager to do whatever will create the opportunity for change, even if it means dipping themselves seven times in a muddy river or marching around an enemy’s wall for seven days and blowing trumpets. They live for the truest desire of their hearts: to know God and to enjoy Him. They do not live for a better life in this world. And when their life here is hard, when things fall apart, they most clearly reveal who they are. They’re citizens of another world who most want what this world can never provide. So they wisely indulge their deepest desire and trust God to reveal Himself to them. That’s the Law of Liberty."

(the bold is my addition - favorite part of the quote!)

still a great story

2009-09-18T10:17:00.004-04:00

Susan Boyle on America's Got Talent 2009

how He loves us

2009-09-11T15:35:00.001-04:00

laughing with...

2009-09-09T13:11:00.004-04:00

My MD (middle daughter) turned me on to this song. I think the sentiment is so true, and profound enough to post here. Oddly, every time I hear this, it really touches me.

Regina Spektor - "Laughing With"

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God when it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they're mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say "We've got some bad new, sir,"
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God in a hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war

No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
We're all laughing with God

amazing acapella choir

2009-09-04T09:12:00.000-04:00

This is an amazing acapella choir. Enjoy!

emotions... good or bad?

2009-09-03T15:46:00.005-04:00

from Dr. Gary Chapman's "Love Language Minute" email today. Before you read, ask yourself, and answer honestly, how many times has someone asked you, "how are you?" and the answer was... "fine." How many times have you answered, "fine", when things were not fine? ESPECIALLY at church... read on...

Becoming Friends with Your Feelings

I often hear people ask, "How are you feeling today?" The common answer is, "Fine." It was a good question, but not a good answer. Why do we ignore our feelings or camouflage them with such words as "fine" or "not so well"? Feelings are a part of who we are. We have emotions because we are made in the image of God.

How dull life would be if we had no feelings. Imagine watching a sunset, a ball game, or the ocean and feeling no emotion. Feelings are a gift of God to help us enjoy life and process pain. Certainly sometimes we feel lonely, disappointed, and frustrated, but these emotions push us to take constructive action. Pause and thank God for whatever emotion you are presently feeling. Ask Him to guide your actions.

Some Christians are critical of their emotions. They will say, "Don't trust your emotions. Faith, not feelings, is the road to spiritual growth." Why are we so critical of our emotions? In Mark chapter three, Jesus felt anger and sorrow. Is that bad? I don't think any of us would condemn Jesus for having emotions. Then why do we condemn ourselves?

God gave us emotions for growth, maturity, fulfillment, and enjoyment. Feelings were made to be our friends. If it is a negative emotion, it means something needs attention. It is like the red light that appears on the dash when your car needs oil. We don't curse the light; we give attention to the problem. Why not do the same with your emotions? If you take constructive actions, emotions have served their purpose.

Adapted from The Marriage You've Always Wanted Bible Study by Dr. Gary Chapman. To find out more about Dr. Chapman's resources, visit www.fivelovelanguages.com

great quotes

2009-08-31T09:27:00.005-04:00

great quotes from yesterday's sermon @ Truth Tabernacle of Praise

Michael Yaconelli in Messy Spirituality:

“Unfortunately, in many religious circles, there exists an unwritten rule. Pretend. Act like God is in control when you don’t believe he is. Give the impression everything is okay in your life when it’s not. Pretend you believe when you doubt; hide your imperfections; maintain the image of a perfect marriage with healthy and well-adjusted children when your family is like any other normal dysfunctional family. And whatever you do, don’t admit that you sin…."

Henri Nouwen, The Genesee Diary:

“He who thinks that he is finished is finished. How true. Those who think that they have arrived, have lost their way. Those who think they have reached their goal, have missed it. Those who think they are saints, are demons.”

C. S. Lewis

“One essential symptom of the regenerate life is a permanent and permanently horrified perception of one's natural and (it seems) unalterable corruption. The true Christian's nostril is to be continually attentive to the inner cesspool.”

souled out

2009-08-28T08:55:00.000-04:00

Yes! This choir is killin' me!!!

awesome God

2009-08-21T08:48:00.000-04:00

lovin' the choreography!

clinging to God in solitude

2009-08-17T08:58:00.000-04:00

Clinging to God in Solitude

When we enter into solitude to be with God alone, we quickly discover how dependent we are. Without the many distractions of our daily lives, we feel anxious and tense. When nobody speaks to us, calls on us, or needs our help, we start feeling like nobodies. Then we begin wondering whether we are useful, valuable, and significant. Our tendency is to leave this fearful solitude quickly and get busy again to reassure ourselves that we are "somebodies." But that is a temptation, because what makes us somebodies is not other people's responses to us but God's eternal love for us.

To claim the truth of ourselves we have to cling to our God in solitude as to the One who makes us who we are.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen - Bread for the Journey

I'm going with Jesus

2009-08-14T08:38:00.002-04:00

Okay, a more "traditional" Friday video.

mixing video (off topic)

2009-08-14T08:33:00.004-04:00

Okay, this is somewhat off topic, but ran across this in Church Production magazine yesterday. Soundcraft has a whole series of training videos online now for free. You used to have to purchase a DVD. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etWAmj4IUQc

unconditional love

2009-08-08T10:13:00.001-04:00

Being Unconditional Witnesses

Good news becomes bad news when it is announced without peace and joy. Anyone who proclaims the forgiving and healing love of Jesus with a bitter heart is a false witness. Jesus is the savior of the world. We are not. We are called to witness, always with our lives and sometimes with our words, to the great things God has done for us. But this witness must come from a heart that is willing to give without getting anything in return.

The more we trust in God's unconditional love for us, the more able we will be to proclaim the love of Jesus without any inner or outer conditions.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen - Bread for the Journey

back to school block party

2009-08-07T09:11:00.000-04:00

sacred sabbath

2009-08-06T09:43:00.003-04:00

great article in my inbox today. posting it here so I don't lose it. lengthy but worth the read.

"Sacred Sabbath"
by Dan Reiland

This is a tough topic for me to write on. Perhaps God has prompted me to write this article more for me than you. I'm not sure. Slowing down is difficult for me. I like what I do. No, I love what I do. I love the people I work with. Living life with a purpose bigger than me is exciting.

When I was much younger, I worked too much. I may still work a little too much. But now I understand the depth of the issues in play and have, for many years, experienced the great value of a day off. I might sneak in a phone call or check email for a few minutes, but for the most part I actually take a day off. Friday is my day. I've grown to love it. When something comes up that consumes a Friday, I find some time on another day of the week.

This subject may seem basic to you, especially in light of the clarity of Scripture. Genesis 2:2-3 says "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done."

Rest. That's a key part of a healthy rhythm for any spiritual leader. One writer said: "Come apart and rest or come apart." Good advise. It's such good advise that God placed it in the 10 Commandments. Exodus 20:8-11 says "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

God didn't need to rest. He wasn't tired. In fact, He's omnipotent. He rested from His work because He delighted in the rest, in the enjoyment of His own creation. And with the Sabbath idea, He blessed and sanctified the seventh day as a day to honor rest, a holy kind of rest. I have never believed this means to lay on the couch, chill out and watch TV all day. I believe it's a time to be more aware than usual of God's power, the glory of His creation and His presence in the unfolding story of your life. It's a time to change gears and shut down from your normal pace and rest from the pressures that try to consume you.

A personal insight from me to you -- something I've learned from a long journey as a spiritual leader. When I'm too busy to take a day off, ultimately, it's about trust. It's about whether or not I trust God to cover what I can't get to. Too heavy? Maybe. Again, I love doing what I do. My contribution is noticeable, perhaps, at times, even significant. But really, is the world going to stop if I don't run it seven days a week? Really?!

How about you? Is your world, your church, your life going to crash because you take a day off? Or is it more likely that it will crash if you don't?

Let's take a short trip in the other direction. Scripture does make it clear that you and I are to work for six days. You can interpret that however you want. Personally, I'm not a legalist about much of anything in life, but six is six. Even I can count that far. This article isn't about how many days you take off or how many hours you work a week. It's about when you find your Sabbath and what you do with it. But I couldn't write this article without making a clear comment that God calls us to work much more than He calls us to rest. Just a thought.

The goal isn't rest itself. The purpose is renewal so you can go back to work and accomplish what God has given you to do. Live to work? Work to live? I know, heavy matters of philosophy. But I keep it simple. God has me here for a reason. I'm not a random collection of DNA. I'm a unique creation with a purpose. Frankly, I'm fired up about that. I have no interest in a gold watch. I'm in for the work God has for me.

The purpose of the Sabbath is to acknowledge the majesty of God and His creation and to find rest and renewal for the work His has for you. And, by the way, your Sabbath should be fun! Enjoy the day. That's what God did!

In Christ we've been set free from the requirements of the law and the treadmill of good works. God has given us rest in His Son, rest that we could never gain ourselves. So don't start worrying if you are doing the Sabbath right! Just rest. Enjoy the day. Work in your garden. Ride your motorcycle. Plan golf. Run 10 miles. Play the piano. See a movie. Read a book. Pray. You have freedom. Just live the day in a way that renews your soul. I often get a massage. I don't get one every week, but for me, a good massage is like a gift from heaven. Now that is a good Sabbath!

Remember what Jesus said about the Sabbath in Mark 2:27; "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." God designed this day of rest for you. You are not trapped by rules or regulations. I don't think the Sabbath principle negates, for example, the story of the good Samaritan. You might even help someone on your day off!

I don't think the purpose of the 4th commandment is to make us think about God once a week, but to remind us that all of life is under His control. Taking a day off each week is only part of a healthy rhythm for a spiritual leader. I believe your time with God in prayer each day is a critical part of the equation. I don't think your soul and spirit knows what to do with a day off if you haven't had set aside time with Jesus in prayer all week.

So how about you? If you take a regular day off and use it wisely, good for you. Keep it up. If you struggle with taking time off as many do, I urge you to act on what you know to be true. God can handle it while you take a break. He really can. In fact, you will be in better shape after your day off to handle the weighty things that tempt you to keep going.

This summer I'm taking some vacation time just with my son John-Peter, just the two of us. Patti is taking some vacation time with our daughter Mackenzie, just the two of them. We will thoroughly enjoy some close one to one time. Can you see some Sabbath ideas in that? We do and are so looking forward to it.

Work hard, stay on purpose, and find your Sabbath rhythm. Take it from a guy who didn't get it from the beginning. I'm sort of a Sabbath convert, it works and has become sacred to me. I hope it is for you too.

God Is Still Doing Great Things

2009-07-31T07:36:00.001-04:00

Not the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, but... WOW! The heart is there.

two kinds of loneliness

2009-07-30T10:23:00.001-04:00

In the spiritual life we have to make a distinction between two kinds of loneliness. In the first loneliness, we are out of touch with God and experience ourselves as anxiously looking for someone or something that can give us a sense of belonging, intimacy, and home. The second loneliness comes from an intimacy with God that is deeper and greater than our feelings and thoughts can capture.

We might think of these two kinds of loneliness as two forms of blindness. The first blindness comes from the absence of light, the second from too much light. The first loneliness we must try to outgrow with faith and hope. The second we must be willing to embrace in love.

- from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey

Friday video

2009-07-17T07:55:00.002-04:00

We had VBS this week. A.I.M. = Agents in Motion with a spy theme, so we used the theme song from Inspector Gadget as our pre-roll music. I ran across this on youtube... pretty amazing skillset. :-)

being broken

2009-07-15T07:39:00.003-04:00

Jesus was broken on the cross. He lived his suffering and death not as an evil to avoid at all costs, but as a mission to embrace. We too are broken. We live with broken bodies, broken hearts, broken minds or broken spirits. We suffer from broken relationships.

How can we live our brokenness? Jesus invites us to embrace our brokenness as he embraced the cross and live it as part of our mission. He asks us not to reject our brokenness as a curse from God that reminds us of our sinfulness but to accept it and put it under God's blessing for our purification and sanctification. Thus our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen - Bread for the Journey

can your church handle the truth?

2009-07-14T13:34:00.002-04:00

A great article on community and recovery from Leadership magazine.

ready for your tax cut?

2009-07-14T11:18:00.005-04:00

Obama Wants to Cut Taxes? - John Stossel's Take

A bold idea, and I think, one whose time has come! By the way, note the label for this post - "humor" - since we all know this will never actually happen. But... we can dream that sound advice for African nations would be good enough for the USA. Unfortunately just another case of political double-speak.

Sorry for the off topic post, but the headline caught my eye, and I couldn't resist.

everlasting God

2009-07-10T07:50:00.000-04:00

the children's bible

2009-07-09T07:50:00.006-04:00

Okay, this was just too funny not to post. Hope you smile - I sure did!

A child was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible. This is amazing and brought tears of laughter to my eyes. I wonder how often we take for granted that children understand what we are teaching???

Through the eyes of a child:

The Children's Bible in a Nutshell

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that.

Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did.

Then God made the world.
He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet..

Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden.....Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.

Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something.

One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable.

God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments.. These include: don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor's stuff.
Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.

After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore.

There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.

After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was.')

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Democrats.

Jesus also had twelve opossums.
The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount.

But the Democrats and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead.

Anyways, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

the wounded healer

2009-07-08T07:43:00.003-04:00

Nobody escapes being wounded. We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not "How can we hide our wounds?" so we don't have to be embarrassed, but "How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?" When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers.

Jesus is God's wounded healer: through his wounds we are healed. Jesus' suffering and death brought joy and life. His humiliation brought glory; his rejection brought a community of love. As followers of Jesus we can also allow our wounds to bring healing to others.

Henri J.M. Nouwen - Bread for the Journey

amazing grace

2009-06-19T17:56:00.001-04:00

why is this happening to me?

2009-06-12T09:06:00.000-04:00

Have you ever asked that question? Recently?

Okay, I thought this was just too cute not to post. Enjoy!

10 stupid things that keep churches from growing

2009-06-09T13:49:00.014-04:00

leaders do it all - instead, give away ministry; let others do what God created them to do
establishing wrong role for the pastor's family - should have a "no church" zone; frequently get away; ask for help if/when necessary (counseling)
second rate worship experiences
low quality children's ministry
promoting talent over integrity
clinging to bad location
copying another successful church - instead know who God has called you to be
favor discipline over reconciliation
mixing ministry and business
letting committees steer the ship

from Ten Stupid Things That Keep Churches from Growing
listened to a webcast on http://theshow.leadnet.org/
only discussed the first 3 on the webcast, though.

quote of the day

2009-06-09T12:55:00.014-04:00

The paradoxical law of God's kingdom is that it is only when we give up what we clutch most desperately that we will receive it.

- David G. Benner, Desiring God's Will, p.41

There is no reason to feel guilty if you find it difficult to surrender to God’s will. Even Christ found it hard. He who knew the depth and dependability of the love of God better than any human also struggled to surrender to the demand of Love that he lay down his life. It seemed to be—and was—horribly unnatural. (p.41)

things I'm learning

2009-06-08T14:45:00.018-04:00

Okay, I know some are wondering what's up with me, especially my peace with the major transitions that are happening at Truth Tabernacle of Praise.

Here are a few things I have been reminded of during this process as well as the last year or so. Hopefully you'll be encouraged, as I have been.

1. It's not MY church, it's God's church. If it's to be built, He will build it.

"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." (Matt 16:18 NASB)

2. If He began it, He will complete it.

...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 NIV)

3. I don't have to do everything.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; (Eph 4:11-12 NASB)

4. The body has had enough time to learn (and has been taught) what it should be about, and we have now been given an opportunity for each member to put those things into practice.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Philippians 3:14-16 NIV)

5. I have really only one responsibility - faithfulness to my calling. Boy, does that take the pressure off for numbers, results, and success as most define it.

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Cor 4:2 NKJV)

6. Stay humble.

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NASB)

7. When all else fails...

Love never fails! (1 Cor 13:8 NASB)

Of course, that's not everything I've learned and am still learning, but those are a few of the things that free my heart and soul to rest during this season of my life. I pray that you will take comfort also.

i will not be moved

2009-06-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

rest

2009-06-02T08:42:00.005-04:00

I've been resting very well the last few nights. :-)

“This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest;
and this is the refreshing” (Isaiah 28:12)

Why dost thou worry thyself? What use can thy fretting serve? Thou art on board a vessel which thou couldst not steer even if the great Captain put thee at the helm, of which thou couldst not so much as reef a sail, yet thou worriest as if thou wert captain and helmsman Oh, be quiet, God is Master!

Dost thou think that all this din and hurly-burly that is abroad betokens that God has left His throne?

No, man, His coursers rush furiously on, and His chariot is the storm; but there is a bit between their jaws, and He holds the reins, and guides them as He wills! Jehovah is Master yet; believe it; peace be unto thee! be not afraid.

— C. H. Spurgeon

(from "Streams in the Desert" - June 1)

who's your Daddy?

2009-06-01T07:58:00.005-04:00

Daddy's driving...

...so I can go to sleep!

And I did rest incredibly well last night.

This will make sense to some and others will scratch their heads. If you want to know more, leave a comment. :-) You can also listen here, and I think it will make sense. If you need to you can skip to about the 15:30 mark and 17:00 mark and be blessed!

a little late, but...

2009-05-29T20:20:00.001-04:00

yes, this Friday's video is a little late, but we've been enjoying La Jolla, CA and scenery like this all week long.

healing

2009-05-22T06:26:00.000-04:00

Great song! Choir - we will do this soon, so take a listen.

celebrity swine flu fatality

2009-05-21T07:42:00.001-04:00

The first celebrity swine flu fatality... and we all know who gave it to him...

a shining star

2009-05-20T12:39:00.006-04:00

I received this from one of our missionaries this morning. Be blessed, encouraged, and challenged as you read.

A shining star

This morning I read and meditated on Phil. 2:1-18. I encourage you to take some time to read and meditate on this passage. This passage is summarized for me in verse 5: (NIV) - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus; (ESV) - Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is our example. He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant (v. 7).

The Holy Spirit gives me a list of instructions in this passage:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (v. 3)
In humility consider others better than yourselves (v. 3)
Look not to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (v.4)
Do everything without complaining or arguing (v. 14)

In verse 12 and 13, I am instructed to "continue to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, for IT IS GOD WHO WORKS in me to will and to act according to HIS good purpose."

I must realize that my attitude (v. 5) either helps or hinders His work in me and through me. Do I allow stinking thinking or God's thoughts to prevail in my life? The choice is mine to make. He will not force it.

The result that He desires is in verses 15 and 16, "so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you SHINE LIKE STARS in the universe as you hold fast to the word of life."

Blessings,
T

love the "stinking thinking" part!

quite an introduction

2009-05-15T08:29:00.001-04:00

another "different" video for you this week!

ten "can"-mandments

2009-05-09T10:44:00.001-04:00

Thought this was clever, so posting it.

1. Instead of thinking, "It will never fly," think, "Through God's strength, it's worth the try!"

2. Replace the thought, "It won't work," with faith that, with God's strength, it will work!

3. When someone says, "It's never been done before," respond by saying, "That means God's giving us the opportunity to be the first."

4. "What if we fail?" What if we fail to try, knowing God says we can do everything through Him who gives us strength?

5. "We don't have the money." Where God guides, he provides so that we can do everything he has called us to do.

6. "We don't have the time!" Perhaps God is telling us to re-evaluate our priorities as we rely upon his direction and strength.

7. "We don't have the expertise." Maybe not, but we can learn as God directs our path.

8. "It's been tried before." But we're wiser now because we know we can do everything when we rely on God's strength instead of our own.

9. If someone says, "There are so many problems with it," respond by saying, "Yet, there are so many possibilities when we're trusting God instead of ourselves."

10. Instead of saying, "It's not working out," say instead, "Let's try it one more time, but this time focused on God and the truth that we can do this through Him who gives us strength."

(copied from Rick Warren - Purpose Driven Connection Daily Devotional)

friday video

2009-05-08T11:05:00.001-04:00

just because I love Patti Labelle's voice...

who knew she was a jumpin' jack too?!?!?!

my life is in Your hands

2009-05-01T09:32:00.002-04:00

interesting version of this song by Kirk Franklin sung by the Modern Gospel Choir aus Berlin - YES, Berlin!! Check it out.

How about Kirk and the original version from Brazil with the audience singing along in Portuguese?

and if you want to hear the original CD version...

discouraged?

2009-04-30T08:24:00.005-04:00

from my nightly reading from "Streams in the Desert"

April 29
“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are.”
(James 5:17)

THANK God for that! He got under a juniper tree, as you and I have often done; he complained and murmured, as we have often done; was unbelieving, as we have often been. But that was not the case when he really got into touch with God. Though “a man subject to like passions as we are,” “he prayed praying.” It is sublime in the original—not “earnestly,” but “he prayed in prayer.” He kept on praying. What is the lesson here? You must keep praying.

Come up on the top of Carmel, and see that remarkable parable of Faith and Sight. It was not the descent of the fire that now was necessary, but the descent of the flood; and the man that can command the fire can command the flood by the same means and methods. We are told that he bowed himself to the ground with his face between his knees; that is, shutting out all sights and sounds. He was putting himself in a position where, beneath his mantle, he could neither see nor hear what was going forward.

He said to his servant, “Go and take an observation.” He went and came back, and said—how sublimely brief! one word —“Nothing!”

What do we do under such circumstances?

We say, “It is just as I expected!” and we give up praying. Did Elijah? No, he said, “Go again.” His servant again came back and said, “Nothing!” “Go again.” “Nothing!”

By and by he came back, and said, “There is a little cloud like a man’s hand.” A man’s hand had been raised in supplication, and presently down came the rain; and Ahab had not time to get back to the gate of Samaria with all his fast steeds. This is a parable of Faith and Sight—faith shutting itself up with God; sight taking observations and seeing nothing; faith going
right on, and “praying in prayer,” with utterly hopeless reports from sight.

Do you know how to pray that way, how to pray prevailingly? Let sight give as discouraging reports as it may, but pay no attention to these. The living God is still in the heavens and even to delay is part of His goodness. —Arthur T. Pierson.

Each of three boys gave a definition of faith which is an illustration of the tenacity of faith. The first boy said, “It is taking hold of Christ”; the second, “Keeping hold”; and the third, “Not letting go.”

prayer requests

2009-04-24T15:25:00.002-04:00

prayer requests...

got ya!!!

Happy Friday!

boundaries...

2009-04-23T09:21:00.004-04:00

A few great articles from Rick Warren the past 2 days. He calls it "margin", also known as "boundaries" (Townsend & Cloud).

April 22, 2009
Building Margin Into Your Life
by Rick Warren

A lot of people are on overload and headed for a crash. Consider these statistics among U.S. citizens:

• People now sleep 2 1/2 fewer hours each night compared to people from one hundred years ago.

• The average work week is longer now than it was in the 1960s.

• The average office worker has 36 hours of work piled up on his or her desk. It takes three hours a week just to sort through it and find what we need.

• We spend eight months of our lives opening junk mail, two years of our lives playing phone tag with people who are too busy to answer, and five years waiting for people who are trying to do too much and are late for meetings.

We're a piled-on, stretched-to-the limit society; chronically rushed, chronically late, chronically exhausted. Many of us feel like Job did when he said, "I have no peace! I have no quiet! I have no rest! And trouble keeps coming" (Job 3:26 GWT).

Overload comes when we have too much activity in our lives, too much change, too many choices, too much work, too much debt, too much media exposure.

Dr. Richard Swenson says, "The conditions of modern day living devour margin. If you're homeless we direct you to a shelter. If you're penniless we offer you food stamps. If you're breathless we connect you to oxygen. But if you're marginless we give you one more thing to do. Marginless is being thirty minutes late to the doctor's office because you were twenty minutes late getting out of the hairdresser because you were ten minutes late dropping the children off at school because the car ran out of gas two blocks from a gas station and you forgot your purse. That's marginless."

You need margin in your life. When you're not hurrying and worrying all the time, you have time to think. Time to relax. Time to enjoy life. Time to be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10).

April 23, 2009
Three Benefits of Margin
by Rick Warren

"One handful of peaceful repose is better than two fistfuls of worried work..." (Ecclesiastes 4:6 MSG).

Margin is the space between your load and your limit. Your load should never be heavier than your limit. But the truth is, most of us are far more overloaded than we can handle; we have no margin for error in our lives.

Dr. Richard Swenson explains, "Marginless is not having time to finish the book you're reading on stress. Margin is having the time to read it twice. Marginless is our culture. Margin is counterculture, having some space in your life and schedule. Marginless is the disease of our decade and margin is the cure."

Here are three immediate benefits you'll receive by building margin into your life:

1. Better health. Unrelenting stress harms our bodies. We all know that, yet we let it continue day after day after day. Many times the only time we get margin in our lives is when the heart attack almost happens (or does happen) or the blood pressure skyrockets. Why do we wait until our health plummets before we make this decision? Why not realize that we need to build some margin into our lives now? The truth is, your body needs downtime in order to heal.

2. Stronger relationships. Lack of margin is one big reason for the collapse of the American family today. When we don't make relationships a priority and make time for each other, our relationships suffer. The truth is relationships take time, and margin provides that time to sit and talk, to listen and enjoy one another, and to provide the comfort we each need.

3. Usefulness in ministry. When you're overloaded by activity, you can only think of yourself. You're in survival mode, just trying to make it through another day. But being available to God for his use makes all the difference in this world.

When you have no margin in your life and God taps you on the shoulder, saying, "I'd like you to do this for Me," your first response isn't joy. Your first response is, "Oh, no! Another thing to do! Sorry, God, I'd like to do that, but I'm just too busy."

We end up resenting the great opportunities God brings into our lives. But when you have margin, you're available for God to use.

You don't have to live on overload. You don't have to live in survival mode. Begin today to build a buffer around your schedule, then enjoy the benefits of margin and see what God does next!

you have been sent...

2009-04-23T09:18:00.002-04:00

Each of us has a mission in life. Jesus prays to his Father for his followers, saying: "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world" (John 17:18).

We seldom realize fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. We act as if we have to choose how, where, and with whom to live. We act as if we were simply plopped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves until we die. But we were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.

- Henri Nouwen, from "Bread for the Journey"

15 Reasons Why First-Time Guests May Not Return

2009-04-21T15:20:00.002-04:00

15 Reasons Why First-Time Guests May Not Return

No welcome from the parking lot to the pews.
Finding the right door to sanctuary appeared difficult.
People in the pews held on to their “good seats.”
Too many “churchy insider words” like doxology and introit throughout the worship experience.
No safe, clean nursery for the babies and toddlers.
No sincere greeting extended by pastors or members.
No warmth or hospitality extended.
Missing joy and a spiritual atmosphere.
No sense of family in the church community.
Very limited reaching out to outsiders or strangers.
Very few ministries or activities for youth or children.
Public recognition of guests that left them feeling uncomfortable.
Appears to be no vision or purpose for the congregation.
On Sunday morning, members and ushers seem focused on “member only” conversations.
No one invited them back.

i dreamed a dream...

2009-04-17T08:10:00.001-04:00

Okay, you'll have to click here for today's video, but it is well worth it. I stumbled across this Thursday morning while catching up on the latest from google news... and I have to confess it moved me to tears. Very moving performance.

Happy Friday!

If you want the URL, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU

Jesus is Alive

2009-04-10T10:31:00.001-04:00

love the little balloons pointing out who's who on stage...

a classic Easter song from Hillsong with Ron Kenoly

bring it to the cross

2009-04-03T07:11:00.004-04:00

A little different Friday video this week...

the simple things... (off topic post)

2009-04-01T12:28:00.009-04:00

yes, it's the simple things in life...

my new pencil cup...

actually a stainless steel cutlery caddy (from IKEA), which has been converted into a pencil cup.

alas, upon arrival at home i discovered it was a bit too deep for pencils and pens, but a few layers of marbles and a piece of cardboard did the trick.

off topic? perhaps not, as this was a purely accidental discovery as we shopped for Mel's new desk yesterday. (see serendipity above in blog header)

israel houghton - new CD

2009-03-27T12:21:00.003-04:00

Here's an acoustic version of a track from Israel Houghton's new project, The Power of One.

communion prayer

2009-03-26T12:26:00.003-04:00

Prayer I used in our "40 Days of Love" small group last night.

"Prayer with Communion"
by Matt Tullos

The bread of brokenness
The wine of grace
The fellowship of his sufferings
Our hearts long for communion with the One whose glory overshadows every joy, ever fear, every act of contrition and amazement.
The broken bread
The red blood washing away cleansing, rectifying, forgiving, renewing, like rivers of hope
Flooding the arid field of our helplessness
Wash us Jesus
As we move into the about-face of repentance.
We’ve seen a glimpse of your majesty
We’ve experienced you in the furnace of circumstance
And in the bliss of worship
Momentary, ephemeral
But We want so much more
So Lord Jesus
Son of God,
Architect of infinity
Ageless wonder of mercy
Loose your power among us.
Devour us in love
Until we are lost in you.
So lost we can’t even find our identity outside of you!
As we approach these elements- the bread and the cup.
We are saying yes to you.
Yes to everything about you
Yes to your holy purpose
Yes to your Spirit
Yes to the pain it may bring
Yes to the cross
Yes to the consuming fire- the eyes of love
Yes to all that will bring us into your courts of praise
We say yes to the bread and the wine
Which is bigger, wider, stronger, deeper, louder, and longer than anything this broken world could offer.
We want so much more.
As we call for more of you- we hear you calling for more of us.
And such is the element of communion
You in us
Us in You.
May we waste our lives in a reckless pursuit of You.

"The Shack" by King David

2009-03-24T15:21:00.001-04:00

Great article by Gordon MacDonald related to "The Shack"... check it out - click here!

URL: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/currenttrendscolumns/leadershipweekly/theshackbykingdavid.html

dissatisfied with your church?

2009-03-10T13:45:00.003-04:00

hmmmm... I wonder how many times I've heard that... or how many times you or I have said or thought it...

here's an interesting quote from Leadershipjournal.net in a review of Follow Me: A Spiritual Growth Conversation, by Greg Hawkins and Cally Parkinson (Willow Creek Association, 2008)

"...I remain unconvinced that the right question is, "What's the most important thing you want from your church?" This emphasis on an individual's expectations and preferences reveals a core problem in American Christianity—the unchallenged assumption that people can accurately evaluate their church based on whether or not it meets their needs. How does this prevailing attitude alter the biblical purpose of the Church in the world? We are a culture of Christ-followers who pay far too much attention to whether or not our needs are being satisfied. And we have become a culture of church leaders who spend far too much time orienting our ministries around the ever-changing preferences of our people."

"As we mature in Christ, might the goal be to develop a gut-level instinct to give less attention to what we aren't getting from our church? Perhaps a step on the way to growing more Christ-centered is to accept our dissatisfactions instead of assuming they have to be resolved. Churches that spend too much time alleviating their people's dissatisfactions may be nurturing a self-absorbed attitude of the heart that needs to be nailed to the cross."

Having fought my share of worship wars over the years, and leaders who wanted to shift the church direction and/or worship 'style' based on member preferences, I have to give a hearty "A-men!"

holy (Nichole Nordeman)

2009-03-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

One of the best live concerts I've ever been to... years ago when she first "made it"... humble spirit, and genuine... similar to this clip, but only her and a piano - no tracks, nothing, just her and a piano, and it was incredible.

forgiveness and Romans 12:1

2009-03-03T11:03:00.004-05:00

Therefore, I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, because of the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living and holy and acceptable to God - which is your spiritual worship.
- Romans 12:1 (translation Marva Dawn)

"Though we have blown it, we need not despair. Forgiveness gives us new hope,... sets us apart as holy,... and sets us free to do pleasing things because we already know that we are pleasing to God..."

- Marva Dawn, "Truly the Community"

center of my joy (Richard Smallwood)

2009-02-27T09:51:00.004-05:00

Great song from Richard Smallwood. This must be the black gospel version of Bill Gaither's Homecoming videos. Now THESE I'd like to see!! :-)

and then "Journey" from Richard's most recent CD, with Kim Burrell singing the solo. One of the best jazz singers in gospel music!!

and then (totally unrelated) this cool violin solo (trio) cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida".

Happy Friday!

always smiling?

2009-02-20T10:23:00.006-05:00

I read this several months ago, but for some reason my mind keeps coming back to this, so I thought I'd post it here.

Any study of the life of the apostle Paul requires a serious look at the subject of pain. Suffering is not a pleasant subject to explore, especially in our western culture. Perhaps you heard, as I did growing up, that, “Pain and suffering come from the devil. Since God wants His servants well and free of pain, healing and happiness are of the Lord.” That sounds great. The problem is, it’s neither true nor biblical. The devil is not always the one responsible for the pain and suffering in our lives. You may be surprised to know that there are times when pain comes as part of God’s sovereign plan to prepare us as useful servants. He knows what is best for us in light of what He’s doing in us.

UNDERSTANDING SUFFERING
FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE

Our theology gets fuzzy here in these United States because of our addiction to the creature comforts. I’m not the first to observe this. Well-known pastor and theologian, Helmut Thielicke, after an extended visit to the States was asked what he believed was the greatest defect among American Christians. His answer: “They have an inadequate view of suffering.” How’s that for insightful?

I smiled as I read John R. W. Stott’s comments on the subject of suffering as he reflected on Romans 8:22—23. First, let’s look at the verses before we consider Stott’s observation.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Romans 8:22—23
Explaining Paul’s words to the Romans, John Stott writes, “It is not only our fragile body (s_ma) which makes me groan; it is also our fallen nature (sarx), which hinders us from behaving as we should, and would altogether prevent us from it, were it not for the indwelling Spirit (7:17,20). We long, therefore, for our sarx to be destroyed and for our s_ma to be transformed. Our groans express both present pain and future longing. Some Christians, however, grin too much (they seem to have no place in their theology for pain) and groan too little.

The man has grown weary of the perpetual Christian grin—frankly, so have I. If you groan and allow your countenance to reflect any measure of inner turmoil, people frown at you judgmentally, as if to suggest you’re not walking in the Spirit. Don’t get me wrong. I find nothing offensive about Christians laughing. I wrote an entire book affirming that God’s people need to laugh more. Laughter demonstrates authenticity in our lives. I simply believe there’s no need to glue a permanent Cheshire grin to our faces, lest we look like we’re not living a victorious Christian life. If a fellow believer tells you he’s going through a particularly tough time, I urge you not to insist he smile. (I tell the folks at the church not to ask me to listen to one of my tapes on joy when they notice I’m feeling down.) Don’t urge people to sing along with you on some tune you think they should be singing. Sometimes we just don’t feel like singing or smiling. Matter of fact, there are times it’s hypocritical to paste a smile on your face.

Folks who know me well know I don’t linger very long in the doldrums—rarely do I slip into extended periods of depression. I’m not melancholy by nature. But frankly, I find some days pretty close to tragic (September 11, 2001, comes to mind). There are days when my heart feels so heavy I dread preaching, or writing, or doing anything else related to the work of the ministry. Those are the days I don’t grin. Yet regardless of how I feel, my responsibility is to communicate the truth—even when that truth is hard to deliver and even harder to receive. So I’ve not written these words necessarily to comfort you. That’s God’s work, ultimately.

My desire is to help equip you for what life will inevitably sling across your path. I understand you may be bearing a burden or heartache the likes of which I’ve never known. You may be living with pressures or some debilitating physical disease or emotional pain I couldn’t even begin to imagine. In almost four decades of pastoral ministry, I’ve often seen the evidence of inner turmoil surface on the faces of God’s people. It is in those times, when I feel at a loss to offer encouragement, that I am most thankful for the Scriptures. In God’s Word we not only discover His will for our lives, we find words of genuine comfort for those times when life comes unglued.

All this brings us back to Saul of Tarsus. A day rarely passed in his Christian life when he didn’t face intense pain, suffering, and/or pressure — almost all of which were related to the harshness of life and the hardships of ministry. Thankfully, he doesn’t keep those experiences to himself. He bares his soul and lets the unedited truth flow.

- Charles Swindoll, “Paul”, p.91-93

He goes on in "Paul" to address the thorn in the flesh... maybe some posts/quotes on that at a later date!

blessed assurance (Aretha)

2009-02-20T08:26:00.000-05:00

Old school this Friday! Aretha Franklin sings Blessed Assurance. Now this is the way it should be sung!!