Run for the Border

For those of you that know me well, I'm not talking about Canada in my title. Just keep reading it will make sense in a minute.

I have two incredible children and one on the way, that I love dearly.  Isaac is my first born. He will turn eight in March and is getting bigger and smarter everyday. I couldn't be more proud of the man he is going to be. He's a complete goofball that will do the craziest things in public with perfect comedic timing. The only problem is that my wife and I are the only people that get what he's doing so he just looks like the weird kid all the time. But I love that he doesn't care.  He's my creative department. My wife is also expecting our third child, another boy who we are pretty sure will be named Judah.  He's going to be my worship leader. And in the middle of these two boys is Kyla. My beautiful, soon to be four, little red headed spit-fire.  Some father's build sports teams with their kids but I'm a pastor, so I'm building a church staff.  Kyla is my Administrator. She makes sure everyone walks the line and if not, she punches them or sits on their head if their laying down.  I'm not saying it's a great leadership style, but it seems effective so far. I'm pretty sure Isaac is scared of her.

This is not just a rant about my kids, I'm making a point here.

I have an office in the basement of our house.  It's unfinished and there is no ceiling or insulation to filter out the noise from upstairs. With two kids and wood floors, you can imagine the noise that comes through.  I started laughing the other day though, because I could hear Kyla moving back and forth from her room to the living room at the other end of the house.  What made me laugh is that she never walks.  She is this little burst of energy that runs everywhere! If she forgets something in her room, she goes running. If she has to go to the bathroom, she goes running. If she decides to change clothes (which happens a lot in one day), she goes running. If Isaac calls her, she goes running. If daddy comes home, you better believe she comes running.  The only time she doesn't run is when she is told to do something she doesn't want to do. I know what all you parents are thinking, that's not uncommon.  BUT, she doesn't just slow down.  The other night she was told to get ready for bed. She comes out to say good night after changing into her pajamas looking very sad.  She goes through her very, very, very lengthy good night routine that ends with her going limp in my arms like her spine has suddenly dissolved.  Let's just cut to the chase here, after being threatened...she starts her journey back to bed. Only instead of running, or even walking, she lays on the floor and begins the most dramatic journey to bed I've ever witnessed. She is on her belly, reaching forward with her hands and pulling herself very slowly inch by inch.  I fully expected the lights to dim, smoke and grenades to start going off and people to start calling to her "crawl sarge, you can make it!" It was one of those moments as a parent that you let happen, because it was too funny to stop it even though it was borderline rebellion.

Here comes my point.  I do the same thing.  No, I don't drag myself to bed. Heck, I almost took a picture of my mattress last night so I could post it as one the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. But I do it with God.  I'm very quick to run after the things that I want in life. Unfortunately, those are not always the things that God wants for me and when He tries to correct my path...I drop to the ground and army crawl my way back. Somehow, I don't think it strikes God as funny when I do it though.  I've been confronted with this a lot lately it seems. Not just in my own life, but watching people around make the same mistake. I see people run towards material things. They are quick to make financial decisions that they feel will make them happy only to find out it won't. I see people do it a lot in relationships. They run from one person to the next, thinking this is the one. Even going as far as to say, God brought this person into their life. Then a few weeks later it crumbles.
It happens when we are going through a tough spot in our lives. We run to things that we think will give us comfort. Or we run to places we think we can hide.  For some, they run to alcohol or drugs. When some people struggle in the marriage, they run to another person.  Some people hide behind the gym or shopping, thinking that if they look right everything will be right. Some people run back to their old life because this "new life" with Christ isn't what they thought it would be.  There are those that run to negativity, bitterness, gossip, anger, hatred.  Usually, that is all followed by running to Facebook. 
Why do we run to these things?  The only answer I could come up with is that it's because these things are comfortable to us.  God wants us to go to places we don't want to go because we feel like we might be missing out on something.  Isn't that why kids don't want to go to bed? They are pretty sure mom and dad are up having a party without them.  Or maybe it's the fear of the unknown. We run to old patterns, and behaviors because it's what we know. To do anything else would require a lot of faith and trust.  When we allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking that God doesn't have our best interest at heart we become reluctant to follow Him. At one time we were ready to run through a wall for Him, but now...we drop to our bellies and hope that if we take long enough to obey, maybe He'll forget what He asked us to do.
I had this conversation with my wife a couple weeks back after watching a friend of ours start another relationship with another person that was just like every other person they had dated. Every relationship has ended in heartbreak, but they want companionship so bad they run to the same type of person every time. A person that will use them, mistreat them, and eventually leave them.  When we proposed the question of why would they continue to do this to themselves, the only solution we could come up with was because these were the people they were comfortable with. Because of their past, because of their situation, because of their own desires, they continue to settle for what they know they can get instead of waiting for what God could give. They are quick to run to a bad relationship and hope that it works out. But when God asks them to wait and trust Him, they drop to the ground like a 4 year old sent to bed early.
Here's a bad analogy, but it makes my title make sense.  While Joy and I were talking about our friend's situation we were driving home. It was late, we were hungry, we didn't feel like waiting in a restaurant for good food. So we looked around and there glowing above the street to our left was a sign.  A Taco Bell sign to be exact. We made a run for the border.  And as we are driving and eating tacos (not an easy task by the way), we discussed why we run to what we know is bad for us.  Then it hit me.  It's kind of like eating at Taco Bell.  You know it's not good for you, but you're hungry and you want something now that you know is going to fill you up. So you settle for something bad, because you don't want to wait for something good. 
We need to stop running for the border in our lives.  We need to run to the things of God. The plans he has for us.

 Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Stop crawling around reluctant to follow directions. Run to God and He will open doors you never dreamed could be yours.

No more plaid

I've grown up with my parents being involved in ministry. They volunteered when I was a kid. My mom worked as the church secretary. My dad was a Sunday School teacher, on the board, sang in the choir and whatever else needed to be done. When I was 8 years old we entered into full time ministry as a family on the evangelistic field.  My dad has pastored, been back on the evangelistic field and now serves as an interim pastor while churches search for new pastors.  It's been a varied career to say the least. This is the reason I love talking to my dad about ministry. We don't always see perfectly eye to eye but I think that's why we both enjoy the conversation. We recently had a conversation about traditions in church. You see, part of the reason I believe my dad has been called to serve as an interim pastor at this point in his ministry career is because at 62 years old, he is amazingly open to change within the church.  Not that he necessarily likes all the changes, but at least he sees the value in them.
While we were talking I had this thought about traditions in the church. I don't think there is anything wrong with what a lot of us would call "traditional" services.  Here's what I learned while on the evangelistic field in my own adult years.  There are a lot of different churches out there doing some pretty phenomenal things.  I've been to churches that were so traditional I thought I'd stepped back in time. But there was an excitement there that I couldn't explain except to say that God was moving. I've been in some churches that on the outside seemed more like small amusement parks and even had a literal Starbucks in the lobby. While the idea of this seems to turn off a lot of people I also saw people in real relationship with Jesus.  See there are people on both side of the traditional fence that say the other is wrong but I don't think there is anything wrong with either church. In all honesty I think I sit somewhere in the middle of this issue. I love some of the traditions that I grew up in and miss them from time to time. I also love some of the new things that churches are doing to reach this emerging generation.  Here's what I think is important...Do you know why you do what you do and why you believe in what you believe in?

See everyone wants to debate on what is right or wrong so that they know what they should do in church. They want to know how they should teach, what songs to sing, what instruments to have. Should they have all the lights turned on during worship or turned off? Should they laugh and tell jokes or should the house of God be a place of reverence and quiet? Should we only read out of the King James Bible or can we still understand God's meaning in modern day language? How should we dress? Are suits and dresses the appropriate apparel for meeting with God or are jeans and plaid shirts okay too? What I see when I attend ministry conferences sometimes is a whole bunch of people desperately trying to look like each other and to copy what each other are doing.  I'm not saying you don't learn from each other but I do think it's dangerous to try to be something God hasn't called you to be. It's true for churches and for Christians. Don't fall into a mold just because that seems to be the popular thing to do right now. What happens is you will soon become disillusioned with church and in turn place that feeling on your relationship with God. The fact is, God has created each uniquely and just like I have to treat my two children differently, because they are different, God wants to speak to us and use us differently.  There is nothing wrong with turning the lights out and cranking the amplifiers up until your ears bleed if that's how you connect with God. There is nothing wrong with stained glass windows, daylight and pipe organs if that's how you connect with God.  So wear the suit or button up the plaid. Slick back the hair or shave that head until it shines. Wear the wire rim glasses or opt for the hipster look. God doesn't care as long as you are being real and showing the world that He is real. We are all going to reach different people, the people that God called us to reach.  But when we all sit and argue about who is right and wrong the world doesn't know what to believe anymore because we are putting up a dividing wall.  Be willing to accept people for the way they are until they figure out who God made them to be, stop pushing people away because of YOUR rules and regulations.  Don't make a religion out of what you've heard other people say, what's God saying to you? Who are you? Why do you believe what you believe? Why do you prefer that music when you worship? Can you hear God better when you laugh or when things are serious? Can you connect with God wearing shorts or do you have to be wearing a tie?
I never really understood my relationship with God until I started asking questions. I was raised in what some would call a cutting edge ministry.  At the time we were condemned for the way we presented the gospel. Now it's considered traditional.  But you know what, it worked 30 years ago and it's still working today. Why? Because at it's core it's the authentic message of who Jesus is.
I've been asking a lot of questions lately. Why do I talk the way I talk? Why do I connect with a particular style of music when I worship? Why do I counsel the way I do? Why do I teach the way I do? Why do I believe what I believe? Why do I pray the way I pray? Why am I drawn to certain people and ministries? Why do I like certain people's preaching/teaching styles over others? Why do I dress the way I dress? It's been really eye-opening. I'm not trying to influence anyone to any specific side. Quite the opposite. I'm encouraging you to ask the same questions. Ask God who He made YOU to be and who YOU are supposed to reach. I can tell you this...I'm not buying any more plaid.

Spontaneous

Today I'm in the beautiful city of St. Catharines, Ontario in Canada. This is the city where I spent a large portion of my life growing up. It's an incredible time of year to be here as the trees are changing color and the leaves are showing off some intense shades of red, yellow and orange. The city sits on Lake Ontario and on a clear day you can see the outline of Toronto located about 30 miles straight across on the other side. Another reason this is a great time of year to be here is because Monday was Thanksgiving. Yes, for all my American readers who didn't already know this, the Canadian Thanksgiving is in October. I spent the weekend seeing some family that I haven't seen in three or four years. I've eaten way more food than should be humanly acceptable and laughed more than I have in a long time. It's been a very nostalgic visit as I have driven around the city showing my wife and kids the places I went to school, houses I used to live in and taken them to eat the food I grew up on. There is something about the holidays that sparks the sentimental side of all of us...at least those of us that have pleasant memories of the holidays. But before I left TN to come see my family, everyone was asking why we "Canadians" celebrated Thanksgiving in October. I'll be honest with you; I didn't really know the answer. I grew up traveling with my family in both Canada and the U.S. and I learned history from both countries and sometimes my information blurs together. So I did what any normal person would do...I Googled it. Here's what I found out. (And so you know, I'm going somewhere with all of this.)

Basically the tradition dates back to 1578 and has occurred kind of randomly since then. It has been a day marked by celebrating different events in our nation’s history. Thanksgiving was held on different days throughout the year in observation of different events like the end of wars, the recovery of the Prince of Wales from sickness and most commonly the end of harvest. But Thanksgiving Day didn't become a statutory holiday until the late fifties. On Thursday, January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:

"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October."

I went for a walk Tuesday morning to try and feel normal again after a weekend of what could only be described as competitive eating. I stopped to take in the breathtaking early morning view along the lake side path I was on and I began to think about what I had learned about this celebrated day. It amazes me how many things we celebrate started with a proclamation that included God. Then, after generations have passed by, God begins to take a backseat to misinformed traditions. I don't think I'm the only one that feels like sometimes holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter have become...complicated. The days and weeks leading up to these treasured days have become consumed with preparations to make the day perfect. These preparations tend to lead to a lot of stress. Then when the day arrives, we are so caught up in making sure everything comes together perfectly that we tend to lose the enjoyment of the day. The best part of any holiday in my opinion is the unplanned part. The conversation, the laughter, the spontaneous games and activities.

I began to think about how this is also true in our everyday lives. I think for myself, I get so caught up in the planning of day to day events that I've lost the spontaneity of life. The fact is I try to lay out my own plans so much that I forget at times that God has written my story ahead of time. He has a plan and purpose for me that I tend to ignore sometimes in an effort to organize my life. God desires to have "spontaneous" moments with each of us, but we miss out on them because we plan to meet God on Sunday or in the 10-30 minute window we have scheduled with Him for our devotion time. We plan times of ministry, times of sharing our faith to make sure everything is just the way we want it. We plan times for God to speak to us. But read the bible, God doesn't really operate that way a lot. He is a God of planned spontaneity. In other words, God plans His encounters with us, but many times it is when we least expect it. Take the calling of so many disciples who were just out doing their thing and then Jesus called them to go with Him right then. What about Paul on the road to Damascus and is suddenly encountered by Jesus. See just like this holiday of Thanksgiving was originally declared to be a day to remember the blessings of God, our everyday lives are supposed to be centered around God as well. Some of the greatest encounters with God came when I least expected them. Most often these encounters came when my heart and mind were clear of distractions and plans, no matter how good my intentions were with them.

I guess I'm left with this...set time aside to spend with God. Go to church, attend small groups, and plan moments of prayer. BUT, don't get so caught up in your schedule that you miss God when He "pops" in for a visit. Don't be so busy that you can't answer the phone when that person He sends your way needs to talk. Don't try to determine your ministry so precisely that you lose the faith to let God use you in new ways. Be careful of making your schedule so full that you can't follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit to go talk to that person about Christ. Remember, our lives are first and foremost supposed to be about God and His plans for us.

Authentic

A long time ago I went to Dallas, Texas with my family, home of the Dallas Cowboys. My dad and I are huge sports fans so while we were there we decided to go tour Texas Stadium. We had the chance to see behind the scenes of the stadium, check out the inner workings, and the highlight of the tour...we got to walk out on the field. There we stood, in the middle of this massive astro-turf field where so many plays in football history had taken place. Legends of the game had walked the same steps I was walking. I think I even have a picture somewhere of me being tackled on the field. It was very cool to say the least. I almost felt like I had to tiptoe across the field to not damage it. Of course after they had toyed with our emotions like that, the next stop on the tour was the Pro Shop. Hundreds of items for sale, t-shirts, hats, cups, footballs, pictures, you name it. Well as I said, I’m a big sports fan but not necessarily of the Dallas Cowboys. So articles of clothing with their logo on it didn’t interest me too much. But what caught my eye was this 8x10 acrylic frame with a green star sealed inside. See this wasn’t just any star but it was a star made from the actual turf of Texas Stadium. They had just replaced the field the year before we went to visit. Superbowl teams, legends of the game, hall of famers had run across this little green star. As I looked at this frame I picked up the box that it came in and this is what sealed the deal. There was this piece of paper that had a little story written on it but at the bottom it said this: “Certificate of Authenticity” and it had a signature beside it of the man who gave this guarantee. This was an “authentic” piece of sports history. So I bought it. I still have it tucked away in a box waiting to be put back on display. What does this have to do with anything? I was talking to someone the other day about ministry. It is a new opportunity for them and with no formal training in the area they are going to be working in, I was trying to explain what it was going to take to grow that particular group of people. I tend to be over descriptive when I talk; hoping that at least one thing I say will register with them. But as I was talking one word kept coming out of my mouth. AUTHENTIC. I just kept saying what they are looking for is authenticity; they want to know you’re real. They want to see that what you say and what you live will actually line up. They are going to be watching you long before they start believing you. The world today, I believe, is looking for authenticity. So I woke up today thinking about this word. AUTHENTIC. What does it really mean? I looked it up, and the definition jumped off the screen at me. (Because I looked it up online, who really uses an actual dictionary anymore?) This is what it said:“of undisputed origin; genuine.” Now I know what you’re thinking. You already knew that. So did I. But I didn’t say the meaning shocked me, I just said it jumped out at me. See the reason I bought the little green star was because of a word on a piece of paper that came with it, “AUTHENTICITY.” That’s what made it worth something to me. I mean I could go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and buy a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet, cut it in a star shape, put it in a frame and try to sell it as a piece of sports history. But the difference would be that I have nothing to back up my story. The origin of the star would be heavily disputed. When people look at our lives do they see authentic followers of Christ? Is the signature of Jesus on your life? There are a lot of people that walk around proclaiming to be Christians but their actions would dispute that fact. It is not enough to tell people that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.” If He is not that in our own lives, why would people believe that He is going to be that in theirs? As a pastor I do a lot of counseling. I always tell people up front that I am not a licensed therapist or even a formally trained counselor but I’m going to give you practical advice based on the word of God and my own personal experiences. I feel kind of like Peter when he told the lame beggar; “silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” I may not have a lot to offer in terms of diplomas and titles but I do have an authentic faith in Jesus Christ that He can help us to overcome any obstacle in our lives. I have that faith because I've watched Him do miracles in my own life. Our goal as Christians should be to live a life of faith and devotion to God that is undisputable. There should be no area of our lives that when people look at us they can say; “well I know they say they're a Christian but did you see what they did, or did you hear what they said, or I hear that they….” A life of authenticity leaves no room for question. If I’m going to tell you that Jesus is my source of joy and happiness, then I better not be trying to find those things anywhere else. If I tell someone that Jesus gives me peace in every situation in life, then I better not walk around telling everyone how worried I am about life or go off on people because I’m stressed out all the time. If I’m going to tell people to trust God in their finances because He is my provider when I obey His word, then I’d better be tithing and I’d better not be spending money I don’t have, and I’d better be the steward God called me to be and I’d better not stress about money all the time. And when I tell people that my relationship with Jesus is the most important thing to me, I had better live a life that backs it up. People are not looking for a bunch of meaningless words. They get lied to all the time by people, by commercials, by movies, by self-help books who try to tell them what’s "real." They are looking for authenticity. Your life may be the undisputable proof that Jesus is the origin of true peace, joy, love, acceptance and LIFE. I’m asking myself today, “Am I an Authentic Christian?”

Restart

I have grown up in the age of video games. I have seen the evolution from Atari (or for those who couldn't quite afford that, Odyssey) to the current age we live in with PS3, Xbox, Wii, online interactive games and countless others. If these games have taught me anything about life, it's that when you don't like the way things are going or you just want a fresh start, then you simply have to press the restart button. Well, welcome to my restart button. I was born and raised in church and have known nothing but ministry as a vocation my entire adult life. From the time I graduated high school and I started traveling around the world doing ministry to my current role on staff of a growing church. From a single bachelor to an ecstatically happily married man and father of two with one on the way. Ministry is what I know, it's what I live. But, I've grown restless. I feel there is more waiting that I have not quite grasped hold of just yet. I'm searching for that defining moment. Since I reluctantly started in ministry I've been drawn to the story of Moses. His story is something to marvel. Destined to be murdered as a baby for being born a male in the wrong place at the wrong time, his life was spared. Raised in a palace and given every opportunity in life, until he made a mistake. Granted, it was a big mistake. But let's face it, mistakes are mistakes and sin is still sin. Moses goes on the run, he gets married, and then this man who once walked the halls of Egypt's palace, finds himself serving as a shepherd to his father-in-law. How the tables have turned. Then suddenly...a defining moment. He's walking in the field and sees a bush on fire but not burning up. Exodus 3:3 declares the defining moment: Then Moses said, “I will now TURN aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” I read this again just today and the thought hit me...How often has God been right beside the path I'm walking on and I didn't notice? Or maybe I noticed but I didn't slow down enough to "turn aside and see." What if Moses had decided that the burning bush wasn't important? What if he was in too big a hurry tending to the sheep and thinking that this was all he had left in life? What if he wasn't curious, what if he wasn't looking? What if my defining moment is right beside me and all I have to do is TURN? So here I am. This is my restart. This is my TURN! God what are you doing and what have I been missing? Speak to me God, I'm here and I'm turning my life over to you. I'm tired of complacency and I'm ready for whatever You bring me to next.

God knows when it won't work.

Exodus 7:2-5(NLT) 2Tell Aaron everything I command you, and Aaron must command Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave his country. 3But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 4Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces—my people, the Israelites—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. 5When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” I read this the other day and something really stood out to me. Maybe because I've been in the middle of a situation similar to this. No, God has never sent me to the leader of a country to beg for the release of tortured people of God. And, no, I have never caused water to turn to blood, or other plagues to take place. I guess what I'm saying is that God has asked me to do some pretty itimidating things before and I wasn't sure whether they would work out or not. And in some cases I've been absolutly right!! It didn't work out. At least I didn't think it worked out. But look at this story and maybe you need to go back and read the whole thing in context but this was one part that sparked a series of revelations for me. God asked Moses to do something that He knew wasn't going to happen. At least not right now. He said, go tell Aaron to tell Pharaoh to let my people go. THEN COMES THE NEXT VERSE. BUT I will make Paraoh's heart stubborn.... Do you catch that? God asked them to do something He knew wasn't going to happen. Why would He do that? He goes on to explain the reason is so that something greater can happen. I believe that we have no idea how often we view things as failures and give up on them so quickly because we were sure God asked us to do them but they failed anyway. I know what's it's like to struggle and wonder, "did I really hear from God?" We begin to question everything and eventually feel like giving up. But if we will trust God and trust His voice and just hang tight we just might see something even greater than we were expecting in the first place. Our God is bigger and greater than we could ever think or imagine. Don't get discouraged when things don't go exactly as planned. Sometimes God asks us to do things to set Him up for something big. Our obediance is just His opening act! Listen, obey, trust, watch.

A new beginning

Today marks the beginning of 21 days of prayer and fasting. I've been through this several times now in my life and at the end I always try to figure out why I don't do it more. But there seems to be something different about this year. I'm not sure what it is yet but I feel restless in my spirit. Like something is about to happen...don't worry it's something good. I've redirected the focus of this blog. I think the name still fits because I need a "TURN" in my life. I'm weary of the same path I've been on for the last several years and I'm ready for a change of scenery. I need God to begin to "turn" me into the person He wants me to be. I feel a bit like the children of Israel who wandered around for years only to have God finally say "you've walked around this mountain long enough" then He gave them the direction to walk in. I'm deciding to let God make my "turns" this year. I read something today in Exodus 3:3 "Then Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn."
I guess I feel a little like Moses. I've been so distracted by other things that I've failed to realize that God is doing something great right beside me. Well no more...I'm going to stop what I'm doing, stop being distracted, stop being busy, stop being angry, stop being dissatisfied and start looking at God. I can feel the fire burning, it's time to TURN ASIDE AND LOOK!!