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!!

August 22

Job 4:1-7:21; 1 Cor 14:18-40; PS 37:30-40; PR 21:27

Corinthians - Paul deals a lot here with the order of a service. Verse 33 even states that "God is not the author of confusion..." Everything done in a church service should be to "edify" or encourage everyone there. There should be a balance in everything that is done. Verse 36-39 Paul does a little heart check with them. He asks them, did this all start with you? Are you the original people the gospel came through? He knows this isn't the case and thereby makes his point for them to stop trying to rewrite the gospel and how they think things should be done. What he is telling them to do are the commands of God, recognize that and listen.

Proverbs - When you fake being holy and bring a sacrifice to God it is disgusting to Him, especially when you bring it thinking you can fool God into blessing you because of it. God does not look at our outward actions alone, but sees into our heart and knows our every motive in what we do. If you are not pure in heart in your actions, it is not a pleasing sacrifice to Him. The point of sacrifice is to give with no expectation of anything in return. Jesus sacrificed His life for us before we were ever born. He gave it to restore a relationship.

Job 4 - Have you ever heard people say that sickness is caused by sin in that persons life? Read Job 4 and you will. The first of Job's "friends" speaks and this is his theory. Verses 7-8 are pretty clear as he says; "who ever perished being innocent?" "Those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same." There is only one problem with his theory of why Job is going through all this...we saw the conversation between God and Satan at the beginning of the book. While this "friend" calls Job's walk with God and his righteousness into question, we already know that it is because Job was a righteous man that he is now under such attack. Be careful not to judge people's situations. I've been guilty of saying, well they could help themselves out of this situation but making some different choices. But honestly we have no idea what goes on in the realm of God.
Job 6 - Even in his pain, suffering and questioning. Even at his weakest point. There is something in Job that allows him to make a statement that I'm not sure he even realizes the power of...vs 9 "...That He (God) would loose His hand and cut me off." Even after he has lost everything but his own life, he realizes the only reason for that is because God is still holding onto him.
Often I think we have this impression that God has removed Himself from our lives because everything seems to be going wrong. Let me just say, you don't ever want to experience a day when God's hand gets removed from your life. Even at life's worst, God still holds you in His hand. Remember the deal God made with the devil? He told him, you can do whatever you want to do to Job, you just can't kill him. God held Job's life in His hand. God did not cause these terrible things to happen to Job, but He did allow it. But the bible also tells us that He will not allow us to go through anything that we can't handle. What happened to Job was devastating (understatement). But he overcame it and remained faithful. I don't get it all the time, why we are allowed to go through what we go through but I know and I BELEIVE that God's ways are not my ways and His thoughts are far greater than my thoughts.

May 1st-2nd

1 Judges 13:1-14:20; John 1:29-51; PS 102:1-28; PR 14:15-16

2 Judges 15:1-16:31 John 2:1-25; PS 103:1-22; PR 14:17-19

John 1:35-51 - I love how these men barely questioned what was happening.