My head is tired, but it's going to be worth it!
This Sunday we are continuing our series of messages about Jesus' resurrection. Specifically, we will be taking a look at some of the scientific objections to Jesus rising from the grave. We're going to be talking about some of the mechanics of how science works and how that relates to the miracles in the Bible. And, I'm going to make sure it doesn't take a degree in astrophysics to understand what I'm talking about.
I want to invite you to come to CrossRoads this Sunday. This message will build your own confidence in your faith in Jesus, and it will help you share why you believe with your family and friends.
See you Sunday!
CrossRoads Church meets every Sunday at 11:00 am at 6331 Boulevard 26, Suite 250 in North Richland Hills, TX.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Friday, February 6, 2009
Facebook, etc.
I get funny reactions from people when I say I'm old. Some of you look at me with disdain because you feel like I'm pointing out that you're older than me. This is never my intention. Actually, I value the wisdom that comes with age. I pretty much always have. Some of you laugh because I'm only 33. Todays blog entry is another admission that I'm old.
I just don't understand these social networking sites. OK, I understand that people like to keep in touch with each other. I'm all for that. I've had a MySpace page for several years and a Facebook page not quite as long. I love it when I get an email that I have a new friend request because it's usually someone I haven't seen in a long, long time. Then, my world is flooded with their pictures and thoughts, and on some level I get to connect with them again. That's great.
Our Ugly Insides
Here's what I don't understand. As a pastor I get to see some pretty ugly sides of people. You've probably noticed that people don't come talk to their pastor until life gets pretty out of hand. Over the past ten years I've had the disturbing opportunity to see what people are really made of. I've seen the clean-cut father come tell me he's struggling with alcoholism--only he can't really even admit it to himself. I've seen the straight A student sit in my office, her dreams falling down around her, because she just found out she's pregnant. I've had the young, successful musician losing hope because he can't get his drug habit under control. And, I've seen the loving husband tell me that even though his wife doesn't know about it, he can't get free from porn.
When people come share these kinds of problems with me, it doesn't usually surprise me. God's very clear about what we are made of at the deepest part of who we are:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9 NIV
Even the Apostle Paul struggled with being who God wanted him to be:
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Romans 7:15 NIV
God's Beautiful News
We all have a dark side--even the most devoted believers. Sometimes we aren't very honest about it, but we all struggle (like Paul) with wanting and doing the right thing. Thankfully, God offers all of us grace. One time I asked one of the teenagers at our church what grace is. She said, "It's God's love even when we don't deserve it." Wow. That's right. Grace is God choosing to love us even though we rebel against him:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV
God's grace is so amazing that God doesn't even choose to love us from across the street as we might express care for a homeless person we give a buck or two as we walk by as quickly as we can. God loves us in such a way that he makes us his sons and daughters. All he requires from us is that we believe in Jesus:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
John 1:12 NIV
And that's not the end of the good news. It only gets better. When we believe in Jesus, he forgives our sin--all of it. We are declared both completely forgiven and completely righteous before God. He no longer sees us as his enemies who deserve his wrath but righteous children he loves. He also begins to work on us. He begins to change us to be people who desire to follow him:
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13 NLT
The hard part is that we still struggle with that wicked deceitfulness at the deepest part of who we are. We still struggle with bad habits. We still have relationships that encourage us to do things that God is not happy with--things that shame the name of Christ.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24 NIV
(Paul is expressing his frustration with his own sinfulness in this life.)
The good news is that, once we have trusted in Christ, we await the completion of sharing in his resurrection. Then, we won't struggle with sin any longer. Every believer will receive a resurrected body that doesn't possess a deceitfully wicked heart any longer:
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 NIV
The Facebook Delima
Here's what I don't understand. Why do so many people--even believers--put the deceitful wickedness of their hearts on display? You know what I'm talking about. Some might say, "Aren't we free in Christ?" Paul already answered this question:
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.
Galatians 5:13 NIV
Some people think age is an excuse. Do we dare to look shake our fists at God and say: "Don't tell me what to do, old man!" Paul tells us that even in our youth God's expectations for his children are high:
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 NIV
Brothers and sisters, let's set an example whether we are 14 or 94 because the King of Glory has died for us. He has changed us. All of us who have believed in him are his children. Now, by his grace, let's live like it!
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
I just don't understand these social networking sites. OK, I understand that people like to keep in touch with each other. I'm all for that. I've had a MySpace page for several years and a Facebook page not quite as long. I love it when I get an email that I have a new friend request because it's usually someone I haven't seen in a long, long time. Then, my world is flooded with their pictures and thoughts, and on some level I get to connect with them again. That's great.
Our Ugly Insides
Here's what I don't understand. As a pastor I get to see some pretty ugly sides of people. You've probably noticed that people don't come talk to their pastor until life gets pretty out of hand. Over the past ten years I've had the disturbing opportunity to see what people are really made of. I've seen the clean-cut father come tell me he's struggling with alcoholism--only he can't really even admit it to himself. I've seen the straight A student sit in my office, her dreams falling down around her, because she just found out she's pregnant. I've had the young, successful musician losing hope because he can't get his drug habit under control. And, I've seen the loving husband tell me that even though his wife doesn't know about it, he can't get free from porn.
When people come share these kinds of problems with me, it doesn't usually surprise me. God's very clear about what we are made of at the deepest part of who we are:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9 NIV
Even the Apostle Paul struggled with being who God wanted him to be:
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Romans 7:15 NIV
God's Beautiful News
We all have a dark side--even the most devoted believers. Sometimes we aren't very honest about it, but we all struggle (like Paul) with wanting and doing the right thing. Thankfully, God offers all of us grace. One time I asked one of the teenagers at our church what grace is. She said, "It's God's love even when we don't deserve it." Wow. That's right. Grace is God choosing to love us even though we rebel against him:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV
God's grace is so amazing that God doesn't even choose to love us from across the street as we might express care for a homeless person we give a buck or two as we walk by as quickly as we can. God loves us in such a way that he makes us his sons and daughters. All he requires from us is that we believe in Jesus:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
John 1:12 NIV
And that's not the end of the good news. It only gets better. When we believe in Jesus, he forgives our sin--all of it. We are declared both completely forgiven and completely righteous before God. He no longer sees us as his enemies who deserve his wrath but righteous children he loves. He also begins to work on us. He begins to change us to be people who desire to follow him:
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13 NLT
The hard part is that we still struggle with that wicked deceitfulness at the deepest part of who we are. We still struggle with bad habits. We still have relationships that encourage us to do things that God is not happy with--things that shame the name of Christ.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24 NIV
(Paul is expressing his frustration with his own sinfulness in this life.)
The good news is that, once we have trusted in Christ, we await the completion of sharing in his resurrection. Then, we won't struggle with sin any longer. Every believer will receive a resurrected body that doesn't possess a deceitfully wicked heart any longer:
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 NIV
The Facebook Delima
Here's what I don't understand. Why do so many people--even believers--put the deceitful wickedness of their hearts on display? You know what I'm talking about. Some might say, "Aren't we free in Christ?" Paul already answered this question:
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.
Galatians 5:13 NIV
Some people think age is an excuse. Do we dare to look shake our fists at God and say: "Don't tell me what to do, old man!" Paul tells us that even in our youth God's expectations for his children are high:
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 NIV
Brothers and sisters, let's set an example whether we are 14 or 94 because the King of Glory has died for us. He has changed us. All of us who have believed in him are his children. Now, by his grace, let's live like it!
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Rockstar President
This morning I was catching some of the inauguration coverage. As Mr. and Mrs. Obama entered St. John's Episcopal Church, there was applause as they waved to a gathering crowd. My impression at that moment was that I have never seen people react to a president the way they respond to Mr. Obama. This new President our nation is about to inaugurate really is a rockstar in the best sense of the word. He has a kind of celebrity I haven't seen during my lifetime in a politcal leader. People love Barack Obama
Of course, part of our new President's celebrity is related to race. How many times have we heard people of all ethnic backgrounds say they never thought they would see the day we would have a minority president? This makes today a very exciting day.
I think there is another factor to Mr. Obama's celebrity. Barack Obama is the first President who is not from my parents' generation. He was a kid while I was a kid. A whole new group of Americans are able to relate to the man in our government's highest office in an entirely new way.
Mr. Obama, you are a very popular man on this day of your inauguration. Thank you for taking this responsibility. We ask you to use your office and your popularity to make choices that keep us free and keep us safe. We'll be praying for you.
Heavenly Father, we pray for Mr. Obama. We ask you that you would help our new President fill his responsibilites as the leader of our nation's executive branch. Give him wisdom and courage to lead well. During his time in office, give us peace that we might be able to take the Message of Christ to the ends of the earth.
Of course, part of our new President's celebrity is related to race. How many times have we heard people of all ethnic backgrounds say they never thought they would see the day we would have a minority president? This makes today a very exciting day.
I think there is another factor to Mr. Obama's celebrity. Barack Obama is the first President who is not from my parents' generation. He was a kid while I was a kid. A whole new group of Americans are able to relate to the man in our government's highest office in an entirely new way.
Mr. Obama, you are a very popular man on this day of your inauguration. Thank you for taking this responsibility. We ask you to use your office and your popularity to make choices that keep us free and keep us safe. We'll be praying for you.
Heavenly Father, we pray for Mr. Obama. We ask you that you would help our new President fill his responsibilites as the leader of our nation's executive branch. Give him wisdom and courage to lead well. During his time in office, give us peace that we might be able to take the Message of Christ to the ends of the earth.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A few thoughts on Mr. Bush
I really wanted to write this post yesterday after watching the President's final press conference.
First, I have to respect someone who has led a country. As someone who leads people, I thank God regularly that it is not my responsibility to lead all 50 United States of America. After leading a church (with slightly fewer than 305 million people), I'm not looking for the headaches of that kind of leadership.
George W. Bush has made mistakes. I've made a couple myself the past 8 years. As far as I know, none of my mistakes have cost anyone their lives. Probably some of Mr. Bush's mistakes have. That's a really hard reality that he and every president will have to go to bed at night facing.
At times President Bush has not been the best politician in the room. This statement is not meant to be offensive. I think some of Mr. Bush's criticism has come for this very reason. I think many people who voted for Mr. Bush four years ago were tired of being led by career politicians. George W. Bush was a businessman before he was a politician. He was a different kind of choice for president. I think this is part of the reason for the derision Mr. Bush has received related to his speeches and his occasional political incorrectness.
It's time for a new president. That's one reality about our nation. Every eight years it's time for someone new in the Oval Office. We are a nation built on the idea that no single person should have too much input. In just a few days we will have a new Mr. President. I think Mr. Obama shares many good qualities with Mr. Bush. He is a confident man with many good ideas. He loves his family. I believe, like Mr. Bush, he will make the United States a better place. Mr. Obama also has a lot of problems to deal with. He has a war to fight. An economy to work on. And, I think when he leaves office in four or eight years, we'll ask him why he couldn't bring peace in the Middle East, either. (I don't think that headache is going away any time soon. Ask the last several presidents about how well their plans worked.) Mr. Obama will make mistakes that will cost people their lives. Sometimes it's good to be the president. Sometimes it's not. I'm pretty sure it's always a hard job.
I know. Not exactly hard-hitting political commentary. Thank you, Mr. Bush, for working hard for me and my family. Thank you, Mr. Obama, for taking the baton for at least the next four years. I will be praying for you both.
Here are a couple thoughts from our brother, Paul:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:1-7 NIV
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NIV
First, I have to respect someone who has led a country. As someone who leads people, I thank God regularly that it is not my responsibility to lead all 50 United States of America. After leading a church (with slightly fewer than 305 million people), I'm not looking for the headaches of that kind of leadership.
George W. Bush has made mistakes. I've made a couple myself the past 8 years. As far as I know, none of my mistakes have cost anyone their lives. Probably some of Mr. Bush's mistakes have. That's a really hard reality that he and every president will have to go to bed at night facing.
At times President Bush has not been the best politician in the room. This statement is not meant to be offensive. I think some of Mr. Bush's criticism has come for this very reason. I think many people who voted for Mr. Bush four years ago were tired of being led by career politicians. George W. Bush was a businessman before he was a politician. He was a different kind of choice for president. I think this is part of the reason for the derision Mr. Bush has received related to his speeches and his occasional political incorrectness.
It's time for a new president. That's one reality about our nation. Every eight years it's time for someone new in the Oval Office. We are a nation built on the idea that no single person should have too much input. In just a few days we will have a new Mr. President. I think Mr. Obama shares many good qualities with Mr. Bush. He is a confident man with many good ideas. He loves his family. I believe, like Mr. Bush, he will make the United States a better place. Mr. Obama also has a lot of problems to deal with. He has a war to fight. An economy to work on. And, I think when he leaves office in four or eight years, we'll ask him why he couldn't bring peace in the Middle East, either. (I don't think that headache is going away any time soon. Ask the last several presidents about how well their plans worked.) Mr. Obama will make mistakes that will cost people their lives. Sometimes it's good to be the president. Sometimes it's not. I'm pretty sure it's always a hard job.
I know. Not exactly hard-hitting political commentary. Thank you, Mr. Bush, for working hard for me and my family. Thank you, Mr. Obama, for taking the baton for at least the next four years. I will be praying for you both.
Here are a couple thoughts from our brother, Paul:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:1-7 NIV
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NIV
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
2009
Welcome to 2009!
It's Tuesday of the first full week of 2009. Like it or not 2008 is in the record books. As we begin a new year, I want to encourage you to ask a couple questions.
Question 1: Where are you?
One of my favorite metaphors for life is a journey. If your life is a journey, where are you right now. Are you standing in a beautiful garden full of beautiful flowers that bring joy to every moment of your life? Are you standing in the middle of an intersection trying to decide which way to go while hoping that those cars whizzing by won't flatten you? Are you in the middle of a desert with empty pockets and a dry canteen not knowing where your next drink might come from? Maybe you have your own image for the place your life-journey has brought you. Maybe it's as cold and damp as yesterday's rain here in North Texas. Maybe it's as warm as seat on the hearth in front of your family's fire place surrounded by people who care about you.
Question 2: Where are you going in 2009?
One thing I've learned about life is that, good or bad, 2009 won't end where it began. Whether or not you like the journey metaphor, it's pretty easy to see that each of us is going somewhere. What decisions are you making that affect your journey? Are you in control of the next place you will find yourself, or are you spiraling downward, out of control?
The Good News
Here's good news: It's not too late. Your sitting at a computer someplace reading this blog. You're breathing in and out whether you're thinking about it or not. If you hold your fingers on your wrist, you're going to feel a pulse. It's not too late for a course correction. It's not too late for a game changer. It's not too late to grab the controls of your life and decide you're going to come out of the spiral that's sending you straight into the ground! The even better news is that God has plans for you to be in a better place, too. Toward the end of Old Testament God's people had been in a downward spiral for quite some time. They had turned from worshiping the God who created everything to worshiping statues that looked like the things he had created. God didn't put up with it. He sent his people into a nosedive that ended with them at rock bottom as captives in a foreign land. But, even there God told them he had better things in mind for them. He told them that they would live in Babylon for 70 years, but then he would deliver and restore them because he wasn't done with them yet. Through the prophet, Jeremiah, he promised them:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
The better news is that God isn't done with you yet. If your heart is still beating, he still has plans for you. The best news is that God has already done the work to get you ready for his big plans. Over 2000 years ago God sent his Son to free us from his wrath and condemnation. God sent his Son to bear the punishment we deserved for our sin. Now God offers that to you if you will believe in his Son.
Over the next few weeks, our Journey at CrossRoads Church will be guided by our desire to understand this belief in God's Son. We want 2009 to be characterized by happiness--not happiness that is dependent upon our health, finances or circumstances, but happiness that finds its delight in our God. In invite you to come with us.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NIV
It's Tuesday of the first full week of 2009. Like it or not 2008 is in the record books. As we begin a new year, I want to encourage you to ask a couple questions.
Question 1: Where are you?
One of my favorite metaphors for life is a journey. If your life is a journey, where are you right now. Are you standing in a beautiful garden full of beautiful flowers that bring joy to every moment of your life? Are you standing in the middle of an intersection trying to decide which way to go while hoping that those cars whizzing by won't flatten you? Are you in the middle of a desert with empty pockets and a dry canteen not knowing where your next drink might come from? Maybe you have your own image for the place your life-journey has brought you. Maybe it's as cold and damp as yesterday's rain here in North Texas. Maybe it's as warm as seat on the hearth in front of your family's fire place surrounded by people who care about you.
Question 2: Where are you going in 2009?
One thing I've learned about life is that, good or bad, 2009 won't end where it began. Whether or not you like the journey metaphor, it's pretty easy to see that each of us is going somewhere. What decisions are you making that affect your journey? Are you in control of the next place you will find yourself, or are you spiraling downward, out of control?
The Good News
Here's good news: It's not too late. Your sitting at a computer someplace reading this blog. You're breathing in and out whether you're thinking about it or not. If you hold your fingers on your wrist, you're going to feel a pulse. It's not too late for a course correction. It's not too late for a game changer. It's not too late to grab the controls of your life and decide you're going to come out of the spiral that's sending you straight into the ground! The even better news is that God has plans for you to be in a better place, too. Toward the end of Old Testament God's people had been in a downward spiral for quite some time. They had turned from worshiping the God who created everything to worshiping statues that looked like the things he had created. God didn't put up with it. He sent his people into a nosedive that ended with them at rock bottom as captives in a foreign land. But, even there God told them he had better things in mind for them. He told them that they would live in Babylon for 70 years, but then he would deliver and restore them because he wasn't done with them yet. Through the prophet, Jeremiah, he promised them:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
The better news is that God isn't done with you yet. If your heart is still beating, he still has plans for you. The best news is that God has already done the work to get you ready for his big plans. Over 2000 years ago God sent his Son to free us from his wrath and condemnation. God sent his Son to bear the punishment we deserved for our sin. Now God offers that to you if you will believe in his Son.
Over the next few weeks, our Journey at CrossRoads Church will be guided by our desire to understand this belief in God's Son. We want 2009 to be characterized by happiness--not happiness that is dependent upon our health, finances or circumstances, but happiness that finds its delight in our God. In invite you to come with us.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NIV
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Pictures from Wild Wacky Wet Wednesday
Here are pictures from 718 last night. We took a break from our usual activities to play some water games. Our teenagers get together every Wednesday at 7:18 pm. All 6th-12th graders are invited!
Enjoy:
Enjoy:
 |
| Youth Wacky Wild Wet Night |
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Rain!
Did you get rain last night? Yesterday afternoon we saw the dark clouds roll in. We heard thunder, and I said a little prayer: "Please, Father, give us a little rain." The amazing thing about rain is that we can spend hours and gallons of water watering our lawns and not come close to what the heavens can do for us in fifteen or twenty minutes. It's nice in a world that fights against us all the time to get a few minutes of refreshment as the rain comes down.
That's the way God is. We can give 110% our whole lives and not accomplish what a few minutes of God's work can do in our lives. What's worse is that without God telling us, we don't even know what his blessing looks like. I love what the psalmist writes:
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1 NIV
Are you thirsty for God? Do you know what thirsty feels like? What if you think that feeling is loneliness or stress or a midlife crisis, when you are actually feeling a deep, deep thirst for God? When I was a teenager, Jesus told me something that changed my life. Through the Apostle Matthew, he said:
But seek first [your Heavenly Father's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
Jesus says it's that simple. We seek God. He meets our needs. He sends the rain. So, how do I seek God's kingdom? In John 3 Jesus tells us that there is one way into God's Kingdom:
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:3, 16 NIV
Belief in Jesus. In Jesus we have God's water--his refreshing spring--within us. He meets our physical, emotional, spiritual and relational needs.
I'm excited that I don't have to water my lawn today because God provided a better solution. If only the heavens' rain was as abundant as the water Jesus provides...
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14 NIV
That's the way God is. We can give 110% our whole lives and not accomplish what a few minutes of God's work can do in our lives. What's worse is that without God telling us, we don't even know what his blessing looks like. I love what the psalmist writes:
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1 NIV
Are you thirsty for God? Do you know what thirsty feels like? What if you think that feeling is loneliness or stress or a midlife crisis, when you are actually feeling a deep, deep thirst for God? When I was a teenager, Jesus told me something that changed my life. Through the Apostle Matthew, he said:
But seek first [your Heavenly Father's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
Jesus says it's that simple. We seek God. He meets our needs. He sends the rain. So, how do I seek God's kingdom? In John 3 Jesus tells us that there is one way into God's Kingdom:
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:3, 16 NIV
Belief in Jesus. In Jesus we have God's water--his refreshing spring--within us. He meets our physical, emotional, spiritual and relational needs.
I'm excited that I don't have to water my lawn today because God provided a better solution. If only the heavens' rain was as abundant as the water Jesus provides...
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14 NIV
Saturday, June 28, 2008
In the rain... without a cell phone!!!
Tonight I did something I haven't done in a long while. I needed some supplies for church, so I got in my car and headed to Office Depot. It was pouring down rain. I thought I'd give my wife a call to see if the house was still above water. Only, as I reached for my mobile phone, I found out it wasn't there. Then, the strangest thing happened. I felt free. My first thought wasn't, "What if my wife needs to get in touch," or, "What if I get a flat tire?" My first thought was, "Wow. For the next forty minutes no one can get in touch with me. For the next forty minutes I'm in my own world."
I love people. I love being connected. Maybe I need to turn of my phone from time to time.
In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist speaks for God telling the nations:
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.
In the past when I have heard this verse, I thought it meant that believers should take time out from their busy lives to be still. Instead, God is not talking to believers. He's talking to his enemies. The psalmist has written that God makes wars cease. In verse 46 God calls out to his enemies to stop making war against him and trust in him.
I wonder how many of us use our phones, PDAs, computers, iPods and game systems to war against God--to keep ourselves from really thinking about the depth of what he has done for us--to keep ourselves from relying completely on him--to give ourselves a sense of power in the midst of life's chaos--to engage in humanity's quest to prove that we are something apart from our savior.
I love people. I love being connected. Maybe I need to turn of my phone from time to time.
In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist speaks for God telling the nations:
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.
In the past when I have heard this verse, I thought it meant that believers should take time out from their busy lives to be still. Instead, God is not talking to believers. He's talking to his enemies. The psalmist has written that God makes wars cease. In verse 46 God calls out to his enemies to stop making war against him and trust in him.
I wonder how many of us use our phones, PDAs, computers, iPods and game systems to war against God--to keep ourselves from really thinking about the depth of what he has done for us--to keep ourselves from relying completely on him--to give ourselves a sense of power in the midst of life's chaos--to engage in humanity's quest to prove that we are something apart from our savior.
Friday, June 27, 2008
The Good Shepherd
My wife and two friends celebrated birthdays this week. This morning as I have thought about that, I have thought about my own 33 years. Hopefully, I am just a little over a third of the way through my life--maybe closer to half. Like most of us Homo sapiens I spent the first twenty or so years trying desperately to figure out who I am. Not long after my 22nd birthday I got married. Then, I began trying to figure out who my wife is. (That's still a work in progress.) In the midst of these efforts, like all of us, I had to try and figure out all the other details.
I graduated from college in 1997. Like all college graduates, I had all the answers. Then, a couple years later (on my birthday) my boss took me out to lunch to inform me that I didn't have the foggiest idea what I was doing in my career. He was pretty much right. Now, eleven years later, I'm 33, and about every six months I have to ask myself if I really know what I'm doing--not just in my career but in just about every area of my life.
Here's the beautiful reality: Even if I wake up tomorrow and realize that I don't have the foggiest idea what I'm doing, God does.
You'll never hear me claim to be the greatest pastor around. You'll never hear me claim we have the best church. What we do have is a bunch of deeply-flawed people who know that God loves us so much he sent his only Son to die, so our sins can be completely forgiven. We also know that if he loved us that much 2000 years ago, our completely sovereign God loves us enough to hold on to us and lovingly shepherd us throughout our lives. Jesus expressed this beautifully in John 10:
My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand.
John 10:27-29 NET
So, I thank God for his shepherding. I thank him that I will never be taken from his continual presence and eternal plan--even when I don't get it right--not because of what I have done but because my Shepherd died to pay the price for my sins and by his grace lovingly brought me into his flock. He really is good. Just as Jesus is the one who has made the purchase of my salvation, he will also be the one to sustain it. My confidence is not in me. My confidence is in him to sustain my faith until the end.
Do you believe in a God like this? If you want to know more, send me a note: info@crossroadsfortworth.org. We'll talk about this God. We'll talk about his faithfulness. We'll talk about Christ's sacrifice that sealed the deal. We'll talk about his continual presence. We'll talk about the home he is preparing.
I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and I will live for God's glory alone.
I graduated from college in 1997. Like all college graduates, I had all the answers. Then, a couple years later (on my birthday) my boss took me out to lunch to inform me that I didn't have the foggiest idea what I was doing in my career. He was pretty much right. Now, eleven years later, I'm 33, and about every six months I have to ask myself if I really know what I'm doing--not just in my career but in just about every area of my life.
Here's the beautiful reality: Even if I wake up tomorrow and realize that I don't have the foggiest idea what I'm doing, God does.
You'll never hear me claim to be the greatest pastor around. You'll never hear me claim we have the best church. What we do have is a bunch of deeply-flawed people who know that God loves us so much he sent his only Son to die, so our sins can be completely forgiven. We also know that if he loved us that much 2000 years ago, our completely sovereign God loves us enough to hold on to us and lovingly shepherd us throughout our lives. Jesus expressed this beautifully in John 10:
My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand.
John 10:27-29 NET
So, I thank God for his shepherding. I thank him that I will never be taken from his continual presence and eternal plan--even when I don't get it right--not because of what I have done but because my Shepherd died to pay the price for my sins and by his grace lovingly brought me into his flock. He really is good. Just as Jesus is the one who has made the purchase of my salvation, he will also be the one to sustain it. My confidence is not in me. My confidence is in him to sustain my faith until the end.
Do you believe in a God like this? If you want to know more, send me a note: info@crossroadsfortworth.org. We'll talk about this God. We'll talk about his faithfulness. We'll talk about Christ's sacrifice that sealed the deal. We'll talk about his continual presence. We'll talk about the home he is preparing.
I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and I will live for God's glory alone.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
During the month of July we will be teaching a series called What's on Your Mind? This series will be focused on answering YOUR questions about God, faith, morality or anything else you can think of. Questions are listed on a poll on both of our blog pages. Please take a minute to let us know which question is most interesting to you. You are also welcome to submit a new question by clicking on the link below.
Click here to add a question to be considered for our July teaching series.
Click here to add a question to be considered for our July teaching series.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Thankful...
Last Sunday we took a few minutes during our Sunday morning Worship Gatherings to write down what we are thankful for. Here's what our church family said in no particular order:
- Music, food, friends, family
- My loving family
- The Lord Jesus, good health, a place to serve, my church, my family
- My CrossRoads Church family
- Friends who help us with no expectations
- God sending hi son on our behalf, so we cann be free from death and have life everafter with him
- This church and all its support and prayers
- Friendships
- My incredible family
- My race car and the ability to work on and race it.
- Family and friends who are giving and sacrificing for others
- My wonderful marriage. It's been 2 years today!
- Our own facility to have youth
- My family
- Redemption and inner peace and friends who tell you that it's okay to forgive yourself because God already has
- My hubby, my sister & best friend and my kids--they are so much fun and full of joy
- My wife and best friend
- My family and church family
- God's revelation i my life, my family, my home, CrossRoads, my car, God's provision, green lights, good music, genuine people
- My life, salvation, my family, this church, food, sweets, God, Jesus, heaven, the clothes on my back, music, school, youth camp
- God's love and mercy
- A Savior who loved me so much that he died for my sins so that I could have eternal life and my church family
- The gifts God gives me that allow me to provide for my family
- Daughters who love Christ. Support of my church family through many trials in my life.
- A family that loves me, God and all his love for me, forgiveness for my mistakes
- Being here at curch worshiping the Lord. I'm thankful for my family for doing things for me, my friends for always being there for me and also being my friends
- My family and friends
- Being here in this church. It changed my life forever and being here with my girlfriend, too.
- My friends and family
- The relationship I have with my family
- Every day I have
- God providing a home for my family
- Freedom as revealed by God who opens my eyes to his world
- Jesus Christ and many other things
- Finding this church, my loved ones (friends and family), grace
- Freedom from the curse of sin and death, all is forgiven
- That there is nothing I can do to earn my salvation. I only have to have faith.
- My family and friends
- My mom and dad and brother, school, doggy
- My wonderful mother, my loving husband, my beautiful baby boy and this amazing church
- A God who allows me to cry out to him in good times and hard times
- My family, my husband, God's love
- My fantastic kids! My salvation
- This wonderful church
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Americanization of Coffee... and God?
Where do you drink coffee? As long as it's good, I drink coffee anywhere I can get it. For some of us coffee is something we drink because we enjoy it, but let's be honest. Tom Hanks spoke for most of us in You've Got Mail when he called it "legal addictive stimulants."
One of my favorite places to get coffee is this little shop in Grapevine some friends turned us on to called Buon Giorno. It's a little shop where they roast the beans themselves. They have free wi-fi and shelves full of books and board games, but don't go there if you're in a hurry. It literally takes them about five minutes to pour a cup of coffee. Why? Because at Buon Giorno coffee is about the Cheers experience--having a place to hang out where everyone knows your name.
Which brings us to Starbucks. I like Buon Giorno, but I like Starbucks, too. Starbucks has gotten some bad press lately because people are saying they are becoming like McDonald's. Actually, I think what is happening is that McDonald's is offering what people were looking for at Starbucks--only cheaper. For the past ten years Starbucks has developed this process of making coffee that is efficient. You walk in, order your grande, extra-hot, non-fat, triple, no-whip, extra-foam mocha, and by the time you get to the register, they hand it to you, zip your debit card, and you're on your way. The problem? As efficient as Starbucks has become, McDonald's is still quicker and cheaper. So, now Starbucks is trying to change their image and their menu. (By the way, their new Pike Place roast is great. Big, bold taste with almost no aftertaste. It does, however, taste like coffee. If you're a coffee drinker who doesn't really like coffee, stick to your caramel macchiato.)
I think the problem Starbucks is going to run into is that we, Americans, don't usually want to sit and hang out while somebody makes our coffee. We want our stimulant quickly because we are on our way to work. Don't get me wrong, occasionally we like to enjoy coffee with friends or while we're reading a good book, but most of the time we think of coffee as a performance-enhancing drug not a way of life.
My concern is that this is also the way we think about God and his family (church) most of the time. We occasionally reminisce about a meaningful experience we once had, but we really go to church to get our dose of God for the week as we scurry about the rest of our lives. This Sunday I encourage you to go to church and savor the words you hear. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10 that the words of the gospel literally save our lives. They sometimes sting, but after the shock of hearing that I don't contribute anything to my salvation, the truth that Jesus has done it all for me gives me peace and hope. Then, there's God's family. You can find hope in a few songs and an effective description of the Message of Jesus, but church can be so much more... You can find people who will love you and care for you when life is hard. You can find a place where people encourage you and remind you that God loves you--even when you blow it.
This Sunday come see us at the place God's family hangs out. If you don't already have someplace to go, come see us at CrossRoads. When you get to church, get some refreshments and find a comfortable place to sit. Then, say a little prayer. Tell your Heavenly Father thanks for sending his Son to show his love by dying for us. Ask him to introduce you to someone this morning who will be there for you when life gets hard to encourage you and remind you what Jesus' has done for us. Then, when someone comes to say "Hi", expect God to answer that prayer.
If you're looking for God, he has a place for you. Respond to him by going to find that place.
I'd love to see you Sunday!
One of my favorite places to get coffee is this little shop in Grapevine some friends turned us on to called Buon Giorno. It's a little shop where they roast the beans themselves. They have free wi-fi and shelves full of books and board games, but don't go there if you're in a hurry. It literally takes them about five minutes to pour a cup of coffee. Why? Because at Buon Giorno coffee is about the Cheers experience--having a place to hang out where everyone knows your name.
Which brings us to Starbucks. I like Buon Giorno, but I like Starbucks, too. Starbucks has gotten some bad press lately because people are saying they are becoming like McDonald's. Actually, I think what is happening is that McDonald's is offering what people were looking for at Starbucks--only cheaper. For the past ten years Starbucks has developed this process of making coffee that is efficient. You walk in, order your grande, extra-hot, non-fat, triple, no-whip, extra-foam mocha, and by the time you get to the register, they hand it to you, zip your debit card, and you're on your way. The problem? As efficient as Starbucks has become, McDonald's is still quicker and cheaper. So, now Starbucks is trying to change their image and their menu. (By the way, their new Pike Place roast is great. Big, bold taste with almost no aftertaste. It does, however, taste like coffee. If you're a coffee drinker who doesn't really like coffee, stick to your caramel macchiato.)
I think the problem Starbucks is going to run into is that we, Americans, don't usually want to sit and hang out while somebody makes our coffee. We want our stimulant quickly because we are on our way to work. Don't get me wrong, occasionally we like to enjoy coffee with friends or while we're reading a good book, but most of the time we think of coffee as a performance-enhancing drug not a way of life.
My concern is that this is also the way we think about God and his family (church) most of the time. We occasionally reminisce about a meaningful experience we once had, but we really go to church to get our dose of God for the week as we scurry about the rest of our lives. This Sunday I encourage you to go to church and savor the words you hear. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10 that the words of the gospel literally save our lives. They sometimes sting, but after the shock of hearing that I don't contribute anything to my salvation, the truth that Jesus has done it all for me gives me peace and hope. Then, there's God's family. You can find hope in a few songs and an effective description of the Message of Jesus, but church can be so much more... You can find people who will love you and care for you when life is hard. You can find a place where people encourage you and remind you that God loves you--even when you blow it.
This Sunday come see us at the place God's family hangs out. If you don't already have someplace to go, come see us at CrossRoads. When you get to church, get some refreshments and find a comfortable place to sit. Then, say a little prayer. Tell your Heavenly Father thanks for sending his Son to show his love by dying for us. Ask him to introduce you to someone this morning who will be there for you when life gets hard to encourage you and remind you what Jesus' has done for us. Then, when someone comes to say "Hi", expect God to answer that prayer.
If you're looking for God, he has a place for you. Respond to him by going to find that place.
I'd love to see you Sunday!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
I like to cook...
I'm one of those guys who enjoys cooking. Of course, I only cook manly food. My favorite food to cook is stir fry. A couple Christmases ago my parents got a wok for me. Three or four times a month I pour some peanut oil in that wok and fry up some chicken and veggies. I guess stir fry is manly food.One thing I can't do without when cooking is a timer. I don't usually set my timer, though. When I start my food coking, I usually start my timer at zero and let it count up rather than backward. This gives me a better perspective on how long something has been cooking. I guess that probably makes me weird. The important thing is that regardless of which way my timer counts, the food still gets done.
This Sunday I'm going to elaborate on an idea we scraped the surface of last Sunday. I threw out the idea that the time our faith in Jesus becomes most significant is at a funeral--especially our own! In our world where we can fix just about everything with medicine or surgery, I think it's hard for us to remember that one day we're going to be done--regardless of which way we have our timer running.
We all need hope for our own funerals. The Good News is that we really do have hope when we're done. Come hear about it this Sunday!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The fragrance of life...
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
One of the hardest senses for me to understand is my sense of smell. My wife and I have recently been house hunting. Every house had a different smell. Some smelled clean--they had a hint of lemon and bleach. Some houses smelled like animals. Don't get me wrong. I love animals, but the smell of animals inside a house doesn't give me some internal drive to purchase it. Probably the most interesting smell I noticed while house hunting was the smell of my grandparents' house. I can't place what the smell is, but there were a couple houses we entered that drew up deep emotions and memories. For some reason God has created us in such a way that our mind attaches certain aromas to emotions that are very central to who we are.
I guess that connection between our sense of smell and the core of who we are is what makes these verses from Paul's letter so powerful. Can you imagine the emotions of the Father when his Son was executed on our behalf? Can you imagine how deeply he must have felt grief that his only Son was dying a painful death, crushed under the punishment for every sin of every person who would ever believe in him? Can you imagine how great the joy as he knew that Jesus' death would usher every believer into the intimacy of his own family? It's with these deep emotions that we see Paul describe how we smell to God. He describes us as the aroma of Christ to our Heavenly Father. Paul goes on to tell us that our odor is not only powerful to God but to the people around us. As we love the people around us and share the words that describe Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, we are the fragrance of life to those who are saved by God's grace. God's message through our words is the aroma that transforms the very heart of the people around us, by the power of God's Spirit, to give them new life through faith in Christ.
Who is going to be smelling you today? How are you going to show them God's love? How are you going to put words to God's love by telling them about God's gift to them in Jesus' sacrifice?
Thank you, Father, that through faith in your Son we are the aroma of Christ to you. Make us faithful to spread the fragrance of knowledge of Christ to others today.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
One of the hardest senses for me to understand is my sense of smell. My wife and I have recently been house hunting. Every house had a different smell. Some smelled clean--they had a hint of lemon and bleach. Some houses smelled like animals. Don't get me wrong. I love animals, but the smell of animals inside a house doesn't give me some internal drive to purchase it. Probably the most interesting smell I noticed while house hunting was the smell of my grandparents' house. I can't place what the smell is, but there were a couple houses we entered that drew up deep emotions and memories. For some reason God has created us in such a way that our mind attaches certain aromas to emotions that are very central to who we are.
I guess that connection between our sense of smell and the core of who we are is what makes these verses from Paul's letter so powerful. Can you imagine the emotions of the Father when his Son was executed on our behalf? Can you imagine how deeply he must have felt grief that his only Son was dying a painful death, crushed under the punishment for every sin of every person who would ever believe in him? Can you imagine how great the joy as he knew that Jesus' death would usher every believer into the intimacy of his own family? It's with these deep emotions that we see Paul describe how we smell to God. He describes us as the aroma of Christ to our Heavenly Father. Paul goes on to tell us that our odor is not only powerful to God but to the people around us. As we love the people around us and share the words that describe Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, we are the fragrance of life to those who are saved by God's grace. God's message through our words is the aroma that transforms the very heart of the people around us, by the power of God's Spirit, to give them new life through faith in Christ.
Who is going to be smelling you today? How are you going to show them God's love? How are you going to put words to God's love by telling them about God's gift to them in Jesus' sacrifice?
Thank you, Father, that through faith in your Son we are the aroma of Christ to you. Make us faithful to spread the fragrance of knowledge of Christ to others today.
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