death…
“There’s something worse than death”… were the opening words I recently heard from a friend of mine as he began to teach. My first reaction was to think, “no there isn’t.” What could be worse than death?
Just a few days ago a murder took place a few houses down from ours. A heavy cloud seems to be lingering, weighing heavy on the hearts of many. Friends, family and many in the community have questions as to why something like this would happen. What would cause a person to do something like this? Why? And it doesn’t help that every TV station in the community keeps reminding us every time the news comes on of the tragedy that took place.
I never spoke to them. I never met them or made an attempt to do so. Yet, probably my biggest regret was not sharing what I believe with them. Why didn’t I? After all they only lived a few houses down. If its something that’s truly changed my life, why do I pass up opportunities to share Christ with others every day? The story of being lost and finding my way to Him. I pray that someone did share their story and a choice had been made. I pray that I may be reminded to make the most out of other opportunities before the chance is gone.
Because after all, there is something worse than death…
That’s being lost!
gripe…
I don’t know about you, but for me this seems to be a crazy-busy time. I feel like I’m going non-stop with the list growing faster than I can check it off. To be honest I felt like I was close to burning out. Running on nothing but adrenaline at times.
Yesterday as I’m venting my frustrations to a friend of mine on the team about getting power on to the offices we hope to open soon. I told him I’d spent 2 hours on the phone with them and the issue had still not been resolved. His response, “well did you spend 2 hours praying about it? Don’t forget that God is bigger than any electric company or corporation.
Simple yet an incredible profound reminder.
May we never become so busy that the last thing we do is pray about whatever frustration we may encounter. Me we never rely on our on wisdom and strength more so than His.
neighborhood…
My family recently moved into a new neighborhood trying to get close to the community we hope to reach out to. At first we were so busy getting settled, getting the kids in a routine and getting the house to a place where we could call it home.
I’ve seen our neighbors several times, yet in the midst of it all had not yet stopped to talk to them other than a friendly hi. Then the last couple weeks it seems like I’ve seen our next-door neighbor outside all the time as if longing for conversation. So finally this last Sunday afternoon my kids (that’s right it took my little evangelist daughter) saying hi to them and began carrying on a conversation. We talked for a while about life and such. The whole time I’m thinking to myself, “I should be telling Him about Christ or at the very least invite him to be a part of this church that’s starting up.”
Then fear sinks in!
You know exactly what I’m talking about if you’ve been a Christ follower for a while. Instead I begin thinking, what if he isn’t ready? What if he has no desire and it shuts a door to talk in the future? What if he thinks I’m strange? What if?
So my prayer became, “God open up some kind opportunity making it clear to me that the time is right to share and invite him to come check out our church that starts in just a couple weeks.” And the opportunity came.
Last night after the kids had gone to bed I decided to go for a jog since I haven’t run much this week. As I walk out my door there he is hanging out in the driveway. He says hi so I walk over and talk for a sec. An open opportunity to share with him and invite him was there. So I did. Our conversation ended and he said, “I’ll see you Sunday.” As he walked away I head him yell at his friend, “hey man we are going to church this Sunday.” His response, “cool.”
Pray that God may open up opportunities for all of us to do continue to do the same. Realizing that our neighbor may be a whole lot more ready to talk about it than you might think.
duty…
At times I feel like my attitude in ministry sucks. Truly! At times it seems like things like pride and blame can so easily seep in. If things are going well, we call it a success. Often measuring success in the strangest ways. We determine this at times by comparing our size to others size to see who’s is bigger. Like some kind of contest. Who has more speaking engagement? Who is drawing the largest crowd? Who gets paid what? And we love getting encouragement as often as we can. And when things are going well, we feel like we are on top of the world. It can so quickly go to our heads.
Then there is the flip side to it all. If things aren’t going well and we’re frustrated we tend to blame others for not doing a better job.
We say things like…
“If (blank) would follow through we wouldn’t even be talking about this”
“If (blank) would just did his job – then I could do mine.”
“If we just had (blank / usually more staff or money) then we could run twice the size we are now.”
Jesus said this, which has been helpful for me when wrestling with either side of the spectrum. “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ” Luke 17:10
Maybe the problem is making sure you have the right people in place.
Maybe it’s simply not being lazy and doing the job you were called to do.
Maybe it’s being honest and telling you don’t have a clue & asking for help.
What if the goal was no longer receiving praise?
What is we no longer complained and simply did our job?
What if it became the way we lived?
What if our response simple became “I’m simply doing my duty.”
shoes…
I recall my grandpa telling stories about working a couple jobs while trying to go to school and start a church in Tuscan. One of those jobs being that of a shoe salesman. I remember laughing at stories of ladies who had rather large feet but would try squeezing into a smaller pair of shoes. Here is one story he retells when working for a shoe store…
The owners of the store (he had 2 or 3 others in other cities plus a shoe company back in Missouri, St. Louis I believe. He and his wife were there every day with their thermos and lunch box working just like common laborers and driving an old model car. Also, I learned (by chance) that their store safe was a shoe box, one among the hundreds or thousands on the back room shelves, when I happened to pull it off the shelf looking for a certain pair of shoes. Of course, I gave the box to him and he grumbled a bit about my having found it.
Anyway, one night a lady came in supposedly to buy shoes. [Remember, my only income was something like 10% of the value of the shoes I sold with no base per hr. wage.] I showed her one pair after another and nothing seemed to suite her fancy. And I don’t remember ever becoming (or at least showing) any exasperation at her taking so much of my time. Finally we ended showing her the 17th. pair and she stood up to go without buying anything. It was then she said something like this to me: “I really didn’t come to buy shoes anyway. My husband and I got into a fight so I left and had to find something to do before going back home again.” I think that is my best “no sale” salesman story.
Many women typically came in and when asked their shoe size usually gave it as a size or two small that it actually was. So, a sensible salesman would go to the storage room with one box opened for her to see and another under his arm the next size larger. This technique saved both time and steps. It got to the place where I and others could look at a lady’s feet and guess her size very close. Even now, 50+ years later, I can still guess a good many women’s shoe sizes. The interesting thing is that most ladies would often buy a shoes that were still too small even if it didn’t truly fit.
Often when choosing a pair of running shoes, I tend to choose by feel more so than by the color, fad or special features it may offer. The truth is that an old pair of gray New Balance shoes were probably the best shoes I’ve had when it comes to running. However, when it was time to buy shoes this time I opted for something else. I had to buy a pair of Nike+ shoes with the chip and sports band. Not because they are better shoes or more comfortable but simply because there was a newer gadget I wanted to use.
I’ve noticed we often do the same thing with so many other things in life? We have something that works just fine, but often we have to use the latest and greatest. Why? Because, well, it’s the latest and greatest.
It’s amazing to me how often we try fitting into a place we weren’t designed to be. We try squeezing in hoping that maybe somehow we can fit into that crystal slipper that wasn’t made for us. But it wasn’t. Actually, it’s not even close to what He had in mind for us. He had something else just for you to be who He made you to be. We have a choice to try to fit in or be in a zone where we fit and we can be who we’re intended to be.
worry…
Can I be totally transparent with all of you for a minute? I tend to worry often.
I know I shouldn’t. So why do I worry as much as I do?
I worry about my kids, being a better husband, work, loosing weight, finances and at times I’m terrified asking the question “what if”?
What if I was misunderstood?
What if no one shows us?
What if I missed an opportunity?
What if it just totally bombs?
What if…
Seriously at times it feel like some kind of disease. Like no matter how great something may be,
I question if it would have been better if I‘d invested more time or energy into it. I began to wonder if I was alone in this until I asked others if they ever struggled with this. I was surprised to find out what I was not along. Not only was I not alone but found out that most people, mind you also followers of Christ, wrestle with this ever day. In fact I decided to ask close friend and co-workers what they worry about the most. An overwhelming majority said money/ finances and work seem to be in the top 2 for almost everyone I asked.
I get that jobs can be stressful and at times doing our job well, we can feel overwhelmed by it all. However, I was surprised to find out how many (including myself) worry about money. Its not like we don’t have any money, it that we worry about paying our bills and not going farther in debt to keep up with those around us.
The reality is that we here in America are very blessed. Much of our world lives on $1 a day why is it that we who make much more than that a hour worry about money so much. The reality is that if you make more than $25,000 a year you are in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world. Don’t believe me, go to – http://www.globalrichlist.com/ and check it out for yourself.
I was recently reminded of these verses in Proverbs 30:7-9. “Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. David asks for 2 things from God, to keep him from lies and to only have what he needs to live one more day.
Seriously? Who would really pray this prayer? To only have what we need to live one more day. What about our savings, stock options, 401k and any other IRA we have set up? We need to have enough to retire comfortable on right? We go after a better job that pays more. We constantly looking a for a way to make a few extra bucks. Because only then we will have enough money. Then the day will come when we will no longer worry, right?
What if this prayer became what we were about? What if instead of trying to do more, looking for any way to make a few extra bucks, we began to trust Him more to provide for all we need? Would it cause us to worry more?
engage (part 2)
Acts 2:44-47 – The Message
And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
Spending time together, enjoying a meal with friends, praying together, making sure that those without are taken care of, praising God, and enjoying being around other believers.
These seem to be heartbeat of the early church. Community seems to be determined in different ways. By some as a group that lives highly communal lives, welcomes the stranger, serves with generosity, creates in community, studies scripture holistically, practices accountability and lives selflessly.
Right now we at Compass are wresting with this question…
What are the most important elements for community groups, small groups, life groups or whatever term you have deemed them?
I’d love to get input from all of you. What do you believe to of utmost importance and how do you plan on incorporating into the DNA of your groups?
I’d love for you to post and share your thoughts with all.
engage (part 1)
One of the biggest challenges to me seems to be connecting people from all walks of life to each other. To find a place where people can truly connect and journey with others in true community. Yet it seems that many are leaving the church as quickly as they come in.
I began to wonder if churches everywhere struggle with this issue or if this is something unique to our church. I was a little surprised and discouraged to find out that the vast majority of churches everywhere seem to struggle in this very area. Even in a recently conversation with a friend of mine at a large, well known church, he said this may be one of the biggest challenges at their church as well.
So what now? Something has to change. How do we begin to truly connect people to each other? How can we develop the kind of true community you see in the early church? How can we engage those walking in the door, helping them learn more about a better way to live?
If you’ve talked to anyone who seems to be doing this well, read a book or article on this topic (that didn’t suck), heard a great teaching on this let me know. I would love to read or listen to whatever it might be. I’m willing to fly and meet with this person in an effort to help people connect on a deeper level with others. I would love to pass this on to the many others who long to create this environment in their community as well.
buffet
I recently came across this story that I thought I would pass on. I usually hate forwards but this one made me question what I’m doing this very day.
A man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said.
“Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.
The Lord led the man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made his mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew, which made the his mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The man said, “I don’t understand.
It is simple,” said the Lord.
“It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.”
I believe that as followers of Christ we often carry this mentality of consumerism. We want people to come to our church and offer the most we possibly can, like a buffet. People come in, often complain because their unsatisfied because their needs aren’t met. Others become so obese with the knowledge they have from being in church their whole life and they don’t do anything with it. So often it can become so easy to focused on what is going on inside our own little world that we forget about those around us that are literally dying.
My question would be this… What are we doing to make sure people outside the church are being taken care of?
worship…
One of my earliest memories as a kid is singing a song about the peace, joy and love of God while doing all kinds of actions along with the song. We would clap our hands, stomp our feet, lift our hands, spin around and worship will all we had. There was this sense that we were truly giving God everything we had and it was a beautiful thing.
The summer I was going into Junior High I went to visit a friend’s church. When we arrived some of the older students invited us to hang out with them. Then the Wednesday night worship service began. At one point while singing one of my favorite songs I began to raise my hands. For some reason I opened my eyes. I had that feeling you get when a group of people are staring at your because of something you’ve done. So I looked over to see a couple of students smirk at what I was doing. That day everything changed. Worship would no longer be the same.
Every year at camp or CIY I worshiped like I had as a child, but that would quickly change when we came home. Worship became so much more about what others thought about me than what God was trying to teach me. The words we sang, though often incredibly powerful, meant little since the “cool factor” had began to mean more than connecting with God.
Year after year I prayed this would change, that I would grow up and outgrow this mentality, that I could get back to those days where I was no longer concerned about what others thought.
Over the past years worship has become more and more about Him and less about me. I’ve come to realize that I can no longer care what others think. However there is still this side of me that can’t help but wonder what others around me think. That is, until I met ‘Joe’.
We met a few weeks ago while visiting the inner city. I soon found out that ‘Joe’ sits a couple rows from me at church. My first week there I honestly didn’t know what to think. He sings with all he has, not worrying if he’s on key. He raises his hands and closes his eyes as if he’s the only one, even though there are 700+ people in the room. And it reminds me of what it was like to worship as a child.
So last week I did just that, at all 4 services. At each service, I found a different place to worship. At first there was a side of me that was worried about what others think, until I closed my eyes, closing out everything around me. I began to worship unlike I had in a long time. That childlike feeling returned. That sense that I was truly singing this song to Him, giving all I had. And it was awesome!
May we get back to that place where we worship like a child. Arriving at that place where we deeply desire to connect with Him more than anything else. And while we worship may we pray that those around us who feel uncomfortable, feel free to worship the God who made them. If they want to clap or raise their hands may they feel free to do so. That all may come to the point where they are willing to worship Him with all they have.
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