Frozen Treats and a 5 year old

As I prepare to depart to visit our sister church in Nicaragua, I am struck by the striking differences in our people. In a country where the average household salary is more than $46,000.00, the pollsters are reporting that on this election night, the number one concern of our citizens is the economy and personal prosperity. That’s amazing to me. Our 401Ks sink by 10% and we’re fearful to face tomorrow. Are we afraid we won't be able to buy a new car this year or that we won't be able to get that upgraded flat screen TV? Maybe we're concerned that we won't be able to eat out more than once a month or have to scale back on our vacation plans. Compare that to the economy of Betel and Trojilo, Nicaragua where the average salary is some where between $2.50 and $5.00 per day in an economy where the cost of living is roughly equivalent to that of ours. Speaking of new cars, most folks who live in these villages walk. In fact there may be 2 cars and 2 motorcycles per 1000 residents. The food that they eat is grown and harvested from the wilderness. Most of them have never taken a vacation to visit an amusement park or rent a cabana at the beach. They can't afford to go out to eat at a restaurant.... even a soft drink is a HUGE treat. Their education system is severely lacking and the opportunities for the average citizen can’t begin to compare with the opportunities available for us. Yet in the midst of hardship, they’ve found a way to be optimistic. Their outlook is positive if they have enough food for today and time to spend with the kids around an old radio listening to some preacher on a distant channel. Their faith in God is strong… they’ve had to depend on Him for survival, not just a raise in pay or a new car. Somehow we’ve gotten off track in the United States. Our lives are a dream for most third world countries, yet we want more and more and more… We’ve forgotten how to be content and have become greedy, selfish, and caring for few people other than ourselves. One event in Betel, Nicaragua I’ll never forget happened when I bought a frozen juice treat for a young boy. He ran to his house and gathered all his friends to share what the treat. When all was said and done, he had nothing left for himself. Sort of gives a fresh perspective to Paul’s exhortation to give preference one to another doesn’t it? I think I spent every Cordoba I had that day buying frozen treats for every kid in the village. I learned a powerful lesson that day from a 5 year old… One that speaks straight from the heart of God. I’m sure I will learn another dozen or more this trip as well. It’s funny how we go to minister to these “poor” people and come back home having been blessed beyond measure and enriched by their ministry and love. I wish you could all go with me….

From Your Dad...If you know Almighty God

I met with my small group tonight & was reminded once again of Father’s great and wonderful love for us all… My BB brain can’t comprehend the love He has for us… I thought I would print out the words to Father’s Love Letter for those of you who have never before read or heard this wonderful message of grace…. May it fill your hearts with as much joy as it does mine….

My Child,



You may not know me, 
but I know everything about you. 
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. 
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. 
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. 
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. 
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring. 
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived. 
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. 
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, 
for all your days are written in my book. 
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth 
and where you would live. 
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb. 
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. 
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented 
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, 
but am the complete expression of love. 
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child 
and I am your Father. 
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. 
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father. 
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. 
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. 
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. 
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. 
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless 
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. 
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. 
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession. 
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul. 
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. 
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, 
you will find me. 
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you 
the desires of your heart. 
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. 
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you 
than you could possibly imagine. 
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager. 
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you 
in all your troubles. 
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, 
I am close to you. 
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, 
I have carried you close to my heart. 
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away 
every tear from your eyes. 
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain 
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you 
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. 
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. 
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, 
not against you. 
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression 
of my love for you. 
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love. 
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, 
you receive me. 
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you 
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party 
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, 
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child? 
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you. 
Luke 15:11-32



Love, Your Dad
Almighty God


Altar Calls, Pulpits & 3 Point Sermons

Some folks have got a little upset with me because I’ve started doing a few things differently during the sermon on Sunday Morning. First of all, I’ve stopped using a pulpit (or the sacred desk) as some prefer to call it. As you know I now sit on a stool beside a small table. Secondly, I’ve stopped using the traditional 3 points and closing with a prayer when I preach. Some of you don’t care for that much, but quite frankly I don’t think it matters “a hill of beans” whether you sit or stand, or use points that all begin with the same letter, or simply talk and share illustrative stories to teach the truths of Scripture. A lot of churches and pastors have adopted trends and practices over the years that really have nothing to do with their faith. Yet, if the tradition is broken it’s almost as if the unpardonable sin is committed. For example, one trend that many of us have adopted is the altar call. What do you know about the history of the altar call? Is it biblical to raise your hand when the pastor says, “If you said that prayer, please raise your hand”? I say that sometimes, but what about the person who doesn’t feel like raising his or her hand? Are they excluded from God’s grace? Is it wrong not to want to go down front so everyone in the congregation knows you’ve got problems? Are those who do go down front somehow privy to a more divine outpouring of grace and forgiveness? I don’t think so… In fact, when Peter preached at Pentecost and 3000 were saved, there is no mention of raising of hands or coming forward. If you check, you’ll see that the altar call didn’t even come about until about 150 years ago when it was made popular by Charles Finney. In some congregations, people come to the altar week after week and they’re still the same. There’s no change. Maybe they’re thinking, “Maybe it will work this time! Maybe this will be the day when I get really zapped!” And there are also those in the congregation who think God isn’t moving unless you have an altar call and people stream forward. We try to reduce our walk of faith down to a few manageable things, that way we can control the process and perform up to some acceptable standard (whatever that is). It’s like we’re looking for one little trick, one more step to success, 3 keys to the Spirit-filled life, or something else spectacular that will make our life finally fall into place. And that is a primary reason I have stopped following the traditional approach to preaching 3 points and closing with a prayer. I don’t want anyone to mistake the form for their faith. Or, to believe that by following a system you can make yourself more acceptable to God. Maybe that’s a challenge to your belief system – I certainly hope not. The truth is, there is no magic formula or 7 step approach to being a “good” Christian. The bottom line is that as a believer, everything necessary for you to experience the Spirit-filled life, the abundant life, the joy, peace, and comfort of Father God has already been completed in Jesus Christ. You are loved by God unconditionally. He doesn’t require you to do anything but rest in His love. Jesus is with you always for He has promised never to leave you or forsake you. So relax… learn something new… open a new page in life and continue to discover the wonderful plan and purpose for which you were created. And please don’t come and complain to me because you don’t like the way I sit at a table to preach or the form of my sermons… Quite frankly, I don’t really care… remember, it’s not a performance thing.

Friends

My dad once told me that a person is extremely blessed to have just one true friend in life. The person who has two true friends is doubly blessed indeed! Of course I didn't believe him when I was a teenager... I knew everything back then - didn't we all? Ha! We make many acquaintances thru out our lives. People pass into and out of our circle over the years like water flowing under a bridge. Most of these people we may call our friends but in reality they are simply people to whom we have been introduced and with whom we have shared time. As I have grown older, I understand what my dad was talking about. A friend is so much more than simply an acquaintance. It’s someone who will be there whether times or good or bad. Like King Solomon said, “A friend loves at all times” (Prov. 17:17). A friend is someone who, although distance and time may separate you, one second of being reconnected and it’s like you were never apart.  A friend tells you the truth even when it hurts. That’s what King Solomon was talking about when he also wrote, “The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive” (Prov. 27:6). A friend won't run away when you face trouble. A friend will stand shoulder to shoulder with you even though they may be threatened and scared. But true friendship doesn’t happen automatically. It takes an investment of your love and trust. You have to be a friend in order to gain a friend. You have to be willing to be transparent and vulnerable. That’s not easy nor is it comfortable, but it’s necessary if you want to have more than casual acquaintances in your life. It’s the same way with a relationship with Jesus. In order to know Him, you have to expose your heart to His grace and surrender to His plan for your life. But when you do so, you make a friend for eternity. And the Bible tells us that He “is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”. I am truly thankful for those I can call friends. I am wonderfully blessed.

Catalytic

From my earlier days in Chemistry lab, I learned that a catalyst is a chemical substance that when introduced to a chemical reaction, will speed up or increase the reaction. Unlike other reagents used in chemical reactions, a catalyst is not consumed in the process, therefore it does not materially affect the other substances. This past week the Mountain View Staff participated in the Catalyst Conference 2008 held in Atlanta, GA. As various catalytic events were introduced and catalytic speakers talked, we were each challenged with great content, inspired by powerful worship, and purposed towards working together to be the Church and to serve as Leaders in our communities and culture. Truly I was moved, overwhelmed, blessed, and gained a sense of empowering when the conference was over. People from all walks of life gave motivational and encouraging remarks, but the one common theme that ran thru the entire time was that the Church must find out how to come together and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. It’s time to lay aside the slick plans and programs that are focused on man-made agendas and get on the agenda of the Lord… which hasn’t changed. We’re called to make disciples, love God and love one another. What a simple, fresh reminder! The catalysts we discovered at this conference were many and I dare say they affected us profoundly in our pursuit of Christ. I can hardly wait to see what happens as we get out of the way, focus on loving and serving the Lord, and allow the Holy Spirit to minister in and thru us as His instruments... this is an exciting and powerful time!

God Has Called You

What has God called you to do? If you’re a believer, you’ve been called to do something. Many times we struggle with that. We might even start getting involved in ministries and religious works, trying to figure out where we belong. And then after pouring our energy into trying to make some sort of ministry “work” for us, we grow tired and weary. That’s because we often allow the work of ministry to become more important that what we’re all called to do. So what are we all called to do? Jesus said, “follow Me”. And that’s the primary calling we all have. When we get away from that, we will find ourselves wandering in the desert, spiritually dried up and weary as we operate in our own strength instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to operate thru us. Believe me, you won’t last very long trying to do ministry without the Holy Spirit’s empowering. You’ll fall flat on your face – I’ve been there… But when that happens, Father God isn’t disappointed or upset with you. In fact, it’s all part of His plan to refresh, refill and reenergize you. You’re still important to Him and He still has much work to accomplish thru your life. Just remember that our part is to follow Him. He has a way of taking care of everything else when we make that our life’s priority. 

Freedom

Do you ever long to be free from the junk of this life? Free from the stress? Free from the problems? Free from the insecurities? Free from the disillusionment? Free from the discouragement? Well, the Apostle Paul said in Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Ah yes... but that sure seems much easier said than done to me. One minute I think I'm living in freedom, then something comes along and ties me in knots again... But we can choose to be free if we will surrender our heart, mind, soul & strength to freedom in Christ. In fact, until we are experiencing and living in the freedom of Christ, we will remain in bondage... bondage to unrealistic expectations, bondage to our own unmet goals. And ultimately, when we realize how insufficient our strength and abilities in the flesh really are, we'll hit a downward spiral of burnout. I can tell when I'm hitting that downward spiral... I become controlling, frustrated, and judgmental. I find myself trying to please everybody, and live up to impossible expectations. Then I get even more frustrated because I can't get everything done. What about you? Do you ever find yourself trying to be a god? If only we could consistently live in the freedom that is ours by birthright... without fear of judgement and rejection... what a beautiful world this would be!