Disc Golf Tournament: A day to build

More Photos Here

"Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.  Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me." 
^{Nehemiah 4:17-18}

Q: "How do you get to know people?"
A: "You serve alongside"

Two people, two months apart,  same question.  Both men gave the same answer.  I learned more about these men than in any other single day as Calvary hosted the First Annual Disc Golf Tournament.  It was a great time to get to know David, Brian, Ron, John, Bruce and  so many others....as we helped prepare and serve the players. 

Disc Golfers are an interesting lot.  While they like to compete, it wasn't just about the competition.  I wondered if many ended up here for a reason, in a sport where perfection is rare, and technique is almost second to talk.  Disc golf is a forgiving sport, and a lot of the guys that came to play seemed to need forgiveness.  They got it.

At lunch, these men with tattoos, skull shirts, and piercings sat and listened intently as Pastor Mark read about the undeniable existence of God, man's tendency to resist him (Romans 1)and yet God's answer in giving His Son Jesus as a ransom (John 3:16).When these guys left late in the afternoon after 36 holes (yikes!)  they actually took turns thanking us.  They said it was the BEST first tournament they had ever been to, that it was folksy and warm and a rare treat they should return to every chance they get.

We worked together today to build.  it was a good day.

The Dark Night of the Soul

The Dark Night of the Soul

Days when you feel Down
Absolutely normal part of Christian life
Christianity means you have a perspective how to grow through it
A wonderful story....a tiny fragile moth
The struggle to come out of the cocoon was an opportunity.....
Remember all that God has done for you, and His people

Spiritual Warfare: The real deal...(repitition again)

The past few weeks God has been using repetition to get my attention.  This time its about seeing difficulty from His perspective, not mine.  What do you think?

LAST WEEK: 
"What if....I told you..... your story is not about you?"
"What if your problem was not going to be 'solved'?" 


Message at Calvary Baptist YESTERDAY...

Daily devotional TODAY.....Key point: Do not be enslaved by difficulty but be set free through it.

Monday, August 02, 2010

It's Not Christianity 

 

We've exchanged that great hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers" for a subtle but telling substitute, a song that is currently being taught to thousands of children in Sunday school each week, which goes something like this (sung in a very happy, upbeat tune):

I may never march in the infantry,
ride in the cavalry,
shoot the artillery, I may never fly over the enemy
but I'm in the Lord's army, yes sir!

There is no battle and there is no war and there is no Enemy and your life is not at stake and you are not desperately needed this very hour, but you're in the Lord's army. Yes, sir. Doing what? may I ask.

The reason I bring this up is that if you want the real deal, if you want the life and freedom that Jesus offers, then you are going to have to break free of this religious fog in particular. "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" (Gal. 5:1). So here's a bottom-line test to expose the Religious Spirit: If it doesn't bring freedom and it doesn't bring life, it's not Christianity. If it doesn't restore the image of God and rejoice in the heart, it's not Christianity.

The ministry of Jesus is summarized by one of those who knew him best when Peter brings the gospel to the gentiles: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and . . . he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him" (Acts 10:38). The stream of Spiritual Warfare was essential to Jesus' life and ministry. It follows that it must be essential to ours if we would be his followers. 

(John Eldridge...Waking the Dead, p 162-163)

The music man: You can sing

My friend Joey sent me a note earlier today about the play asking if I would like to go, we both knew one of the actors.  Later that afternoon,  flipping through the newspaper (which I never do), I saw an ad for the same play.  

I had a great time, not just to meet and talk with Joey's daughters, Mark, Matt, Colleen, John, and others, but just to be reminded about the power of hope.

The story is about a man, and a woman and a town who are all changed in the course of coming together and seeing things not as they are, but as they can be.  I actually teared up when the little boy who had been trapped by a fear of speaking began to sing, because he had been given hope by the promise of playing a musical instrument.  

The music man was a salesman who gave people so much hope that they could sing, dance or play instruments, they forgot about everything else.  Only the mayor was able to resist the "spellbinder" (because he stood to loose money).  The heroine knew the music man's story was a hoax, yet she was swept off her feet because he inspired the town to greatness.  Poignantly, she loved even though she knew who he was. In turn, her love inspired the music man to make good on His promise. 

A couple of my favorite quotes:

"Oh, my dear little librarian. You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering."

"There was love all around, but I never heard it singing. No I never heard it at all, Till There Was You."

This show reminded me of the movie "The Postman", where an apocalyptic  con-man is accused of giving out "hope like candy",  and ends up causing a great restoration as a result of coming to believe for others.  

God sees us not as we are, but as we will be.  That hope draws us towards Him in conversion, and beyond; helping us live life  to the full, and sing to Him as He sings to us. Its that hope that changes lives. 

Thanks Joey, Matt and Mark!

....the greatest amount of glory shines

God tends to speak redundantly, because we forget, don't hear and because he wants to make sure we get it.   Recently, one thing that has gotten lots of airtime from a brother named Tim, my pastor and all sorts of reminders that  "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".  This is the mission of John Piper....restoration.  A short 2 min vid about why how you can bring glory to God.  If that is your mission in life, you will not be disappointed.

John Piper


"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him" does mean that those who refuse to be satisfied in him and those who do seek their satisfaction in him happen globally or historically in such a way that the greatest amount of glory shines.

Mercy shines, wrath shines, justice shines, patience shines, grace shines—the totality of the rainbow of God's perfections shines most brightly because there are some who refuse to be satisfied, thus calling forth his wrath, and there are some who glut their satisfaction on him, calling forth his grace and glory. "

Legalists beware!

John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. "

Psalm 51:12  "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit"

Proverbs 12:20 "Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy"

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation

Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people:



Philipians 4:4  "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice"

1John 1-4 "and these things we write, that our joy may be made full"

 James 1:2-3 " Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience."

1Thes 5:16-18  "Rejoice always;pray without ceasing;in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
 
Col 1:11 "...strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy"

Gal 5:22  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness"


John 16:24  "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

Matt 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."

Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

What if Esther was not in the bible?

My personal answer?

Esther 4:14-16
Uncle Mordicai asks "Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?  Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 

.....Esther

If I must die, I must die.  Why would someone say such a thing?   They see their life as a small part of a big story.  Where else do we see such a sudden, self-endangering choice that could be avoided by queen of a massive empire.   Where else do we see the tapestry of a plot that leads to such an inescapable choice for someone who sees the story. 

Do I see the story?  Not yet.....there is a faith in His story, but one day I will also see the story.

Do you see yours?