What are they running from?

Last week, while on vacation at the beach, I had the chance to watch an interesting sight and have some fun while doing so. We were regularly watching these small fish jumping out of the water near where we were playing in the ocean. I couldn't resist the opportunity to mess with my family, so of course I said something that caused my family to take notice. I said, in a serious dad-type of way, "That's not normal. Fish don't just jump out of the water like that unless their being chased by something. I wonder what they're running from?" Of course the boys start edging towards the beach (and to sell it I did too). Having been in the ocean near a shark 20 years ago, and having told the story to my boys, they don't doubt me (yet) when I say stuff like this. Nevertheless, we did see these fish jumping in the water for reasons known only to them.

When we find ourselves running from God we do some pretty dumb things. We react like a fish jumping out of the water when there is no predator around. We try to avoid God, like that could ever happen (just ask Jonah). We stop reading the Bible and stop spending time in prayer. We may even avoid church or friends that we know go to church. But why? What are we running from? We are running from a God who loves us and wants only the best for us. We are running from a God who is intimately involved and personally invested in our lives. We are running from grace and mercy that are far better than anything this world has to offer. Instead of running from God, especially when we feel unworthy because of sin in our life, we should instead run to Him. We should run headlong into the arms of the one who loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for us. So if today you find yourself running away from God, then take that difficult first step in the opposite direction and start the short run back to Him. He'll welcome you back with open arms, abundant love, more than sufficient grace, and mercy beyond belief.

Sorry for the short hiatus in posting. As of late ministry and life made it difficult to find time to post. Mondays will be the norm going forward. So be sure to check back each Monday for a new post.

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Consider the Perspective

Yesterday I spent much of my day in a hospital room in Asheville. I sat in that room waiting on a member of our church to be discharged so I could drive them home. As we sat in that room, I spent much of my time sending emails and texts to stay caught up on my work. My church member spent the time listening to Tennessee Ernie Ford singing hymns on TV and occasionally glancing out the window at the view. When I first walked into the room I noticed the view and took a good long look at it. Off in the distance you could see a beautiful mountain backdrop like you would expect in Asheville. On this day though the rain clouds going by sometimes hid the tops of the mountains but that didn't diminish the beauty of the view.

From my perspective the view was something similar to what I've enjoyed on numerous hiking trips with my boys. I would almost say I took it for granted. From my church member's perspective, I felt it was a glorious revelation of the majesty of God. Listening to those beautiful old hymns that praise and glorify our God, while viewing a beautiful landscape, surely gave that church member a moment of heartfelt worship with God.

Worship of God can be much like our view yesterday. We can sit in church, listen to the same songs and sermon, and yet our perspective can be completely different than someone less than 10 feet from us. From what I've observed in life, you see a picture of newer and experienced Christians in that hospital room yesterday. One of us, like a new Christian, had basically been given a changed heart. To my church member the songs had a new meaning and the view of God's glory took on a whole new perspective. One of us, like a more experienced Christian, saw the same view and heard the same songs, but they had a different meaning. Yes the songs resonated in the heart and the view still revealed the majesty of God. But the context of the person listening and seeing determines the worship experience.

As we develop in our faith, our worship often times takes on a different feel. Do we still want to worship God because of the salvation He's given us? Yes we do. Do we worship in the same style or the same form? Maybe. Maybe not. But the important thing that needs to be consistent, regardless of our perspective is that God is worshiped from our heart. We don't do it to show off. We don't do it because it's expected. We do it because He is God and He alone is worthy of our worship. Regardless of your current perspective on worship, God is still God and we should worship Him as such.

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Lead by Example

Last fall my son Cooper played football for a local optimist team. When they started practicing I noticed something about Cooper's work ethic when it came to practice. They would normally stretch out and then run two laps around the perimeter of the field. With Cooper being taller than all the other kids on his team (and 99% of the league) I was surprised that his size didn't translate into a first place finish on the two laps they ran after warming up. After a few practices I really started paying attention to the situation and the reason for him not coming in first place made me proud.

Misty and I have taught the boys from a young age that they need to be leaders in all they do rather than being followers. We've taught them that whether it's sports, school or church, they need to use the gifts God has given them to be leaders in every aspect of life. We've told them the reason they have to lead effectively is because others will follow them and they need to lead in the right way. When I started watching Cooper run I noticed that all but one other kid would cut the corners of the field and with each corner gain a sizable lead on Cooper. He was precise in his corners. He had a laser focus until he reached the corner and didn't cut the least bit of the corner. The one kid following him stayed right behind Cooper. Cooper was bummed because he wasn't coming in first but I told him not to worry about it because he was doing the right thing and he would be stronger for going the extra distance others weren't willing to go. The more laps they ran the more followers Cooper had on the outer corners. Eventually the coaches took notice of Cooper, told all the kids to follow Cooper, and because of his hard work, Cooper was made team Captain.

When it comes to every aspect of life we need to be prepared to lead and lead by example. We garner no respect from our fellow believers, employees, or family members if all we do is direct and command them instead of leading them. The greatest example we could ever hope to see on this matter comes to us from John 13. This is where we see Jesus leading by example. During His final meal with His disciples, Jesus takes time to wash the feet of the disciples. This task was a servant's job and Jesus being a renown teacher and prophet He should never have done this task. But Jesus leads the disciples here by setting the example of how to be a servant to their fellow man. In verse 15 Jesus even says, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (NIV). If we want to effectively lead in every aspect of our life then we need to follow Jesus' example and lead by example. When we do others will follow. Employees will be motivated. Our family will be inspired. And other believers will be encouraged.

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7 Signs You're "Judging" Others

I recently read a blog post by the popular pastor and author J.D. Greear. It definitely gives the believer who wants to grow in their faith some tools to ensure they aren't judging others. I wanted to share the link to it here so others can benefit from the wisdom found in his post. Check it out here. I hope you are able to use it to grow in your faith.

To serve or not to serve...is there a question?

I recently had a conversation with a godly man who has a passion for serving God. Not only does he have a passion for serving God, but he does all he can to encourage others to do the same. Part of the conversation we had centered on the need for more believers in the church to be active in the missions and ministries of the church. There is a definite need for more believers to step up and take on roles of service in the church. There is an old statistic that is thrown around in churches, but it actually is a fairly good representation of what goes on in the church. The statistic is that 20% of the members do 80% of the work. It's a sad statistic but it is true nonetheless. With that many people sitting on the sidelines, is not serving in the work of the church an option?

The answer is a resounding no. Search the Bible and you will never find a place where God says, "If you are this type of person, you don't have to serve me" or "If you are this old, you can take it easy" or "Those who fall into this category are exempt from serving." There is only one class of Christians and they are all called to serve God. We serve God not out of obligation, but out of love for the salvation He has provided us. Although we don't serve out of obligation, God expects each believer to serve in the work of the Kingdom. Ephesians 4:12-13 tells us that God has gifted each of us "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (NIV). God would not have given us spiritual gifts for service if He did not expect us to serve Him. God has gifted us all in some way so that we can serve Him. When we do not serve God with our spiritual gifts, talents and natural abilities, then we are defying God's desire for us to serve. And going against God's will is never a good idea.

To serve or not to serve? Is there a question? No. My encouragement to you today is to seriously consider what areas of service you can take part in at your church. Once you decide, don't wait, act on it quickly and find out how to get involved. You'll never find the same kind of fulfillment in life that you will when you are serving God exactly where He need you to serve.

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Asking God Why

Yesterday I received a phone call from a family member who is battling a serious, and often times fatal, form of cancer. This family member received a really good report and it appears that God has nearly healed this person through the treatments and wisdom of doctors. God is definitely to be praised for this healing. I also know another person battling cancer. The cancer this person has is terminal and there aren't any treatment options. The family is constantly evaluating options for pain management and any changes in this person's condition. We would normally say this is a sad situation and not give a second thought to praising God for this type of situation. But here's the common denominator in both of these people other than the fact they have cancer and it is that they both are believers in Christ.

When we look at both of these situations we often wonder why God would allow such things to happen to God fearing people. How can this be the fate of people who have served Him faithfully and want to continue to do so? Why would God allow this to happen to people who want to make a difference in the world for Him? Why did He choose to heal one and not the other? Why?

Some say we shouldn't question God. I believe part of our relationship with God is being able to question Him, but with an understanding that we do it in a respectful way. We must realize though, that just because we ask the question doesn't mean we'll get an answer? When we ask the big question of "Why," we may have an answer in a few days or a few years. God may choose to wait until we are in heaven to reveal His answer to us. Whatever God chooses, we are at His mercy because He is the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe.

So ask your questions of God. Why did You allow that? How can this be for my good? When will You lift this burden? What will You do about my pain? And whether you get an answer right now or not follow the instructions in 1 Chronicles 16:8 that I shared with my family member before the test results were revealed yesterday. It says "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done" (NLT). Let the world know how great your God is and what situations in life He is seeing you through.

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Lessons Learned in VBS - Part 3

Today we'll finish looking at the 2 most important lessons we learn in VBS. (Sorry for not posting this on Friday but it's better late than never!)

2. To worship with child-like excitement.

If you have never watched the children at VBS during the worship rally then you have truly missed a blessing. There is nothing like watching these kids sing praises to God and dance around as they worship God. There is a purity and joy in their worship that is probably only outdone by the angels in heaven. But you watch the kids don’t watch the older ones like the teenagers because they are too cool to sing loudly and dance wildly. My favorite kids to watch are the preschoolers. Their exuberance makes you want to jump right in there with them even if you sing and dance as poorly as I do. Jesus tells us in Luke 18:16-17 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (NIV). When we come to faith in Christ we have to exercise child-like faith. But to worship God we ought to worship like a child, with joy in our heart and a purity of devotion that makes it all about God and nothing about us. 

The most important lesson ever taught in VBS is...

1. That Jesus loves you.

 The reason we do VBS is not to give kids a fun activity in the summer. We don’t do VBS so people will start attending our church or so we can brag about the number of kids we had at VBS. We do VBS so we can introduce children and hopefully their parents to a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s it. That is the only reason we do VBS. My wife learned about God’s love at VBS and then accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. Many people over the years have come to faith in Christ through VBS. That is why we teach God's love at VBS through the Bible Studies and the songs we sing. We teach the children what John 3:16 means. John 3:16 says “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” (NIV). We teach them how God loved them enough to allow Jesus to die in our place and that if we believe in Him we can have eternal life. We teach the children the simple message of the Gospel and we usually do that through the ABCs. We teach them first that God loves them but we’ve all done things that hurt God. We teach them that we must A - Admit to God that we are a sinner. We help them understand that we have all sinned and fell short of God’s standards. We teach them how they have to admit that they’ve sinned and to look for a way to have those sins forgiven. We then teach them that the only way to have those sins forgiven is by B - Believing in Jesus. We explain to them that if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross so we could have our sins forgiven, then all we have to do is ask for it & we’ll receive it. Finally we teach them C - Confess. We teach them to confess to God that they’re a sinner, that they need forgiveness of their sins, and to confess Jesus Christ as Lord. That is the message we teach and preach through Bible School. That is the whole reason we round up the volunteers, find the teachers and buy all the supplies. It’s so we can introduce children to a relationship with Christ that will alter their life forever. 

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Lessons Learned in VBS - Part 2

This week we're doing a "top" 8 of the lessons learned in VBS. Monday we looked at our first three lessons (you can check them out here). Here are the next three. Sorry for the delay. VBS and a funeral this week made posting on Wednesday impossible. So here we go.

5. To respect my country and my faith.

During VBS kids get their first taste of patriotism and respect for our country’s flag. Each night at VBS we salute and pledge allegiance to the American flag, along with the Christian Flag and the Bible. We hope they realize that without the brave men and women who served under the American flag, those who follow the Christian Flag and the Bible wouldn't be able to worship freely. By doing the pledges we teach our children the importance of national pride and appreciation for those who have fought to give us the religious freedoms we have here. 

4. To give an offering to God.

When I was growing up, we were always given some money to put in the plate when the offering plate was passed around. That is one of the joys of childhood, getting to put money in the offering plate whether it’s in worship or at VBS. Sometimes kids rob their piggy banks, search under couch cushions or ask mom and dad for some money to put in the offering at VBS. I spoke to a child just last week that said they were bringing all their money to give to the offering at VBS so their team could win the competition between boys and girls. Many of the kids who give to the offering at VBS are like the Macedonians that Paul spoke of in 2 Corinthians. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints” (NIV). Kids generally have no income and have to scrape, scrounge and scavenge for every penny they find. That makes their offering to God all the more special. We’re told in 1 Samuel 16 that God looks at the heart not the outward appearance of man. With God’s unique view of the hearts of these children's giving, we know He sees the joy and elation they get from giving to the offering. We as adults should view our opportunity to give to God with the same joy and excitement that we did when we were children. Instead of viewing it as we “have to” or that we need to “pay” our tithe we should be reminded of that child-like excitement when we have the chance to give. I realize the financial burdens of this life can rob us of the joy we had as a child but we can still have joy and be excited at knowing that God will do great things with our offering. 

3. Missions are important.

It was always exciting as a kid to have a real life missionary come share with our church about the work they were doing to tell people about Jesus in some distant land or jungle village.  During VBS we have a class where the kids learn about missions and missionaries around the world. This class helps to introduce kids to the importance of missions. For many kids this helps them see that this world is much bigger than the few miles they drive to school. This is where we help kids understand the primary objective of the church and that is to spread the gospel. Jesus tells us in Mark 16 that we are to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." This is the most important command Jesus ever gave us as believers and we teach it to our kids at VBS.

Friday we will end our series on Lessons Learned in VBS with our final two lessons.

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Lessons Learned in VBS - Part 1

Sunday I preached a message on the lessons we learn in VBS as children. It was titled All I need to know about life I learned in VBS. With our church, and many others in the community, doing VBS this week I thought it might be good to share those lessons in this week's posts. I'll share 3 today, 3 Wednesday and the final 2 on Friday. We'll do this in a "top" 8 fashion and build up to the number one lesson we learn in VBS. So here goes.

8. Man does not live on vanilla cream cookies and juice alone!

When I was growing up my great-grandmother and a few of her friends faithfully served cookies and a small cup of juice, year after year to the kids in VBS. Snack time was a great break in the middle of VBS that gave us a chance to recharge our batteries after recreation. But what we learned in VBS about nourishment came more from our lessons than the snacks we ate. Especially when we learned that Jesus said "Man does not live on bread alone.” in Luke 4:4 (NIV). The lesson we learned in VBS is that there is something much more satisfying to our souls than a couple of cookies and a cup of fruit punch. That satisfaction comes through a relationship with Christ.

7. It’s okay to be messy when making art!

One of the more dangerous jobs at VBS is working in crafts. The reason being you have kids working with glue, paint, and at times scissors. Our theme this year is the secret agent theme from Lifeway. To work in crafts at VBS, following that theme, you have to be as quick on your feet as a secret agent like James Bond. Sometimes the artwork does get to be messy when you do finger paints or something like that. When we let the kids do something a little messy like that, it’s a reminder that life is messy but there is Someone larger than us who is willing to help us clean up our messes. God is always there to help us.

6. Games are more fun in 95 degree heat!

Kids can play dodgeball or tag at school in P.E. and be bored with it by the second week of school. Sometimes they're bored with it by the second day! When they play those games, and others, at VBS they take on a new level of excitement and interest. It may be that the kids are delusional from the heat, but games at VBS always seem to be more fun. The lesson learned here is that church isn't boring and dull, but can be fun and exciting.

Wednesday we'll share other lessons learned in VBS.

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Some things are universal, even in the church.

"After the message we congregated like our own church in the States does after church, simply talking & sharing with each other. I guess somethings are common in church life all across the world."

A year ago today I returned from a 9 day mission trip to Honduras. Earlier this week I re-read the journal I kept during the trip. I read the statement above and it reminded me of how universal some things are, especially when it comes to matters of faith. In the instance referenced above, I preached in a "church" under three beautiful mango trees in southeast Honduras. The lady who's property the church met on, was constantly running dogs out of the "service." It was hot and the sweat was rolling. But once the service was over, everyone just stood around and talked and had a good time. We talked about putting together a community game between us (the U.S.) and the locals (Honduras). We talked about the work we were doing on the house and VBS. We shared and they shared. While talking about basketball, I even playfully jumped completely over a standing kid who had scored a goal on me in soccer the day before. We truly had a great time of fellowship.

What we found out that day in Honduras was that worship of God, fellowship and many other things are universal in the church. The diversity and uniqueness of each church (and individual believers) adds to the flavor and vitality of the church. If God wanted us to all be the same, act the same and worship the same then He would have created us as robots and never given us freewill. Instead we should embrace the differences among churches and ourselves when it comes to the uniqueness and similarities that we find. We should always be willing to embrace different ways of doing things because we never know if we will like it until we do. The things that should remain the same are the teaching of God's truths from His Word and the worship of God. As long as we have those two parts down pat, then church can be universal and can be diverse all at the same time.

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