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Archive for the ‘Formation’ Category

Slow Down and Listen

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on January 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Each morning, I have roughly a thirty minute commute to work. While there are days I wish I could be to the office quicker, most days I use the time in prayer and meditating on the day ahead – a prayer drive.  It continues to be a beneficial time for me because I know the minute I hit the office, it will be pretty much non-stop until time to go home.

This morning, during my prayer drive I found myself praying when something hit me.  The past few weeks, we have had a lot going on.  As a family we have been facing some pretty big decisions and so I caught myself praying “at God” this morning.  I was firing off all these things I need from God – direction, peace, clarity – when I had a sense that God was telling me, “slow down and listen.”

I must be honest, that was not the first time I have heard that same instruction from God.  I tend to be a type A, get it done personality and find myself doing all the talking when I pray most of the time.  But I have to remind myself that prayer is more than airing a laundry list of needs and desires with an expectation that God’s primary role in creation is sitting patiently listening to my needs and then fulfilling them.  Prayer is a two way line of communication.  But if we fail to slow down and listen, we have made prayer something else.

So today, will you listen?  Not that you do not need to share your heart with God – but will you then allow God to share his heart with you?

It takes discipline and practice – but it is necessary as we seek to become more like the master each day.

Slow down . . . Listen.

Be blessed.

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Go Ahead and Knock

Posted in Formation, Hope on January 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

This morning, the verse of the day on Bible Gateway was Matthew 7:7-8 – a very familiar passage.  When I was younger, we sang these words in a song.  I memorized these verses as a child and have been back to them in my personal journey all my life.

But this morning, as a I meditated on Jesus’ words in these two verses, I began to see them in a different light.  Here is what Jesus said:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

The thought hit me, rather than seeing these three examples of seeking God as Jesus simply restating the same action, what if we look at Jesus’ words as a progression toward spiritual maturity.  

At the first stage, we are just curious.  We make some inquiries about God and what God might be up to in the world.  As we gain answers to those questions, we determine to pursue it further.  We make an intentional decision to put some effort into investigating – we now have skin in the game – we become more invested.  Our seeking reveals the truth that caught our attention and peaked our curiosity that began this process.  But now, we are faced with the truth we have sought out and we must decide what to do with it.  At that point, we have to have the courage to follow through – to actually put ourselves out there and risk – we have to actually “knock.”

As we progress along The Way, we will be faced with things about God and this journey that we are on that grab our interest.  Those things will move us to seek out new or renewed truth.  But we have not arrived just because we have been exposed to that truth.  We have to do something with it – we have to step out and follow through – we have to begin to live it.

Don’t just ask today.  And don’t stop short by simply seeking.  Follow through.

Be blessed!

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Living Hope That Drives

Posted in Formation, Hope, Motivational, tagged on January 21, 2015| 1 Comment »

This evening, we will begin a Bible study working through the letter of 1 Peter.  So this morning, I decided to look back over the first 12 verses of chapter 1.  We most likely won’t get through it all in one sitting.  In fact, we could spend several sessions just giving a background of the man Peter.  But as I sit with my coffee, I get to verse 3 and I pause, letting the idea of a living hope surround me like the smell of the brewing coffee coming from behind the counter.

I sip my coffee and watch people come in and go out of Starbucks, and I wonder . . .

Does that guy have a living hope?  Does the young lady in scrubs, grabbing a coffee before heading to the hospital have a hope that is alive and will drive her day?  Do the two DPS troopers sitting at the table next to me know that even in the midst of all the bad things they will see today, God is bigger than the evil of this world and that fact offers hope?

Peter’s words in verse 3 say: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead . . .”  A living hope.

The Reformation Study Bible defines hope this way: In the Bible, hope is not uncertainty or wishful thinking, but a confident expectation of future blessing based on facts and promises.  I find this understanding of hope extremely meaningful.  Hope is not some fanciful wish that my life will somehow become perfect – no struggles, no stress.  It is not a childish belief that all my problems will be magically removed.

Rather it is a “confident expectation” that God is really who God claims to be and that God will hold true to the promises of his word.  It is not a wish or half-hearted belief that God might be God and I am going to hedge my bets and put a little trust in God just in case scripture is true.  Hope is knowing God is in control and God has a plan – and not just any plan but a plan that includes a meaningful life for you.  Jesus does not promise a life without problems but he does promise a life of fulfillment when we truly follow him on a daily basis (John 10:10).

I don’t know about you, but that is the kind of hope I want – a confident expectation that God is who God says he is.  A hope that truly transforms my attitude and drives my actions each and every day.

Is that the hope you have?  I wonder . . .

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Lasting Effect

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, Uncategorized on January 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

If you follow the church calendar, this coming Sunday is the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.  We have made it through Advent and it is not yet time to experience Lent (which starts next month with Ash Wednesday).  So now we find ourselves in the midst of ordinary time.  One of this Sunday’s scripture readings comes from 1 Samuel 3.

As I was reading this week, I read the 1 Samuel passage (you can read it for yourself here).  It is the story of God’s calling Samuel as a boy.  One evening God called out to Samuel three times.  Each time God called to Samuel, he assumed it was Eli calling from the other room.  So he made his way to Eli each time and each time Eli explained that he had not called out for Samuel.  Finally, by the third time, Eli realized that it must be God calling the boy.  So he instructed Samuel to return to his room and if God called him again to respond by saying, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

The passage tells us that God did call out to Samuel again and he responded as Eli had instructed.  And then the passage moves to a wonderfully descriptive summary of Samuel’s life calling and ministry.  Verse 19 summarizes the remainder of Samuel’s life by simply stating, “Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”  Some translations render that last phrase as “and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.”

As I read that summary I stopped in amazement.  I have heard this story from my childhood.  I have read it many times through the years and know the story of the rest of Samuel’s life, but I had never really thought about the weight of this one little verse.  In one sentence, the author states something that should be the goal of each of our lives.

Shouldn’t it be possible for our aspirations and passions to be summarized in such a way?  Could there be anything more concise?

As a pastor, my desire should be that God be with me all my days and that everything I do and say have lasting impact.

God, may it be so!

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Expect More In 2015

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on January 6, 2015| Leave a Comment »

2015 is here and with it, the excitement of something new – a fresh start, a new year full of opportunity and possibility.

But how long will that excitement last?  How long before the stress of the everyday wears you out?  How long before the negative occurrences of the world begin to stack up and weigh you down?  It will be easy to allow the mundane or the tragic to rob you of your plans and your passion.  It might even happen without you noticing – because it is subtle.  You may look up three months from now and wonder to yourself, “What happened to my good intentions?  Oh well, that is just how it goes.”  So you’ll shrug and acquiesce to the reality that this year is just like the one before.

I would like to offer a different alternative.  What if this year, we expect more?  What if we expect more of ourselves?  What if we expect more of others?  What if we expect more of God?

Marv Knox is the editor of the Texas Baptist weekly publication, the Baptist Standard.  My inspiration for this thought comes from him.  He suggested last week that life could be different for us in 2015 if we expect more.

Do you believe that God is capable of making a change in your life?  Do you believe God is willing to make a change?  Does your life reflect that belief?

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.  Some translations say “with boldness.”  The writer reminds us that we, as believers, can approach God with boldness, with confidence – with expectation.  Not because we deserve God’s action but because we believe God is a big God.

My challenge for you in 2015 is to make this a year in which you dare to expect more.  Dream big and expect God to move.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Be blessed!

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Resolutions That Are More Than Good Intentions

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on January 2, 2015| Leave a Comment »

2015

What will 2015 hold for us – for you?  What do you think God will do this year?  What will you do this year to make 2015 at least as memorable as 2014?

All over the world, people are making resolutions – and some have most likely already been broken.  We resolve to lose weight or live more healthily.  We resolve that we will work harder at being a better employee or spouse or parent.  Some of us might even resolve to make God a bigger part of our lives in the coming year.

The reality is, as worthy as each of these resolutions is, the majority of us won’t keep our commitments.  The good intentions solidified into an actual resolution will end up being just that, good intentions.  The result?  Another year, pretty much like last.

Now, before you get frustrated with my negativity, let me offer a simple thought that could make a difference in 2015 for you.

Instead of thinking about all the things you don’t like about yourself and your situation and resolving to change, ask yourself this question:  What are the desires God has for me this year?

In listing what you believe God wants for you this year, remember this criteria:

  1. God desperately wants a  relationship with you.
  2. Whatever you believe God’s desires for you to be – they must line up with scripture.

If you will consider what God would want 2015 to look like for you and do so with these two thoughts in mind, I think you will arrive at some healthy goals for 2015.

Goals are important.  When we aim for nothing we normally hit it.  So give it some thought.

God does love you and desires your fulfillment – just make sure you are looking for that fulfillment in the right place.

Be blessed!

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A New Year of Possibilities

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on January 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Here we are at the onset of a brand new year.  Call it sentimental, idealistic or simply psychological – but for me, standing here refreshes my soul and ignites my passion.  I see opportunity and adventure that comes with a new year.

Some may say, “January 1st is just another day like any other.”  I suppose that is true from a literal sense.  But for me, there is something exciting – even liberating and life-giving – about starting a new segment in time, a new leg of the journey.

Sometimes it might seem safer to hold on to the past and try and maintain what we see as comfortable.  Don’t get me wrong.  We need to remember the past – to reflect on it, celebrate it and learn from it.  The path before us is often harder to see if we don’t know where we are and where we have been.  So we look to the past as a reference, but we cannot dwell there.  Life demands that we press forward.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says this:

18 “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

The writer reminds us that we cannot get lost in the past, we have to keep looking forward. God is doing something new. The tone of the author is that we need to pay attention so that we don’t miss it.  Eugene Peterson in The Message translates this idea like this: “Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” He may have taken a bit of liberty with the text but I think he nailed the intent.  

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the past and take a passive attitude toward the future – as if the future is what is going to happen to us.  The writer of Isaiah reminds us that God is at work doing something fresh and new and we need to pay attention so that we can be actively involved in what is happening.

2015 is here.  We stand on the shore of a vast sea of possibility.  God is already at work creating something new and we are invited to join in.  Don’t miss it because you are too busy looking at the past.

How will you approach this opportunity?

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Accessible To Even Me

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on December 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

We are just a week away from one of the biggest holidays and celebrations on the American calendar – in fact, on most calendars around the world.  It is a day we celebrate giving.  A day we celebrate hope.  A day we gather with family.

But is it a day we truly celebrate the coming of God to earth?

We have set this day aside on our calendars to create space in our busy lives to stop and remember but I wonder if we – if I – really grasp the significance of it all?

Luke tells the story of Jesus’ birth.  The very son of God was born to a lowly family, in a scandalous manner and in deplorable conditions.  He was not born in a palace in plush conditions.  His first bed was a feed trough.

As I have meditated on this fact, I have asked the question, “Why did the son of God come to earth in this way?”  And why was his birth first announced to a bunch of social outcasts like shepherds instead of being proclaimed to the religious leaders of the time?

What I believe is that the son of God came to earth in this manner to let us know that he is accessible.  Regardless of how messed up I am – how sinful and selfish – he is still offering salvation to even me.  I don’t have to achieve some level of holiness in order to “qualify” for his grace.

Nor do you!

Praise God that he has made a way for us to relate!

Thank you Jesus for loving us that much!

Brian

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Agents of Transformation

Posted in Church, Community, Formation, Hope on December 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I try not to use this platform as a tool to promote a program or bring attention to our church in a self-serving manner.  My heart in what you will find in my ramblings here is to always point people to a deeper walk with Jesus.

But today, as we move toward Christmas and the celebration of Jesus’ Advent, my mind turns to the world and its need for a savior.  With all the turmoil in our world – war, drugs, human trafficking, abuse, fear – we see need in every direction.  But at the heart of alleviating the turmoil is Jesus.

People need Jesus.

People will see Jesus in us.

But will the Jesus they see be a true representation of who he is?

This morning, our church will gather at the parking lot of the football stadium and give away food to 200 families.  We do this every month, but today, each family will get more food than normal – a lot more.

But the real beauty of what will happen this morning does not stop at the food that will be given away, the real meaning today will come in the conversations and prayer – the sharing of compassion with the people of our community who have landed on hard times.  Today, our church has the opportunity to be agents of transformation and hope in a very concrete way.

I have to tell you – I can’t wait to see what God is going to do!

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More Than a Feeling – It’s a Lifestyle

Posted in Community, Formation, Motivational on November 24, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Here we are at the beginning of Thanksgiving week.  This week most of us will celebrate family, football and food – lots of food.  It will be a glorious time to reconnect with family and catch up.  When we are around our loved ones we are often reminded of our heritage and how truly blessed we are with family.

It is good that we set aside time during the year to consider our blessings.  It is very easy to get pulled into the daily routine that is our life and fail to see how blessed we really are – so setting aside time to remember is a good thing.

But I want to give you something to think about this week as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Being thankful should be more than a feeling and certainly more than a holiday once per year where we stop for a few minutes before devouring turkey and dressing, and all the other things that come with a Thanksgiving meal, and offer a quick prayer of thanks.

When we consider what God has done for us, we should be filled with awe and gratitude.  This thankfulness should be so ingrained in who we are that it drives our lifestyle – our decisions and actions.  Being thankful – really thankful – should affect the way we live, not just give us pause one day per year.

So as you are gathering around a bountiful table with friends and family this week, think about how being thankful should be a part of who we are next week as well.

Give thanks!

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