Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Formation’ Category

Daring Humility

Posted in Formation, Grace, Leadership on February 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

One of the books I am reading right now is titled, Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith, by Shane Hipps.  In this book, Hipps spends a chapter discussing how our perception often shapes our reality.  In fact, if the truth be told, we build our lives around what believe to be true.  And of course, that is how it should be.

But what happens when we realize that some element we have always believed to be true turns out to be false?

Stay with me – I promise I am not out in left field.  But here is what I want us to see today – we should live our lives built on the truth as best we understand it.  But when our understanding of truth becomes an arrogant certainty, we have gone too far.

Hipps uses a great phrase to remind us of where we stand with this issue of holding our ground when it comes to our beliefs:  daring humility.  He says this:

Daring humility is honest enough to admit that we see things in a mirror dimly, and bold enough to live a life of deep conviction anyway.

While we need to admit we do not have all the answers, we need to hold fast to what we believe.

Practice daring humility today!

Read Full Post »

Successful vs. Faithful

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace, Motivational on February 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, I was reminded of a vital truth that we all need to remember if we are seeking to follow in the Way.  Western culture is results driven.  You and I, if you live in the US particularly, are products of this culture.

We are not satisfied if we don’t see results from our efforts.  When we commit time and energy to something, we want to know it counted for something.  I always tell those who participate in mission trips that we may never see the fruits of our labor.  But we are not naturally conditioned by our culture to live that way.

Here is the truth for today: God does not expect us to be “successful” but God does expect us to be faithful.

Yesterday, I was leaving a local store after picking up some things for the church.  I followed a lady out who had a big bag of Ole’ Roy dog food in her electric scooter basket.  So I followed her to her car and offered to put her items in the car for her.  After loading her things, I said, “have a nice day,” and she said, “thank you.”  I walked away and she went about her day.

I did not hear an angelic chorus and the lady did not fall to her knees and begin to worship God.  It was just a simple act with no real apparent impact.  But that is the point, God does not expect us to be concerned with results – God just wants us to simply live in service to God and others.

Be faithful today – even in the small things.

Read Full Post »

Do Not Persist in Unbelief

Posted in Formation, Hope on February 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes I am pretty thick headed – just ask my family.  I am also fairly driven by a type A personality – I need to get things done to have a sense of accomplishment.

Do you have any of these tendencies?

The reason I bring it up today is that God has been teaching me that my times in prayer and reading each day should not be about checking things off the list.

If you have been following my ramblings here in this blog for very long, you may remember that I have been in the book of Romans for a couple of years.  I don’t read it every day, some days I focus my reading in other books of the Bible, but inevitably, my goal is to make it through the book of Romans.

Here is why it is taking me so long – some days, like today, God stops me and says, “don’t leave that verse until you get it.”  Yesterday, I read Romans 11:22-24 (you can read it here).  Today as I sat to pray and read, I opened my Bible back up to Romans with the intention of beginning with verse 25.  I had an overwhelming sense that I should not read today, but rather simply pray.  As I prayed, I kept reflecting back to a phrase in Romans 11:23 from yesterday, “if they do not persist in unbelief.”

We say that we trust God – but do we really?  With everything?  Or do we set out each day to get things done and then ask God to bless our actions?

I still have a tendency to want to control things and make things happen but God wants me to simply rest in this belief and to trust:  God is in control.

God is going to do something amazing today!   Do you believe that – or do you persist in unbelief?

Read Full Post »

Living in the Light

Posted in Family, Formation, Humor on February 1, 2010| 1 Comment »

When you have three kids, the word schedule becomes an illusive term.  When they were born, the word schedule meant that there were times to feed and times to sleep and times to play.  Now that they are older, those elements still exist, but it is harder to keep them tied to any particular schedule.  In fact, it seems to change from season to season and sport to sport.

We are currently in basketball season.  As such, because of the age of the kids, two of the boys have practice before school.  So that makes for some early mornings.  I normally take the boys to school so that means getting up and getting ready for the day in the dark so as not to wake Kristi.

This morning  I got up and made my way to the boys’ rooms to make sure they were up and getting ready.  Their lights were on and so my eyes adjusted to the brightness of morning.  But as I made my way back through the house to my room, my eyes were having trouble re-adjusting to the dark.  As I walked through our bedroom toward our bathroom I headed to where the door has been for the last seven plus years.  But because my eyes were not adjusted to the dark,  I navigated right into the wall – missed the opening by a foot!

(Kristi, if the thud of my head on the wall woke you, I apologize – but don’t panic, I’m fine.)

I am reminded that living in the light is so much better (and often less painful but not always) than living in the dark.  The contrast between light and dark is a  major theme in the Bible.  In fact, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  You can read it here.  Jesus came to give us light – to show us how to live.  Without him, we would most likely be running into walls all the time.

Seek to live in the light today!

Read Full Post »

Who Do You Doubt?

Posted in Formation, Hope, Leadership on January 28, 2010| 1 Comment »

We are into our second week of the study, “In The Dust of the Rabbi,” on Wednesday nights.  Last night we had a good bit of discussion around one particular Bible story.  You can read the story here.

The setting was the Sea of Galilee and the disciples in a boat, caught in a storm.  Jesus came walking along as if this was a normal thing and said something to the effect, “Hey guys, what’s up?”  Well, something like that.

When the disciples figured out who was out on the water, Peter wanted to join him.  He asked Jesus to call him out of the boat.  Jesus did and so Peter stepped out on the water – not in the water, on the water – he was doing it!

The problem came when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused his attention on the waves and wind.  He began to sink and called out to Jesus to save him.  I have written about this story before – you can read that post here – but today, the point I want to make is a little different.

What was Jesus’ response when Peter called out for Jesus to save him?  “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  Now I have always read this story and thought, “Peter was doubting Jesus.”  But think about it.  Was Peter really doubting Jesus?

Jesus was still standing on the water – he wasn’t sinking!  So why would he be doubting Jesus if Jesus is still standing there?  I think he was doubting himself and the calling Jesus gave him to step out of the boat.  I don’t think it was an accident that the disciple in this story is Peter – the bold one.

Jesus used this experience to illustrate the importance of being bold in our faith.  If Jesus has called each of us to follow him (and he has) then why should we doubt?  Jesus is still standing!

Jesus has a plan for each of us – it is his plan – it can’t fail.  So be bold in the way you step out of the boat today – or do you still doubt?

Read Full Post »

Follow the Leader

Posted in Community, Formation, Leadership on January 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »

As  a minister, it is not uncommon for a children’s class to do some project to show their appreciation for the church staff.  Several years ago, one of our children’s classes did just that.  They made book marks from regular copy paper.  On the paper they wrote a verse and included some artwork along with a three word reminder.

It still hangs above my desk on my bulletin board.  The verse comes from Hebrews 13:7 and says, “Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you.  As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.”  Below the verse is a hand-drawn cross and the symbol of the fish.  Then below the multi-colored artwork is this phrase, “Follow the Leader.”

What a humbling reminder that children (adults as well) are watching what I do and how I live as a model for their own faith.  Knowing myself as I do, at times I want to say, “Don’t look to me.”  But I know that God planned the Christian community this way – to learn from and lean on one another.  I also realize that as a minister, for better or worse, I am more in the spot light than many.  So I am tremendously humbled.

But as I think about this reality today, I also know that who I want people to see in me is Jesus.  So while the children who made this bookmark for me were telling me that they are watching me so as to imitate my faith, I must always be watching Jesus to be able to imitate him.

Who are you watching today?

Follow the Leader!

Read Full Post »

In the Absence of God

Posted in Formation, Hope on January 26, 2010| 2 Comments »

Do you ever feel God is silent?

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit with a young man who is suffering.  He was visibly hurting, to the point of tears, so I approached him to offer a shoulder.  He relayed to me that his grandmother has been sent home to die of cancer.  Hospice has taken over and the only thing left is to wait for the inevitable.  On top of that devastation, his mother-in-law just learned that she may have cancer as well.  As I sat beside this broken young man, I had little to offer but an ear.  I did my best to console him and his wife.  I then knelt and prayed with them and went on my way.

I have been thinking a lot about suffering lately.  We all suffer from time to time.  Many of us have experienced deep emotional and spiritual pain.  I have been there and find myself there now.  Some of you may be with me in the midst of this kind of suffering today.  If you have never experienced a period in your life when you felt God was absent and silent, I pray you never do – it is agonizing.

But even in the midst of such pain and suffering, I know that God is at work.  I trust that God is in control.  No matter how abandoned I feel, I have to believe that God has a plan.  It is in times like this that we must press on.  Even in the hollowness of going through the motions, God wants us to be faithful and do what we know to do.

Jesus never told us that following him would be easy – simple maybe – but not easy.  Press on!  Have hope!  God is still in control.

Read Full Post »

A Soul That Pants

Posted in Formation, Hope on January 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Just how passionate are you about following Jesus.  Before you answer that question, remember that there is a cost to being a disciple.  I have written before about counting the costs of true discipleship – you can read that here.

As I said yesterday, Jesus isn’t looking for converts – Jesus is looking for people who are sold out for him.

In Psalm 42:1, the writer says this:  “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.”  Does your soul long for God?

Pray that God will make you thirsty today!

Read Full Post »

Jesus Isn’t Looking for Converts

Posted in Community, Formation, Motivational on January 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

Tonight I am beginning a study on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  We are going to look at several things over the next few weeks on Wednesday nights dealing with discipleship.  As I have been reading and preparing for this first session, something very startling has become very clear to me.  2000 years ago, Jesus was not looking for converts.  Jesus isn’t looking for converts today either.

The majority of those who proclaim to be believers stop short of what Jesus is really looking for in a follower.  Jesus’ ministry was centered around a group of 12 people.  Obviously he touched many thousands of people during his short 3 years on earth, but his most devoted followers were few – but that was just fine.  In fact, Jesus designed it that way.

You see, for Jesus’ mission to be carried out, he needed fully committed, passionate and disciplined followers.  Nominal followers would not have carried out his mission once he was gone.  He needed people he could entrust with the very plan of God.

Today is no different.  Jesus is not looking for mere converts.  Jesus is looking for committed, passionate and disciplined people to carry out his mission – people who are so focused on following and serving Jesus that nothing else will do.

Are you that person today?  Did you ever have that passion – that drive?  What happened?

If you are in the Levelland vicinity, stop by First Baptist Church tonight at 6:00 and join the conversation.

Read Full Post »

It’s a Big Ocean

Posted in Formation, Motivational on January 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I have to thank my wife for this post today.  I had always been a camping, hiking, hunting, mountain kind of guy before marrying her.  It did not take her long to get me to include the beach and the sun and the sand to my loves in life.

There is something spiritual about standing at the edge of the ocean.  The picture of the vastness of the sea makes me feel small.  My thoughts then turn to God, the creator of all that I see and I realize just how big God must be – and just how small I am in comparison.

I am reminded that the world does not revolve around me.  I am reminded that there is something bigger than my needs and desires.  I am refreshed in my commitment to live with a passion to please the creator.

How about you?  What makes you feel this way?

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »