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Living Hope That Drives

January 21, 2015 by jbrianhill

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 . . .

Posted in Formation, Hope, Motivational | Tagged | 1 Comment »

The Biggest Crisis of the Church Today

January 19, 2015 by jbrianhill

This past week, a friend asked me a very difficult but insightful question, “What is the biggest issue or crisis the church faces today?”  I did not have to think too long about my response.  Not because it is an easy question but because I have been wrestling with it for quite some time.

There are so many issues facing the church today – immigration, abortion, homosexuality, denominational bias and in-fighting.  But over the past few months, I have come to believe the greatest crisis we face today is perceived irrelevance.  The world does not see a need for the church – the body of Christ serves little or no purpose in the world in a growing percentage of minds around the globe.

Is it possible that post-modernity ushered in post-christianity?  When culture accepts the lie that there is no absolute truth, where does that leave the church?  The answer – – it leaves the church in a state of perceived irrelevance.  A culture that does not value truth sees no need for a system of organized beliefs.

We should not be surprised by the state in which we find ourselves as evangelical Christ followers.  What troubles me though is putting my finger on how we got here.  And more importantly, where do we go from here?

These are mammoth issues with no easy answers but I think complacency has something to do with how we got into this mess.  We have become too comfortable over the years.  All the years that church involvement was the social norm lulled us to sleep.  We did not have to work at reaching people and sharing the hope of Jesus – they were coming to us.  But regardless of whether you agree with my thoughts, the real issue is what do we do about it?

I believe that the first thing we should do in any situation where we face struggles is to seek God fully.  2 Chronicles 20 tells of a king named Jehoshaphat who, when faced with opposing armies coming at them from all directions, gathered the people together and in the presence of all gathered prayed to God.  And here is key point to his prayer: “We don’t know what to do but our eyes are on you.”  Maybe, when we find ourselves facing situations, we should whisper this prayer.

The church is not irrelevant.  It is God’s plan for communicating the hope of salvation to a world with no hope.  The church must continually be finding ways to share God’s truth in relevant ways.  The truth never changes but the way we share it must remain relevant.

As overwhelming as all this sounds, I have to be honest – it invigorates me.  God calls us to partner with him to reach our world and we have been gifted with talents and passions that, when used for the Kingdom, bring life and hope.  We can make a difference in our world.  We can affect change in the situation in which we find ourselves – – but not by our power and skill.  We are able to have impact because the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.  (1 John 4:4)

God is still in control.

Will we be faithful?

Posted in Church, Community, Hope, Leadership | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

Lasting Effect

January 15, 2015 by jbrianhill

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!

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Community In the Dark

January 12, 2015 by jbrianhill

Closed sign

Last week I met a friend for breakfast and I encountered an interesting phenomenon.  We were to meet at 6:30 at a local restaurant.  I arrived a few minutes early thinking that I could have a little time to think and pray.  As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed the lot was practically full of vehicles but the lights to the restaurant were not on.  Thinking that strange, I gathered my things and headed to the door.  On the door, the hours of operation were posted – opening at 6:30, but I could see through the glass door and all the windows that there were people at 4 different tables inside, sitting in the dark.

Being the curious person that I am, I entered the restaurant, found a table by the light coming from the fountain drink machine and began to observe.  All the patrons were drinking coffee and talking as if this were a normal day.  Occasionally, one of the men would get up, go to the coffee pot and make the rounds refilling cups.   At 6:30, the owner came out of the kitchen and turned on the lights, then went right back to the kitchen.

Once the customary restaurant operations began, I asked the waitress (who also happened to be the owner) about what I had just witnessed.  Her basic response was that she arrived everyday a little before 6 and put the coffee on, unlocked the door and people began showing up to drink coffee and talk.  But she did not allow the lights to be turned on because that would communicate to the passersby that the restaurant was open for business.

As I have reflected on that odd experience, it has reminded me of the importance of community.  We were created for relationships – for community.  We need one another.

These patrons were willing to sit in the dark in order to have community.  Could they wait until 6:30 to have community?  Certainly I would think so.  But they found a place that would allow them to gather and they take advantage of it each morning – even if it means sitting in the dark.

All of us need community.  Unfortunately, many never turn to the church for those relationships – they turn to coffee shops and bars to fill the need.  And the question I have to ask is, “Why?”  Shouldn’t the church be the one place people can find genuine community?  Shouldn’t people feel welcome with God’s people?

I realize the topic is not as simple as I make it sound.  Some don’t feel comfortable in church because they know the values upheld by the church and they have no intention of living by those values.  But even given that reality, shouldn’t the church strive to remind people that none of us are perfect and we all need one another to make it through the day?

I would suggest that the patrons in the restaurant, sitting in the dark to have community, are experiencing both a literal and figurative mere shadow of what genuine community should be.  Church should be the real deal because Jesus should be part of it.

Something to think about on this day.

Be blessed!

Posted in Church, Community, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Expect More In 2015

January 6, 2015 by jbrianhill

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!

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Resolutions That Are More Than Good Intentions

January 2, 2015 by jbrianhill

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!

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope | Leave a Comment »

A New Year of Possibilities

January 1, 2015 by jbrianhill

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

December 17, 2014 by jbrianhill

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

December 3, 2014 by jbrianhill

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!

Posted in Church, Community, Formation, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Do the Simple Things First

December 1, 2014 by jbrianhill

It is official.  We have moved past Thanksgiving and are now in the midst of the Christmas season.  Many have been in Christmas mode for weeks but I am one of those that does not want to short-change Thanksgiving by rushing past it too quickly.  So I am just now letting my thoughts move to Christmas.

As we begin this season together, let me offer one observation that I believe will make a huge difference in the season for us.  Do the simple things first.

We tend to rush to party planning, gift purchasing, sale catching and calendar juggling right off the bat.  Our minds (and the rest of us) get pulled into a completely different state and it is very easy to lose our focus on the reality that God became human in order to reach out to us and offer us deliverance.  We fall into the rat race and before we look up, we have survived another Christmas and its time to figure out how to pay for it.

Let me offer an age old tip to preventing this kind of Christmas season – do the simple things first.

  • Slow down
  • Spend time with God
  • Read scripture
  • Pray

Jesus said that when we do the simple things first – when we truly seek God and his righteousness – the rest of life will take care of itself.  When our focus is on Jesus as the light of the world and the savior of our lives, all the things that would normally overwhelm us take on new meaning or we realize they make no difference at all – either way, we will approach those things with the right attitude.

This Christmas season, don’t survive it – really live it.  And do that by doing the simple things first.

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