new blog

Thanks for coming... but I'm blogging over here now: http://jesusbiz.com

God is crazy

I just wrote the following as an email to someone and decided I might as well post it here since I never update my blog anymore...


God is just crazy.

I mean, he loves me and you, so thats something.

Plus, its just crazy the way he works things out so perfectly.

Like the fact that I (a person who loves Business as Missions and reads about church leadership, movements, etc in my free time) am now working on connecting DaySpring (a Missional Business) and churches (churches!) in ways that are mutually beneficial with the goal of expanding God's Kingdom. I mean seriously, is he kidding. 

Its just more clear to me every day that God makes us a certain way to fulfill a certain purpose for him. And also that he puts certain things in our lives (people, events, hardships) that help us fulfill that purpose.

All we have to do is stop trying to fulfill our own plans and surrender to his! (much easier said than done. :) )

My prayer "...not as I will, but as you will..." (Matthew 26:39 - Gethsemane)

the baton

So, I've heard "Wait" for a long time.
This weekend I had a pretty cool encounter with God where he passed the baton to me and said "Run".

I'm glad I waited, because I'm not the best "runner" and would have fallen on my face and lost.
I'm already tripping up, but through God's grace I'm still standing, and running.

And the difference is I'm not running to win, I'm running so he'll win.
And he will win.

When I cross the finish line, he'll be my only prize and we'll celebrate together.

Closed Country

This is a guest post... enjoy!

-----------------------------

The Closed Country

There are places in our world where the name of Jesus Christ is not to be preached. These places are commonly referred to as "closed countries". To speak the name of Christ is forbidden by the government and rejected by the people. Many United States Christians fear to step into these places for a number of reasons. They may experience isolation from the love and fellowship they know and desire. It requires that they must leave the comfort of their home. They may not be fluent in the language and religion of the local people. Christians may see people dressed exotically or even inappropriately. Some may worry about the unknowns and unusual circumstances they may encounter. Their children may not grow up with even one Christian friend. Their children may be forced to forfeit a Christian education from a bible-trained scholar who teaches the foundations of the Christian religion. Sounds difficult?


“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
- Matthew 18:20

I look around and I feel as if I am only one Christ-follower in my closed country. Many United Stated Christians are fearful to enter my country. The government forbids me to speak the name of Jesus. The people here do not want my ways forced upon them. I have to wait for the few opportunities for God to open someone’s eyes to see and ears to hear. I do not speak the native language of half the people and I feel alone each day and long for a fellow believer to share my struggles.
I have seen the oppression of the demonic forces in this world and I have watched as they attack the innocent because they are weakest. The children of God are the minority here. They are not allowed to learn about the Bible from me and it is unlikely to find someone who will tell them.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
- Matthew 28:19-20

“I have made you a light for the nations, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
- Acts 13:47

Go. That command doesn’t require that you purchase a plane ticket to a far away land (although please do if you feel led!)
I am personally inviting you into my closed country. Please come and bring your children so that we can be two or more gathered in His name.
Don’t hide your light from the nations. Especially ours.

Sincerely,
Public School Teacher
Northwest Arkansas
United States of America
---------------------------------

I'm thankful God is so good and personal and that he leads each of us in the best way for our unique circumstances.
-Jesse

Identity

Below I've listed truths about what it means to be a Christian. Unfortunately, many Christians don't live this way or take these truths to heart and it is evident in our churches and our world.

I personally want to read and re-read these truths until I move past comprehension to application. I want to know it in my heart and show it in my life. So, I am going to try to read a few of these each day. Please join me in this if you'd like. Maybe print them out or bookmark this post and read a handful of them every day or every week. 

As you start to internalize these truths from God's word, they will absolutely change your life.

Each time you read them, you will be brought to worship, as you are reminded how great our God is.

This list is taken from Neil T. Anderson's "Victory over the Darkness".

(roll your mouse over the scripture references to see the text)

 

	John 1:12	I am God's child.
	John 15:15	As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
	Romans 5:1	I have been justified.
	1 Corinthians 6:17	I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
	1 Corinthians 6:19-20	I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
	1 Corinthians 12:27	I am a member of Christ's body.
	Ephesians 1:3-8	I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
	Colossians 1:13-14	I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
	Colossians 2:9-10	I am complete in Christ.
	Hebrews 4:14-16	I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
	Romans 8:1-2	I am free from condemnation.
	Romans 8:28	I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
	Romans 8:31-39	I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
	2 Corinthians 1:21-22	I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
	Colossians 3:1-4	I am hidden with Christ in God.
	Philippians 1:6	I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
	Philippians 3:20	I am a citizen of heaven.
	2 Timothy 1:7	I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
	1 John 5:18	I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.
	John 15:5	I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
	John 15:16	I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
	1 Corinthians 3:16	I am God's temple.
	2 Corinthians 5:17-21	I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
	Ephesians 2:6	I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
	Ephesians 2:10	I am God's workmanship.
	Ephesians 3:12	I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
	Philippians 4:13	I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Wow. Praise God. Seriously, how can you read these and not....

"The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity!"

(From Victory Over the Darkness , by Dr. Neil Anderson)

Shout out to Freedom in Christ Ministries for having these on their website when I Googled for them...

CH 3 - The Canon of Scripture, Part 2

(This is one post of a large series where I will copy down the key points of each chapter as I read through Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I will be copying many lines word-for-word and also shortening and summarizing some points in my own words. I hope that this can be useful for others as a quick reference but it is not meant to in any way substitute the personal study and investigation of the Bible and these important topics.)

B. The New Testament Canon

The writing of Scripture primarily occurs in connecting God's great acts in redemptive history.

Apostles are given the ability from the Holy Spirit to recall accurately the words and deeds of Jesus and to interpret them rightly for subsequent generations.

John 14:26

John 16:13-14

Those who have the office of apostle in the early church are seen to claim an authority equal to that of the Old Testament prophets, an authority to speak and write words that are God's very words.

2 Peter 3:2

Paul

1 Corinthians 2:9

1 Corinthians 2:13

1 Corinthians 14:37

Paul claims that his directives to the church at Corinth are no merely his own but a command of the Lord.

The apostles have the authority to write words that are God's own words, equal in truth status and authority to the words of the Old Testament Scriptures. They do this to record, interpret, and apply to the lives of believers the great truths about the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

We have most of the New Testament in the canon because of direct authorship by the apostles.

But 5 books, Mark, Luke, Acts, Hebrews, and Jude, were not written by apostles.

Mark, Luke and Acts were commonly acknowledged very early.

Probably because Paul was close with Luke, the author of Luke and Acts and Peter was close with Mark. Jude also had the virtue of his connection with James and the fact that he was the brother of Jesus.

The intrinsic qualities of Hebrews must have been a big part of convincing the early readers, as they continue to convince believers today, that whoever its human author may have been, its ultimate author can only have been God himself. The majestic glory of Christ shines forth from the pages of the epistle to the Hebrews so brightly that no believer who reads it seriously should ever want to question its place in the canon.

It shouldn't surprise us that the early church should have been able to recognize Hebrews and other writings, not written by apostles, as God's very words. Had not Jesus said "My sheep hear my voice" (John 10:27)?

It should NOT be though impossible that the early church would be able to use a combination of factors, including

-apostolic endorsement,

-consistency with the rest of Scripture,

-and the perception of a writing as "God-breathed" on the part of an overwhelming majority of believers,

to decide that a writing was in fact God's words and therefor worthy of inclusion in the canon.

In A.D. 367 the Thirty-ninth Paschal Letter of Athanasius contained an exact list of the twenty-seven New Testament books we have today. This was the list of books accepted by the churhes in the eastern part of the Mediterranean world. In A.D. 397, the Council of Carthage, representing the churches in the western part of the Mediterranean world, agreed with the eastern churches on the same list.

(The final part of CH 3 is coming soon....)

It's All About Jesus

The more we get to know God, the more we recognize him.

This may sound like an obvious statement, but it continues to blow my mind, every. single. day.

As I invest more of myself into my relationship with Jesus, I am beginning to see God and his unbelievable story in everything and everywhere.

Now, I'm still much like a child learning to ride his bike for the first time. I've still got training wheels on and I'm just so excited to see that when I pedal, the bike moves; and I'm not falling down... yet. I've got many miles ahead of me and hopefully I'll even cruise into the sunset on a Harley, but who knows- I might still be on training wheels.

So if you're still with me after that analogy, my point is that this post will not be completed today, or ever, because my understanding of God's hand on our world is still so small. While it increases every day, not until I am with him, will I really get it.

You know in the movies when a person can't get someone off of their mind? They see this person's face in the reflection of their sink, in the mirror, and on every body they walk by on the street. It's like this person is everywhere and they aren't going to be able to avoid them, no matter what they do.

This is kinda how Jesus has been for me lately, except in a less freaky way.

I can't hear a story, watch a movie, walk outside, talk to a friend, or even work without seeing Jesus in it all. Its quite ridiculous and incredible at the same time.

You might say to me, "He's obviously trying to get your attention and show you something".

And I would reply, "I think it's that he finally does have my attention, and that he's showing me everything... and how it's all about him."

Yes, he is trying to tell me something, he's ALWAYS telling me something. It's like a floodgate has been opened up and I'm drowning in him.

He says things like "You see those birds, I know them well, and 'you are more valuable than many sparrows,' and you see the way they are going about their lives joyfully playing as they gather food? You should do the same; live purposefully and joyfully always and in the very same moment, because they can and should coexist". And joy fills me and I praise him.

He'll say "You see that billboard, I know how many hairs are on that man's head".

And I'll praise him.

"You don't like the way that reality tv show ended, you don't think that person deserved to win?Well did you deserve salvation?" And I praise him because I don't, but he gave it anyway.

He says to me while I'm working "the key to success in that project is authentic relationships, just like an authentic relationship with me is the key to your spiritual life, and an authentic relationship with people is the key to evangelism and discipleship. Oh and by the way, do those 2 things well, Love me and Love others, and you'll be obeying my commands".

And I'm like "Woah, that's heavy and that's huge. I'm just writing an email here!!"

And he whispers in my ear... "Well, it's all about me. Even your emails."

And I praise him.

CH 3 - The Canon of Scripture, Part 1

(This is one post of a large series where I will copy down the key points of each chapter as I read through Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I will be copying many lines word-for-word and also shortening and summarizing some points in my own words. I hope that this can be useful for others as a quick reference but it is not meant to in any way substitute the personal study and investigation of the Bible and these important topics.)

What belongs in the Bible and and what does not belong?

Explanation and Scriptural Basis

The canon of Scripture is the list of all the books that belong in the Bible.

To add to or subtract from God's words would be to prevent God's people from obeying him fully.

Deuteronomy 4:2

If we trust and obey God absolutely we must have a collection of words that we are certain are God's own words to us.

A. The Old Testament Canon

The Ten Commandments form the beginning of the biblical canon.

Exodus 31:18

Exodus 32:16

The tablets were deposited in the ark of the covenant (Deut. 10:5) and constituted the terms of the covenant between God and his people.

This collection of absolutely authoritative words from God grew in size throughout the time of Israel's history.

Moses wrote books of the Bible, first four and Deuteronomy.

Joshua also aded to the collection of written words of God.

Joshua 24:26

God must have authorized Joshua to add to the written words like this.

Later, others in Israel, usually those who fulfilled the office of prophet, wrote additional words from God.

1 Samuel 10:25

1 Chronicles 29:29

2 Chronicles 20:34

2 Chronicles 26:22

2 Chronicles 32:32

Jeremiah 30:2

After approximately 435 B.C. there were no further additions to the Old Testament canon.

When we turn to Jewish literature outside the Old Testament, we see that the belief that divinely authoritative words from God had ceased is clearly attested in several different strands of extrabiblical Jewish literature.

1 Macabees for example.

Josephus (born c. A.D. 37/38) explained, "From Artaxerxes to our own times a complete history has been written, but has not been deemed worthy of equal credit with the earlier records, because of the failure of the exact succession of the prophets". Josephus was the greatest Jewish historian of the first century and he knew of the writings now considered part of the "Apocrypha", but he and many of his contemporaries considered these other writings "not... worthy of equal credit" with what we now know as the Old Testament Scriptures.

Writings subsequent to about 435 B.C. were not accepted by the Jewish people generally as having equal authority with the rest of Scripture.

And by reading the New Testament it is apparent that Jesus and his disciples, on the on hand, and the Jewish leaders or Jewish people, on the other hand, were in full agreement that additions to the Old Testament conan had ceased after the time of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Jesus and the New Testament authors quote various parts of the Old Testament Scriptures as divinely authoritative around 295 times, but not once do they cite any statement from the books of the Apocrypha or any other writings as having divine authority.

So, the New Testament authors agreed that the established Old Testament canon, no more and no less, was to be taken as God's very words.

The Apocrypha is the collection of books included in the canon by the Roman Catholic Church but excluded from the canon by Protestantism. What should we say about these books?

These books were never accepted by the Jews as Scripture.

The fact that these books were included by Jerome in his Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible (completed in A.D. 404) gave support to their inclusion, even though Jerome himself said that they were not "books of the canon" but merely "books of the church" that were helpful and useful for believers.

The wide use of this translation in subsequent centuries guaranteed their continued accessibility, but the fact that they had no Hebrew original behind hem, and their exclusion from the Jewish canon, as well as the lack of their citation in the New Testament, led many to view them with suspicion or to reject their authority.

It was not until 1546, at the Council of Trent, that the Roman Catholic Church officially declared the Apocrypha to be part of the canon.

It is significant that the Council of Trent was the response of the Roman Catholic Church to the teaching of Martin Luther and the rapidly spreading Protestant Reformation, and the books of the Apocrypha contain support for the Catholic teaching of prayers for the dead and justification by faith plus works, not by faith alone.

The writings of the Apocrypha should not be regarded as part of Scripture:

(1) They do not claim for themselves the same kind of authority as the Old Testament writings

(2) They were not regarded as God's words by the Jewish people from whom they originated

(3) They were not considered to be Scriptures by Jesus or the New Testament authors

(4)They contain teachings inconsistent with the rest of the Bible

They do have value for historical and linguistic research, but they have never been part of the Old Testament canon, and they should not be thought of as part of the Bible.

With regard to the canon of the Old Testament, Christians today should have no worry that anything needed has been left out or that anything that is not God's words has been included.

Ch 2 - The Word of God

(This is one post of a large series where I will copy down the key points of each chapter as I read through Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I will be copying many lines word-for-word and also shortening and summarizing some points in my own words. I hope that this can be useful for others as a quick reference but it is not meant to in any way substitute the personal study and investigation of the Bible and these important topics.)

What are the different forms of the Word of God?

A. The Word of God as a Person: Jesus Christ

The Son of God is sometimes referred to as "the Word of God"

Revelation 19:13

John 1:1

John 1:14

While this usage is not common, it does indicate that among the members of the Trinity it is especially God the Son who in his person as well as in his words has the role of communicating the character of God to us and of expressing the will of God for us.

B."The Word of God" as Speech by God

1. God's Decrees.

A decree of God is a word of God that causes something to happen.

Creation is best example. Genesis 1:3, Genesis 1:24

Psalm 33:6

Not only the original creation but also the continuing existence of all things, for Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Christ is continually "upholding the universe by his word of power."

2. God's Words of Personal Address.

Sometimes God communicates with people on earth by speaking directly to them.

Examples: To Adam - Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:16-19; In Giving Ten Commandments - Exodus 20:1-3; At Jesus' Baptism- Matthew 3:17

In these and others, it was clear to the hearers that these were the actual words of God; they were hearing God's very voice, and they were therefore hearing words that had absolute divine authority and that were absolutely trustworthy.

Actual words of God and also "human" words in that they are spoken in ordinary human language that is immediately understandable. But that does not limit their divine character or authority in any way.

3. God's Words as Speech Through Human Lips.

Frequently in Scripture God raises up prophets through who he speaks.

Although these are human words, spoken in ordinary human language by ordinary human beings, the authority and truthfulness of these words is in no way diminished: they are still completely God's words as well.

Examples: Deuteronomy 18:18-20 to Moses; to Jeremiah - "Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, 'Behold, I have put my words in your mouth' " (Jer. 1:9); Also, God tells Jeremiah, "Whatever I command you you shall speak" (Jer. 1:7)

See Also: Ex. 4:12, Num. 22:38, 1 Sam. 15:3, 18, 23; 1 Kings 20:36; 2 Chron. 20:20; 2 Chron. 25:15-16, Isa. 30:12-14; Jer. 6:10-12; Jer. 36:29-31

Anyone who claimed to be speaking for the Lord but who had not received a message from him was severely punished - Ezekiel 13:1-7; Deut. 18:20-22

4. God's Words in Written Form (the Bible).

We find in Scripture several instances where God's words were put in written form.

First - Two tablets of stone on which were written the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 31:18

Exodus 32:16

Exodus 34:1

Further writing was done by Moses (Deut. 31:9-13) and Joshua (Joshua 24:26). God commanded Isaiah, "And now, go write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness for ever" (Isa. 30:8). Also God told Jeremiah, "Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you" (Jer. 30:2).

Jesus promises his disciples that the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance the words which he, Jesus, had spoken (John 14:26; John 16:12-13).

Paul can say that the very words he writes to the Corinthians are "a command of the Lord" (1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Peter 3:2)

The reliability, permanence, and accessibility of the form in which God's words are preserved are all greatly enhanced when they are written down. Yet there is no indication that their authority or truthfulness is diminished.

C. The Focus of Our Study

The focus of this study is on the written form of God's Word, the Bible. This is the form that is available for study, for public inspection, for repeated examination, and as a basis for mutual discussion. It tells us about and points us to the Word of God as a person, Jesus Christ.

The Bible is the most profitable for us to study and it is what God commands us to study. (Psalm 1:1-2; Joshua 1:8)

It is the Word of God in the form of written Scriptures that is "God-breathed" and "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).

Do you think you would pay more attention if God spoke to you from heaven or through a prophet rather than through the written Scriptures? Would you believe or obey more readily and often? Do you think your present level of response to the written words of Scripture is an appropriate one? What can you do to improve your attitude toward Scripture?

Considering the many different ways and frequency that God speaks to us, it is an awesome privilege and gift he's given us, and it also demonstrates his delight in relationship with us.

Intro to Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

(This is the first of a large series where I will copy down the key points of each chapter as I read through Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I will be copying many lines word-for-word and also shortening and summarizing some points in my own words. I hope that this can be useful for others as a quick reference but it is not meant to in any way substitute the personal study and investigation of the Bible and these important topics.)

Chapter 1. Intro to Systematic Theology

Definition of Systematic Theology.

Systematic theology is any study that answers the question "What does the whole Bible teach us today?" about any given topic.

The emphasis is different than that of historical theology, philosophical theology, or apologetics.

It also differs from Old Testament theology, New Testament theology, and biblical theology as these three disciplines organize their topics historically and in the order the topics are presented in the Bible. Although, the latter of these would likely have a lot of overlap with ST as they both look at the whole Bible.

Systematic Theology attempts to summarize the teaching of Scripture in a brief, understandable, and very carefully formulated statement.

Application to Life.

Based on this definition of ST, it is implied that application to life is a necessary part of the proper pursuit of systematic theology. Thus a doctrine under consideration is seen in terms of its practical value for living the Christian life.

Personal spiritual growth should be experienced.

This book is systematic or "carefully organized by topics".

It will treat topics in with much attention to every detail and hopefully accuracy.

What are Doctrines?

For our purposes, A doctrine is what the Bible teaches us today about some particular topic.

A doctrine is simply the result of doing systematic theology with regard to one particular topic.

Can be very broad or vary narrow.

This book is divided into seven major sections:

1. The Doctrine of the Word of God

2. The Doctrine of God

3. The Doctrine of Man

4. The Doctrine of Christ and the Holy Spirit

5. The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption

6. The Doctrine of the Church

7. The Doctrine of the Future

These doctrines meet at least 1 of these criteria:

Heavily emphasized in Scripture

Significant throughout the history of the church and all Christians

Have become important for Christians in the present situation

What is the difference between Sys. Theology and Christian Ethics?

The emphasis of ST is on what God wants us to believe and to know; while the emphasis in Christian ethics is on what God wants us to do and what attitudes he wants us to have.

Initial Assumptions of This Book

1) that the Bible is true and that it is, in fact, our only absolute standard of truth.

2) that the God who is spoken of in the Bible exists, and that he is who the Bible says he is; the Creator of heaven and earth and all things in them.

Why should Christians study Study Theology?

To teach others.

Jesus commands us to teach believers to observe all that he commanded. (Matthew 28:19-20)

The task of fulfilling the Great Commission includes not only evangelism but also teaching.

To benefit our lives.

Overcome wrong ides. Be confronted with the total weight of the teaching of Scripture on any particular subject.

Make better and more informed decisions on new topics of importance as they arise.

Will help us grow as Christians.

The more we know about God, about his Word, about his relationship to the world and mankind, the better we will trust him, the more fully we will praise him, and the more readily we will obey him.

The church is often times theologically immature which can cause disorderly and random theology and have bad effects on the church. See Ephesians 4:14.

How Should Christians Study Systematic Theology?

1)With Prayer

2)With Humility

3)With Reason

4)With Help from Others

5)by Collecting and Understanding All the Relevant Passages of Scripture on Any Topic

6)With Rejoicing and Praise

The Most Inappropriate & Important Christmas Card Ever

I am seriously considering putting this on our 2009 Studio DaySpring Christmas card to all of my friends and family.

I would love it if you told me your thoughts. Is this a good idea or the worst ever?

Would it just be an ineffective and offensive message?

To all my friends and family,

Yep, this is long. Not only is it long, but this will most likely be the most offensive, inappropriate, rude, but honest Christmas Card you ever get. And, just to be clear, this is going to everyone on our list- every good friend and family member, with no one intentionally left out.

I would seriously rather just send a nice DaySpring Christmas card with a simple scripture reference, a nativity scene, and a short note from Steph and I (next year, I promise).

I am not normally rude or offensive and I would much rather be proper and non-confrontational. But on the other hand, I am confident that I was not created for those reasons but instead for the purpose of bringing God glory and presenting His truths to others. And while that isn't always the most fun thing to do, and definitely doesn't make me the coolest kid on the block, it has effects that last eternally and it's a purpose worth living for.

This letter is absolutely NOT about any bad habits you have (I have them too!), the church you may or may not go to (we don't currently have a home church), or how much money you do or don't give to others. It's not about religion. Not tradition. Not sin. Not church.

It's just about Jesus.

And while you've heard it thousands of times, please read these next words carefully for me.

The same God that made the whole universe, from the complicated workings of our world to the simple smiles on kids faces, loves you. A lot. So much that he would not act like a God (at least not the way we expect God to act) but instead He gave us Jesus, who humbled Himself enough to become a baby and live on earth. (Merry Christmas!) But that's just the beginning, because His death and resurrection (Happy early Easter!) is what really matters. His suffering and death was punishment that we deserve for our sins. But, for some crazy reason, God loves us enough to endure our death from sin so that we don't have to. And that is the best news you'll ever hear.

So, if my prayers are answered and God has given you ears to hear that message differently than you have in the past, you'll want to know what to do about it.

Well, there's good news and bad news about that. The good news is that you don't have to stop those things you love but know are sinful. You don't have to start going to church. You don't even have to live differently. All you have to do is believe it is true, in your heart and mind, and talk to God a little. Just tell Him you get it now, It's not just a church story, but it's the only story that matters in this world and you believe that its true. Sincerely tell Him you love Him and ask Him to come and change your heart. Then thank Him for Jesus.

It's all in God's hands after that. And if He wants to deal with your lifestyle, He will do it in His own way. But it's not his greatest concern. His greatest concern is for your salvation and His greatest desire is just that you'll know Him and have a relationship with His son Jesus.

And that's where the bad news comes in. A person who has a relationship with Christ does not have it any easier. Don't listen to those pastors and preachers who say that once your a Christian, life will be easy and bountiful. Jesus Himself lived a life full of poverty, difficult relationships, pain, and sacrifice. As did His disciples. Why would it be any different today?

But it's not all bad. A life serving Christ is the most rewarding and significant life you can live. You'll have peace and joy because you have an eternal perspective on life and a personal relationship with Jesus.

My intention is not to make you feel guilty. I myself am sinful and did absolutely nothing to deserve my salvation and relationship with Christ. I deserve nothing I've gotten, which only increases my gratitude for it all.

My intention for writing is this: to present the truth of Jesus that I have experienced so that God can pull you to Himself.

No need to call me up or send me an email, that would be pretty awkward for both of us. But, there are thousands of great resources and people that I am sure you can find if you look. My favorites are www.desiringgod.org & www.marshillchurch.org. And of course I would be happy to talk to you if you felt comfortable with that and had questions or comments for me.

I love you and hope you can forgive me for my inappropriate and offensive Christmas card.

Merry Christmas!

-Jesse

His name is Love

When an athlete wants to be the best, he devotes himself to his sport with focus, labor, and perseverence. All for a hope of the glory that comes with victory.

My uncle Cameron tells a great story about when he was asked to pitch in a fast-pitch softball game. He had little experience pitching and embarrassed himself on the mound that night. But that game was a turning point for him, as it was the motivation behind hours and hours of practice. He likes to say that he just went out to a ball field with a glove and a bunch of balls and just threw them up against a fence over and over and over again, until he could pitch.

Well, apparently it worked. He improved to become one of the best softball pitchers in the country and he was a "hired gun" for several professional teams around the nation.

What do you want bad enough that you will just drop everything to make it happen?

For Cameron, he wanted to be good next time he was asked to pitch and it meant he had to just go pitch until he was good. He's repeated the same technique in business as he is now a very successful business leader.

For you it could be professional, educational, physical, or relational goals. Hopefully your life cycles through different seasons as you set yourself toward something, go achieve that thing, and then move your focus to the next goal.

For me, it is currently on my new marriage relationship with my beautiful wife Stephanie.

When an athlete wants to be the best, he devotes himself to his sport with focus, labor, and perseverence.

I think this same approach is taken in marriages across America. This is a good thing. But I'm learning, that it is not enough.

When I wanted to get A's in school, I worked hard until I got them- and I always got them.

When I wanted to be able to strike a soccer ball harder than anyone I knew, like my uncle, I just kicked a ball more than anyone else until I was the best at it.

When I wanted to love Stephanie better, things got complicated...

The world teaches us how to be good at the things of this world.

But love is not of this world.

Love requires all of the things this world just doesn't understand.

Love seems to make sense while actually defying all logic.

Love is from heaven and the ways of heaven are almost always the OPPOSITE of the ways of the world.

Like worldly things, marriage needs focus and dedication. But it needs more. It needs true Love.

And no, I'm not talking about the kind you see in the chick flicks. I mean Love, Jesus Christ, because His name is Love.

Without Love a marriage will fail.

You need marriage or relationship advice?- Love himself is available for counseling. His Holy Spirit can actually live IN YOU. And its amazing how good Love is at making marriages AMAZING, like no one in this world could ever do.

Whether you are an experienced spouse or still trying to figure it out, regardless of if your marriage is struggling or is smooth and easy.... going to the Lord for wisdom and just asking Him to help you be a better spouse is a very smart thing to do.

Humble yourself, consider the importance of this relationship, admit you could do better, and then ask the inventor of love, the source of love, and the one who's name is Love, to teach you to love better.

So does marriage require hard work? Yes.

But it also requires Love - the kind that would suffer and die on a cross for us.

The Bride (part 2)

A beautiful bride would be so attractive to everyone that Christ's name would be famous and praised around this world.

Jesus attracted people with messed up lives to Him.

The Church doesn't... I don't.

Why?

I believe the actions of the "Church" have given Christ's name the reputation of being judgemental, legalistic, prideful, and cliquish- basically religious. Everything Christ wasn't.

I can't blame the world for this sad perception of a Jesus that they have never met. I can blame the "Christians" who continue to misrepresent Him and the "Christian" leaders who allow it.

It is time for the Bride of Jesus to start to represent what He stood for and to begin to peel away the layers of dirt that we have covered Him in.

It is pointless for me to complain about history and not try to change the future.

The world (and many churches) raise us to believe some people are better than others and some people are like us and some aren't.

People who claim they are Christian must shake these prejudices. How? Spend more time in the presence of Christ than in the presence of earthly influences.

And then we must actively seek ways to love people who are filthy and show them that Christ does not reject them because of their past sin... and neither do we.

The global Church should flock to opportunities to love the unloved. Race to clothe the poor. Overwhelm the hungry with food.

It is going to take a lot of time and generations to clean off the stigma. But we can. Imagine a Church that is known for love- the way the Bible says it should be. The non-Christians would take notice. Other religions would take notice. The media would tell the story. And the governments would thank us.

This is the role that the Church is meant to have. Let's get started.

The Bride (part 1)

The bride of Christ, the church, and all that is right and wrong about her, is constantly on my heart.  (my bride pictured here --> )

I've been thinking about posting my thoughts on this topic for a long time, but it is overwhelming to even consider writing about it, because the conversation is just so huge.

So... I've decided to break it up and just write smaller posts as things hit me hard.  It may be unorganized, random, and such, but it's better than nothing... right?

Today's thought is one that is more disturbing to me than most.  It really breaks my heart.

And that is that the church today, at least a lot of it, is causing more damage than glory to the name of Christ.

Our attempts to live and minister without the power of the Holy Spirit, through our own wisdom, by our own strength,  and blatantly fleshy - represents Christ falsely and blemishes His name.  

We represent the cross to the world and yet we fail to walk in the freedom it gave us and we fail to receive the power and grace that comes from the Holy Spirit.  We misrepresent Christ and our God because we think we can handle it on our own and we neglect to surrender to Him.

Humans sin and mess up, and the church is made up of humans. So, Christians are going to mess up, and that is ok.  That is life. However, it is one thing to be a body of believers who, in humility, repent passionately and honestly fall on our faces.  

Instead, so often when we act up, we make excuses, argue our case, or hide from our mistakes.  

These things hurt so bad because they completely disregard the cross. The gift Christ gave for our sins is rejected when we act like we don't need it.

Instead the bride must be wholly dependant on her Lord.  

What if the Christian church was known for it's humility and reliance on God rather than its self-righteousness?

What if people could meet an average "Christian" and truly get a picture of Christ?

That would be a beautiful bride.

focus: Him & her

Lately, it seems the Lord is teaching me about focus.

Primarily through my best tutor, the Holy Spirit, but also from several other sources.

When I say "focus", I don't mean priority.

I'm learning a new definition for focus as I've found myself simplifying my life lately. I am beginning to understand that a simple and single-minded approach to life is the only way I can live the life God has called me to. This involves a hyper-focused squint on the few things that are worth giving your life to.  

At this point in my life that comes down to 

1. Jesus 

2. my wife Stephanie

It's really hard for me not to put 3, 4, or 5 items on this list.  

At the same time, I realize that even 2 is stretching it.  

I want to put "Church planting" on the list as I am feeling God's leading in that direction.  I want to put "Business as Missions" on that list as I know God has called me to do something in the realm of business for His glory. I want to put my family and my job on the list, but I have come to realize that I am unable to truly focus on all of that right now. This does not mean I neglect these things, but nothing gets my ALL but Jesus and Stephanie.

I think God will mature me to a place where I can focus on a third item and maybe even more down the road.  When I get really good at the first 2, I think He will trust me with more.  When I become so dedicated to Him and her(Steph), that nothing else matters and my time, resources, and thoughts are almost solely surrendered to these 2, then maybe He will show me the 3rd.

I find when I am focused solely on driving, I never swerve or hit the "rumble pack" on the edge of the lane that is meant to wake up sleepers.  But, as soon as I start to focus on something else, even if it is just mentally, my driving suffers and I am buzZzZzed by the rumbler. 

I need single minded focus.  

Even good things are distractions if they cause us to start drifting away from Jesus, our relationship with Him, or His purpose for us.

I have always considered myself a "visionary" (whatever that means).

And I know that visions are pretty pointless if they remain unfulfilled.  This has always been my challenge- taking my ideas, dreams, and visions, and doing something with them.

I think focus is one of the most important steps to fulfilling vision.  This may seem obvious, but in the world we live, it is very easy to get distracted. So a sole focus on a vision, I believe, is the missing key for me to see completion in the things God has for me.

Focus results in the necessary ingrediants for vision:

1. zero toleration for distraction

2. an unshakeable conviction of purpose

3. an unwavering dedication to completion

There are very few things in each individuals life that should garner true single-minded focus.

Right now my vision is to be the best husband in the world and to grow in my relationship with Christ to an intimate Father/son mentorship with my ever-present Lord.

Single minded focus.

I'm excited about my #3 and I can't wait until I am there.  I can see God shaping me for it every day and preparing me for the task.  But right now, I am a runner on the starting block waiting for the gun to shoot.  I need to keep my focus on my foundation, God, and poise myself for the race that is to begin very shortly.  I can definitly feel the anticipation of the gunfire, but I know that if I don't focus on my current posture I'll just fall on my face.

I must have single minded focus.