A Post to my Slog, er, Blog

Putting up blog posts in 2010 have been a challenge for me, just check my archive list to see just how challenging this year has been. I am making a major goal of 2010 to be still blogging in January 2011.

But every once in a while someone gives me encouragement that keeps me going. Unexpected encouragement coming from previously unknown directions. Yesterday I had two of those, so I just had to write about it to keep the blog moving along for at least another day. A new follower on twitter sent me a tweet telling me she will be following the blog. Someone from my church read a post of mine on my Facebook wall (made for the blog at the ministry I work at) and found it encouraging today. Not my blog, but it was my post, and I'll take it from whence it comes.

Just a line or two but a big boost to my determination to keep things going. Thank you both. I am always appreciative of the comments and encouragement any of my social media endeavors get. There is so much going on that it is nice to know that people notice your small voice in the thunderstorm raging all around you.

So, I will try to be faithful to the blog for the remainder of 2010. While I do not expect it to be easy, I am sure I will be glad if I keep it going. God has used it to bless me over these past two years, and I am glad I took that first step in this journey.

So my advice to any fellow bloggers, keep going, we do not slog alone. And actually, it is pretty good advice for life in general. Keep going,we are not alone. Reminds me of one of my favorite passages of Scripture, which I have used before:

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

I have to remember this every time I struggle through something in my life. So I will have to think of it daily, but no more than seven days a week. Max. If I am a work in progress, faith in Him requires I keep going until He says I am done.

Crisis of Faith

But before we choose to follow God’s will, a crisis must develop in our lives. This happens because we tend to be unresponsive to God’s gentler nudges. He brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and we begin to debate. He then providentially produces a crisis where we have to decide— for or against. That moment becomes a great crossroads in our lives. If a crisis has come to you on any front, surrender your will to Jesus absolutely and irrevocably.
Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest: January 1 Devotional

God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
Henry Blackaby- Point Five of the Seven Realities of Experiencing God from Experiencing God

It is now 2010, and one thing should be apparent, I am reading Chambers again after a several month hiatus. I had started the devotional in 2008 part way through the year, so after completing it, I stopped and waited to pick it up again from the beginning. So here I am. I guess you could expect to see him in posts from time to time going forward.

Another thing that should be apparent is that both the quotes have a common theme; faith in God and acting in His will involves a crisis of some sort within you. We went through Experiencing God at my church this past fall, and spent some time on this concept of crisis. I had not made the connection between these two works until I read Chambers again this morning. I am not saying Blackaby borrowed from Chambers, I would like to think two godly men can be moved in very similar ways to write about the Lord in a similar fashion. It happens in the Bible all the time.

Not everyone will like the term crisis in characterizing how they must take the step and place faith in God to act as He wills. Sounds like we are weak, we are doubting, we are fearful. Probably all are true and that is why we do not like the term. In our hearts we often want to trust in self, not God, we want to be in control. That we face a crisis in facing the truth within ourselves is an uncomfortable thought that does not fit well with our view of self, and doesn't speak well of our view of God.

Knowing my own weakness, I look forward to a crisis within me in 2010, for then I will know without a doubt the fact that God is moving in my life.


Technorati Tags: God, Jesus, 121 Community Church, Henry Blackaby, Oswald Chambers, Experiencing God, My Utmost For His Highest, crisis, crisis of belief

Busy in Prayer

I have not been blogging much of late, but I have been quite busy the past month. Visiting family for Thanksgiving, trying to wrap up the semester at seminary. I have also stepped into a full time ministry position at EvanTell, joining the team there in the past week as Chief Operating Officer. I am excited about my role there, and what the future holds for the ministry and me.

I have also been in prayer, for my role within kingdom work, for on going support for the ministry I am now joining, for the planning of new year at my church. As I have watched my schedule grow fuller and activities escalate, I have come to realize I need to be in prayer more often.

The busier life is, the more to need to stop and come before the Lord. It is clear that there may never be enough time to do all I want, but there is never too much to do that I cannot stop, thank Him for His blessings, ask Him for His strength and acknowledge that His will, not mine, be done. The danger of a busy, productive life is in thinking that one is the prime mover in it, not God.

So I look to Him in prayer and thanks. For giving me opportunities, for filling my day with reasons for joy, for giving me what i need to do what he wants. A new role awaits me in 2010, one I would not have thought of as I entered 2009. But the comfort I have is the fact that He may have surprised me, but I am doing just what He planned.

Technorati Tags: EvanTell, prayer, 121 Community Church, God, Lord, Jesus, ministry

Keeping Busy

As you might have been able to tell from the frequency of my blog posts lately, I have been busy and it has cut into my blogging time quite a bit. The old me (the pre-summer blogging hiatus me) would have obsessed on this, the new me says, it is what it is, and that is all it can ever be.

Having been retired for nearly two years now, it is a novelty to feel as if one's schedule is full, and still filling. Lots going on, but there is a definite peace to it. I attribute a good deal of it to my focus on listening and waiting on God. People and projects are not filling my schedule, He is. And I am OK with that, even more so, this is what I wanted.

The study we have been doing at 121 Community Church on Experiencing God has helped me really keep one thought in front of me.

Wait.

So I do, waiting for His direction and guidance. And waiting contains a control issue, as in giving up control of your life to God. I have never been much of one to wait on things. But that is what I am doing now, waiting and allowing Him to work His will.

It can feel incredibly fruitful and productive to wait on God, because waiting on Him means just that: waiting for God to move, waiting to follow where He is going, trying to keep up. What can be better than that? Chasing after God's heels because He is out in front with your captured heart in His hands. But waiting for Him to start that heart of yours racing.

So I wait, busily wait, doing what I think He wills, waiting for the next God sized program He will have me pursue with Him. And soon I get to do this with a two week break from classes and a wrap up of another semester at DTS. (Not sure the credit load I am taking qualifies as a semester. Semi-mester is closer to the truth).

Meanwhile, I am learning to enjoy being engaged and waiting at the same time.


Technorati Tags: Experiencing God, 121 Community Church, waiting, busy

Channeling My Steam

I seem to be having a problem lately keeping up with all I wish to do. It appears to be a problem of directing my energy, my steam in several directions, that are going off in different ways. I think as I get older I need more focus. The problem is that it is all stuff I am feeling called by God to do. Makes for steam on a cloudy day. Hmmm.

So I go back to the one word God spoke to me several weeks back as I was working through the Experiencing God study at my church. Wait. And as I think about it another word comes to mind. Control. I have to wait to let God control what I do. So I will. The waiting is to be quiet, listen for His direction, locate where He is in and around my life, and then to move to the center of that point. I will keep moving forward on the various things I am doing to see when God points me at one specifically. Then I will pursue it, because chasing after God is the only way to be close to Him. And if it is that I am to keep my steam moving in many directions. That's OK by me as well.

It's His stream to channel, my steam to move along as He sends it. Steam on a clear day, that's all I want, whever He chooses to send it.

I am OK with Halloween

I have to admit, I wasn't thinking about it, but reading a blog buddy like who am i? made me realize that there is a debate out there regarding Christians participating in Halloween. Guess I have to start reading the news, thanks Barry, for the conviction!

I am OK with Halloween, I even felt good about adding this self portrait. I understand the issues and concerns around participating in Halloween, but I feel we can be in the world and not of it. We can participate in a great American pastime, the overindulgence in sugar (like Americans need a special reason to do this), and try to use it as an opportunity to share our faith while we are supercharging the neighborhood kids (as I have no children, I will sleep well when the doorbell stops ringing). It is an opportunity to engage with neighbors, strike up conversations, and show community and goodwill in a thoroughly Christian manner. All good activities, time well spent. It is what we are recommending at our church. And I think the avoidance of any demonic rituals is possible.

So, I am OK with Halloween. Whatever you do, whichever side of the debate you are on, I pray you engage in your response with the spirit of Christian love.

Technorati Tags: Halloween, Christian

Choices

We all have choices we need to make, decisions that must be made with less than perfect information with which to make them. Not a surprising circumstance, given the fallen state of the world around us and the desperate need the world has for the saving grace of Jesus. But even those of us who call Him their Savior have to deal with choices. Choices in this life; often choices that impact the next. And that part can be truly daunting if you stop and think about it for any length of time, with any depth of soul and mind. Forever lasts forever. Think about that for a few minutes.

At my church, we have been going through the study Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. There is one point that keeps ringing out for me. I need to stop, see what God is doing around me, what He is doing in my life. And then I need to join in His work. If necessary, I need to wait quietly for Him to enlighten me. That's the choice I need to make. Not about what I want to do, what I would like to do, but what He would have me do. Looking and listening. For the soft, sure voice. For the door opening (or another closing). His work. His will. His way. Not mine.


So choices are truly easy if you know where to place your faith. Do you have that assurance in your life? If you say it, do you act (and react) as if you really mean it?

The choices are clear to me. God's way is the only choice.

Technorati Tags: Choices, God, Henry Blackaby, 121 Community Church

A Simple Message

I guest blogged this post on Worldprayr a few days ago. I participated in an evangelism seminar at my church yesterday. I thought this was worthwhile posting again here in my own blog. Here goes.

The Gospel of our Lord is a very simple message, and incredibly powerful in its simplicity:

• Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead
  

There it is in ten words. See, simple, really. If you do not believe me, check out what the apostle Paul has to say:

• Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
  

But in that message there is so much more we can say to those who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

• for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
  

Yes, that means all of us, no exceptions. All of us fall short of the mark. (The Greek word for sin hamartia, comes from the root meaning to miss the mark). I am no better than you, with or without Jesus in my life. I am a sinner, and so are you.

• For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
  

Yes, we are all sinners and earn the wages of our sin, eternal separation from a holy and just God. As sinners we earn that payment in full. So far, the message is not too hopeful. But wait, there is more.

• But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
  

It is the divine escape clause. We cannot escape our sin, we cannot pay the penalty for it, but someone came who can. Jesus Christ.

• For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
  

And the Lord gives us eternal life, gives us salvation, as a free gift because He loves us so. He loves us enough to send His Son to die in our behalf. And if you truly accept him as your Savior, if you tell Him you know you are sinner deserving of eternal punishment, if you tell Him you believe Jesus died for you and rose from the grave as the only way to your salvation, this gift is yours forevermore.

• Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24)
  

No one can take form you what God has given you here. You have eternal assurance of eternal salvation. The gift of God cannot be shaken.

So you see it is a pretty simple message:

• Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead
  

It is a simple message. Coming from the despair of a sinful life to the hope brought by a Redeemer. Eternal salvation, eternally assured as a gift from God once you accept Jesus as the Savior of your life and the only way to eternal life. Ten words that pack the most meaningful punch that your life can ever experience.

If you want more, check out http://www.evantell.org/ for more on as clear gospel message, and http://www.act111.org/ for free on-line evangelism training to help you share the message.

If you have some time, here is a short video to watch:

Be In and Of the Body

Yesterday morning, both my wife and I were a bit under the weather. In an act of self-mercy (as well as being merciful to others) we stayed home and watched our church services via webcast at the 121 Community Church webcast.

It was good to be able to participate in the worship service, to be able to hear the weekly sermon, especially since the whole church the study Experiencing God over a nine week period. Basically, you do the daily devotionals, come to church on study and listen to a message grounded in what was covered that past week, and then over the upcoming week discuss both the personal and corporate reflections in a small group setting. And we are doing it 1st graders and up. A pretty cool thing to do. (By the way, we have some good sessions on evangelism coming next weekend.)

But while my wife and I got to participate via a webcast, it drove home one point with crystal clarity: for us, there is no substitute for worshiping in person in the body as the family of Christ. It was good to be part of a service yesterday, but it was not what we would have chosen to do otherwise. Although it opens an avenue to worship when events require other than traditional, in person attendance, there is nothing like the genuine article. To open our church to others who may not experience our worship services is a great thing, but I pray it brings people in to worship with us in person when circumstances allow, I pray it drives a hunger to do so whenever possible.

There is nothing that strengthens a personal walk with God like spending some time walking it with others:

"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NASB)

It was a good reminder in this age of burgeoning social media, where we can stay "connected" to others as never before, how alone we can truly become if we do not exercise that part of us that requires us to be social beings, in concert and connection with others on an intensely personal level. Do not be lulloed into thinking thatany connection is as good as being with people; being with people in heart, in spirit and in body.

Be in the body as well as being of the body; especially as you try to be be in the world but not of it.

Reflection on a Fast

I recently completed a 30 hour fast and made notes on some of my reflections during that period. I thought I would share them today:

The first evening of the fast I had a meeting of the leadership team at my church, 121 Community Church in Grapevine; a team I recently became a member of. Initially I was concerned that the fast would start with a “business” type meeting but those fears were immediately alleviated.

Our senior pastor asked up to break up into small groups for a period of focused prayer, both for individual needs and also guidance from the Lord in matters we were discussing involving governing the affairs of the church.

In both this small group of prayer, and then the larger group of the meeting itself, it was good to be with other men who were seeking the Lord’s face that evening, who were looking to be obedient to His will in how we directed the church. I find it strengthening to my own resolve to seek His will in this period of fasting, meditation and prayers, knowing how other men I look up to for their desire to be obedient to Him are seeking Him out in prayer as well.

In the morning, after my usual prayer time and bible reading, I opened Handbook to Renewal by Kenneth Boa to a random page to study some Scripture laid out in a topical format. The section I turned to was on Faith, Trust and Dependence in the context of My Relationship to God. There were many passages from the Psalms; I focused on several passages within the Psalms for deeper meditation:

20:7 – Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.

38:9 – Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.

55:22 – Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

94:22 – But the Lord has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge.

As I study these passages, I realize I can hide nothing from Him and in my concern I reveal my own weakness not His; attacks on my faith, not assaults on His sovereignty.

As evening approached I reflected on how hard it is to wait on the Lord’s timing in my pride and impatience. When is He ready to reveal His will to me? Not until I am ready to receive, and that has a lot to do with how ready I am to be obedient to it.

During the evening I thought about the weakness of my flesh and the strength I have only in Christ, for without Him I am truly weak. I thought about who He would have me serve based on what he has given me and reflect on the following verses:

Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

Hebrews 13:2 - Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

1 Peter 4:10 - As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

From reading these I know I am to use the gifts He has given not for me, but for helping others, for it is through this service that I bring glory to His name and not gain to myself.

At night I also thought about being in the world amongst non-believers but not of the world. My wife and I have felt convicted recently about the lack of interaction we have with non-believers and we both know we need to do more. I reflected on the following verses as I thought about structuring our lives to make more time available to seek out and befriend those who do not know Jesus as Savior.

Luke 10:2 - And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

2 Corinthians 5:11 - Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

Ephesians 6:19 – and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.

I broke the fast the next morning after doing my morning prayers and bible reading. I also reflected on the following passage out of Oswald Chambers-My Utmost For His Highest which felt like a summary of the fast for me:

“As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them. Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life“.

A Definition of Community

This is a recent picture of my friend wheel off of my Facebook profile. To me, it is a graphic depiction of what one intertwingled community, that of my Facebook friends, looks like. Every once and a while I look at it to try to understand how connectivity between people is building as my network grows. There are some well connected segments across the top (my church, 121 Community Church) and top right (the Kanakuk Institute) and a loner contingent across the lower right side. Not that these folks are loners, they are quite social, it is just they do not link in with others in this particular world of mine. This wheel probably says much about group dynamics and how they develop that I have not even begun to think about.

It is a picture of how community can develop over time, especially when using tools that were not available just a few years ago. The key to this type of community is working to keep it growing deeper as the on line aspect makes a surface relationship quite easy.

I think of community with God and how easy it is for me to keep my relationship with Him on the surface with the tools He has provided me. The death of Jesus for my sin allows me the access to the throne in prayer and supplication, in praise and joy 24/7. Yet if I do not reach out it will be a relationship on the surface only. To my loss and dismay.

So this wheel reminds my of that and the need to connect beyond and beneath the surface. Other than that, I like the pretty colors.

More on The Star of Bethlehem

I mentioned two days ago that we were going to be seeing a presentation on the Star of Bethlehem at our church. it was a fascinating presentation on what was going on the the skies above Bethlehem leading up to the birth of Jesus and blending that into what the Bible reveals to us.

A good site to see more info on it is here. It is well worth looking at as we move through this Christmas season. And the information included is more than just the birth of Jesus. it talks also about the skies above Him at the time of His crucifixion as well. It is amazing to see what was going on in the heavens above us during these events that have so much impact on the world below them.

Star of Bethlehem

If you are in the Grapevine, TX area, think about coming by 121 Community Church for Sunday service tomorrow. The service will be a presentation considering the Star of Bethlehem, recreating the skies over the Middle East at the time of the birth of Jesus.

If you do, stop by the resource center and ask for AndyC, I'll be milling around before and after the first service and before the second.

12DoCC Status

I have to admit that it took me some time to get into the 12 Days of Christmas Challenge, but I feel good about participating, even in my limited extent.

Yesterday my wife and I did some Christmas shopping for a refugee family from Myanmar that our small group at our church adopted for the Christmas holidays. Today, I hope a bunch of us will be able to go visit with them, to drop off the presents, and spend a little time getting to know them better.

It felt good looking for Christmas gifts like this with my wife, I enjoyed the opportunity to do some ministry for others with her as my partner. Looking back on the past year, I do not think I seized enough opportunities to minister as a couple as we should, for we are partners in life, and partners for life.

It has bothered me greatly for years the emphasis placed on gifts during Christmas, for I felt it was always more about what you get than what you give. This group of gifts is about what we are going to get, but this time it will feel right. Because we are going to get love and appreciation back from this family, not material presents. Although they may get some immediate needs met by our gifts, what they will give us will be truly lasting, the type of treasure one can store up in heaven. And as a result, I pray we give them back some of that treasure as well in addition to some nicely wrapped presents.

God has given me much knowledge over the years, He has also given me Jesus as Savior. What I pray for now is that He gives me even just a smattering of wisdom so I may cherish the other gifts He has lavishly bestowed on me in love. And today His love for my wife and I has given us the privilege of sharing that love with a family we would not even know existed if He did not put them squarely in our path.

The Even Darker Side of the Refugee Issue

I have to admit that until I signed up for the current Bloggers Unite event I was not all that familiar with the refugee problem.

Shame on me.

I asked a friend and staff member at my church what information she could share with me about our efforts as a church. We are planning to devote some church resources and energy around the theme of social justice in the world. I am quite glad that the people in my church are more knowledgeable than me, and are al;ready jumping into this.

As I read information about refugees in Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur just to name a few locations, certain words keep coming up:


Human trafficking.

AIDS.

Starvation.

Disease.

Genocide.

Civil war.

It is horrifying as you look at what is causing refugee situations across the globe, and what these poor people are being subject to.

It almost makes the term refugee become a way of glossing over the real horrors, of making the situation palatable for prime time U.S. news coverage. Of letting us feel good about helping without really understanding the depth of human depravity that drives this behavior to other people, and the depths of human suffering endured as a result. This is not making little or light of what the refugee problem is, this is more about me not understanding the depth of the root causes behind the refugee problem. And wondering how many others are in a similar position (one of ignorant obliviousness) as I.

I am glad my church will get involved in some way to help in trying to alleviate this staggering problem.

I pray your church does as well. I pray that you do as well. But most of all, I pray that I get more involved going forward. Because I have not been doing anything up to now.

And we do it in a way that focuses on the bare, naked, brutal truth of the matter at hand. That we not hide behind any attempt to make it a more palatable issue to see and deal with around the dinner table. For there are so many who have no table to sit around and discuss the issue, they are fighting for their lives everyday.

Keeping a Focus

As I have mentioned earlier I now have four day weekends. This one seems busier than usual as far as scheduled, time-sensitive activities are concerned:

Friday

• Men's lifegroup-6:15am
  
• King Tut exhibit-10:30am
• Lunch with friends-12:30pm
  
• Dinner with friends-7pm

Saturday

• Evantell board meeting-8am
• Homework
  
• Dinner with friends-6pm
  
• Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra-8pm

Sunday

• Church-9:15am
• Homework
  
• Life group leader training-5pm

Monday

• The Leader Board-7:30am
• Homework

But it is all good. (OK, the homework links are not really homework, but more of what I look at to divert myself when I am supposed to be doing homework) I am enjoying myself, eating too much and not trying very hard to work it off.

But I am keeping my focus on what is important and getting it done. I find that the busier the weekend, the higher the energy level, the more satisfaction from accomplishment. I can always sleep in class on Tuesday.

Just kidding.

I have to try this again. I appear to have the cultural and culinary aspects covered. But maybe a low-carb version next time.

Friday is the Start of the "Saturday" Weekend

Fridays are different too. I really am now in a 4 day weekend mode, and I must say I wish everyone could do it. It feels like Second Saturday (or maybe First Saturday or pre-Saturday) because it is really not much different than the way Saturdays used to be. Except less hectic because there i smore time. Because there are now two of them.

I start with a men's small group at 6:15am (I know, it is a holdover form my working days, but it is a good group of guys to study and fellowship with. Plus I lead the group which makes it real hard not to attend on a regular basis). The rest of the day is reading, homework, errands and relaxing. Maybe a breakfast or lunch with someone, maybe an early weekend date with my wife.

Generally a productive day in a very relaxing sort of way. Tonight, my small group will be running a bounce house at 121 Community Church's Trunk or Treat. Come by between 6:30 to 8:30 pm with the kids for games, candy and bounce house activity if you are in the area.

I enjoy Fridays thoroughly these days. I used to like them because they meant the end of the workweek was coming up soon. But I enjoy them now for the deeper study they allow me to do, the time I get to spend with friends or my wife, the relaxation at the beginning of a long weekend. Relaxing but yet I am ready to dive into any projects I have lined up with more energy and desire than I used to be able to show in the past.

And I feel I have gotten so much more useful stuff done on Fridays that I have ever done before. All in all, a good way to start a long weekend.

This is a continuation of my reflections on my new week, with yesterday being here.

What Is God For?

My pastor gave a sermon at our church, 121 Community Church in Grapevine, TX on Sunday laying out a Christian worldview put into a biblical grid. No endorsing of candidates nor political parties, but he asked us to view the political platforms of candidates against a Christian world view to make our decisions. He asked us to consider the following grid. You could come up with a lot of different wording to lay out a Christian world view, bu this one works quite well for me.

He asked us to use the next few weeks to focus on prayer leading up to the election with a special emphasis on Wednesdays, coming to church in the evening to pray corporately. He asked that we do a media fast on the next three Wednesdays, using the time spent viewing various media in prayer instead. So I am not on the internet tomorrow, but I will post something in advance to run in my absence to fulfill a commitment to Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty. I will try to do a "media fast" the next two Wednesdays as well.

This is what he laid out as a biblical grid. I cannot give you all his talk points, the link above will take you to the church website where sermons are podcast. Here are some scripture verse (all from the NASB) to reflect on.

WHAT IS GOD FOR?

"So the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today.It
will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this
commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us."

Deuteronomy 6:24-25

God's Word is our life; Jesus Christ is our life.

• The Authoritative Nature of Scripture
  

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

God's word is s word, it is a lamp, it is the truth.

• Subjection to Governing Authorities
  

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13:1

God puts all governments in place. Submit to government up to the point it calls for disobedience to God.

• The Establishment of Justice and Restraint of Evil
  

Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. Romans 13:2-5

We need governments to restrain the evil in our hearts, not that it always does a good job.

• Careful Management of the Planet
  

The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. Psalm 24:1

It is all His, treat it like that.

• One Man and One Woman Marriage
  

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:23-24

It is part of His plan for us and has been from the beginning.

• Wholesome Sexual Relationships
  

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Read Song of Solomon in the Bible. See the gift God gave us in sexual relations within a God approved marriage.

• The Sacredness of Life
  

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for ^]I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:13-16

All life is His from the beginning, from conception.

• Selfless Giving to Resources
  

"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." Luke 6:38

Be content with what you have and give cheerfully, in good times and in bad.

• Integrity of Leaders
  

The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. Proverbs 11:23

The integrity of our leaders will guide them, that is why they must have it.

• Humble Service to Others
  

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46

Meet the needs of others without them asking for help.

• Transformed Lives Through Jesus Christ
  

This one pretty much sums up what you have if you follow all the others above. I guess I would have to quote the whole Bible to get this one right. There it is, a Christian worldview through a biblical grid. No endorsements, but no condemnation either. No name calling, just loving people. No feeling superior to anyone because we are all sinners in the eyes of God. No one gets a hall pass on that one.

You may not like parts of this; you may not like any of this. But it stands up to biblical scrutiny, I like the way it lays out in our world.

Prayer

Since I posted this morning I have been thinking of one item on my list of what to do more of: prayer.

I have not been an intentional, deliberate, continual pray warrior. I pray, but not necessarily throughout the day, as I see needs, as I think of things that should be brought before my Father's throne. I do not think often enough of getting alongside Jesus and talking to Him prayerfully. I just do not do it nearly enough, it has not become second nature to me. And it should be first nature.

A team from my church is leaving for a short term mission trip to India today. My wife and I have the privilege to be on the prayer team for the trip. I ask God for the spiritual strength to do so boldly and faithfully over the next 8 days. Prayer is a form of support and service that I have not focused on to the extent I should.

I believe in the power of prayer. I probably need prayer in order for me to become more prayerful. So today I am praying that the mission team makes a safe journey, uses the time to prepare their hearts for service to the Lord in the upcoming week, that the hearts of those they will meet are ready to hear the good news of Jesus and the team brings glory to His name in love and unity.

And prayer in my life not just for this upcoming week, but in my life more richly going forward.

Man Church

USA TODAY ran an article about men attending church that featured the church I attend in Grapevine, Texas called 121 Community Church. Click on the picture to review the article, I think you will find it illuminating.

This is our pastor, Ross Sawyers, delivering his message at a Sunday service. He is a pretty cool guy and is very serious about the Lord. He even has a budding Facebook ministry. Look him up and ask to be his friend. I think you would enjoy knowing him.

I thought it was a great article that showed our church is addressing the issue of men's attendance at church, but the underlying message is disturbing: men need to be enticed to do so. Why is that? Clearly we are called to corporate worship; you see it in passages like Acts 2:42-47 and Hebrews 10:24-25, calling us to worship together. Why is it we are not rushing to church to praise and worship our Savior, but must be lured in? Wed seem to rush everywhere else in our lives, why not to church? We are called to love Christ first and foremost, but many are acting as if they love Him least and last.

I love going to my church, I look forward to it every week, even when the Dallas Cowboys are playing (But that could be due to the fact that I am a native New Yorker – Let's Go Mets). Before this article, I had not really thought about my church being guy friendly, I guess I have been blessed with the gift of obliviousness. I am glad I attend a church that I feel comfortable in, but the church is not the building, it is the body of Christ drawn together by Him in corporate prayer and worship. I would pray that I would not feel less comfortable if the décor was less masculine in tone. I pray we are not being that shallow about the unimportant things. But sadly, we are imperfect beings, marred by our own sin. So we do what it takes to reach each other and to reach ourselves.

Men, be the hunters instead of the hunted. Be the leaders we are called to be in the body of Christ. I know we are all sheep, but I do not want to hear a lot of no bleating, please. Be a man and do it, but be quiet, strong and quiet, about it. No whining about the building or the music. Go to love on God, go to love on family and friends. Go to love on others. And go to be loved on.

You do not want to be the type of fish that is only attracted by some shiny lure; you should be jumping into this particular boat of your own volition. You should be in church because you want to be there. If you do not, you should be asking yourself why. Some day He will.