Living in Freedom

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting

2012-01-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

We are on the last few days of the 21 day fast. Its been such a good time of prayer with that. I have heard from some of the people in the church that God has done marvelous things in their lives. It is so good to be seeking Him in a focused way and be getting answers to our prayers, either with a word or a change in our situations.

A couple of things have come about for me. The first is that Steve and I prayed about whether I should take a part-time job I was offered. At first we both felt like it was a good thing. Both of us said yes, that seems good. But I felt we should both pray and wait 24 hours for a decision. So we did. I woke up the next day and just knew God was saying no. When we had dinner that night, we talked about it and both felt the same. Don't take the job. Answered prayer.

The second thing is a profound sense of the state of who I am. Without Jesus Christ, I am so unworthy. But like the song we sang last Sunday, "I am so unworthy, but still You love me. I'm captivated by Your great mercy. I'm overwhelmed by what You've done in my life. To know You more is my heart's one desire." Of ourselves we have nothing to enable us to come into the Presence of God. Even Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament, called himself the least of the apostles, because of his persecution of the church prior to following Jesus Christ. He had a sense of who he was without Jesus. Our sinful nature is atoned for by the blood of Jesus on the cross, by His sacrifice for us. It's only by this great mercy of God, that we are able to come before Him. We all come to the same place to receive what God has for us, to the cross. It is a level place before Him. Nothing of ourselves gives anyone a leg up on salvation. His love and grace make us into the image of Jesus, into the best person we can be in Him, when we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. Sinful beings transformed by God's amazing mercy and love for us.

Real Love

2011-11-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

In Luke 6:27, Jesus tells the people following him, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." He then goes on to list a variety of ways that we can show love to those who are enemies and mistreat us:

If they hate you - do good to them

If they curse you - pray for them

If they hit you - let them hit you again on the other cheek

If they take your coat, don't stop them from taking your tunic also.

Jesus says that if you are good to those who love you, you are no different than anyone else, even those who are 'sinners' do that. Real love is to love your enemies, to be good to them. Even to lend them money and not expect them to pay any of it back. If we want to really be like Jesus, to be "sons of the Most High," we will love unconditionally even those who are enemies, who are ungrateful and wicked.

The cool part of all this is that in addition to becoming more like our Father, we will also be rewarded. So today, as you are shown no respect, or called a name, or shunned, remember real love is to pray for them and do good to them..."your reward will be great."

(Luke 6:27-36)

Halloween Outreach

2011-10-31T11:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Greg, Deneen, Jacques, Nick, Brandon, Jessi, Steve and me, we had a very successful outreach at the Halloween Event at Eagan Community Center. We gave out 800 bags of candy, which included a coupon the kids could redeem at our church in November for a pass to the Blast at the Center.

Lots of cute kids, with their parents, grandparents, or friends came through the lines. We were all in costume so it made for a fun experience.

There were people who came through who were interested to find out more about South Oaks Community Church and we hope that they come and check us out. Greg had a puppet with him called Kenya, a koala bear, who was a big hit with the children. And Nick's mohawk wig was also a crowd favorite. Brandon had a caveman wig and beard, with an interesting kilt costume. Jessi was a lady bug, as were many of the girls who came through. Instant connection! The all time funniest was when one of the kids told Brandon, "I know who you are supposed to be...Jesus!"

Golden Calves

2011-10-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

In I Kings 11, we read about Solomon's replacement on the throne of Israel. God chose Jeroboam and told him through the prophet that as long as he followed God, walked in His ways and did what was right by keeping the statutes and commands of God, He would be with Jeroboam. He promised a dynasty equal to that of King David.

But in chapter 12, verses 25-33, Jeroboam does some things that show a deep problem in his heart. He fortifies cities that he wants to live in and builds up others. Then the fear that someone would take away what God gave him takes over. He builds a replacement for the temple in Jerusalem. Not at God's command, but because he feared losing the people. After seeking advice, he has two golden calves made and tells Israel, "Here are your gods." He leads the nation into idolatrous worship. He appointed priests from just anyone. Probably the people he knew he could control, that he could get to go along with him in the sin he was perpetrating. He set up his own festivals and didn't honor the days that God has instituted as holy.

The fear of losing his position and influence caused Jeroboam to trust others and not God. It caused him to lead others astray as well. When we listen to the voice of fear or anxiety, and don't take our concerns to God, we are actually listening to voices of the enemy of our souls.

The calves probably were well made, even beautiful to look at. But they were a sharp turn away from God and what He had asked the nation to do. We can't hear what God tells us, and turn from what He has commanded us to do and think there will be a good outcome. Later in chapter 13, the prophet warns him of his demise.

Are there some promises that God has given you? Are you combining the things of self and the world and hoping for a good outcome? There is still time to repent and quit worshipping the "golden calves" in your life.

2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Preview Postview

2011-08-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

The Sneak Preview went well. It was a good experience to see that we could set it all up and actually run a service there. The worship was awesome. God really anointed it.

The message was "If It's Broken, Don't Fix It", about Mary pouring out her heart in worship before Jesus as she anointed Him with the broken alabaster bottle's fragrance. God loves our worship when it comes from a broken and contrite heart. When we pour out ourselves before Him with no thought as to what others think. Try to spend time in His presence this week, and pour out extravagant worship before Him.

Sneak Preview

2011-08-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is our "Sneak Preview" for South Oaks Community Church at 10 am. We are meeting at the Eagan Community Center in the Lower Level. There has been lots of prayer and planning for this day. Last week, we made sure that all the equipment worked and could be loaded in, set-up, torn down and loaded-out. Everything worked..yeah! We are praying for all God has for us for Sunday. Come join us. There is something for the entire family.

Setting Up

2011-07-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

We rented our office space for South Oaks. It's a single office in a suite of offices. Our area has a separate entrance, which is nice. So far, we have a table and chairs, and a table/credenza in the space.

The banners for our church are also completed. We picked them up yesterday and set one of them up in our office. Looks good, don't you think? These are important for Sunday and for identification of who we are at other events.

Things are moving along nicely. We have a great staff in place so far and are trusting God for the rest.

It Seems Radical

2011-04-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

In Jeremiah 38:14-28, King Zedekiah asks Jeremiah for a word from the Lord. He is told that what God wants him to do is actually to surrender to the army of the Babylonians and then his life will be spared. Of course, King Zed doesn't like that word and says he thinks that can't possibly be the right thing. Jeremiah says that if he obeys it will go well with him. Otherwise, he will be captured and the city will be burned.

Sometimes the things God tells us to do seem to be different than we would think. Our reaction to the situation around us would be to step in and fight back. We think we must be able to handle the battle on our own. But God might be telling us to sit back and let Him fight the battle. Even if the outcome isn't exactly what we want, it might be the one He has determined for us.

If we surrender to God and what He desires, the results are life giving. If we try to do it ourselves and contrary to what God is showing us, the city will burn.

What area is God telling you to trust Him in, even if you think it seems radical?

Who Am I, O Sovereign Lord?

2011-02-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

This week I read a prayer of David, in 2 Samuel 7:18-29. He has just heard from the prophet Nathan about what God promises to him and his family. So he goes into the tabernacle and sits in the presence of God and the first thing out of his mouth is "who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far?"

That's such a different perspective than most of us have about things. Instead of the awe and wonder about what God had done through us and for us, we question God about why we aren't somewhere else, and doing more and having more from Him. I know I am guilty of this. There are times in ministry when it is so great to see God use you, that you start thinking that He really should move you up and into more chances to do what you see yourself doing next. But then, it has really become about us, hasn't it? If we were like David and saw that it was about the greatness and majesty of God, and how wonderful that we get to be used to accomplish the purposes of God, at His timing and at His pleasure, we might sit in His presence and say the same things.

"How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is none like you, and there is no God but you...O Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant."

It's all about trusting God with every part of our lives and seeing that His goodness is never failing. Even when we might write the plot line differently than He does. David regularly sat in the presence of God and praised Him. He told God how he felt about what he was experiencing, but he always ended with praise to God. Try it today yourself. Sit before God. Praise Him for who He is and what He is doing in and through you.

The False Righteousness of Religion

2011-02-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

I read this in an on-line devotional I get an thought it was really good.

"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Romans 10:2-4 ESV

David and the Philistines

2011-02-10T16:26:00.000-08:00

I was reading in my devotions this week about David and a battle he fought against the Philistines. In 2 Samuel 5:17-25, David sees that an attack by the enemy is coming against him so he prays and asks God if he should go and attack them. God tells him yes and he wins. Then the enemy comes against him again. This time God tells him not to go straight at the Philistines, but to circle around behind them and listen for the sound of footsteps in the trees. This would mean that God was going out in front of them to strike the Philistine army.

Many times in our lives, we try to take the enemy or the battle straight on. When we do this, we are doing what seems to be right in our understanding. This doesn't work every time. In fact, the only way to know what to do is to consult God. What if David had just assumed and did the same thing he did the first time. That wouldn't have been successful. God had a different plan.

The second time David brought the troops around behind them and listened for God's moving in front of them. Then they followed and did what God had told them. They won the battle with a huge victory.

As we face problems and trials, the best way to handle it is to pray and see what God shows us. Read the Bible and get His input. Listen to the confirmation of the Holy Spirit in your heart. When we follow what God shows us, we will be successful.

Why Do We Suffer

2010-10-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

(This is an article by Adam Smith. I thought it was very good.)

"Recently, I went through the most difficult period in my entire life. I can’t adequately describe the depth of heartache and upheaval I experienced, and on many levels am still experiencing. However, in the midst of all this, some foundational theological principles helped me keep not only my faith, but my sanity.

"First, God didn’t make suffering happen. The hard fact of things is that, as a result of the Fall, the universe is set toward entropy. Things move from order to chaos, not the other way around. Therefore, bad things just happen. Car wrecks, earthquakes, cancer. They’re not part of some diabolical scheme on the part of the forces of darkness, nor are they proof of an uncaring and inattentive God. They’re part and parcel of living in a universe that’s become fundamentally broken because of sin. So, with this in mind, anger toward God seems a little misplaced. Now, the comforting part of all this is that God has the ability to bring redemption to these situations if we let Him. We can grow to be stronger individuals, and have a better picture of who God is. It’s not that God wants us to suffer just so He can teach us. The fact is, suffering comes naturally as the outgrowth of living in a fallen world.

"Moreover, we’re veritably assured to go through hard times. Jesus makes many promises to us when it comes to our state of mind. He promises us peace, joy, assurance. But, one of the only life situations He promises will come our way is suffering. He tells us the world will give us trouble. We’ll experience trials. So, when suffering comes our way, we shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus already told us it would.

"Both of these ideas may seem fatalistic, but they’re actually quite proactive. They prepare us to face suffering, and to keep a proper perspective in the midst of it.

"Vocational ministry in no way excuses us from going through the crucible of suffering—if anything, it intensifies it. After all, those in vocational ministry tend to live their lives under the scrutiny of the public eye. So suffering in the midst of ministering can be a tricky thing, as that suffering is made uncomfortably public. Congregants can make the experience worse, with skewed theology giving way to questioning the righteousness of the suffering. If the leader is going through this trial, he must have done something to bring it on himself. This attitude is nothing new.

"Thankfully, or perhaps frustratingly, the Bible devotes an entire book to examining the problem of suffering. Job asks the most fundamental question in the human experience: Why do the innocent suffer? Job’s friends accuse him of bringing it on himself, while Job insists upon his innocence and demands an answer from God. After chapter upon chapter of this tug-of-war, God shows up on the scene. Finally, an answer to Job’s perfectly legitimate question. But God isn’t forthcoming an answer. Instead, He points to the majesty of His creation, effectively dodging Job’s query. You would think this would leave Job a little indignant. Instead, he says this:

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6 TNIV).

"One wouldn’t be able to blame Job if he were a little miffed at not having a response for the most profound philosophical conundrum in history. Yet, for Job, the manifest presence of God is enough. God’s bigness makes Job’s questions seem irrelevant. When he’s brought in contact with a full understanding of the goodness and majesty of God, everything else seems trivial by comparison.

"This means that our questions about suffering also melt in the presence of an infinitely good and loving God. It’s not that the questions aren’t valid. Rather, Job shows us that answers aren’t really what we’re looking for. What we’re seeking is an experience with a God who we know is good and just. This isn’t just blind faith. It’s also imminently logical and theologically sound. We don’t just believe God is good because that’s what we’re told. If we believe in a creator, then that very belief implies goodness. You see, the act of creation in itself is inherently a loving act. By that rationale, it tells us that the intrinsic nature of the creator of the universe is one of love. Of goodness.

"Sometimes, that’s the only thing we can hang onto. We have to stay firm in the fact that God is good, in spite of the circumstances that seem to point to the contrary. If we do hold to this, what a testimony we are to those around us. There’s tremendous power in a leader publicly bearing up under trials, holding fast to God’s goodness. We may never understand suffering. We may never understand why God doesn’t intervene. What we do know is that God is good. And, ultimately, that makes every other question seem irrelevant.

"Now, the sad reality is that this doesn’t always pan out in day-to-day experience. There are days when none of this seems real to me. There are days when all I can see is despair, and I can’t feel the goodness of God. These are the times when I hold onto a truth larger than experience. I mentally reaffirm to myself what I know of God’s character even when everything in my emotions screams that it isn’t true. It’s a road marked with pitfalls, daily stumbling and mad groping toward anything that seems like hope. It’s not the road I wanted, but it’s the one I’m on. My only choice is to cling fervently to what Hunter S. Thompson described as “the desperate assumption that someone—or at least some force—[is] tending the light at the end of the tunnel.” I don’t feel it, but I must believe it.

"It may not sound like much, but most days it’s all I have."

This article originally appeared in Volume 2 of Neue Quarterly.

Dirt Balls

2010-09-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

I was watching Mythbusters the other day, where they showed their top shows. One of them was about polishing dirt and other (umm) stuff.

The truth was that you can polish dirt. There is an art form in Japan called dorodango, which means "dirt dumplings". Basically, they form a core part with dirt and clay and keep adding around it with dirt, sand, etc. When the dirt ball is finished, they can polish it. Check it out on youtube. The balls get really shiny, almost like marble in appearance. But honestly, no matter how shiny and how great they look, they are still just dirt.

What elements of your life are like that? You polish them up and make them look really nice, but they are still just dirt balls. Paul, the apostle, said in Philippians 3:7-8, that he considered all the things that many considered great in his life to be like dung compared to knowing Jesus. When we live our lives to honor and glorify God, He gives us the real treasure, of knowing Him and doing things for eternal reward.

Maintaining unity

2010-07-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

God has been placing the concept of love in my heart for the last several months in an intense way. Not just some obscure, general idea, but what it really means to show love to others. Sometimes we think we are loving because we have lots of friends who we like and they like us. Well that's one kind of love...brotherly love. But what about the love that we are supposed to show people who don't like us. We maybe don't like them either. And they make aspects of our life difficult. What about those people?

When we read the Bible and it talks about showing love to others, it uses the Greek word "agape" in the original manuscript. Do we know what that actually means? I think I can agree to show agape love very easily when I am reading the Bible, or sitting in a Bible study. It is rather vague sounding and I think, "sure, I can do that." Because I think of no one in particular and everyone in general. So what happens, though, when someone makes it their project to be annoying to you. Or everytime you are around that person, you just have a really hard time getting along. Or they want to argue with you, or try to let you know they are better, bigger and smarter than you. Do you show "agape" then, or want to bare your teeth at them?

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul the apostle writes to us about how real love acts: patient, kind, not bragging, not proud. Not easily angered, Always trusts and protects. I guess this isn't just when you are with your best friends or the people that you get along with. It's with everyone. That's difficult if you are trying to do it in your own power. You really need to ask God to help you, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

There was a situation that I encountered that tested me on this. God was helping me to know whether or not I really believed this. The thing I realized was this: do I want to maintain unity and the love of God, or do I want to be right? Sometimes you can't have both. You have to choose. The Holy Spirit might show you that the best thing to do is to show love to someone. My opinion on an issue isn't the ultimate essential thing I need to make clear to the world around me. Yes, I need to model what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and it should make a difference in how I act. I should live a life of holiness and righteousness. But the communication coming out of my mouth should be loving about all.

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

How to apply scripture to those around you

2010-06-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

The other night in our 24sevenfaith class, we talked about bringing Jesus to our sphere of influence: work, neighborhood, etc. One of the things that the material we are using talks about is that we should not be surprised at people's sinfulness. If we are, we appear self-righteous and hypocritical. This got me thinking about how we apply the scripture to ourselves and those around us.

Jesus told the disciples, more than anything at the end, to love each other, that the world around them would know that they were His followers by the love they showed. We in the church sometimes get it backwards. We think that we are supposed to love ourselves and apply the standards of the Bible to others. The people who do not know God, who are not followers of Jesus, are not able to be righteousness. People know that they have problems and are not living a life that brings fulfillment and peace. Our job isn't to point out to them where they are missing it. They need to be shown the love of God through us.

In the book UnChristian by Kinnaman and Lyons, the people of the world weigh in on us in the church. The book lists the things that are said about us and, in the end, says what the church can do if we want to be relevant today. Our only hope to have a voice in their lives is to build relationship and to show the love of God.

How to apply the scriptures to those around you: show the love of God.

Thoughts on a Psalm

2010-05-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when we are going through a tough time, the Psalms are good to read. They are full of the promises and assurances from God to us, as seen by David. This king of Israel was the ultimate worshipper. I love his passion for life and for God.

One of the Psalms that everyone is familiar with, because it is quoted a lot, is 23. It's the Psalm about the Lord being our shepherd. It talks about how God gives us what we need, and how He has us lie down in green pastures.

Do you remember when you were a kid and you would lie down in the grass? I remember playing with friends when I was in grade school and how we would run around and then we would lie down in the yard and look up into the sky. The grass felt cool, which on a hot day like today was really nice. My thought is that the shepherd in Psalm 23 has his sheep rest on the grass and that it is something that is refreshing to them.

Then it says they walk along by the still water. Have you ever been camping by a lake, and gotten up early in the morning and the water is perfectly still? It feels so calm and if the sun is shining on it, you get a sense of the awesomeness of God. It seems so peaceful, too. This recharges you, gets you ready for the next thing you need to do. The Psalmist knew this too. David actually says it restores our souls. Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions.

To have our minds restored means that all of the worries, anxieties and busyness are washed off of us. We can spend time just relaxing in God's presence. Let Him speak through His word to us and let go of all of the stuff that is weighing us down.

What is a restored will? It is one that is not rebellious to the things of God, that is open to His leading. The enemy tries to distort our will, so that we are not totally open to the working of God in our lives. The half-truths he tries to use against us to disrupt what God wants for us are washed off and we are restored to our close walk with the heavenly Father.

Then He restores our emotions. Do you ever have those days where you just feel frazzled? Where you feel as though you can't make it another minute without something changing, because it's just so draining? God wants to restore you there too. Just ask Jesus to remove the negative stuff and give you His peace. He will put you back on center, when you make Him the Lord of your life.

So lie down in the grass. Look up in the sky and ask God to restore you. Enjoy the day!

Malta Times

2010-05-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

Our daughter is in Malta--the country. She is there for a summer study and internship. It's amazing how global our children are. I guess spending five of their formative years as young children in France has something to do with it.

She is happy with things so far: the flat, the location, and the people she is with. (My internship was in Bloomington MN. Not that I mind that actually...it's just that I think its an interesting parallel.) I'm excited for her to have the opportunity. Malta is in the Bible too. It's one of the places that the apostle Paul went.

What plans do you have for the summer? Anything interesting...

Salt Lake City

2010-04-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we left after church and drove out to Salt Lake City, Utah. It took 21 hours, so we had to do it in 2 days. That's driving time...not including stopping for meals, gas, and the restrooms. Then when we came home, it was another 21 hours. We loved the drive, seeing all the different topography. Lots of pictures.

We went out to see our number one son and help him move out of his rental house, moving some things into a storage locker and bringing some of the stuff home, here in the Twin Cities. It was really good to see him. He goes to the U of Utah, but will spend the summer working for Outward Bound, doing an internship. He really loves the mountains and after being there to visit, I can see why. It is beautiful.

It's really cool to see your children growing up and becoming adults, following their passion. That is the advice we gave them: to do what God put in their hearts to do, to follow the passion, the vision, that God gave them. It's great to see it being lived out.

Concert at the Xcel Center

2010-04-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

If you weren't at the Xcel Center last night, you missed a great band...Select Three opened for Bon Jovi. They were awesome. It's the band my son is in. He had some lead guitar solos that were "sick". I wish I had a better camera, since the pictures I got weren't the best. Here is one of him playing one of his solos.

They played about 5 songs and had a great response. How they ended up getting to do the concert was a contest on KQRS with several other bands. Select Three got the most votes and was given the opportunity to play on Wednesday night.

Yes, there was another band there...Bon Jovi. He does a great concert. Really involves the audience. For a couple of parts, he came out into the audience on a stand, right where we were on the main floor. Our tickets were in the 11th row. We were really close. Made for a great evening.

The Final One

2010-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

This year, I decided to do brackets on my iPhone. It was one of the app's. I did pretty well at guessing (you know that's what it is). I got about 70% correct in the first round, 50% in the second round, 50% in the regionals, and I picked the winner overall...Duke. That was fun. I didn't have anyone in my group, so I don't know how any of the rest of you did with your picks. Did any of you choose the winner?

There is one sure choice we all can make in our lives. Choosing to follow Jesus Christ. It's the winning choice. Some day we will all stand before God and those of us who have chosen to follow Him will have more than winning the Final Four. We will have an eternity with God. It's not a hunch. It's a sure thing.

Winter Rain

2010-03-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

Ever have those days when the winter rain just makes you feel bleah? Today is one of those days for me. One day of rain, okay...two days, I can do it. Three days is starting to get to me. And four days, are you kidding.

I saw the weather today, and there is this large system over the whole mid to eastern half of the US. It looks like it is here for a while, just spinning around with lots of rain.

This last weekend, I was at Welch Village for the Ski Instructors clinics. It was nice and sunny. I had one of those "aha" moments about my skiing, and was excited to go to Buck Hill this week and practice my new and improved skiing. Rain. No opportunity for that.

I think that in many ways we let our walk with God be like that. The "sunny days" with God are great and we really love them. But then it becomes kind of "grey and rainy" in our life and we let it affect us and drag us down. I'm going to spend some extra time in the presence of God this week. This might help me in both my walk with God and with the winter rain outside!

Psalm 103:1-5: "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."

How are you dealing with the "rain"?

Healthcare Issue

2009-09-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

I was reading today in the magazine, Relevant, and read these statistics:
"On average, 22,000 Americans die prematurely every year because they lack health insurance, 14,000 lose their health insurance every day, medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcies in America and health insurance premiums have risen 87 percent since 2002."

I'm not sure what those figures mean to you, but they sound incredibly dismal to me. If you are one of the people who has lost a loved one due to lack of health insurance, or are struggling with healthcare costs, it is more than a number. It is real life.

While I don't agree with everything going on in Washington DC these days, this article shows a definite need for the nation. We as the church need to step up to the plate and see what we can do to help others who have problems with their health. The "church" as an institution isn't like this ATM for help. It's up to each of us. We actually are the church. Us. People. So when you hear of someone who is struggling, who needs help, it's on your watch. You get to help. Maybe you just bring a bag of groceries over to the family in need. Or give them a twenty. Let God tell you how to help.

It really is a shame that in the richest country in the world per capita, that people should be faced with such life and death issues and be without help. If God gave you more than enough, you have a moral and spiritual responsibility to help others. And sometimes they are right next door. Or in the seat next to you at church.

I pray that the people in Washington DC will get this right. But until then, let's seize the moment to help, as the hands and feet of Jesus to the world around us.

Minneapolis Duathlon

2009-09-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I competed in the Minneapolis Duathlon on Sunday. I wondered if I could do 18 miles on the bike. And I did. It took a lot of energy, but was great. The run portion was a 5K before the bike, and a 5K after it. We did it as a relay, as did several other people. But I am super pumped to do the Iron Girl Duathlon next. It's a 2 mile run, a 22 mile bike and a 2 mile run. My daughter and I will each complete the whole thing. The training continues!

Questions about leaders

2009-06-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

I had a question asked of me about leaders in the Bible...is the word "leader" used? Here is the answer I gave to them:

Hebrews 13:7 (NIV): "Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

I had been meaning to look this up, since I was pretty sure that Heb. 13:7 talked about leaders. but that is in the New International Version. It actually says to remember those who "rule" over you in the King James Version. So I looked it up in the original Greek. The word is hegeomai, which means to command, or to rule over, or to lead. So what the writer of Hebrews is saying about those who lead you, who have spoken to you the word of God, remember them, follow them in faith. Later in verse 17, he says to obey those who rule (hegeomai) over you, and submit yourself, for they watch over your souls, and must give account. (In James it talks about the teachers having a stricter standard.)

There are leaders, teachers, pastors, overseers etc. in the Bible. God gives them as gifts to the body of believers. While we are not under their control, they are charged by God to help show the believers what it means to follow Christ. It is one of the five ministry gifts in operation. The apostle Paul said "follow me as I follow Christ." So our primary leader is Jesus. But He uses the mature believers to help guide the younger ones. It's not an issue of control. It's a blessing.

Leadership in the church is like a coach, to help, not to control, in the way God meant it. True submission would be like what discipleship meant back then. The person would adhere themselves to the person they wanted to follow (an act of their choosing). The person being discipled would learn of the teachings and way of life of the person they followed. Usually the person would come and ask the leader if he could follow him. So when Jesus, the leader, went and asked people to follow him, it was a break with how that normally worked. Usually you had to prove you were worthy of following the leaders. Jesus called people who didn't earn it. And, then, in the early church, anyone could follow Christ. Just like today. It is an act of our will, choosing to follow Jesus Christ.

The ministry gifts are for helping the body of Christ to be made mature, complete, and lacking nothing. Sounds more like a resource concept. But there is a great responsibility to have the character to support the gift. Something many do not have in today's church. Our goal is always to follow Christ, and help others along the way, becoming more like Jesus in all we do.

Let me know if you have a question or a comment.

Mountain Bike Demo

2009-05-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my daughter and I went to a demo at a park with mountain biking trails. One of the local bike shops let you use a bike to promote the program that they have beginning next week.

All of us were split up into groups of skill. I went with the beginner group. We tackled an easy trail first. Then we tried a medium trail. About an hour later, I was happy for the experience, but really worn out.

It was fun. Now I have to decide if I want to be part of this every week, or maybe continue with riding in regular trails, instead of mountain bike ones. My daughter said, "see, Mom, now you'll think that the spin class is easy." So, maybe, that's a good idea in the meantime.

Have you ever tried mountain biking? What's your favorite place to ride?

What friends do

2009-01-23T10:48:00.001-08:00

We all have friends. Some are better friends than others. But, eventually, as we move forward in those friendships, we will have some kind of disagreement. There are times, in those friendships, when you have issues arise.

There is a way to deal with these disagreements. God's Word (Matthew 18:15) says that we are to take the problem to the person and talk to them about it. I recommend face to face...not email or phone. Jesus said we are to go to them and talk to them. That sounds like in person. I like this because no one can get angry and hang up, or not return the text or email. Plus, they see your body language, hear the tone of your voice. It's a better way.

So how are we supposed to respond to these times of conflict? Is anger appropriate, or, is a harsh response correct? Let's look at God's word again. In Luke 11:4, Jesus says to forgive those who sin against us. Many times, we misinterpret what people have done to us as a sin in the first place. Our hurtful life events predispose us to react to things that are not meant as evil as though they were. Even when it is intended for evil, Jesus says to forgive. That's only possible when we have the love of God in us. We need to pray for Jesus to pour out His love in our hearts, in our actions. Jesus even asked God the Father to forgive the people who crucified Him on the cross. Wow, what love!

In Proverbs 27:6, it says, "wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." That means that the kisses of the enemy aren't trustworthy. They might be yes-men or flatterers. Enemies won't tell you the truth. A friend will. Because when you really love someone as your friend, you will even risk losing your friendship for the greater good of telling them something they need to hear. Friends are real and truthful with each other. It's important to see this as part of our love for them. And, if you really are friends, they won't cut you off. They will take what you say and pray about it, "chew the meat, and spit out the bones." God's Word says that "iron sharpens iron". We help each other to grow in our walk with God and with each other.

It's what real friends do.

What about today?

2008-11-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

I was reading in my Bible, in Psalm 44, today. It starts out with a remembrance of what "our fathers" have told us about the miracles of the past: God drove out the nations, crushed the opposition, made the people flourish, helped them win the land. The next thing is the part about asking why God is currently letting the nation be rejected and humbled. My thought is that all of the big events listed, major battles won, are all in the past. Had Israel started living in the past victories, instead of looking to the future for what God was going to bring them through?

There is a danger of resting on the laurels of the past wins and not really wanting to be involved in any current pressing forward. Oh yeah, we know we can win with God on our side. Verse 5 says, "through you we push back our enemies". They knew about God's power. But maybe they just kind of get tired of really fighting the good fight.

Like us. We like the relaxation of staying where we are. It's like mowing the lawn once, and then sitting back and thinking you'll just enjoy the yard. Eventually, the weeds and the grass will grow to a level where you are in a mess. It will overtake the yard. There is no such thing as sitting still in the Christian life either. When we think, "there, I've made it," then we begin to be overtaken by the enemy.

Maybe in Psalm 44, Israel thought they had conquered the land, now they could just kick back and enjoy the spoils. What happened then was that they thought God should just do the fighting and they should do the enjoying of the victories.

There are things we are all called to do, and a daily spiritual battle is part of it. Its not like we forget about God. We just quit "pressing forward" to take hold of the things Jesus Christ has for us. We get satisfied. Or we think we have a great testimony. Only thing is, all of it is several years ago.

I would like to challenge you today. What has God done through you today? Is your story of what big victory you last saw God win in your life more than a week old...a month...a year...how many years?

Let's be like Paul who said, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made complete, but I PRESS ON to take hold of that for which Chirst Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and STRAINING TOWARD what is ahead, I PRESS ON toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)

The gauntlet has been thrown, the challenge is issued, the vision is cast!

Into Eternity

2008-10-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

Last week, our family was in Dallas. My husband's mother passed away. While she will truly be missed by all of us, on many different levels--wife, mother, grandmother, friend--it was a precious time with her at the end. We spent the last two days of Elizabeth's life with her in the hospital hospice. We sang a few hymns, read some Scripture to her, and told her how much we loved her. She was able to communicate with us, and let us know she loved us too, with words and holding our hands, gently squeezing them from time to time. As Elizabeth drew her last breaths here on earth, we were all around her bed. All three of Steve's and my children were there too. It was a peaceful and beautiful moment to see her pass into eternity. Her eyes were no longer on us at the end. They were seeing into where she was going, to be with Jesus.

Elizabeth had made the choice to go into hospice. She knew her time left was short. But her ability to make that decision was based on another choice she had made many years ago. She had chosen to be a follower of Jesus. She had made the decision to ask Him to be the Lord of her life. When she did that, as a young woman, Elizabeth had made a decision that Jesus said was the way to know God. In the Bible, in John 14:6, Jesus said that He was the Way to God, the Truth and the Life. He said that He came to give us abundant life, life that is full and meaningful (John 10:10). Elizabeth had lived that kind of life, surrendered to God, following Jesus Christ. She was ready to go and experience eternal life in heaven.

You really aren't ready to live your life to the fullest until you know where you will spend eternity. I encourage you to make that decision for yourself, if you have not. Ask Jesus Christ to be your Saviour. Determine in your heart to follow Him.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Election highlight

2008-08-31T23:16:00.000-07:00

This past week, we celebrated the anniversary of the right to vote for women. No matter what your political views, you can be proud of the women who have defined what that means for us today. Hillary Clinton ran for president and was a contender. And Sarah Palin is on the republican ticket as VP. As a woman, it is awesome to see these accomplishments.

It shows how far we have come here in America. People are using words like 'historic'. No matter who wins the election, we will have someone in a position that is a first. I am proud of the contributions of women in politics in the US.

Olympics

2008-08-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Did you watch that finish of the men's swimming relay two nights ago? I couldn't believe it. What a great race. They showed Michael Phelps yelling at the end of it. We were yelling too. It was exciting to see the USA come from behind and take the win. YEAH!

What has your favorite moment been during these games?

A Response and Encouragement

2008-07-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

If you read my blog entry, "The Sacred and the Secular", you may have thought about how that impacts you. Someone responded with the following comment:

"Wouldn't we logically be learning (on Sunday) a theology of work, some apologetics, a strategy for servanthood, service and influence building, and some worldview knowledge? If we do not understand another's worldview, and its implications, how can we build effective Godly influence, other than that which is restricted to emotions? Where, in this context, is the renewing of the mind? When it comes to the Church on Sunday, where is the training and equipping of the saints for full time ministry in the marketplace?" (for the entire comment, click on the comment link on my blog entry).

I would agree that we in the church need to be proactive in helping everyone in the body to do what God called them to do. There really is a paradigm shift happening currently, where ministers/pastors are beginning to see their role as more of a coach. It gets down to the way they see themselves. If we are truly building the Kingdom of God, not our own "kingdom" at a particular place, then we will want to equip and empower the followers of Christ to represent Jesus in their individual spheres of influence. What advances the Kingdom of God may or may not benefit me personally as a pastor. If I am really a coach type of leader, I want to help everyone get how to be a marketplace minister. There are lots of good materials out there right now. At church, we are going to start a small group this fall on that very thing...talking about how do we do that? How do we grasp the concept, and actually be a minister of the gospel of the Kingdom of God in our job, school, neighborhood, etc. Part of that is to understand how uniquely "wired"/gifted we each are as a follower of Jesus Christ. Then, how do you use that wherever you are (24/7)?

So church services should help us understand what the Bible says about how our lives will be transformed by submitting to Jesus in every area. How do we walk that out daily. We need to help everyone find out what their gifts are and provide opportunity to use and develop them. Realistically, that is what Small Groups do best. We have that opportunity for everyone, in varying levels.

I encourage you to read your Bible and ask God to show new things everyday. Ask Jesus to fill you to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Look for opportunities to speak into other people's lives with encouragement, with words of life.

Blessings as you minister in your job!

The Sacred and the Secular

2008-06-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

As you see, I last posted an article by Randy Kilgore with some thoughts about Marketplace Ministry. I got to thinking some more about that tonight on the way home from working out at the club. There is something about exercising, where you can't be talking, really, while you are trying to do a good workout on the stairmaster. It gets me thinking about things.

So today, I was thinking about how we talk about the sacred and the secular, as if there is this big dicotomy. Like if we say someone has a call to ministry, we automatically think that they are going to be a pastor or a missionary. And like the only real ministry happens at church..mostly on Sunday.

However, as I read my Bible, God doesn't seem to make that distinction. Jesus told His disciples to go everywhere and tell everyone about how to know God, how to follow Jesus. He tells us to preach the gospel and heal the sick. And it is actually written to us all. Not just people like the first disciples, or the pastors, or Benny Hinns, of the world. So, it really doesn't seem that the gospel of the Kingdom recognizes any difference between us at church and us at our jobs. Everywhere we are, we are part of the sacred, part of the Kingdom of God. We carry the Holy Spirit and the presence of God wherever we are.

The call on your life might be to be the best banker you can be, or the best mechanic, or the best mom. Whatever you do, God can use you to reach the world around you for Him.

In the movie, "Chariots of Fire", Eric Liddle says that he feels the pleasure of God when he runs (he was an Olympic athlete). When we run the race of life, when we do what God designed us to do, it brings pleasure to God. It's all sacred.

Marketplace Ministry Part 2

2008-06-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the next 6 from the Ten Ways:

6. Remembering God is Omnipresent (meaning He is attentively aware and physically present everywhere simultaneously), consider carefully each of your work practices. Are there sales, advertising, promotional, financial or personnel practices you engage in which embarrass the body of Christ and dishonor God? (Would you screen your ad campaigns in a church meeting, open your financial and personnel records to Jesus, replay your phone calls or lunchroom and plant floor conversations in the presence of God?) (Colossians 3:17; Colossians 3:23). (In Matthew 28:20b---Jesus makes a promise: "--and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.)

5. Ask God before you make major workplace decisions. Are you considering a promotion? Job change? Sometimes God wants us to say no to opportunities elsewhere because we have work left to do where we are. Are you considering a major acquisition? Or laying off workers? Have you sought His wisdom and will in the matter? God does exit interviews with our workers, and He assesses our faith by those results. (Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 119: 89-105).

4. Stop chasing more-more power, more money, more security, etc. Why are you working so hard? What rewards are you chasing? What isn't getting your time, energy and attention because of unbalanced schedules? Examine your work-life this moment; a balanced worker is more productive, more effective in every area of life. (I Timothy 6:6) If you're a manager, ask yourself if you're the cause of your workers' unbalanced lives.

3. Keep your emotions and your speech under control. Anger is among the most damaging emotions expressed in workplace relationships, and it seldom honors God or has productive outcomes on the job. Do you use anger inappropriately at work? Is your tongue venomous or gentle, deceitful or trustworthy? Explore these areas in your own life. (Ephesians 4:20-32).

2. Be men and women of action. Your efforts and behaviors at work must be consistent with the principles Jesus taught, and with the Scriptures. Do a spiritual audit of what you spend most of your time thinking about. Ask yourself why, and whom it serves? (James 1:22).

1. Make your work useful to Him right now. Some of the ways to do so: (a) Do a job that contributes real value to people, or to the responsible use of Creation; and/or, (b) Resolve to care about your coworkers' spiritual destinies, and to seek ways to influence them for Christ; and/or, (c) Resolve to change circumstances in your own firm that would make it useful in God's economy; and/or, (d) Resolve to use the resources God gives you through your work to further His Kingdom either by investing in businesses that honor Him, His children and His Creation, or by funding direct ministry in and out of the church.

Blessings to you as you are ministering in the marketplace.

Marketplace Ministry

2008-06-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

I get a weekly email from Randy Kilgore, who is a marketplace minister. He has put together several resources, such as Bible studies directed to that theme, and continues to speak into the lives of people through his website devotionals. You can go to the site at www.madetomatter.org

Today, he sent a list of ten ways to matter in your job. I am going to list the first of the list today. Read these and think about how you can use the encouragement at your place of employment!

Here is the start of the Ten Ways to Matter Today:

10. Consider the impact of your work efforts and those of your company on the weak and the poor. Follow your work product or service downstream and consider its impact on the customer. On workers. On the culture. Does it favor the wealthy at the expense of the weak and the poor? Does it widen the gap between haves and have-nots? Does it encourage bondage to debt? Does it invite sinful behavior? Does it encourage responsible use of natural resources? If not, what changes can you make to alter these outcomes? (For God's challenge to our duties to the weak and the poor, see Micah 6:8; James 1:27; Leviticus 19:9-10. For harsh warnings against those who prosper on the backs of the weak, the poor and the workers, see James 5:1-6).

9. Show mercy to an employee, coworker or customer. Find someone who has wronged you from this group, and demonstrate unmerited mercy and/or forgiveness to them. (For a model, see how Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11, or how he treated Peter after he had denied Him three times, found in John 21:15-19).

8. Redeem someone others have given up on. Look around at someone who is struggling, or is socially withdrawn, or is in trouble with the boss or company. Make a concentrated effort to befriend them in ways that encourage them, and that encourages others to befriend them as well. (For a model, see Jesus' relationship with Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-8).

7. Accept failure, crisis or even disaster in a way that shows others your faith remains unchanged in good times and bad. Make a decision now to be walking so in tune with God that you are willing to endure trial and distress at work in a way that reflects His character, resisting the urge to rebel or be angry. (For tenacity, see Proverbs 24:16; for endurance, see James 1:2-4; for how to do this, see Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:105; II Timothy 3:16-17).

Have a blessed day, mighty warriors of the marketplace!

God is moving

2008-06-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

We were out at the Women's Prison in Shakopee last night. It was really powerful. The room was packed to capacity and God was meeting us there. The worship was incredible. The ladies really call out to God, and He was touching their hearts. The message God gave me was the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. It was a message about really turning to God, preparing the way for Him to move and work in our lives, and trusting Him for the impossible.

What I really noticed was the women who were just undone by God's presence there. They were weeping the whole service. I believe that God is moving in a powerful way at the prison. I am praying for God to do more. Please be praying with me for that.

Visit by Mama

2008-03-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, my spiritual mom, from South Carolina, was here. It was the official installation at my new position. I've been working at the church officially for 2 months. Sunday, the church leaders and the congregation prayed over me and Steve. It was a powerful service.

It was also great to have Mama here to see what God is doing at our church and in my life. She has been my encourager through some tough and trying times. Everyone needs their mom to believe in them and pray for them. I am fortunate to have that in my life.

God is doing some awesome things in her life, too. She is a great example of what God will do through a person who is surrendered to do God's will. She is the president of the Minister's Association in her area. It is the first time a woman has been elected to that position in that organization. Pretty cool!

What do you know?

2008-02-09T11:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted a blog for a while. I know. I should be more consistent. Sometimes, though, you feel as though you should have a really deep thought to post for everyone. Life in the normal routines doesn't provide a lot of really deep, reflective moments. It seems that most of the time, we are going about our daily activities and responsibilities and we aren't looking for the philosophical things in them.

Those times of deep thoughts tend to come in the moments you spend with God. Oh, sure, it's during your daily quiet time that you spend with God. But God doesn't confine His time with us to that. It can happen as you are driving your car to get to work. God can start to speak to you and it can be really cool. Or it can be when you see a beautiful sunset. Or a cute baby. Or hearing a song on the radio. When we are open to God revealing truth to us during our day, any time He wants, it is good.

The apostle Paul said that to know Jesus was life to him. He also said that he prayed for followers of Christ to "know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:18-19a) He wrote those words while he was in prison. I guess in a difficult place, he could still hear from God.

My deep thought for today is...life following Jesus is good. Even when there are bumps in the road, or things seem to go a way we don't think they should. Trusting God and following Him gives us peace, and joy. And hope.

Showing Mercy

2008-01-18T10:57:00.000-08:00

In the book of Luke (6:27-36), Jesus tells a crowd about showing love to people. Its not the kind of situation we, ourselves, normally think about. He is telling them to do all these really great things for people who are like enemies, people who hate us and mistreat us. You really need the God kind of love for them. Jesus says we should "love them, do good to them, bless them and pray for them. If someone hits you on one cheek (ouch), turn the other one to him." I don't know what you think when you read that. If someone hauled off and belted you, would you think to say, 'here, you missed the other side." It is really against what we think to do naturally. If someone comes and takes your coat, go ahead and give them your shirt too, according to Jesus. And don't demand it back. Do to others as you would like it done to you.

So, our natural ability to love would be strained to the breaking. Jesus says that anyone can love their good friends, their loved ones. The real test of whether you have the love of God in you is if you can love those who don't love you. No bitterness. No getting even. Actually bless them. Give them what they need. And don't look for ever getting recognition or payback for the good. This requires that we have the love of God in us, working through us. Its through the Holy Spirit giving us the ability. Letting God love them through us.

God sees and rewards us, according to Jesus. God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked, Jesus says, so be merciful, just as the Father God is merciful. When you think about it, we all start at the same place. We are all wicked in ourselves, until the love of God gets ahold of us. Until we surrender our lives to Jesus and allow Him to live in us. God showed us mercy and love when we didn't deserve it. As we become like Christ, we get to show that part of His character, His love and mercy, to others.

"Be merciful."

Back to the Future

2007-11-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

I have been seriously out of the normal activities for several weeks. Moving is really a full time job. I have organized the kitchen, living room, dining room, bathrooms, laundry room, office, our bedroom, bathroom and closet,and some of the storage stuff. Since I am the only one with the longer time off from my job, it has fallen to me to do the lion's share of the work. Steve did the basement storage and the garage. Don't get me wrong, those are big projects. However, you understand I'm sure why I am just now finishing the work I am doing. I always say, "I'm not going to move again", after we move. This was quite a project. Moving a family of 4 or 5, when the children are older, is a lot of work.

But we love the house. It really is wonderful to finally be here and getting settled in. Now we can get back to living in a normal way. After listing our house for 5 months to sell it, and then packing and moving, we need to be back to a normal kind of life. Getting on with the future. I'm excited to see how God orchestrates the details.

Moving Ahead

2007-10-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

We are moving to our new house in just a couple of weeks. It has been fun seeing them work on the counters and flooring and everything lately. Once that gets put in place, it starts really coming together. It is down to the exciting part, where we are looking at the rooms and deciding exactly what will go where when we move in.

I like how it is all turning out. When you make your selections, you think you know what it will look like, but sometimes it looks even better than you thought.

So, now it is to the part where we start packing up boxes. I bought some yesterday at the truck rental place. Wow...they are a lot more expensive than I thought. It still is better than paying for the mover to do it though. You have probably heard of that mover here locally called, "Two Men and a Truck"...we will be several men, a couple of women, and who ever else we can talk into helping, and a U-Haul.

So, if you are not busy on our moving day, and have a few hours free, let me know. I can put you right to work.

Singing Praise

2007-09-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was working on some thoughts for a message that I will give soon, and I had my iPod running through the entire library. It came across one you probably haven't heard for a couple of years..."What A Friend I've Found". The simplicity of the arrangement and the voices, all praising God, singing, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, friend forever"...was so awesome. I put down my pen and just joined in. I wasn't singing with my voice, just my heart. It was worship that brought me into the presence of God. I just sat there, with my hands and my heart raised to Him, and let myself praise Jesus.

Sometimes, the best worship is the most simple. "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psalm 84:1-2

God's Kingdom

2007-09-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

When Nicodemus came to Jesus, in John 3, he asked Jesus how one could be born again and thereby see and know the Kingdom of God. Jesus told him that one had to be born of water and the Spirit. He also said that what is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Many today don't understand what the Kingdom of God really is. We think it is saying a prayer and then moving into the relationship with God. Yes, that is a start. But to really understand the concept here in John 3, we need to get our western mindsets to fully appreciate a new concept. That is the concept of Lordship. We need to come to Jesus and make Him our Savior and our Lord. The apostle Paul talks about himself as being a bondservant of Jesus. Bondservants were those people who were given an opportunity to go free, but decided to permanently attach themselves to their master. They would take an awl and make a hole in their ear to show that they belonged to the master. Paul then was saying that he was permanently submitted to Jesus. He belonged to Jesus Christ. When we are totally surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we enter the Kingdom. A Kingdom has a Lord, a King, over it.

Jesus says to Nicodemus, in verse 6, that what is born of the flesh is flesh. We cannot think our way into the Kingdom. It's not any element of our flesh. Jesus said that what was born of the Spirit is spirit. It's a decision that must involve our spirits and the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes our guide and our direction on how to live the Christian life. It says in verse 8 that the just like the wind blows, the Spirit will bring us where we are to go. That way, when we listen to God, and respond to the Holy Spirit in us, we are building His Kingdom.

Women's Prison

2007-09-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

This Monday, we ministered again at the Women's Prison. We had an awesome worship group, with some new members, that really led us into the presence of God. I love singing praise and worship with those ladies at the prison. They sing out so loudly, and really get into the worship.

The message God gave me for them was from Mark 10, about "Blind Bart". The conclusion of it was that if you have a coat which you have allowed to define you, then be willing to lay it down and come to Jesus. Jesus will set us free from our bondage, from our sin, from our shame. When I asked for people to stand and make a statement of wanting to do that, so many of them stood up. I praise God for what He is doing in that place. But we need to be praying for those ladies and ask God to protect, or 'seal' the decisions they have made. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to empower them to walk out their decisions.

For us all, we need to be willing to lay down anything that is hindering us from coming to Jesus. We need to surrender our lives to God, to follow Jesus with all that we are. It is a time to make sure we are free from the attachment to anything that would hold us back in our relationship with God. If I am holding on to things other than God, I cannot receive the blessings and the lessons He has for me. What is the coat you are wearing that is holding you back? What have you become comfortable with, that is a hindrance, a bondage, that you need to get set free from? Give it to God. Ask Jesus to set you free by the power of His Name and the blood He shed on the cross. Ask Him to give you the power of the Holy Spirit to live your life to be all He created you to be.

"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the [religious] Law, but that which is through faith in Jesus Christ."--Philippians 3:8-9

Labor Day Annual Tournament

2007-09-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

We had a great day yesterday. We all invited friends over and had a BBQ. All of the best things you can think of to eat. It was great. Then, what would the holiday be without the annual Croquet Tournament? So we had the game plus the "poison round". Sometimes, it is not the person who finishes first who wins this...sometimes. The winner of the tourney, until next year's challenge, was Steve.

I am not sure why he did so well this year. I have my theories though. Sure you took the afternoon off to work in the back yard. Yes. I think maybe he has been practicing. The hardest thing about playing croquet once or twice a year is that you forget how hard (or soft) you can actually hit the ball with the mallet. We eliminated one of the tree obstacles this year, but we still have that water hazard. So if Steve has just been taking a mallet to a ball every now and then, he would be a lot better after a summer's worth of practice.

You can think what you like about the results of the tournament. It is a very fun way to spend the afternoon, on a Labor Day, after the meal.
Congrats, Steve.

Perfect Strength

2007-08-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong."--2 Corinthians 12:9-10

This is a promise that we can claim for ourselves. Whenever we are dealing with something bigger than we know how to handle, God's promise is that His strength, the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, will carry us. He will give us the ability to get through. Being a follower of Jesus is not trouble free...we just have the strength from God to get through those times and find our hope in Him.

Looking for the Harvest

2007-08-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

It says in John 12:24, "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." The meaning of this scripture can only be understood when we are actually in a place where God has us die...to self, to our ministry goals, to our best plans. Even when we think that we have prayed about them and they are the ones from God. At some point, He may ask us to let it go. He may strip us of all we thought was His design. Then when we have nothing, when we allow it to die, to be "planted", we only have our relationship with Him. God is all we have.

For many years, these things can define who we are. When they are suddenly gone, you will know if you are standing on the Rock...you can be secure in God. I am in a situation right now, where He is teaching me that. When the "kernel" falls and dies, then God can bring forth what He wants. The Bible calls it many seeds. That is a harvest.
I always thought that the harvest was somewhat personal. You know, in the account of Job in the Bible, he gets double for his trouble at the end. God blesses him materially. But part of the harvest there was the children and grandchildren. He was able to minister to his friends. His children had an inheritance. Some of the harvest was personal. But the goal of it was to glorify God. Job told a much deeper story about who God was and the provision of God after losing it all. God spoke to him in a new deeper way. Job said, "my ears have heard about You, but now my eyes have seen You."

When the kernel dies, you get to where you can see God. There is nothing in the way to obstruct the view. Our harvest becomes more than personal. People get ministered to, there are new followers of Christ, and we have an inheritance of the goodness and the glory of God to give to others.

Tactics Part 2

2007-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

As I have been meditating on the scripture (2 Cor. 10) from yesterday, I have some further thoughts. Meditating is when you think about the scripture and ask God to give you further insight to what it means and how it applies to you.

Since we are not living by the standards of the world, as it says in verse 2, and since we are "fighting with weapons" that are not of the world, we need to examine how we are presenting the message of the gospel. There are things that we do that are cultural. We want to be culturally relevant. The Apostle Paul used the things available to him to create interest, from which he would speak to the people. Jesus did this too. He took what the people we doing, what was happening around him and drew people in. Then he would speak the message of salvation. Today we have many ways to do this. We can be reaching the culture through the tools and avenues that are available to us. That is a good thing.

However, let us not forget where the real power is, in what we are presenting. It's not the methods we use, its the message that has the power. It is ultimately the Holy Spirit that brings the message of salvation, how to have a real relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and applies it to the heart of each of us. That is the divine power that this passage talks about.

Cultural relevance is good, but it is never our goal. It is a means to an end, never the end. Our goal is to tell people how to be a follower of Christ and how to know God. That message is always relevant.

What Tactics Are You Using?

2007-08-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

In 2 Corinthians 10:2 - 7, the apostle Paul is writing to people in the church at Corinth. He reminds them that we do not live by the standards of the world. In fact, we have available to us spiritual resources that surpass the power of the natural ones. Our daily "battles" that we have, against the things that oppose God and keep us from knowing Him more, cannot be won in ways that are of our own strength and ability. We don't, on our own, even know how to fight against the power of evil.

The key is in our obedience to Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that if we do this, we actually "demolish" the arguments and deceptions of the enemy. The things that are impossible to overcome on our own efforts, those things that hinder us, that snag us, that don't let us free...are defeated by the power of God working in our life. When we surrender our lives to God, when we are followers of Christ, then we have His power working in our lives.

In verse 7, it says that you are looking only on the surface of things. That is because you can't see the power of God working in a life directly. You see the result.

General Council

2007-08-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you who wondered where I was, did I just leave town...yes. I did. And now I'm back. My husband and I went to Indianapolis for the biannual General Council for the Assemblies of God. It was a great experience. I had never been to one before, even though I have had opportunity to attend two others. I went this time because my son was in the Fine Arts competition. He did an awesome job by the way.

There were business sessions during the day, and services in the evening. It made for a pretty full schedule. I loved being part of the voting on the resolutions to our AG Constitution and Bylaws, and being part of the voting for the new General Council officers and presbyters. I also liked the time spent together with other ministers in our meal time, at various restaurants. That was one of the nicest parts of the time for me.

The evening services were really good. The presence of God was there in such a tangible way, especially on our last night (Friday). I was really touched by it. I feel inspired and empowered to do what God has called me to do.

Bridge Collapse

2007-08-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

Last night, we all watched the TV footage of the 35W bridge collapse. As the details have been discussed, it seems that there was a structural problem in the steel supports for the bridge that compromised the entire structure. This caused the collapse. It is interesting that the top of the bridge was being worked on. They were repaving it. So even though the top was being made to look better, the real problem was underneath where people really didn't see it.

In our relationship with God, we can have a similar problem. We fix the outside, to look good, to sound good. Behavior modification stuff. But if the heart, the inside isn't dealt with, if we don't have the foundation correct, we are working in vain. Our lives need to be surrendered to God, as we follow Him. Just doing the good actions, and making the things people see be good, isn't what God wants. He wants us to commit ourselves to Him. We should want to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God sees our hearts. When Samuel anointed David as king, God had told him that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. David wrote, in Psalm 19, that he wanted the words of his mouth and the meditation (the inner thoughts and feelings) of his heart to be pleasing to God. He knew that the only way for this to be true was in making the Lord God his Rock and his Redeemer. He knew that transformation only happens through surrendering ourselves to God and relying on His strength.

An Ambassador

2007-08-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

I was reading in the Bible today that we are Christ's ambassadors in the world. That's a cool thought, isn't it? An ambassador represents the government of one country in another one. So we represent God to the world. The view that the world has of God is given through us. We have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We have been given the job, as ambassadors, of telling others about this. We let the world around us know how to have that relationship with God through our behavior and our words. It says, in 2 Cor. 4:20--"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us."

As you are in your job, or at school, or at the health club, ask yourself, is it like God is speaking through you? To those around you, are you representing God in a way that lets Jesus shine through you? It's a big job, but God gives us the strength and the grace to do this everyday. We just need to ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish it.

Nice Weekend

2007-07-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

Steve and I went to a small town this weekend, Friday night and Saturday. It was really nice. We stayed in a bed and breakfast. Friday night there was a concert under the bridge, which was fun. Also we ate at a little inn not far from the bed and breakfast and had the seafood buffet.

We also went on a buggy ride around town. Definitely restful and it fun was to see more of the town. It actually turned out to be bigger than we thought. Back at the B & B, we sat around an outdoor fire and talked with the owners and their family.

The next morning, we had breakfast with the other couple that was staying at the B & B. They turned out to be followers of Jesus too. It was nice to hear about their relationship with God. They shared some scripture with us that actually was very encouraging. They didn't know our situation, but God did, and inspired them to share with us. It was pretty cool having some people who are young in their faith minister to us.

We went through several towns along the river in Wisconsin on the way home. It was a lot of fun to experience a new part of the area. And at about 1 1/2 hours away, its just the right distance from home.

Jars of Clay

2007-07-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

So as I was reading my Bible today, I read about the fact that we are like jars of clay with the power of God in us (2 Cor. 4:7). In fact, it says that we are like clay pots in order to show that the power is from God. That's an interesting thought. What do you know about clay pots? I think that the clay isn't really strong. If you drop it, it breaks. It also has limitations as to what it can be used for. Generally, you design a clay pot with a specific use in mind--pitcher, bowl, etc. Saying that we were made like a clay vessel so that God's power could show in us means that God knows we can't really do life in our own strength very well. He designed us to be completed with His strength. This power is "all surpassing", according to the verse. All surpassing means it is better than any other, and by a great deal more. That's the kind of strength I need.

The Bible then goes on and describes all the different troubles and difficulties we can encounter. However, it says that we are not overcome by them..."hardpressed, but not crushed...struck down, but not destroyed." It lists four areas where we have really tough times. But the power of God gets us through it.

The next part of the verses say that it is like we are carrying around, in our lives, the death of Jesus. That sounds a little strange at first. But what it being said is that we have to die to ourselves. We have to give ourselves over to God. That is possible when I realize I am not complete without God in my life. When I become a follower of Christ, it is like my old self, with all the sin, dies and I become new. So daily, I surrender myself to following Jesus and what He has for me. The verse here says we do that so that the life of Jesus is revealed in us.

Whatever you are going through in your life, God's all-surpassing power can give you the strength to come through it.

It's a God Thing

2007-07-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

I was reading today in 2 Corinthians 4, in the New Testament (Bible). The first few verses talk about the fact that we have our ministries through the mercy of God. It also says that we need to make sure that we don't have anything in our lives that could be considered shameful or secret, or using deception. This makes sense. If you aren't honest and open before people, you probably aren't before God either. Paul here in this passage says that we need to be telling everyone the truth plainly, and be living our lives in a way that people see as honest and commendable. We need to be people of integrity. After all, verses 5 and 6 here say that we are preaching Jesus Christ, and we are like light to a dark world. It's like Jesus' light shines out of our hearts to those around us.

So everything we do should be the kind of action, behavior, attitude, word that doesn't stop or diminish the light we are meant to show. If the world sees us, and not the Jesus in us, they won't get a clear message of who God is. They won't see any difference between us and those who don't have a relationship with God.

The other thought in this passage is that because it is the mercy of God that gives us our purpose and ministry, we do not lose heart. So even when things are difficult, we can be encouraged. It is His strength and mercy that gives us the ability to get through life, and all that we encounter each day.