Angels

Have you ever wished to have an an angel come and tell you what God wants you to do?  I know I have.  All you think is, "oh, an angel will come, give me some message, I will go do it, and it will be a fun experience."  Well, I realized something the other day: it does not work like that.

When an angel appears to someone in the New Testament the first words they usually say are "Do not be afraid."  Here are a few examples: Luke 1:13, 30, 2:10, and Rev 1:17.  A few days ago my small group leader said something that made me realize this is not just a passing welcome phrase.  Having an angel appear to you is truly frightening.  The sheer power and awe of an angel is overwhelming.  I doubt it would be the sunny, fun, grand experience we envision it as.

In light of this revelation, do I still want to have an angel appear to me?  Yes, I do.  Why?  Because God is even more awesome and powerful.  Because the fear seems to subside as they speak those words.  Because it would not be an experience easily forgotten.

So, while I do not expect an angel to appear to me, I know that if one does I will be terrified.  I know that it will not be what I expect.  Just remember, angels are not the cute little guys with wings and harps.  They are warriors.

God's promises

So it has been a while.  But I wanted to share a song that I have grown to like in the last few months.  Raising support to be a missionary has felt like shadowlands at times.  I have found this a good reminder of the promises of God and that I am not alone in the struggles of life.  The last line is the key to it all.  Do you believe that God will never leave, won't give more than we can bear, will be there when we cry out, or that He will breathe life to your soul?

You promised me that You'd never leave, or let me goYou promised me that You'd love me through the highs and lowsYou promised me You won't give me more than I can bearYou promised me that when I cry out that You'd be there 

The shadowlands are what I knowSo I'm hanging on to Your every wordThe shadowlands surround me nowBut You walk with me through the cloudInto the sun, into the sun 

You promised me if I sow in tears, I'll reap in joyYou promised me that You will breathe life into my soul 

The shadowlands are what I knowSo I'm hanging on to Your every wordThe shadowlands surround me nowBut You walk with me through the cloudInto the sun, into the sun 

I know it's true all that You sayI believe in You and I am standing onThe promises you've made, hey, hey 

The shadowlands are what I knowSo I'm hanging on to Your every wordThe shadowlands surround me nowBut You walk with me through the cloud 

Into the sun, into the sun, the sunInto the sun, into the sun 

You promised me and I believe

And while you are here, take a listen to the song.

Doing what God calls you to.

I got this quote at a work conference the other week.  And being a missionary myself found it very fitting and challenging.  But I don't think it just applies to missionaries.  It can apply to anyone.

"If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king." -- Jordan Grooms

Whatever God has called you to is the best possible thing you can be doing.  Just because at some other job you could be making a lot more money or have a more comfortable life does not mean you are in the wrong job.  In fact, if God has not called you to that other job, you will be more happy and experience more of His glory/mercy/love if you stay where He has called you.

So for me, God has called me to be a missionary.  For me to do anything else, even if it were being a king, would be a step down, not up.

So remember, if you are doing what God has called you to then you are doing the best possible job available.

Why has God pardoned me?

For Your name's sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. - Psalm 25:11

Did you catch that?  Did you see for who's sake David asked for his sins to be pardoned?  It was not for David's sake that he asked.  It was not so that he would live, or go to heaven, or benefit in any way.  He asked for the sake of the name of our Lord.  David saw that it is God's name that benefits when He pardons us.  It brings glory to, and magnifies, His name.  


We live in a very self-centered, individualistic culture and I would bet that many of us have never even considered this before.  To me this is another reminder of how much God has done for me and that my life is His.


How do you view God's pardon of your sin?  Do you see it as for your own sake so that you can have eternal life?  Or do you see it as for God's sake, bringing glory to His name?  Does (or would) viewing it as the latter change the way you live? As you consider this, look at verses 8 through 11.

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. - Psalm 25:8-11 

God's timing

Lately God has been reminding me a lot about His timing.  How it is almost always not my own.  How it is perfect.

The church I go to when I am in Portland spent the last year going through 1 Corinthians.  The first week I went there to check out church was the first week of the year long series.  At the time I thought it was a cool coincidence.  That was last September.  A few weeks ago I was in Portland briefly and happened to catch the final sermon of the series.  This time I knew it was more than coincidence.  God was teaching me something.

So while I am raising support I am trying to remind myself daily that God's timing is perfect and that He will get me back to Portland exactly when He wants to.

Random observation of the day:

At the beginning of this summer I got a new pair of black shorts.  I just noticed today that the button on them has a skull and crossbones on it.  Sometimes I amaze myself with how long it takes me to notice some things.  Anyway, just wanted to share that.

Sowing Seed

I am not sure if I have heard this before and just didn’t realize the impact this should have on me till now or if this was something new the other morning.  Anyway, I  was reading the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4-15 and my focus was changed.  Usually when I read this or hear it preached the focus is on the lost and those we are trying to reach.  There is nothing wrong with this.  It is important to know where you are sowing your Spiritual seed.  Though I think it is also important to scatter seed wide.  This man is a farmer and probably had been all his life.  Yet he still spread the seed wide over a mixture of terrain.  If you don’t scatter liberally, how are you going to find the fertile ground?  

But the other morning my focus was not on the lost.  It was on myself.  I found myself asking, “what type of ground am I?”  Am I the one who heard, but the devil came and took the Word away so I would not believe?  Am I the one who received the Word with joy but has no firm root so that I will fall away in time of temptation?  Am I the one heard, but was choked by worries and riches and pleasures and so ‘bring no fruit to maturity?’  Or am I the one who heard and holds it fast so that I ‘bear fruit with perseverance?’  

Go read the passage for yourself.  Then ask yourself these questions.  It is not wrong to focus on the lost, but we were all in that group at one point in our past (or maybe you still are).  If you are a Christian, consider where you came from, consider what you are now, and take an honest look at what kind of ground you are and the fruit you are bearing.

God is our Stronghold

To whomever may read this blog I first want to apologize for the lack of posts lately.  I have had a rather crazy summer.  I joined staff with Campus Crusade for Christ and was in Colorado most of the summer for that.  Now I am raising support so I can report to my assignment with Cru.  The result of this is that I have not had much time or energy to sit down and think about my blog.  Anyway, I hope to start posting more now.

Along those lines, I was reading in Psalms lately and in chapter 59 David calls God his Stronghold three different times (verses 9, 16 and 17).  It struck me that David truly believes this and probably lived like it.  As I was reading this I realized I don't see God as my Stronghold.  This got me to thinking, "if I took this to heart and lived it out, what would change in my life?"  Well, here are a few possibilities:

1. Courage:  Fear would be diminished in all areas of life.  It would by no means be gone, but with God as my stronghold, it would be easily overcome.  Since God cannot be beaten, I can take courage and shove fear aside.
2. My needs are provided for.  A stronghold is stocked for survival in case of attack.  So even though I may not see how I can make it I just need to look to God and take refuge in Him.
3. A stronghold is not easily overtaken.  Except when there is internal fighting or betrayal.  With God, I can be confident He will never be overrun.  The only time I am in danger is when I let something lure me out of that protection.

There are more, but that is just a sample.  If you were to live like God were your Stronghold, what would that change?  What is keeping you from living like that right now?

Friendships

One evening a little while ago, I went for a walk to help clear my mind.  While walking I was struck by a thought I had about friendships and time.  In my life I have made some friendships with people I knew I would only be around for a brief period of time.  And it is hard each time that period of proximity ends.  Sometimes even tears are shed.  But it has taught me a few things:

1.  If they are a Christian, then it is not really goodbye forever.  You will see them again in Heaven.

2.  (and this goes for any friendship/relationship you have)  Treasure every moment you have with someone.  You never know when/if you will see them again this side of Heaven.

3.  Never avoid making a friend just because you know you will only see them face to face for a short time, or because of the difficulties that come with distance.  From my own experience, it is worth it.

4.  As little kids we all did this a lot.  We would play with someone at the park for an hour, be great friends by the end, and then never see each other again.  If children can do that why can't we?  It should be even easier for us with all the technology we have that allows us to stay in contact with people.

5.  That friend, even if you never speak to them again, will have some sort of impact on your life.  If you choose to avoid making a friend because of lack of proximity, you will miss out on that impact, and that may be the only person God has to impact you that way.

Well, there are some of the reasons I have for making friends no matter how long I will be around them.  What are some of your reasons?  Do you avoid making friends because of a time frame?  Why?

Crazy Stories with James: Darn Fox

One evening last week I was playing some volleyball after dark (there was a light on the sand pit so we could see a at least a little bit).  After we were finished playing a few of us were standing by the net chatting when I noticed a fox sauntering by.  (By the way, I am at Colorado State University and they have some foxes that live on campus).  It goes over to my stuff, which was just outside the sand pit, and starts sniffing around.  Something in me was saying this is not going to end well so I began moving toward the fox slowly while making some noise.  Before I get very far, the fox grabs something and starts to run off.  I sprint over to my stuff, realize immediately that my wallet is missing, and take off after the fox.  However I was barefoot and could not catch it.  Though if I had I am not sure what exactly I would have done (but it probably would have made this story even more wild).  A couple of guys chased it a little further and one thought he saw the fox with nothing in its mouth.  We spent the next hour or so searching a grass field nearby that it had run through.  However it was really dark and so I called it off until morning.

The next morning a three of us went back to look in the daylight.  We still couldn't find anything.  So I accepted the fact that my wallet was gone for good.  Surprisingly I was more amused by all this than worried or mad or anything else.  I had a peace about it, and just asked God that if someone did find it that they would not take anything.  

A couple hours later I called my bank, canceled my cards, and had them send new ones.  Then, later in the morning I got a call from a Fort Collins number.  A guy that works for CSU was calling.  He said he had found my wallet in the grass on the opposite side of the building we searched near and wanted to return it with everything in it.  As I was off campus all day he offered to take it to the dorm I am staying in for me.  Unfortunately I never did get to meet him, but I am very thankful.  And the best part: a number of years ago he had left his wallet somewhere and someone had returned it to him without taking anything.  

So now I have my wallet back, even though the cards don't work.  There are a few teeth marks in it as well as my ID.  I will forever have a souvenir and reminder of the evening a fox (like the one pictured above) stole my wallet.

Word of warning:  if you are ever in Fort Collins, watch out for the foxes.  They are apt to steal your stuff, especially if it is leather and smells like it might be food (and I have heard they have stolen shirts).  Don't leave your wallet laying out in easy grasp of a fox.

Belonging to God

Here is a quote from Charles Ryrie in his book, Basic Theology, on Satan's influence.  (Linked to his book for sale on Amazon).  I unfortunately have not read the book but came across this quote the other day.  How encouraging is this?

Whatever Satan or demons can do to a believer, and whether from without or within as their base of operation, their control cannot be permanent and eternal.  John clearly declares that the evil one cannot "touch" the one who is born of God (1 John 5:18).  The word "touch" here involves the purpose of harming -- Satan cannot harm the believer...Satan can never hang on to the believer with the purpose of harming him, for that believer belongs eternally and irrevocably to God. (pg. 168)

Satan cannot harm us (spiritually) because we belong "eternally and irrevocably to God."  I find that truly heartening.

Someone Else's Fruit

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain."  Phil 2:14-16

The part in bold rocked my world this morning.  I am not sure exactly what caused me to see this in a new way other than the Holy Spirit.  I don't even remember what the pastor said about this part.  But this is what I realized:

We (as Christians) are someone else's fruit.  Someone led us to Christ.  We have a responsibility to not only that person, but anyone who has helped us in our Spiritual journey, to not make their toil to have been in vain.

Yes, we have our own race to run.  And we must make sure it is not done in vain.  But by running our race so as not to be in vain, we fulfill our responsibility to the one who led us to Christ.  We cannot control what others will do with the toil we put into their lives.  Though we can ensure great joy and happiness for the one who led us to Christ just as Paul tells the Philippians.

We are the fruit of someone else's labor.  We owe it to them not to be bad/rotten fruit.

Here are some questions to ponder:

Who led you to Christ?
Who has had a major impact on your walk with God?
Are you living in such a way so that their toil will not have been in vain?

The Jesus Battering-ram

Sorry it has been a while since I posted something.  Life got a little crazy and this had to take a back seat for a bit.

The other day I was doing outreach on a college campus in Denver, Colorado.  After a short time we ran out of people to talk to so my friend and I did a prayer walk around campus.  While praying I was reminded of something I had heard a few days before.  It was part of a talk and at one point the speaker was talking about the power we have in the Holy Spirit.  He referenced Jesus talking to Peter when Jesus says, "the gates of Hades will not overcome" and how gates are a defensive weapon.  They are not a very good offensive weapon.  Gates are big, heavy, and built to keep things out.

It struck me while I was praying on campus that Christians acknowledge the strongholds of Satan but do not think about Jesus' promise.  We forget that Jesus has already overcome them.  Jesus is stronger than Satan.  He can easily bash in the gates.  So why is it that many Christians choose to sit and wait for the gates to be broken down before they advance?  God chooses to use us, but often requires us to move/act so that He can then work.  All we have to do is stand, rely on Jesus, and the gates of Satan's stronghold pose no obstacle for us.  So lets use the battering-ram provided us in Jesus and advance the Kingdom of God whether that is on a college campus, in a household, or in your workplace.

Rethinking the word 'spiritual'

(The idea for this post came from 1 Corinthians 12:1 -- 'Now concerning spiritual gifts...')

The word spiritual that is in the Bible has a very different meaning than what it now means in America today.  When people talk about 'spiritual' things now-a-days, they are referring to something invisible, insubstantial, supernatural, something beyond our world.  But to Paul the world spiritual means animated by the Spirit.  It is something real, something tangible, something physical, something the Spirit does in and through us.

The last few generations (though probably mine more so) is guilty of making 'spiritual' some loose, mystical, far out concept.  It scares a lot of people so we trivialize it to the point where it loses its significance.  Without even realizing it I have helped this along.  My guess is many others have as well.  When our focus tips too much to the here and now, we push spiritual things to the side.  When we try and relate to non-Christians by loosening up our terms/broadening our definitions (usually in trying to find common ground) we start to affect our own thinking about spiritual things.  So how can we stop this trend and help reverse it?  Here are a few tips:

1.  Be more selective in your word choice when talking to non-Christians.

2.  Realize that the Spirit is a real being and that His works are physical and tangible.

3.  Remember that we live IN the here and now, but we live FOR eternity.

4.  Surrender to the Spirit.

5.  Be careful in how you think about spiritual things.  It should not be done flippantly or as an after thought, but should be done with all seriousness.

6.  And remember, once we are a follower of Jesus, our entire lives (every aspect of them) are spiritual.

What do you think?  Do you agree/disagree?  Why?  What steps have you taken?

One Day versus 40 Years

"It took the Israelites one day to leave Egypt, but it took 40 years for Egypt to leave them."

I have found this is a fitting metaphor for some aspects of our lives.  One aspect in particular is our struggle with habitual sin.  All it takes is one day, one choice, one conversation, one prayer, one whatever to turn from our sin to God.  But it can take a really long time for the sin to leave us.  And the effects of that sin linger even longer.

Just because the sin leaves us does not mean the temptation to fall into that sin will as well.  In fact it might not ever.  I have experienced this before when I went for a few months without falling into a certain sin I struggled with for a long time.  But the temptation never left, though it was diminished for a while.  Even though I had repented of the sin, I am a broken human being and I did fall back into that habitual sin.  I have since been able to kick that sin again (and hopefully for good this time) with the help of the Spirit.  But the temptation still follows me around.  The slippery slope is still close and still beckons.  But I would like to think I am more prepared now.  I am a little older and arguably a little wiser.  However, I will feel the scars and effects of that sin probably for the rest of my life on earth.

If you think that you have kicked some habitual sin that you have struggled with for a long time, I want to encourage you.  Do NOT deceive yourself into thinking the temptation for that sin is gone for good.  Satan is crafty and prowls around waiting.  He will change tactics.  Keep on your guard, if you get complacent he will pounce.  But take heart, we have God on our side and in the end, He will prevail.

Don't Waste Your Life

I recently finished reading Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper.  For the most part, I really enjoyed the book.  There were only a couple spots where I disagreed with Piper's theology.  But that is not the point of this post.  My reason for this post is to give a few thoughts on what I got from the book.

Reading this book I realized just how much my view of living a Christ-centered life had shrunk.  Christ is still the center of my life, but that center should be more than just the core of my life.  It should encompass every aspect of life.  Like Piper says, "If my life was to have a single, all-satisfying, unifying passion, it would have to be God's passion" (pg. 28).  He goes on to describe God's passion as being "the display of his own glory and the delight of my heart" (pg. 28).  For me this is not the struggle.  My struggle is letting that passion permeate even the mundane things in life.

Reading this book also expanded my view of what it means not to waste my life.  I grew up hearing live your life for Christ and it won't be wasted (which I agree with).  But have you ever felt there was more to it than that?  Piper gives some very concrete examples of how NOT to waste your life by saying how to waste it:

"We waste our lives when we do not weave God into our eating and drinking and every other part by enjoying and displaying him" (pg. 32).

"We waste our lives when we do not pray and think and dream and plan and work toward magnifying God in all spheres of life" (pg. 32).

Living for Christ is more than just seeking God's will and trying to live a good life that reflects Him.  It includes glorifying Him in all we do whether eating, playing, working, or whatever.  It is weaving Him into it all; doing all things in partnership with Him.  I should be including God in every part of life, even the mundane, daily tasks.

Here are a few questions to ponder:  Are you wasting your life?  Do you involve God in every aspect of life, even the mundane?  Is there a single, unifying passion in your life?

Looking up

Have you ever found yourself looking up at the ceiling while singing worship songs at church (or really anywhere for that matter)?  My pastor mentioned this the other week during his sermon and it sent my mind to wandering.  I started pondering why we look up.  Especially when God is all around us and not just up above us somewhere.  So I came up with some possible reasons:

1.  God is so awesome and majestic that we can't help but look up to Him in awe and wonder and respect.

2.  We look around us at eye level all the time so we need somewhere else to look that is new.

3.  We can't look down since we already bow our heads when we pray.

4.  It is like standing on the side of a mountain and wanting to get a bigger picture of where you are.  Even though you are on the side of the mountain, you look up in order to get a better view of the whole thing.  In the same way we look up to God even though He is all around us.

5.  We grew up thinking of heaven (God's dwelling place) as up in the clouds somewhere so we still at some subconscious level think of God as up above us.

Those are just a few reasons that I came up with.  Why do you think we look up?

God is love!

Quite often I hear people (mainly nonChristians) question the fact that God is love and, if He is love, then why is there so much hurt and pain in the world.  So how do we know that God is love?  And when talking to a nonChristian saying that it says so in the Bible does not cut it so there must be another way.  Well... the other day I heard it explained this way: We know God is love because He gave up a part of Himself for us.  In sending Jesus to die in our place, a part of God Himself suffered for our sakes.  Another phrase I heard used was, "in a way He went through hell for us."

In response to the hurt and pain in the world I have a couple questions.  First, how would we have free will if God did not people make poor choices that result in hurt, pain, and loss?  Second, if you were God would you want a world full of people forced to worship you or a world partly full of people who choose to worship you?  If you prefer the latter of the two then there would have to be free will in the world.

Our actions and decisions affect more people than just ourselves.  Whether the outcome is good or bad, I am not the only one affected by my choices.  On some level, in some way, someone else (or lots of other people more accurately) are going to be affected.  If God were to only allow the good to affect us, if he were to not let any bad/hurtful/painful outcomes to affect us, then we would not have true free will.  So next time something causes hurt and pain to us lets remember that humans, angels, and demons all have free will and we live in a broken world.  Also, remember that God works in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

The Social Gospel?

At small group a few weeks ago we talked about something called the Social Gospel.  This is basically taking the Bible and using it as a means for social justice.  From what I understand, people who follow this focus solely on fixing social justice and ignore eternity thinking that if they can fix someones position in life here and now then that is all that matters.

To be blatantly honest, this is wrong.  This is not Biblical.  This is bad theology.  Granted, social justice is a natural byproduct of true Christians, but it is not the aim of Jesus nor should it be our only goal.  I think it is a valid thing to strive for but is of secondary importance.

Jesus did not come to Earth and perform miracles just to improve people's social position.  Yes, healing a leper or demon possessed person automatically elevates them out of being an outcast.  And healing the blind, paralytic, or lame automatically makes their lives better since they no longer have to beg.  But that is not why Jesus would heal them.  It was because they believed.

Jesus healed people not because of their social status and how He could affect that.  He did not do it just so they could have a more comfortable life.  He did it because they believed in Him (that He could in fact heal them) and because it brought God glory.  And it was very often coupled with the forgiveness of sins.

Just a few examples of this are:  Matthew 9:1-7, 27-29, Luke 18:35-43.  But look at any passage where Jesus heals someone and you will find a common theme of being for God's glory, not their comfort here on Earth.

What is of first importance is the person's soul and where they will spend eternity.  No matter what our station in life is, we can bring glory to God.  But if we are not saved by the blood of Jesus then regardless of how good our life on Earth is, we will spend eternity in misery separated from God.

To the beach...

I really enjoy going to the beach.  But going to the beach with friends is even better.  I recently went to Canon Beach and Lincoln City, Oregon with some amazing friends and coworkers.  For the most part it was sunny but the wind kept the temperature rather low.  However, it was a small price to pay for hanging out with awesome people at the beach.  Normally when I go to the beach I sit and watch the waves at some point, but not this time.  I can watch waves crash for hours without getting bored, but I was just fine not doing that this time.  It was much more fun to hang with awesome people this time.

Anyway, here are some photos of the trip.  Enjoy!

One of my coworkers drew in the sand to let everyone know who had passed by.

Most of the team heading out to get stranded on some rocks.  Ok, not really but that was what I thought it looked like.

I am much better at taking nature pictures than people pictures so that is always what I end up with more of.  And since I am the one taking the pictures I get to choose what to take them of.

Everyone draws a circle.

There is a conversation in the movie 10,000 BC that I have discovered is true of not only myself but of people in general.  In the conversation the village leader (Tic'Tic) is explaining to the main character (D'Leh) why his father had left the village while D'Leh was young.  Here is what Tic'Tic says:

A good man draws a circle around himself and cares for those within. His woman, his children.  Other men draw a larger circle and bring within their brothers and sisters.  But some men have a great destiny. They must draw around themselves a circle that includes many, many more.  Your father was one of those men. You must decide for yourself whether you are, as well. 

This is true.  Everyone draws a circle around themselves.  And as I believe anyone who knows me will attest, my circle is rather large.  I am very protective of those I am close to.  I have the back of anyone I label as a friend.  Even people I don't know sometimes fall inside my circle.  I don't say this to puff myself up or make you think better of me.  I say it purely as a statement of fact.  That is my circle.  Everyone I know, and many I don't know, are within my circle.  I can't help it.  And even if I wanted to I couldn't change it.

The important thing is not the size of your circle compared to another's.  The important thing is knowing how big your circle is and who is within it.  Do you know what circle you have drawn?  If not here are a few questions to get you started:

If you were walking down the street and a friend was shoved/shouted at/mugged what would you do?  If you saw a stranger getting beat up what would you do?  Who would you go out of your way to do something for?  Who would you risk your life to protect?

Seeing Jesus face to face:

Have you ever felt out of synch with the world around you?  Ever felt like everyone else is moving faster than you and life is leaving you behind?

I had one of those moments last week.  At work we had a Day of Prayer where we focused on what was keeping us from meeting/seeing Jesus face to face.  While we were singing some worship songs God put a picture in my head that grabbed my attention and would not let go.

Have you ever seen a movie where a character is standing on a busy sidewalk and they speed up time so that all the people/cars around them are a blur?  That is the picture God gave me.

I was standing still on a busy sidewalk and everyone around me was a blur of movement.  I then stepped up onto a bench to see if I could see an end to the mass, or a way out of it, but there was none.  As I was pondering this I realized this is how I do life sometimes.  I get caught in the flow of life (its business) and then I realize what I am doing, look up, and search for a way out. 


While we were worshipping, I felt Jesus telling me, "James, you are looking for the wrong thing."  


I realized there was no way out of the blurry mass of people.  At least, not on my own.  But with Jesus there is.  So I started looking around for Him.  Then, suddenly, Jesus stepped out of the blurry mass up onto the bench with me and wrapped me in His arms.  At this point I no longer cared about the blur around me.  All that mattered was that Jesus was there and was protecting me from being swept away.

I have found recently that one thing that keeps me from seeing Jesus face to face is my tendency to get caught in the flow of life.  But all I have to do is stop, look around for Jesus, and start walking with Him again.

Happy Easter

The other morning I was reading a blog post from the women's ministry at Solid Rock, He Speaks in the Silence (My friend Amie follows it and sends me links to ones she really likes).  Here is a link to the post.  I highly recommend reading it.  It is about the giant obstacles in our lives that we try and move but cannot.  We must give up and let Jesus move them for us.  It is illustrated through the empty grave when Jesus rose.

As I was sitting and thinking about what obstacles I have in my life a sentence nearby reared its head at me:

An angel sitting on the stone, that...gargantuan...immovable...uncontrollable mountain impossibilities.

Then a few sentences later she writes:

In the ashes of your grief, in the failure of your fantasies of how life ought to be, sits Jesus.  In dazzling white He sits atop that stone...immune to impossibilities...with a different idea of the ideal.

What struck me was not what has been done (which is of ultimate importance and should never be overlooked) but where the angel is sitting; where Jesus is sitting.  He is not standing next to the stone, He is not leaning against it, He is not sitting in front of it, He is not even standing on it.

The angel is sitting on the stone.  He has moved it, overcome it, conquered it.  I picture the angel sitting with legs dangling over the edge swinging slightly, relaxed, cool, calm, and collected.  Jesus is also sitting on a stone.  I think He sits on the obstacles in our lives the same way the angel sat on the stone.

So today remember what Jesus has done.  Remember that His grave is empty.  And remember that Jesus has moved and sits on the immovable obstacles in your life.

Happy Easter!

Tuesday Morning Lessons Part 2

This morning I was up before the sun (and yes the sun was out today in Portland) to go to worship and bible study.  (And had to scrape the windows on my car again.)  Anyway, here are a couple takeaways I had from this morning.

2 Peter 1:3 says, "seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence."

The speaker this morning went into quite a lengthy description of what Peter is saying here.  However, the thing that struck me was when the speaker said that we have been given everything we need to live a Godly Christian life.  By His power, God has given us all we need to live a life for Him.  Here is an analogy: generally speaking a baby is born with everything it needs to live (brain, heart, lungs, mouth, etc.).  In the same way, when we were saved and received the Holy Spirit, we gained everything we need to live our new life in Christ (the Holy Spirit, a new self, and a new nature [if we choose it]).

2 Peter 1:4 says, "For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

We become partakers of the divine nature.  This divine nature is our new nature in Christ.  The problem is, our old sinful nature is still with us and is at odds with our new divine nature.  Living by our new nature is not a given.  We must choose to participate in it.  We must choose to live according to our new nature and not our old nature.  Do you truly participate in your new divine nature?  Or is your life just a string of isolated, shallow emotional experiences?

Go-to Verses

I don't really like the idea of a favorite verse or life verse.  There is just so many amazing, wonderful verses in the Bible that I don't see the point in saying, "this one is my favorite."  Instead, I like to have lots of different verses I can turn to in certain situations.  Here are a few of my go-to verses:

When I need a reminder of the importance of God's Word I turn to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

I have found great comfort in almost any situation in life in Psalm 19:12-14 "Who can discern His errors? Forgive my hidden faults.  Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.  Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.  May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

One verse that often I use to remind me to turn to God is Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."


I really love the promises God makes to us.  When can't understand why something is happening or times are tough I often turn to Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."


I don't have a favorite verse.  I have go-to verses (and much more than just these four).

No one else posted a blog today.

Well, almost no one.  So I thought I should fill that void in my life with my own post.

This week I started a book called The Prayer Dare.  It is 40 days of deepening your prayer life using dares the author makes.  So far I have really enjoyed it.  The other morning he was talking about how God is strong and loving at the same time and that we should remember that in our prayers.  This reminded me of something John Mark said in his sermon Sunday when he was talking about balancing fear of God and awe of God.  That is, living in the tension between the incredible power and caring tenderness of God.  Then, as I was reading in Psalms later (that same morning as the dare) God brought this up again through David.  Psalm 59:16-17 says,

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; 

Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, 

For You have been my stronghold 

And a refuge in the day of my distress.  

O my strength, I will sing praises to You; 

For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

David understands this tension and what it means to live in the middle of it.  For me this was a wake-up call from God.  I don't often live in this tension of strength and love.  But I should be.  So that has become one of the many cries of my heart right now: to live in the tension between God's strength and God's love.

This morning I was impacted by...

two things from 2 Peter 1:1-2.  First off, Peter calls himself a bond-servant or bond-slave (these are the same thing).  Back in the day Jewish law stated that, every six years, one must release all their slaves.  However, if a slave wished he could go to his master and request to become a bond-slave (that is, a slave for life).  At this point they would pierce their ear and put a ring in it symbolizing their choice.  This I already knew but the new part for me was the meaning behind identifying ones-self as a bond-slave.  In Western culture we think of this as being about the slave.  But it is really all about the master.  It's about giving glory to the master.  I mean, how awesome and caring and loving would someone have to be for his slave to wish to stay on for life?  Peter says this is how we are supposed to be with Jesus.  If we can become a bond-slave of an earthly master, how much more should we be bond-slaves of Jesus?

Secondly, in verse 2, Peter says '...in the knowledge of God...'  This is not just knowing about someone.  It is a personal, intimate knowledge of.  We are not just supposed to know about God but to really KNOW Him.  This is an even deeper know than the way we know a parent, sibling, spouse, close friend, child.  When you truly know someone you don't just know what they are thinking or what they will do.  You what causes their actions.  You understand their thought processes; their reason behind actions.  Peter says we should know God in this way but even more so.  We should be close enough to God that we begin to understand more than just the result of Him working.

Anyway, thats what stuck with me from this morning.

Siren confusion

Yesterday one of my coworkers left a little before I did because she was not feeling too well.

When I was leaving the parking lot I heard a fire engine siren in the distance.  As I was waiting at the light to turn left I heard it getting closer but couldnt see it.  The first thing I did see was a police car coming up the road behind me with its lights flashing.  (To which my first thought was "police cars dont make that sound" since all I could hear was the fire engine's siren)  Then, as I glanced left I saw the fire truck flying south on Barbur.  By this time the police car had reached the intersection as well and turned right to speed off after the fire engine.  The next thoughts flew through my head in less than a second:

I hope everyone is okay.

Lord, please help everyone to be okay.

I hope my coworker is not involved (That is the way she goes to get home).  

Later I texted her and found out she made it home and was even feeling a little better.

Rivers Clap their Hands...

The other day I got to spend the entire day with Jesus.  For a large chuck of that I went on a hike along the Wildwood Trail in Forest Park, Portland, OR.  Earlier that morning I had read in Psalms 98:8 "Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy."  Normally when I read that I think, "That's a great personification of water and hills and calling out to God, but what does that really mean?"  I never really had an answer till I was on that hike.  

I was standing next to a stream when it hit me.  This actually really does sound a little like clapping.  But can you make the jump and say rivers are the same?  Yes you can.  I was on another hike the next day with an actual river and it didn't just sound like clapping.  It sounded like a huge standing ovation.

Next time you see a stream or river, stop, listen in silence for a couple minutes, imagine yourself in a concert hall, and see what you think.

This got me thinking about the mountains part of the verse.  Do they really, actually sing?  While I was eating lunch I realized that in a way they do.  The birds singing, the wind in the trees, even the noise of traffic in the distance.  It all comes together to create a song.  Yes, those aren't technically mountains themselves, but they can't really be separated from each other either can they?  I say it counts.  

Next time you are up in the hills or mountains stop and listen for a little while and see what you hear.  The writer of Psalm 98 is not just giving a creative metaphor or anything.  He is describing something real.

A "SQUIRREL" Moment in Starbucks

The other morning I was in Starbucks having a quiet time.  Sitting at a table outside the window (I was on the inside of the window) was an elderly gentleman reading.  At one point an older couple walks in to get coffee.  As they walked in the woman looks in my direction and said something to the effect of, "he doesn't look very open to being approached."  I am not sure if she was talking about me or the man outside.  But after receiving their beverages, they headed back outside to talk to the gentleman.  Let me be clear, I was inside and have no idea what they were talking about or if they even knew each other.  

The following is what went through my mind in the span of few minutes.

I wonder what they are talking about.

Do they know each other?

Are they having a spiritual conversation?

"Lord, I pray for their conversation.  If it is about you then I pray it would be effective and that your truth would be spoken and understood."

Well, that was random.  I don't usually assume that is what people are talking about. 

Now I'm distracted from my quiet time.  Focus James.

Later I was reflecting on this and realized I had just had a John Acuff moment similar to his Michael W. Smith post the other week.

I will never know what that conversation was about.  But God used it to show me a little of how much I have grown this year.