Loving to Life Pt 3

SMALL GROUPS

One of the things I love about moving to a new area is getting to know the people. As we learn about the people, we learn their stories, their passions, their hopes and dreams for the future. We also have opportunities to learn more about who they are as a person, what their struggles are, and what’s going on in their life.

So far, we have talked about praying for God’s direction and work in the new area. This is important because we will be able to see and experience much more “success” because we are joining God in the work being done instead of coming in and doing what we want to. Then, we have talked about meeting people where they are and allowing them to be their real, true selves.

This is all “big picture” stuff, if we think about it. I do much better when I think about the bigger picture because I struggle at the detail level often; but this is where we are heading now.

I would recommend finding ways to be in a small group in your new area. This will do a few different things. 1) You will be able to spend more intentional time with a smaller amount of people and give them a chance to learn about you. 2) You will be able to focus more on relationship building. 3) Trust is developed more in smaller groups than always being on stage, or in larger venues.

In a church setting, we often talk about small groups as Bible study groups. These are all well and good; but I would challenge us to think about small groups a little differently. Instead of finding ways to impart “wisdom and knowledge” creating atmospheres where people can share, free of judgement, and build each other up is a key.

What are some ways we can do this? I’ll be talking about what we can do in a church setting; but feel free to modify these approaches for your own setting.

  • Bible Study groups are a way for people to get together and knowingly talk about the Bible, theology, and doctrine. These provide settings for people to tell what they have studied and believe about scripture.
  • Lunch after worship is a great way to connect and be with people in a public setting and enjoy a meal together.
  • Prayer groups.
  • Meet together at restaurants, bars, to share life together.
  • Groups for accountability.

There are many different ways we can connect together in small groups. This is vital because it is much easier to get to know a person in a smaller group setting.

I also want to be quick to note that using small groups to get to know people should not really be why we are doing them. We should be involved in small groups because we are genuinely interested in other people and their lives; because they would be interested in our life.

As we continue to learn about the area, pray for direction, meet people, and really begin to share our lives together, God will be working. It will be incredible to see what God will continue to do to help the church, organization, business, neighborhood, etc.

For a great book resource on starting small groups within a church that promote life transformation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, check out Kevin Watson’s book The Class Meeting: Reclaiming a Forgotten (and Essential) Small Group Experience.

Loving to Life Pt 2

MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE

Last week we began a series to help us love people to life. When we go to a new place, it it easy to assume we know what people need to do. In many cases, we may be right.

The best thing to do is to pray, and listen, to see where God is working and how God is working in the new area we’re in. Go night to a new place and driving forward our plans, without seriously paying attention to the work of God already in progress, can create some issues. This is not saying God will not bring redemption through work we do;  but the work could actually take longer.

So, we’ve prayed and we believe we have listened carefully to God’s voice and have opened our eyes to see the work in progress. We must be careful not to give into the temptation to get to work right away. I know this seems odd to say. The truth is we would do so much better if we took our time.

Taking our time means we begin the process of getting to know the people. Plus, it gives us a chance to “meet people exactly where they are.”

Think about that for a minute. How did Jesus Christ begin working with your life? He met you, the person you were, in the exact situation you were in. I would also bet to say that when you realized Jesus was right there with you, he did not start off by saying, “I’m here to fix your life, so you need to do these steps right away!”

Instead, I believe Jesus first said to you, “I love you. Come and see what your  life can and will be like with me.” That’s basically what he said when he called the disciples in Matthew 4, Mark 1-2, Luke 5, John 1. He invited the disciples to join him, just as they were. That’s when the transformation begins.

Our number one priority in this life, aside from loving and worshipping God through Jesus Christ, is to love the people God created.

Now we have to ask the question, what does meeting people where they are look like?

This is really one of the hardest things we will ever do. This involves simply listening to their stories, what they say about other people, how they say they live their life, anything they want to tell you…without judgement. It involves us learning the area, past customs, past traditions, history of the area, learning what dreams people have. All of this is done at the same time we are praying for God’s wisdom, vision, for the area while we are there.

I have found that, most of the time, you will hear people begin to say things that are very similar to what God has been speaking to you. And, when we take time to get to know the person and witness their life, trust is formed through this relationship. Then, we can begin to see the work of Christ in their life. Afterall, this is how we would want other people to treat us.

We may have a grand vision, grand ideal, for an area, for the life of a person, or people group; but Jesus may be working on something deeper than what we can see and experience at the surface. This is why it is so important to meet with people where they are, as they are, so we can see how God is using us to work with him in that person’s life.

Here is something I have had to learn to consider in every situation: maybe it’s not just about working to make change in other people’s lives; maybe it is also about God’s redemptive and transformative work within our own life.

How is this sitting with you, right now? What did you know about this concept? What do you not agree with?

Additional questions to consider:

1) What do the people do/act like, that is hard for you to be around?

2) Do you think you have to patience to continue this work for getting to know people for months or even years without getting frustrated or impatient?

3) What do you sense God working on in your life, as you get to know new people and their stories?

Loving to Life Pt 1

You’re in a new organization, work, church, community. You have studied the demographics and have learned about the history of the area. You are excited about the possibilities.

Maybe you move to an area that you are not as keen on living in. You see a bleak future, or maybe one that seeks to keep things as the status quo. You moved there because you sensed you needed to, so you went where you were sent.

No matter where you are, take time to discern whether the people are trying to survive so their community, organization, etc. doesn’t die; or are if they trying to live. There is a difference between the two. One simply wants to maintain by not losing anyone or anything; the other wants to ensure their sustainability for the future and to still make an impact in the world.

Whatever situation you’re in, there are some things that should be done ahead of time, and during your first few months. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share some thoughts on working with people who “want to live.”

I’m already reminded of the words of Jesus, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John‬ ‭10:10‬b ‭NIV‬‬) Even if it seems the organization simply does not want to die, there is incredible hope because of the promise of Christ to give the fullest life possible.

The first step:

What is the first thing we should do may seem obvious. This is something we say we should do before everything. It is so obvious that we can easily overlook it.

Pray.

Prayer should be the first thing we do. Right now, I wonder how many people are going, “duh! Of course prayer is first!” I would also believe there are people reading this now who are thinking they haven’t taking the time to pray.

I love this quote, “When we pray it does not nudge God to move more; it instead opens our eyes to God’s activity around us.” This is what we do when we communicate with our Creator, we pay attention to His work and activity all around us so we can join right in.

When we pray, it is very easy to fall into the trap that when we say “amen” that they prayer is over. Remember the Apostle Paul writes, “pray continually.” This is not just about finding ways to talk with God what’s going on with our world. It is also about being in tune with the voice of the Creator that is speaking constantly. Prayer is a communication where we should be listening to God more than always just talking to God.

Prayer opens our eyes to the work that God is doing all around us. Several years ago, I heard a story about people praying for their food in a restaurant. The prayer kept getting interrupted because another person was not doing well. They were visibly upset and sitting alone. The people praying kept their eyes closed, finished the prayer, and enjoyed their food. All the while, the person sho was upset just sat their nursing an almost empty cup of coffee.

Paying attention to the voice of God, even during our prayers, is important. God maybe speaking to us to go and tend to the hurt of another. We may be the answer to another person’s prayer. We can miss so much if we do not pay attention to what is going on around us – to what God is doing in the midst of the situations of the people around us.

Blessing Work

As we take time to pray, it is easy to ask God to “bless our work.” God is always working and is asking us to join Him in the work. This is a great chance to seek to bless the work God is doing by joining is and show His glory through your and my life.

In the community, organization, church you are in, or moving to, how many times have we assessed the situation and have said, “I know what needs to happen. Let’s just get to work!” I am completely guilty of doing this many times.

See, when we walk in and “get to work” we tend to focus on our own agendas and seek to make everything the way it should be. Yes, there is always work to be done; but what if God has sent us to where we are for something greater, something more important that just restructuring? What is God sent you there to simply be a reminder of His presence?

Yes, we are all reminders of God’s presence in the world; but what if God is simply wanting us to work on loving the people where they are exactly? If we begin by focusing on the organizational structure or focus on what’s wrong, we can easily miss the people there.

Prayer is the most important thing we do. It is what guides our steps, helps us understand and see where God is working. Prayer helps us see our mission, especially when we are actively listening.

Remember these words from Hebrews 3, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

I pray your new venture is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit working within you. I pray the people around you are seeking to live life to the fullest and seek the Kingdom of Heaven each day.

More To Your Story

There is an interesting line in Genesis 37 that says, “This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” (Genesis 37:2 NIV)

This is actually a pretty significant line. Have we paid attention to it before? We can think it is talking about the people that descended from Jacob, and it does; but there is more to consider.

For one thing, we have to remember who Jacob was. He was the grandson of Abraham. Jacob’s name means “deceiver or heel.” When he was born, he was grabbing the heel of his twin brother Esau.

His name fits him. After all, Abraham set the example when he would lie to keep himself safe in other countries. Abraham was the person God had called out to be the father of the Hebrew people, God’s set apart people.

Along comes Jacob, and he seems to only want to play by his own rules and only get what he wants, even if it means to run people over. He would get upset when others would cheat him. Many people could have thought that Jacob’s life path was set, that he would be a swindler and cheater all of his life, only concerned about himself.

But, when we realize God is with us and we are part of His story, we realize that it is not our past, or even our present, that defines us. It is God who defines us. Jacob’s story was not over, and neither is yours or mine.

Genesis 37:2 says, “This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” Jacob’s story gets to live on, because of God’s grace, through his family!

Yes, there are many examples of how the people of Jacob (people of Israel) left God’s path, and God guided them back. Yes, there are times we will stray from God’s path; but there God is guiding us back as well.

God somehow uses our past and redeems it. God works through our past to bring healing, transformation, and ultimately redemption.

Your story is not over yet. There is so much more that God can do and will do with your life, your family line. Look no further than Jesus Christ.

When Jesus was on the cross, his arms were outstretched. We can think of this as him having his arms stretched out to embrace the world. He not only came for the world; Jesus also came for you.

Just think about all Jesus Christ can do in and through your life. When you feel discouraged or down. Or your past seems to get in the way on visioning for a bright future, remember this:

“This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” Jesus was part of this family line. Because of Jesus, your life, my life, and the world will never be the same. There is always hope and a chance to experience an incredible future and life because of Jesus.

Salvation From 30,000 Feet

Recently I was flying back home from a trip. When I fly, I like to sit by the window so I can see what is going on. (Also, I sit by the window because I am more relaxed in that seat.) Looking out the window, you can see beautiful clouds and designs in the earth below. People look like ants. Buildings look like children’s toys you can move around.

Whenever I see pretty sights outside the window, I’ll take a picture. I was flying back at night when I was also reading NT Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope”, when I looked out the window and saw the dark earth illuminated by many tiny lights. Then, I had this thought about salvation, “salvation is so much more than we realize it is”.

I would ask people, what are they “saved” from and they would say, “sin”. This is true. Then I began talking more with the people and I finally realized, through Jesus Christ, I am saved from myself. Meaning it is the sinful desire within me to do wrong and Jesus redeems this and works within me.

After we talk, I’ll then ask people, “So, what are we saved for?” In the past few years, I have come to realize that salvation is not simply for the individual. It is not simply whether or not we will go to heaven after we die. Salvation is living in the presence of God.

The reality of being with God after this life is incredible. We can easily get swept up in the notion of “going to heaven” that we forget the line in the Lord’s Prayer “on earth as it is in heaven.”

Take some time to think about this. What if we shifted our focus on salvation being some “place” we go to after we die? What if we stopped thinking about “going to heaven” and getting away from this life? What if heaven is not a place in the sky?
9AC54F53-EF4F-4478-8E8C-67EE1791E82A

Now, how would our lives look differently if we pictured salvation as this:
A01930D3-C58F-4211-81FC-001AD21A5C9A

How does this paint a picture of salvation? It is what Jesus did. Jesus came into the dark world and shined his light which changed people’s lives. See, salvation is not only for the individual. That is a very small glimpse of the work God is doing. Salvation, redemption, transformation is for the entire world.

When we begin to follow Jesus Christ and our lives are being transformed into his image, his likeness, the light he gives us begins to reflect.

When I looked out the window and saw the earth with the lights, I thought, this is what we are supposed to do: shine with others so the world can see the Light. As we live out our faith in community, we see more people added and more lights shining.

See, the point of salvation is not going to heaven after we die. The point of salvation is bringing heaven to earth. We do not have to wait to live in the presence of God, we can do that here and now. Everything good we experience here and now is a small picture of what it will be like when the earth is completely transformed and evil/sin is expelled for good.

Living in the Light of Christ, here and now, gives us the opportunity to live in true joy, true peace, true, hope, true love. We know this life is available because this is what Jesus Christ offered the world in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. The presence of God working within us, through the Holy Spirit, guides to be the people we were created to be and show the world Christ.

So let your light shine. Be a beacon of light in a dark world. Allow the light and love of Jesus Christ to live in and reflect through you. Watch. We will see more and more of heaven here on earth.

Finding God Series: Part 1

Finding God at Walmart

Many people can find their “god” at a place like Walmart in the form of deals, money savers, etc. But I think, if we look close enough, we can find evidence of God wherever we are.

EDA5EEE0-F6AF-481A-9F92-35D214DC184AWhen I went to Walmart a few days ago, I went for groceries and other items; but I also went on a search to see if I could see God there. I left disappointed because the consumerism, rushed shoppers, and items all over the place were too much for me to see beyond. At that time, it looked like a bunch of people (I was in the crowd) just focusing on themselves and getting what they only wanted.

I found myself feeling discouraged especially when I was in the parking lot and saw a person asking other people for money. I left that day feeling disappointed because it seemed like the consumerism was too powerful.

But I couldn’t let it just stop with that feeling. I was determined to see how we can find God at Walmart. So, I began looking at pictures of Walmart online and began to see pictures of many, many people. My mind started thinking about the memes and videos of the “people of Walmart.”

That’s when it hit me. We can see God at Walmart simply by looking at the people!
“God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them, male and female God created them.”
(Genesis 1:27 CEB)

There is always an abundance of people, of diverse people, shopping at Walmart, even at 3:00am. The people are all different, in there own way. This is what I think we can think about to find God at Walmart.

4CFDC740-8956-4390-9E93-3C0B8DFCB7ECNow, are there people only interested in themselves and not interested in God? Yes. Are there people at Walmart who are not as kept as others? Yes. But this doesn’t mean that anyone there does not have the attention of God.

I am finding out one of the best places to have a Spiritual conversation is at Walmart. No, not in a creepy, dorky, or even weird way. When we have chances to be around people, do our lives reflect the light of Christ?

D1CC4349-AD66-42B7-ACE6-83AB334127CAThere are people at Walmart, people created by God, that need to hear there is hope. That need to hear they have a purpose. That need to hear God’s love and desire for them.

So the next time you’re in Walmart, I invite you to pay attention to the people. You’ll see a vast array of emotions, especially people hurting.

In your actions, words, and even thoughts, show the light of Christ to a world seeking healing and redemption. Who knows, you may be the person God uses to help others find God while at Walmart and help them become part of a community of faith.

Remember the words of Christ:
“I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.”
(Matthew 25:40 CEB)

Recovered from Easter?

Easter Sunday was a few days ago. I know there were people who did not do anything to celebrate; but there where millions/billions of people celebrating the Risen Christ.

Easter bunnies, family lunches, sunrise service, church activities, and so much more were taking place that day. Have you recovered from Easter?

This is a question I ask almost every year to the churches I serve. Have you recovered from Easter? I hope not!

Too often we get wrapped up in the events and activities of this “holiday” that we can get weary from them. But Easter is not about the events that we do, but the Event that happen almost two thousands years ago. Easter is so much more than the activities we put on and participate in. I hope you have recovered from the activities and have been able to rest; but I hope you never recover from Easter…Jesus’ resurrection!

We live in a world that needs hope, healing, redemption, and the power of the resurrection reminds us that the worst thing in life is never the last thing. We have this incredible power because of Jesus Christ, because of the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, that we can use to walk with God bringing his message of hope, light, and true life into the world.

The resurrection was, and i, life changing for the world, for you and me. I pray you and I never “recover” from Easter; but just the opposite. I hope we get so full of hope, so full of love, so full of knowing the victory of God that we proclaim, with joy, each and every day, “Christ is Risen!”

So continued to be filled with the love and knowledge of God through Jesus Christ and share his love in the world. Because of Christ, death has been defeated, sin has no control over us, lives are changed, hope restored, love is know, and so much more happens than we can imagine!

I invite you, this week, to read through the Gospel of Mark and see the life of Jesus Christ and miracle he performed.

Live as people changed and empowered by the Holy Spirit who reminds you of how the resurrection of Jesus Christ has changed your life and go into the world knowing and sharing this life changing power and grace to the world.

I Saw God at the Water Treatment Plant

Recently, I have heard about clergy turning in their credentials. The reason? He says he realized he doesn’t believe in God.

Too often, I think we get so much in our heads and think too intellectually about God that we can miss the feeling/personal side of him. At the same time, we can get so caught up in the feeling/personal sensations we experience that we can completely miss the intelligence and logical aspects of God. We can completely miss God’s presence and his work all around us.

I would not have expected to see God at a water treatment plant; but all of a sudden, there he was!

From the design of the plant to the area where the clean water comes out, the process involved is incredible. Imagine what you flush down the toilet, throw in a stream, dump down the drain, all ending up at the same place. What you would witness would be something dirty and just plain gross.

36E5C685-E46E-4981-BE75-F176444D6213

 

 

Water was not meant to be filled with so much trash and unclean substances. But there it is. Gross water that really has no purpose…until…it gets cleaned and able to be used.

This is the same with humans. We can put so much gross stuff in our lives (pride, lust, laziness, greed, egocentric attitudes, narcissistic attitudes, and so much more) that we end up being completely unusable to do good work in the world because we get too wrapped up in ourselves. That is until…we realize Jesus Christ has already freed us from being slaves to ourselves, being slaves to sin. We all need to be cleaned and filled with the presence of God in our lives.

There is a process that cleans the water. First the filthy water has to get the big items out (money, turtles, snakes, basketballs, really anything that is flushed or thrown in the water). Then it goes through several other processes where it is filtered even more, and more each with each step. Finally, it ends up in a creek like area where it keeps getting more refined to get even cleaner to be sent for us to drink.

AAD854F2-88D9-4CC0-83CE-1D69874A49F5

 

When I took time to look around, I saw the design of the facilities. Everything was designed with a purpose. The waste water was not able to get to the clean water. Yes, this plant was made by humans; but it was God who gave the people the gifts and talents to design and create these facilities to keep our water drinkable.

We read in Genesis 1 and 2 that God had a design when he spoke creation into existence. Everything that was made was made for a purpose. From the place where they collect the water, to where the water is beginning to get clean, to where the water is clean, even in the lab to test the water. Everything has a design and it is perfectly placed. The same is true for creation and humans.

B036B40A-3AC1-4104-A06E-C03CF4D1B974Then, we got to one of the cleaning ponds and they had goldfish in them. The purpose of the goldfish was to keep cleaning the water by eating and removing algae and other bugs. At this point, I was reminded of the Holy Spirit who works within our lives, constantly convicting and cleaning us out. John Wesley referred to this as “sanctifying grace,” the aspect of grace that is working to make you and I perfect in love.

065902CD-9907-4A86-A262-33307C840AAC

There was something there that made me think about Jesus: solar panels. What was interesting was these solar panels did not work. I began to wonder where they got their source of energy. Then I remembered Jesus as the light of the world, and as the living (running) water. (In the beginning…the water…God said, “let there be light!”). If we pay close attention, Jesus is always in the picture.

6D65F412-DA59-4BD2-8DFD-23F0DF20C7C5

 

The point of this is, just because we are in a somewhat “ordinary” situation, there are signs of God all around. God will always find ways to reveal himself to you and the world. Listen to the nudging of the Holy Spirit to show you his presence. God is even found at the water treatment plant…just keep open eyes.

I pray, you continue to seek and find God in your everyday life. He is there. As Jesus says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Where have you seen God lately?

 

Journey to Revival: What’s Ahead?

REVIVAL RISING: WHAT’S AHEAD?

E.M. Bounds says,” The past is not exhausted the possibilities nor the demands for doing great things for God. The Church that is dependent on it’s past history for its miracles of power and grace is a fallen church.”

We are on our final week of a 12 week time of prayer and study for revival and awakening.

Below the video link is a historical example of revival.

You are invited to go through this time of study and prayer either individually (i.e. journal), or gather a group together to pray and discuss each week’s topic. Our guide for this time will be the scriptures, prayer, and the book “Revival Rising.” You can get this book at http://www.seedbed.com

Feel free to share this video study with your friends.

Revival Experience from the book Revival Rising:

img_0362

Journey to Revival Week 11

REVIVAL WORLDVIEW

Romans 11:25-26 “…a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved…”

We are on week 11 of a 12 week time of prayer and study for revival and awakening.

This week, we are making sure we have a global mindset when we pray for revival.

Below the video link is a historical example of revival.

You are invited to go through this time of study and prayer either individually (i.e. journal), or gather a group together to pray and discuss each week’s topic. Our guide for this time will be the scriptures, prayer, and the book “Revival Rising.” You can get this book at http://www.seedbed.com

Feel free to share this video study with your friends.

Revival Experience from the book Revival Rising:

img_0360img_0361