Warrior or Spectator pt. 2

This is an awesome quote I just read from Teddy Rosevelt:

"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. "

Warriors or Spectators

Are Christians today preparing for a battle they are too afraid to fight? Is it that no one has taught Christians how to fight, or have they never been led onto the battlefield? Christians are called warriors, our purpose is to prepare for battle against the evil one and then actually go into battle. Yet all we see in most churches are spiritual soldiers with shiny armor. The mark of a noble warrior is the scars and damaged armor they bear, shiny armor is a mark of inaction. In battle soldiers are motivated by those that have already fought. Are we missing the battle, are we lacking war proven warriors in the midst of our churches? We are not to protect, but to equip and lead others into battle. Is it that most Christians prefer to be spectators while a few Christians fight? I pray that we would no longer sit with shiny armor but stand and fight as courageous war proven warriors for God’s kingdom!

Eph 6:12-13
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…

The Teenage Soul

I recently held a fall parent meeting for our Junior High and High school parents. As part of all parent meetings I ask the parents how we as ministry can better partner with them in helping them build a spiritual foundation in their students. Their response was," help us understand where our students are at, and what is going on in their world." There seems to be a great divide that has formed between teens and their parents. Loving parents want to bridge the gap but don't know how, teens want their parents to take an interest in their lives yet don't know how to communicate that to their parents. Thus "The Teenage Soul" was developed.

This blog is a collaborative effort to help keep parents up to date with what is happening in youth culture. We will continually discuss issues and topics that our teens and college age students are faced with. It is our goal to partner with you, the parent, to reach out to your child and to be an active participant in their life. We hope you find The Teenage Soul to be a great resource as you endeavor through the journey of parenting a teen.

Check it out and let me know what you think!!

Tough Question??

I was having a conversation yesterday with a good friend and partner in ministry Leo. And this question came up.

"If you woke up in Hell tomorrow, would you feel like you deserved it?"

Wow! What a soul searching question. Either way you answer it, it forces you to change. What do you think, what would your response be to this question? How will your life change in response to your answer?

J.I. Packer on Young Chrisitan Leaders

I am a huge fan of J.I. Packer, he in my opinion is one of the greatest theologians that has blessed our generation. He is a sage that has much wisdom to pass on. His book "Knowing God" is a foundational study in Christian theology that must be read by all Christians. Mark Driscoll another influential man that I respect for his deep understanding of the heart of Jesus, and our calling as Christian leaders spent some time with J.I. Packer. Mark Driscoll asked J.I Packer which theological issues he would commend young Christian leaders to study in order to be prepared for the next fifty years. Here is the link check it out:http://theresurgence.com/node/1091

What do you think?

When God Moves

The last few days I have been sitting in the midst of the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. A great conference on empowering leaders to be effective in their calling. God has done something in my heart the last two days that I haven't felt in a long time. It wasn't the leadership principles that moved me, not the big name speakers, or lofty ideas of spirituality, but the pictures of God moving in the midst of brokenness and injustice in our world. God using broken, humble people to be his light bearers to a world that desperately needs him. In the eyes of these people I saw life, and satisfaction that honestly has escaped me lately. I feel like I have been living some cheap imitation. I have strove so long to be about God's work and seeing youth fall in love with Jesus, that ministry has stolen my compassion for the things that really matter to him. Something has happened in my heart, a holy discontent with the life that I have lived the last year. I have fallen victim to sacrificing for my comfort and not for my savior. I have failed to understand what true love looks like. When we see God moving in the lives of this world, in his people, there is something that happens, He begins to move in stagnant hearts that have lost passion and significance and meaning in life. Our culture is desperate for significance and meaning. I am convinced that the only life of significance and meaning is found in a love relationship with God. But our definition of love needs to change.

Ephesians 5:1-25:1 "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son. That whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Love is sacrifice! I ask myself this question: If God sacrificed his life to show his love for me, can I sacrifice my life to show my love to him? This is the true call of a disciple of Christ. To sacrafice your life to take on His life.

I am deeply convicted by this. I have failed to sacrifice for so many people in my life that I claim to love, most importantly God. As a pastor I have found that I have sacrificed many things to follow my God givin calling. But there is one thing that I have failed to sacrifice that has broken my heart and truly kept me from experiencing the life Jesus died for me to live. Comfort! I like being comfortable, and I base my decisions on what will keep me in a comfortable zone. I was reminded of this fact:

"Jesus did not come to make us safe, He came to make us brave"

So often we strive for comfort and safety in our American bubble. In fact we pride ourselves on how safe our communities, and country is. Yet I have realized that when we strive after safeness in the Christian life, we miss the adventure that Jesus is calling us to experience. In the process when we choose safeness we fail to experience God and fail to be a part of what he is doing in this world that brings signifiance and meaning to life that can not be found anywhere else.

God is moving in the dangerous places of our world, in the situations that could cost your life, your possessions, your dreams, your loves ones. But if we love God, we would consider all this worth sacrificing to be a part of his work at redeeming this world and experiencing him.

My prayer is this: Lord may this holy discontent that I feel never leave my life. Move in my heart to be broken for the things that break your heart. Allow me to humbly serve you in your movements. May I never choose safeness and comfort over the calling you have given me. I love you and am willing to sacrifice anything to show my love and gratitude to you.

Finding God in Mexico

I was reminded this last week that God transcends national boundaries. In the midst of a political heightened time in our country and many discussions about the boarder and issues in Mexico, I have forgotten what an amazing country Mexico can be! My wife and I were truly blessed this fourth of July when we received an offer to join a students family at their property in Mexico off a beautiful picturesque river. It was intended to be a little prep trip for an upcoming discipleship camp we will be having there in August. It was just what we needed!! I have forgotten what quiet actually sounded like. It always amazes me how the noise of life can drown out the voice of God, and as soon as we make time to be quite God speaks.

Thank you lord for being so faithful to give me opportunities to meet you in the midst of the noise and busyness of life. You continually offer refreshment and life that I so desperately need yet so often fail to recognize.

Bobblehead

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Jesus was a Jew

Time Magazine has come out with "The 10 ideas that are changing the world" at #10 Re-Judaizing Jesus. The new idea that will change the world is that Jesus was a Jew!!! It is no new Idea that Jesus was Jewish, the proposed problem is that we in the western world have taken Jesus and his teachings out of the context of an eastern Jewish culture. The Emergent Church has tended to embrace this philosophy of a Jewish Jesus, yet they have done a pendulum swing from the Evangelical world in that they over emphasis the Jewish context in Jesus' teachings often adding more than what was original intended. The Emergent Church has brought some amazing depth to the teachings of Jesus, yet they have often gone too far. The modern day evangelical church has done Jesus' Jewish culture wrong as well. Evangelicals are often found using a few contextual examples of Jewish culture to support theological ideals backing beliefs and values of our western culture. Is it even possible for us to truly understand the complete context of the 1st century Judaism that Jesus grew up in, and then filter our exegesis of scripture through these ideas. In fact Judaism has changed so much that it only has a small resemblance today to the Judaism that existed during Jesus' day. Even the Jews that lived during the time of Jesus did not understand the meaning of many of His teachings and they were immersed in this ancient eastern culture. Those that did understand Jesus' teachings only understood through the enabling of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 8:10 Jesus states "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you , but to others I speak in parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand." NIV. It seems that every few decades since the time of Jesus we have had new ideas about the meaning of the scriptures, yet these new ideas seem to only support a tolerance to current values or a radical pendulum swing from current culture. No matter through whose eyes the scriptures are seen it is the Holy Spirit that gives us eyes to see and ears to hear. The truths of a fallen world and a human race in need of salvation spans across all cultures and times. What do you think?

Fathers Day

So this year was my first official father's day. I have been hearing the saying "like father like son" a lot lately. My son has a lot of my qualities and characteristics but I don't know if this is so good. I so want my son to copy me but only the God refined traits, there is so much I still wish to work on. It got me thinking about what an amazing challenge it is to be a father. As a father I have the responsibility to represent God the father to my son, what an incredible responsibility. I know that no matter how hard I try to be a Godly man for my son to emulate I will some how mess him up. In life we have all experienced father wounds, some deeper than other's that have lasting effects on how we as men will raise our son's. It is my prayer that as a father I will represent God as a loving father. I praise the Lord that he is the best father we could have, and he is so faithful to show us the genuine love of a father. May we as men continually look to our heavenly father for our example of being Godly dad's to our sons and daughters as we try raise a legacy of God honoring generations to come!!

Year 27!!!

So this week I turned 27. I had a birthday week instead of a birthday, I figure why not prolong the celebration of another year of life for a few extra days! I am so blessed as I look back at life and what God has done over the years. I can honestly say I am content and wouldn't want life to be any different.

Here are few things I have learned in my 27 years of life!

1. A Godly life is made in the small moments not the big ones. It's the small ones that prepare you for the bigger stuff.

2. Life is a journey enjoy the scenery, let God be the guide.

3. Don't pick up 200 pound coolers full of soda and water past 27, I threw my back out for the first time in my life, I feel old!

4. Spend time loving those God has given you relationships with you never know when those relationships might end.

5. Being a Dad to my son Caleb and husband to my beautiful wife Angelina is the absolute best gift and stewardship I have ever had. Don't take for granted the precious treasures the lord gives you in this life.

6. Life is not easy, don't expect it be because it is not about you. It's about God!

7. Anyone can be a man, not everyone is a man of God, I deeply desire to be a man that honors Him.

There are way more but just a few I have experienced this last week! On to another year 28 here I come...

I love my wife!!

Tomorrow Angelina and I celebrate our 3 year anniversary!! I am amazed at how quickly time has gone by and how much life has changed, for the better of course. I am even more in love with my wife today than the day I meet her. Her compassion, and loving soul has changed my life forever. I could not imagine a single day with out her by my side living life as a partner in so many things. I thank the lord for such an amazing women to share my life with and to experience all that life has to offer together. I will cherish her all the days of my life. If the first three years have been this great, I can not wait till year 50 or 60!!

Song of Solomon 6:3 "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine"

Radical living in a Comfortable world

I have been challenged lately by the type of Christianity that we the American Church promote. As I see the next generation of Christians grow more apathetic, I see that we as the church have failed to give them a picture of Jesus that stands for something significant. Instead we have painted a picture that Jesus is found on Sunday's in pews and mid-week bible studies, in fun events that do nothing for those in need. Christianity in America has become a private personal religion, where claiming Christ as savior brings no discomfort or change in life. The problem is that we in America are comfortable, our whole country revolves around our comfort. I drove down a paved road today with nicely painted lines, detailed by neatly manicuring bushes no one owns, and trimmed grass to make our community look beautiful. Yet the world we live in is not beautiful, it's dying and broken. We live in a fake reality of comfort and security. Does anyone feel the same way? It's time to start being a church that refuses to stay comfortable, that refuses to make Jesus a feel good ideal, a set of motivational principles . Christ died a brutal death for a broken and ugly world that we may live a life of love and discomfort for God's glory and God's kingdom! As Americans we are called to live a radical life in a comfortable world, not an easy task, but one we must seek after!!

Simply Amazed

I am simply amazed at how good God is to me. Despite all my inadequacies, character flaws, pride, and failures His grace has the ability to completely transform my heart over and over again. I am overcome with humility that he could use my mess of a life for His glory and His Kingdom. It is my hearts prayer that I may live a life in response to this amazing love. Not a life lived out of obedience and habit but of pure love for my God who has loved me so much than I could ever understand. I am amazed that He has the ability to give me the strength I need when I am so weak, the reminder that I am His child when I am feeling insecure, and the ability to smack me when I am so full of myself. When I am overwhelmed by my sin upon sin it is Him that reminds me that He has covered me with His grace upon grace. What an amazing God!!!

Rest

I am so looking forward to getting some rest next week. My wife and I with our 6 month old son Caleb are headed to the mountains for some R&R at a youth pastors Conference at Hume Lake. It is paradise up there. I can spend some time with the lord and my wife I don't have to shave, I can where flannel all day, and fish my heart out!!

I am reminded that along this spiritual journey with the Lord; rest is a key element in being effective for the kingdom of God. This is why God not only demonstrated the need for rest when he created everything and then rested on the seventh day, but he also made rest a mandate to his chosen nation Israel. Why was it a mandate for his chosen ones to rest. Because we are to represent Him, and our God is a God of order, of balance, of peace and of rest. As Christians we are called to stand apart from the world and this includes the busy, tired, stress consumed mentality that our world considers normal, yet I find myself running even faster than most people I know. What our world needs is rest and peace in the arms of our God, I wonder if we would have as many wars, and turmoil if we just slowed down and found rest in Him.

Matt 11:29-30 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I Praise the Lord that His rest is always available to those who seek it!!

I think my head is going to explode!!

I am tired, a little too tired I think. In the midst of crazy transition, and a few stupid moves on my part not respecting my boundaries I have put my self in a mental conundrum. My head literally feel like it is going to explode, I have had these crazy headaches that come out of no where. I think it is God's way of making me slow down, it's so easy to run a head of him. It's the times that I trust him the most that things get done. Instead I'm running around in circles with a ticking head bomb.

The love of a son

Since my son was born 13 weeks ago I have begun to view God and my relationship with him so differently. Caleb is finally at the point of smiling an laughing. So I find myself doing the stupidest things to get him to show his daddy some love. I can't believe I care so much about trying to get a 13 week old to show me some love, but I do, and it fills me with so much joy to get it. I have begun to think about all the things that God has done to get me to show him some love, not that he needs my love but he earnestly desires it. What an awesome experience it is to feel the love of a son!

The Invisible

So I always drive past these migrant workers on my way to a spot that I spend time with the Lord, about once a week. It has been getting way cold lately, and I was complaining to myself about the 50 degree weather in San Diego in the middle of January, and there they were as always standing next to this fence. I looked at them like I had never seen them before, how could I miss them, they are always there. If you live in So Cal this is no uncommon sight. Migrant workers are every where, but so often they are invisible to me. I can't help but think that these people are the modern day sinners. As I have been reading the Gospels I have come to realize that the sinners described in the Bible were the marginalized that had no ability to live up to the standard that the elite of the day set, particularly the Pharisees and all their impossible rules. The sinners were the low class, the unacceptable, the foreigners in a strange land, those unable to reach the norm that society set because of circumstances beyond their control, they were the invisible. And the Pharisees were the ones who were to smug to care... they drive past them in their New Nissan Titans on their way to church to sit in an office and think about how to teach others to be disciples of Christ. This hurts my heart!

So today it was really cold and I went and spent some time with them, because I don't want them to be invisible anymore. It is to hard to describe what I feel right now, but it's good!

Hello Bloggerdom

I am officaly a blooger! I will no longer hide in the closet and secretly read eveyones blogs and not participate with my own rediculous shanagans.