Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Resolutions

I've been here in Pennsylvania for more than a week and it has been wonderful seeing and spending time with family and friends. It really was a great Christmas. One common lament of this time of year is the extra weight people put on from the overindulgence of food and drink. I don't think I escaped those extra pounds this year… Everybody I visited felt the need to fatten me up... I've come to the conclusion that my family must think there is no food in New Mexico :)

With New Year's resolutions right around the corner, this Wednesday we are praying about change. I think a lot of us tend to make the cosmetic type of resolutions - "I'm going to lose 10 pounds"… "I'm going to start working out again"… etc. But what about the heart-change type of resolutions - "I'm going to become more forgiving"… "I'm going to become more patient"… etc.

Whatever the resolution, prayer is an essential element in any decision for change - before, during, and after:
Before - "Lord, does this change fit with Your will? Is it biblical? Is there some change You wish me to make that I am not seeing or that I don't want to admit to?" Remember how Paul had asked God to remove the thorn from his side but it wasn't in God's will.
During - "Lord, help me make this change. I can't do it without You. I rely on You for everything." Read the Psalms for many examples.
After - "Thank you Lord. In the process of changing me You have taught me even more about losing myself and depending on You." Read the Psalms for many examples of this as well.

One last thought on this topic. You may be one of the many who can point to your childhood or some trauma from your past and link it to current behavior. Maybe it affects your patience, how you trust others, how easily you become angry, etc. No matter what it is, too often, we let the link to the past be the final step in the process. We've figured out why we're angry, impatient, un-trusting, and assume the stance of "well that's just who I am." Let's pray that we don't fall into this trap. Let's not use the past as an excuse when it should be a catalyst. The process of self discovery should lead to the question - "Now that I know why I am the way I am, how do I change?" To summarize this another way - the past is never an excuse for not doing God's will in the future.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, December 12, 2005

False Humility

I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia series. It probably sounds a little geeky but I just want to know the story before I see the movie "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". And, besides that, the writings of C.S. Lewis hold a special place in my heart. It was his book "Mere Christianity" that was a catalyst for my conversion.

But what does this have to do with this week's topic? It's all leading up to a quote. The first book in the Narnia series is called "The Magician's Nephew". The magician is this selfish old man named Uncle Andrew who gets into quite a bit of trouble in the story. At one point, in a passage referring to Uncle Andrew, the narrator says "Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed."

The word of God exhorts us to be humble... To not pretend to be more than we are. But by the same token, the word of God also tells us to not pretend to be less than we are. In other words, to not have false humility. False humility flies in the face of the authenticity God desires us to have. Authenticity with Him, Authenticity with others, and Authenticity with ourselves. It's OK to recognize that you are talented at something as long as you know where the gift came from. In fact, our talents should ultimately humble us and inspire us to use the talent in service as we recognize that the blessing could have just as easily been given to someone else. False humility plays down the gift because it wants others to affirm the gift and thus feed the pride. Said another way, false humility is sneaky pride.

So this week, we are praying about any tendencies toward false humility that we may have. Ask a close brother or sister this week if you have this tendency - "the wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses" Proverbs 27:6. If you don't have this tendency, that's another gift to be thankful for… you can pray for your brothers and sisters who do struggle with it.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, November 28, 2005

Forgiveness

This Wednesday we are praying about forgiveness.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Ever since becoming a Christian, I have thought of forgiveness in the way described in Colossians 3:13 above. I should forgive because God forgave me. But recently, I started thinking about forgiveness from a slightly different angle. Namely, I should forgive because God forgave them. Said another way, when someone wrongs me, I should forgive because Christ's blood covers their wrong just like it covers my wrong. Who am I to harbor unforgiveness - Christ paid the price for their sin as well.

But saying you forgive someone is much easier than actually forgiving them. Often the words "I forgive you" are an empty expression. What we mean is "You wronged me and now I'm watching you. I've filed this away and I will bring it up if you try anything like that again." True forgiveness is more like "Even though you wronged me, I can lay that aside and I can lay my pride and fundamental desire for fairness aside so as to wipe the slate clean for you."

Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive? Maybe it's someone who you say you've forgiven but it was really just an empty expression. Perhaps it's someone who wronged you in an incredibly hurtful way. Maybe it's someone who wronged a dear friend or family member of yours. You may need to forgive your spouse… a parent… a friend… a family member. Whoever it is you need to forgive, do it and do it for real. Don't let it be just an empty expression. It will be hard but always remember, Christ's blood covered whatever wrong it was they did to you.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, November 21, 2005

Thanksgiving

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." Psalm 100:4

This week, as would seem appropriate, we are praying for a thankful spirit. There are two specific things that I want you to think about as you pray this week:

1. It is a fundamental part of our human nature to allow the past to flavor the present. Said another way, our satisfaction with our current situation normally depends on our past situations. To illustrate, assume you just accepted a new job that pays $100,000 per year. Your gratitude will probably depend on your previous job situation. You will be much more thankful if you're coming from a $50,000 job than if you are coming from a $250,000 job. The point is this - we aren't called to be thankful only for the things that are bigger and better. We are called to be thankful in all situations. And that goes against the nature of our flesh. "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2. One thing that gets in the way of sincere gratitude is that we all take our blessings for granted. We seldom treat each other as precious gifts that could be taken away at any time. I think back to how my wife and I cherished each other and cherished our kids shortly after 9/11. Why does it take such an incident for the truly important to bubble to the top? Let's think about our blessings from the perspective of what it would be like if we didn't have them… our kids, our spouse, our health…

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, November 14, 2005

Ministry

This week we are going to pray for the ministries in which we are involved. First, we are praying that these ministries are blessing those they are directed towards. Whether it's a women's ministry, a prayer ministry, children's church, hospitality, etc. Second, we are praying that God does a work in us as we work in these ministries. After all, getting things done is just a by-product of why God puts us in ministries. Serving Him is how our hearts get softened and molded to His likeness.

Last, I want to make sure we are all aware of all the ministries we are involved in. We are all part of a family - this is one of our ministries. Many of us are married - our spouse is a ministry. As Christians, Christ gave us the great commission. Therefore, spreading the good news is one of our ministries. There are probably others I'm not thinking of. The first point of this is, you are involved in more ministries than what probably initially came to mind. The second point is, make sure you've got enough time for your current ministries before you add any new ministries. And last, your ministries need to be prioritized so that you are tending to the proper ministry when conflicts arise. Needless to say, family and spouse need to be top priority.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, October 24, 2005

The other prodigal

One of the best known parables Jesus told was the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. The younger son is a runaway who defiantly seeks fulfillment through worldly pursuits. He eventually comes to his senses and returns to his father in hopes of receiving mercy (mercy is less punishment than you deserve). Instead, his father gives him grace (grace is no punishment - it is complete forgiveness). This younger son is the picture of our obvious sins and the grace our Father extends us through the cross. But I recently read a piece focused on the older son. The premise was that there are two prodigals in this parable. The older son is just as lost as his younger brother. His jealousy and judgmental attitude reveal a heart that feels it never received what it was due. He is caught in the dangerous ground of comparison. He firmly believes he is better than his brother. This deep seated thought of "I'm not so bad" has a profound affect on believers and unbelievers alike. It keeps unbelievers from ever realizing they need a savior in the first place - "Why do I need to find my father… it's not like I'm living in the pigpen…". For believers, it chokes out the love, forgiveness, and closeness that Christ wants us to have. The father tells this older son "…everything I have is yours.". He was living in scarcity amongst his father's abundance.

One question to ponder this week: Do I have all that Jesus died to give me? All the joy, love, peace, forgiveness, freedom, etc… Or is pride, comparison, jealousy, unforgiveness, judgmentalness choking it out?

This week let's pray about this older son in all of us.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, October 17, 2005

Elephants

I recently heard about a psychology term called "learned helplessness". An example is the easiest way to explain the term. When circus elephants are babies, they are chained by their ankle to something too big for them to move. Then when they become adults, all the trainer needs to do is put a rope around the elephants ankle and connect it to a small stake in the ground. Just the presence of the ankle rope makes the elephant think it can't walk away… so it won't even try. This is called learned helplessness. Can you see how this applies to our lives as Christians? When we are re-born, we are to look at the world with fresh eyes. We are to throw away the pre-conceived notions and worldly patterns and habits that we've developed in our pre-Christian life. We're no longer to look at things through the lens of our limited capabilities. Instead we remember that with God, we can do much more than we think we're capable of.

This week, let's pray about the learned helplessness that may exist in us. Is there something God keeps putting on your heart that you are ignoring because you "know" you can't possibly do it? Let's pray to trust God's leading... to throw off the old thinking that keeps us limited. In the process, our faith will grow in leaps and bounds. Ask yourself the following this week (or have some close friends help you assess the following):

1. What is God laying on my heart lately? Am I resisting because of old thinking?
2. Where did I think my walk would be by now?
3. Am I doing things that defy my old thinking?
4. Is my faith steadily growing?

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20b-21

Everything is possible for him who believes. Mark 9:23b

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, October 10, 2005

Growth

Albuquerque is a very popular spot for balloonists. Almost every day of the year there is at least one hot air balloon in the air. This past week was the annual balloon fiesta. Each morning during fiesta week there is a mass ascension. Balloonists come from all over the world to participate. It's pretty incredible to see several hundred hot air balloons aloft at one time. These hot air balloons always look so free to me. No schedule to keep… Following where the wind leads… Living in the moment… Above the rat race. It's quite the opposite of me riding in my car… fighting traffic… following the crowd… worrying about things that worry won't help.

Think of someone you know who exudes Christ. Do you see their freedom? They float above us… Not influenced by the twists and turns the world makes… Just joyfully following where the Lord leads… Inspiring us to grow in our own walk. This week let's pray about these role models in our lives. That their example strengthens our walk. That we continue to mature and grow in Him. And on the flip-side, in cases where we are a role model to others (perhaps unknowingly), let's pray that our example strengthens the walks of those watching.

Just one quick note on role models. Let's always keep in mind that they are just an example. They are not Christ. Don't let the examples or analogies in your life confine your image of Christ. He is more than we can ever comprehend.

"Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, September 26, 2005

Doubts

Take a look at Exodus 3 and 4. This is when God calls Moses to go back to Egypt to bring His people out of slavery. Look closely at how Moses responds to God:

But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Exodus 3:11 ("But God, I'm not qualified.")

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'what is His name?' Then what shall I tell them?" Exodus 3:13 ("But God, I don't have all the answers.")

Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'?" Exodus 4:1 ("But God, it might not be easy.")

Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10 ("But God, I'm not a good public speaker. I might make a fool of myself.")

But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." ("Once again God... I don't think I'm qualified.")

Essentially, God's answer to each of these arguments is that He will be with Moses. Too often, when God starts calling us to do something for Him, we think about the probability of success from the perspective of our own abilities. We forget that God is with us and He has all abilities. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone. Stepping out into a new area of service requires faith… and succeeding requires humility and surrender to make it a work of God. In the end, the act of service blesses others… and the servant is blessed by a closer relationship and better understanding of utter dependence on God.

I think back to a men's ministry meeting over 2 years ago now. Some of the ministry leaders were talking about a small group of men who were fasting every Wednesday. They asked if anybody was interested in helping these men expand the group. I remember raising my hand. Yet like a split personality, I also remember silently yelling at myself, "What are you thinking?!? You can't write!! Besides, you can barely fast for 24 minutes… much less 24 hours. Where are you going to find topics? You are getting way in over your head...". I thank God for pushing me through those doubts. I have learned way more from leading this list than I could ever verbalize.

So this week, we are praying about our doubts. Is there something God is calling you to do that you keep talking yourself out of? Do it and you might find that the thing God was doing all along, was a change in you.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, September 19, 2005

The internet

Proverbs 6:27 says "Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?"

When I was still in high school, one job I had was mowing my neighbor's lawn. It was in his shed that I discovered the first pornographic magazines I had ever seen. Curiosity and teenage lust led to quite a thorough review of the material. I'm guessing that nearly all the men on this list (and perhaps the women as well) can think of similar incidents from their childhood. But we live in such a different world these days. With the advent and proliferation of the internet, we no longer have to go digging around in the neighbor's shed to find awfully graphic images. So this week, we are praying about the internet. Specifically, we are praying for the following:

1. There are many adults, even Christian adults, who are addicted to internet pornography. We are praying that they find the strength in Christ to shake that addiction. Perhaps you are the accountability partner for someone in this situation. Or perhaps you are in this situation yourself. There are great Christian resources out there to help.
2. We are praying for our kids. First that we as parents are able to adequately buffer them from pornographic content on the web. And second, that if they do become exposed to such stuff, that it doesn't have the destructive, addictive affect it can have on people.
3. That parents everywhere are modeling appropriate behavior and accountability. It's been said that more is caught then taught. Said another way - the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Our children are much more likely to fall into this trap if they see us in it. Let's show our children what healthy relationships look like and let's show our children how to cherish and respect the wonderful mystery that is the opposite sex. We owe it to the future spouses of our sons to not let them buy into the preposterous female stereotype portrayed in pornography.

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;". 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, September 12, 2005

Our path

John 21:15-23 documents the account when Jesus reinstates Peter. There are a number of great lessons in this passage but this week we are focusing on just one of them. In verses 18 and 19, Jesus alludes to "the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God". Upon hearing from Jesus that he would be crucified, Peter looks at John and says "what about him?". Jesus responds by basically saying mind your own business - "what is that to you". Please read the whole passage to get the full context.

This brings us to our topic for this week. God has made each of us unique. We have a unique purpose and as such, He has planned out a unique path for each of us. Jesus was admonishing Peter to keep his eyes on his own path. We don't want to fall into the trap of looking with envy on the path of another.

So this week let's pray about our own unique path. That we accept it… embrace it… surrender to it.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, August 22, 2005

The veil

This Wednesday, we are praying for Jewish people everywhere who have not yet found Christ. You can probably think of a few people you know who fit this description. 2 Corinthians 3:14 reads "But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away." We all know that Christ is the answer to the old testament prophecies. Yet these unsaved Jewish people still read the old testament and cannot see how Christ takes the veil away. They debate over Messiah… They look for signs such as the red calf… All the while working to keep the law in an attempt to earn their way to heaven. They know the rules but they don't really know the Rule Maker.

So let's pray that these people come to accept Christ as their savior. That the veil is lifted as they read passages like Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. They already believe in God. Their hurdle is Christ. Let them come to know Him and to have a relationship with Him.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, August 15, 2005

Fruits

A couple weeks ago, I opened our fridge to find that there was an odor starting to develop. Our fridge tends to make chaos look organized so it took quite some time to discover the source of the offending odor. The culprit in this particular case was a piece of an onion. I frequently use part of an onion when cooking and I'll put the rest in a baggie to use later. The problem is that I don't always remember there is an onion baggie in the fridge. In fact, at any given time, there is normally several onion baggies in the fridge. This particular onion looked like it may have been in the fridge since we moved here. But this message isn't about my bad memory…

Do you exude love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? In other words, has the holy spirit taken up residence where your 'self' used to rule? If so, do you ever notice that your 'self' wants to move back in and (s)he doesn't want a room mate? What I'm getting at is - occasionally, I notice that my 'fridge' starts to develop an odor. It may be greed, lust, envy, jealousy, hatred, anxiety, discontentment, pride, etc. And unlike my real fridge, I'm not always too quick to tear things apart to find the source. In fact, I think my natural tendency is to do something akin to installing an odor eater… Covering up the symptoms instead of confronting them. Something like putting on the "everything's OK church face". Because the last thing I want is for someone else to notice the odor.

This Wednesday, let's pray that we pay attention to the fruit we're bearing. And when we notice that it's not the fruit He intended, that we are open and honest enough to search the 'fridge' in order to root out the problem. And that we feel comfortable enough with our brothers and sisters to let them help mind our 'fridge' and vice versa.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, August 8, 2005

Our sphere

This Wednesday, we are each going to pray for our individual sphere of influence. This is the people we work with, the friends we have, our family members, our immediate neighbors. Anybody we see / interact with / relate to on a regular basis. For each of us, some people in this sphere of influence are already saved. For these we are praying that they continue to grow in Christ and that we are loving, caring brothers or sisters in Christ to them. The others in this sphere of influence are not yet saved. For these, we are praying that we share the gospel both in our talk and our walk. If we aren't walking in love and compassion, it's hard to talk credibly about Christ. I heard a pastor give the following reminder - "the number of people you can help is exactly the same as the number of people you can harm." So perhaps we can pray that our lives overflow with Christ - to the point that when people discover we are Christians, they decide they want some of that for themselves. Last, let's pray that each of our spheres continues to expand. Along the lines of Jabez' prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:10, we are praying that the Lord enlarge our territory.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, August 1, 2005

Communication

We communicate all day long. Written, verbal, gestures, body language. We do it in-person as well as remotely. Some of it is casual conversation while some of it is intense business talk. Some of it expresses love while other conversation shows annoyance, agitation, and perhaps even hatred. Along the lines of our in-person conversation, it's estimated that 60% to 90% of what we communicate is non-verbal. This would be the gestures, the body language, the facial expression, and the tone of voice to name a few. Just think about the different ways you could interpret a phrase such as "that was a great shot". It could be a heartfelt appreciation from a team mate who really thought it was a great shot. It could be the sarcastic disappointment of a team mate because it wasn't such a great shot. It could be the jaded remark of an opponent who was just beaten by the shot - who really means "that was a lucky shot". You can see how tone can change the meaning.

This Wednesday, our topic is communication. The bible has a lot to say about this topic. Just look up words like "speak", "listen", and "tongue" to name a few. I'm sure we can all think of some relationships in our lives that could use better communication. Relationships that seem forced, fake, taken for granted, etc. A couple things to think about:

1. We normally have the listening and speaking backwards. In James 1:19, the bible says "…quick to listen, slow to speak…". Ask yourself which more accurately describes you: tend to actively listen or tend to wait to speak.
2. Even when we choose to not say anything, we are communicating. Let's commit to leaving this passive aggressive non-communication behind. It only leads to frustration, resentment, and all other kinds of things that you don't find on the fruits of the spirit list :)
3. Commit to honest communication. The kind of communication where both verbal and non-verbal communication matches up. Communication that isn't shrouded in deceit.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, July 18, 2005

Motives

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." Matthew 6:5

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." Matthew 6:16

All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the lord. Proverbs 16:2


This Wednesday, we are praying about our motives. Many times, people have hidden motives in the things they do. It may be passive aggression or it may seem manipulative. Sometimes it may be so hidden that the person doesn't even realize they have ulterior motives. So this week, we are praying that we understand our motives and that these motives are in line with God's will. A couple appropriate questions to ask:

1. Am I doing this to be a blessing to that person or am I doing it to make them think I am quite the blessing?
2. Am I doing this to show my love for them or am I trying to get them to love me - keeping score?
3. Am I sharing this truth with them to ultimately make them a better person or am I pointing out a shortcoming to make myself feel better by comparison?
4. Am I sharing this information in a genuine effort to help this person or do I just like the feeling of gossiping?

Ultimately, is God's love at the heart of my motives or is my own selfish self running the show? Being in God's will is both the actions that we take as well as the reasons that we undertake them. Remember, it's possible to be doing the right things for the wrong reasons and it's possible to be doing the wrong things for the right reasons.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Breakthroughs

Have you ever had a revelation? You may not think so. In fact, the word "revelation" may conjure up images of being alone somewhere and hearing God's voice in some weird megaphone-like manner. So let me ask it a different way. Have you ever had a breakthrough or an "AHA" moment (some prefer to say AAAAAAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!)?

Let me start by saying it seems quite appropriate that I'm writing the first draft of this message at 3:30 am on a Thursday morning. You see, I've been awake for about an hour now, unable to fall back asleep, because these thoughts about breakthroughs are swimming through my head. And even as dim-witted as I can be, I could recognize that I was having an "AHA" moment about "AHA" moments.

I think these "AHA" moments can fall into many different categories. A few pop into mind:

1. A new clarity about God's word: Perhaps the breakthrough is a new understanding of a certain passage that used to be confusing to you. Or maybe it's seeing how two seemingly unrelated passages are actually related - which strengthens your faith in the divine nature of the bible. Or maybe you see a whole new deeper meaning in a passage that you thought you understood completely - reaffirming that the word holds something for everyone - no matter where they are in their walk.
2. A nugget of self-discovery: As we let Him take control of our lives, it's extremely helpful to know as much as we can about ourselves. You can probably think of numerous times when you learned something new about yourself. And if you're at all like me, a lot of them aren't such good things… which just reaffirms the need to let Him take control of my life.
3. A glimpse of God's will for your life: "For He knows the plans He has for me…" and I really like it when He lets me see a little piece of it.

Yesterday I heard a quote from Winston Churchill - "Man occasionally stumbles across the truth… but he usually manages to pick himself back up and continue on his way." This Wednesday, let's pray about these "AHA" moments. That when we stumble across these truths... we recognize them, learn from them, incorporate them into our lives, and bless others with them. Let's pray that we don't just "continue on our way"… We want to "continue on His way."

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, July 4, 2005

Miracles

Some of the miracles we read about in the bible are beyond comprehension. But what's even more amazing is how the witnesses of these very miracles often reverted back to a lack of faith shortly after the miracle. They would see proof of God's existence yet this "proof" was not enough to sustain faith. Look at the Jews with Moses in the desert (crossing the Red Sea, Manna, etc.).

In the beginning of Matthew 9, Jesus is with a paralytic. The first thing He did was forgive the paralytic's sins. At this, the teachers of the law accused Him of blaspheming. Jesus replies with the rhetorical question "Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? Matthew 9:5. Both are miracles but the forgiveness of sins is an eternal miracle as opposed to the temporary miracle of healing. As saved individuals, each one of us is an eternal miracle of the transforming grace of Christ. Our sins are forgiven and we are new creations as a result. Many unbelievers think a miracle would convince them about God. Yet it didn't work for the Jews in the desert. The fact is there are miracles of His salvation everywhere. The next time an unbeliever says a miracle would convince them of God's existence, tell them they are talking to one. This Wednesday let's pray that unbelievers everywhere would wake up and recognize the miracles all around them.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, June 27, 2005

Giong to Church

Ecclesiastes 5 begins "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God." In the NIV, this section of Ecclesiastes is entitled "Stand in Awe of God". Essentially, it's all about making sure our worship is real and not superficial. When we go to church, we are there to worship Him… to praise Him… to spend time in His presence… filling ourselves with Him. Yet sometimes we go to church as if we're doing God a favor by showing up. As if we're gracing Him with our presence. We put on the church face and hang out with the fellow saints instead of learning and growing with the fellow sinners.

Last week we prayed about focus. Focus is a good starting point as we go to the house of God. We need to remember why we're there. It's so easy to get distracted. See if you recognize any of the following thoughts and distractions:

- This service is lasting a lot longer than usual…
- I wish she'd sing softer because she sure can't hold a tune…
- That guy's nodding off to sleep…
- Can you believe what she's wearing…
- Is there a game on this afternoon…
- Those people didn't put anything in the offering…
- What should I have for lunch after this…

Many of you have probably read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Take a look at the second letter - it's a great example of distraction at church. One other distraction bears mentioning. Many of you serve at your church and that's terrific. All churches need many servants. However, it can become a distraction if your service starts taking the place of your worship. Time spent serving God is no substitute for time spent with God. If you're doing this, you need to find a balance. If you know somebody doing this, you need to lovingly share with them what you're seeing.

So this Wednesday, let's pray that we are authentic and real about our worship. That we remember we are there to worship. That we don't let distractions turn real worship into superficial worship. That we learn how to stand in awe of God.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, June 20, 2005

Focus

Do you multi-task? I do quite a bit. When I'm at work… When I'm trying to get chores done around the house… Any time that I'm trying to clear a to-do list. The problem is that this multi-tasking mind-set carries over into areas of my life where it has no business. There are times when I can't be a proper father if my mind is wandering off to other things. There are times when it isn't fair to my spouse if she's only getting 30% of me. Furthermore, the Lord doesn't want me spending quiet time with Him or praying to Him or studying His word unless I am entirely focused on it. The following is a quote from a martyred missionary who appeared to really understand this - "Wherever you are… be all there".

This Wednesday, our prayer topic is "focus". In order to really focus on the important things in life, you may need to say "no" some times. I heard a pastor put it this way - "You can do anything you want to… You just can't do everything you want to." At my old job, we had another way of saying the same thing - "Don't try to boil the ocean." However you want to look at it, this Wednesday we are praying for the following:

1. That the things that are important to God are the important things in our lives (our relationship to Him, family, love, etc.).
2. That we don't let the fluff of life crowd out that which should be important to us. Let's learn to say "no" to some requests.
3. That these important things in our lives get our full attention. We're praying that we learn to give ourselves completely to the thing we're doing. At work, that may mean multi-tasking but when I'm sharing a conversation with my daughter, it doesn't.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" Colossians 3:23

Have a great week and a great fast.
Wherever you are this week… be all there.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, June 13, 2005

Courage

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.'" Luke 5:4

Fundamental to our re-birth is the process of change and growth. We don't want to get saved and then remain spiritual infants the rest of our lives. I heard one pastor state it this way, "The Christian life is like riding a bike… If you stop moving forward, you'll fall."

I think we tend to become complacent in our walk. We like to let down our nets in the shallow waters we already know. The deep water strains our comfort zone. It takes courage to go into the deep. Is there something that God has placed on your heart that you keep ignoring? Are you asking yourself the tough introspective questions? Are you hungry enough for growth that your comfort takes second place? Are there areas of your life where you know you're stepping out in faith?

If we put out into the deep, we might discover something else about ourselves that we don't like… some other flaw we didn't know about. Then again, we might discover an unknown gift as well. It's in the deep where we learn to depend on God instead of ourselves... And dependence on God is the source of true humility and utter surrender.

If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat. This Wednesday we are praying for the courage to do so.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, May 30, 2005

Knowing ourselves

We take a walk up to our neighborhood park almost every evening. On one particular evening a few days back, as I was loading up a few things in our stroller, I noticed a very large rock in the bottom of the stroller's storage pouch. A few thoughts immediately came to mind: How did that get in there… No wonder this stroller is so heavy… How long have I been hauling that thing around… I wonder if this will become a fasting and prayer message. :)

We are all hauling some rocks around (perhaps you would prefer to think about them as planks in your eye). Some of them we don't know about. But there are some that we do know about but we choose to ignore them. Not all the pretenses we put on are to fool others. Some of them are to fool ourselves. I can remember lying about things when I was younger to the point that I didn't remember what the truth was. Our topic for this Wednesday is knowing ourselves. We want to be authentic with ourselves and we want to really get to know the depths of who we are. If we develop a thorough understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, God can more readily use us and Satan's attacks won't catch us off guard. God knows everything there is to know about us. He can help us discover the rocks we don't know about and then He can help us get rid of them. Before Jesus was arrested, Peter swore the following "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." But Jesus knew Peter better than Peter did. And Peter eventually came to understand this (read John 21:15-19). If we really want to know ourselves, it's essential to know that He knows everything about us. We can learn about ourselves from Him. And when we really know our weaknesses, we come to recognize His strength in our lives and the true miracle we are in Him. His power is made perfect in our weakness.

We can also learn a lot about ourselves from others provided we don't let pride get in the way. Proverbs 27:6 says "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." Let's pray that we know who are friends are and that we can learn about ourselves through them.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, May 23, 2005

Hunger

As part of a fasting and prayer group, it may seem a little strange to pray for hunger. However, that is exactly what we are praying for this Wednesday.

Matthew 5:6 says "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

Psalm 27:4 says "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."

The one thing we are to be hungry for is God. It is the one thing that truly satisfies… the one thing that doesn't disappoint. David knew this as he wrote the psalm. It was the one thing he asked of the Lord - that he seek Him. We want to have a true hunger for Him… a yearning to know Him and His ways… not just a hunger for the things He gives us. I heard a pastor pose this question: "Are you seeking His presence, or are you seeking His presents?"

When we develop a real hunger for Him, we become a vessel He can use. Proverbs 16:26 says "The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.".

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Our past

Psalm 103:12 says "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

This Wednesday, we are praying about our past. Many of us feel guilt, remorse, regret about things that we did before we were saved (or perhaps even after we were saved). And Satan uses that guilt to make us think that we are still that same person… "How could God or anyone else love you? Look what you did." But the truth is that the blood of Christ has covered our past. He remembers our sins no more (see Isaiah 43:25).

Now there may be people out there who were hurt by your past actions. People who don't seem to care about your "new creation" talk. People who will eventually surface. People who blame their misery on you and want to see you 'pay' for it. Satan can use them to bring you down or you can rely on God to lift them up. Someone who knows who you were should be uniquely positioned to recognize the authentic work Christ has done in you. They may not forgive you but they will know something is different.

Recall the incident where Christ raises Lazarus from the dead. As Lazarus walks out of the tomb, Jesus says "Take off the grave clothes…". When you and I were raised from the dead through the saving grace of Christ, we became new creations. Even though our old grave clothes may have left some ugly scars, we need to take them off and leave them behind...

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, May 9, 2005

Zeal... Fervor... Passion

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." 2 Timothy 1:6

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" Colossians 3:23

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:11-12

The word tells us to be passionate about what we do. This Wednesday, let's all pray about our marriages, our families, our relationships, our ministries… that we approach all of them with the zeal and spiritual fervor the Lord wants us to have.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, May 2, 2005

Consistency

This Wednesday we are praying for consistency in who we are. We are praying that who we are at church is the same as who we are at work. That who we are with our prayer group is the same as who we are with our golf group. That who we are on Sunday is the same as who we are on Monday.

In a nutshell, we're talking about authenticity… walking the talk… being the real deal… shedding the pretense.

Ultimately it boils down to this: there is no pious mask that I can put on that God doesn't see right through. So we are praying that who we are to God is the same as who we are to everyone else.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Unsaved who go to church

There are churches and entire Christian denominations full of people who are not yet saved. These people go to church on a regular basis, give of their time and money to the church, yet they do not know and have not accepted the gift of grace through Christ. And it's not just the mainstream cults that fit this description. What these people have been told and what they are trying to do is earn God's love through their actions. All of their good works are motivated by a "got to do it" attitude. If you stop and think about it, that's what the worldly stereotype of Christianity is - earning your way to heaven. That's what I thought it was all about before I was saved.

In contrast, someone who is truly saved… who has salvation through accepting His gift of grace... has a whole different motivation for their good works… love. The love that was shown to them on the cross shines through them in a "get to do it" attitude. They recognize that God loves them and has loved them all along… Enough to bear the punishment for their sins past, present, and future.

So these people described in the first paragraph above have a couple distinct characteristics. They are not yet saved but they think they are doing the right things to get there. However, they go through life not really sure if they are "good enough" yet. Unlike some people you may share the gospel with, they already believe in God and most believe in Christ (even some of the cults). The message of true salvation may sound too easy to them. Yet in their attempt to add to the grace of the cross, they unknowingly make a mockery of and cheapen the perfect gift.
Let's pray for these people this Wednesday as we fast. Let's pray that they find the truth, start a relationship with Christ, and enter into the assurance and life change that such a relationship brings.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother in Christ,
Bob

Monday, April 18, 2005

Forgiveness

I was just looking back over the past messages and I was surprised that we've never had "forgiveness" as our topic.

Matthew 6:14 says "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."

This is just one of the many references in the bible on forgiveness. Is there someone in your life right now that you need to forgive? Is there someone who you claim you've forgiven but you really haven't? Or, perhaps you are the one who needs to ask forgiveness from someone you've wronged. If you don't fall into at least one of these three categories, you may need to pray about denial :)

True forgiveness is both an act of humility and an act of love. It's like saying "Even though you wronged me, I can lay that aside and I can lay my pride and fundamental desire for fairness aside so as to wipe the slate clean for you." Additionally, true forgiveness frees the forgiver from reliving the hurt over and over again. Conversely, holding on to a hurt without forgiving can spoil the fruits of the spirit. Christ can't shine through an unforgiving heart.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, April 11, 2005

Comparison

We are taught to compare and compete from birth. From sports… to our jobs… our cars… our clothes… possessions in general... our accomplishments… We're taught that success is being the best, having it first, owning the most - good old selfishness. It's where the world thinks self-esteem and self worth are found. The advertising industry banks on it. Their messages entice us to feed our egos by staying ahead of the pack.

When we got saved, all those things that we learned and competitive habits that we formed didn't just magically disappear. So this Wednesday, we are praying about comparison. We are praying that now that we are a new creation, we stop comparing ourselves to others. Pride is the root of comparison and comparison can lead to envy and jealousy. It's silly for us to compare or compete with unsaved people. When we got saved, our priorities did a 180 degree turn. But equally dangerous is comparing ourselves to other Christians. For example, I'm not very musical. I could look at one of my Christian friends who is musical and say "Boy, why can't I be that musical? God really short-changed me there." Conversely, I should say "I am so thankful for this musical brother of mine. God's gift in him really blesses me." We all have a unique set of gifts God designed just for us to be used in a way which He designed just for us. Our longing after others gifts or comparing our gifts to others misses God's purpose. I would propose that the only comparing we should be doing is to ourselves. Ask questions of yourself comparing today with yesterday. Questions like the following:

1. Am I using my gifts better?
2. Am I more in God's will?
3. Is my love more like the love of Christ?

"Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else" Galatians 6:4

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, April 4, 2005

Sin

The prayer topic for this Wednesday is sin. Sin, at least the realization of our sinful nature, is the first step to salvation. That is, we need to realize we are sinners before we accept the idea that we need a savior. Yet, I would propose that a smaller percentage of people today think they are sinners than 10 years ago. And probably the same can be said for 10 years ago when compared to 20 years ago. So why is this? It seems that the bar is being lowered. Things that were considered sinful 10 years ago are now acceptable (or at least quietly rationalized). The fact of the matter is that the bible's definition of sin is not evolving the way society's has. As we fast this week, let's pray about this lowering bar. Let's pray that the bar doesn't continue to lower. The conviction of sin is needed to convert those who don't yet know Christ. And it's needed to keep the saved close to Christ.

If you have time, read and reflect on Romans 7:7-25 this week.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, March 28, 2005

Goals and plans

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

This Wednesday, our prayer topic is our plans and goals. We all have goals - from short term all the way to long term. Likewise, we develop plans for reaching those goals. But we don't always stop to seek God's will before we make goals and plans. My typical mode of operation is - develop a goal, make a plan to reach that goal, and then pray that the plan works out. This is really backwards from what we should be doing as Christians. We should first seek God's plan through prayer… then pursue it… praying all along the way. The question to ask is - Are my goals and plans based on my will or are they based on God's will.

One last thing. When I set a goal and lay out the plans to reach it, I am typically focused on the goal more than anything else. Said another way, I tend to focus on the destination - not the journey. But which part do you think God is more interested in? It's during the journey that God is refining us. In retrospect, I can think back on situations were I'm certain the journey is the only goal God had for me all along. The destination wasn't important at all.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Boldness

I was in a parking lot in Albuquerque a short while back when I saw one of the strangest sights I've ever seen. There was an older guy (probably in his 70s) wearing a suit complete with a bow tie out on the sidewalk. He had a bicycle, a tiny dog, and a huge exotic bird with him. When I first saw him, he was in the process of getting all situated. He put the bird on a special perch attached to the handlebars. Then he got on the bike, got the dog where he wanted him, and started riding down the sidewalk. He rode very slow and the dog was so tiny that it seemed to be running at top speed to keep up. All in all, the entire scene was extremely odd. In fact, I bet it would seem odd to anybody… except that guy riding the bike.

So what does this have to do with Wednesday's fasting and prayer topic? Simply stated, I want to wear my faith boldly. I never want to be embarrassed or ashamed that I am a Christian. I want my actions to say that I care more about what God thinks than what other men think. Yet, in all, any pride that I show, let it only be a humble confidence in Christ.

Many Christians are bold in their Christianity… on Sunday while at church. Yet, it may be tough to even tell that the same person is a Christian when Monday rolls around. The thought of boldly wearing their faith on Monday feels like riding a bike in a 3-piece suit with a giant bird and a tiny dog in tow. They don't want to draw any negative attention to themselves.

So as we fast this Wednesday, we are praying for boldness.

"Therefore, since we have such hope, we are very bold." 2 Corinthians 3:12

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, March 7, 2005

Lord and Savior

2 Peter describes Christ as "Lord and Savior" in 1:11 as well as 3:18. This Wednesday, we are praying that Jesus is both these things in our lives. First, let's look at the savior part. For Christ to be our savior, we need to have accepted His sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sins (past, present, and future sins). It's a gift and it's a one time thing. There's nothing we can do to earn it and there is nothing we can do to keep it or lose it. Once we accept it, it's ours. Now let's look at the lord part. Webster defines Lord as "master or ruler". If Christ is our Lord, he is who we listen to. He is who we submit to. He is who we obey. And He is who we strive to emulate. We do this the rest of our lives.

Savior is all about love and Lord is all about the obedience that springs from this love. I heard one pastor describe Christianity this way: "The entrance fee is nothing but the annual dues are everything."

Chances are, since you're on this fasting and prayer list, Christ is already your savior. However, if you're at all like me, He isn't always your Lord. This week, let's all pray that we are placing Christ in the position of Lord of our lives. That we are looking to Him in all things. Why should we obey Him? Two reasons: Because He's God… and because we're not. They're two separate and distinct things and it can take us a lifetime to get them right.

Early on, when Ann Sullivan first started working with Helen Keller, she spent a lot of time working against Helen's strong will in an attempt to teach her manners. After one particularly trying interaction, she wrote the following: "Although I'm sure we will have many more of these altercations, it occurs to me there are only 2 essential things I can teach her… Obedience and Love." I think our Father looks at us the same way.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, February 28, 2005

Wisdom

The bible talks quite a bit about wisdom. And you'll see that there are two types of wisdom that are referenced - worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. The following verses refer to worldly wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:20 - "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 1:25 - "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."

And these verses refer to Godly wisdom:

Psalm 51:6 - "Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place."

Psalm 111:10 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

Proverbs 2:6 - "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

Proverbs 11:2 - "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 - "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom in God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'"

This Wednesday we are praying for wisdom - Godly wisdom. The type of wisdom that is directly opposite worldly wisdom. The type of wisdom that is complete dependence on God. At the heart of such wisdom is humility. In fact, the person who thinks they have wisdom, probably doesn't. The world tends to equate wisdom with knowledge. I heard a pastor this week put it this way: "Knowledge is proud… that she's learned so much. Wisdom is humble… that she knows so little." We get so proud about the little knowledge we are able to accumulate in our lives. Shakespeare said "Man oh man… so ignorant in that which he knows best." In other words, even in the subject that I am most knowledgeable, I can't hold a candle to He who invented the subject. One last quote on knowledge. This comes from Mark Twain - "The problem with most people is not what they don't know… It's what they know for certain, that isn't true."

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, February 21, 2005

Hypocrisy

Jesus talked about hypocrisy quite a bit when referring to the religious leaders in His day. Yet even today, hypocrisy is one of the major criticisms unbelievers have of the church. A common claim is that the people who go to church think they're better than the people who don't go to church. It sounds something like "I'm not going to church. It's full of hypocrites." One pastor's reply to this is: "There's always room for one more." Think about this - to say "I'm not a hypocrite" or to point someone else out as a hypocrite is most likely hypocrisy.

What is hypocrisy? I heard a pastor talk about the origin of the word. It originated in the theater where stage actors would play 2 parts in a production. They carried a mask with 2 profiles. When they were the one character, they faced left. When they were the other character, they faced right. The term two-faced came from this. The definition of two-faced is insincerity, pretense, or a false claim to virtue. We put on pretenses to be associated with good characteristics that we don't possess... or to be dis-associated from bad characteristics that we do possess.

This Wednesday we are going to pray about hypocrisy. That we can get rid of any pretense or insincerity we may have. We don't want our hypocrisy to be a roadblock to the seekers in our lives. Our talk and our walk need to be consistent with what's in our heart.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, February 14, 2005

Mark

Last weekend, our first visitor from back east came to see us. It was my high school friend Mark. He came out for 4 days and we managed to break away to ski for a couple days at Taos. So what things did I take away from this visit:

1. With enough threats to my older two kids, I can get the house whipped into shape fairly quickly.
2. Either I'm not as young as I used to be… or skiing got a lot more physically demanding since the last time I went.
3. Mark has a lot of questions / criticisms / opinions that stand in the way of him accepting Jesus Christ.

Before being saved, I was a like-minded agnostic with Mark. He was the first person I ever witnessed to and he was quite shocked the first time I revealed to him that I was now a believer. Invariably, when we get together, at some point he'll still say something like "So… you still going to church?". Loaded in that question is the thought that maybe I'm just in a phase and soon I'll snap out of it. After this past weekend however, he may never ask that question again. At one point he even said, "I can tell that I'm never going to win this argument. You aren't coming back to agnosticism." I agreed with him but it struck me as a little odd that he thought we were arguing. We talked about faith and God and Jesus for at least a solid 10 hours during his visit. We talked about everything from evolution to the big bang to the resurrection. He's not a believer yet but he went back to Pennsylvania with a lot of questions and things that he wanted to look into.

So what are we praying about this Wednesday? Any and all of the following:

1. Evangelism in general - that we are following the command to go and make disciples.2. For seekers - that they continue seeking until they find the one true answer we've found. Mark's question "So… you still going to church?" has a lot in it. First, it is a seeking behavior and invites discussion (or argument depending on how you look at it). Second, he's checking up on my faith - the fact that time keeps making my faith stronger may be the pivotal testimony in his conversion. You may be able to think of people who would get the same impact from your growing faith.
3. For us - that we remember what it was like when we were seekers. For instance, I remember thinking discussions were arguments back when I was seeking.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Sunday, February 6, 2005

Attitude toward enemies

This week we are going to pray for our attitude towards those we perceive as our enemies. Romans 12:14-21 is packed with wisdom on this topic. Wisdom such as the following:

"bless those who persecute you"
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil"
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath"
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

I heard a pastor put it this way - "The best way to neutralize an enemy is to make him your friend." Yet there are some people that it is so hard to imagine showing this kind of love and forgiveness to. Take Osama Bin Laden for instance. Yet Christ died for his sins the same as yours and mine and the same salvation through grace is available to him if he chooses to accept it. It's mind boggling to me and absolutely directly opposed to my gut instinct. This is definitely something I need to pray about and perhaps you as well. Remember, "He who throws dirt, loses ground".

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, January 31, 2005

Contentment

In Philippians 4:12-13, Paul is talking about contentment:

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed of hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

I heard a pastor summarize it like this: "Contentment is not about who has the most. It's about who needs the least." In our materialistic society, we have been trained to be pessimistic about our possessions. Instead of being thankful for all the things we have, we tend to lament the things we don't yet have. Said another way, the glass is half-empty. Ask yourself "Do I have any wants that I'm treating like needs?" "Am I discontent because I don't have some of the things my neighbors have?" "Am I overlooking blessings that are right in front of me?" "Am I content with my possessions and my circumstances?"

Yet there is one thing we are supposed to be discontent with… That we are to continuously strive to make better / deeper / stronger... Our relationship with Christ.

Do you know anybody who has these two things reversed? People who are content in their spiritual lives yet discontent in the material things? People who live by sight rather than faith?

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, January 24, 2005

The unsaved

Luke 23:39-43 tells us about one of the criminals that was crucified with Christ. "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'

For the past couple weeks, I've been thinking a lot about this guy crucified with Christ. There are a couple key things in these few verses:

1. He knew and admitted he was a sinner - "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve."
2. He believed that Jesus is who He said He was - "remember me when you come into your kingdom"
3. He served the Lord with his few remaining minutes - "But the other criminal rebuked him"
4. From 1 through 3 above, it seems that this criminal may be the first person saved by grace under the new covenant.
5. He was physically right next to Jesus as he spoke with our Lord. As such, he modeled the kind of prayers we are to have - conversational, earnest, expectant, and with the realization that Christ listens to and answers prayers since He is right next to us.
6. In Jesus' reply to this man, there is a subtle prophecy. He says "today you will be with me in paradise". It often took several days for crucifixion to kill a person. Yet Jesus knows that all 3 of them will die this very day (see John 19:31-32).

So, what are we praying about this Wednesday? We are praying for all the unsaved. We are praying that they follow the model of this man. That they come to realize they are a sinner who cannot save themselves. That they come to know Jesus as there Lord and savior. And that they walk with Him the rest of there lives.

As we pray, let's keep this man's example in mind and converse with our Lord like He is right next to us.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, January 17, 2005

Advice

You probably have people in your life that ask you for advice on a regular basis. Likewise, you also probably have a "go to" set of people that you turn to for advice when needed. This Wednesday, as we fast, we are praying about advice. A couple things to think about:

1. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love. We need to guard against simply saying what we know the other person wants to hear. Likewise, when receiving advice, we need to be introspective enough to discern flattery from fact. The truth is what's required for real growth.
2. The second part of speaking the truth in love is the "love" part. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 for what's required here. I think the hardest time to keep this "love" part is when a friend is starting to realize something that has been obvious to me for a long time.
3. Is the advice biblically sound? The answer to this question has to be "yes" before we move on to the more important question - Is the advice consistent with God's will? If the advice isn't biblically sound, it can't be God's will.
4. Last, are there any selfish motives in the advice? What I want may skew the advice I give a friend. It may sound something like "I don't think you should take that new job because it seems risky to move to California." But part of what I'm thinking is "I don't want you to move away because you’re my friend and I want you here". We need to discern motive and guard against it both when giving as well as getting advice.

So this week as we fast we are praying about advice. We are praying that the advice we give as well as the advice we follow are both honoring to God.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob

Monday, January 3, 2005

Our churches

Jesus refers to the church as His bride which underlines how important the church is to Him. Still, the church can be a source of problems for many seekers and believers alike. After all, the church is a collection of imperfect people who are, by nature, prone to impure motives. You may have seen some of the problems that can be found out in the world in your own church: financial troubles, hypocrisy, gossip, clicks, pride, greed, lust, selfishness, etc., etc., etc… I recently heard a sermon where the pastor was sharing how he once heard a cynic compare the church to Noah's Ark. The cynic's comparison was that the storm on the outside is what makes bearable the stench on the inside. This may be a bit harsh but you get the point.

Picking out a couple specifics that we are praying for:
1. The church leadership - that they are full of the spirit, growing in the Lord, and seeking His will as they guide the church's path.
2. The congregation - That God is at the center as they attend, serve, give, fellowship, and worship. That they are also seeking His will and growing in Him. And most importantly, that they are understanding that not only is the church there for them, but they need to be there for the church.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob