Not By, But By

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, " says the Lord Almighty."  Zechariah 4:6.  I think that says enough all by itself. 

Hope

Hebrews 6:16-20 (NIV)

^16"People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, ²⁰ where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf."
  
In this passage hope is referred to as an anchor.  But it is not an anchor that is dropped to the bottom of the sea to hold a ship in one place, as we might imagine.  The anchor that is being referenced here is one that does not hold us steady, but moves us forward.  The image the biblical writer is calling his readers to picture is that of a ship coming into a tight harbor.  An anchor would be cast to a solid point in the rocks on the shore.  Once the anchor was secured to the shore, the ship would be safely pulled into and docked in the harbor.   

Hebrews 6 is not calling us to let down an anchor so that we may stay put in the storms of life, but is calling us to cast an anchor on the shore, which we are daily and even moment by moment allowing to pull us into the "inner sanctuary."  The inner sanctuary of the Jewish temple was the place of God's dwelling presence.  As such, the writer is letting us in on a promise. As we fix our anchor in Jesus, he pulls us where he is...into the harbor of God's realized, powerful, amazing, overwhelming, eternal and unchanging presence.  

 If we anchor our hope in people or money or health or appearances or a career or the results of an election (regardless of which side you are on) then we have given ourselves over to wishful thinking, but have not yet anchored ourselves in a hope that pulls us forward irregardless of anyone or anything else. 

Perhaps this is why the world is not interested in what we say we have in Christ.  They see us rising and falling in the same happiness and sadness they have found without Christ by dropping our anchor in the same temporal stuff as everyone else. What if today, just for one day even, we made up our minds that we would show the world that hope is only found in that which is continually pulling one into the presence of God?  One thing is for sure...even if it convinces no one else, you and I will be pulled into a harbor that does not rise and fall with the winds and waves that the rest of the world allows to determine their hope.  No better than that, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf."

Election Prediction

My election prediction for Wednesday, November 7 (assuming the polls open on November 6), 2012 is...

2012 Election Results: Officials say, "Nobody wins!"

 "What?  How can this be?  Was there a problem at the polls?  Did Hurricane Sandy's aftermath create election havoc?  Was it a tie?  No, no and no.  The election results are in and the "winners" declared, but at the end of the day the country lost."

If the Democrats and Republicans were sitting before a  professional counselor or before any one who understood anything about interpersonal communication, both sides would have to hear the truth that the way they are approaching the issues is setting everyone up for failure.

For example, let's say Kimberly, my wife, and I are having a disagreement. Let's say she decides to blame me for what I have done wrong without acknowledging her part of the problem.  And then let's say I attack her to try to win the argument.  At the end of the day, who wins?  The answer is clear, when it comes to a marriage or any interpersonal relationship when we blame, attack and refuse to take personal responsibility for what is our part in the problem, and that is,  nobody wins.  

Look at the political adds you are receiving in the mail and watching on TV...review the content of the debates...listen to the campaign speeches...blame, attack, refusal of taking responsibility...can anyone win when our political system has been turned into a completely dysfunctional relationship?  

I have looked at all and been tempted not to vote this election.  I feel like to participate by way of voting is to encourage the dysfunction.  I probably will vote, but I do not believe I am alone among those who have grown increasingly disillusioned with two parties who are more interested in which side wins than whether or not the country wins.  I am disappointed in two parties that, be it because of pride or fear, refuse to sit down and do what it takes to make anything in life work and that is truly hear each other, learn from one another and not loose one's identity in the process, but have the best of each party's identities called to the surface so that someone besides them win more than an election.

Of course, the even more disheartening truth is that the reason the political climate of angry blaming and attacking is the norm is because pollsters and campaign managers have deduced this is what the American people want.  We don't want Democrats and Republicans to sit down and hear each other and learn to work together for the good of the country.  We want to watch a war because deep down we as a country want to fight rather than hear.  We would rather be on the winning side so we can shout "nanny-nanny, boo-boo" at the losers on the other side than to call on our leaders to do what it takes to let our country win and that is listen to each other and work together.  

Wonder why that is?  Why do we as a people encourage our leaders to refuse to work together for the common good?  Perhaps it is because to expect better of them would demand better of us in our own interpersonal relationships.  Perhaps to expect them to actively listen rather than fight, attack and blame would require us to first live out the same in our own homes, schools, churches and work places.  Perhaps that takes a level of love and humility that we don't want to devote ourselves too.  Perhaps the ugly truth is we don't want our country to win as much as we want "our side" to win. 

"Father, forgive me.  Forgive our Country.  Forgive your Church in America.  Forgive us all for encouraging a political climate of war rather than cooperation. Father, change my heart; change our hearts.  Heal our dysfunctional, ungodly relationships so that we might expect better of and have the right to call for more from those who lead us.  Forgive our leaders for not having the courage to lead us where we need to go rather than letting our personal and societal dysfunction dictate their actions.  Forgive us for thinking that Democrats or Republicans can heal our land.  Remind us of your words from old that never grow old in 2 Chronicles 7:14, 'If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.'  Thank you for your mercy!  Now, Father, lead us, your Church to live out this command that you may heal that all may win."

Religious or Radical

Jesus' harshest recorded words were never directed to prostitutes, addicts, thieves, liars and other “sinners”, but to the “religious”.  Take a look at what Jesus said to the religious of his day as recorded in Matthew 23.  Based on his words then, couldn’t we assume he would say something like this now?

Woe to you religious!  You act like you are close to God even though you are not and then you stand in the way of letting others get close to God.

Woe to you religious!  You say it’s all about one person being saved, but once you get their spiritual scalp in your hand, you put them in a new kind of religious prison.  

Woe to you religious!  You act like you see even though you walk around blind to what really matters.  You make church all about you—what you like, want and prefer as though what you desire has anything to do with being the Church.

Woe to you religious!  You give your money to the offering basket, but you don’t give a rip about justice, mercy and grace toward your fellow man; especially when that fellow man or woman is not who you think deserves justice, mercy and grace; even though that is the whole point of grace—it is never deserved!  

Woe to you religious!  You make sure you look good on the outside, so others won’t see the filth you are hiding in your heart.

Woe to you religious!  You find a way to murder anyone who speaks the truth.  You make people fear being real so that they will live in the same bondage as you.  

Woe to you religious!  You are snakes!  You slither around stirring up trouble, instilling fear and keeping people focused on everything but God and you do it all in the name of God!

Harsh words?  Only if you are religious.  The reason Jesus spoke so harshly to the religious was to give them a chance to repent of their religiosity and become a radical.  

Religious people put God in a box in a room some place where they are OK with God being, but radicals give God the deed to the house and let him break out of every box they try to put him in until there is nothing left of their life and its all about Him!  Radicals loose their stomach for going through the motions of religion, judging others and thinking that some how they are better than anyone else.  Because a radical has fallen flat on their face in front of God fully admitting they ain’t got a thing to bring to the table and that without Him they are lost now and forever.  Radicals can’t stop dancing in the reality of God’s love.  For the radical there is no faith in Jesus unless that faith is where Jesus lived while he lived on earth and that was investing himself in acts of justice, mercy and grace.  Radicals get that people care about outward appearances, not God.  Radicals will never complain about what they do and don’t like in worship on Sundays because they get that worship is not for them, but for HIM, and furthermore, worship is about a whole lot more than an hour on Sunday!  

Radicals drive the religious absolutely nuts and that is why they don’t seem to last long.  The religious crucify them every chance they get.  There is just one problem…radicals breed like rabbits. Radicals have a faith that is contagious and while the religious are planning their next crucifixion, God raises up 10 more radicals scatters them in fresh soil where the religious don’t yet see them coming and for 2000 years the church has grown and grown and grown!

This Sunday, you will see first hand 27 radicals go into the waters of baptism!  One of these radicals called me today.  He said, “Chad, I have been in and out of church most of my life.  I am now in my sixties and realize that I have never actually committed my life fully to Christ.  I am ready to live a new life in Christ whatever it takes.  I want to be baptized on Sunday to start living this new life.”  Wow!  That’s radical.  I can’t wait till Sunday when we get to see what God will do with radicals like that!  

If you don’t want to be radicalized this Sunday, then I suggest you stay home and watch TV or go to the mall, because this Sunday the radicals among us just won’t make room for any phony religiosity.  

I thank God for you, LH, for being a bunch of crazy radicals for Jesus!  Even if the religious kill you, they will never be able to stop what God has, is and will do through you!

Something to Wear

It was early in our marriage. I do not remember where we were going--just that we were going out.  I, of course, was ready before Kimberly.  I was waiting in the living room.  She finally came out took one look at me and said, "Is that what you are wearing?" 

What kind of question is that?  "Is that what I am wearing?"

"No, this is just my warm up out fit. I thought I would put these clothes on to get me good and ready for what I am really going to wear!"  That's what I thought, but instead I said, "Would you like me to wear something else?"

"No, that's fine." 

Again, thinking to myself but not saying it, "What does that mean..."fine"?  I 'll tell you what fine means...when she says it fine it never means fine." 

"I'm going to change.  What would you like me to wear?"

"Whatever you want to wear is fine."

"O, my word, woman, you are killing me.  I get it. I can't dress myself.  So, tell me what you want me to wear and we'll all go on our merry way," of course, I don't say this either. I just storm to the room and pray I can figure out what she wanted me to wear. :-)

Thankfully our marriage has evolved past this kind of nonsense.  Now she will just tell me flat out if I need her to dress me and I am quite fine with it.  But for this blog, the point is we have made something to wear complicated. 

However, the Apostle Paul reminds us that baptism has given us something new to wear every day.  In baptism we are stripped of our reason to run, hide and cover up and given new clothes.  In God's walk-in closet there is only one garment.  It is the garment of love.  Not love as sentiment or empty feelings or mere words or emotional goose bumps.  The kind of love that God gives us to wear from our baptism day forward is the love described in 1 Corinthians 13 (take a look at it for yourself--it says love is a positive choice of action toward others in the name of Christ regardless of one's feelings about said person). 

This garment of love never goes out of style.  It costs nothing and costs everything at the same time.  It is a name brand that will not make anyone wealthy in money, but will certainly make the world wealthy in what matters.  However, in our baptism, this new garment of love that Jesus puts on us is too big.  It is purposely huge on us. 

Perhaps we are tempted to look up and say, "Father, I am sorry this is too big for me."   

To which the Father replies, "I know.  My love is always too big for you.  Now that you have received these new clothes of baptism you must rely on my Holy Spirit to grow you into this outfit of love day by day until you see my son face to face." 

Each day as I have been putting on the cross necklace we were given on Sunday, I have been thinking about these things. I have been reminded daily since then that my baptism was never suppose to be an event of the past to be remembered, but to be an apparel of love I put on every day for Christ' sake.  Paul said it best in Colossians 3:17, "Let every detail in your lives--words, actions, whatever--be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." 

So, let me ask you.  Is that what you are going to wear? 

If you are wearing God's love, then you can answer enthusiastically and without apology, "Yes, this is the only outfit God cares for me to wear.  And in consideration of his love for us, there is no better way for me to show Him my love for him than to wear his love for the whole world to see."  

WARNING: Don't Read If You Are Not in the Mood For Honesty

Sunday, our special speaker from Peacemaker ministry reminded us that the first key that unlocks the door to peacemaking is confession. Around LH, we call that being real.  The speaker even referenced a passage we regularly remind ourselves of and that is James 5:16.  So, today, I have a confession to make. It seems to be a sin with which we pastor types sub come to as easy prey.  I confess to you that on a weekly basis since May, I have been fighting, sometimes winning and sometimes loosing, the sin of distraction.  Even this week, I have found my self easily distracted by the petty. 

You know what is funny...at LH, the majority get this truth: Church is not about me, rather I am created for the Church.  The majority at LH not only recite, but are daily learning to live out what it means to be real, transformed, connected and poured out.  Praise God!

My word...with a church like this, I should be living on cloud nine every day...but you know what...I'm not.  No, since May I have been very distracted. I have been required to give an unusual amount of time and energy to a very small group of people who had become unhappy with LH and had decided to part ways.  While I honestly and truly respect these folks for loving God and the church enough to move forward,  I confess my distraction, which is all on me not on them.  In my sin of distraction, I have allowed myself to be pulled away from the amazing good that God is doing in and among the majority of you.  For this, I want to apologize. If I have seemed distracted, distant or discouraged it has been because I have been.  You deserve better and I am sorry.  Will you please forgive me?

I think one of the families who left us summed up what could be pointed to as the summary of why this small group of folks had become unhappy with us.  (I admit I have wrestled with whether or not to share this, but as I have been studying the NT letters to the churches, I see that by not doing so I am not being faithful to their biblical example). Someone seemed to sum it up best when they said, "Living Hope is not the same church it was ten years ago." 

I admit that they are right.  We are not the same church we were ten years ago.  For us to go back to being the same church we were ten years ago, we would need to move back to the old building, get rid of all of you who were not here ten years ago, quit Food 2 Go, stop serving orphans in Ukraine, not even think about joining Circles Re-entry which is helping ex-offenders never return to prison, tell Pine Ridge Indian Reservation that we have better things to do than help the poorest people in the USA, not be working with Men of Action to start the first safe house in Dayton for victims of human trafficking, not be feeding kids through Kids Against Hunger packs, we'd need to tell our teens and children that we are OK with over 75% of them leaving their faith when they graduate and never coming back to Christ, we would go back to barely having 30% involved in connecting, we would not have a poured out fund that is designated to helping others and we would not even be thinking about the 100% offering give away in January and I would not have at all grown in my understanding or boldness in preaching the biblical theology that says you can't over speak that God is love and that we are to be a people that lives out that love everywhere in order to fulfill Jesus prayer to usher in his kingdom coming on earth here and now and forever.  So, it is true, we are not the same church we were ten years ago and I pray that by God's help and your continued amazing faith ten years from now we will look back and say, "Praise God we are not the same church we were in 2012!"

Last night, I woke up at 1 AM and could not go to sleep.  My mind was racing.  I first prayed for all the people, some of them you, who the Lord brought to mind--we have so many good people fighting the good fight in Celebrate Recovery, the Prayer Ministry  for Inner healing, Freedom from Anger and Divorce Care (Most of which we also did not have ten years ago).   But then I started praying about my distractions...funny...God can even speak through our distractions...as I was praying God said I need to let him help me shift my focus to what HE is doing among us!

This reminded me of what God said when Moses asked him what was his name.  God answered, "I AM."  God is not the God of yesterday.  God is the God of today!  He is!  Right now.  In this moment.  God is!  Praise Him!  And in this moment the I Am God is on the move in and through you, LH. 

As I was praying God began to bring to mind what he is doing.  He said, "Chad, it is time for you to start celebrating what I am doing in your midst!"

" Celebrating, what, Lord? , I asked.

Then came to mind, "Celebrate tribal councils, public schools and local and county governments!"

I knew exactly what he was talking about...praise God for you!

Praise God that you are Church that a Tribal Council in South Dakota thinks to call! This week Charlene Karacia shared with me that the tribal Council from Pine Ridge Reservation called and said, "When you come can you bring 25 blankets?"  Don't miss how huge this is!  The tribal council does not just call anyone. In fact, generations of broken trust has taught this poverty stricken people to not call on any one outside their tribe.  But in Doug and Charlene Karacia they have found someone they see as trustworthy and even family.  Did you know they invited them to the tribal Sun dance a year or two ago and they were the first outsiders invited for countless generations?  What is that about?  That is about God moving and working his kingdom through the Karacias and you.  Each one of you who have or will donate food items, some cash or a warm new or gently used blankets by this Sunday will be extending God's love to these forgotten people next week when our mission team travels to them.

Praise God that the public schools call us!  The teacehr of the special needs students at CHS cried as she called to tell us that a large amount of Food 2 Go food was stolen from the High School.  She apologized as if it was some how her fault.  Karen Dubro and Larry Fouty answered the call in a way that helped this lovely teacher know that our God is bigger than stolen food.  Sure this put us in a bind, but we know God will provide and through you...you amazing people called LH, he has and will!

Praise God that the local government thinks to call a church!  Centerville called last month to see if we would help with the Veteran's Ceremony in November. Our Support the Military group is running with it in a way that has amazed the city.  They said,. "We did not know there was a church that had a support your military group."

Praise God that the county government sees LH as a people with whom to partner for the good of our county!  Ex-offenders returning to prison is a huge national problem, but Montgomery County in cooperation with Think Tank's Circles Re-entry is doing something about this.  All they needed was a faith community in the suburbs to partner with them.  Our very own, Scott Copitz, brought this need to LH and now over 20 from LH are involved in the beautiful, power, reciprocal relationship called Circles.  Former state Legislator, John White said, "In Living Hope we have found a church who has it in their DNA to be involved in gritty, scary ministry."   Praise God!

In the last several months, I have wrestled with whether or not to share this with you.  But, the nagging thought in the back of my head has been that I have never not been real with you. I have always shared what I am going through because I truly believe if we are to be a church that is real that I must not just preach it, but live it.  So, yes, I confess I have been engaged in the sin of distraction.  But today, as I confess, I am free to more clearly see how powerful it is that we are not the same church we were ten years ago because now the likes of Tribal Councils, Public Schools and even the Government turns to a Church in Centerville, OH, not because their is anything special about its pastor--Did I really say, "spiritual orgasm" because it best made point a couple weeks ago? Nor is it because of our building--have you seen our carpet lately? It is not becuase we are the biggest church around or have the most money, but because the majority of people called LH truly get that our faith is something to be lived and that means being real, transformed, connected and poured out! 

If this was too honest for you, please know it is your own fault for reading it--I warned you in the title :-)  But for the rest of you, I want you to hear me say how grateful I am for you. You are amazing.  And I believe we are experiencing the best days of our Church and even greater days are ahead.  In fact, on Sunday I get to share one great new thing that our board just voted to make happen for our Children's ministry!  Thank you for letting me be real!  I already feel as though He has lifted a weight that I had begun to wonder if would be lifted.  Praise God!

"Miracles We Forget to Count"

Today I saw a miracle in a cemetery. 

Before I share about that miracle, let me warn you that it was a miracle we can be tempted to overlook.  The miracle that I saw today is not the kind of miracle that will make the news or spread like wild fire through email chain letters or face book shares.  Everyone loves to note miracles like sick people suddenly being made well, blind eyes opening, deaf ears hearing and the dead coming back to life.  Please do not misunderstand me; I am not saying such miracles are not reason to give God praise--they are!  I have witnessed such miracles through our very own prayer chain and prayer gatherings.  I believe God still does these kind of miracles.  However, I also believe we can live blind to a different kind of miracle that is just as amazing as the ones I just described. 

So, now back to where I started:  I saw a miracle in a cemetery today.  I was asked to do a funeral for a 47 year old man who died suddenly last week.  I did not know that man or his family, but Brenda Barion, a member of Living Hope, did.  Brenda called me and asked if I would officiate at the funeral.  I did so this morning.  After the grave side service, I watched as Brenda went to the deceased man's mother, whispered something in her ear and gave her a hug.  The grieving mother wept in Brenda's arms.  As I watched I realized I was witnessing a miracle. 

Many of you know Brenda's story, but just in case you don't, let me fill you in (you can read her story in the book she published, "Take it Easy Martha" which can be purchased on Amazon.com).  Brenda's son was murdered a few years ago.  In fact, her son is buried in the same cemetery just yards away from where we buried this other Mother's son today.  Now are you starting to see the miracle?

How can a Mother have a murderer rob her of her son and then be there to comfort another mother who has lost her son? The answer: A miracle.  As I watched Brenda comfort another grieving Mother I realized I was witnessing a miracle that is every bit as astonishing as if that son had been raised from the dead during the funeral. 

Please, again, don't get me wrong...I too prefer to see the miracles of dead people being resurrected, but I am also learning to not let my desire for those kind of miracles to cause me to miss miracles of a different kind.  The kind like I saw in the cemetery today.  The miracle of a sister in Christ, named Brenda, unjustly loosing her son and, yet, instead of turning from God she has grown stronger in God, who gives her the love and strength to be led to the most painful place she can go--the cemetery of her son-- and comfort another mother in her loss.  I don't know what anybody else would call that, but I call it a miracle. 

Right = Right...Right?

More than once I have heard honest people, who are truly seeking to know and follow Christ, ask a question like this:  "It seems like the more I try to live my life according to Jesus teaching to love God with everything and to love my neighbor as myself, the more it seems I face obstacles, set backs, challenges and even ridicule and rejection.  Why is that?"

Behind this question I hear the assumption that right = right...right? 

So, here are three questions for you to ponder or, even better, respond to one or all:

1) Do you relate to that statement and question?
2) If that happens, why?
3) What do you do when that happens?

These are the questions we will wrestle with on Sunday.   Do you know someone who wrestles with questions like these?  Invite them to come with you to worship this week.  See you Sunday!

The Difference the Gap Makes

The gap between what is wrong and what God wills is no bigger than one person's intercessory prayer (see Ezekiel 22:30-31). When I step into that gap I see how much God cares.  When I see how much God cares, his love changes me.  When I am changed, others are changed.  Thank you for letting God touch you to touch others!

To all of you who donate food items or serve with to Food 2 Go, give to the Poured Out Fund or participate in GL Scrip or Kroger's rewards, here are just two stories of how God is using you to make a difference:

"I had to share my first heartwarming story of the year as today is the first Friday I have delivered the f2g bags to the children. Since many of my students are Kindergartners they have not participated in the program before. When I do the first delivery, I take the students out of class just for a moment to explain what the bag is and why their back packs will be heavier on Fridays.. This morning a student walked out to the hallway and saw the bag sitting in front of his locker. He recognized what it was immediately from older siblings who’ve brought bags home in previous years. He literally jumped up and down and said, “is that for me??” When I told him that it was, he excitedly said, “Aw man, I’ve really been wanting one of those!!!” Even his eyes were smiling!! Amazing that these kids see a white plastic bag all tied up and instantly know what it is.

Thanks again for all the work you do on behalf of our children. Please pass our message of thanks on to all those who help in this ministry."

Sincerely,

Lauren Ostberg (Centerville Schools Employee)

"It is wonderful to see the relief and delight that some of the kids experience when they get their bags.  We have a 6^th grader in our building and their family is considered homeless at this time and he was absolutely over the moon and truly grateful that we were giving him and his 7^th grade sister food to have over the weekend.  Centerville is fortunate to have such a wonderful program!!  Thank you!"

Arleen Petty (Centerville Schools Employee)

Praise God!

How's Your Bra-KHAH Going?

This week I have heard some great stories of how your Bra-KHAH prayers are going and I would love to hear more.  Every story you share will help me better incorporate this ancient prayer practice into the flow of my life. 

This prayer practice found its start in Moses words in Deuteronomy 8:10, "When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord for the good land he has given you."  The word for bless in Hebrew is Bra-KHAH.  It does not mean the gift or favor God bestows upon us, but to bless or praise or thank God.  It literally means, "kneeling down."  This prayer practice is about a mental kneeling from the time you wake until you return to bed with short, specific sentence prayers of blessing.  It means we allow all the circumstances of life--small and larger, good and bad--direct our attention to God's goodness.  Bra-KHAH prayers root our happiness in God's goodness rather than in the circumstances of life.

What if we have not learned to pray until we have first learned to pray for God?  Bra-KHAH is our teacher.  The Jewish people would pray, "Blessed is the Lord, King of the Universe, for...the food you provide...body parts that work...the colors of a sunrise..." They even had a prayer for the grief and pain of life: "Blessed is the Lord, King of the Universe, who is the one true judge."  This reminded them that even when it is bad, God is still good and he will ultimately bring justice; righting every wrong.

OK...enough with the recap, reminder.  It would be great to hear from you. Send some examples my way of how your Bra-KHAH is going? 

"Too Easily Pleased"

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses

 

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

 

Are we left empty because we are too easily pleased? 

 

Are we unfulfilled because we are content playing in the mud?

 

Is the cruise ship sailing without us because we've assumed a life in the slums? 

 

Is our problem that our desires are too weak?  Are we settling for drink, sex and ambition, at the expense of infinite joy?

 

Why are we living a life of being far too easily pleased, when God has already made possible, through his Son, a freedom that reaches heights that we could never ask for or imagine on our own?

 

These very questions are what lies behind the reason we emphasize small groups for children, teens and adults.  Quit playing in the mud and jump on the ship.  There is a blessing of filling for those who refuse to be easily pleased. 

 

 

Collecting Seashells

During our vacation we spent a day at the beach.  Our son, Seth (4 years old) decided this was his year to collect sea shells.  It quickly became a mission...perhaps even an obsession for him. He was determined to collect as many sea shells as possible. 

Last night, when we were washing his sea shells of sand, I had the chance to actually look at his collection. I was amazed by the colors and designs.  He found shells with colors I have never seen before--red, pink, a cool color of black and white--I was really impressed.  I said, "Seth, you found some beautiful shells."  He said, "Yeah, I know."  I think he was somewhat disappointed that I had just now seen what he saw two weeks ago at the beach.

I wonder if God is some times disappointed in what I miss. I don't mean a "He's mad at me" kind of disappointed, but rather a genuine heart-hurt, that I, his child, misses noticing the beautiful sea shells he scatters all through my life every day.

O, I know...I am just getting back from vacation and so perhaps I am more apt to see the sea shells of life, but isn't the goal for us to learn to see them every where and to help others do the same? 

I will be honest, God has brought me to a point of spiritual conviction about this since the start of 2012. I have been thinking on Philippians 4:4-13 just about every day and it starts with, "Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again rejoice."  One of the Bible verses my kids and I do every day is, "Give thanks in all circumstances" and "This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Over and over again the Bible highlights God's desire for us to take notice of the sea shells. There is reason to rejoice always in the Lord.  There is reason to give thanks in (not for) all circumstances.  This is the day the Lord has made (not yesterday or tomorrow). This day holds reason to rejoice.  When God sees his children taking note of the beautiful sea shells he scatters all around and about us through his presence every day, he loves it!  He loves it not just because we notice, but because when we notice...when we live a life of gratitude and joyful recognition of his goodness, then we become contagious; we make him appealing to others who desparetley need him.

So, sometime before the sun goes down today, I encourage you to look around and find a sea shell from God.  Pick it up.  Look it over. Notice all the details of its small beauty and then look up and say, "Wow!  God you made some beautiful sea shells in my life."  Then listen and be encouraged when he says, "Yeah, I know."  

"I Hate Camping But..."

This Friday night is the 5th annual LH men and kids camp out.  The first thing this event has taught me is that I hate camping.  I feel dirty the entire time, I feel like I sweat enough to fill a pool, I don't get any sleep, I usually come home with a few annoying bug bites and it seems like it takes longer to pack and unload than we actually get to be there...there...I said it...I hate camping.

So, "Why," you ask, "Will I be camping at the 5th annual LH camp out again this Friday?"

 Is is because I am the pastor and that is what I get paid to do?  No way.  Trust me...you don't pay me that much :-)

Is it because I so strongly believe in connecting with other brothers in Christ that I will camp this weekend?  No, I can meet with my brothers in Christ in the A/C of a home or at a favorite restaurant.

So, why then will I not only be camping this weekend, but be I excited about it?

The answer to that question is two names: Anna and Seth.  Last night at the dinner table they were asking me all about going camping.  They wanted to leave right then. I explained it was not until Friday. The smiled and laughed as they remembered the previous camp outs.  Their eyes got wide and big as they anticipated what this year's experience will be like.  And as they talked a mile a minute about it, I realized, I may hate camping but I love what this experience has done for our relationship each year.

So, Friday night when you are in your comfortable bed with the A?C keeping you cool, think about me.  I'll be sweating in discomfort in a little tent.  But before you laugh at me or take pity on me, know that I while I lay awake most of the night, I will be thanking God as I stare at a little girl and boy who mean more to me than life itself, but too often get my leftovers.  But I thank God that John Stanley and his team have set aside a weekend every year for us do what I hate.  Because the fun, the memories and the meaning my kids and I share at this event each year will far out last a little dirt, sweat and discomfort of a night in a tent. 

And now think about this...If I as an earthly Father with all my faults and failures will do what I hate because of my love for my kids, how much more must the heavenly Father love you?! Check out Luke 11:5-13.

So, I will see you there fellow campers!  If you need directions, have any questions or still want to get in on the fun, please contact John at 937-271-2829.

"The Command to Be"

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

This has been a Bible verse I have heard God speak through since I was in High School.  Up until this week my focus has always been on the promise of this verse--that God will be with me wherever I go.  And certainly, the promise of God's faithful presence is worthy of our focus. However, this week my focus was shifted to the command that makes this promise available.  The command is not to do, but to be. 

BE strong...BE courageous...Do not BE terrified...do not BE discouraged.

God's command is not to do something, but to be something.  He says to Joshua and to us, "BE."  In other words, you and I have a choice in the matter.  What we choose to BE in this moment will open or close the door on God's presence in our lives. 

Our Creator/Designer God; the one who knows us inside and out; he who made us in his own image, says, "You've got it in you. I've put it in you.  Don't listen to the lies of the world that tell you that you are weak and fearful.  Don't believe your circumstances that say you have no choice but to be discouraged and terrified.  No!  Believe me...after all, I made you...and I made you to BE strong...BE courageous.. and not to BE terrified... not to BE discouraged." 

Where did this breed of Christian whimps come from that seem so prevalent in the modern day church?  Following Jesus means we are to be meek, not weak. 

When did we the Church start living in fear of the enemy?  It is not we who ought to be afraid.  No way!  We are followers of the only One who defeated death itself.  We were reborn to be courageous.

Why do we play defense?  We are called...no, commanded to not be terrified.  Perhpas if we would live up to this command we would begin to scare the hell out of hell as Jesus desires his church to do.  After all, it was He who said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  That's a call to offense, not defense.

Why do pull the covers of disocuragement over our heads?  Discouragement is for those who are defeated.  "If Christ be for us who can be against us?", asks Paul in Romans 8.  He asked that question and did not even offer an  answer becuase he figured anybody who knew Christ already knew the answer.  Do you?  Do I?

What would it mean for you to live according to this command to be for just one day?  God tells us what would happen.  You would experience...not just talk about or wish for, but actually experience God with you wherever you go.  Because the reality is, until you decide with Christ to BE strong...BE courageous...Do not BE terrified...do not BE discouraged...until you decide to obey this command to be, you do not need God to be with you wherever you go.  You can go by yourself and be weak and afraid.    You don't need God to be terrified or discouraged.  Come on...we can do that without Christ.  But when you stand and up choose to be what God has made you to be then you become keenly aware that you don't have a chance unless God is with you where ever you go. 

Ahhha...now I'm starting to see...the command for us to be and the promise of God to be feed into and out of one another so directly that you can hardly see where one starts and the other ends, but the moment you remove one both cease to be.

So, my brothers and sisters in Christ go BE!

"Weeds"

Weeds amaze me.  My grass has not grown for a month, but I have some weeds in my yard that are growing like I am watering them every day.  I am amazed how weeds need so little to grow.  Give them just a tiny crack in the sidewalk and a weed will call it home.   Weeds can grow any place, any time. 

We are well served to remember that truth for our lives as well, aren't we?  Weeds can grow any place, any time. Weeds can grow in the happiest of times or in the driest of times, in the worst or best of relationships, in the weakest or strongest Christ-Followers, in the unhealthiest or healthiest of churches...weeds can grow any place...not only can they, but Jesus says they will...

Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(A) a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”<sup>(B)

I fnd this parable of Jesus very interesting.  He acknowledges that in this life weeds will always grow along side of wheat. Like the servants, many people think there is something wrong with the seed.  They say, "I don't go to church because of hypocrits.  But Jesus said the problem is not with the seed.  The seed is good.  The problem is the enemy can sow weeds any place we allow him; even among the wheat.  

Then , I think, with the servants, "Well, let's go pull the weeds!"  But Jesus says, weed pulling is his job not ours.  Our job is to let him show us the weeds and then to depend on him to pull what we cannot.

Last week I was praying about weeds of distraction (as Jesus calls them in another parable).  I named all the weeds in my life and in LH that I can see and I prayed, "Lord, what do you want me to do with these weeds?"  In response, I simply saw his hands pulling the weeds.  He was confirming what he shares in the parable.  He is the only one who can pull the weeds the enemy sows in our lives, relationships and in His church.  

The questions is, will I...will you trust him to pull the weeds or will we buy into the lie that the seed is bad and walk away cynical and depressed? Will we think it is our job to pull the weeds and end up uprooting good wheat?  Or will we trust him to pull the weeds in his own way and in his own time?

"Father, help me to know the difference between wheat and weeds. Help me not to let weeds keep me from seeing teh god wheat you are harvesting even now.  Help me to trust you to do the job of weed pulling.  I admit that when I try to pull them I just make things worst. Amen." 

 Any body else need to pray that prayer with me?</sup>  

No Longer Alone

I was told about a little girl...

Her mother was a prostitute. 

She was raped of her childhood.

She was forced to grow up faster than she possibly could.

Mom was not there to get her to school, so she went on her own. 

The Ukrainian winters were cold and the walk was so very long.

She tried...she tried...but she couldn't...

She couldn't hold her urine.

It ran down her legs and froze on her skin and pants. 

Finally, she would make it to her school.  

But instead of being relieved, she was embarrassed.

As she walked, the frozen urine made a clicking sound.

It was music to mean children's ears.

They pointed at her. 

They laughed at her.  

But no one bothered to ask about her.

Accept one...one woman...one angel....

She was different. 

She cared. 

She asked what no one else would.

"Why is this little girl so alone in this big world?"

Her mother was more than willing to give her away. 

She was looking for the opportunity.

"If you want her, you can have her," said the Mother.

"I want her. I will have her," said the angel of a woman.

The little girl felt something new. 

She was too young to put it into words.

All she knew...and all that matters now...is that she is no longer alone.

This story of one orphan represents the stories of over 100,000 orphans in Ukraine and over  a million world wide.  This Sunday, you get to see first hand how God's love never forgets the orphans of our world.  We get to celebrate that he is letting us work with him to let orphans know that they are no longer alone.  Don't miss it, this Sunday, 11 AM! 

"Blown Away"

Last week, went went to Kings Island and just rode all of the water rides.  Seth giggled so hard on "White Water Canyon" ...there is nothing better than hearing a 4 year old just loose it in laughter.  Then, we rode "Congo Falls," which is a large, basically, log ride.  We rode the ride, got soaked and had fun.  But then I told Anna and Seth that it was now time for them to experience the bridge.  If you stand at the right spot on the bridge, the wave that the "Congo Falls" ride creates not only drenches you from head to toe, but it comes with such a force that, if not prepared, it will knock a person back a step or two.

"Anna, Seth, " I said, "Stand right here with me and hold on to the railing with all your strength."

"Why, Daddy?," They asked inncocently.

"You'll see," I said, "Just hang on tight."

I then stood behind them, down came the ride and up came the wave...WHOOSH!

I felt Anna and Seth both fall back in my arms.  Then the water cleared and both of them were standing with their mouths wide opened, stunned.

"Did you like that?"  I asked.

They both began to laugh and then Seth said, "Daddy, I tried to hold on, but the wave was too strong." 

I said, "That's OK, Buddy.  I had you.  Did you like it?"

His reply?  "Let's do it again!"

Look at Ephesians 3:14-21.  Go ahead...open your Bible or read it on an on-line version...this is a good one...you will want to read it yourself.

Can't you just see the heavely Father taking you up on the bridge where you can get a good view of how wide and high and long and deep is the love of Christ Jesus.  You are taking it all in, when suddenly, WHOOSH!

"Whoa...what was that...it just about knocked me over," you exclaim.

The Father says,"That is my love.  It is so powerful that it surpasses all knowledge, which is Bible lingo for, 'It blows you away!'  Becuase it can do in your life immeasurably more than you ever ask or can even imagine." 

Friends, you are an awesome church! God has been blowing me away with his love that I see at work in you.  This month several people have made personal commitements to Christ!  The Kids Summer Camp has illustrated how you have grabbed hold of the relaity that if the next generation is going to catch the fire of Christ that means we parents and we the church family must be directly involved in passing on the flame of faith to them!  Our teen ministry has not been surviving, but thriving this summer! The Men of Action Group is directly involved in helping get started the first safe house in Dayton for Human Trafficking victims and was featured in the Dayton Daily News!  On July 4, we will have the opportunity to share an act of kindness in Jesus name for 1000's of families at our booth at the Americana Festival!  And then, Sunday, July 8, in one combined service at 11 AM we will welcome the Ukraine Orphans we have been sponsoring the last four years!

WHOOSH!  "What was that?"

That was the love of Jesus Christ once again blowing me away as he expresses himself through you and once again does immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine.

Have you read the Scripture I referenced yet?  Come on...check it out...it will blow you away!

"Longest Day of the Year"

Well, you did it!  Great job!  I knew you could! Pat yourself on the back...you deserve it! That's right...yesterday was the longest day of the year and you made it!  The sun's position in the sky yesterday gave us our annual longest day of sunlight, which constituted the start of summer.

If you know me any at all, you will not be surprised to hear that yesterday was my favorite day of the year.  I have a deep gratitude for sunlight. I enjoy soaking up its warmth as I take my daily walk.  I love that dusk isn't until after 9 PM.  I just love the light!

The truth is, the older I get the more I appreciate the opportunity Jesus, the Light of the world, gives us to live in the light every day of the year.

Here are a few lessons on Light I am learning to love to live in:

•  "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105.  I am learning to trust God with the light he gives me.  I may want to have the next 1000 steps lit up like a run way, but he does not promise that because he knows what I really need. What I really need is to learn to trust him one step at a time.  People often ask me, "What is the 5 or 10 year plan for LH?"  To be honest, if I am to answer that question, all I would be doing is giving my projections because I do not know what God has planned for the next 5 or 10 years. All I know is the light he has given us for the next step he has for us. Friends, it is freeing to continue to learn that you do not have to have everything figured out.  Just follow God with each next step and you will have all the light you need.
• "Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord." Isaiah 2:5.  I am learning that having God's light for the next step is of no value, if I do not walk in it.  I get very concerned for those, who have been around the church for very long, that we will know about the light at the expense of actually walking in the light we have.  We must hear Isaiah's plea to Israel as a warning to us today, lest we become a people who know a lot about God, but do not respond in loving obedience to God.
• "You are the light of the world...in the same way, let your light shine before men and women, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16.  Jesus, the Light of the world, says you are the light!  The only way the darkness of this world (violence, poverty, disease, hunger, abuse, human trafficking...) will ever be chased away is if we who bear the light of Christ in us let it shine!  I thank God that you are a church that shines your good deeds so that others can see the Father.  Food 2 Go, Kids Against Hunger, Men of Action Movement, Pine Ridge Reservation, Encouraging our Military Group, our teens preparing for their summer mission trip, the poured out fund pledges, shopping with GL scrip cards and designating your Kroger rewards cards to donate to our Poured Out Fund, investing in our children and teens and even bringing orphans from Ukraine here next month are just some of the examples!  Keep shining LH!
• "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness instead of light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:19-21.  Jesus is constantly challenging me and changing me by these words of his.  The older I get in Christ, the more I value the light of truth.  Truth may not always be comfortable or easy, but it is always good.  More and more God is freeing me to speak and to hear the truth.  I do not want to ever be among those who "love the darkness."  Christ came to set us free from the games the world plays.  The world justifies manipulation, political power plays, half-truths, gossip and lies as the way one must operate in business and relationships.  That is a lie of hell that we the church need not accept.  The truth always set us free...embrace it, receive it, give it as the powerful light it is!

These are a just a few lessons on light I am learning to live.  What lessons are you learning?  I would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, the SON is shining and I can't wait to see what Light Jesus has for us as our Summer of Love continues for the adults and the Beach Bash Summer camp surfs on for the kids!  Invite a friend!

Less is More

Perhaps one of the keys to living well is climbing the mountain that allows one to see that less is more. 

I remember when I was a child how I dreamed of being extremely wealthy. I can still recall a drawing I did in art class.  We were asked to draw a picture of our future home.  You should have seen my picture...The house was huge.  It had a swimming pool that you entered through the back of the house and took a lazy river type ride acres away to the main pool. Yes, this was my dream.  I equated success with one word, "More!"

Funny how God works...a few years later, when I was 14 years old, on a Saturday morning, I knew that I knew that I knew God had called me into ministry.  What?  Wait a minute?  This is not my dream.  What about my dream house, what about my plans, what about my shyness, what about "More"?  God who made me knew me better than I knew myself.  He knew I was made for the kind of less that was so much more!

Twenty four years later, I see more and more the truth that Jesus made clear over and over again is less is more.  For instance, Jesus said, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36.  And later he said, "Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be a slave of all.  For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45.

I am not just learning this personally, but we have been learning this as a church family. 

About six years ago or so, we started to take very seriously the biblical value of being connected in authentic Christian community.  We would put even more time, energy, prayer and focus on our small group ministry.  This past year we have seen almost 70% of those who attend on Sunday morning get involved in a small group.  I know this is why we are seeing and hearing more stories of transformation than we ever have as a church family.  i know this is why we are seeing even more money and service given in being poured out to others.  (Did you know that this past church--year that ended last week--we gave over $155,000 away to serve others in our community, country and world?!) It is because less is more.

Four years ago, we began transitioning our ministry to teens from a big-program-one-youth-pastor model, to a cell group model with multiple adult mentors.  Last year, we went all the way with this model.  The result has been a foundation has been laid to change change the statistic that haunts the modern American church of 75% or more of our church kids graduating their faith when they graduate high school.  Furthermore, we went form about five people investing in our teens each week to around 14, plus we now have three small groups that have caught the vision and are developing simple ways to powerfully invest in teh next generation.  What a powerful and hopeful picture of this we saw as eight Transitions (6th graders) students were honored, challenged and prayed for as they leave behind child hood and enter into the life of our church family in the adult and teen ministry! We may have less teens involved in this style ministry, but the parents who choose to get their teens involved consistently are putting their kids in a position to genuinely be able to own and choose faith in Christ for their future.  Less, once again, is more!

This is even why we have changed our Vacation Bible School format.  Do you remember, a few years ago?  We had over 250 kids participate in our VBS.  "Wow!," we said, "How great?"  But then our director, Robin Wientge, and her team had the courage to ask some hard questions.  What we found was that the majority of those kids were kids from other churches.  For many of the church kids, our VBS was their 5 or 6th for the summer.  In addition, this influx of church kids from other churches robbed us of intentional, personal connection with our own kids.  Therefore, we have now moved to a summer camp model that starts this Sunday at 9:30 AM.  Why? Less kids here that don't need one more VBS allow us to give even more focus on nurturing the faith of our kids and the unchurched friends they invite.  Will we have big numbers to report?  No.  But, if there is anything Jesus is teaching us it is that less is so much more. 

"Turning the Lights on in Gym Class"

I never thought I would say this...I am sad that gym class is over.  I hated gym class when I was in school and I admit I was very intimidated when my daughter's Kindergarten teacher asked if I would be the "gym teacher" for both AM Kindergarten classes.  However, now that the school is over, I can say how very glad I am that I said, "Yes."  It was so fun to watch the children watch the children who were athletically inclined to excel in our classes each week.  Of course, being one of those nonathletic kids growing up, I also enjoyed letting the kids like mke know that what mattered was them trying and learning. Each Friday I received hugs, high-fives and lots of screaming little voices saying, "Hi, Mr. Current!"  It was fun to have one place in my life where for an hour each week I simply got to be the fun guy!  But, I was also in awe of how God used a gym class to open so many doors for me to demonstrate his love both in words and deeds with children, teachers and staff in the school.

Today, I stopped by to tell all the kids goodbye.  It was their last day of kindergarten.  As I watched them walk away, I prayed for them.  As I prayed for them and their teachers, I thanked God.  You know, I am the first to admit that I screw a lot of things up.  Like anyone else, sometimes my best intentions never make it into action, but not this time.  Praise be to God, by his grace, he helped Kimberly live out the call he placed on us to be a light in the public school system!  Private schools and home schooling may be how God leads others but, without apology, God has called us to be a light in our public school and this year he showed us that if we are willing to take his light where he calls us he will let us see first hand how his light chases away the darkness!  Praise God!  I can hardly wait to see what God will have Kimberly and I do in first grade!

Thank you,Jesus, for not letting any of us who follow you figure out a way to ignore what you make so plain in Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

By the way, if you have any trouble understanding why child dedication and baptism are such important faith steps, that verse is full of enlightenment!

"O, Yeah...That's Why We are Here"

Within 24 hours I have had two of those, "O, yeah, that's why we are here," moments.  I invite you to praise God with me as I share these two stories which you have been a part of as you have let God lead us in increasingly becoming a church that is real, transformed, connected and poured out.

The first, "O, yeah...that's why we are here," came at about 5 PM yesterday.  My cell phone rang.  It was a seventh grade student.  "Pastor Chad, do you know how you told me to tell you when it happened?"

"Yes," I said.  "Did you?"

"Yes," he said.

I met with him a few times.   As far as I know they have not ever gone to any church as a family.  But this seventh grader has gone through some hard times.  The Dad, who I am friends with, said his son asked to speak to a pastor and his parents encouraged him to speak with me.  He is a great young man.  Very honest and sincere.  He is more mature than what I would expect of the average Jr. High student.

He said to me that he wanted to know about what it means to have God in your life.  We talked.  I shared. He asked questions. I shared some more.  I then said, "When God makes himself real to you, you will then have a choice to make.  Will you let him be God of your life? Will you ask him to forgive you of living your life as your own god?  Will you believe he loves you, died for you and rose again to give you new life now and forever?  Will you follow Him? If so, then when the time comes tell Jesus that you want to commit your life to him. Then will you promise to tell me when you do, so I can celebrate with you?"  He agreed.

Yesterday at 5 PM, he called to tell me that God had made himself real to him and he had prayed to commit his life to Christ!  Hallelujah!!!!  Please pray for him!

The next, "O, yeah...that's why we are here" moment came at 10:30 AM this morning.  The Centerville School buses pulled up to LH.  Out of the buses came 27 CHS students.  These Elk Enterprise Students are often called "Special needs Students" because of what they lack.  However, as those students came into our teen room for a pizza party, all I could see were 27 very special students.  The success of Food 2 Go (our ministry  to hungry children in our community) hinges on these behind the scene heroes.  Each week , as part of their hands-on work experience program, they inventory and bag the food.

The food 2 Go team gives me the great honor each year of coming to the end of the year pizza party we host for these students.  I'll be honest, I have to fight back tears as I read there names, everyone cheers and they come forward to receive a certificate which is placed in their portfolio.  They would all wait in eager expectation for me to say their name out loud.  With each name called they all cheered in excitement shouting out to one another, "Good job!  Good job!"

Each year one or two especially stand out to me.  One student came up to me and said, "I am going to show my mom and sister this (her certificate).  They will be so proud of me.  Aren't you proud of me?" "Yes," I said, "We are all very proud of you. You helped us feed about 160 hungry children every week. You are amazing!"

Another young woman heard her name and did not wait for the aides to push her wheelchair, she rolled her self right to me. I said her name and thanked her as I handed her the certificate.  She said, "I am so happy.  Thank you.  I am so proud.  Can I hug you?"  I leaned down and she hugged me having no idea that she was giving me...you know...one of those, "O, Yeah...that's why we are here moments."

Father, I just want to say it publicly...THANK YOU!  Thank you for moments like these when we get to see your hand at work so obviously.  Thank you for moments like these when hell most bow to your love so we can see clearly why we are here.  Thank you for the people of LH who partner with you in making moments like these happen as they dare to be real, transformed, connected and poured out!

"Witness of a Miracle"

I remember the first time I met him.  I fist notice his height. He is a tall man. With the first words out of his mouth, I realized he would fit right in at Living Hope.  He was real.  He held nothing back. He shared his doubts, his hurt and his problems. He could believe that God was real for others, but could not believe he would ever experience God as real.  He wanted to believe, but could not. 

Now, fast forward several months later to today.  He sat down in my office and said, "I am ready to commit my life to Christ and to be baptized." 

I had to ask..."What changed? A few months ago you could not even believe god would ever be real to you and now you want to give your life over to him?  What changed?"

He shared that he had met with a man of our church for the Prayer Ministry for Inner Healing.  He shared the story of how God uncovered a lie he was believing and, therefore, living.  Then he shared how Jesus showed up and revealed truth.  That was weeks ago.  The truth that Jesus gave and the change it wrought was still making an impact on him.  Now he knew God could be real in his life.  He wanted this Jesus who had brought healing to years worth of lies.

He prayed.  Christ answered.  He is now a child of God, a co-heir with Christ! The old is gone! The new has come!  He is now living the first day of his eternal 8th day gift from Christ.  On June 3, his faith will be made public and Christ will give him the gift of assurance as he seals his faith in the death and resurrection of baptism.

Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!  

“What’s the Point?”

 

I suppose we all have days where we what to throw our hands in the air and scream, “What’s the point?”  “Everything that can go wrong goes wrong.”  “When it rains it pours.”  “Its one thing after another.”  You know all the sayings; they all drive people to the same question, “What’s the point?”

I wonder if anyone is brave enough to admit that you have wondered, if not asked,  “What’s the point of prayer?” 

Jesus (the perfect revelation of God) urges us…no commands us…”Ask, seek, knock.”

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door is opened,” Luke 11:9-10.  

If we think the point of prayer is getting what we want then we will most likely become frustrated and scream, “What’s the point?”  Because the point of prayer is not about getting what you want.  The point of prayer is about getting what you need and not what we think we need, but what God knows we need.  Therefore, Jesus says ask, seek and knock, in other words, pray so that you can receive, find and have the door opened.  God always answers prayer.  The question is are we willing to receive, find and have the door opened that he gives in response to our side of prayer?  

Furthermore, the only prayer God does not answer is the prayer that is not prayed.  If you do not ask, you will not be given an answer.  If you do not seek, you will not find.  If you do not knock, you will not have the door opened.  Why? Doesn’t God know our prayer before we pray it?  Why do we need to pray?  Because the point of prayer is not the prayer, but the relationship.  Asking, seeking, knocking and then listening and watching for God’s response is what allows this love-relationship to grow.  When I engage in conversation (which, by the way, is always to be a two-way conversation) I learned to recognize his voice and to see his hand at work. 

Tonight, 7-8 PM, I am inviting you to join me in the main worship room (Child care provided) to ask, seek and knock.  We will be praying specifically for healing.  Do you or someone you know need healing of any kind?  Come and let us pray.  Do you simply want to see first hand how God speaks and responds to the prayers of his people?  It is a beautiful and powerful to witness.  Join us tonight and watch God give, find and open doors that would never have been opened, found or given had we not come together for prayer. 

"Go Ahead and Laugh"

I have a good friend who has a great laugh. His laugh always turns heads. Sometimes his laugh, he says, makes some people uncomfortable. But if you know him, you know his laugh is as genuine as he is. About a year after he started attending Living Hope, he said to me, "I appreciate that LH is a church where I can be real even in my laugh." I had never thought about that, but he was right. Church should not be a place where we have to hide what we are experiencing and that includes laughter. Why do we try to contain our laughter? I can think of no better place to laugh than with the Body of Christ in worship. I have a tendency to forget that laughter can be a spiritual means of grace. The Bible says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" Proverbs 17:22. What would happen in our relationship with Christ and others if every day we prayed, "Father, help me to find reason to laugh today?" One thing is for sure, the Church would never again be accused of being a people that are dried up bones. Jesus resurrection has made possible an 8th day that makes possible a new day for us and our world! Suffering, loss, sin, and death need never again have the final say in our lives and in our world(see Rev. 21)! So go ahead, Church, and laugh!

"Not All Men are Worthless Jerks "

Many present TV shows paint a picture of men as being idiots who have no more control of themselves than a dog in heat. I regularly see Face book posts bemoaning, "There are no good men out there." Statistics on fatherhood certainly do not help the case of the modern male as it would seam that with the rise of broken families many Fathers are checking out of their families. And, let's be honest, if not for women one has to wonder if the church would even continue to exist.

However, I am thankful to be a part of a church family in which the male population dares to be courageous. Lest you think there are no men of courage and character left in our world, let me encourage you with just a few stories.

For the past 6 or 7 years I have watched men willingly come together not only to study the Bible, but to take on direct, honest and bold accountability. I know the level and depth of their commitment to live out the truth of James 5:16, "Confess your sins one to another amd you will be healed," because this courageous group of men let me join them in their journey.

Over a year ago, another men's group was started at LH by Pastor Gregg Hebrank, who called the group together, but then watched God raise up the men of the group to take turns leading the group. They too then ventured into one on one accountability.

Of course, the Celebrate Recovery Men's Study Groups, have watched men take on habits, hurts and hang-ups head on. These men have no desire to simply talk about their issues, they are committed to holding each other accountable in letting God lead them forward. Our church will be forever grateful for the likes of Pastor Paul Brannon and his wife Jenni for the on-going, lasting freedom people experience in CR.

Then there are men like Gordy Gibson and Michael Mills who refuse to allow intercessory prayer to be only a women's event. They have met with many men, including me, for Prayer Ministry for Inner Healing.

Eric Binning, of LH, served at our first Kids Against Hunger pack and dared to ask, "Why couldn't we have a packing site in Dayton?" He did not just ask the question, he became the answer. Last Friday, his Kids Against Hunger Dayton Hunger Initiative did a pack at Springboro Hugh School because of the leadership of another man from Living Hope, Jason Hall, who is a teacher and advisor for LIFT (student led ministry).

Of course, we cannot ever forget the men of LH's response to Human Trafficking at the Superbowl, out of which 6 victims have been rescued!

Some would say, well, that was a one time event, but what are the men doing now? The answer is that the men of Living Hope are doing even more! Just go on Face book and search for "Men of Action", led by Jeremy Schulz and Todd Circele. These men have started a group that has burst outside the walls of LH. I've lost count of how many men from LH and beyond have now joined these two men to call men, as Jeremy said, "To get off our butts and do something!"

I am also thankful that our men are involved in the children's and teen ministry here...that is something that sets LH apart, you know. Normally, only women serve in that ministry area. But here the men understand that our boys and young men need godly male examples to show them how to be courageous men of faith. I would start mentioning names, but there are so many that I fear I would leave someone out.

Every day I work with two men, John Colegrove and Jon Gibson, who I watch continually go the extra mile just because they love Christ and want to see others be real, transformed, connected and poured out!

I could share many more stories of how the men of LH are breaking the mold of the undeserved and deserved criticism of the modern man. I thank God that at LH we have men who are calling us to live according to the courage and strength of Joshua who said, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

"Can You and those who come behind you see the Lamb?"

On Sunday, I joked about it, but I was very serious that the Biblical truth I knew I needed to deliver would be received with offense and resistance. However, God has again shown me how incredibly open you are to letting God change us with His truth even when it is hard to swallow.

The truth I am referring to is that every generation is to take direct and intentional responsibility for the generations that come behind them. I used this example, "When parents say, 'I cannot force my child to engage in the things of Christ,' they are buying into a lie of our culture which is a lie of hell that says that we parents should give up our role of influence on our child's lives and further that as a church family we should not assume direct responsibility for the spiritual influence of the children of Living Hope. Not only is this a lie, but it is hypocritical to say we cannot force our children to engage in the things of Christ. We "force" our children to take a bath, go to the doctor, go to school, do their homework, follow through with their commitments to sports and band and yet for some reason when it comes to that which is most important we think we should leave their spiritual formation completely up to them. I encourage every adult in our church to be free of these hypocritical lies and take responsibility for the faith of the next generation. Just imagine what God could do through a generation that was raised to believe that God has a purpose for their lives that is so meaningful and powerful that it will transform them and transform the world through them!

On Monday night, as I waited for the "hate emails and calls" to begin to come in form the above mentioned statements on Sunday, instead, I received the following:

The first was a call from a Grandmother. She brings her grandchild to worship every Sunday with the blessing of the parents, but without their presence. She said, "Yesterday, after worship, we went to lunch my two good friends, a couple from LH.

The man said to my granddaughter, 'I Love you.'

My Granddaughter lit up an said, "I know you do because you have a cross in your heart."

"A cross in his heart? What does that mean?," I asked.

Her granddaughter pulled out a picture she had colored in the 4yr.-K class. It was a heart with a picture drawn in the middle.

"What does it mean?," they asked her.

She said, "Jesus died on the cross so we can have God in our heart and that helps us love other people."

The grandmother said she is so thankful that we have age-appropriate classes led by multiple adults who help her granddaughter see that the things of God matter and mean something to every day life.

Next, I received an email from a Life group in our church family that has several folks 55 and older. The 55+ of that group shared that they are now intentionally praying about and will be seeking out a way to encourage the parents with young children in our church family. How powerful will that be?! Those who have walked the way will now be helping those who are presently walking the path of parenting be encouraged and supported along the way.

I praise God for you!

You are church that is allowing us to learn more and more what it means to live out Deuteronomy 6:4-7, "Hear, O, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." In other words, make sure that while our children our under our influence we make them notice God in what we say and do and every where we go. As you do that you and they will see the LAMB in both the "spotless" and in the "suffering" as we talked about Sunday.

To that end I hope every parent and grandparent will consider bringing the children in their lives with them to the Good Friday service at 7 PM. It has been designed to to help you and your children to see the LAMB together.

"The Cross is Like an Enemy Loved"

Junior High. Need I say more? If those were the best years of your life, I say good for you. For the rest of us, may I wallow in the misery of those years with you?

Whenever I think of Junior High the face and name of one boy comes to mind. He had failed a few times so he was older and further along in the puberty cycle than the rest of us. His voice was deeper and I am pretty sure he was already shaving. For some reason, he picked me out as his instinctive enemy. It was weird really. I had never met him or even said a word to him. But he did not need to talk to me to know he did not like me.

God in all of his wisdom decided to make sure I had gym class with the brute. O, he, who I soon came to call my arch-enemy, loved having gym class with me. Talk about fuel for fire...He tormented me with threats and belittling words every day. Of course, I was a bit mouthy myself and so I did not really help matters any. One thing was for sure, he hated me and I hated him.

Then one day after school, I saw that boy outside his house. His dad was screaming at him; Calling him every name in the book. Then I watched his Dad back-hand him across the face. My enemy did not cry. He barely flinched. It was obvious it was not the first time. This was normal to him. He would not cry. He would simply become angry. He would do to someone else what was done to him.

So, the rest of Junior High he continued his name calling and belittling of me. I wish I could tell you that after seeing what he lived with, we became best friends, but we didn't.

However, I distinctly remember that while the mistreatment was still embarrassing, I no longer took it personally. I now saw why he was my enemy. And it is hard to hate someone you understand.

The Bible says we have a high priest in Jesus who sympathizes with our weaknesses and intercedes to the Father on our behalf. How could Jesus love and forgive us to the point of death? Because he understands us. He does not just see the sin behavior, he sees the lies, the pain and everything that is behind it. He sees you. And because he experienced the trials and temptations of life, he sympathizes and says, "Hey Dad, I know what its like to be where they are. That's what sin and suffering in that world does to a person. Let me love them to you."