Don't Miss It

 

 

 

In the busyness of life during the Christmas season, we often are lured into thinking about ourselves and all the preparations that must be made for the holiday; gifts to buy and wrap, food to cook, and parties to attend.

 

Sorry for the cliché but if we are not careful we will miss the reason for the season. We will miss the beauty of God’s creation on a cold winter’s night when the sky is clear and the stars are clearly seen. We forget that history is His Story and that we are in need of a Savior to save us from the wrath of God, to give us eternal life and hope and purpose for the now.

 

Before there was time, God determined the plan for and the way he would provide, for us, to have a relationship with him. The scriptures state in Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

 

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. May we be reminded of why we have this season and may we truly celebrate the birth of Jesus. May we never forget that what started in the heart of God and the prophecy spoken throughout the OT has come through a birth that began a life that ultimately was given to die on a cross and was resurrected on the third day.

Til Death Do Us Part

The wedding vows are sacred and no one should enter into them lightly

After 30 years of marriage, those vows have been tested and to God's glory have stood those test.

I am married to a really great woman.

She is funny, talented, creative, a good cook and baker. She has been a good mom to our three kids and a wonderful grandmother to our three grandkids. I love her laugh and her smile. She can flare her nostrils on demand and she packs a punch.

Our 30 years together has gone by so fast. I can only imagine what the next 30 years might bring.

I love her more today than I did 30 years ago and I thought I loved her greatly then.

Happy Anniversary!

Getting the Horse before the Cart

I am sure we have all heard the phrase "getting the cart before the horse". It refers to doing things backwards or doing the second thing first rather than the first thing first. We understand how silly and foolish (preposterous) it would be to try and get anywhere in such a configuration. First things first and then second things second.

The same foolishness might be said of our lives if we put doing ahead of being. Who we are, our identity, is not not what we do - our jobs, careers or activity - but rather our identity should be based on who's we are.

As followers of Jesus, our identity is based on Christ and His life. Paul states in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

When I base my identity on my doing rather than my being, I run the risk of being foolish and greatly disappointed when the doing ceases.

When I focus on being with Christ and letting Him live His life through me, the doing will come natural. The Spirit of God will manifest Himself in and through my life to bring God glory and to do good to others.

Be whom God has created and called you to be and then the doing will following.

Here I Go Again

Everything I once held dear and thought was right has been blown away by our kind, gracious, patient, loving Savior. The belief that I was the center of the universe, had all knowledge and wisdom, understood all mysteries and was always right has been completely exposed as idolatry and sin.

Though I never meant to exalt myself above God or to think of myself more highly than I ought, I look back and see that I drifted toward allowing those feelings into my mind and I couldn't recognize it at the time.

A few years removed and I see more clearly than ever before. The reality is that I have nothing to offer, nothing to boast in and lack in all areas of my life without Christ. Jesus Christ must be the center of our lives or we will begin to believe the lies that we can make it without Him or we may think that we have enough knowledge and wisdom to make it on our own.

When I started this blog I was serving on staff as a full-time associate pastor and wrote from that perspective and understanding. Now that I am in the market place and serving as a "volunteer" worship leader, my perspective on life and ministry has been adjusted.

My plan going forward is to write and share my life in the "real world". To be honest and real (not that I wasn't before) in sharing my life and understanding of what the Lord is doing in and around me.

Here I go again...

Blessings and Peace

Mike

On Being a Hero

We often look at athletes as heroes when they overcome great odds and pressure to accomplish the miraculous field goal, winning basket or last minute touchdown. They are cheered for, lifted up on shoulders and talked about in various media outlets. I will never know what it feels like to be a part of such exuberance or accomplishment. The reality is that the vast majority of people won't either.

Merriam-Webster defines a hero as "a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities"

Being a hero is not limited to winning championships and world titles. Being a hero in the lives of those around you may be more important than anything. When we face challenges with bravery and courage we become a hero. Heroes don't shrink back at adversity. Heroes strive for positive outcomes and excellence in what they encounter. Heroes don't wait for someone else to show up and do the hard thing. Heroes step up and do right and great things.

Be the hero for your family. Be the hero for those you lead. Be the hero in your community.

Be a hero!

Disappointment

Everyone has faced disappointment at one time or another. It might have been in a relationship, not being picked for a sports team, not getting the promotion or the job of your dreams. Maybe the disappointment has come by making mistakes or using bad judgement and now the consequences are being felt and so you are disappointed in yourself for not being more wise or not being more discerning.

There are two directions we can go when we are disappointed; we can either keep moving forward and look to the future and how God may use these disappointments or we can become discouraged and focus on the negative side of disappointments and believe the lie that we are worthless or that life is a complete waste of time.

I was reminded of and I try to keep Romans 8:28 in the front of my mind regularly. This promise is that God works all things (good, bad, positive, negative, disappointment, joy, heartache, etc) for the good of those who love him (his children, those who follow him out of love and faith). The ultimate goal of the Christian life is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. God uses everything to mold us, shape us, humble us and work in us for His glory and the good of us and others.

Take the disappointment and view it through the eyes of God and trust Him to use it for your good. Realize that God sees the whole and we only see in part.

 

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight"

Proverbs 3

What Makes Music Ministry?

Music is ministry when God is worshiped, exalted, adored and glorified and not music or instrumentation

Music is ministry when relationships are more important than musical performance

Music is ministry when we lead our brothers and sisters in Christ to sing about the gospel - the cross, salvation, the blood, Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection, our sin and our need to be saved

Music is ministry when in our singing and playing we do it skillfully with joy, no distractions

Music is ministry when style of music is not the focus or point

Music is ministry when we love God and others

For further thought, read Psalms 147:1-11

Please feel free to add to my list...

Embrace the Moment

On the way to the office this morning, I was reflecting on life and the thought occurred to me that the past is exactly that...the past. What I've accomplished and experienced has had an incredible effect on my life today but I cannot live off the fumes of those things. Today is today and if continue to live in the past, I miss out on what God is doing today.

I have spent the past two years adjusting from full-time local church ministry. It has been a very difficult process for me. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that there have been some dark days. I have gone on a roller coaster ride with my emotions which served to expose some false ideas about life and identity.

So, today I am seeking to live in the moment; not live in the past and all it's stuff and embrace what God is giving me to do today. I do not want to miss what the Lord is doing around me because I'm not "where" I think I should be.

There may still be some days that I will struggle with issues or feelings but for today, I am finding contentment in the day to day life of being a follower of Jesus.

"It's not where you've been that matters as much as where you now; embrace the moment"
                                                                                                                                    MEM

The Father's Love

I had the opportunity this past Sunday to preach. The text for the message was Luke 15 where Jesus confronts the Pharisees and Scribes for their grumbling that Jesus was not only receiving sinners and tax collectors but he was also eating with them.

Jesus confronts them with three parables about something lost, the ensuing search, finding the lost item and the great rejoicing that takes place. The first story is about a lost sheep, the second is about a lost coin and the last one, the one that was specifically aimed at the religious, self-righteous hypocrites was about a lost son.

This last story is not only about the prodigal (sinners and tax collectors) or his older brother (Pharisees and Scribes) but more importantly it is about the father and his love for both the sinner and religious. Both of these sons did not love the father. The prodigal wished him dead and the other brother was in bondage to rules and self-serving obedience. Neither were healthy relationships and yet the father is loving, patient, kind and forgiving towards both.

There have been times when I have been the prodigal; not wanting to be controlled or be under the authority of my heavenly Father. There have been times when I played the legalistic religious person and obeyed out of duty or to gain some selfish end or only those who met my standard were "approved". Both extremes are lifeless, sad, lonely, and disobedient ways of living. What is best is to realize how much we are loved by God and live in His presence, eating His bread, being protected by His power and enjoying His great love for us.

No matter if you are the prodigal or the legalist, God loves you both; you just can't stay there. Repent and turn to God and you will find Him right there; full of compassion, forgiveness and restoration.

When "Life" Hands You Lemons..."

Most of us have heard the saying "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade". We understand, in part, that whatever comes our way, that we are to make the best of the situation.

I suppose this is true. We often cannot control the external forces that are at work around us. We cannot control the repressive boss or the annoying co-worker nor can we make people around us do the "right" thing. Of course the "right" thing is the way I do it or say it. So how do we best deal with the "lemons" in our life or avoid them all together?

First of all, I believe we have to be humble. It is easier said than done but necessary none the least. It is in humility that we are able to deal with whatever comes our way. In humility, we are not focused on us or our rights or our comforts. Humility is empty of self.

Secondly, we must control what it is that we can control. The two things I can control is my reaction and attitude. I believe this comes from humility and it is it's outward manifestation. How I react emotionally and verbally to any situation is important to me and those around me. So, whatever the situation, let humility be evident in our actions and words.

Lastly, it is imperative that we exercise wisdom on the front end. Our wisdom will be evident in our discernment of opportunities that are presented to us. Whether it is a new job, relationship or some other life decision, we need to be wise as we move forward. If there are warning signs or red flags, pay attention and don't proceed blindly or with rose colored glasses.

We will not be able to control every situation. We are where we are and God can use us in any situation regardless of it's condition. If we can learn early on how to handle difficult situations the better we will be prepared when they come.

I have to confess that there have been situations in my life that I handled poorly. I cannot go back and undo anything but I can learn,grow and move on from these experiences and benefit from them now and in the future.

Living Tucked-in in an Un-Tucked World: The Callenge to Change

For most of my adult life I have always tucked my shirt in. Even when wearing shorts and a T-Shirt, I would tuck my shirt in. I am not certain as to why I would always do that but that is how I rolled.

In the recent past, I have begun to wear my shirt un-tucked. It has been a journey for me. It took a change in me to allow myself to relax and not concern myself with having things "perfect" as the tucked in shirt would indicate for me.

This all sounds silly but there is a point to be made.

We may find ourselves doing things out of habit or because we were taught a specific way or ideals were put upon us without instruction or reasoning. We do what we do because that is the way we do it. This would be my situation. Always tucking in my shirt was a habit and was based on ideals that were put upon me by those who always tucked there shirts in.

So, I decided to change.

Change can be a challenge. It often goes against what we have been doing or believed for some time. So, as I began this change, it took me awhile to get comfortable wearing my shirt un-tucked but once I had for awhile and no one was offended or shocked at my un-tuckedness, I realized that in most situations, wearing my shirt un-tucked is OK.

Change is never easy or comfortable but when change is needed, it must have purpose and be based on what is true. External forces can make me do things but in my heart I may not really buy into the process.

God is at work changing me and conforming me to the likeness of Christ. It is not always easy but in the end it is good, beneficial and I pray, brings glory to God. My shirt being tucked in or un-tucked is really not the issue. The point is, that we need to be willing to change and do the things we do with purpose and in truth.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

It has been awhile since my last post and I hope to be writing more this year. The Lord has been faithful and is at work in my life.
I hope to begin to share my recent journey soon and be more consistant in my post. So, until then, please keep checking for updated post.

Also, I would really like to hear from you. If I write something that benefits you, please let me know.

I will have a new post soon.

Happy New Year!