Friday, September 29, 2006

Humble Your - SELF

God bless all of you this morning as we all look forward to this weekend. This Sunday we will be celebrating World Communion Sunday in which we join with millions of believers world-wide to celebrate the Lord's Supper.

Bible text: Luke 18:9-14

What does it take to be humble? Who truly wants to be humble? Humility is not something innate to us; it doesn't come naturally. On the contrary, it is totally unnatural for us to lean towards being humble. Our human nature wants "my" way in "my" time on "my" terms. This obviously leads to a very selfish attitude.

In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus told of two different approaches to God:

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-- robbers, evildoers, adulterers-- or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' (Luke 18:10-13)

There was a sharp contrast here - the Pharisee (a religious leader) was "proud" of his "innocence" regarding the "big" sins. He was equally proud of his religious accomplishments, his "spiritual" disciplines. His approach did not show a "need" for God but merely fufilled his "need" for the religious routine. On the other hand, the tax collector (who did not enjoy a good reputation in the 1st century) did not dare draw close to the temple nor could he even look up to the heavens. But he humbly asked God for mercy - he did not mention his spiritual disciplines nor his "big" sins. All he knew was that God would not refuse a humble heart.

Spiritual disciplines are essential, "big" sins are bad (and all sins for that matter), but simply fulfilling a religious need is not enough. Jesus knew that we had to deal with the pride, self-sufficiency, and self-centeredness. Let us approach God with a humble, repentant, and sincere heart - this sincere and humble approach will lead us to want to embrace and practice spiritual disciplines and abandon sinful ways (however "small" or "big" they may be).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this week of blessings. Even though every moment may have not been a smooth one, I trust in your steadfast love and grace. I approach You with a humble heart, help me to embrace your grace and live a life of faith. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Have a great Sunday worship experience!

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Find us Faithful

Good afternoon/evening to you all!

Sorry for the late post but today it seemed like one of those days that "when it rains, it pours"! But here are a few thoughts on Luke 18:1-8.

Isn't easy to lose heart? Doesn't seem easy to sometimes lose faith when things don't go our way? Or, does it seem easier at times to be faithful when everything is "fine and dandy like a sugar candy", as one sister in church used to say. My oldest daughter who is in fourth grade just made the 4th-6th basketball team at school and was a little hesitant to stay in because she was the shortest, smallest, and youngest. She was ready to lose heart. I encouraged her to hang in there, and today she is doing great.

At the end of today's passage, Jesus asked, "When the Son of man returns, will He really find faith on the earth?" What kind of a church will Jesus find when he returns? A faithful church? Better yet, what kind of faith does Jesus see in you and I each day? Does he find us faithful? Or do we seem to lose heart and faith easily? It is amazing how many times God called his people to faithfulness throughout the Old Testament. He continues to call His people to faithfulness.

In our journey as Jesus' disciples, let's not lose heart. Faithfulness is not easy, but it is rewarding. God is faithful. John Wesley said as he neared death, "The best of all, is God is with us." God is with us, praise God! God is with you; don't forget that.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness. Help me be faithful to You so that when you return, you will find me having been faithful to You each day. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

La Familia

Good morning, dear friends in Christ!

Today's text: Matthew 12:46-50

I suspect that when Jesus walked this earth, more often than not, people who witnessed his miraculous power through healings, exorcisms, and miracles wanted to be with him - they wanted to be part of "la familia". Not all of them, certainly not many of the religious leaders, but certainly many of the popular crowd. Because when you're part of "la familia", you could say that you were "hanging" with Jesus.

Well, Jesus had his natural family of mother, brothers, and sisters. And it only stands to reason that they would have a "privileged" place when it came to Jesus - and no doubt that Jesus had a special place in his heart for them. However, when it came to the mission his Father had sent him for, "la familia" was redefined. When it came to establishing that true connection to Jesus' familia, there was a renewed criteria introduced. Whoever wanted to be in "la familia" had to do the will of the Father in heaven; essentially, be and do as Jesus did in his life and ministry - love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbor, and seek to please and glorify the Father in all we are and do. Jesus' earthly family had a special place in his heart, but in the Father's heart, it was not only Jesus' earthly family but all those who desire to do His will on earth, patterned after his life and ministry that had the opportunity to be in la familia.

As believers who seek to be disciples of Jesus, we are part of la familia de Dios. As disciples who want to do the Father's will in our lives, we are part of God's familia. Let us be thankful that we are in God's familia and extend that invitation to others as well.

Prayer: Father in heaven, I thank you for your Son, Jesus. And I thank you that through your love you've made me a part of your family. Help me to find strength and courage in knowing that I am your son/daughter. In your Son's name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Careless Words...

Dear brother and sisters in Christ,

I hope and pray that you are having a great day in the Lord. I have prayed for our church family today and hope that your strength and faith be increased by God.

Our devotional text for today is Matthew 12:22-37. Jesus was accused of casting out demons in the name of Beelzebub (i.e. the devil) while he declared that indeed it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that these demons were expelled. Jesus went on to warn against attributing the things of God to the devil, a warning that carried with it a severe consequence. Then Jesus used a tree to describe how a good tree would inevitably produce good fruit while a bad tree would yield bad fruit. And much of becomes evident in the things we declare and stand for. I want to believe that when Jesus said, "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" he not only meant the literal words we speak but also the "statements of faith" that we stand for. In other words, with our words and statements of faith, we tell a lot of our relationship with God.

Having said that, Jesus at the end gave this admonition: "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." What caught my attention was "every careless word." Careless. Carelessness. Careless words. The Greek word for "careless" can also have the following implications - ineffective, useless, without thought, or indifferent. Furthermore, "careless" in the Greek "pertains to not giving careful consideration to." Every day we use words to communicate our ideas, thoughts, desires, emotions, etc. When we speak, are we "careful" not to be "careless" in our words? What if we were to interject some of the other implications of careless; are our words ever ineffective, thoughtless or indifferent? Can our "careless" words harm or damage someone else or some other situation? They most surely can. Have we used careless words with our family, church family, co-workers, friends, neighbors, needy people from the church community, "active" children, etc.? Jesus' words of caution were these: "The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:37 NLT).

Does the way we speak and the words we use edify, encourage, are thoughful, effective, productive, and a blessing to God and others? Our witness may stand or fall based on our words as Christian disciples. Let us be "careful" not to be "careless" with our words at all times.

Prayer: Lord, You created us in your image. You gave us the unique ability in all of creation to speak. Give us a greater awareness of our words so that they may truly be a blessing to others and praise to You. Help us not be careless with our words, but rather to be careful in our speech. In your loving Name we pray. Amen.

By grace alone,

Pastor David

Monday, September 25, 2006

Failure?

Good morning to everyone! I really missed being in yesterday's worship service with you all but I'm sure that the Lord was with you . Thanks for your prayers as Bro. Juan and myself travelled to Sandia, TX for the men's retreat (and yes, we did eat sandia in Sandia).

The theme at the men's retreat was "Da lo mejor al Maestro...not the leftovers". I was able to share as one of the guest speakers at the men's retreat and one of the points that I made was that before we worked at becoming a success in our Christian journey as disciples, we had to first be a failure. A failure!?! No one wants to be a failure. No one likes to think about being a failure. In fact, it is absurd to consider the possibility of being a failure. So, what possible failure can be "good" failure?

I shared that we needed to fail in the following areas (and there are many other areas as well):
  • Self-righteousness - "I think that I'm good enough", "I'm not that bad", etc. We need to fail in having a self-righteous attitude when confronted with the holiness and mercy of God, just as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6:5, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah "failed" at self-righteousness before God.
  • We also need to fail in abandoning God's ways in the face of social pressure, family pressure, or even "religious" pressure. We need to fail in having a double-mind when it comes to God, and succeed in resolving to choose God's ways as did Joshua, "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).
  • We need to fail at living a life of sin, of practicing sin. Our desire each day should be to live closer and closer to God and follow His ways, and further and further away from a sinful lifestyle that will hinder our walk with Christ. The Apostle Paul addressed it this way on one ocassion, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2) We need to fail at "living in sin any longer."
  • We further need to fail at allowing the "world" or secular thought to dictate the drumbeat we as disciples will march to. Our ultimate source or "drumbeat" is God's living Word (Jesus) and his written word (the Bible). But we must fail at allowing the secular and popular opinion to form who we are, what we do, and how we think. Again, the Apostle Paul declared, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). The New Living Translation version puts it this way, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is."
  • And finally, we need to fail at thinking and believing that we achieve this merely by our own efforts. "For it is by grace you have been saved...not by works..." (Ephesian 2:8) We can't "fail" on our own; we don't have to "fail" on our own. It's all because of God's grace, it's possible because of God's grace.

We can begin to succeed in our walk as disciples of Jesus when we fail at self-righeousness, abandoning God's ways under pressure, practicing a sinful lifestyle, allowing the secular world to dictate our Christian pace, and thinking that we have to do all of this on our own. God wants to help us succeed in our walk with Him. He wants to help us truly fail at living without Him, but we need to truly fail at those things that do not please God.

Are you ready to fail at sin? God's grace is sufficient for us.

Prayer: God of grace and love, we all want to be a success. I'm ready to fail at sin in order to succeed in my walk with You. It's not easy, it never is. But I trust in your grace today to be sufficient for me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,

Pastor David

Thursday, September 21, 2006

It's Not Easy, Part II

Buenos dias a todos! Just one more day and weekend is here! God be with each of you in a special way during this day.

Yesterday I shared about my Korean friend who coined the phrase for me, "it's not easy." Life is not easy, we could say. What about life is not easy? What is that challenges us the most? Is it our careers, family, life-altering decisions, financial matters, moral values, etc.? I have always said that just plain everyday life is tough, but when you factor in all of the daily "crosses" we must bear, life takes on a whole other meaning. In any case, life is not easy, my friend would say. And certainly, when you factor in the "way of the Master", it most definately is not easy.

The Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 gave thanks for the church in Thessalonica because their faith had been growing steadily. The church was bearing fruit, fruit that lasts. They most likely were involved in ministry, mission, evangelism, worship, and were good stewards of their resources - all of this without any 5, 7, or 12-step method approach. They had not gone to the latest seminar on church growth or congregational mobilization and development. Yet, their faith in Christ was growing and so was their love in Christ for one another. So, if they didn't have the latest 7-step method for growing a church, what was going on? 1 Thessalonians 1:4 says, "Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring." They were "working" their faith, "laboring" in following Jesus. You'll remember that yesterday I mentioned the distinction between the work we do versus the labor that we exert to perform that work. It's no wonder that when a mother is giving birth it's called "labor." There is pain, agony, and suffering involved in the process of carrying out the "work" of giving birth. And somehow (somehow we men will never understand), they are able to endure. But as we all know (especially all the mothers who have given birth), that endurance leads to the joy that that "labor" brings - a new life that is invaluable.

We all face the journey of life that includes trials and struggles and a mission that requires "labor". There may be pain and suffering, but we know that in Christ we can endure so that our faith would indeed grow as our love for God and each other also grows.

Prayer: Dear God, we thank You for your Son and for your Spirit who give us life. Help us endure the reality of life. And when we feel the agony of our "labor", strengthen us we pray. We know that "it's not easy", but we know that we can come to You and receive comfort and strength. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

It's Not Easy

Good morning hermanos y hermanas! May today be a day filled with the best that God has for us as we offer the best of who we are to the Lord as well.

When I was in seminary in Kentucky, I had a Korean neighbor who was a fellow seminarian and who also shared with me the joy of playing tennis. Because English was his second language, it was a challenge at times to fully understand all that he was saying. But he had a phrase that he learned well early on in his experience in the United States - "it's not easy", he would frequently say. Whether it was a particular shot in tennis, a course he was taking, or trying to raise two young children while going to seminary full-time, it was always the same phrase, "David, it's not easy", he would say. Needless to say, that phrase has become a household phrase for the Blancos - "it's not easy."

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 reminds us that "it's not easy." Last Sunday I was preaching on Mark's gospel, chapter 8 where Jesus challenged his disciples to "deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him." He also told them that the way of the Messiah was one of suffering, rejection, and death. In other words, to say that "you are the Christ" carries certain implications - "it's not easy." The Apostle Paul thanked God for the Thessalonians' work, labor, and endurance. I got to thinking, "isn't work and labor synonymous?" I was always under the assumption that to labor was to work and vice versa. However, Paul used "ergon" (work) and "kopos" (labor). The difference is that work is that task that we are called to partake in as the church. Labor refers to the "toil" and "exertion" that it takes to undergo that task. In other words, we know the work at hand, to "labor" towards it is another matter - "it's not easy." Let us take on the challenge of laboring for God's kingdom - for God's glory and for our edification.

Do you ever find yourself thinking, "it's not easy"? I do. And it isn't. But it's worth it, and God will give us the grace to endure (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your faithful love. We find ourselves many times saying, "it's not easy." Help us to endure, give us courage, and continue to give us your grace to be faithful disciples. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Simplicity

Good morning brothers and sisters in Christ!

I hope and pray that this morning has been a productive one so far. The text that I read this morning was 2 Corinthians 4:8-13 in which the Apostle Paul put forth their physical struggles as apostles. And there is even a tone of sarcasm as he semi-accused his readers of self-sufficiency. In any case, the whole idea of how "materialism" impacts our daily walk continues in this portion of Scripture.

Yesterday I mentioned how part of our walk as disciples was to acknowledge that all of our blessings come from God. One question that was raised as part of my devotional reading was, "Are there ways that I can simplify my lifestyle in order to be a better steward and offer more to God?" I think that we all would agree that there is a "power" to money and material goods. There is something about it that attracts us to it. We would like more of it. And sometimes we think, "If I only had ____ dollars, life would be perfect..." Not realizing that if we would only simplify our lifestyle, life could very well be "perfect."

To simplify my lifestyle would mean that there are some areas of spending that I would reduce or dramatically reduce in. To simplify my lifestyle means that I would have to drastically modify my spending and become more intentional as to how and where my money is going...all the while remembering that ultimately it is not my money, but that it all comes from God and belongs to God. To simplify my lifestyle means that I would be more generous when it came to giving to the things of God. That doesn't "sound right", but it's true. When we simplify our lifestyle, we are in a better position to be generous...all with a cheerful heart.

I am not a financial analyst, but I do know that human nature tendency is "the more I earn, the more I spend (over spend)", and I also know that to simplify our lifestyle cuts against the grain of our human nature. Why? Because it all begins with our hearts and mind. When we come to Christ, our way of living and thinking must change. When we realize just how God's grace has redeemed, restored, and reconciled us to Himself, we want to be good stewards of all that we are before God. We want to please God in all that we are and do. A redeemed heart will be a grateful heart, a restored heart will be a giving heart, and a reconciled heart will be a generous heart.

How can you and I simplify our lifestyle in order to honor God? What area of our lives needs to be simplified?

Prayer: Lord, You are the giver of all things. Your word says that all the gold and silver are yours. You give us the strength and ability to earn a living. Help us to simplify our lifestyle and be better stewards of your gifts to us. Give us a disciplined, thankful, and a generous heart. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Faithful Servants

Dear Friends in Christ,

Good morning and a good day to each of you. Sorry I missed Friday's post but somehow time got the best of me. Most of Friday we were planning for the "16 de Septiembre" celebration with our community; this event turned out to be very successful. We had nearly 150 people in attendance! The evening included a chalupa/rice dinner, nachos, two piƱatas for the kids, and a wonderful folkorico group. Thanks again to all those who came and/or helped out with this event.

The passage for today is 1 Corinthians 4:1-7. Among other things, the Apostle Paul exhorted his readers to take on the "trust" of being faithful. He also enrusted them with the challenge of being servants. According to the Apostle Paul, we have been entrusted with the "secret things of God", those elements that when taken to heart, will shape and mold us as faithful servants of Christ. "Faithfulness" and "loyalty" are words that seem to have lost their impact on today's popular culture. Loyalty to God, family, spouse, church, friends, values, ethical standards, integrity, etc., seem to be of secondary importance to society. Nonetheless, the Apostle Paul reminds us that it is because of God's goodness that we have what we have, and therefore should not be overtaken with pride or self-sufficiency.

A faithful servant is one who takes to heart the "secret things of God", always living in an attitude of thanksgiving and pursuing loyalty to God, family, church, and one another.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for your goodness and your mercy. Thank you for one more day in which I can strive to live for you and be your faithful servant. Help me to be loyal to You and to those things that are truly important. Guard me from self-sufficiency and pride. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Blessings on your week!

Pastor David

Thursday, September 14, 2006

A Welcoming Church

Good day to everyone!

As we look forward to the weekend, we can anticipate a full weekend of activities. Tomorrow, we have an opportunity to practice our hospitality. As has been announced for about a week now, tomorrow we'll be hosting a "16 de septiembre" celebration for our church and community. Many people in our surrounding area are quite fond of this celebration and hopefully will attend. We, as the host church, will be prepared to welcome those who come to this event. By the way, "16 de septiembre" celebrates the Mexican Independence Day that was triggered by the 1810 "grito".

Interestingly enough, today's passage is from Romans 8:1-11 which in the first two verses says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2). The written law could provide an atoning sacrifice whereby God's forgiveness was declared, but the written law could not set us free from the law of sin and death - only through Christ Jesus. Through Jesus' sacrificial death we are able to be reconciled to God and to receive and enjoy new life through the Spirit. Paul went on to say, " For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering" (Romans 8:3). Our "independence" from sin is granted through faith in Jesus. Our "independence" from our sinful nature is possible because of God's love through Christ. We don't have to live life with sin as our master. Christ is with us to set us free from the law of sin and death - all we need to do is reach out to Him. Enjoying freedom from the law of sin and death is indeed a reason for a "grito"...

Prayer: Lord, as we reflect on Your word and on your provision through Christ, help us to celebrate the new life we have in You. Now that we can be free from the law of sin and death, move us to be closer to You each day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

A New Life

Our text for today is Romans 6:1-14. Paul began by asking, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" The implied scenario is rather disturbing - if you want to experience more grace, go ahead and keep on sinning!?! What a thought! The Apostle Paul, of course, answered himself with a resound "By no means!" "No way!" On the contrary, the new life we have in Christ is one of leaving behind our old self, our old way of thinking, speaking, and living. Paul used language related to slavery in describing our struggle with sin. He said that sin should not be our "master", that sin should not "reign" over us. In fact, that is the way the Apostle Paul ends this passage, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."

God's grace is grace at all times. The question is not a matter of it being experienced more in one way or another. It is about us responding to that precious grace by not allowing sin to master us, but rather allowing the Master to master our lives.

Prayer: *Forgive the sins I have confessed to You, forgive the secret sins I do not see; that which I know not, Father, teach Thou me - Help me to live. Amen.
*Prayer by C. Maud Battersby

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Monday, September 11, 2006

Keeping the Balance

Dear Friends in Christ,

I hope and pray that everyone has had a great start to this week. Each week is a new opportunity to do the right thing before God. Each day is a new page that we can fill with "right living", for that matter. Today marks the fifth anniversary of 9-11. We remember where we were and what we were doing. Let us never forget the tragedy and the memory of those who courageously lost their lives. Let us remember in prayer the many families that were so deeply impacted. And in all of this, let us never forget God's grace with us that gives us hope to live one day at a time.

Yesterday the message was about keeping a good balance between faith and works.

There was a popular phrase a few years ago that went something like this, "Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk." I would like to add a slight variation, "Don't just talk the talk, walk the talk." It's amazing the way the Holy Spirit inspired James to give such an exhortation, particularly with the example he used in illustrating this "balanced faith" - making a distinction between people based on their "material" value. We say we have faith, but how do we take time to do good to others, regardless of who they are?

No sooner had we finished the service yesterday morning when I was approached by someone, a "stranger" who apparently had been "out on the streets" for a few days and in need of some food. I had just preached the sermon...was I ready and willing to live the sermon? With the help of other brothers and sisters, we were able to bless this person with some help.

St. Francis of Assisi once told his young student preachers, "Go and preach the word, and if necessary, use words." Are we ready and willing to live the sermons? To live the word? May God give us His grace to live our faith.

Prayer: Lord, we give you thanks for the faithfulness of your word, for it speaks the truth in love. Forgive us for the times we have not lived our faith, and help us this day to not only be hearers, but doers of your word. Give us courage and strength to "walk the talk." In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

Pastor David

Friday, September 08, 2006

Discipleship Involves Faith and Works

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

I hope and pray that you all have had a great start to your Friday! We can all look forward to a weekend of rest, family time, and worship on Sunday. This week's New Testament lectionary reading is from James 2:1-17, a very well-known passage that among other great exhortations, challenges disciples to have a "perfect" blend of faith and works. Of course, if we say we have faith in Jesus, if we "claim his name" and believe in who he is then the natural result is that we will do those things that will honor his name. In the same way, if we are doing those "good deeds" in helping the needy, being kind to all, going to church, etc., and do not possess genuine faith, then our faith is incomplete. In fact, James goes to on to say that faith in itself is not "enough" because even the demons have faith and believe that God is God. It has to be a sincere faith and devotion to Christ, a faith that compels us to be God's hands and feet to a hurting world.

In either case, the question for us becomes, is my faith "complete"? Both extremes can lead us down an incomplete Christian experience. We may wholeheartedly believe and defend all the right doctrines of the Christian church (and we should!), but if we rarely ever engage in the everyday needs and affairs of those around us, then our experience is incomplete. On the other hand, if we consume ourselves in meeting the everyday needs and affairs of those around us (and this we should also do!), and do not "root and ground" ourselves in God's word, prayer, worship, etc., and teach others God's truth, then our experience again is incomplete.

A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who nurtures his mind and heart, only to share that blessing and joy by serving others with good deeds.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for this new day, this new opportunity to "get it right". Give me a heart after your own heart, and give me a heart to serve others in your love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

See you in church on Sunday!

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Thursday, September 07, 2006

When I was a Child...

I hope everyone is having a great day. One of the reasons I chose discipleship, or being and becoming a disciple, as the theme of this blogspot was because there is so much to say in this area. I suspect this is true in just about every area of our Christian walk. When do we stop growing? When do we stop learning? When can we say we know enough? Being a true disciple of Jesus truly involves a full and entire commitment, just as I shared yesterday.

One of the realities that we have to live with everyday is the fact that we are indeed human and therefore, imperfect. Our thinking can be imperfect, our words can be imperfect, and our actions certainly can be imperfect. And yet, time and time again, Jesus and the New Testament writers call us to a high standard of being and doing. That is, who we are and what we do really do matter. On the other hand, this high standard goes beyond a "perfect performance" way of understanding our full commitment to Christ. It is not so much that our every little thought, word, and action will always be immaculately without blemish, but rather that the drive behind living as Jesus' disciples will always be one of reaching our full potential as disciples of the Master.

Perhaps just as many of you have, I have read 1 Corinthians 13 many times. 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter of love. I preached from that chapter recently at a wedding and a verse caught my attention like it hadn't caught my attention before. 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways" (NRSV). There was a time when we were children! We spoke, thought, and reasoned as a child. But then, we became adults and left those childish ways behind. Obviously, the Apostle Paul was using a very human experience to describe a very spiritual reality! A big part of becoming a disciple of Jesus has to do with submitting to God's word and Holy Spirit in such a way that we can move on to maturity in our faith journey. It has to do with putting an end and leaving behind our spiritual "childish ways", whatever that may look like in our lives.

The expectation of a small child is that he/she will one day grow up in such a way that he/she will be responsible, reasonable, and respectable; that he/she will mature and no longer think, speak, and act in "childish ways." This expection is certainly true for our spiritual life. Are we spiritually "childish"? Perhaps there is an area(s) in our spiritual life that needs to just leave childish ways behind. What area might that be?

Finally, this whole admonition of "leaving behind childish ways" by the Apostle Paul is enveloped in the concept of God's love. God's loving patience, kindness, and forgiveness give us the motivation and encouragement to want to grow in God's love. God's love is with us to help us as we grow.

Prayer: God of love, I thank you for the purpose you have for my life. It is my desire to follow you daily. Help me to put behind me those childish ways that hinder my spiritual growth. And help me to know that your love is present with me each moment. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

With All

In virtually every circle of life we've heard the undenying importance of giving our "all" to whatever it is we're trying to succeed in. Since we were in kindergarten and on through high school we were given the task to give it our all when it came to homework, tests, projects, sports, band, and good behavior. But even before that, as three and four-year-olds, we wanted all of the candy bar, all of the toys, all to ourselves. Then later, as we matured and got older we found that other areas of life also required our all - family, college, career, job, relationships, etc.

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees what the greatest commandment of the law was. Naturally, they had heard that Jesus had silenced the Saducees so they wanted to press the issue. Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). When referring to the degree of commitment required of the heart, soul, and mind, Jesus declared all. At the very top of our top ten list of being a disciple of the Master is loving God with all. That is, to set our heart, soul, and mind to seek after God's will for us as His followers. To set our heart, soul, and mind to strive to be Christ-like in our being and doing, in our thinking, speaking, and living. And this requires all of our effort, strength, and commitment.

The Greek for all implies a meaning of "whole", "complete", or "entire." To love God strongly implies a relationship. Therefore, to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind is to be in relationship with Him through Christ with a complete, whole, or entire commitment. To follow Jesus as his true disciples requires a complete commitment. This does not mean that there will never be setbacks. But it does mean that when those setbacks do come, we will not look back but rather set our face to following Christ with a complete effort. A marriage is not always smooth, it may have setbacks and bumps on the road, but that does not mean that I cannot have a complete, entire, whole, and loving commitment to my wife. I can always be in a committed and loving relationship with her in spite of bumps on the road.

We can follow Jesus with a whole heart, with a complete desire, and with an entire effort. Are you completely committed to following Jesus? Are you completely committed to thinking, speaking, and living like Jesus? Jesus gave us his all, won't we do the same?

Prayer: Lord, it is not easy for me to give my all. Yet that is what you call me to do. It is my desire to be in relationship with you with a complete heart and will. May your grace strengthen me to follow you with a full commitment. Amen.

Grace and peace to you today,
Pastor David

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

An Introductory Statement

As a pastor's son, I grew up in the church. I attended Sunday school, vacation Bible school, youth and young adult retreats, played in a praise band, etc. I am very blessed to have had such a solid Christian foundation in my home. Through my parents, I was able to see, taste, hear, and feel what it was to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. The way my parents lived out their faith engraved in my heart what it means to follow Jesus in a serious way. It wasn't until I was 19 when, to use John Wesley's words, "I felt I did trust Christ..."

From then on, I tried to pursue living for Jesus at any cost. I had a newfound zeal. I read my Bible, took Bible classes in college, carried my Bible everywhere I went, went to prayer meetings, taught Sunday school, chaired the evangelism committee at church, etc., all because I wanted to follow Jesus. Needless to say, I went through phases in my Christian journey before I realized that there must be something more to following Jesus.

That is not to say that the abovementioned things were not following Jesus, but I learned that to follow Jesus was just that - learning to think, speak, and act like Jesus...to be and do as Jesus did. As I went on to seminary and was exposed to that closer walk and deeper walk with Christ I realized that I needed to embody the life of Christ somehow. Two things are obvious from Jesus' life and ministry - he pleased and glorified the Father.

How did Jesus please and glorify the Father? How should we please and glorify the Father as Jesus' disciples? Hopefully, following discussions will help us reflect on that.