Joining God in the Messy Places

What an incredible time we’ve had during this week of Christmas! I was absolutely blown away by the Praise Team’s ministry on Sunday morning and the children’s presentation on Sunday evening. As I sat and soaked in the presence of the Lord, I could not help but notice the smiling faces of so many people who were once lost in the messy world of sin, now lifting up their voices in praise to God. How Christ must have smiled as He saw the children innocently and unabashedly portray their rendition of the manger scene. Hollywood may not have made any casting calls that evening, but who cares? To all of us, it was absolutely splendid! And the best parts were the ones that were unrehearsed, spontaneous, and came straight from the heart.
That’s the way life should be for those who are children of God. I think we often get so caught up in trying to produce perfection and programming that we miss out on what God wants to do in and thru our lives. I sometimes struggle with this myself, especially when it comes to the issue of church growth. Of course we all want the church to grow – more people in church (God’s family) equals less people in the world (Satan’s family). And the more involved we can motivate each other to be in finding our place of ministry, the more effective the body can be in reaching others. But quite frankly, it seems like a lot of the ministry efforts of churches have been reduced to strategy and outcomes and production. It’s all about the “Big Show” and how “professional looking” you can pull it all off during the “performance”. Frankly, I believe we’ve lost the focus of what it’s all about. We do the things we do under the guise of presenting Christ, but many times our primary motivation is about making ourselves look good. We put the spotlight on us, not on Him. And if we can make that choir sound like a 1000 member ensemble or pull off a “Hollywood” type production of hype and drama, others will be attracted and may even want to emulate what we’re doing. And if we can reproduce what we’ve done and sell it, who knows – we might get a book deal! At the very least we’ll gather a larger crowd to see the newer, bigger, more polished performance we put together next time. But is that really what it’s all about? I’m not saying it’s wrong to write, or publish, or attract larger crowds, but our motivation has to be for the glory of God, not for our own glory. Christ’s call is for us to minister to “the least of these”. That takes more than a spiffed up performance for the masses. It takes Holy Spirit infused ministry and worship. It means we may have to get off the stage and get into "the ditch" of some people’s lives where we won't be noticed for what we do. The call to minister to "the least of these" is about engaging people and meeting them where they are right now… and sometimes that won’t happen in a nicely packaged or neat way… Sometimes it will be rather messy. I’m so glad that Mountain View is a place where people are still willing to go into the messy places. That’s the example Jesus gave us when He came to earth. He wasn’t born in a pristine hospital. He was birthed in a barn! As a newborn baby, He was laid in a feeding trough, right along side all the slobber, the food droppings, and the animal manure there on the stable floor. Jesus came to a messy world to minister to messy people, as part of God’s messy plan of redeeming grace. And we must never forget that He has called us to do the same. That’s where real ministry takes place anyway. And it’s the kind of ministry that offers the love and grace of Jesus in the messiest places of this world. The result may not be a “book deal”, but it will produce the kind of joy I saw in the faces of those who were singing praises to the Lord last Sunday at Mountain View. And that joy is contagious! It spreads outside the church as it flows into all the messy places around us… and I think that’s real ministry. Sometimes I wonder if God is at work inside the church at large. I’m not sure, but I do know He’s working here… And He’s definitely at work outside the walls of the church. Let’s not hesitate to join Him in the messy places He came to reach.

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Absolutely Blown Away

This time of year the Bennett family, not unlike your family, is scurrying around trying to prepare for Christmas. We want this season to be festive, meaningful, as well as a time when we give gifts to those with whom we are closest. In saying that, however, I have a confession to make... “Over the years, there have been times when I haven’t put as much time, effort, and thought into getting a meaningful gift for some of the people who mean the most in my life… I’ve actually taken the presents I have received from years past, rewrapped them, and passed them along to some of you… Of course you don’t know who you are unless I happened to mess up and give you back the same gift you gave to me… I hope not!” Why did I suddenly have the urge to confess that to you? Probably because of what I have experienced this past week... I have been overwhelmed with the generous gifts of several people this past week. Wait… Overwhelmed just doesn’t convey the correct picture of what has happened… I have been absolutely blown away!
Something happened that has profoundly affected my attitude towards giving this year. I believe I have experienced something akin to what Donald Miller writes about in his book Blue Like Jazz. A certain incident in his life changed his perspective on giving forever. He writes: “For my mother that year I had purchased a shabby Christmas gift—a book, the contents of which she would never be interested in. I had had a sum of money with which to buy presents, and the majority of it I used to buy fishing equipment... I drifted in and out of anxious sleep, and this is when it occurred to me that the gift I had purchased for my mother was bought with the petty change left after I had pleased myself. I realized I had set the happiness of my mother beyond my own material desires. This was a different sort of guilt from anything I had previously experienced. It was a heavy guilt, not the sort of guilt that I could do anything about. It was a haunting feeling, the sort of sensation you get when you wonder whether you are two people, the other of which does things you can't explain, bad and terrible things. The guilt was so heavy that I fell out of bed onto my knees and begged, not a slot-machine God, but a living, feeling God, to stop the pain. I crawled out of my room and into the hallway by my mother's door and lay on my elbows and face for an hour or so, going sometimes to sleep, before finally the burden lifted and I was able to return to my room. We opened the rest of our gifts the next morning, and I was pleased to receive what I did, but when my mother opened her silly book, I asked her forgiveness, saying how much I wished I had done more. She, of course, pretended to enjoy the gift, saying how she wanted to know about the subject.” (Blue Like Jazz, p.9-10)
How many times have we done something like Donald describes? Aw, come on now... You might as well admit it... Even when we know that we're supposed to think more of others than we do ourselves and give unselfishly at all times, we still mess it up - at least I know I do... But every now and then we meet people who consistently do more than just talk about the life of Christ and the principles of Christianity – they live their words. Such is the case with the FM radio station, 106.9, The Light. Over the years I have been associated with various entities who claim the name of Jesus as their “Marque”. Unfortunately, many of these organizations use the banner of Christianity as a “lure” to raise funds for their own selfish pursuits. How refreshing to know that the people at 106.9, The Light are not that way. In fact, I truly believe they epitomize the unselfish love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These folks truly believe that God has given them the privilege of giving, supporting and enabling the ministry of grace in far reaching circles... and they're willing to "get their hands dirty" to see it happen.
Tuesday, Dec. 11th, I spent the day with Matt Stockman, Carol Davis, Jim Kirkland, Tom Greene, Alice Knighten, and many other people from 106.9, The Light, raising support for Vision Nicaragua, a local mission organization that ministers to the people of Central America – specifically Nicaragua. It’s amazing to me that a radio station would feel compelled to give away their air time to assist another organization in receiving support from their radio audience. What’s more amazing is that the entire 106.9 team joyously participated with us in promoting, assisting and receiving the thousands of dollars in donations - and 100% of the funding was turned over to the missions efforts of Vision Nicaragua! There was no hidden agenda. Vision Nicaragua wasn’t a “Marque” to drum up more support for 106.9, The Light. Everyone at the radio station was genuinely behind this effort and saw the entire event as an opportunity to return a portion of that which has been entrusted to them, back to the “Kingdom of God”. As a result, more than 2000 children, orphans, and homeless youth will be ministered to in the unknown villages of Bethel, Trojillo, Santa Maria, La Breeza, Mocoron and Chonco, Nicaragua. The radio station 106.9, The Light didn’t give from their “left-overs” or rewrap a “White Elephant” gift they wanted to get rid of… they gave from their hearts – liberally, joyfully, and sacrificially.
I’m reminded of a comment from another Christian Radio host who said, “I can’t believe you all give away an entire day of your Sharathon to another ministry!” Well, believe it pal! They did… And I know God is going to open up the windows of heaven and continue to pour out blessings upon this station and the BGEA. Folks, this is the kind of Christian radio station we should stand behind 100%. They definitely promote the truth and the light of Jesus Christ – not just in their words, but also in their deeds. They have my support, prayers, and loyalty. I am humbled by their heart and love for the ministries of Christ. Thank you all for your kindness…
Now I think I have some Christmas gifts I need to purchase… I also have a few “White Elephants” I need to unwrap.

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What happened to Christmas?

When you drive thru the towns and villages dotting the landscape around our area, it’s easy to see that the thrust of the commercial establishments is to get you to purchase their goods as your gifts for Christmas. It’s almost as if the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth has been reduced to about the same significance as “May Day” or “Labor Day” or some other secular holiday when we’re enticed to shop because of the holiday sales to mark the occasion. We shouldn’t be surprised. Especially when we see attempts to take any reference to Christianity out of Christmas… You figure that one out! I don’t mean to be disrespectful in any way, but that’s about like taking any reference to cattle out of beef… it’s impossible! You can’t have one without the other. We are very blessed to live in a section of the country where Christians are still able to express their beliefs without too much danger. But there is no doubt the world is changing. We are living in a post-Christian time. I read this past week about a man named Richard Ganulin of Ohio who is suing Christmas. His case involves removing all symbols of religion from public display. I guess that means he wants no more manger scenes, no more stars, no more wisemen, no more Christmas trees even, to be shown in public... how ridiculous is that?!!
But you know what folks… I’m not sure the holiday we call Christmas resembles Christ much anymore. It has become all about greed, covetousness, jealousy, envy, commercialism and receiving instead of giving. And even when we give, we do so with an expectation that we’ll receive something in return that's at least equal to what we give. Is that really what Jesus’ birth was all about? I wish for just one year that we would represent the attitude of Christ when it comes to Christmas. Our world would be forever changed. If we tried to work together to bless those who are less fortunate than ourselves with something more than a new yoyo, can you imagine the difference we would see? Maybe we would experience a little less fighting over that last Video Game on the shelf. If we could focus on how to bless others instead of what we can get out of Christmas, don’t you think our attitudes would change? I do. I’m not one for taking Christ out of Christmas. I still think that’s a ridiculous idea. But the truth is, I think we did that a long time ago… We’re just now getting around to taking His name out.
This year let’s do something to change that. Let’s resolve to celebrate Christmas by being more Christ-like. Why not select a family in a less fortunate situation than your own family and bless them with a special Christmas this year? Don’t buy a bunch of cheap stuff for them… write poems, take them a turkey, cook a meal for them. Why not get a group together and go sing carols at a nursery home? Or what about going to the homeless shelter and serving food? we can all do something that demonstrates the unconditional love of Christ. One way you can do that is to make a generous donation to a ministry or mission like Vision Nicaragua. You have a great opportunity to do that this month - December 11th, WMIT, 106.9 is devoting their mission emphasis to Vision Nicaragua. Why not join the effort by supporting this worthy cause?
What a difference we could make if we refused to get caught up in the commercialism of the culture and return to the vintage principles of Christianity… What a wonderful change we would see in this world if we all could remember and live by what the Bible says? “It is better to give than it is to receive…” So what are you giving this year?

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Mountain View Rocks!

MAN! Mountain View Rocks! I am glad to be back, hopefully on a more frequent basis, after another season of football and hunting. Although I have been able to be with you on the weekends, the weeks have been very busy with a lot of other stuff. That being said, the past couple of weeks back have been wonderfully encouraging to me personally. You all are taking this place to a "Whole Nutha Level"! How great to see you allowing God to use you in new and innovative ways. There is such a change in attitude and passion for the world around us. Instead of just doing church, the church is being the church. How wonderful that is!
What an incredible time we had at “The Call”. It was exciting to see our youth so involved with the dramatic skits. You all are such a talented group! The tapestry you created with a black canvas and white paint was absolutely awesome! It makes me smile every time I look up at the side wall of the worship center and see the abstract of Jesus’ face staring over our congregation! I sense God is doing a new and wonderful work among us. He is rebirthing a passion in hearts that have grown cold and bringing life to those that have never experienced the fire of His Spirit. Every day brings an even greater sense of excitment and anticipation of where God is going to take us from here!
In this season of Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. We sing new songs, share gifts, fellowship together over meals piled high with ham, turkey, casseroles, pies, fresh bread – you name it! Suffice-it-to-say, we certainly get our stomachs, and hopefully our hearts filled to the max during this time of year. As we experience that, let’s not only celebrate the life of Christ around the Christmas tree. Let’s take every opportunity to encourage each other in the family of faith. Call your friends just to say, “I’m thinking of you.” Stay in touch with the members of your small group. Share a smile and a word of encouragement with everyone you meet. You and I are Christ’s ambassadors in this world that is usually so caught up in the business of Christmas that they miss the reason for the season. Let’s make it our aim to share the Christ in Christmas as we share His love with those we see.
My friend Brent Besosa shared an idea with me today about something he has started doing in restaurants. Before he says the blessing, he tries to always ask the waiter or waitress how he can pray with them. He simply says, “Hey, we’re going to ask God’s blessing before we eat and I was wondering if you have anything you’d like for us to pray about?” Brent told me that it is amazing the reactions he has received. Some of the waiters and waitresses have been very indifferent, while others have been overwhelmed. I believe God is very providential and purposeful in our lives. The people He allows us to meet on a daily basis are people who may need to hear that they are important to Him. Why don’t you try sharing that news with the next person that waits your table?

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Flying Over San Angelo

Last week I went to San Angelo, Texas for a few days of hunting with some of the men from the church. The group I was hunting with departed for camp by vehicle early Thursday Morning. My son Hunter played his last High School Football game on Friday night. There was no way I was going to miss that game, so I joined the hunting part on Saturday. At 1:00 pm Saturday, I boarded an airplane and flew to Texas. Of course my trip wasn’t quite as long as their's was - they drove more than 20 hours while I got there in about 6 hours. My flight wasn’t all smooth and easy however. In fact, the last leg of the journey was a bit hairy. We were on a propeller driven commuter plane that was loud, small, and so light that it kept getting blown around by the wind. The turbulence was so rough that the pilot kept the “fasten seat belt” light on the entire time. At one point, I looked out the window just to see how far we would fall if the plane suddenly went into a nose dive. I shouldn’t have done that… “terra firma” was a long way off at 30,000 feet. As my imagination went wild, I flashed back to the short briefing we had at the beginning of the flight. The stewardess gave us a short talk about what to do in case of an emergency but I couldn’t remember exactly what she said. I’ve flown quite a lot over my life, and I’ve heard the same story probably hundreds of times. So now, I rarely pay much attention. It all goes in one ear and out the other. But now, when our plane was being knocked around the skies by the wind, I found myself racking my brain to try and remember what was said… Something about an oxygen mask dropping from somewhere, but was I supposed to plug in the tube somewhere? Then there was the thing about putting your head between your knees or some where… I’m not sure where… but it sounded like something I couldn’t do anyway… and what was that about the seat cushion? Oh yeah, that’s for floating… nothing but sand below us… And who was supposed to open the door beside me?
And I’m wondering… “Okay, if we go down, how long will it take before we hit the ground? Will we die instantly or lay around in the sun suffering for several hours before we bite the dust? I also wondered how many of the other folks on the plane might not be believers… I could have a captive audience for an evangelism sermon… Maybe someone would respond to this altar call!” But all I did was cinch down my seat belt and tried to focus on the Sudoku puzzle in the complementary issue of the Airlines Magazine. I felt totally unprepared… Even though I had sat thru that stinking talk so many times… I couldn’t remember much of it at all…
That got me to wondering. How many of us fly thru life… fly thru church… fly in circles where we hear the same messages over and over, telling us how to prepare for the crises of life, but instead of listening and following the instructions, we let it all go in one ear and out the other. Then turbulence comes along and our life goes into a full “tail spin”, so to speak, and before we know it, we’re heading for a crash. And not only are we unprepared for the crises of life, many times we’ve brought the whole situation upon ourselves because we haven’t heeded the instruction of God’s Word to take care of ourselves personally, spiritually or emotionally…
And as we realize that we’re going down, we’re scrambling around trying to remember what we’ve heard or read that will help us thru the crisis we’re facing.
Friend, if you’re flying thru life at the speed of a twin turbo prop plane, cruising at altitudes never meant to be inhabited by human beings, don’t wait until you’re about to crash and burn before you think about being heeding God’s Word. Read the instructions… Pay attention to the messages the Lord is sending you… He has your best interests at heart… Listen up and live; the truth is, sooner or later, you’re going to have some turbulence hit your life either physically, spiritually or otherwise… Are you prepared?

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Why Am I Still Awake?

As you read this posting, you may wonder why I’m rambling and writing in fragments… Well, I am writing this blog at 2:11 am (EST) as I wait on my clothes to finish washing. Yeah, yeah, I know some of you are probably amazed that I even know how to wash clothes… Well, surprise, surprise, surprise (with Gomer Pyle accent)! Actually I am washing my hunting clothes as I get ready to leave for San Angelo, Texas to hunt the illusive South Texas deer! Every time I pull another pair of camouflage pants or a shirt out of the dryer, I get a little more excited… In my mind’s eye, I can already see the hunting stand, sitting on the edge of a sendero (a small road). I can hear the rooster crowing in the distance as the sun peeks up over the horizon. I can almost make out the faint silhouette of a monster buck ambling over the hill, headed straight to my stand! Oh my! I probably won’t get to sleep at all tonight! Fortunately I don’t have to drive the 20 hours it takes to get down to the hunting camp. A couple of the other guys have volunteered to drive, so I’ll sleep in the truck…
Can you imagine how profoundly our spiritual lives would be affected if we were just as excited about our walk with the Lord as I am about this hunting trip? How would our lives be changed if we were to get so fired up about our faith that we couldn’t sleep at night? What if we were to get so excited about digging thru the Bible that we couldn’t stop reading – absorbing every page like it was the new “Harry Potter” book that was just published… can you imagine the impact on our lives? What if we were so excited about worshipping with our brothers and sisters in the family of faith that we literally lined up outside the doors of the church before the service, waiting in line like we wait for a sold out concert or huge sporting event… The impact would be profound my friends. People would come to faith in Christ by the thousands. Factories, stores, local businesses, and schools would close their doors and leave signs that directed their customers to the church… The talk about what you’ll do on Friday, Saturday & Sunday wouldn’t be about going to the lake or going out to party with friends, it would be about where you’re going to worship with your friends. You say, “May! That’s crazy! Thankfully my life isn’t that boring!” But what if your walk with the Lord was that exciting?
I think it should be… I think it should be our first thought in the morning, our lingering thoughts during every part of our day, and the last thoughts that put us to sleep at night… Unfortunately that’s not the way it is with most folks…
Why has out faith become a part-time endeavor? Why do we treat our relationship with Christ like it’s a religious accessory, not the critical part of our life? Our attitude is, “Hey, I can live with it or I can live without it.” Where did we go wrong?
I used to get as excited about hunting in the mountains of Western North Carolina as I get now about hunting in South Texas. What happened to change my way of thinking? I got stuck in a rut. One man said, “A rut is a grave with both ends kicked out.” I got in a rut about hunting locally because it lost its excitement. When you get up 2 hours before day light, climb a tree in the middle of the woods in the dark and freeze your ears off without seeing as much as a scampering squirrel, you have a tendency to lose heart. You can read about all the experiences of other people, but that does little to keep you motivated when things are so dull in your own faith life.
And hasn’t that happened in a lot of our churches today? We go thru the motions… we climb up the trees of theology… we hang on the side of denominational doctrine… we read the Bible with an eye towards the future and we miss out on what God wants to do in and thru us today! As a result, we don’t get excited anymore because we’re stuck in a boring routine… And that’s a shame! That’s not what Christ intends! He is all about abundant life… I believe He is a passionate lover of your soul and His desire is that you’d have the same desire, passion, hunger, insatiable thirst for Him… The question is… Do you? Are you up at night sometimes thinking and praying about all the people you know that don’t have a relationship with Jesus? Are you so excited about gathering with your faith family that you come early, stay late, and leave charged up with an invigorated vision to change your world? If not… Why not? What happened to you passion? What is the desire and cry of your heart? Can you truly sing,
“It is the cry of my heart to follow You.
It is the cry of my heart to be close to You.
It is the cry of my heart to follow, all of the days of my life.
Teach me in Your holy ways, So I can walk in Your truth.
Teach me in Your holy ways, to be wholly devoted to You.
Open my eyes so I can see,
The wonderful things that You do.
Open my heart up more and more;
And make it wholly devoted to You.”
Is there anything we can do to change things? Yes! But it will only happen when we regain the excitement of following Christ actively. We must turn our passion around 180 degrees, focusing on what God has called us to do instead of what God has come to do for us… We’ve got to start dreaming again, about all the wonderful things Christ has invited us to join Him in doing… And then passionately pursue His heart, his calling, His holy ways. As we do, He’ll open our hearts up more and more and we’ll be changed by the power of His love for us. Are you ready for that? Pack your stuff… let’s go!

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The Game Ain't Over Yet!

I may be a bit biased, but I think my son is a great football player. Unfortunately, his team has had a rough year. Not only are they in a rebuilding year, to make matters worse, several of the players who began the season with the team are no longer playing. Some have been injured, some have been kicked off the team, and others have simply quit – walked out on the rest of the team. I was taught many years ago that a team sport is just that – a sport that involves a team. And when you commit to play as part of the team, as long as there are still games on the schedule, you play. You don’t quit. You don’t walk off the field in disgust blaming the rest of the players for your losses. Everyone shares in the victories as well as the defeats. And as long as the season is still going, there is time left to play, opportunities to outscore your opponents, and chances to win. You can cry and moan about the season later, but for now, you've got to play with all your heart and never, ever give up. If the whole season depended on you alone, there might be reason to give up. But there are more players than you… you are not alone.
I remember the day I learned that lesson. Our wrestling team had lost to our conference rivals. When we returned to the school, the football coach asked me how we did. I replied, “Well, I won, but the rest of the team lost.” He quickly put me in my place. He said, “So I guess you’re not part of the stinking team are you? What about when the team doesn’t stink? Are you a part of it then?” I got it & I felt like a complete idiot. I never wrote the team off or separated myself from them again. I became the loudest cheerleader on the team. I tried my best to get everyone to see the possibilities that lay ahead instead of the losses we left behind. We moaned and groaned at the end of the season, but as long as we had matches left to wrestle, we believed we had a chance to succeed. And none of us quit… we hung in there together. And together we completed the year with a winning record.
There’s a good life lesson in that story. Sometimes we may feel as though we’ve been beaten up for so long we can never make a come back. Maybe every thing you’ve attempted to do has turned out to be a failure. You may even feel like there is a cosmic ogre following you around waiting for a chance to knock you down. So why bother staying in the game? Why try to make a difference in the world? Why dream anymore if your dreams are always dashed… Man! That sounds gloomy... Get out the violins! You've got to keep this in mind: You are not traveling thru this life alone. You have a team if you’re a member of the faith family. There are others around you cheering you on and pulling for you to succeed. And as long as this game of life is going, you still have time to turn things around… As long as we have breath, we have opportunities ahead to trust that God will help us finish the season well. We can cry when it’s all over if we need to, but it’s not over yet. So when the problems and trials of life knock you down, get back up, dust yourself off, surround yourself with the team and stay in the game. Even if every bone in your body is screaming for you to drop out and quit, hang in there. God isn’t thru with you yet. He has a plan and purpose for your life that is not yet completed. If He were done with you, you’d already be in the heavenly locker room. But you're not there yet so the game ain't over! Whether you realize it or not, Christ is our Team Coach. And whether you realize it or not, He is actively involved in every circumstance and problem in your life, working it all together for your good and for His glory. And as long as He is involved, there is plenty of reason to hope and to stay in the game. If we could live with that philosophy, the only tears we would shed when the season of life is over would be tears of joy when we receive the victor’s crown.
Paul had that philosophy. That’s why he encouraged us all, "Therefore, dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
I think I’ll quit crying now and get back out there on the field… The game isn’t over yet. There is still time left on the clock and a lot of plays yet to run. Yogi Berra once said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Brothers and sisters, the game ain’t over yet. So dry your eyes and get in the game! “Put me in Coach; I’m ready to play!” Let’s go team! Let’s kick some of Satan’s teeth out! He might be a roaring lion, but after we’re thru with him, he’ll be a toothless roaring lion!

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Thoughts From The Back Of The Truck

I have just spend the last week in one of my favorite places - Nicaragua - visiting a lot of friends in the villages of Trojillo and Bethel. What an incredible time! As I sit here in the bed of a 2 1/2 ton truck with a bunch of folks who wanted to make the 3+ hour journey to Managua just to say goodbye, I am reflecting about all the wonderful blessings I have experienced this week. God has enabled Daren Pinkerton and I to get a lot of work done here this week. We conducted the first seminary classes for Montana Vista Bible Institute. Eight pastors began their education in the first class entitled, “The Pastor as a Counselor”. One of these pastors was Porfiero Gonzales, who has just planted a church - Vista de la Montana Iglesia (Mountain View Church). We had a wonderful time together during the dedication of this new church building in Trojillo. What a great experience! At least 150 men, women, youth and children gathered for a great time of praise, worship, dancing, and preaching. The service lasted 3 hours! And no one wanted to leave when it was over. They didn’t even sneak out the door when the pastor prayed the benediction at the end. The people were so excited to be together and to have their own church building in which to assemble. Before they had this building, these folks had met in each other's homes. Later they put up a “make shift” shelter which was made out of poles lashed together with grass rope and covered with palm branches. Just about ever week this shelter had to be rebuilt. Every time a strong wind blew, it would collapse. But now, they have a concrete and steel church building – the only one in the village – and they are thrilled! The construction isn’t totally completed yet, but very little has to be accomplished. In fact, all that remains to be finished is:
a. A concrete floor (currently the floor is dirt).
b. Seats or benches for seating.
c. A pulpit.
d. 2 Bathroom facilities (outhouses).

All they care about right now, however, is that they have a place big enough for everyone to gather together for corporate worship. And every time the door is open, people flood in… To them, the things left to be finished are very minor. I wonder how many of us would see them that way? Would we still come to church if the building had dirt floors? Would we line up in the rain, waiting to get into the worship center? How many of us would come if we didn’t have bathrooms or if the only facilities we had were outhouses?
We see things quite differently than the Nicaraguans. It’s amazing how spoiled we’ve become - how spoiled I've become. As I sit here, I wonder if it would take us experiencing difficulty like these people in order to really appreciate the privilege we have been given to worship and come together corporately. It’s amazing how a few trials and tribulations can change our attitudes. These people are doing okay today, but just a few years ago, they lost literally everything in Hurricane Mitch. Thru hardship and sacrifice, many of them have come to realize that the only thing in life that is sure is our faith in God and the love we have for one another. Daily they still face trials and struggles that are almost incomprehensible. A man works from daylight to dark, six days a week, for $4.00 a day, only to realize after a few years that he has contracted a terrible kidney disease and will probably die before the age of 30 years. They have no retirement, no remuneration, no insurance, no disability plan. When the disease is discovered, they are simply sent home to die. They're basically fired with no compensation. Last year when we were in Nicaragua, we met a man who had been diagnosed with the deadly kidney disease. His illness came from the chemicals he used to spray in the cane fields. One day he got rather intoxicated and threatened to kill his wife and then take his own life. He didn’t see any way out of his demise. He took a machete and tried to chop down the door of his own house to get to his family. Fortunately he didn’t hurt anyone that evening. A lot of folks there as well as many of us in North Carolina started praying his heart would be changed by thoe power of God. Well, God is still in the prayer answering business... This past week, when we celebrated the church dedication in Trojillo, who should walk out on the stage to lead worship but this man! He finally realized that what was missing was a connection with Jesus. And even though he may not be able to do anything about his sickness, he can choose how he reacts to his struggles. He found hope in Christ even though things looked hopelessness. He chose to worship God regardless of his situation.
Man! I think about the petty little things I face in life. None of my struggles are anywhere close to what this man is going thru! And yet many times I confess that I whine and respond in doubt and self-pity to the trials I face. Do you ever do that as well? We all do sometimes. But we don’t have to respond that way. We may not be able to choose the situations we face but we can choose how we respond. Look at David - He went thru a lot of tough times in life. Yet, time and time again we see him responding with praise and offerings of worship to God. He didn’t ignore his problems. He faced them and acknowledged his own feelings. But he still chose to worship God in the midst of everything. He wrote in Psalm 43:5, “Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
Maybe you're facing a difficult time today. It could be that your struggles are just as dire as this man in Nicaragua. But no matter what you’re going thru, just remember: you may not be able to do anything about your troubles, but you can choose how you react to them. Don’t allow your trials to control your life and steal your joy. Choose instead to face your struggles, acknowledge your weaknesses, and turn your focus and worship towards the Lord. You might not know what your tomorrow holds, but you can trust in the One who holds your tomorrows. The trials of this world may seem to never end; but the Bible says they will only last for a little while. It also says that the faithfulness of the Lord will endure forever.

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A Winning Attitude

The JV team at my son’s high school made and incredible come back win this past week. The team was losing 21 – 2 at halftime. They’ve had a rough year up to this point and came into this particular game as underdogs. But something happened in the locker room that changed the hearts of the players for the rest of the game. We’re not sure if it was something the coach said or if the boys just got tired of losing that brought them together for that second half. But whatever it was, the change was evident in the team's play and the final outcome of the game. Our team won 24 – 21!
Whenever you experience a win like that, it’s inspirational for everybody – the players, the coaches, the trainers, the fans, the parents, etc… But we sometimes forget that the preparation process for winning required a lot more than showing up to play and a motivational halftime talk. These boys put a lot into getting ready for this game. As I said, they have had a rough year – in fact, they hadn’t won a game up to this point. And with every successive loss, the weekly practice sessions grew to be more and more challenging. These young men have taken and inflicted numerous bumps and bruises on one another as they’ve tried to implement new strategies and prepare physically for their first illusive victory. And not only has the physical challenge great, but the mental challenge has been equally as daunting. It’s not easy to overcome a losing attitude. When you’ve been beaten down on the practice field and had to endure numerous beatings on game night, it’s easy to give in to a defeatist attitude and settle for second best. But this night was different and the boys rose to the occasion. They steadfastly refused to give up, and in the end, celebrated a great comeback win over a favored opponent!
Sometimes in our faith walk it would be much easier to settle for second best and stop pursuing the dreams God gives us for our lives. I see so many people with a desire to make a difference in the world for Christ, but so often the setbacks, disappointments and discouraging words from other people leads them to develop a defeatist attitude. But if we truly desire to accomplish something great for God’s glory, we may as well accept the fact that there will be bumps and bruises along the way. We’ll have more than our share of scars and wounds in the process. There may be times when we question whether or not the pursuit is worth the effort. In my own life, I’ve wondered, “Why am I wasting my time doing this? I could be trout fishing! Why am I beating my head against the wall trying to love and encourage people that will never change?” But in the end, I have to either find the courage to change my attitude and continue to pursue the dream or lay down and quit. Sometimes life would be alot easier without all the headaches and the strife, but that's the price of following the dreams God has given me. And if they're His dreams, He is with us all the way... As I heard one fellow pastor say, "If it's God's deal, He'll pay the bill." God will supply all that we need to follow His dream.
Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t give up on the Father’s dream? He endured the bumps and bruises of His assigned mission on earth and won the victory so we could receive the victor’s crown. And now, He has entrusted the treasure of His grace to us so that we can share His hope and love in this world. If that can only happen thru brokenness, bruises and wounds and hurt, then so be it; it’s worth the pain. For there is far greater joy than pain when we see God take our brokenness and demonstrate His glory in and thru our lives… May we all keep that attitude as we serve our Lord.
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Do as Paul said, “forgetting what’s behind, we press ahead towards the mark of the high calling in Christ…”

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Anger, Pride, Game Shows, & Other Nonsense

In the opening week of the NFL season, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets met for a show-down at the Jets’ stadium. I really had no preference for either team to win, but I was surprised by the lopsided score – New England 38 to New York’s 14. Randy Moss, number 81 for the Patriots, had an incredible game – 9 catches for 183 yards, including a spectacular touchdown catch between 3 defenders! Unfortunately, Moss’ remarks in the locker room following the game, shows how bitterness and anger can overshadow an otherwise stellar performance.
Moss has had a career filled with moments of brilliance amidst inexplicable acts of behavior. One game he walked off the field before the game was over… He got “hot under the collar” and abandoned his teammates. Needless to say, he didn’t last much longer on that team. He was then traded to another team where he was again let go because he couldn’t control his outbursts. Of course, in Randy Moss’ mind, none of these things were his fault; someone else was always to blame – usually the media.
Yesterday’s post game locker room interview was no exception. Moss was asked if his performance against New York was an opportunity for him to revitalize his career. That set Moss off. He said, “I don’t need to revitalize – everybody knows who I am, so I don’t need to revitalize nothing!” The interviewer then asked, if his performance was “a restatement of [his] ability, and [his] place in this football league as a wide receiver.” To which Moss replied, “Man, I leave that up to you guys! That’s what the talk shows, and… and the game shows are for. You know, just to tell the people the nonsense that y’all believe in!” Brilliant! Now he’s blaming game shows – not to mention the fact that he just made himself look - shall I say - less than wise.
Randy Moss' answers just go to show you what an unbridled tongue can spew out when it is fueled by anger and bitterness. The relationship between Moss and the press has been tenuous at best. There's a lot of history there and I don’t believe very much of that history is good. As a result – although I doubt if he would admit it – Moss allowed the bitterness and anger from the past to interrupt the joy of a great personal performance and a great win over the New York Jets.
A lot of us allow our short tempers and prideful outbursts of anger to interrupt our lives. It has become common place to hear about people getting angry, cutting one another down, and even getting into fist fights as a response to interpersonal confrontation. In fact, it’s so common, there are video takes plastered all over the internet showing such fights and arguments from everywhere around the world. I realize that sometimes it’s hard to let the acidic remarks of others pass without lashing back, but it’s always best to let the situation and the offense to pass without letting our tempers get all worked up into a ‘wad’. Usually if we’ll wait before we react, we’ll be able to see straight into the heart of the nonsense and address it with wisdom instead of with something regrettable… that is, if it needs to be addressed at all.
One thing I learned from a mentor a while back is this: Whenever you sense that someone is getting under your collar, stop, breathe in deeply, count to seven, breathe out slowly, wait, and then respond only if you can address the issue without being angry. That’s good advice. The Bible says that we should be “quick to listen and slow to speak.” Don’t allow others to provoke you and interfere with the victories of your life.
And remember what James writes: “…if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:14,16-18)

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That Hunger Deep Within

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been cutting my weight. During my last annual physical exam, the doctor informed me that I have let myself go and put on several additional pounds that is starting to affect my blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. I'm no 21 any more... although I feel like I am inside. I tried to tell him that my problem wasn’t that I am overweight, I’m just under tall. If I had a few more inches of height, I could afford to carry around the extra pounds. He wouldn’t go for that... So I’m now on what I call "the starvation diet". Not really, but it seems like that. I’ve cut back on all the stuff that tastes really good, things like – ice cream, double cheeseburgers, fries, chili hot dogs and Oreo cookies with milk. And in place of all the good stuff, I'm eating deliciously tasting rice cakes, no fat pretzels, no fat thin sliced turkey, turkey burgers, lots of “rabbit food” and drinking gallons of water. One thing I’ve noticed about that kind of food: no matter how much I eat, I'm still hungry. My stomach is still empty. It's a little easier now than it was when I first started, but sometimes I would kill for a huge triple burger dripping with greasy cheese, extra mayo, and all the ‘fixings’… Thus far, I haven't given in to that urge. But it's not because I haven't wanted to... In fact, I'm writing this blog as a sort of therapy to keep from heading to Burger King! :)
As a pastor, I'm always looking for lessons from life. As such, I’ve discovered a very clear parallel between my insatiable hunger for food and my walk with the Lord. When we're born into this world, we have a natural void... an emptiness inside our soul. As we grow older, we become more acutely aware of that emptiness. It's a hunger deep within that longs to be filled with something - we're just not sure what. Naturally, most of us start looking for things of the world to fill that void. We try to satisfy the hunger thru relationships, sports, hobbies, money, partying, etc. But sooner or later we discover all that stuff leaves us empty. It's like eating unflavored rice cakes. The truth is, only Christ can satisfy the emptiness we have in our lives. Only He can sustain us spiritually... Only thru a relationship with Him do we begin to discover the reason for which we were created and find the nourishment our souls long for.
When I came to realize that, I tried to do things for God in order to earn my seat at His table. I was raised with a good work ethic - "Nothing in life is free." "Make something out of yourself." "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps." So naturally I thought that would work with the Lord. And if I showed Him how dedicated I am compared to everyone else, He might give me more! But none of that philosophy works with Him... As a matter of fact, it gets in the way. And I found myself continually hungry for more…
A lot of us associate righteousness with working harder… doing more for Jesus… never missing a Sunday at church… giving… you know, all the righteous stuff we force ourselves to do. But the righteousness that Jesus offers to us is a gift – we can’t work for it – it’s free. All you need is a hunger for more of it. He promises righteousness to those who are empty. He gives it to those who are aware that there is something missing in life that nothing else can satisfy. And the amazing thing is that you can only be satisfied when you simply receive it – like a baby being fed by a mother – “Open wide!” Even if we tried to earn Christ’s righteousness, we don’t have enough years nor enough energy to do enough to merit receiving it. We sometimes think, “If I go to the right church, perform the right rituals, wear the right clothes, hang out with the right people, then I’ll be righteous.” But it doesn’t work that way… You can ready your Bible 23 times a day, give 50% of your paycheck on Sunday, keep your temper under control and lock yourself in a closet every Friday and Saturday night to keep your behavior under control and you still not be righteous. You can’t create it; you can’t earn it; you can’t get it by osmosis; neither can you borrow it like a loan from the bank. The terms would be too great. You could never pay it back. So what can we do? Do we adopt as our mantra for life the song that Mick Jagger sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction”? How do we experience the sustenance that will satisfy the spiritual hunger we long for? I'm not trying to oversimplify this but all you can do is receive it in humility. Come to Jesus. Express to Him that nothing else in life will satisfy. Tell Him that you’re tired of trying to earn His approval or anyone else’s. You’re hungry and you’re not sure what you’re hungry for… But you know it has something to do with knowing Him on a deeper level. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your stomach, your life, your whole being with His presence, His power and His provision. And make that prayer your daily request… “More of You… More of You… More of You Jesus… All I ask is more of You.” You will not find satisfaction that will take away the hunger in your soul in any other place. But that’s okay… Jesus said that all you need is a hunger for righteousness. When you discover what you’re hungry for, He will fill you. And He doesn’t limit what you can enjoy… It’s like an “all you can eat” buffet, filled with the most delicious and satisfying things you can imagine! Christ has an indefinite supply of righteousness and He offers it to all of us who hunger for it.
In my attempts to lose weight, I’m hungry because my stomach is empty most of the time. That’s a different kind of hunger than I have for Jesus and His righteousness. The hunger I have for Jesus is about never being filled… I can’t take in too much… I’ll never be full… The more I experience, the more I’m hungry for more. What about you? Are you hungry for more of Him? Is something missing in your relationship with God and you’re not sure what it is? Maybe the longing you have in your heart is for more of Jesus… Is your heart crying out for His righteousness and your flesh is trying to convince you that you need to fill that emptiness in your life with all kinds of other junk? Turn to Jesus my friend. Only He can satisfy that hunger deep within you.

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Who Wants To Demonstrate?

As I look around our world today, it’s painfully obvious that we are continuing to deteriorate morally, civilly and socially. I am one of those people who believe that we as Christians need to be active in the civil affairs of our country - volunteering wherever possible in positions of leadership and local government. I also think we should exercise our freedom to vote. Far too many people complain about the leadership of our city, our state and our country, but they don't take part in our public election process.
That being said, I also believe that our churches sometimes get too caught up in political and social affairs that happen to push our religious ‘hot buttons’. I’m not advocating any kind of ‘soft pedaling’ sin or compromising the truth of God’s word. All I'm saying is that we sometimes we go on a tirade against sin that often drives away the sinners. Just about every week I get an email, a flyer or a letter asking for our church to support some boycott or participate in a demonstration against the ‘ills’ of an organization or a group of people within our society. I do have strong convictions about things, and I will voice my opinions whenever it can be used for good. But I’m not not surprised when those who are unbelievers act like unbelievers. We as Christians are called to be salt and light to the world. I doubt if a gang of angry demonstrations and boycotts will do much to reach out to those who are lost and caught up in unChristianlike behavior. The real heart of the problem is a matter of the heart. I firmly believe that our greatest advances against these ‘ills’ of the world will be made when we as the Church begin to model Christian love and share the reason for the hope that’s within our hearts. When we truly begin to live lives that are Christlike and demonstrate the character and nature of Jesus in our culture. As we share our faith, God will change the hearts of those we are able to reach. As we love those who we may have previously considered ‘unlovable’, we will make more friends than enemies along the road of life, and encourage more 'seekers' to check out our Savior. And isn't that what we should be doing anyway? Pointing others to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ? Think about it this way: We only have so much time in this life. How should we be spending that time - fighting against sinners, or loving them into the kingdom? When you look at Jesus, the crowd with which He had the most trouble was the religious crowd. He showed Himself to be a friend to those who were ostracized by the religious folks. He hung out with fishermen, prostitutes, wine-bibbers and sinners - not to condone their sin - but to show them a better way. He devoted His time on earth to sharing the Good News of grace with all who would listen. And He has called us as the Church to emulate His example.
A while back a friend of mine gave me a great book entitled Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. He very poignantly writes: “The church does not exist for itself; it exists to serve the world. It is not ultimately about the church; it’s about all the people God wants to bless through the church. When the church loses sight of this, it loses its heart. This is especially true today in the world we live in where so many people are hostile to the church, many for good reason. We reclaim the church as a blessing machine not only because that is what Jesus intended from the beginning but also because serving people is the only way their perceptions of church are ever going to change. This is why it is so toxic for the gospel when Christians picket and boycott and complain about how bad the world is. This behavior doesn’t help. It makes it worse. It isn’t the kind of voice Jesus wants his followers to have in this world. Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be.”
Good words for all of us… Instead of wasting the time we have demonstrating against everything, let’s demonstrate with our lives, the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

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Growth By Design

In his book “The Purpose Driven Church”, Rick Warren writes, “I believe that you measure the health or strength of a church by its sending capacity rather than its seating capacity. The church is in the sending business. One of the questions we must ask when evaluating a church’s health is: 'How many people are being mobilized for the Great Commission?'” It is easy to get caught up in growing church crowds, building new facilities, and offering more innovative, high tech church services. Yet we must always be aware that God’s purpose for growing the church extends beyond the property lines of the campus. He calls us together by design. We each bring different talents, gifts and abilities which He combines together in a manner that reaches the needs of our community and connects with those who are searching for help and hope beyond their circumstances. And God’s plan isn’t just about performing acts of benevolence or physical assistance. That might happen, but His plan is for something much deeper and more permanent to take place. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. God certainly cares about our physical needs and the struggles we face, but He knows that this life and the troubles associated with it are temporary. We have been created for eternity. So God’s hope for our lives is not just to help us thru the problems of today, most importantly, He wants to make sure we are taken care of thru out eternity. And as a growing church fills with growing Christians, His plan is for us to mobilize into our communities, meeting needs, sharing encouragement, and discovering places we can plug into other people’s lives. As we do, He will provide opportunities for us to share our faith with unbelievers.
With that in mind, let me ask you a question: "How are you taking part in reaching out to your community and communicating the hope and help of Jesus Christ?" What can you do? There are many ways to get involved. Start with “Prayer Walking”. Walk the streets of your community asking God to show you how you can share His love in tangible ways with your friends and neighbors. Volunteer to work in a local mission. Volunteer to help at the local Christian Radio Station – WMIT 106.9. Volunteer to participate in one of the church ministries. Go on a short-term mission trip. Give above your regular tithe and offering to support the missions and benevolence work in which the church is involved. Find your purpose in God’s plan… I believe He is enlarging our tent so that His kingdom might be enlarged. Your part in His plan has eternal implications. Go plug in somewhere!

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Trust In The Lord

How much do you trust in God? Many of us say we trust Him, but when things are out of control in our lives, what is our first response? We try to get things together on our own. We put together a plan to reassume control. And often we do so before we ever talk to God. We say we want to live our lives in accordance with God’s plan, but usually we put our own plan together and then try to convince God to join us. I wonder sometimes if we really even believe God is truly all powerful and in control of our lives at all.
While in the military, I participated in numerous field training exercises (FTX). An FTX was a training event which prepared our soldiers for war. Sometimes, as my company would deploy to a specific location, I would ride in a helicopter and observe the movement. A critical part of a military convoy is making sure the vehicles stay at least 100 meters apart and are not stalled on the open road for any length of time. On one particular exercise, I watched as the convoy came to a halt. The vehicles that were carrying my soldiers bunched up on the road, and they quickly became easy targets for the enemy. I could see the frustration of the platoon leaders and platoon sergeants below. They were waving their arms, calling on the radio, trying frantically to get the soldiers off the road and disbursed. From my position in the air, I could see the reason for the traffic jam. As the lead vehicles were pulling off the main road into the exercise area, one vehicle had broken down and was blocking the entrance.
Isn’t that a lot like us? We have a tendency to get frustrated and upset when things in life stall our plans and we can’t see what’s going on. And just like my soldiers, getting angry at the situation doesn’t make things better. In fact, it makes things worse.
And while we try to take matters into our own hands and control the situation, we fail to consult with God. Yet God is above every episode in our lives and can see every situation. Friend, no matter what you may be facing, when you’re stuck in your circumstances and can’t see what lies ahead, don’t forget that God is there. He also sees your frustration and He cares. Put your full trust in Him. Ask Him to help you thru the situation you’re facing. Believe that He cares for you and only has your best interest at heart.
So many times I believe God allows us to get overwhelmed in circumstances beyond our control. Not because He is trying to punish us or be mean, He is simply trying to show us that we can trust Him. Nothing catches Him by surprise. And if we will stay focused on Him and surrendering to His purposes for our lives, He will get us to where we need to be according to the best plan – His plan. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.” Trust Him completely to take you thru the twists and turns of life and you will arrive at the location He intends for you to reach. God is in control – Don’t try to take it away from Him.

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Enlarging The Tent Site

This past week I participated in a forum to discuss the barriers to church growth. While this particular meeting was different, I can’t tell you the number of seminars, conferences and classes on the topic of church growth that leave out the most important part – God. I’m not trying to over spiritualize anything, nor am I trying to make excuses for why we haven’t grown as a church - that’s not even applicable. Our church has grown by 800% over the past 5 years! But we haven’t grown because we’ve followed someone else’s template or the latest formula in the bookstore. We’ve grown because God has continued to pour His blessings out upon our family of faith! Someone once asked me give them the secret to our growth. I had to be honest and tell them, “I don’t have a clue.” We have been driven by a mission statement that simply says that we exist to “Exalt Christ and Share His Love”. And we under gird the ministries of the church with continual, fervent prayer. Jesus said, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto Me.” On every occasion, we endeavor to put the spotlight on Christ. He is the impetus for everything we do. Every ministry, every work, every event, we always point the spotlight to the cross and present Christ as the only hope for our world. Our firm belief is that those of us that have experienced His hope have the privilege and responsibility of sharing it with others. We don’t try to draft new members to a particular denomination or doctrine of man. We simply make friends and share our testimonies with them. And within the context of that friendship, we pray that Christ will reveal His love thru our lives and our new friends will become born again believers. We pray that God will give us favor in the eyes of our neighbors and with everyone we meet so that there will be no barriers to our witness as individuals and as a church. We ask God to increase our family of faith. We ask Him to let us see the lost around us and have compassion enough to reach out to them at their point of need.
There’s nothing new about any of these things… We’re just acting like a family of faith. Do we get it right all the time? Absolutely not! We’re no where close to perfect. So I guess you could say we’re the perfect place for imperfect people. And as such, Jesus is meeting people in our midst and folks are being saved. What is our response? We’re following the instruction God gave in Isaiah 54:2-3. We’re “enlarging the site of our tent, and letting our tent curtains be stretched out; we’re not holding back; we’re lengthening our ropes and driving our pegs deep. And God is spreading us out to the right and to the left.” And it’s happening simply because we are asking God to bless us with opportunities to practice the great commission and the great commandment. It’s amazing what our Lord will do when we take time to ask. You may remember a few years ago when the book, The Prayer of Jabez came out. Some people thought it was a bunch of junk; others thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I read the book and was challenged to begin praying like Jabez. I don’t believe Jabez’s prayer has any kind of magical power, but I was reminded of the close relationship we have with the Lord and how much He desires to bless us. And it’s with that same attitude that I pray for our church to grow. And I believe there is power when we pray in that manner - expectantly, humbly, and in faith, trusting our merciful and gracious God to answer us according to His plan and purpose for our life. There are alot of good plans for church growth out there and I'm not knocking any of them. But without the critical elements listed above - prayer, emphasizing the great commission, practicing the great commandment and receiving the grace of God - I'm not sure what good it will do to enlarge the site of the church tent.

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Nourished or Malnourished?

I've been trying to lose a few pounds over the past few weeks… Man! It sure is a lot more fun putting the weight on than taking it off! I’m getting used to going to bed with my stomach growling. At first, I felt like I was going to ‘die’ from being undernourished (yeah right!). I’d step on the scales every day, only to be disappointed with NO WEIGHT LOSS. All I could see that I was accomplishing was torturing myself. Of course, the only way to drop the pounds is to cut the number of calories you eat to less than what you burn during a day. After you drop the weight it's important to rebalance your diet though, otherwise your health will suffer.
A man named Joe Griffith once wrote: “If a tree is given minimal nourishment, it will live, but it will not grow. If nourishment is given over and beyond what is needed for life, the tree will live and grow upward, downward and outward. But if a tree is given nourishment over and beyond what is needed to support life, needed for growth, and more, it will produce fruit. Fruit is the overflow, a surplus of excess nourishment."
That’s truth for us humans too – both in a physical as well as in a spiritual sense. Just like you have to feed your stomach to stay healthy physically, you have to feed your soul to stay spiritually healthy. What feeds your soul? I’m talking about where you get your spiritual nourishment. Do you think you are properly fed simply by attending a worship service? Do you feel spiritually nourished only when you meet in your small group or adult Bible class? Is your soul fed only when you are giving and ministering to others? A healthy Christian is one that has a well-rounded spiritual diet. I believe it was Rick Warren who said that church growth is the result of proper nourishment. If people are being spiritually nourished the church will be healthy and experience growth. Sometimes, however, we get the wrong idea about what spiritual nourishment is all about. It has nothing to do with putting on a slick presentation or being entertaining. It’s not about a particular worship style or a denomination either – none of those things can feed the soul. Spiritual nourishment is more about genuine relationships – both with God and with one another. It’s about worship that is truthful and spiritual, and sound Biblical teaching that challenges us to grow in our faith walk with the Lord. If the only time you experience worship or fellowship is when you attend a congregational worship service, you may be spiritually starving or at a minimum spiritually malnourished. And the problem is most likely not the fault of the church. A believer who is spending time with God daily, studying the Word, serving others thru ministry, praying and experiencing private worship, will be healthier and grow by leaps and bounds over the believer who just attends church on Sunday. And when the church has a group of believers who are personally connected to the Lord on a daily basis, there’s no way you can keep it from growing and becoming stronger in the Lord. When a dynamic group of believers are experiencing the abundant Christian life in the church, the excitement will spread spiritual health all thru the congregation. I encourage you to pursue the spiritual food your soul needs in order to be spiritually nourished. Get involved in ministry; get involved in personal prayer and Bible study; get into a small group; attend corporate worship; connect with other believers in every possible way. Then you’ll have access to a balanced diet of the right kinds of spiritual food for your soul. Remember the tree. The more nourishment it gets the more productive it becomes. That principle is also true in our daily lives as well as in our family of faith.

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The Ego Isn't A Body Part

I have heard that when Adolf Hitler was alive, he would only select generals and aides that were shorter in stature than he. Adolf was rather short, and he did not want anyone towering over him. That was also true when it came to accomplishments and leadership ability – he wanted no one to tower over him in those areas either. Therefore, most of his generals and closest advisors were short and if they excelled in any way, they didn’t seek the spotlight or they didn’t last very long... literally. He had what is called a Napoleon complex.
Saddam Hussein had some of those same tendencies. He wouldn’t even allow his generals to disagree with his plans and tactics. On one occasion, he called his top generals into a meeting to discuss a military operation he wanted to pursue. One of his highest officers disagreed with his plan. Shortly after his disagreement, he was shot dead by his nephew, Saddam. As it turned out, the uncle was right.
Many times in the corporate world, as well as in the ministry world, we hesitate in surrounding ourselves with talent. The reason is mostly because of our own insecurities. We’re afraid someone will steal the show… someone might make us look like we’re not as competent as we once appeared. The best leaders aren’t afraid of those things however. They understand that they’re only as good as the team they have put together. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have the opportunity of putting together your own team, don’t settle for second best. Find the very brightest and best members you can afford and bring them on board. And never be afraid to celebrate their accomplishments. Give them recognition; let them stand in the spotlight for a while when appropriate. God gives us all various gifts and talents. He then puts us where we are to be teamed up with those who can shore up our weaknesses and benefit from our strengths. We are all a part of the body of Christ and there are no unimportant parts. Paul said it best in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27) Never forget that Christ is the head and there is no room for over inflated egos – I don’t think the ego is a part of the body. Always keep in mind that everything we do is for God’s glory, not our own. So, work together according to the position to which you have been called… and deflect the accolades to where they belong…

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Sharing The Love Of Christ

Over the past few months, God has greatly reminded me of the desperate need for the church to be more involved in evangelism. I’m not sure about you, but when I look around our city it’s almost like a new cult is springing up every month. People are hungry for some sort of hope beyond their current circumstances and as a result they easily latch on to beliefs that will eventually leave them empty and still searching. Unfortunately, the purveyors of untruth are out sharing those of us who have discovered the Truth. As Christians, we have the greatest news – Christ is still offering forgiveness, hope, acceptance and eternal life to all who will receive His offer of salvation. We haven’t done such a good job at sharing that news with the seekers around us over the years. We’ve either taken an approach that’s too easy or one that’s too hard. Someone once said that when an egg is ready to hatch, you can help break open the egg by hitting it with a hammer or putting it in a warm environment and patiently waiting for nature to take its course. Obviously, the hammer approach won’t work – you might break open the egg, but you’ll most likely kill the chick in the process. The best approach is patience and a warm environment. We create an environment like that for unbelievers by forming relationships of trust and love, remembering what it was like when we were unsaved and reaching out to connect with them at every opportunity with the good news of hope and forgiveness in Christ. And don’t think you can’t do that… I read an article this week about a 9 year old that did. God used him to not only share his faith, but to also be the catalyst for the prayers of a group of coworkers to be answered… In the 2005 July/August issue of Today’s Christian, Tina Blessit writes how her 9 year old son Austin was undergoing surgery to have his tonsils removed. She writes, “Before the surgery, an anesthesiologist came in to start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that "frog hat." When the doctor started to leave, Austin called out, "Hey, wait." The doctor turned. "Yeah, buddy, what do you need?" "Do you go to church?" "No," the doctor admitted. "I know I probably should, but I don't." Austin then asked, "Well, are you saved?" Chuckling nervously, the doctor said: "Nope. But after talking to you, maybe it's something I should consider." Pleased with his response, Austin answered, "Well you should, 'cause Jesus is great!"
"I'm sure he is, little guy," the doctor said, and quickly made his exit. When Austin's surgery was finished, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room to talk to me. He told me the surgery went well, then said, "Mrs. Blessit, I don't usually come down and talk to the parents after a surgery, but I just had to tell you what your son did."
He then related the story to her about how Austin’s questions. Just before he was put to sleep for the surgery, Austin insisted that he be allowed to pray. He then prayed… "Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen."
The doctor admitted that this had touched him. "I was so sure he would pray that his surgery went well," he explained. "He didn't even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! Mrs. Blessit, I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have." A few minutes later, a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as we walked to the elevator. "There's something you should know," she said. "Some of the other nurses and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time. After your son's surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin's prayer. He said, 'Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus, too.'"
Don’t think you are inadequate to make a difference in the life of another person. Never underestimate the ability of the Holy Spirit to use you far beyond your ability or even your knowledge. Simply make yourself available and keep your eyes open for opportunities to build friendships with the unbelievers you meet; continually lift them up in prayer; and expect God to intervene and provide opportunities for you to share the story of your faith… The Bible tells us that “It’s not His will that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.” And don’t be afraid that you won’t be able to share when the time comes. Jesus said, “At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matt. 10:19-20
If you look around and see that you’re surrounded by unbelievers and maybe even some who are hostile to the Christian faith, REJOICE, DON'T RUN AWAY! God has put you there for a purpose. He wants to speak thru you to those folks. He has a purpose for their lives and He wants you to communicate it to them. Make yourself available to be used by God to reveal His message of hope on every occasion. And don’t sweat it… He’ll get the job done.

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Soul Rest

I was reading thru my stack of sermon illustrations the other day when I ran across this one… “In Minnesota’s Mall of America, a store has opened that rents cubicles where worn and weary shoppers can take a nap. For 70 cents a minute, customers can curl up in spots themed as Asian Mist, Deep Space, and Tropical Isle. The center is aptly named MinneNAPolis – lol – and is owned by PowerNap Sleep Centers of Boca Raton, Florida. If you visit their website, you’ll read, “Escape the pressures of the real world into the pleasures of an ideal one." "It's not just napping. Some guests will want to listen to music, put their feet up, watch the water trickling in the beautiful stone waterfall, breathe in the positive-ionization-filtered air, enjoy the full-body massager, and just take an enjoyable escape from the fast-paced lifestyle."” I think I’ll call and see if they will offer a franchise to our church! I know a few people in our faith family who could benefit from a place like that!
I grew up in a rural farming community with cow pastures, woods and a cool creek running thru the fields behind our house. As young boys, my brothers and I would often go to that creek, pile up rocks, sticks, and whatever else we could find to build a pool where we could cool off from the summer heat. There was one part of the creek where a 2 or 3 foot waterfall spilled down a rocky, shaded bank into the edge of the woods. I used to love to lie down in the creek and put my head under that waterfall – nothing was more refreshing! Under that cool fresh water, I not only found relief from the hot sun, but the noise of the waterfall drowned out all the distractions around me as well. It was almost like I was lost in a wonderland of bliss, without a care in the world.
In the hurry and scurry world in which we live, it’s easy for the din of troubles, the rush of deadlines, and the stress of the workplace to cause us to be overwhelmed at times. We all need to find a waterfall like I had back then to take us away from the noise and to provide refreshment for our souls. Maybe for you, that place is a walk in the woods or a dip in your favorite swimming hole. It could be as simple as climbing up to the top of a mountain, far above the sound of the freeway, where your cell phone won’t work and no one can interrupt you. Regardless of where that place may be, it’s important to have one. When you go there, ask the sweet Holy Spirit to flood over your soul like fresh water, drowning out the noise of you life and the hurry, scurry world around you. Tune your heart to the still, small voice of the Lord, and allow Him to speak peace to your soul. If you will, you’ll experience what I call “soul rest”. The kind of rest Jesus spoke of when He said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matt. 11:28-29 (NKJV)

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Sandpaper People

I know this may not interest many of you in the least, but I recently worked at restoring an old deer skull I have that had broken. No, I’m not into collecting weird bones or anything, just a relic that is representative of the old west. In the restoration process, I rebuilt the upper jawbone with a strong epoxy. After working the pliable putty I was able to reshape it to the bone’s original shape using small sanding blocks and a rotary grinder. The grinder gave me no problems, but sanding blocks can be sort of rough on the hands. The sandpaper not only sands off the unwanted parts of the epoxy, but it can also sand off your skin if you don’t wear gloves… Well, I didn’t wear gloves. So I lost part of the first layer of skin off of my right hand and a few knuckles. Of course, I was glad to go thru the pain. Now I have a bleached white, completely restored deer’s skull. If I hadn’t put up with the inconvenience and nuisance of tender hands and raw knuckles I wouldn’t have completed the project.
Have you ever noticed that some people in your life are like sandpaper? They can rub you the wrong way and if you’re not careful, they can rub your emotions raw. One thing I have become more and more convinced of is how committed God is in developing His character and nature within us. The “sandpaper people” in our lives aren’t there by accident. God uses their abrasive and coarse words and actions to grind away our rough and unfinished parts… smoothing the edges and making us more resemble the character and nature of Christ. It may result in our suffering hurt feelings, shot down dreams, rejection, and a little tribulation. But regardless of what may happen, God’s purpose is to keep us strong enough to endure the pain, yet weak enough to have to totally rely on Him. That’s not always a desirable place to be, but the pain and inconvenience will be worth it…
As a child, I broke my leg. I still remember the excruciating pain and the inconvenience of wearing a cast. One thing I discovered about a broken bone is that it grows back stronger at the place of the fracture than it was before. On the FDA website, Doctor Yahiro describes the healing process this way: “Inflammatory cells rush to destroy, dilute or isolate invaders and injured tissue. Tiny new blood vessels called capillaries begin growing into the site. Cells proliferate. The injured person usually must endure pain, swelling, and increased heat at the breakage site for one to three days. [But] new tissue bonds the fractured bone ends with a soft callus, a mass of connective tissue and… remodeling begins. Once restoration is complete, the healed area is brand new, without a scar. Usually thicker, the new bone may even be stronger than the old… if the bone should break again it is unlikely that it will break at the same place. And children's bones have a healing boost: They're growing.”
I can tell you that the strength I have found to persevere has always been developed during the times of brokenness in my life. And God has used every event to spiritually grow me thru every one. That’s what Jesus said in the Bible… “My strength is perfect in your weakness… for when you are weak I am strong…” God has a plan for your life… And His purpose for you will not be thwarted. He will complete what He has started in you. Be thankful for His remodeling and restoration work in your life… even the work He accomplishes thru “sandpaper people”.

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A True Friend

The older I get the more I realize the importance of true friends. I also realize that I have far fewer true friends than I may think. That’s the raw reality of life. My dad used to tell me that, but I never accepted what he said. I argued with him then, but I now see that he was right.
One thing I have learned over the years is that my best friend on this earth is my wife, Lynn. And one of my goals for this stage in my life is to be a true friend to our young adult children - Jess and Hunter. My dad has set a good example for me in that respect. His relationship with mom and all of us “young’uns” has been exemplary. Even when we didn’t see eye to eye, he has remained a true friend. I go to him often for advice and counsel. And he always tells me the truth, no matter how painful it might be to accept. A fellow pastor once told me, "Kevin, when you leave your church, in 10 years you'll be lucky if any of the people remember your name. Don't sacrifice your family." Wise advice for all of us...
True friendships are an important part of life. When troubling times come upon us, it is easy to isolate ourselves and feel as though no one really cares what we’re going through. During times of trial, our “fair-weather” friends often run away to avoid getting caught up in the strife. But a true friend is just the opposite. A true friend runs to you instead of away from you. A true friend is there to support and defend you regardless of the adversity you may be facing. One thing I have learned over the years is that the only way to gain true friends like that is to risk being disappointed. You have to risk a certain level of trust that may very well involve being hurt somewhere down the line. But, I can tell you from experience, the risk is worth the reward.
Several years ago Coach Pepper Rogers was having a really tough season at UCLA. Friends were few and far between. It seemed as if everyone was down on him, including the administration, the media, the alumni, the fans, his coaching staff and players, even those he considered to be his close friends. One evening he was feeling sorry for himself after a disagreement with his wife. He told her, “I think the only friend I have in this world is my dog. And that’s just not right. A man should have at least two friends." So the next day she went out and bought him another dog.
Job once found himself worked up emotionally into that same state. He felt as if no one was his friend, including his wife. Everyone seemed to be against him. While he was experiencing this time of darkness, He made an interesting comment. In Job 6:14 he said, "A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty." That’s a great description of a true friend. During the time of Job, forsaking the Almighty could result in immediate death – either from the religious authorities or directly from heaven. Have you ever heard someone say, “I need to stand away from you because God is liable to strike you dead”? Well, that’s the same kind of belief Job probably had. Yet he viewed the devotion of a friend as such that he would stand beside you even if fire and brimstone rained down from the skies. And isn’t that when we need true friends most - when we’re at our lowest point? I believe that’s one huge reason God blesses us with friends – not just for the good times, but also for the bad times.
This past weekend, my Mamaw, my dad’s mother went to heaven. And while she may have struggled with a lot of illness and physical ailments these past few years, losing your mother is never easy. Her death, although understood, has caused grief and sorrow for my dad, his brothers and sisters as well as our entire family. It’s during times like these that true friendship is most important. And it’s times like these that I’m glad I can wrap my arm around my dad’s shoulders, not just as a son, but as a friend, and tell him I love him – in good times and bad. That’s what friends are for. Solomon said, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17) I’m glad to say that I have friends like that… And I also have many opportunities to be a friend like that to others.
But the greatest friend like that is Jesus. He loves at all times. As one person said, “There is nothing you can do to make Him love you more; and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you any less.” The Bible says, [He’s] “A friend that sticks closer than a brother.” For some people, He may seem to be the only true friend they have. And while He is the all sufficient Lord, life shouldn’t have to be lived without other friends. We can each do something about that. Let’s be intentional about being a true and loyal friend to others. Not only will we help make life more bearable for others, we will also most certainly gain loyal, true friends in return. And the best place to start being a true friend is at home… with your brothers, sisters, parents… And all of us could also reach out more intentionally in being a true friend to those in the family of faith.

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Farmers And Hunters

You might not be aware of this, but the Mountain View Family of faith is involved in numerous charitable organizations around the world. One of the newest ministries with which we have become associated is Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH), an outreach ministry of the people of God called upon to help feed venison and other big game to the hungry among us. In just a short six years, this organization has been responsible for the processing of 1,600 tons (nearly 12,800,000 servings) of venison and other big game for soup kitchens and food pantries across America, to include many places in North Carolina. Venison provided from hunters has served to be an abundant and nutritious source of protein desperately needed by feeding programs. From the beginning of time farmers and hunters have been the members of society called to provide food for others. FHFH allows hunters to do that in an ethical and meaningful way in our modern culture.

The Volunteer coordinator for FHFH from Mountain View is Billy Stewart (828) 337-5195 . Billy has personally conducted several fund-raising efforts outside the church in order to get this ministry started. The money he has raised goes directly to the FHFH fund and pays for processing and packing of meat products which are provided to shelters and feeding stations across the state.
We can help fund this vital ministry in a couple of ways. First of all, if you are an “outdoors person” who purchases a state license, you may elect to give an optional $1.00 to FHFH. A second way you can help is to give “Bucks” for “Bucks”… Donating dollars for processing fees to FHFH. For the next 30 days, I want to encourage each of you to give an additional “love offering” of $10.00 to this worthy ministry. You can give the money to the office in the form of a check written to Mountain View, with a notation of FHFH in the memo box. If you give cash, place it in an envelope designating that the money is for FHFH. All the money will be collected and one check will be written from Mountain View to FHFH. If you would like to take your involvement to another level, you can become a fundraiser for the ministry. If you raise the below listed amounts, you will qualify for the gifts listed (See Billy Stewart for details).

$50.00 – FHFH Mug or Cap
$75.00 – Venison Cookbook
$100.00 – Shirt, Blanket, Briefcase or Blanket
$150.00 – Buck Knife with Case
$200.00 – Dozen XX75 Easton Arrows
$300.00 – Signed Print (20x28)
$500.00 – Knight Wolverine Muzzleloader
$600.00 – Complete Scent-Lok Suit
$5000.00 – Woods & Water Plotmaster for ATV

As an avid outdoorsman, I urge you to get involved in this wonderful ministry. It has been independently certified as one of the Best Charities of America. Almost every week we meet families that could benefit from FHFH. They don’t have the money to buy adequate groceries to provide proper nutrition for themselves or their children. One wonderful aspect of FHFH is that most of the meat that is donated, is provided back to the shelters and food banks in the communities from which it came. What a wonderful way for all of us to join together to give back to our communities. Let’s join together and bless this great effort!

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Slings and Arrows

Not the 'Slings And Arrows' or outrageous fortune... but the "Slings and Arrows" of hurtful words...
I never cease to be amazed at the power of words. Unfortunately, the way we usually experience the power of words is in the negative. It’s amazing how words have the power to destroy, tear down, create distrust, disunity, disrespect and hurt. The reason this issue is very ‘raw’ with me at the moment is that I have experienced it in a very real and personal way recently. This isn’t a gripe session and I’m not ‘slamming’ anyone. But when something happens that can teach a lesson or exposes a tactic of Satan, we need to talk about it. And that is one reason I attempt to write this blog.
Recently, a very important staff member and dear friend has departed the ministry team. He and I have worked together on and off for twelve years. Granted, there is no way two type ‘A’ personalities can work together that long and not have disputes. We have faced many, many disagreements and worked through them together. But the disagreements of our past weren’t the reason for his departing. I have nothing but love and blessings in my heart for him and I am certain God will continue to use him in a powerful way. The problem is all the people ‘standing around’ the situation, speculating that something else has happened other than what was said and there has been a huge cover up of some sort. Friends, the reason my friend and I parted ways boils down to two very reasonable things. First of all, we have developed a difference in opinion over a few fundamental things that began to affect our ability to keep going in the same direction in ministry. Secondly, and certainly not the least important reason, is his family. A member of his immediate family is struggling thru a very serious, life threatening illness. Being able to devote more attention to his family during this critical time in their lives is the reason he wrote in his letter of resignation. He also stated that is daily commute to the office is a 2 hour trek, and that fact alone continues to hamper his effectiveness. (Oh, and by the way – a letter of resignation was not demanded from him.) Many of you are thinking… Okay… Reasons understood and accepted… You would think that his own words could assuage the critics and those with conspiracy theories – WRONG! And the slings and arrows of harsh attack continue. And although the handful of people who are flinging the accusations and planting innuendo have left the church, their damage remains.
I’m reminded of what Blaine Allen wrote in his book “When People Throw Stones”, “I don’t see how I can go on. I am so weary. I am so empty. And the critics just will not stop. They are on me like white on rice. The things I need to do, I just cannot do. Ministry needs… responsibilities beyond. The assault is just unbearable…”
“It’s been said widows fit one of two classes: the bereaved and the relieved. So it is with those who are widowed from ministry. Either you’ll really miss it, you hate to say goodbye; or you can hardly wait to shout, “Thank God, I am out!”
But what do you do if God chooses for you to stay there and continue to serve in ministry? “And conceivable it’s an impossible situation that right now is about to maul you to an emotional death. With a sharp eye for your faults and a blind eye for your strengths, your critics are dog determined to chew on you until there is nothing left to chew. Calvin Miller said, “Animosity cloaked in piety is a demon even if it sits in church praising the Creator.” No matter which way you turn or what direction you head, it’s right there in your face: “Hard pressed on every side… perplexed… persecuted… struck down.””
I’m sure our situation developed to this level, but the sense of hurt and woundedness is the same.
It’s amazing how my friend and I parted on good terms, but other mutual friends – or maybe I should say those we assumed were friends – can’t accept the whole thing. If it weren’t so hurtful, the whole thing would be comical. This isn’t an issue that has pervaded the entire congregation – only about a half a dozen very LOUD people who freely share their opinions with anyone who will listen. For a while, it looked as if a few folks were ready to draw lines and take up swords and arrows. I experienced some of those swords and arrows with comments from these folks like, “I’ll don’t trust you any longer.” “I feel like you betrayed me.” “I won’t be sitting under your ministry any longer.” “You have made an ungodly decision…” “It’s a power thing with you…” “I disagree with your leadership…” It’s tough when you hear those things from those who said they loved you just the day before… Maybe the account my friend and I gave for his leaving wasn’t as ‘juicy’ as the ones being passed along on the telephone. I was absolutely amazed… And most if not all of this ‘hub-bub’ was caused by half-truths, lies, made up stories and suggested scenarios… I guess that’s to be expected. It just makes you very gun shy about those you call friends. It has been said that the leader is the one out front with the arrows sticking out of his back… Any one who leads knows that feeling.
Friend, if you’re caught up in the fray of gossip, talking to others in phrases like, “Well, we need to pray for them. I’ve heard that…” And what you are communication does not serve to build up and edify the body of Christ, you shouldn’t be talking. And even if you know the truth about a certain situation, and that truth does not bless and build up a person, and increase his or her ability to effectively minister… keep you mouth shut my friend. The Bible is very clear about this. We should choose our words carefully and not tear down and destroy, but build up and bless. God will not hold us blameless for the words we so carelessly fling around hurtfully at others.
Our tongue reveals a lot of things about us. It shows the true intent of your heart. The Bible says, “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” If you say you love your brother or sister, you won’t say hurtful things about them or allow others to do that either. And the Bible also tells us that if we don’t love our brothers and sisters, the love of the Father is not in us. If someone were to tape record all the conversations you’ve had over the past couple of weeks, what would your words reveal about you? Would they show that you have a heart for God and want nothing less that God’s glory to be revealed in your life? Or would they say something entirely different? God heard all of your words this past week. James describes the tongue like a bit on a horse’s bridle or like a rudder on a ship. The person who has control of the bit and the rudder controls the direction of the horse and the ship. The only way we can gain control of our tongues is to let Jesus have complete control. Let Him direct your life and not the lurid, sinful, sinister motives of gossip and even misunderstanding. If you have been living a life of gossip, ask God for forgiveness and repent…. Make up your mind that you’re going to change the direction of your life. Maybe you need to apologize to someone you said hurtful things to in a moment of anger. The Bible says, “Brothers, out of your mouths come both blessings and curses. This should not be so…” Ezekiel says, "Get rid of all your offenses you've committed and get a new heart and a new spirit." Do that today as you hand over the reins to Jesus… Let Him take control of your tongue, your words and your life. Unbridled words are very damaging and destructive…
David experienced the wounds of such attacks. Eugene Petersen in the Message, Psalm 41, paraphrases David’s words, “My enemies are wishing the worst for me; they make bets on what day I will die. If someone comes to see me, he mouths empty platitudes, all the while gathering gossip about me to entertain the street-corner crowd. These 'friends' who hate me whisper slanders all over town. They form committees to plan misery for me.” That’s such a terrible, hurting and lonely place to be… I’ve felt that way these past weeks… because of the words of those I thought were allies yet turned out to be someone different. I am learning to pray like David went on to pray in the latter part of this Psalm… “GOD, give grace, get me up on my feet. I'll show them a thing or two. Meanwhile, I'm sure you're on my side -- no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp! You know me inside and out, you hold me together, you never fail to stand me tall in your presence so I can look you in the eye.”

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