Sermon malfunction

Life as the thimble

When I was a kid we didn’t have video games to consume our time, neighbors were few, and there were only four channels on our television. Monopoly was one of the most popular board games and I remember sitting down to the table and spending several hours trying to achieve complete financial domination.

My strategy was the same every game, buy everything I landed on, hope for complete sets and trade after that. Some games things would just click. Complete sets fell into place, cash was readily available with red or yellow sets producing cash flow every round. Eventually, I would be crowned real estate tycoon for the evening. Another game, I would be plagued by luxury taxes, unproductive properties and several trips to jail. Twenty minutes into the game I would be begging for mercy and any hope for survival was quickly disappearing.

What if as an adult my life was still shaped and confined by what had happened the first and only time I played the game?

What if I were living with the consequences of that game good or bad, forty years later.

That is silly of course. Having a two-hour board game effect an entire lifetime is foolishness.

How does our lifetime effect eternity? In relationship, it is infinitely smaller in its proportion.

To win at Monopoly you have to have the most money at the end of the game, or be the only one left with any money, depending on how cutthroat you play the game. The game has lots of rules but only one objective. It doesn’t matter that your money was always set in nice straight stacks or that your property cards were organized by color or even alphabetically. At the end of the game only one thing was asked, “how much money do you have?”

In a similar way, we will also be questioned at the end of our life. The question will not be in regards to the amount of money we have or how neatly we kept our stuff. It won’t matter if things always fell into place for us, or if we were always struggling. Did we love Jesus, and what did we do about it?

A lifetime may seem like an eternity to us, but its not. We have got to get into our heads the urgency of Christ. How much of our world is dying every day without Christ because we’ve taken our eye off the ball? Our careers, our stuff, and even our families can all be distractions unless they are being used to further Gods kingdom here on earth.

Matthew 25:39-40 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Where's the keys dad?

My life has been filling with more and more little reminders of just how old I am, and yesterday was no exception. I drove my car to the middle school parking lot, turned off the engine, got out and switched places with my daughter. No she’s not sixteen yet, but drivers’ training is just over the horizon and I…we…she thought it was time to get a jump-start. We have a great relationship and rarely butt heads, but I have feared this day for a long time. I will admit I am not a very good passenger. I don’t like sitting in the passenger seat because I often fight the urge to share my insights on how it should be done (just ask my wife). But in this case it is my job to criticize, critique and train, so off come the gloves. We were both prepared for some tense moments and I’m sure there will be plenty, but not yesterday. We had fun.

She did great.

I am very proud of her.

Reaching the lost ... or not

Here is a great post on the churches ability to reach the lost.

This is a new blog and is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

On my ipod (mp3)

First I'd like to say you should always buy an ipod just so you can refer to it as an ipod not "my mp3 player". I got an 8gig for the same price as a 2gig ipod, but there is still no easy way to abbreviate "my mp3 player"

Anyway...

I started and finished a five-part sermon series today called "I'm in love" by Francis Chan and Todd Nighswonger from Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA.

The series focuses on prayer and is worth a listen. Click here to download and look for "I'm in love" parts 1-5.

Blessed be Your name - Remix

This song is dedicated to a dear friend, who is a church planter. This past year he lost his brother, had a house fire, was severely burned, battled other health issues and yet in the mist of all these struggles, he still give his all to bless the name of the Lord.

Thanks for all you do Bob.

To listen to this powerful song click here

This remix was made by Jim Carter @ WFRN the song is performed by tree63 and is mixed with a sermon given by pastor Dave Engbrecht from Nappanee Missionary Church

Hello. Hello. Is this thing on?

Have I been slipping? The past five posts have gotten 0 comments. I know you are out there, so please let me hear an "amen" or "What were you thinking" from time to time.

If there are no comments posted after this encouragement to do so, I will be forced to assume there isn't anyone out there and this post will be erased to hide any embarrassment that could come from your silence. :-)

A thousand percent better

Back in the early nineties I was selling real estate. When our office listed a house for sale we would provide a small lock box for the house keys that would hang on the front door. The broker/owner I worked for bought little plastic nameplates with our company logo on them for each of these boxes. I have never forgotten his explanation “although it may be silly to spend money to advertise primarily just to other Realtors (our competition). It’s the little things we do that can add up to success. It’s hard for us to improve anything we do by 1000% but it is quite easy to improve a 1000 things just 1% better.”

What would happen if we applied this strategy into our own lives? How about next time you go to work instead of mumbling “mornin” you look them in the eye smile and say “Good Morning Bill” this small improvement won’t revolutionize our world by itself, but it might get us 1% closer. Find another ten little things you can change this week and keep it up until it becomes natural. Then find another ten and incorporate those. Do you know that it’s possible for a clerk to go all day without a sincere “how are you doing today”? Next time you are checking out at the grocery store go out of your way to be nice. Calling someone by their own name is a percent better.

A several years ago I was at the grocery store pharmacy late at night, I was tired and ready to be home. Unfortunately there were another six or seven people in line before me and we were all getting kinda grumpy. As I sat there waiting for my prescription, I started to watch people as they shopped. Soon I was searching for someone who looked like they were happy to be there. Not a chance. This store was filled with tired, beaten down, grumpy people and I was one of them. I don’t know how many of these people were Christians, but wouldn’t it be great if you could tell by just looking at them. Shouldn’t we be different? Aren’t we to shine the Light? If we aren’t going to be friendly and polite then who should be? Even when we are tiered, or we’ve had a bad day. Especially when we’ve had a bad day. Don’t put on a mask and fake it, but choose to do so.

Little things added together and then multiplied over and over again by others can make a difference. Differences we can’t measure or document but significant just the same.

How will you start? You can never end because it can always be done at least 1% better.

A taste of the future?

This video is a tad-bit slow moving but is a scary look into what some of our currant politicians would like to see here in the US.

Personal Ministry

What would your personal ministry look like if time, money and support were all in sufficient supply?

What's keeping you from realizing your Personal ministry goals right now?

Begin praying for your own ministry and make the necessary sacrifices to make it a reality.

Ask God to bless it, expand it, place His hand in it, and keep it pure.
(paraphrased Jabez prayer, 1 Chronicles 4:10)

Prairie Camp 2007

Pick me! Pick me!

There you are in a crowded auditorium among a few friends and many strangers. The speaker makes a familiar invitation from the stage “can I get a volunteer?” your hand instinctively goes up. As you scan the audience you notice surprisingly few hands are raised. Perhaps it is because this was an adult audience, I guess the “pick me, pick me” mentality could be a bit childish. Or could it be that they all know something about this speaker that you don’t. He seems to be a descent guy, but can you really trust him? Is this his plan to embarrass you or make yuo look foolish? Your mind is battling back and forth, yes, no, maybe. You suddenly realize that he is calling on you. You clumsily stand to your feet and shuffle past those seated in your row. It seems like forever until you reach the isle. You can feel the hundreds of eyes watching as you move down to the front. Thankfully the speaker continues to address the audience taking the focus off of you. As you approach the stage you are motioned to wait to the side. You wait a minute and then two. What is this, did you volunteer to come to the front and stand for the whole event? As this guy goes on and on will the opportunity ever come for you to do your thing and get back to your seat? Why wasn’t there some explanation of this commitment before asking for volunteers? Doubt and regret fill your mind as you stand there waiting and wondering, what have I gotten myself into?

I volunteered, on Tuesday, July 31.

I’ve found myself in an unusual point in life. I have been looking for something for at least a year now. What it is I am looking for is still unclear. I think it began when I was asked the question “what sin are you struggling with”? I couldn’t give an answer at that moment but the question stayed with me. What sin do I struggle with? My answer came to me weeks later, at first it may appear to be arrogant or proud but on the contrary I believe it to be very humbling.

Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

My greatest sin is not what I’ve done, but what I haven’t done.

The focus of this statement should not be on the first half, but on the second. Of course I have sin. I sin daily, I’m sure. I’ve been in the church all my life and I don’t drink, smoke, or swear. I don’t have a temper and remain patient in most circumstances. So I must be a “good” Christian, right? What have I done? What am I doing? What is my personal mission? Who is my mission field? How has my life contributed to the salvation of others? As mentioned, I have struggled with this reality for quite sometime now.

I’ve cried out to God for help to turn this corner in my life. I’ve waited for God to give me direction. Just a glimpse of what He has in store for me. I’ve continued to read and pray, but I keep longing for a life changing touch of the Holy Spirit. Jacob’s life was a dysfunctional mess most of his life and yet he wrestled with God and was blessed. Moses spent 40 years tending sheep and yet God called him to free Israel from bondage. Peter was known for sticking his foot in his mouth and yet he preached to the masses at Pentecost with thousands coming to Christ.

I raised my hand (metaphorically speaking) and said that whatever You have for me, I will do. Tuesday night it was as if God looked me in the eye and called me by name. I don’t know how long it will take for me to stumble through the crowd or how long I’ll be waiting at the side for direction. But this I know, God has a plan for my life. He will be with me. Even though I get impatient, God is still willing to work through this forty year-old, uninspired, unworthy, and undeserving servant. Lord willing I will serve Him with all my heart.

Ok, I might like some cats

Asleep In The Light

Keith Green has a powerful way of sharing Gods heart through song.