Bread for the journey

Newcomers and assimilation

2012-01-31T14:23:00.000-05:00

God is blessing us at our church with many, many first, second and third time guests.

Checking us out.

It is my burden and desire that we do everything we can to see that they connect.

Now before I go on (and risk the chance of you not reading this entire blog) let me say this.

The burden of the assimilation of new folks lies with each one of us - individually.

Let me put it negatively to make this point: Sunday after Sunday I see people in the foyer speaking with the same people - while newcomers walk right on by.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think it is great to see old friends, talk to them in the hallway and share of the week's experiences.

And I know that we all want our church to grow - to see people to Christ.

Solution: Let's all take personal responsibility of reaching out to someone we don't know - with a "Great to see you today!" "I am so glad that you are here!"

Now then, let me say this:

When a person first visits our church, everything speaks to the first-time guest. They notice every aspect of our church family.

We need to be aware that hospitality begins in the parking lot and continues through the week in follow up communication.

Most church scholars say that a first-time guest will make up his / her mind about coming back to the church in the first seven minutes, so the first impression is very important.

During that time, the first time guest needs to be: Greeted, Directed, Treated, and Seated.
It is important for the first-time guest to be met and welcomed with a handshake and a smile.

We can all do this (see above). A first-time guest is going to feel a bit uncomfortable in the new surroundings. Even though we are comfortable with each other – to the first-time guest, they have just walked into a room full of strangers.

It is important that we show them where things are.

Don't just "point the way" to a classroom, actually take them there.

The signs in the foyer have been put there to make it easier for a first-time guest to feel welcomed and so that they can easily find important facilities in the church building.

It’s also important to put a cup of coffee in the hands of a visitor. It’s amazing how a little cup of coffee or a donut in a napkin can provide security for a person that feels a bit out of place.

Finally, it is important to help the person find a comfortable place in the sanctuary prior to worship. And it goes without saying that we – as God’s people – never, I mean never, go to a person and ask them to move because they are sitting in our seat.

The goal for all of this work and preparation is very simple. We are trying to get that first time guest to come back a second time. Then we work hard to keep that second-time guest coming back on a regular basis. The goal is to get them to become fully-fledged members of the congregation.

We need to keep in mind the three R’s as we work people through this process, because it is actually quite easy to loose people in the gaps between each of these important points in our hospitality process.

Nelson Searcy in his book "Fusion" writes, "So when the first-time guests walk through our doors, the goal is to earn Return visits from them. When next we see these guests, we strive to get them to build meaningful Relationships with people in the congregation. Finally, when the guests are connected to people and are attending regularly, we work to provide these folks meaningful Responsibilities."

Hey, why not give it a try this Sunday! You won't regret it.

Thoughts from the weekend

2012-01-30T13:49:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

It was wonderful to CELEBRATE the sale of our Palos Property together!

God is good - all the time!

As Frank Wolf said yesterday, many thanks to our church family for working with us (two business meetings) and praying!

You are ALL loved and appreciated!

I enjoyed the worship at the end of both services.

"Father, we desire to experience not only your presence but your glory."

We praise God for what He has done in our lives.

We worship God for who He is.

Second service yesterday - lots of new faces.

Our word for the year as a pastoral staff - assimilation. We as a church family must minister and work at assimilating all of the wonderful folks that God is sending us.

It is exciting!

What a challenge to have!

Upward basketball on Saturday mornings continues to be an incredible time of connection to non-churched people - as well as ministry to our own church family.

Condolences to Rob McFarlin who's mom went to be with the Lord last week.

Congratulations to Gary and Joyce Arvin for turning 50! We had the privilege of celebrating with them on Saturday evening (along with many family and friends).

I encourage everyone to invite a friend to come to one of our church services.

Hey, while I am thinking about it - let me also invite you to come to our marriage conference with Dave and Millie Gable on Friday, February 10th and Saturday February 11th.

The cost is free - child care provided.

Guys, nothing would please your "bride" more than bringing her to at least one of the two sessions.

Just trying to help you. :)

Friday: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Saturday: 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.

Room 102 at the church.

Our theme statement for the year: We desire to over hope and over believe each challenge set before us.

Can't wait to see you again Sunday!

Jerk abuse

2012-01-26T13:10:00.000-05:00

All of us deal with jerks in our lives.

(A great book (from a spiritual standpoint) on this subject is: "Don't let the jerks get the best of you," by Dr. Paul Meier.)

Now we all have moments of "jerkiness" but some folks are just plain jerks (to use Dr. Meier's terminology).

They abuse us with their jerkiness. I have a few people like that in my life - and so do you.

They always seem to do or say the wrong thing.

What do you do?

If you are like me - the hardest thing to do is to react to jerky behavior in a godly way (and I have a self-imposed double pressure in this - being a pastor and all).

Dr. Meier suggest that three steps in dealing with jerky behavior and the anger that you feel - admit that the person's jerky behavior makes you angry by analyzing why are you angry, verbalizing the anger as lovingly as possible and neutralizing the anger through forgiveness.

Analyze your anger - in other words, is my anger legitimate? If I get pulled over by the police for speeding, I am exercising a "false right" in becoming angry. In other words, my anger is not legitimate.

If I expect perfection from others and that perfection is not met, I am exercising a "false right" in becoming angry - for as we know - no one is perfect.

Perfectionist (or the judgemental Christian) have an especially hard time with this. Some of the angriest people I know are perfectionists. They expect flawless behavior from their spouses, their children, their co-workers, their bosses, their pastors.

And when their expectations are not met, and someone doesn't deliver in the way they thought that person should - they get angry.

Unmet expectations always lead us to anger - and to jerkiness.

As a brother in Christ, one of the first questions I ask myself is this, "Do I act like that? Do I say things like that?" I try to use it as a tool to look at myself and avoid jerky behavior in the future.

Analyze your anger.

But we can also verbalize our anger (in the face of jerkiness) in a godly way.

One way is to use "I" statements.

"I was upset when I didn't hear from you. I got worried."

"I don't think what you said was fair, and I didn't appreciate it."

"I get very irritated when the kitchen is left messy."

I have failed at this in the past and have reacted to jerky behavior with jerkiness.

Here's the principle: We never win with jerks by becoming jerks.

And then forgive. Neutralize the anger by turning it over to God.

More than anything else, we as Christians struggle with forgiveness in the face of jerkiness.

Forgiveness is always given. Whether that person deserves it or not.

But here is what Dr. Meier says, "beware of jerks who can do you harm."

As a pastor, that is hard, for I am called to minister to everyone. I mean everyone. Whether I like someone or not, whether they treat me like a jerk or not, when they are in need, God's calling for my life is to minister to them the best I can.

However, that doesn't mean that we will be best friends.

Now a word of caution:

Too often, I see people who go to the other extreme of not talking to jerks at all, or avoiding them, or giving them the "silent treatment". That is not what I am talking about.

I am talking about not placing yourself in a position where you continually experience someone else's jerkiness. For example, you might be in a foursome with a jerk (playing golf). Ultimately, the solution is not to play golf in the foursome (if speaking honestly with the jerk does not work).

Why be masochistic about it?

(By the way, if you are married to a jerk - get godly counseling).

Anyway, may we all be blessed with an absence of jerks in our lives - and even more importantly - may we not treat others in a jerky way.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Pointing people to Jesus

2012-01-25T16:04:00.001-05:00

The days of an inner desire on my part to have a "nationally known" ministry are long gone.

All I want to do is to point people to Jesus.

As John the Baptizer said in John 3:30, "He must increase, I must decrease."

At the end of the day, it matters not who gets the glory - only the Kingdom of God matters.

It's all about Jesus.

Accolades are nice, don't get me wrong - and I do appreciate it when people express their thanks to me for ministry.

But it is all about Jesus.

One of the strengths of growing older is that you become comfortable with that.

I leave you with a thought from Francis Chan:

He tells the story about a man named Vaughn who radiated the love of Christ to everyone around him:

A few years ago, a missionary came to our church and told a beautiful story about sharing the gospel with a remote tribe in Papua New Guinea. At the end of the story this missionary said, "I should really give the credit to Vaughn, my former youth pastor who loved me and inspired me to live for Christ and share the gospel with others."

The next week another guy came to our church and he challenged us to start sponsoring kids living in poverty. The second speaker also concluded by saying, "I'm involved in this ministry because of my youth pastor, a guy named Vaughn." I found out those guys were from the same youth group!

Then the next week another speaker named Dan told us about his ministry at a rescue mission in the inner city of L.A. After Dan's talk, I casually mentioned, "It was so weird: the last two weeks both of our speakers mentioned how much impact their youth pastor, Vaughn, had on them."

Dan looked surprised and then he told me, "I know Vaughn. He's a pastor in San Diego now, and he takes people into the dumps in Tijuana where kids are picking through the garbage. I was just with Vaughn in Tijuana. We would walk in the city, and these kids would run up to him, and he would show such deep love and affection for them. He'd hug them and have gifts and food for them. He'd figure out how to get them showers.

Francis, it was eerie: the whole time I was walking with Vaughn, I kept thinking, If Jesus was on earth, I think this is what it would feel like to walk with him. He just loved everyone he ran into, and he would tell them about God. People were just drawn to his love and affection." And then Dan said this, "The day I spent with Vaughn was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

Francis Chan states:

"Hearing this made me think, Would anyone in their right mind say that about me? Would anyone say that about you? … As I thought about all this, I prayed, "Lord, that's what I want. I don't want to be the best speaker in the world. That doesn't matter. I don't want to be the most intelligent person on the planet. That's not what I want to be known for. I want to be known for someone saying, "Wow, he's a lot like Jesus."

I echo that........

The perfect timing of God

2012-01-24T17:02:00.000-05:00

God's timing is always right perfect.

That is an absolute - a statement of fact.

Now, that obviously means that His timing is not always my timing (nor are His ways many times my ways - Isaiah 55:8), but at the end of the day - God always, and I mean always, knows best.

Let me say, before I go on, that the Palos Property Sale is now complete. We have officially closed on the sale of our former church campus!

Praise God! We sincerely and gratefully give God glory.

It is obviously a relief to all of us - especially those of us who have put a great amount of time and effort into the process.

Many, many thanks to Frank Wolf for his help. His time, energy and faithfulness was incredible!

Anyway, I can now stop sleeping like a baby (getting up every two hours and crying). :)

The sale of the property on 127th street is an even greater miracle when we consider these two facts:

1. We received our final occupancy permit from the village of Orland Park this month. That means that we will have to start paying the principle on our loan - and our mortgage goes up.

2. We sold our previous church campus during the same month. That means that our overall mortgage payment will go down.

Same month.

Same time frame.

God's timing is always perfect.

God is never too early, He is never too late, He is always on time.

So, what are you waiting for today? A healing? A job? A financial reversal?

I encourage you to realize that you can hold on to God during this time. But even more importantly, God is holding on to you.

Rejoicing with you......

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2012-01-23T10:50:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Great spirit of worship yesterday.

Full house in the second service.

Wonderful, wonderful time of fellowship in our newcomers luncheon. Several new families came.

Thanks to Joanna Campins for "putting it all together".

It's fantastic to be around folks who are excited about our church!

Our condolences to Susan Fleischhauer on the loss of her dad. We had the funeral last Saturday. I am grateful that he accepted Christ into his life 22 days before he died on Christmas Eve.

It is never too late to connect with Jesus Christ.

New England - New York Super Bowl - Ugh.

We are supposed to close today on the Palos Property Sale at 1:30 P.M. I encourage everyone to pray that there will not be any last minute "hitches".

All we can do is to trust in God.

I remain grateful for the many who are ministering in our church (ministry is simply an act of service given in the name of Jesus). You are a continual encouragement to me.

We are going to miss our "snowbirds" who go to Florida this week. Be safe!

I am sooooo excited about the upcoming sermon series on the Gospel of Jesus, "The Jesus Way." 33 weeks in the book.

My desire is that we see, understand and draw closer to Jesus this year.

Let's all continue to pray 60 seconds a day for our church and community (5 days a week).

Pray that God will continue to see people saved.

Pray that our finances will continue to come in.

Pray that people will grow in Christ.

People need the Lord!

My goal is not to change people - my goal is to love people.

Love you all!

Stuff and other stuff

2012-01-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

We all have stuff (which by the way is a uniquely American word).

We see it, want it, buy it, display it, insure it and compare it with other people's stuff.

As John Ortberg writes, "We talk about whether or not they have too much stuff; we envy or pass judgement on other people's collections of stuff. We collect our own little pile. We imagine that if that pile got big enough, we would feel successful or secure."

When you buy a house - what do you do? You put your stuff in it.

You keep getting more stuff - and then you need a bigger house.

George Carlin once said that a "house is a pile of stuff with a cover on it."

Hard to believe that some people have lived without one - like Jesus.

I was reading today that there are now more than 30,000 self-storage facilities in our country offering over a billion square feet for people to store their stuff.

In the 1960's, this industry did not exist.

We now spend $12 billion a year just to pay someone to store our extra stuff!

Some people need a "stuff exorcist." ;)

Someone to help them get rid of their "stuff".

Yet, let me take you in a different, yet related direction.

Did you know that God owns a lot of stuff?

David writes in Psalms 31:19, "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men or those who take refuge in you."

God has a storage facility full of goodness.

God's got goodness in storage that belongs to those who have a relationship with Him - who are connected to Him,. He has stuff that He wants to share, is ready to share, and desire to share with those who love Him and are obedient to His commands.

The question becomes: what kind of stuff do you crave?

Earthly, temporary stuff? Or heavenly, eternal stuff?

Just a thought for a Thursday

A dog and its vomit

2012-01-18T10:36:00.000-05:00

A dog and its vomit.

Yuck.

Doesn't sound good to me.

I have an app on my phone that gives a Psalms or a Proverb every day. I don't look at it every day, but every so often I do when I need to be uplifted in my spirit.

This morning, I clicked on the app and the Proverb was from Proverb 26:11, "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly."

So much for being uplifted. :)

Why do dogs return to their vomit?

They have a low threshold to vomiting. Dogs fail to recognize the difference between real food and their own vomit. In the same way, we can fail to recognize sin in our lives and keep going back to it again and again, not realizing how distasteful it is.

They are used to it. In the same way, we can become so habitualized to our sin that we lose sight of the tastes and the smells of what we are doing.

I guess what I am saying is this (I'm going to the point quickly so that I don't continue to gross myself out):

If you have gone back to some sinful habit or action from the past - stop! Do a turn around today!

Recognize it for what it is - a stench in the nostrils of God!

I would encourage each of us to pause for just a moment as you are reading this and ask God, "in what area of my life have I returned to that which has been forgiven and put aside?" "What old habit (that has been laid aside) have I picked back up?"

Gossip? Slander? Worry? Anxiousness? Fear? Alcohol? Drugs?

Don't be a dog today - go back to being a brother or sister in the Lord - filled with God's Spirit. Eat of the pure, tasteful Word of God.

And you will be filled, satisfied and strengthened.

Just a challenging thought for today.

Thoughts from the weekend

2012-01-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Wonderful, wonderful Saturday at Upward Basketball!

I met several new families.

Great spirit.

Excellent devotion from David Dewes at halftime.

God is doing a great work!

Thanks to everyone who is participating - this is the beginning of great things to come!

My condolences to Pastor Noah. I am wearing black today in honor of him as he grieves over his Green Bay Packers losing yesterday.

An NFL team can't win playoff games dropping passes.

I appreciated Rick Malender's life group announcement yesterday.

Come on Sunday mornings, attend a life group, serve in a ministry!

We are a place to belong, grow and serve.

It makes my Sunday to see new guests come and visit us.

I can sense it - feel it - and believe it - this is going to be a tipping point year for us.

We need "all hands on deck" this year.

I encourage everyone to join a ministry.

Thanks to all who signed up to pray for 60 seconds a day (5 days a week). We had over 70 signed up. Looking for over 200. Please pray about signing up. Praying for our church and community - 60 seconds a day.

Thankful for the best staff that I have ever worked with....Noah, Amanda and Aldin.....

May God give you grace, peace and contentment this week.

"Seek first God's kingdom, his presence, his peace, and then all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Love you all........

Cheetah's and God's presence

2012-01-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

Before I get into my blog today - let me share with you that we are cancelling our service tonight (Thursday, January 12, 2012) because of a winter storm warning for this evening.

We will, however, be meeting tomorrow evening, Friday, January 13, 2012, at 7:00 P.M. - to conclude our week of prayer.

I invite you to come tomorrow evening and worship with us.

Now then, let me share with you this that - spending time in God's presence need not be a quick "meet and greet" but a prolonged conversation where relationship is strengthened.

I was reading about the African cheetah today - apparently the cheetah (one of the fastest animals on the face of the earth), must run down its prey to eat. It can move at speeds of up to seventy miles an hour.

Very cool.

However, the issue is that the cheetah has a disproportionately small heart, which causes it to tire quickly.

If it doesn't catch its prey quickly, the cheetah must end the chase.

Many desire to "chase after God", to "run into his presence", but because their heart is not spiritually strong they tire easily and give up. Their spiritual hearts are so small they don't have any staying power and leave quickly.

I see it every Sunday. Altar calls are given, an appeal to spend time in the presence of the Lord, and some can't wait to get out into the foyer to have fellowship with one another.

But what about God?

How big is your heart?

I want my heart to be so big and so strong (spiritually) that I lose track of time and wait upon the Lord - and there my strength is renewed.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Holy Spirit surprises

2012-01-11T11:06:00.001-05:00

I never ceased to be amazed at the way that the Holy Spirit moves - Holy Spirit "surprises."

Last night was a case in point.

While we have an overall "game plan" as to how we expect and desire God to move (as a pastoral staff), we always, always leave room for God to do his "thing".

We began as normal last night, a few worship choruses, the excellent DVD from Francis Chan (Encountering the Holy Spirit), and David and Hank shared some thoughts about God's love.

We then began to worship again, and bam (!) God moved - but in a quiet and gentle way.

Some began to weep, others knelt around the altar. We stayed until around 9:00 P.M. It seemed like no one wanted to leave. Choruses were sung a capella. Old choruses.

I was reminded of the chorus we sang decades ago, "there's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place - and I know that it is the spirit of the Lord."

Sometimes God moves in our worship times with almost a warrior like ferociousness. Other times he moves like a lamb.

Last night was one of those times.

Lesson? Let's always be open to the way that we experience God as we come together in corporate worship.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

The church and the home

2012-01-10T16:39:00.002-05:00

There is one generational struggle that I see happening in the church today.

It's the struggle between how much we should do at home and how much we should do at the church.

Can there be a cooperation between the two - or a constant struggle as to how much time we spend with each?

Probably the best word here is balance.

When Debbie and I were raising our kids, we took our kids to church constantly. Every night the church doors were open (to exaggerate just a little bit), we were there.

I grew up the same way - sleeping on the pew of the church on many a Sunday night (and I was 16 - just kidding)

I think I turned out okay (which is debatable I know) and I know my kids are turning out okay.

All I am calling for is balance.

Some parents have gone to the other extreme, not coming to church but once a week, if at all, under the guise of "family time."

I love "family time," don't get me wrong, but we can't use it as an excuse to not participate in the life of the church. Besides, what better place to have "family time", but with other Christians?

Now then, that being said, I know that there are those who might be involved in a church or with religious activities to the point that their home life is hurting - and to them I say, if you are too involved, you are heading for trouble.

But to be candid with you, I don't see that a lot.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2012-01-09T15:30:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Powerful, powerful services with Allan Griffin yesterday.

Many, many were baptized in the Holy Spirit last night.

Praise God!

Saw one young lady throw her cigarettes on the altar - as a commitment to quit the addiction.

There is nothing like experiencing God's presence.

Some were "slain the in the spirit".

Wonderful to see young people worshipping and experiencing God.

Our worship team yesterday - one word - exceptional.

I love Jesus!

It's fun to have fun in church.

Church doesn't have to be boring.

Great attendance, good offerings yesterday - I am grateful.

Good to get away the past few days for vacation - great to be back home and seeing God move.

Debbie and I celebrated 31 years of marriage while we were gone. She is the love of my life and outside of Jesus, my best friend.

I know my previous statement is corny, but it is true. :)

I sincerely believe this is going to be the great year for our church.

I am genuinely more excited about this year as a lead pastor than I have been about any other year in a long time.

As we close on the sale of the Palos Property, the relief I feel is not so much the financial reward for us (and I am relieved about that) but the fact that for the next couple of years I get to focus full time on sheer ministry to people.

I loved Allan's humorous teachings.

I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

Allan lives what he teaches. While we were at a restaurant, he asked our server what he could pray with her about.

It remains a beautiful day in Illinois.

For those who are pessimist - yeah "winter" is coming, I'll grant you that, but we don't have to "look forward to it."

I understand there was a great Upward Basketball practice last Saturday. Look forward to the games beginning this Saturday, January 14, 2012.

2012. I am just now getting used to writing, "2000 something," rather than "19 something".

I am thankful for those around me who are catching the vision of where we are head as a church - and who love, support and pray for Debbie and me.

Tonight's game? LSU - Alabama? It's a toss up. I have no prediction.

I encourage you to come to at least two or three of our five session this week for our week of prayer. Our theme? "Encountering God."

Loving Jesus.......

What does God want for Christmas?

2011-12-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

What does God want for Christmas?

Me. You. Our devotion. Our praise. Purposeful conversation.

I've said for years that the "reason for the season is Jesus" and that's correct. But in another sense, "the reason for the season is you and me." Jesus, the son of God becoming a son of man so that we who are sons of men might become sons of God.

Immanuel - God with us.

Died for us and rose again that we might have a relationship with Him.

God, more than anything else this week, desires that we commit (or recommit) our lives to Christ.

And converse with Him.

I was reading today of a little boy who knelt at his bed and said his bedtime prayers.

He prayed, "Lord, please bless Mommy, and daddy, and brother and sister. And Lord, please give us a good day tomorrow. And please give me a bicycle for CHRISTMAAAAAAS!"

The boy's mother heard him yelling and wondered what was going on. She walked into her son's bedroom and said quietly, "Son, you don't have to scream and yell, God can hear you."

The boy looked up with his big brown eyes and said, "but Mom, I know God can hear me, but Grandma can't hear very well, and she's down the hall!"

What God desires from us this Christmas is a quiet, meaningful conversation with Him.

I would encourage all of us to slow down for just a few moments each day until Christmas Day, and share with the Father of how much we love him.

And God will be blessed. And God will smile. And God will be pleased.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Debbie and I love you all - very much!

Don't go by your emotions!

2011-12-21T15:07:00.000-05:00

Don't go by your emotions!

Good advice.

Most of the time our emotions are based on circumstances that come our way.

If circumstances are good - we "feel" good.

If circumstances are bad - we "feel" bad.

While some of that is natural and normal, we must continually resist the temptation to be "ruled over" or controlled by our emotions.

Whose report am I going to believe?

I am going to believe the report of the Lord.

You have had the experience and so have I.

A police car pulls up behind you with its lights flaring and flashing. What emotions do you feel? You feel kind of sick inside - right? A flash of fear and regret comes.

You probably begin to feel nervous.

Your heart starts pounding, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom.

Even if you get a bit of relief when the police car pulls out to the side of you in pursuit of somebody else, it can take a few moments before you get your emotions back into check and in line with the facts.

Don't depend upon your emotions.

They can lie. They can "not" tell the truth.

They can lead you down the wrong path.

Instead, stick to the facts.

An element of "these things too shall pass" needs to come into play.

When it comes to our walk with Christ, we must learn to rely on the truth of God' s Word and His over 7,000 promises to us.

I encourage you today to go back to the Bible. Read the Bible in your time of emotional stress and need.

And it will calm your fears, and soothe your soul.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

Belly buttons and the church

2011-12-20T12:14:00.000-05:00

We all have one. A belly button that is.

Some have "outies". Some have "inies."

(I know what you are thinking - where in the world is he going with this - and how does it apply to the church?)

Well, a church can have an outward focus or an inward focus.

A church can move forward by faith and seek to save the lost - or it can be mired in the past and the sole end game of meeting its own felt needs.

As a church, are we an "iny" or are we an "outy"?

Jesus said in Mark 11:20-23, "Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart."

Some people along the way have stopped believing in a mountain -moving God because:

- A small group experience didn't meet their expectations, so they no longer believe God can lead them to the right group.

- The people they invited to church came but did not become Christ-followers, so they no longer believe that the Holy Spirit can use them to reach the lost.

- They tithed but still suffered a tragedy in their life, so they stopped believing that God would bless their obedience.

- Someone in the church hurt them, so they don't trust anyone, anymore, at anytime.

When people stop believe in a mountain-moving God they:

- establish more policies and committees that help the church steer clear of pain.

- get stuck in their favorite ways to "do" church so they can feel secure.

- criticize their leaders for taking chances.

- chose to be suspicious of their people (leaders) rather than trusting.

- shy away from making difficult decisions.

- actually begin to believe that the church is only about them and their ministry.

- fill their conversations with what has happened in the past. "I remember when we (and you fill in the blank)," they say.

Here's what I would suggest for 2012. In order for our church to be blessed and bear fruit we must stop being "inies" in the faith and become "outies".

We must focus on those who do not know Jesus while at the same time focusing our attention on the amazing power of the Holy Spirit!

Any church can be an "iny" (with a sole focus on themselves, their feelings, their needs, and their wants).

May God help us to continue to look outward - to a lost and dying world.

Will you join me? Will you join me as we attempt to reach the lost through Upward Basketball, City Church outreach, inviting people to our small groups, bringing someone to church, talking about Christ with someone on a weekly, if not a daily basis?

And God will bless us for it. God will bless you for it.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-12-19T14:16:00.001-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

We had 710 in attendance yesterday for our two Sunday morning services.

God did a great work!

Many, many came to Christ.

The production was practically flawless.

As we depend upon the Holy Spirit - God does great things!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated. Thank you for your faithfulness, hard work and time!

Truly, we do "have a Savior"!

We prayerfully anticipate building off of yesterday and ride some spiritual momentum into an even greater future for our church.

God is faithful. All the time. God is good. All the time.

Thank you Amanda! You did a wonderful job!

To see young and old alike in the musical - priceless.

If I could say this, I was really pleased and proud of my wife Debbie - her song was beautiful and anointed by God!

Met a lot of new people yesterday - and family and friends of those who go to our church.

Picking up a little boy who was running around at the beginning of the first service in the chapel - priceless (it reminded me of me when I was growing up).

We are a family church - a church with an emphasis on family.

That's who we are.

That came through yesterday.

Met with Pastor Aldin and Jon Hollowell today concerning Upward Basketball. We are a go! We are going to have our first, official league!

Jon and Cheri - wonderful soldiers in the army of God. They are picking up the "torch" of Upward Basketball - giving of their time and effort (and prayers). Jon and Cheri - we love you!

Thanks for all that you do!

We are thankful for a committed, godly leadership team for Upward Basketball!

I also want to thank our church staff for all their hard work this year.

Many thanks to Pastor Aldin who has and continues to "fill in the cracks" on what needs to be done at our church. His stable leadership in many areas is a big help.

Thanks to Noah for his willingness to "pitch in" and doing anything that is needed. We are grateful for all that God is doing with the teenagers of our church.

Thanks to Amanda - again, the musical was powerful, filled with the ministry presence of God!

I want to also thank our office staff, for their many long hours of work and faithfulness (most of which is "behind the scenes"). Thanks to Debbie, Jan and Rosemary - Mike as well (our church custodian).

Our child care is doing well. Thanks to Shirley and her staff. Thanks, Lord for helping us out!

We need each other.

As we stand together, united, we will do a great work for God on the southwest side of Chicago.

God has great things in store for us in 2012!

I am excited about the future!

Merry Christmas, my dear friend - Debbie and I love you very much!

Oh, and by the way, the Dallas Cowboys won. You thought I would forget to put that in this week, didn't you!

Conversing with God

2011-12-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

A lot of times people don't pray because they think they don't know how to pray.

In reality, prayer is simply having a conversation with God, through His Son Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit's help.

If someone is not a great "conversationalist", than the Holy Spirit can help them as they communicate with the Father.

However, at its core, prayer is not a science, nor are there "seven steps to successful praying," - prayer is an art. It is birthed and participated in out of a relationship with God.

The more I know God, in one sense, the easier it is to talk with him.

The big difference, I would think, between knowing God and knowing others, is that I believe it is a lot easier to "get to know" God than it is other people.

Others can have hidden agenda, baggage from their past whereby they don't want to converse - God has none of those things.

God is never in a bad mood. He never has a bad hair day.

He's always the same. Always ready to communicate with us in a positive way.

He never has one of those days where he wants to hunker down and be by himself.

He never needs just "me time."

God desires to communicate with you. God desires to communicate with me.

Today.

While there are no "seven steps to successful praying" (and by the way, what is successful praying - getting what I want or what God wants - just a thought), let me give you some tips that might help you in your conversations with God.

Scriptures teaches us that I pray "to the Father" (John 16:23) and in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:12-15).

The Holy Spirit helps me (if I allow Him to) as I pray (Romans 8:26).

I must converse with the Father knowing that I do have rights and privileges in coming to Him.

I must always pray in sync with God's Word. God will never grant any request that is contrary to His Word (John 15:7)

I must pray in faith, believing that God not only hears, but will answer (James 1:6).

I must thank God in advance (through praise) for the answer (Philippians 4:6).

At any rate, if comforts me (and I trust you) to know that I can talk with the Father anytime, anywhere. And he is always there.

God doesn't have voice mail. He doesn't put me on hold. He answers my "tweets" immediately.

Without hesitation.

So, have multiple conversations with God today.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

I can't or I won't?

2011-12-13T15:38:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday I shared one of my life verses from Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

I love that verse.

It is a "can do" verse.

I like to hang around "can do" people. Those who don't make excuses.

The polar opposite of "I can" is "I can't".

When asked to minister, to volunteer, many times Christians will respond in the following:

"I will go home and pray about it." Translation? That means it is a flat out "no."

"I will go home and speak with my spouse about it." Again, not much of a chance there. You might see snow in the Sahara desert first.

Others say, "I just can't. I'm too busy." Well, I understand that and even empathize with that. Some of us need to learn to say no. We can't do everything.

But then there are those who say, "I can't," but what they really mean is, "I won't".

"I don't want to do that."

Some Christians say:

"I just can't get along with my spouse."

"My spouse and I can't communicate."

"I can't discipline the kids like I should."

"I just can't give up the affair I'm having."

"I can't stop overeating."

"I can't find the time to pray."

"I can't quit gossiping."

"I can't help out at the church."

What they really mean is this:

"I just won't get along with my spouse."

"My spouse and I won't communicate."

"I won't discipline the kids like I should."

"I just won't give up the affair I"m having."

"I won't stop overeating."

"I won't find the time to pray."

"I won't quit gossiping."

"I won't help out at the church."

Those who are non-Christians have every right and reason to use the word, "can't".

Why? Because they really "can't". They aren't connected to Christ. They aren't relying on the Holy Spirit.

They are victims, trapped and bound like wounded animals in a trap set by Satan and our culture.

Here's what I know: it is very hard to do anything without Christ.

It is hard to change anything without Christ.

It is hard to commit to anything without Christ.

But with Christ? I can do all things.

Is there a "won't" in your life that you've been calling a "can't"? Give that over to the Lord today.

And memorize Philippians 4:13.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-12-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

I am grateful to the Lord for the way that He continues to watch over His church.

Stone Church is God's church.

God will always, always take care of His church.

God continues to send us great people.

I am thankful for all of our new visitors and guests.

Don't forget Upward Basketball (if you have a child - boy or girl - in grades K-6). We have 26 kids signed up! Praise God! Could always take some more!

Great to hear God's word spoken yesterday (by memory) by Caleb Czaja and Kaitlyn Hong (Hebrews 1 and 6 respectively). Young people speaking forth God's Word - priceless! Good work young people!

Thanks to all of our TBQ and JBQ leadership - we appreciate all that you do.

Christmas is the season to give all of our stress to God.

Christmas is about Jesus.

Christmas is a time of joy and peace.

Our church is filled with good people who love God and each other.

God is doing something very, very good in our church.

I encourage everyone to invite a non-churched friend this Sunday for our annual Christmas musical. I will be giving an appeal to everyone to connect with Christ.

Can't wait to see my kids again at Christmas.

Tim Tebow - what can I say? God's man for the hour.

Never "bet" against a man of God.

My Cowboys - I can't even write anything. My lands.

Many, many thanks to our church family for the Christmas love offering yesterday to our church staff!

It's a privilege to serve you as pastors and staff.

Popping off

2011-12-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

I have purposed in my heart that in 2012 I am going to really work on "popping off".

I am supposed to be a "man of God," but I still wrestle with saying things that I shouldn't in the heat of the moment.

My prayer is that I would continue to grow in this area.

I read something last week that really, really has helped me - and give me a target to shoot for.

Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback, this we all know.

One Super Bowl. Consecutive wins (I don't know how many exactly - 12 this year). Maybe another Super Bowl coming up.

Probably will be in the Hall of Fame some day.

Yet what really strikes me about Aaron Rodgers is his ability to live and act in a dignified way.

When he first came into the NFL he sat on the bench behind Brett Favre. For several years. He had the arm. He has the talent. He studied. He worked hard.

But even more than this - he kept his mouth shut when a very hungry Green Bay fan base wanted him to play - and in doing so take a shot at Favre, who was doing absolutely nothing in the way of mentoring Rodgers.

That's a rare form of courage and toughness.

During this season of his life he sought out Steve Young, who had endured a similar, difficult apprenticeship behind the great Joe Montana.

Steve Young coached Rodgers with this statement by telling him this, "never, ever allow yourself the cheap thrill of saying something just to make yourself feel better for a moment because something is unfair or not right. That always backfires on you. It never works out in the long run. And I'll tell you what: I've given that advice to other people and they have not heeded it, because it's hard....just do your job. Play football. And the benefits are great when you just hang tough. Don't play the victim. Don't complain."

Good stuff.

May we all be blessed with that kind of patience, courage and understanding.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Sunday listening

2011-12-07T12:27:00.001-05:00

Listening is a lost art in our culture today.

Our culture dictates hour hour shows, actually 23 minute shows with 7 minutes of commericals.

Face book.

Tweets.

Everything is quick and fast.

If a point can't be made in a matter of minutes, if not seconds, "forget about it." (said with a New York accent).

We are losing the ability to listen.

Now, to a certain extent, I am not pointing a finger at anyone - because even as a speaker, my mind can begin to wander (especially in the second service).

So, let me give you some "do's" of listening on Sunday mornings.

Do assume that the subject will be something you want to listen to. Avoid the habit of thinking, "I've heard that before," or "this doesn't apply to me." Any message will have a fresh insight or a helpful illustration that could apply to your life. Listening closely will confirm that.

Do give the speaker the benefit of the doubt. Teachings and sermons are imperfect. All speakers have faults and idiosyncrasies. If you focus on them, you will miss some profitable points being made. Listen for substance and avoid the trap of only listening to someone who fits the style that you like.

Do listen to the entire teaching before forming an opinion. Some subjects are charged with intense emotions. Effective listeners keep an open mind and restrain from arguing or agreeing (internally) until they fully understand the intent of the sermon itself.

Do take notes. It is a known fact that writing down the points of an outline and a few thoughts during the sermon keeps the mind from drifting off course.

Do come in (as much as possible) to the service on Sundays well rested and off a good night's sleep the night before. Give God your best - not the leftovers of your week of busyness.

As a listener, I always have the attitude that there is at least one "take away" that I can go home with.

No matter who the speaker is - I am always open to that one point (and sometimes that one point has been life-changing).

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

I love the church

2011-12-06T16:33:00.001-05:00

I believe that at this stage in my pilgrimage on this planet, I can begin to say things like, "I have given my life for the church."

My ultimate allegiance has been to Jesus Christ, but my whole ministry life has been in service to His body - the church.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, "I will build My church." And it is his church.

It is not "my church" or "your church" but it is "His church".

Some people see the church as a gas station. For some people today, the church is a place where you fill up your spiritual gas tank when you're running low. Get a good sermon, and it will keep you going for the week.

For others, the church is like a movie theater. For many people, the church is a place that offers entertainment. Go for an hour of escape, hopefully in comfortable seats. Leave your problems at the door and come out smiling and feeling better than when you went in.

Another view is that the church is like a drug store. For other people, church is the place where you can fill the prescription that will deal with your pain. For many the church is therapeutic.

For others still, the church is like a big box retailer. Other people see the church as the place that offers the best products in a clean and safe environment for you and your family. The church offers great service at a low price—all in one stop. For many people, the church is a producer of programs for children and young people.

The church is more than all of that. It is a place of love, forgiveness and acceptance. A place where I can grow in God and grow with others around me.

I love the church.

I know that in over 30 years of serving different churches as both a pastor and a missionary, that it is worth it all.

Let me tell you why.

Let me tell you why I believe in the church.

In such a superficial world of tweets, short sound bites on face book and other ways of communicating, the church is one of the only places where issues such as death, judgment, relationship, purpose, lasting priorities, meaning in life, identity, heaven and hell are discussed.

The church gives you and I meaning and purpose. I find my identity through a relationship with Jesus and His church.

The church stands upon the one absolute that we can all stand on - God's Word. God's word is timeless. Cultures may come and cultures may go - but God's Word endures.

The church is the only place where people (or should be the only place) care. I mean really care. Not for what you bring - but for who you are. We are not concerned about where you have been, only where you are and where you are going. Status and money mean nothing in God's church. Only a heart that seeks after God.

The church gives. And gives. And gives.

The church needs you. And you need the church.

I love Jesus. And I love the church.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-12-05T15:01:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

We had another great group of men at my men's life group last Saturday.

I really enjoyed hanging out with guys who are "going after God".

Growing in God in an individual thing before the Lord but also a "we" thing.

We really do need each other.

Accountability is a must - especially for men.

Really pleased with the response to the teaching yesterday - in both services.

First service response - a wonderful time together around the altar looking forward and praying for the future of our church family.

Second service response - praying for the needs of those who desire to "keep on walking" in life.

God calls me to persevere. His calling is to give me the power to do so.

Busy, busy time of year.

Amanda did a great job in leading in worship yesterday. We are grateful for a worship leader that loves God!

Thanks to all of the many, many volunteers who make a Sunday service happen. You are loved and appreciated.

My teams lost this past weekend: Dallas Cowboys and Michigan State. Oh, well.

God is leading us - let's all continue to seek his face!

Great to have lunch yesterday with two new families to our church. Quality families who love God.

Let's focus in on Jesus this season.

You are loved and appreciated!

"I am not a grasshopper!"

2011-12-01T17:14:00.000-05:00

The Bible is a book of pictures.

Scripture gives us a picture of God, a picture of the devil and a a photo (God's photo) of you and me.

We will accept one of these three possible evaluations of our lives.

What you think about you.

What Satan thinks about you.

What God thinks about you.

Whose "photo" of you are you going to believe?

In Numbers 13, we see the nation of Israel sending 12 spies into the "promise land" to check it out.

A reconnaissance patrol so to speak.

10 "spies" came backing saying, "In our opinion, we are like grasshoppers. Even the giants think we are like grasshoppers."

2 spies (Joshua and Caleb) came back saying, "we can go in and take the land."

I've heard a lot of people talk as if they belonged to the First Church of the Grasshopper!

"I am nothing," they say. "I am unworthy." "I can't do anything."

Let me ask you this - Did God create you? Yes.

Does God create trash? No.

God doesn't create cheap merchandise.

We are his creation.

We have worth.

We have value.

God desires that you succeed in life. God desires that you live in faith and power.

I encourage you to quit saying, "I am stupid, I am dumb." I encourage you to stop all of the negative self talk that flows through your mind every day.

Instead, have the mind of Christ.

Think to yourself and even say aloud, "I have the mind of Christ. In Jesus Christ, I am somebody. I can do all thinks through Christ who strengthens me."

My dear friend, you are no Grasshopper! So quit talking like one! Quit living like one!

Be God-conscious, not giant-conscious.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Again - "Pay it Forward"

2011-11-30T15:31:00.001-05:00

The main focus of my "pay it forward" participation (at the beginning of September) was at the Starbucks around the corner from our church.

"Pay it forward" is where you or I pay for someone's meal or purchase as a token of love and servanthood - with the idea that they will "pay it forward" to someone else.

It's been almost three months - and it is still talked about at the Starbucks with those who work there.

I drove through the drive thru today, and the server there told me this story:

She said that someone else this week came through the drive thru at Starbucks and told her that she wanted to pay for the person behind her.

When she asked, "how much," the server at Starbucks said it was over nine dollars.

The woman in her car said something like, "really? What did they get?" And then decided not to pay for the person behind her.

The server at Starbucks complimented me for my paying for the people behind me (last September) no matter what the cost - and she said, "the world would be a better place if everyone were like you."

Now, it's not me she is talking about personally - but simply the idea of reaching out and helping someone in love.

May we all reach out this week with a verbal word of encouragement or an actual action of love.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

Geese, unity and encourgement

2011-11-29T17:43:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here in my office on a late Tuesday afternoon, paused, and caught the sound of geese flying above our church building.

Honk, honk, honk.

We have a lot of them around us this time of year, mainly in the field next to us.

When I hear that sound, I go back to the illustration of encouragement and unity that I have used for years.

Geese fly together in a "V" formation.

They do that because it actually gives them 71 percent more efficiency in their flight and journey. When one goose is in trouble, two leave and join the one goose until it can get back up in the air again. They're committed to each other.

We all need encouragement from time to time and we all need to give encouragement to others (what goes around comes around).

Encouragement, it is said, is like peanut butter on bread. If you spread it around, it just helps things stick together better.

Can I ask you to do something this week? Encourage someone around you - whether they "deserve" it or not.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-11-28T15:48:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Great, I mean a totally wonderful Thanksgiving Day with my family!

Debbie out did herself with the meal that she prepared. Delicious! Spectacular!

The Dallas Cowboys won - barely.

Had a great time playing basketball with my nephews and my brother and dad.

Watched Debbie's favorite movie - Elf.

I love listening to Debbie laugh as she watches "Elf"

It was wonderful "hanging out" with George, Becky, Christie, Andrew and the two grand kids.

My grand kids are perfect - but aren't they all?

I love to go in and pick up Kinley (the 4 month old) right after she wakes up. She is a true jewel.

Her smile simply melts me.

Georgia is fun to listen to as she articulates her feelings. She is always, I mean always on the go.

It was fun spending most of the day on Saturday with Becky - Go Michigan State!

Rainy day for a football game at Northwestern - but we still had fun.

I am proud of all of my children - and love them very much.

Had a wonderful service yesterday with great crowds in both services for a Thanksgiving weekend.

God is on the move in our church!

Thankful for all the guests who came yesterday - I would encourage all of our church family to reach out to them.

Throughout the ups and downs and victories and defeats of life - Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I have a wonderful, caring, loving wife.

I enjoy worshipping with God's people.

Leftover turkey sandwiches with mayonnaise and pickles - nothing better.

Love you all!

George

Contrasts

2011-11-22T11:11:00.000-05:00

Many times we don't realize what we have until it is taken away.

That is so true. Whether it be our health, a personal friend or family member or even something as superficial as a material possession, we don't realize what we have until it is taken away.

Until there is a contrast.

We don't appreciate light until we are in the dark.

We don't appreciate a home cooked meal until we've been on the road for days if not weeks.

We don't appreciate the heat of summer until we are in the bone chilling cold of winter.

We don't appreciate the cool of fall and the cold of winter until we are in the stifling heat of summer.

Isn't that true?

You see, thanksgiving and appreciation are often related to contrasts.

One of the challenges that we (who have grown up in the church) have is that when someone is saved at an early age, and they never do anything terribly wrong or sinful in their lives, that they can begin to have feelings of self-righteousness and pride. As if they deserve their salvation.

There hasn't been a whole lot of contrast in their lives.

And that can be dangerous.

Now, I am NOT saying that the answer is to go out and live an awful life so that you can have contrast or a "testimony".

I am saying the answer is to see that self-righteousness stinks as badly as any other sin that anyone could commit.

The problems is not that we need to go out and do something to create this contrast that we are speaking of - the problem is we really have the contrast and we just don't know it.

Many are steeped in the sins of self-righteousness, pride and self-sufficiency. But because of the lack of recognition of contrast - they remain blind to their need.

We need to recognize that apart from Jesus we are nothing.

And that's something to be thankful for this week.

That the creator of the world, the God of the universe, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die for my sins - whether I have grown up in the church - or just walked in from the streets - it is all the same.

Thank you, Lord!

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-11-21T13:27:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend

It's a beautiful day today - and I am really getting geared up for my favorite day of the year - Thanksgiving.

Looking forward to seeing family.

Looking forward to seeing my children (and son-in-law).

Looking forward to seeing my grandchildren.

I have much to be thankful for.

We continue to see numerous guests come to our Sunday morning services!

We continue to brainstorm on how we can do an even better "job" at connecting these wonderful people to our church family.

All we can do is be faithful.

As we are faithful with a little - God will give us much.

Let's focus in this week (and be thankful) for what we DO have and not on what we DON'T have.

As I change myself, people around me will change.

I can't change anyone - only God can change people.

I am responsible to people, but I am not responsible for people.

Attended David Dewes life group Saturday evening. Wonderful time of fellowship.

David "slow cooked" a Turkey - It was delicious.

Meet a new family - who also invited another family to come yesterday.

God is up to something good!

I am thankful for a group of men in my men's life group (we meet last Saturday morning) - who desire to grow in God.

Great leadership potential in the lives of the men in my life group.

My desire is to see lives transformed by the power of God's spirit.

The Dallas Cowboys record: 6-4.

Who would have thought they would be in first place on November 21st?

I am thankful for a great pastoral staff to work with.

I am also grateful for a wonderful support staff!

Thanksgiving: Food, Fun, Fellowship, Family, Football - and most of all - giving thanks to the Father.

I say, "Be blessed this week"!

Love you all, George

Rejection

2011-11-17T10:28:00.000-05:00

Just about the 10th time someone says, "you know, George, we love you and Debbie, and we love Stone Church, but there is this issue about speaking in tongues, so we have decided to go to another church," it begins to wear you down.

Rejection is never, ever fun.

Remember the feelings of choosing up sides for playing (football, basketball or baseball) when you were a kid? You wanted anything but being chosen last for a team.

Some remember not making a sports team.

Or being chosen for an activity.

Or having their heart broken by a girl or a boy.

Or failing a test.

As adults, some have experienced the rejection of divorce, losing a job, not being hired on for a job.

It goes on and on.

Rejection is never, ever fun.

Rejection hurts.

According to a Reuters article, that "kicked-in-the-gut" feeling that you get when you're ignored at a party or not chosen for a team generates physical symptoms. According to the article, "Brain-imaging studies show that a social snub affects the brain precisely the way visceral pain does."

"When someone hurts your feelings, it really hurts you," states Matt Lieberman, a social psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who worked on the study.

In the study, 13 "volunteers were given a task they did not know related to an experiment in social snubbing. Writing in the journal Science, Lieberman and Naomi Eisenberger said the brains of the volunteers lit up when they were rejected in virtually the same way as a person experiencing physical pain.

"In the English language we use physical metaphors to describe social pain like 'broken heart' and 'hurt feelings,"' said Eisenberger. "Now we see that there is good reason for this."

I guess where I am headed today is this thought - rejection hurts, so let's practice love, acceptance and forgiveness this day. As a Christian, the Word encourages us continually to "reach out" rather than "reject" those around us.

There is so much rejection in the world - others don't need us to "pile on" as Christians.

So, when you are tempted to snub somebody or "not speak with someone" or turn your back on a friend or foe, remember this - Jesus never, ever rejects us - and we are to encourage those around us as well.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Trust in God

2011-11-16T13:28:00.001-05:00

Stephen Erickson once wrote an article entitled, "How to choose a dentist."

He writes:

"Never trust a dentist who wears dentures. Whose drill is driven by a system of pulleys connected to three mice on a treadmill. Who sends you a Christmas card and charges you for it. How chews tobacco and spits the juice into the sink. Who uses the suction hose to empty your pockets. Who is also a barber. Who sprays his equipment with Lysol to sterilize it. Who uses lead for fillings.

Great stuff.

Trust.

Here's what I know: People will let me down (and I will let other people down), but I can always rely on God.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I can trust Him.

I can trust God.

Each day has "enough trouble of its own" as Jesus said in Matthew 6:34. Each day can present unpredictable events in our lives - events filled with surprises and trials and anxieties.

You might have an accident on the freeway, be fired form the job, be the victim of a personal attack, be mistreated, robbed, slandered, or threatened with a lawsuit.

Not fun stuff, but it is true.

Stuff happens.

Stuff leads to worry and worry leads to fear - and a lack of trust - in God.

We think, if not say, "who can I really trust"?

I would suggest that we can trust in God.

David writes in Psalms 56:3, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee."

In other words, I will lean on, rely on, rest in, surrender to, depend on, relax in God's presence.

How can you and I do this?

By being totally and completely convinced that God is trustworthy.

God cares.

God is reliable.

God doesn't fumble the ball.

God doesn't work part time.

God is available to me anytime and anywhere.

And when He says, "this won't hurt a bit (as a dentist does) - He means it."

Suspicion

2011-11-15T16:29:00.001-05:00

I have read every John Grisham book that he has written, except for his Theodore Boone children's novels.

The coupling of "easy to read" and suspense is a great combination.

One theme that is a constant thread throughout all of his books is this: Suspicion. Something has gone wrong and motives are probed, evidence is analyze, in short, suspicions are raised.

All of us have a "built in" DNA of wanting to pry deeper into anything, whether it be a suspense novel or a show on television like CSI or Prime Suspect.

Our curiosity forces us to investigate things that are just slightly irregular.

But there is a difference between the expressions of discernment (or curiosity) and carnal, fleshly, nonspiritual suspicion.

The difference may be veiled, but it is real.

It lies in the realm of motive.

Suspicion is the act of suspecting something wrong without proof or evidence.

It is mistrust.

It is doubt.

It is skepticism.

It asks questions that it knows the answer to.

It has hidden motives and agendas.

Let me share with you the difference between curiosity and suspicion.

I quote:

"Curiosity sees a cast on a leg and ask, "What happened?" Suspicion wonders if anything happened.

Curiosity listens to a speaker and thinks, "How did he come up with that - what's his technique?" Suspicion doubts the validity of the statement or the motive of the speaker or both.

Curiosity observes an irregularity and challenges simply, "Why?" Suspicion entertains the immediate idea, "What's wrong here? Who's to blame - who's at fault?"

Can I say this? I am always suspicious of people who are always suspicious. Of those who think that everyone has a hidden motive for everything they do.

You and I both know that there are things we do and say in life without any motivation whatsoever. We just say and do them.

As the French philosopher and theologian, Blaise Pascal once said, "The heart has its reasons that reason doesn't understand."

So....why not be a little less "suspicious" today - and love and accept people for who they are.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-11-14T11:36:00.000-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

People need the Lord - all over the world.

God is moving - across this planet!

Challenging message yesterday from David Raley.

We are to think globally - not just the four blocks surrounding us.

We live a global world - where you and I can be anywhere in a matter of minutes.

I am thankful for all of our volunteers at our church - if you are reading this - please know that you are loved and appreciated.

Life in Christ is daily.

We are to focus on Christ today.

Let's all be in prayer for our Upward Ministry - and do what we can to help.

Wonderful time with the men last Saturday at our men's chili "cook-off".

Excellent chili.

Congratulations to Jim Czaja for "winning". All of the entries were very, very good.

Dallas Cowboys win 44-7. They looked like a Super Bowl team - for one week.

My opinion? No Christmas "stuff" should be shown or sold until after thanksgiving.

There are many needs in our community - let's all continue to do our best to meet those needs.

We need you - we love you - you are important to us at Stone Church.

Rough days

2011-11-09T10:34:00.002-05:00

You ever have a rough day?

Of course you have. We all have.

Sometimes it can begin with the first person that you meet - I am told that they can "make" or "break" your day - or at least set the tone. And then there is a downward spiral from there.

We say things like:

Going from bad to worse.
Jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
Between a rock and a hard place.

Someone once said, "cheer up, things could get worse." So I cheered up - and sure enough, things got worse!

"My mother told me there would be days like these, but she never said they would run in packs."

We've heard all of the sayings and cliches.

I've had people say to me, "well, just work harder, get busier."

But most of the time that doesn't help much.

When the barn is on fire, slapping a coat of paint on the other side doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

If the tires are flat, driving faster is pretty dumb.

So what is the answer?

Galatians 6:9-18 gives us some clues.

Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

In other words, don't quit. Keep on going. Stand firm. Be strong. At the right time, you and I will proper and succeed.

He goes on to write in verse 10, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

When we are having a bad day, our tendency is to do anything BUT reach out to others and do good.

We feel like doing evil, don't we?

Fume. Swear. Scream. Fight. Pout. Get irritated. Take out all kinds of deposits in our relational banks. But those are the very days that we need to reach out, which ironically enough, will help turn our day around.

Paul continues in verse 17, "...let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." Great stuff. In other words, don't allow anyone or anything to keep you in bondage. Don't let other people's bondage become your bondage. Don't react to their actions.

Finally, Paul writes in verse 18, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers." He is saying there, "allow the full impact of grace to flow through your thoughts, your attitudes, your responses, your words."

Just some thoughts for a Wednesday.

Letting go

2011-11-08T15:05:00.000-05:00

Many times the ultimate question is not: "What am I willing to have in my life - but what am I willing to let go?"

In the Bible (and in some cultures today) they worshipped metal images. In our culture we worship mental images. Images that we ruminate about in our minds.

We can become obsessed with "idols" in our lives - many times these idols being good things. Sports, family, our jobs, our children, money, T.V., video games.

Anything taken to an excess can become an idol.

In order to have a full, complete and totally surrendered life with Christ - what am I willing to let go - or at least bring into balance?

One day, John Wesley's (the founder of the Methodist Church) house burned to the ground. Some people found him and said, "John, we are so sorry to tell you this, but your house just burned to the ground."

John Wesley said, "That's impossible."

"No, John! Your house burned to the ground."

"That's impossible."

"John, we saw it with our own eyes. Your house is gone!"

"That's impossible. You see, I don't own a house. God gave me a place to live in. I only managed that house for Him. If He didn't put the fire out, then that's His problem. He'll have to put me somewhere else."

Wesley understood that he could have something and use something without possessing it. He didn't hold on to it so tightly that when it went down the went down too.

We "clutchers" aren't we?

We clutch power, we clutch our possessions, we clutch our positions and titles.

"Mine, mine," we say, "and you can't have it and you are not going to take it away."

It is not in our nature to let go. To relax in God's presence knowing that God will always take care of us.

What are you and I willing to let go today?

Don't hold on to anything in this world, friends, with a tight grip - anything can be taken away in an instant.

The one thing that can never be taken away - is my relationship with Christ - and life in eternity with Him.

I thank you God for that. In fact, let me say this - I love you Lord!

Help me to only, and totally, hang on to you.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-11-07T13:12:00.001-05:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Excellent Sunday morning services yesterday!

Seeing people praying around the altar is encouraging.

God's ministry presence was felt in our worship!

I am thankful for worship leaders who worship while they lead!

Yesterday was Amanda Boon's one year anniversary. Thanks to Amanda for her leadership in our worship and fine arts ministry.

God does oppose the proud - I desire to walk in humility.

That is a daily process.

Some days we walk in the spirit - other days we walk in the flesh.

My desire is to have more spiritual days than fleshly days.

Part of spiritual maturity is doing what is best for the group and not for the individual - and following through on commitments.

To find someone who is committed to God's kingdom - priceless.

Debbie and I attended Leo and Mary Ann's life group last night - wonderful!

Great fellowship, good food, wonderful discussion of 1 Peter 1:3-5.

I love to hang out with God's people.

We have a lot of good people in our church who love God and each other.

My daughter, Christie, and son-in-law, Andrew sent pictures of Georgia and Kinley (my granddaughters). They are beautiful.

Being a grandparent brings a tremendous amount of joy in my life.

I've never really completely understood Paul's statement in Philippians 1:21 until recently: "For me to live is Christ - but to die is gain."

Some scriptures are never completely understood until we reach a certain age or season in our lives.

Would I like to be in heaven? Yes. Is there much more to do on this planet while I remain? Yes! People to lead to the Lord. Leading people to Christ. Loving my family.

I am for the Chicago Bears tonight as they play the Philadelphia Eagles.

Go Bears (tonight)!

Didn't get to see the Dallas Cowboy game - but they won - I guess it was an "ugly win".

Can't wait to see my kids and family at Thanksgiving.

I love my wife - my best friend - and biggest fan and cheerleader.

Let's all have a great week - and depend upon the Holy Spirit to walk in the Spirit!

Complaints and Hank

2011-11-03T12:34:00.000-04:00

Frank Sinatra used to sing, "Regrets, I've had a few....I did it my way...."

Many church goers could sing, "Complaints, I've had a few....I want it done my way...."

Paul writes in Philippians 2:14, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure."

John Ortberg gives us the story of Hank.

He writes:

“Hank, as we’ll call him, was a cranky guy. He did not smile easily, and when he did, the smile often had a cruel edge to it, coming at someone’s expense. He had a knack for discovering islands of bad news in oceans of happiness. He would always find a cloud where others saw a silver lining.

Hank rarely affirmed anyone. He operated on the assumption that if you compliment someone, it might lead to a swelled head, so he worked to make sure everyone stayed humble. His was a ministry of cranial downsizing.

His native tongue was complaint. He carried judgment and disapproval the way a prisoner carries a ball and chain. Although he went to church his whole life, he was never unshackled.

A deacon in the church asked him one day, “Hank, are you happy?”

Hank paused to reflect, and then replied without smiling, “yeah.”

“Well, tell your face,” the deacon said. But so far as anybody knows, Hank’s face never did find out about it.

Occasionally, Hank’s joylessness produced unintended joy for others.

There was a period of time when his primary complaints centered around the music in the church.

“It’s too loud!” Hank protested – to the staff, the deacons, the ushers, and eventually the innocent visitors to the church.

We finally had to take Hank aside and explain that complaining to complete strangers was not appropriate and he would have to restrict his laments to a circle of intimate friends. And that was the end of it. So we thought.

A few weeks later, a secretary buzzed me on the intercom to say that an agent form ISHA – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration – was here to see me. “I’m here to check out a complaint,” he said. As I tried to figure out who on the staff would have called OSHA over a church problem, he began to talk about decibel levels at airports and rock concerts.

“Excuse me,” I said, “are you sure this was someone on the church staff that called?”

“No,” he explained. “If anyone calls – whether or not they work there – we’re obligated to investigate.”

The suddenly the light dawned: Hank had called OSHA and said, “The music at my church is too loud.” And they sent a federal agent to check it out.

By this time the rest of the staff had gathered in my office to see the man from ISHA.

“We don’t’ mean to make light of this,” I told him, “but nothing like this has ever happened around here before.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said. “Do you have any idea how much ridicule I’ve faced around my office since everyone discovered I was going out to bust a church?”

Sometimes Hank’s joylessness ended in comedy, but more often it produced sadness. His children did not know him. His son had a wonderful story about how he met his wife at a dance, but he never told his father because Hank did not approve of dancing.

Hank could not effectively love his wife or his children or people outside his family. He was easily irritated. He had little use for the poor, and a causal contempt for those who accents or skin pigment differed form his own. Whatever capacity he once might have had for joy or wonder or gratitude atrophied. He critiqued and judged and complained, and his soul got a little smaller each year.”

Now then, to my words. Great story.

What’s the greatest tragedy of this story? Is it that Hank wasn’t changing? Is it that Hank didn’t realize that he needed to change?

Or is it this: that we in the kingdom get so used to Hank acting this way that we don’t expect that he would progressively become the way Jesus would be if he were in Hank’s place.

We don’t expect Him to change? Can Hank change, I don’t know. In my heart I doubt it. But I must never give up praying or Hank or encouraging Hank, believing that one day, God might do a miracle in His life.

And by the way, if I ever, I mean ever, show tendencies of become “Hank”, you have my permission to verbally spank me, and spank me hard.

Consistency

2011-11-02T14:26:00.000-04:00

One of the things I continue to struggle with is allowing other people's emotional "ups and downs" to affect my emotional well-being.

In a previous church, I ministered with a volunteer who was in leadership - who was constantly either "way up" or "way down" in his emotions.

He wore his emotions "on his sleeve".

When we met, I spent the first 5 to 10 minutes taking his emotional temperature - and then served with him accordingly.

I found myself riding his emotions as well - his emotional state became my emotional state.

It nearly drove me "batty".

As a care-giver, one of my strengths is that I can be very sensitive to how people are feeling at the moment. But it can also be a weakness if I allow myself to "ride" those same emotions.

Riding the proverbial roller coaster of others emotions can lead to disastrous results.

I can be in a situation and someone can be acting like an idiot - and I can walk away from that situation feeling like I was at fault (when I wasn't) or worse yet, responding to the person's idiocy with idiocy.

We never fight a dragon by becoming a dragon.

We never fight an idiot by becoming an idiot.

Here's what I know: You and I are responsible to people - but we are not responsible for people.

If someone is angry towards a situation (or me) - I am responsible to them by reacting in a godly way. I am not responsible for their anger and think it is a reflection on me. In other words, I don't need to "fight anger with anger".

If someone is distraught towards a situation (or me), I am responsible to minister to them as best I can. I am not responsible to think I can personally change their situation or behavior (how can I do something that only God can do - and many times in a miraculous way at that?).

I can't change anybody. I can't make anybody think exactly as I do. I can't make anybody act exactly like I want them to.

We pastored in Carlsbad, New Mexico for 3 years. It is a small town or around 28,000 people. When I was there, I always wondered how they could get along in such a small situation.

Here's what I learned - they would say - when it came to someone who was acting in a negative way - "Oh, that's just Bill. That's the way he is." "Oh, that's just Jane. That's the way she is."

In other words, you can't change Bill, so accept him the way he is, deal with him as he is - and you and I will jump off the emotional roller coaster that Bill leaves us with.

Is there a point when you and I need to step in and speak with Bill?

Yes, when:

Bill is affecting the unity of the church (family, business, team).

Bill is affecting the working (ministry) of any group of people.

Bill is embarrassing himself.

Ultimately, if I love and care for Bill (or Jane or whomever) enough, there will be a point in time when I will need to speak with Bill - but it must be for his benefit - not mine.

Anyway, I trust that all of this makes sense - for a Wednesday....and now if I can just live this stuff....

critic or cheerleader

2011-11-01T17:04:00.001-04:00

There are always two options in life.

Am I going to be a critic - or am I going to be a cheerleader?

I love to hang around positive, encouraging people.

Churches especially need what every football (sports teams) have: Cheerleaders.

The job of a cheerleader is to tell everybody, "we're going to make it." No matter how bad things looks on the scoreboard, there is still hope!

Frank Wolf is a cheerleader. David Dewes is a cheerleader. Joan Minsky is a cheerleader.

John Hiller is a cheerleader. Amanda Boon is a cheerleader. My wife, Debbie is a cheerleader. (I could mention several more in our church).

I always leave their presence feeling better about our church.

Cheerleaders cheer all the way to the end of the game and will act like the team is winning by a big score even when there may be no way that a victory is possible.

Their job is to be a cheerleader.

We need cheerleaders at Stone Church (there are enough critics).

Recently, we've received an influx of people coming who walk in with broken lives, hurting because of life in general. They need to run into cheerleaders - people who are willing to cheer them on and tell them that they are going to make it.

They need someone to step aside the normal groups they hang out with in the foyer on a Sunday morning and reach out - reach out with love, acceptance and forgiveness.

May that be us!

I encourage you today - the next time you come on a Sunday morning - look around for someone to encourage!

Be a cheerleader - and God will bless you for it.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-10-31T10:42:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

I am reminded of that movie with Clint Eastwood - "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly."

This weekend had the "good", the "bad", and the "ugly."

First of all the "good".

Many raised their hands, signifying they accepted Christ as their Savior in both of our services yesterday. I am thrilled! Prayerfully thankful.

There is nothing like connecting with Christ.

People need the Lord.

People desire God - many times they just don't realize it.

My desire is that lives be changed - for God's glory.

This whole thing is about Jesus. I am a one man band with one song that has one word - Jesus.

We can never underestimate what the Holy Spirit do in the life of any individual.

"Keep the fork"

Have you ever been at a dinner party and the host said, right after the main course, "keep your fork, the best is yet to come (dessert)"?

I handed out plastic forks yesterday, reminding us all that when we die, the "best is yet to come." So, "keep the fork". Each time you pick up a fork this week, remember that "the best is yet to come."

Wonderful to see a "full" second service. People hungry for God.

Everlasting is a great tune.

We have nothing to fear - especially as we stand together.

There is power in unity.

Ethiopian proverb, "when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion."

There is nothing we can't do - as we do it together.

Wonderful "truck or treat" last night - many new folks were there with their kids. Great spirit. Lots of fun. Thanks to everyone who participated! Creative stuff!

Many thanks to Pastor Aldin and his team of volunteers!

The bad:

Michigan State looked horrible this past Saturday against Nebraska - scoring only three points. Enough said.

The ugly:

The Cowboys lost to the Eagles, bad, last night. It was ugly, ugly, ugly. That's all I can say (still going through the grieving process of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance).

Oh well, it is a beautiful day (in the neighborhood) here in Chicago!

Let's rejoice - God is up to something great in our church!

I have never been more excited about the present and future of our church!

Love you!

second look

2011-10-27T14:13:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, Michigan State beat the University of Wisconsin in the last second.

A "hail Mary" pass that succeeded.

At first, the referees said that the State player (Nichols) didn't cross the goal line.

The coach for MSU threw flag out of his back pocket and asked for a review.

Play was stopped while the call was looked at. We waited with baited breath (whatever that means).

The call was reversed. We rejoiced (Becky, my daughter, graduated from Michigan State - go green! go white).

When we as Christians pray, God in heaven, stops to take a second look.

On many occasions, things will reverse because we ask for a review (and like a coach throw the red flag).

God welcomes the flag of prayer. It is His communication mechanism.

Don't hesitate today to go to the Father and ask for a review - a second look.

And know....that the big difference between God and a referee is that God has your best interests in mind.

Jesus our attorney

2011-10-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

Our church attorney is on my speed dial.

With the sale of our old property, I am in constant contact with him.

We have become friends.

However, and no offense to him, I look forward to the day that he and I no longer have a work relationship.

I've been thinking lately about the fact that Holy Spirit is - in a sense - our attorney.

Jesus said in John 14:26, "but the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name...."

The Holy Spirit is our counselor.

A power of attorney is a legal right to sign on someone else's behalf. That's exactly what happens when you and I pray.

When we pray (as followers of Christ), "Our Father....." the Holy Spirit delivers our prayer to the Father.

But before God responds, He looks over to Jesus and asks Him if He is signing the note. Jesus is our power of attorney. He is the one who signs off on our prayers.

I'm thankful that we have an attorney who is not only for us (in the spirit realm) but He is the best there is.

So...go to the Father today with boldness!

ketchup, hot dogs and the French

2011-10-25T13:48:00.001-04:00

If there is one thing that I have learned in my four years living in Chicago - is to never, ever, and I mean ever, put ketchup on a hot dog.

The heavens tremble, the earth shakes, perhaps even hell itself opens up when someone does so.

The late great Pulitzer Prize winning Chicago columnist Mike Royko said it better than anyone in a column on November 21, 1995:

"No, I won't condemn anyone for putting ketchup on a hot dog. This is the land of the free. And if someone wants to put ketchup on a hot dog and actually eat the awful thing, that is their right. It is also their right to put mayo or chocolate syrup or toenail clippings or cat hair on a hot dog. Sure, it would be disgusting and perverted, and they would be shaming themselves and their loved ones. But under our system of government, it is their right to be barbarians."

Perhaps we are more French than we let on.

In and effort to fight against obesity and to keep the French youth, well French, France's government has essentially banned ketchup from primary and secondary school cafeterias.

Ketchup will only be served with - what do you think - of course - fries.

Apparently, ketchup is being rationed in order to "ensure that French children remain French."

French fires and other fried food like chicken nuggets will be served (in France) only once a week, but France's famous crusty baguettes will be available daily.

I'm not quite sure what all this means. Does it mean the end of time as we know it?

Does it mean that we are coming to the "end of the age"?

Are we more "French" than we let on?

Important questions for our day.

Who needs to wrestle with war in the Middle East, the economy or who is going to be the next president of the United States? The important question is: Ketchup, yes or no?

And BTW, nothing has been said yet in France about mayonnaise.

Just a thought for a Tuesday. :)

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-10-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Beautiful wedding - Mandy and Jake!

Congratulations to this wonderful couple - we love you!

Weddings are exciting...you can feel the nervousness and joy!

I am thankful for what God did around the altars yesterday - many were ministered to by the Holy Spirit - uplifted in the midst of their trials and suffering.

Thanks to Stephanie Hiller for stepping in and leading us in worship! She did a great job!

It is a privilege and joy to worship the Lord.

Many, many guests (visitors) yesterday including some young families.

God is moving - and up to something good!

I love our church.

Michigan State - winning in the last second with a "hail Mary" touchdown pass. Priceless.

Great, great men's life group meeting this past Saturday. It is encouraging (and a privilege) for me to be around guys who desire to grow in God.

We are only as strong (spiritually) as our spiritual disciplines.

Beautiful day today.

I pray that you have a great week in the Lord!

With much love - George

Corporate worship

2011-10-20T15:01:00.002-04:00

The writer to the Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 10:25, "Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves."

The NIV says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing."

The Greek word translated "give up" speaks of desertion and abandonment.

Here's what I would suggest: it is impossible to worship God privately and not want to worship Him corporately.

It is a lie of the enemy that you do not need Sunday morning worship.

Ministry leaders can fall into this lie.

Volunteers can fall into this lie.

Children's ministry volunteer workers can fall into this lie.

Bible teachers (Sunday School teachers) can fall into this lie.

"Mature" Christians can fall into this lie.

"Well, I minister in the church," "I don't need to come and worship on Sunday mornings," they think if not say.

Oh my. Such deception. Such a lie.

Let me use this analogy: it is one thing to sit at home and watch a football game by yourself. It is another thing to watch that same game with a roomful of people where everybody is shouting and getting excited together.

The energy brought together by being with mutual fans is many times that of what it is when a person is alone at home, watching the same by themselves.

While you can listen to a Chicago Bear's game in your car and enter into the experience of the game behind the wheel, there's nothing like the feeling of being with a group of people who are worshipping simultaneously.

While you can listen to a morning worship service on-line, at home, there is nothing like the feeling of being with a group of people who are worshipping simultaneously.

While you can watch a televised service on T.V., there is nothing like the feeling of being with a group of people who are worshiping simultaneously.

Anybody who's worshipping God privately will worship Him publicly.

Don't, please don't, give into the lies of the enemy.

Come to church this Sunday - you won't regret it.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Looking good on the inside

2011-10-19T13:35:00.000-04:00

As you grow older, the inside becomes more important than the outside.

As our bodies age, we realize that beauty is more than "skin deep".

In the Old Testament, God gives Samuel the assignment to find and anoint a new king.

What was the job description?

He tells Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man look at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

More and more, I want to look good on the inside.

I desire my inward appearance to show.

God wants us to be "good looking" on the inside.

Let me use the Thanksgiving turkey as an illustration.

I love Thanksgiving turkey.

But my first love is the stuffing inside the turkey (Debbie does this just right - I can't wait).

The dressing gets jam-packed inside the turkey. It is filled with its own herbs and spices and so takes on a flavor all its own.

The dressing gets stuffed inside the turkey and put inside the oven.

While both the turkey and the stuffing (boy am I getting hungry now) cook, the flavor of the stuffing slowly permeates the turkey, making it more flavorful than what it would have been on its own.

The turkey becomes tastier because of the effect of what is on the inside.

Most of us are interested in the turkey, God is interested in the stuffing. He is interested in making the inside tasty and letting the internal flavor affect the outside.

I know of Christians who spend 45 minutes getting their "outside" looking good for Sunday morning services, but not 45 seconds on the inside.

Today, how much time have you spent getting your "inside", "looking good"?

Prayer. Reading the Word. Listening to praise music. Thinking positive thoughts.

In an age of appearance - where everything is based on the outward - let's be counter-cultural and ask the Holy Spirit to make us "good looking" on the inside.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

People nobody wants

2011-10-18T16:59:00.000-04:00

Here's what I know:

When we go after people nobody wants - God will send us people everybody wants.

It's true. God's desire for Stone Church is that we continue to reach out to the disadvantaged, the "down and outers", the ones that are the outcast of society.

It's God's will for us as a congregation.

We desire to reach people that nobody cares for, that everyone else has discarded and thrown away.

An analogy for this is the garbage collectors that come once a week and pick up your garbage. In one sense we are "garbage collectors" as ministers in our church.

We all have garbage in our lives. Garbage from the past. Garbage that we hold on to in the present.

Some have more than others.

If you have garbage in your life - and you are at your "wit's end", we desire to minister to you. We love you.

But here's what I also know:

Have you ever seen what happens to a landfill after it is filled in with garbage? In many places it becomes a beautiful park or a subdivision where homes are built.

I've seen human garbage come beautiful too. I've seen the stench of sin turned into the fragrance of heaven.

That's who we are and what we do.

We can't worry about what critics think or say. Where is God going to send the "garbage" for recycling if He can't put it on our doorstep?

He'll find a place. If we're not open for business, someone else will be.

But we want to be used by God.

When love, acceptance and forgiveness prevail, the church of Jesus Christ becomes what Jesus was in the world: a center of love designed for the healing of broken people, and a force for God.

Come one, come all!

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-10-17T13:06:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

We will all miss Pastor Beverly. She was a wonderful woman of God who is now in heaven - rejoicing!

Many accepted Christ at the funeral. I am grateful to God for that - many thanks to the Holy Spirit for working as He did.

I was thrilled at the response Saturday morning to our door to door ministry. Over 25 people came! "Father, may you use this effort to reach people for you"! We went to a 1000 homes - thanks to all who came. Thanks for your caring, thanks for your faithfulness. Thanks for your burden for the lost.

Up and down weekend football wise. Michigan State just hammered Michigan. Overpowered them. I like the way MSU plays defense.

My Dallas Cowboys. Again, it wasn't just that they lost - it was the way that they lost. Tom Brady did his "thing" again for the New England Patriots - leading them on a last second touchdown drive.

The Cowboy coaching staff is losing their confidence in Tony Romo.

Rob Ryan is a great defensive coordinator.

Went out to lunch with Rapael and Sharon Mercado. Good people.

Went to the Cracker Barrel. I had forgotten how good their cornbread is.

I am thankful for everyone who ministers at our church. Their faithfulness is a continual encouragement to me.

It was heart warming to see people around the altar yesterday giving their needs to the Lord. Many tears were shed.

God is up to something good!

People are hurting - God is the answer!

I continue to remain grateful for our pastoral and office staff. If you get a chance, thank them for all that they do. We have a great team!

People need the Lord.

May we all reach out to those around us this week.

Philippians is a wonderful book.

I love the new chorus Amanda has introduced to us that speaks of the fact that the "Lord is our light and our salvation."

Lord, we want more of your ministry presence in our lives!

The lost and evangelism

2011-10-13T17:12:00.000-04:00

One of the traditional terms that I grew up with for non-churched people is "the lost".

I've always been a little bit uncomfortable with that term - not quite sure why - but maybe it's because "the lost" don't know what "the lost" means when we use that term.

Are we referring to the T.V. show "Lost"?

Did they lose something?

What did they lose?

Part of the reason we use the term goes back to what Jesus said in Luke 15 - in giving a series of stores about the "lost Sheep" and the "lost coin" and the "lost son."

What was lost - is now found.

In each story, the shepherd, woman or father, searches for the sheep, coin and son, respectively until they are found.

In Luke 15:32, Jesus says, "we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

In that sense, I understand the term.

This Saturday, October 15th, we are having an all-morning outreach (8:45 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.) in which we will be going "door to door" - inviting people to our church. If they aren't there, we will be hanging "door hangers" on the door.

I encourage you to come. I encourage you to "back up" your concern for the "lost" by joining us in this outreach.

I can remember the time that our oldest daughter, Christie, slipped away on the beach we were at (she was around 3 years old, I think).

She apparently slipped away and then went back to what she thought was the lifeguard stand where we were at.

She wasn't gone but a couple of seconds (it seemed like) when Debbie and I realized she wasn't with us.

We were frantic. I still remember (to this day) the feeling of despair. (we immediately found her).

While it might be, in one sense, a bad analogy, in another sense it is - do we care about the "lost" so much that we will do everything we can to connect them with Christ?

It is a stirring challenge.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Intercession and spiritual warfare

2011-10-12T16:13:00.000-04:00

We are in a spiritual battle. I taught on that last Sunday.

We are soldiers of the King.

Here's what I know: It is important for us to realize that the battle that we fight with our spiritual enemy is not to be fought alone. In a vacuum. By ourselves.

There is simply no reason for any soldier in God's army to fight on their own! That includes you and that includes me.

Let me give you a movie plot from many a war flick that I have seen.

A group of men from very different backgrounds wind up in the military and are expected to serve in the same platoon together.

At first - they don't get along.

But as time passes and they face life-threatening situations on the battlefield, they bond together.

They go from being selfish, only looking out for themselves, to being one unit. Looking out for each other.

And...one of them - probably the most selfish one of the group - ends up literally taking a bullet for the rest - and their lives are spared.

Here's the principle: When we are at war (in our case a spiritual war) and the bullets are flying, that is the time that we really do need each other.

We, as followers of Christ, are all fighting on the same side, and we are expected to bond together and to help each other out.

If one of us takes some demonic fire from temptation or adversity, the others should step in to help by praying for God to intervene.

It is called intercession.

I can't always be with everyone in our church, at every moment of every day. But I can intercede for them.

I can't always be with my children or my wife at every moment of every day. But I can intercede for them.

I can petition God and pray on behalf of those around me.

I would suggest that right now, at this moment, there are people that are in your life who need you to lift them up to God in prayer. You might not even be aware of their need, but perhaps the Holy Spirit is tugging on your heart to intercede.

Don't let that feeling pass. Begin right at this moment, this instant to pray. To intercede for that person that God is leading you to pray for.

And the battle will be won!

Greater is He who is in us than he who lives in the world!

focus

2011-10-11T12:26:00.002-04:00

I don’t see as well as I used to. I need glasses. In fact, I should be wearing glasses the entire time. But I don’t. I only wear them when I read.

If I don’t wear glasses and I am reading something that is small in print – I can’t see - my eyes are out of focus.

Focus.

Focus is a big, big word in our walk with Christ.

We need focus in our relationship with God.

As long as I stay focused on Christ – I am walking with surety and safety.

But it’s when I get my focus off of Christ that I get into trouble and need to make adjustments.

Both Jesus and James bring this out in the Sermon on the Mount and the book of James respectively.

They both mention this important thought:

You can’t walk in two directions at the same time, you can’t operate in drive and reverse at the same moment, and you can’t focus on light and darkness simultaneously.

Staying in focus is a challenge for everyone.

We must all admit that every day we get busy, we get stressed, and we sometimes get overloaded in life!

The result is that we can find ourselves focusing on the negative.

Or we lose focus on what is really important.

Or focusing on people instead of God’s power.

Here’s what I know:

As a follower of Christ, I don’t look at the world through natural eyes, but with supernatural vision. I am to look at the world through the eyes of faith.

Pastor James writes in James 1:6-8, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

What does God require of me in order to stay focused?

Faith.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that, “without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews goes on to say that the children of Israel couldn’t enter into the promise land because of unbelief.

They didn’t keep their focus on God.

It is true that God didn’t allow them in because of their sins – but their greatest offense was that they couldn’t keep their focus on God their provider.

I would suggest to you that no matter what we face, we must focus on the Word of God; we must focus on what God has promised.

There are over 7,000 promises in the Word of God.

He says yes and amen to every promise He has made to us.

Also, our focus must be on the Spirit of God and not our flesh.

Paul writes in Galatians 5:16, 17, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.”

Flesh – Spirit. They work against each other. Oppose one another.

They fight one another. Every moment of our lives.

You have heard me quote this a couple of times: “we aren’t physical beings going through a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings going through a physical experience.”

The main point is this: our physical man will perish, but the spiritual man will last forever. We must focus on building up the Spiritual man, and letting the carnal, fleshly, worldly man be conquered by the Spirit of God within us.

Here is what I know: “Wherever we operate the most, is where we will live.”

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

We are in a spiritual battle; we don’t win by natural devices but spiritual armor.

Paul states that if we mind the things of the flesh, or constantly take care of the flesh, we will become fleshly, if we mind the things of the Spirit, or constantly take care of the Spiritual man, we will become Spiritual.

Also, our focus should be on the cross and not ourselves.

Someone once said that our sins can be washed away by the blood, but self must be nailed to a cross.

Great statement.

We all struggle with this, we all at times are selfish, in the flesh dwells no good thing.

We pray, “Not your will, Lord, but my will be done.”

Here’s the daily question: Am I going to look at things from an eternal perspective or a temporary one?

Is my focus going to be on the here and now or the then and there?

If we lose sight of the cross, everything will get out of focus. We will all be like the man who said, I will build bigger barns but didn’t realize that his time on this earth was up.

Thank God for the cross!

It is at the cross that our flesh dies; the cross is where self is emptied.

We can all admit that the cross isn’t a fun place; the cross isn’t an easy place, that is why so many are offended by the preaching of the cross because their flesh cannot receive it. It is still foolishness to the Greek and a stumbling block to the Jew.

Jesus told people the only reason you follow me is for food or to see miracles. When He started preaching the cross, drinking the cup of suffering and shame, at that time many disciples left him.

Finally, I must focus on the soul rather than security.

Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his soul?”

I would suggest that we keep our focus on our eternal soul. If you gain fame, fortune, financial success, but lose out with God, then it is of no profit to you.

As someone once said, “If you arrive in heaven with nothing you are in better shape than someone who arrives in hell with everything.”

How focused are you today?

I encourage you to focus on God.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-10-10T14:48:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Good to have Debbie home again. I am so lonely with out her. Out of sync. Kind of wandering around muttering, "where's Debbie, where's Debbie." Alright - I am worthless without her.

I "cooked" at Mindy's both night she was gone.

Ribs one night - chicken the next. Man food.

I love the beautiful weather we are experiencing.

We call this an "Indian summer" - but I am not quite sure why.

Probably need to "google" it.

Had a great Saturday morning men's life group. These guys are really "doing it" for God. I like their intensity and their desire to grow spiritually. Good stuff.

I often mention on these Monday morning blogs how wonderful our services are - and they are. But yesterday - wow! Powerful worship. People lingering around the altars.

Thanks to everyone who has sent emails to me - sharing how God touched them yesterday.

If you weren't here yesterday - we missed you!

Everyone is needed at our church - everyone is important.

Am grateful for the best staff I have ever worked with. They are caring, kind and hard working.

Go staff!

Bears versus Lions tonight. Bears 28 - Lions 18. You heard it here first.

The Chicago Bears show up and the Detroit Lions bubble bursts.

Really like the worship yesterday.

We have a lot of good people in our church.

I am thankful that we are growing spiritually as a church. We would like to be growing numerically as well (exploding numerically) but that will come. I guess God is still doing a work in us who remain faithful until the explosion comes.

I am thankful my children are all serving the Lord.

I am grateful that my children are serving God.

Starting a new verse by verse series this Sunday on Philippians. I am sooooo excited about this. I love to teach the Bible verse by verse.

I love you all.

failure is never final

2011-10-06T13:56:00.002-04:00

It is so important that I learn how to handle failure.

If I don't - it can limit me as to what I can achieve in life - and become a mindset that I can't break.

Norman Vincent Peale tells the following story:

"Once walking through the twisted little streets of Kowloon in Hong Kong, I came upon a tattoo studio.

In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. On the chest or arms you could have tattooed an anchor or flag or mermaid or whatever. But what struck me with force were three words that could be tattooed on one’s flesh, Born to lose. I entered the shop in astonishment and, pointing to those words, asked the Chinese tattoo artist, "Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, Born to lose, tattooed on his body?"

He replied, "Yes, sometimes." "But," I said, "I just can’t believe that anyone in his right mind would do that." The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and said in broken English, "Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind."

To put it another way, failure can reside in between our ears, in our minds.

Failure is never final unless is let it be.

Have you ever seen those slogans on t-shirts and coffee cups?

I love to read them.

Let me give you some coffee cup slogans that will help you today:

Coach Mike Ditka once said, "You never really lose until you quit trying."

Failure is not falling down - failure is staying down.

We all fail.

And let me say this - we all should fail - at certain times in our lives.

If I am not failing, it means that I am not growing, I am not moving forward, I am not changing, I am not living by faith.

Someone once said, "the person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure. Nor the one who never fails. But rather the one who moves on in spite of failure."

You, like me, have learned far more from our failures than our successes in life.

I would suggest that there are two kinds of people in life:

Splatters - those who hit rock bottom, fall apart and stick to the bottom like glue.

Bouncers - those who hit rock bottom, pull themselves together and bounce back up.

Paul J. Meyer once said, "Ninety percent of all those who fail are not actually defeated - they simply quit."

So, today - are you going to give up or get up?

It really comes down to a choice.

I encourage you today to make the choice to get up and keep on going.

Keep on going at your job. Keep on going in your marriage. Keep on going in your ministry. Keep on going in your family relationships. Keep on going.

Don't live in the past. We learn from the past but we don't live in the past.

And....with the help of God...you will make it.

Not wasting time

2011-10-05T15:47:00.000-04:00

I saw it again and again when I attended Bible School.

Teenagers who grew up in strict homes - when they arrived their freshmen year - and the restraints were lifted - and they were able to make their own decisions - went "crazy".

Staying up late at night. Not doing their homework. Being lazy. Participating in parties.

Some ended up drinking. Messing around. Focused only on dating.

Not realizing the price that their parents were paying for them to go to college.

Not realizing that college is too expensive to waste time playing around.

I see a lot of people in God's kingdom who are messing around - not paying attention. Wasting their time on this planet that could be used in spiritual growth and discipleship.

Not realizing (or not remembering) the cost that Jesus paid for our salvation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:23, "you were bought at a price; do not become the slaves of men."

My relationship with Christ is free - but it cost God a lot.

I want my heavenly father to be proud of me.

I want to make "good grades" and be the "best" follower of Christ I can be.

I want at the end of my life for the Father to say, "well done, you have been a good and faithful servant of mine."

I don't want to waste my time - as Paul said in Ephesians 5:17, "making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

God is my rock and fortress

2011-10-04T11:19:00.004-04:00

Listen to the words of David in Psalms 31:1-12

1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.

5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.

8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.

9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.

10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.

11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—those who see me on the street flee from me.

12 I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.

You talk about vulnerability. David here is opening up his heart to us.

He was a man of faith, but few in Scripture suffered the setbacks that this anointed king did.

Perhaps that is why David provides us with so many glimpses of God's nature and character as revealed in His many titles, including - God is my Rock; God is my fortress.

It is out of suffering that David could point to God as a place of refuge. That no matter what the trial, God is our fortress and we can pray with assurance, "You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me," in verse 3.

George MacDonald (in his book "Unspoken Sermons") once wrote, "That man is perfect in faith who can come to God in the utter dearth of his feelings and desires, without a glow of aspiration, with the weight of low thoughts, failures, neglects, and wandering forgetfulness, and say to Him, 'Thou art my refuge."

Good stuff.

Throughout scriptures, God is identified as our "Rock".

He is the rock upon which the church is built (Matthew 16:18).

He is our "everlasting rock". Isaiah 26:4

He is the "rock that is higher than I" Psalms 61:2

He is that "spiritual Rock". I Corinthians 10:4

He is the "rock of my salvation." 2 Samuel 22:47

Each one of these biblical references share some of the unique facts of our Rock, our God.

God shelters, gives foundation, provides a defense against the enemy, nourishes and protects during trials and troubles, and He assures a secure footing as we step into each new day.

With each of these ideas, the focus of the title "Rock" is that there is an exalted, elevated, out of reach location available to you and to me - to all of us who need to take refuge in the name of Jesus Christ.

Go back with me to verses 3,4 of Psalms 31. He is our "rock of refuge." The Hebrew words used are "metsoodaw" (fortress) and "maoz" (refuge). They combine to describe the following:

"A place of escape or defense conveying the idea of a city that, should the enemy seek to overthrow it, he himself will be overthrown." In this sense the words used by David in Psalms 31 carry the idea of a snare or a trap.

THINK OF THIS: The traps that Satan places before you today will be turned by Christ into traps that will snare Satan himself!

Amen!

The word fortress (metsoodaw) brings to mind the famous natural fortress of Masada in Israel.

Masada was a towering natural fortress used by Herod the Great as a miltary outpost just before the time of Christ.

The fortress was built on a butte or mesa, which rises more than 1400 feet above above the level of the nearby Dead Sea.

It was here in 70 to 73 A.D. that Jewish zealots sustained a revolt against the Roman Empire.

And they resisted Rome three years longer than any other segment of their guerrilla forces simply because of the strength of their position in the Mesada.

Our strength, our hope, our help is in God, our Rock!

Martin Luther was one of the most influential leaders of the protestant reformation in the 14th century. This man who used of God in a great way also was given to times of deep dark depression.

One time he got really down and depressed and locked himself away in a room and wouldn’t come out for anything or anyone. His wife Kathy tried to coax him out of the room with no success. Finally she went and dressed with a black veil, and black gloves, totally decked out in black and went into the room with Martin Luther. Martin asked her, “dear Kathy, who died?”

She replied, “Why God died, Martin.” Martin jumped to his feet in an outburst of emotion and said, “that’s blasphemy woman how dare you talk like that?” To that she replied, “yes it is Martin, and so is the way you’re living.”

He got up out of the room and went and wrote the great gospel hymn “Our God is A Mighty Fortress”.

Let me leave you with one final thought. We not only dwell in the Rock, but the Rock dwells in us.

Remember Star Wars? The "Force be with you"?

The "Fortress is within us"!

Be courageous this day - in knowing that you can not only live in the presence of God but that the presence of God lives in you.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-10-03T11:08:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Grandchildren are very, very special "little people".

I love my children - all of them - and am proud of them.

Andrew is a wonderful son-in-law. We are thankful to have him in our family.

Lots of visitors yesterday in our church services. Praise God!

I enjoyed meeting new people yesterday.

Peter and Ann Marie Morgan are some of our favorite people - great people who love God!

The people of God worshipping together and spending time in God's presence - priceless.

What can I say about my Dallas Cowboys - losing a huge lead - and the Detroit Lions. It looks like it is going to be a long year.

We continue to unleash "heaven" in our community.

I am really, really excited about the Upward Basketball Ministry. It is a great "tool" to connect children and their parents to Christ.

Would encourage all of us to sign up and pray 5 minutes a day for the Upward Ministry.

God is moving!

Busyness and hearing God's voice

2011-09-29T12:02:00.001-04:00

I would suggest that the greatest hindrance to hearing God's voice is busyness.

We are all busy.

It's almost amusing to me the way we "wear" busyness like a badge of honor.

How are you today? "Busy," we respond with our chests puffed out.

"Busy, busy."

Okay, we are all busy.

And at the same time we are stressed out, burned out and wondering what the next step is for our lives.

Here's what I know:

We fill our lives with what we want to fill them with.

Facebook, emails, T.V., movies, books, "family time", sports, shopping, reading, it's all there - ready to be taken.

All of it "good" in and of itself.

Sometimes we need to be like the little boy, aged 5, by the name of Andrew, who was very much into computers. He was overheard saying the Lord's prayer and did really well till near the end when he said, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from email."

That might be true for all of us.

"Deliver us oh Lord, from email." From facebook. From T.V.

Nothing, absolutely nothing is wrong with facebook and T.V. But the key word here is "balance".

How can we do this?

Well, I would suggest that one way is to come to our prayer and praise meetings on Wednesday evenings. Spend time in God's presence. Wait upon the Lord. Let God speak to you.

You can be a "Martha" and be busy for God - but we all need those "Mary" times when we just simply dwell in the presence of God.

And let me tell you from experience - 5 minutes in the presence of God - does more for me than 5 days worrying and wondering about God's will and direction for my life.

I don't often slow down - but when I do - I like to be in the presence of God.

Just a thought for a Thursday.......

Herod and Jesus

2011-09-28T15:58:00.001-04:00

Herod and Jesus.

You couldn't get two more different people.

Herod was born into a politically well-connected family. Jesus was born into a carpenter's family.

Herod was destined for a life of hardball and power brokering. Jesus was destined to die on a cross for the sins of the world.

Herod had a preoccupation with power. He was addicted to power. He was addicted to controlling people and resources in order to secure his own destiny.

Using His power, he killed anyone who got in his way. Over the years he killed his brother-in-law, his mother-in-law, two of his sons, and even his wife.

Jesus had a preoccupation with people. He was addicted to helping people. His own life was summed up in the verse found in Mark 10:45, "for the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Herod had a preoccupation with possessions. He built 7 palaces, 7 theaters, one of which seated 9,500 people. He even built stadiums for sporting events, one of which could seat 300,000 fans.

He even constructed a new temple for the Jews.

Jesus had a preoccupation with poverty. He said during one of his sermons (Matthew 5:3), "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." He later gave the principle that it is as we die that we gain, it is as we give that we receive. He tells his disciples to go out with power and authority, preaching the kingdom of God, taking nothing for the journey, no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. His desire was not to build buildings but transform lives for God.

Herod had a preoccupation with prestige. He loved to make an impression on others. He built entire cities with state of the art architecture and amenities and named them after his superiors. Several of his 10 marriages were prestige oriented and politically motivated.

Jesus had a preoccupation with a lack of pride. Paul writes in Philippians 2:8 that Jesus, 'being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death." If there was one thing that irritated Jesus it was people who considered themselves better than others.

Herod had a preoccupation with paranoia. He went to great lengths to make sure a secret ingredient never ended up in his soup. When he became king, he commissioned tens of thousands of slaves to build over 10 emergency fortresses, all heavily armed and well provisioned. He had an elaborate network of spies.

Jesus had a preoccupation with vulnerability. He was an open book. He walked and talked with openness. Nothing was hidden. All was open.

Herod was named "King of the Jews" by the Romans (even though he was an Edomite).

Jesus was named the "King of God's kingdom" by none other than God himself.

To say that the two kings, Herod and Jesus, merely "crossed paths," is way too mild. According to a fundamental law of physics, the force of impact depends upon speed and direction. Jesus and Herod were both moving fast, but from totally opposite directions. King Herod represented the popular perceptive on power in 2011: get it, keep it and use it.

Jesus has a more simple, yet radical philosophy: Use power to serve others.

No wonder they clashed. Both had possessed immense power, but how they chose to use it revealed the hearts of two radically different men.

One was a tyrant - the other a servant.

One was consumed with self-interest, the other focused on pleasing God and serving others.

One manipulated, slandered, deceived and coerced; the other healed, touched, taught and loved.

Herod eventually came to ruin and in the final year of his life, his body was infected with disease; his pain was so bad that he often screamed throughout the night.

Jesus ended up dying on a cross, but he rose again. And now is seated at the right hand of the father.

Let me ask you today: Are you a Herod? Or are you trying to live like Jesus?

Do you think more of yourself than others? Do you crave power and the adrenaline rush that comes from controlling your own resources and controlling the people around you? Are you more afraid of what others may do to you instead of how you can serve them?

Which king are you following? I want to be like Jesus.

Challenging thoughts for a Wednesday.

Pacifiers and a relationship with God

2011-09-27T15:02:00.000-04:00

I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

We were driving down the road near our home France and Christie, our oldest daughter (who was a child at the time) threw her pacifier out the car window - never to use it again.

I can't remember if she did it on purpose or if it was an accident - all I can remember is that it was gone.

Pacifiers come in all different kids of shapes and sizes and people call them by different pet names: Binkys, bobber, clug, button, chwey, duda, ninny, noogie, mimi. fussifier, fussplug, num, nummy, pappy, pip, sassy, the silencer, soothie, sicky, tay-tay, the stopper, whammy, wubby, on and on it goes.

What does a pacifier do? It gives a baby something to suck on, but it doesn't give him/her any nutrition.

Let's compare that to our relationship with Christ.

I would suggest that religion that is devoid of an intimate relationship with Jesus is like a baby that works hard at sucking on their pacifier, but from which no real nutrition flows.

I see it all the time and so do you. Those who minister but their ministry flows from a sense of self-effort. There is a lack of connection with God. It is all "binky" and no "substance".

It is a false religion.

The essence of false religion is a Christian being involved in religious activity while being void of spiritual intimacy with God.

It is exemplified by a person having a ritual of religion without a relationship with Jesus.

That's the challenge to us today - thank the Lord that there are those who are working in our church - but let's not forget that ministry is to flow from a daily, intimate, connectedness to Christ - and not from self.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-09-26T13:43:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

I am grateful to the Lord for the many that raised their hands yesterday to commit or recommit their lives to Jesus.

Thank you Holy Spirit for working in the lives of our church family!

We continue to try to "unleash heaven" upon our community.

Please put the October 15th, "door to door" outreach on your calendar. 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. We could use everyone's help.

Chris Delaurantis did a wonderful job in sharing of the need in the inner city of Chicago.

You will be hearing soon of a challenge to all of our life groups concerning helping out Chris' church in Chicago by helping serve meals.

I understand our Impact ministry and our Royal Ranger ministry had a great time this past weekend! Thank you to all of our workers who worked so hard to make it happen!

You are loved and appreciated!

Let's all be in prayer that God's spirit will continue to move in our church - and in Orland Park and the surrounding communities.

Church photo directory week.

Noah and Jenni will be having their second child this Thursday. Let's be in prayer with them for another healthy delivery. Please remember: we will be giving them a card shower this Sunday.

We continue to walk by faith.

With God nothing is impossible.

There is nothing God can't do - if we will simply stay available.

I want to do all I can to reach people for Jesus.

My condolences to all of the Chicago Bears fans on yesterday's loss to the Packers.

The Bears receivers need some "super glue" for their hands.

THE Dallas Cowboy game is tonight versus the Washington Redskins. Will Tony Romo play or not?

I love you all........

going and coming

2011-09-22T14:13:00.000-04:00

It happens all the time doesn't it?

I know it does to me.

You leave your home and go to a place where you have never been. Even when you have the directions, there can be difficult choices to make. Should I turn here? Should I go there?

Many times you find yourself going down the wrong path. Making a wrong turn.

Finally, you reach your destination. It seems like it has taken forever.

And then on the way back, you know the way. And....isn't it always true that the way back always seems shorter than the way going?

It always seems like it takes a shorter amount of time going home than it does going to your destination.

It's the same way in our walk with God.

Many find themselves leaving their "home" of a walk with God - to go on a journey that takes many twists and turns - only to find themselves far away from Him.

It seems like the journey takes forever.

But once you and I decide to go back "home," God readily accepts us. God embraces us. God forgives us. God loves on us. God takes us back immediately. In an instant.

The journey back to God is always shorter than the journey away from Him.

I am thankful for that this day, this Thursday.

church growth principles

2011-09-21T11:09:00.000-04:00

At this stage in my life I am beyond having any motivation of having church growth for any personal recognition or "advancement". All I want to do is see people come to Christ and grow in God.

I don't work to see empty seats filled with people - but empty lives filled with Jesus Christ.

More and more that is the complete and total motivation in ministry for me.

In going through a "miscellaneous" file this morning, I came across an article by Charles Arn entitled, "The Top five church growth principles."

Let me summarized his points - and let's all pray and work to see them implemented in our church.

Principle number one:

Disciple-making is THE priority.

Arn writes that, "the longer a congregation exists, the more concerned it tends to become with self-preservation - and the less concerned with its original purpose. Time, money, staff and even the prayers become increasingly inward-focused.

The result, not surprisingly, is that the church stops growing.

That's why our goal, my dear friends, must continue to be making disciples. Seeing people connect to Christ and grow in Christ. This happens through programming, prayers, budget, staffing, and evaluating all the church's ministries on their contribution to increasing the number of Christian disciples.

A church can do many good things. A church should do a few important things. We should focus in on what we do well and leave behind what we don't.

However, that being said, our ultimate goal is to "go out and train everyone we meet, far and near, in this way of life...." Matthew 28:19

Secondly, Social networks are the vehicle.

Arn writes that the "silver bullet" that any congregation can use to reach more people is non-Christians coming to Christ through relationships with Christians.

Friends reaching friends.

Listen to this sentence from Charles Arn: "Christian friends and relatives bring over twice as many new believers into the kingdom as all the other reasons....combined!"

Thirdly, Felt needs are the connecting point.

Most unchurched people are not walking down the streets of the Southland thinking about their eternal destiny. But they are thinking about their needs: their jobs, friends, health, kids, finances, hobbies and so on.

In other words, the way to reach people is to show how a relationship with Christ is relevant to all aspects of their lives.

People feel disconnected - they are looking for a place to belong.

People feel stress and pressure - they are looking for a sense of balance.

People feel that their relationships are superficial - they are looking for authenticity.

People feel drained from striving to meet their desires through work, material possessions or entertainment - they are looking for spiritual answers to their unfulfilled "hunger."

People feel overwhelmed by the pace of change in our culture - they are looking for help through transitions.

Fourthly, relationships are the glue.

Getting people in the front door is one thing - keeping them from quietly disappearing out the back door is another.

What keeps people in our church? Friendships. Arn writes, "put simply, if people have friends at church, they stay. If they don't they won't.

We all need to be "relational matchmakers" and may it a point to reach out from our own "circle of friends" to others who are new.

I encourage us all to speak with one person we "don't know" or haven't met each Sunday of the year.

Finally, transitions provide a window of opportunity.

If there is ever a time of "fertile ground" in the soil of a non-churched person it is when they are walking through life-transition events.

Marriage, divorce, relocation, retirement are a few.

But there are also uncontrollable events such as death of a spouse, medical crisis and job loss.

We all as followers of Christ - need to be sensitive to these needs.

Some great stuff for a Wednesday.

Focusing on Christ

2011-09-20T17:45:00.000-04:00

Focus.

We are what we focus on.

If my focus is on sports, than I speak and and breathe sports.

If my focus is on shopping (which it is not), than I speak and breathe shopping.

If my focus is on self, than I speak and breathe self.

God wants our focus to divert from sports, shopping and self and focus on the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let me explain.

You and I work hard at living the Christian life, don't we?

We want to live for God.

So we come to church, we read our Bibles, we have conversations with God, we try to do better - but then we fail.

Our best efforts are not working.

We make promises, we recommit ourselves to holiness, we fail, we make promises, we recommit ourselves to holiness - the process is never ending.

We are sincere.

We are honest.

We are doing our best.

The challenge is that many followers of Christ are often so focused on themselves (and their own walk with God - the process that I describe above) that they are missing out on what God is really looking for.

God's goal for us is simple. He wants to conform us to the image of His Son.

We do that by keeping our focus on Jesus. Not our past sins. Not our flesh. Not our "works". Not on the cycle of commitment, failure and recommitment. But on Jesus.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-09-19T14:29:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

I am grateful for a great staff to work with!

Noah (and Jenni) and Amanda - great job over this past weekend!

143 young people were saved Saturday evening - truly we praise God and give him the glory!

Weren't Eric Timm's paintings exceptional?

Loved his teaching yesterday morning - we are to reach out to everyone around us - not just those who look like us, talk like us, dress like us or act like us.

Our youth leaders are following up on those who were saved this past Saturday. Let's keep them in our prayers, that God will anoint their follow-up cards and calls.

I went to Starbucks this morning - and the person giving me my coffee told me that when I paid for the person behind me last week (for their coffee - "pay it forward") that four people who followed me paid for the person behind them as well.

She also told me that she took great pleasure in one of their "grouchy customers" having their coffee paid for. They asked, "who would do such a thing?"

God is moving in our church.

I am grateful - and thankful to Him.

The Dallas Cowboys won with Tony Romo giving a gritty, gutsy performance. He played with one rib broken.

How one week can change things.

Debbie and I are spending the fall and winter visiting all of our life groups.

Had a great visit with our Oak Forest life group. Wonderful group of people. Excellent time of prayer and sharing.

Rick and Dina Mulander are godly people who know how to minister.

Thanks to Debbie Smith for opening up your home.

If you aren't attending a life group yet, think about attending one.

I am excited about what God is doing in our church family!

God's will and relationship

2011-09-15T17:33:00.000-04:00

One of the things I know is that God's will for my life always comes out of relationship with Him.

A deep, personal, intimate spiritual relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The writer to the Proverbs tells us in Proverbs 3:5,6, to "trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and lean not on our own understanding - in all our ways acknowledge (or know him) and he will make our paths straight."

The Hebrew word for acknowledge (or know - in the Hebrews "yada") mean to know by observation, investigation, reflection or fist hand experience. But the highest level of "yada" is direct intimate contact or "life-giving intimacy" as in marriage.

In other words, as we are intimate with God in our time spent with him it conceives or gives birth to the blessings and victories of God in our lives - and we know his will.

What's the key word here? Relationship, relationship, relationship.

Are you seeking after God's will? Spent time in relationship with God. Be patient. And His will WILL come for your life.

Hanging out with God part 2

2011-09-14T13:28:00.000-04:00

Let me give us some follow up thoughts to yesterday.

Hanging out with God means that I spend time with him.

Now then, spending time together in any relationship does not guarantee a close relationship. But it is impossible to have a close relationship with someone without spending time together with them.

It is the same with God.

We need to spend time alone with God. Every day.

All I am saying is that if the only time I read the Word and pray and sing praise choruses to God or get my spiritual food - is on a Sunday morning - than I am in trouble.

I need to spend time with God every day.

Let me qualify that, however.

A common misconception is that "spending time with God," (hanging out with him) means being entirely ALONE with Him.

Of course, as I have been saying here, and as Jesus modeled, we need to spend time alone with God, but that is only a fraction of our waking hours.

Here is my point: Everything we do can be "spending time with God" if he is invited to be a part of it and we stay aware of his presence.

The classic book on learning how to develop a constant conversation with God (hanging out with Him) is "Practicing the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence (who lived in a French monastery in the seventeenth century).

Brother Lawrence was able to turn even the most common place and menial tasks, like preparing meals and washing dishes, into acts of praise and communion with God.

The key to hanging out with God, he said, is not changing what you do, but changing your attitude toward what you do.

What you normally do for yourself, you begin doing for God, whether it is eating, bathing, working relaxing or taking out the trash.

Let's all "practice" the presence of God in our lives.

Hanging out with God

2011-09-13T15:41:00.000-04:00

One of the things that each generation likes to do is to "hang out".

Now each generation might call it something different, but you get the idea.

"Why don't you come over and hang out" we say to one another. Nothing special. Maybe watch some television, play some games, sit on the front or back porch.

The goal is not to specifically "do" anything but just be together.

Have you ever equated this to your relationship with God?

Have you ever thought of the fact that maybe, just maybe God wants to "hang out" with you?

I'm not trying to be flippant, nor am I trying to be irreverent, but isn't it true that sometimes we are to just "be" in the presence of God?

So many times we either confine our relationship with God to "doing ministry" or "praying for our needs."

Our connection with God is to be a true relationship. And relationships need times of just "hanging out", perhaps not even talking to one another.

Putting on a praise tape and enjoying the presence of God.
Taking a walk and asking God to speak to you.
Reading the Word and then letting a specific verse dwell in your spirit.
Coming to our Wednesday evening prayer meeting and "sitting in God's presence".

No special reason. No specific need. Just "hanging out with God."

Just a thought for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-09-12T11:39:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

As you might know, the "complaint department" at our church is always open - and continually being used.

So....everyone once in a while, it's nice to receive the following (that was placed in the suggestion box):

"U guys are doing great!! I love this church!"

I believe all of us are the same - we can go a long time on one compliment.

What can I say about the Dallas Cowboys last night?

One word - Romo.

A good quarterback who will never be "great".

Tough loss.

It was moving for me to see all of the firefighters and police officers in the first service in uniform. It was our privilege to have them all in attendance, especially Chief McCarthy of Orland Park (who as the secret service agent who took a bullet to save President Reagen's life). They are all American heroes. Thanks to all of them for coming.

We were also privileged to have State Representative Renee Kosel with us. Her words concerning the fact that our nation continues to be "Under God" were both powerful and stirring.

We will "never forget" September 11, 2011.

May God continue to provide comfort to the families that lost loved ones that day.

Thanks to everyone who made yesterday so meaningful - the sound booth guys, worship team, Royal Ranger boys, etc. You did a wonderful job!

Had a great men's life group this past Saturday. Excellent group of men who want to grow in God. It is my privilege to disciple them.

It made my day to see Frank Wolf in the same uniform he wore when he was in his early 20's.

Thanks to all those who minister in our coffee connection ministry. We love and appreciate you!

Have a blessed week!

Sunday, September 11, 2012

2011-09-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

One thing for sure. I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001.

I will never, ever forget.

This Sunday, September 11, 2012, in our 8:30 A.M. and 10:30 A.M. services, we will be remembering. And praying. And thinking of those who died that day.

In our 8:30 A.M. service, the Orland Park mayor, Dan McLaughlin will be with us, as well as Chief Tim McCarthy (Chief Tim McCarthy took a bullet for President Ronald Reagan - when he served on President Reagan's detail as a secret service agent). Fire Chief Ted Golden will be there as well.

In our 10:30 A.M. service, Illinois State Representative Renee Kosel will be with us, as she was last September 12, 2010, when we dedicated our building.

Both services are going to be powerful - we encourage you to come - and bring some unsaved, non-churched friends.

I will be giving an "altar call" for salvation in both services.

God bless you - and may God bless America.

Pay it forward

2011-09-07T14:03:00.000-04:00

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:4, "Love is kind."

Kindness is shown in our actions and words that we give to those who cross our paths each day of our lives.

Yet kindness is also something that we can seek out to do to everyone we meet.

It can be "pro-active".

The past couple of days I have participated in our "pay it forward" effort to connect people to our church and to Christ.

The idea is that you (or me) pay for someones coffee, someones meal, anything that will encourage them. And...then hand them a card with our church's name and address on it.

Yesterday and today, I have driven through the drive-thru at Starbucks, and paid for the person behind me.

The first day, the woman taking my money at the drive-thru window was excited and pleased that we at our church were doing this. She gave me a big "thumbs up".

Today, as I left the drive-thru, I purposefully left slowly - to be able to watch the reaction of the car behind me upon finding out that their order was paid for. The two women were astonished. Their mouths flew open in delight.

Here are some tips to help you in this ministry.

Pray about the person that God is leading you to "pay it forward" for.
Pray after the person receives the gift of "pay it forward." Pray that they will connect to our church - and to God.

Love is kind.

And you know what? I felt really good is doing this. It made me feel good knowing that I was showing kindness and love to people I didn't even know.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-09-06T15:43:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Went out and had breakfast with the love of my life yesterday at Lume's (my favorite place for breakfast). It was relaxing to sit at the counter with a great meal and the paper and good conversation.

BTW - the "love of my life" is Debbie.

In fact, a big breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day - it's just that I don't partake in one much.

Am thankful for a great staff that really came through Sunday in preparing and working at the picnic.

Great work Noah, Aldin and Amanda!

Also...many, many thanks to our volunteers at our church who were so faithful in helping out as well. Thanks for your time and work!

It was a great day!

Beautiful weather.

Can't go wrong with Fried Chicken.

I really like playing 16 inch softball with everyone.

At our core - we are all competitive.

Thanks for coming to church last Sunday on a holiday weekend. We ended up having a great crowd (for labor day) and excellent worship.

Here's a quote that I said I would put on my blog (from my teaching). Someone in the audience asked that I repeat the quote - and I said I would repeat it in my blog.

Thomas a Kempis said, "Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be."

That is a challenging, almost overwhelming statement that is hard to do outside of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

May this week, as we remember 911, help us all to put "everything into perspective."

Love you all - George

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-08-29T14:44:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Congratulations to Eric and Stephanie for a beautiful wedding. It was one of the most unique weddings I have been to that totally expressed their personalities.

I told Stephanie that the "Chuck Taylor" tennis shoes that everyone in the bridal party wore - are the exact tennis shoes I wore when I played basketball in high school. What goes around - comes around.

Loved the worship song in the ceremony.

Really like Stephanie's song (that she wrote) and Eric's DVD (that he made).

Had a wonderful time meeting with all of their families at the reception dinner afterward. Good food as well.

It's been a full summer of weddings, baby dedications and the like.

"Help" is a very poignant movie that shows Mississippi during the 1960's. It will bring you to tears at the end.

I don't think I will ever, ever eat chocolate pie after see that movie.

After we saw the movie, Debbie and I went out for some "southern fried chicken" and peach pie with ice cream.

If you see the movie - you will know why we did.

Saw some great friends last night - who are moving to Germany - Rick and Teresa Odden. We are going to miss them dearly.

It's nice to have friends that you can just "pick up" where you left off - the last time you saw them.

I know it is starting to sound redundant (if you have been reading my Monday blogs) but yesterday's Sunday morning service was another powerful service - full of God's anointing.

I have already received one report today, about someone being healed (Nancy Healy). Praise God!

God is our healer!

Let's all reach out and "touch somebody" today for Jesus!

I like what David Dewes said yesterday, "when I receive from God I am filled," "when I give out to others in ministry I am fulfilled."

Might I add - we are filled to be fulfilled - as we reach out to others in ministry.

People need the Lord.

We desire people to accept Christ as their personal savior - and Lord.

We give God glory for the things he is doing in and through our church.

The smell of criticism

2011-08-25T16:05:00.000-04:00

One of the pastimes that Christians have is the act of criticism.

Many enjoy the wonderment of being able to judge others like they do a good steak. Or a bowl of ice cream on a hot day.

We know that we shouldn't - but it feels "so good."

I read something today from Pastor Tony Evans that made me stop and pause - and I hope the same for you.

He writes:

"When my kids were small, I took them to the Fort Worth Stock Show. This is a place where once a year various livestock are put on display. Now, I'm no Farmer Brown, but looking at the animals was fun for the kids, so I took them.

But, it smells out there. It stinks really bad. There are all these animals and they could only be kept so clean. It wasn't long after we got there that I was ready to go. My kids begged me to stay a little bit longer, but after awhile, I couldn't take the smell anymore. I had to get out of there!

I gathered everyone up and we made our way to the car. It was still stinky. We got in the car and made sure the windows were all up so we could escape the smell. It was still stinky! We got halfway home. It was still stinky.

Finally, we pulled up at our house. The sink that was at the Fort Worth Stock Show was in the house. How could it be stinking in Dallas when the problem was in Fort Worth?

Well, I had somehow gotten the problem on my shoes."

And then Pastor Evans goes on to write, "Well, I had somehow gotten the problem on my shoes. It is easy to analyze everybody else, but you may actually be smelling yourself."

Generally speaking, we criticize people in the areas that we deal with - within ourselves.

Perhaps, just perhaps, as you criticize others, it is your own stink that smells.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

Victory through prayer

2011-08-24T14:45:00.000-04:00

Tonight is our weekly prayer meeting.

I encourage you to come.

Prayer is the catalyst for Ephesians 3:20, (One of my favorite verses that I use a lot in my teachings) "Now to him who is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

I just love that verse.

God is able.

God is able to do exceedingly more.

God is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask.

God is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine.

God is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine according to his power.

God is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work in us.

With God is is always "more".

More grace. More power. More of his presence. More victories. More faith.

Don't sell yourself short today. You can see God do "more" in and through your life.

Jesus is in you. And with Jesus in you, you can accomplish some incredible things for God.

That kind of vision starts with pursuing his heart in prayer.

I believe God wants our church to be filled each week with a constantly expanding multitude of growing Christians who are learning how to walk in daily intimacy with God.

That’s really the heart of prayer, daily intimacy with God where we share our heart with him and he shares his heart with us. This is what the Bible means by abiding in Christ, remaining in his love, being constantly aware of his presence.

I dream of our church being a house of prayer, a place where prayer provides the foundation for every ministry we are involved in.

As it’s been said, "Prayer doesn’t prepare us for the battle; prayer is the battle."

Our ministry needs to flow from our knees.

May the coming year be a time of renewal of our vision for prayer - and victory.

The power of starting ministry today

2011-08-23T16:34:00.000-04:00

God is leading us as to church family to refocus ourselves on ministry.

God calls us all to minister.

Salvation and service are never to be separate entities in our walk with God.

Here's what I know: Service (ministry) always begins where we are at.

We don't have to go to the other side of the planet to minister. Nor do we have to put it off until some future date.

I read today that one kernel of wheat in the ground produces a stalk bearing three heads of wheat. In each head, there are fifteen to thirty-five kernels, altogether producing somewhat close to a hundred kernels form the stalk.

When planted, these kernels will produce ten thousand kernels.

When those ten thousand are replanted, they produce a million kernels. Incredible.

It's amazing what one person can do if they just start right where they are.

Why not begin today?

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-08-22T10:54:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Great, great services yesterday. I am extremely grateful for God's anointing and touch upon our church family.

Worship was powerful - especially during the altar call.

It "blessed me" (to use a religious word) to see most of our church family at the altar, seeking God.

Jeremiah 29:13 tell us, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart."

We are seekers, Lord!

We long for your presence in our lives, that we might be powerful witnesses for you!

Great visual do see our ministry booths in the foyer.

I am grateful for our many ministry leaders and volunteers. We depend upon you. Thank you for your faithfulness and help!

They asked Yogi Berra one time (a very successful pro baseball player and coach) - "what makes a great manager?" He responded, "great players".

What makes a great church? Great volunteers.

We are saved to serve, not to sit.

Ministry is simply an act of service given in the name of Jesus.

I am looking forward to ministering to someone with a "pay it forward" card.

The foundation of ministry always begins with the little things in our lives.

Two experienced, effective missionaries shared with us yesterday - Dave and Carol Ellis - missionaries to Argentina. God is moving around the world.

We love to give to missions at Stone Church.

I performed a marriage ceremony in Michigan on Saturday.

I also saw my two grandchildren, my daughter and son-in-law and my daughter Becky.

I love them all dearly.

My granddaughter, Georgia, is the sweetest person on the face of the earth.

I am proud of all of my children.

Life's blessings generally come to us in the small things of life.

Watching cartoons with your granddaughter on your lap.

Having a hug from her on your way out the door.

Seeing your daughter and son-in-law doing so well and loving God.

Watching as Becky and George are succeeding in what they are doing.

Being loved by my wife.

May you be "blessed" this week in the "small things of life"!

unity

2011-08-18T11:16:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while something happens (that you don't expect) that you look back on and say to yourself, "that was pretty cool."

Last night was pretty cool.

First of all we had a special congregational meeting - where we voted on whether or not to sell our Palos Heights property. The vote to sell? 100%.

Wow.

Wonderful.

The sounds, sights and smells of unity.

Being of one mind. Walking together as one.

They did a study amongst pastors in the United States, and found out that each pastor deals with church conflict on an average of four hours per day. Four hours a day.

It does not have to be that way!

Years ago, Leslie Flynn penned a book called, "Great Church Fights".

In it he chronicled the way people in different churches would go after each other – all in the name of Jesus Christ.

A young father heard a commotion out in his backyard, he looked outside and saw his daughter and several playmates in a heated quarrel. When he intervened, his daughter called back, “Dad, we’re just playing church!”

I'm thankful for the unity of vote and spirit last night.

We also had a wonderful time praying for the ministries of our church. Earnestly seeking God for His strength, wisdom and direction.

Every great move of God began in a prayer meeting. God is calling us to pray. And pray. And then pray again.

I am extremely grateful for each ministry and each ministry leader. Ministry is all about people. Ministry by people and to people.

If you are reading this and participate in ministry (service) in our church in some way: THANK YOU!

Thank you for your faithfulness, time and help.

May the Lord continue to provide His direction and His Spirit and His blessing on our church.

Being like Christ

2011-08-17T14:36:00.000-04:00

More than anything else, I desire to be like Christ.

I know that in America today, we are enamored with following examples in the world of sports, the arts and even politics.

But I want to be like Christ.

I was reading a story today about a man who was born with an awful facial deformity. He grew up alone and lonely. When reaching adulthood, he decided to move from his town to begin a new life.

On his way he discovered a beautiful mask that fit his making him look handsome. At first the mask was uncomfortable and he was afraid that people would find out who he really was, but he continued to wear the mask everyday.

In his new hometown, he made many friends and fell in love. But one day a wicked woman from his old home came to his town and discovered this man’s true identity. In front of his friends and fiance, she forced him to remove his mask. When he removed the mask, it revealed a handsome face. His face had conformed to the mask.

Becoming like Christ is analogous to this.

Go ahead and put on Christ.

At first it may feel unnatural or uncomfortable, and maybe you say to yourself, “who am I trying to fool?”

"I'm just a hypocrite - I know how I really am."

Yet I encourage you to - everyday - just keep putting on Christ and everyday you will grow to look more like him.

Just a thought for a Wednesday

It is all about Jesus

2011-08-16T10:55:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing I know - it is this. I don't like religion. But I love Jesus Christ.

I don't serve religion. But I do serve Jesus Christ.

I don't care for the politics of the church. But I do care for the power of God.

I don't like relational conflict. But I do love my relationship with Jesus.

Every day, I face, as a follower of Christ, the choice to believe the feelings and attitudes of the statements on the left of the four sentences above - or the statements on the right.

What am I going to focus on?

If I continually focus on the fact that the religion, politics and relational conflict in the church is ONLY what serving Christ is about - I would really be tempted to do something else.

But thank the Lord, our walk in faith is more than that. We can rejoice in the relationship that we have in Christ. We can walk with power and authority. We do have a relationship with Christ and not an old, dusty, dead religion!

I read this today (and it is powerful):

Renowned theologian Karl Barth was lecturing to a group of students at Princeton when a student asked him, "Sir, don’t you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only in Christianity?" With a modest thunder he stunned the crowd, replying, "No, God has not revealed himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed himself in his Son."

It is all about Jesus. "Jesus, come into my life today."

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-08-15T14:20:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Praying for Karen Ephraim. She is out of the hospital with a hip replacement, but faces an "uphill climb".

Busy, busy week, what with a board meeting tonight, a special business meeting this Wednesday, and a wedding on Saturday.

We really need God's wisdom this week.

Great services yesterday - many raised their hands for salvation - especially in the second service.

Worship in the first service was especially anointed! Praise God for those who are willing to worship God with all of their hearts, mind and strength.

I really appreciate the kind notes that have been coming my way recently. Words can't express the gratitude from all of the pastoral staff to those who take the time to show appreciation to us. I can go three weeks on one compliment!

Several brought someone with them to one of our Sunday morning services yesterday. Good work, my friends! Thanks for being willing to "step out in faith" and bring someone who doesn't know Christ!

As we turn the corner from summer to fall, let's commit to ourselves that we will do everything we can to see people connect to Christ.

I am thankful for my friends at our church.

Onward and Upward!

Walking in the flesh

2011-08-11T15:50:00.000-04:00

One of the expressions that we have in the kingdom of God is that many times we find ourselves, "walking in the flesh."

That means that we are not walking according to the spirit - but we are walking in carnality, depending solely and only on the flesh. People who walk in the flesh can face one issue that challenges every church in America: "Who is going to be in control?"

More harm has been done to God's kingdom by those who are walking in the flesh, seeking only to be in control and guard the control that they have.

Here are ways that I see people "walking in the flesh" in God's kingdom.

They refuse to admit guilt or wrong. They will say something like, "I am sorry that your feelings were hurt," rather than owning up to their sin.

The use people to accomplish their own agenda. In other words they let others do their own dirty work. They get another person's emotions stirred up and then let that person go into a rage. Than they sit back and look innocent, saying, "Who me? What did I do?"

They withhold information. They love to know that they have information that you don't have. In their eyes, it is a powerful weapon of control - especially as they don't "name names".

They volunteer for anything. Which is great, but these people walk in the flesh by volunteering in order to establish control. Their inner motives are never pure and they serve with secret agendas.

They lie.

They will ignore you. A controlling, fleshly Christian will be one who will ignore you if you disagree with them. They will isolate you and choose not to speak with you. Sometimes this will go on for months.

They will never show gratitude. They will never give credit where credit is due. They just can't bring themselves to say thank you or to acknowledge that someone else did something right.

They criticize everyone. They want to look good so desperately that they will sharply criticize anyone who makes a suggestion or plan. And here is the deal: they may even like the plan, but they will only criticize it because the idea did not originate with them.

They love to sequester information. Again by not "naming names." If there is ever a situation where information is important, they will push to be the "first" to know it. They seem to know everything about everyone.

They use information as leverage for power by sharing little tidbits here and there, often under the guise of saying something "in confidence."

They are pushy and domineering. They have to have their own way.

They blindside people. They use the element of surprise to catch you off guard.

They show seeds of discord. If Bill has a problem with Sam and Bill has a problem with Joe and Bill has a problem with Harry, than who is the problem? Bill.

They are vengeful. They can never let go of a hurt or wrong. This kind of person is never wrong in their own eyes, and if you contradict or confront them, get ready to become their worst enemy.

As long as you are in agreement with them, all is good. But if you confront or challenge them, look out. You will be the target of their fiercest venom.

Do you recognize these kinds of symptoms in the lives of those around you? Pray. And keep on pray. And love. And keep on loving.

This kind of fleshly controlling spirit can only be dealt with, "in the spirit" and hardly ever with logic or common sense.

Access

2011-08-10T12:46:00.000-04:00

One of the things that I practiced when my kids were growing up was giving them immediate access to me as I worked at the church.

No matter what I was doing - if my kids (or my wife) called; I dropped whatever I was doing and spoke with them.

I am thankful that God is the same way.

God doesn't have an answering machine. God will never put you and I on hold.

He is there every day, all day, at any time, to have a conversation with us.

That's hard to wrap our minds around, I know, but it is true. That's why he is God.

Paul writes in Romans 5:1,2, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

To put it simply (as we will hear John Bevere teach tonight), "faith is the 'pipeline' of grace.

He writes, "our faith is like a "PVC pipeline" that taps into and brings u the "water supply" of God's grace and presence.

Paul goes on to write in Ephesians 3:12, "In (Jesus), because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear)."

This free access is not just available to pastors, evangelists, and mighty men and women of the kingdom; it is available to you as a child of God.

Prayer should always be our first response, not our last resort. You are not annoying God by your requests; he longs to be welcomed into every part of your life!

Praying through

2011-08-09T13:47:00.000-04:00

One of the expressions that I have heard in my Christian faith is "praying through".

When you walk through a difficult time - you "pray through".

When you are sick and the medicine can't help - you "pray through"

When you are faced with a difficult decision and don't know which way to turn - you "pray through"

When you are walking through a difficult season with someone relationally, and nothing you do or say can seemingly help - you "pray through"

"Praying through" is when I go to the Lord and begin a non-stop, off and on conversation about the challenge or difficulty I am facing - until the answer comes.

David said in Psalms 42:4, "These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God. With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival."

"I pour out my soul."

"Praying through" is "pouring out my soul" to God - until an answer comes.

How do you do that?

Four steps:

First of all, be honest with God. Admit that what you are walking through is difficult and beyond your capability to either comprehend or come up with a solution.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. Why not be honest and forthright?

Secondly, express your feelings about your hurts to God. "God, this hurts!" Don't deny your feelings or rationalize them or point the blame at someone else. David, in the Psalms, did this continually.

Thirdly, mediate for a new meaning from your old hurts. Many times, God will not immediately change our situation, but he will and can change the way we LOOK at a situation.

Finally, Praise God for the new meaning he gives you. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:9, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

Have a conversation with God today - and don't let up until the answer comes.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-08-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Had a great time at Hal and Mary Kaufman's 50th anniversary party.

They had pork chops from "Hog Wild". I ate the best, tastiest, most tender pork chop I have ever eaten.

It was touching to see them renew their vows.

7 people were baptized in water yesterday!

I can't tell you how many people specifically raised their hands for salvation yesterday (to connect with Christ). Praise God!

More than at any other time in my lifetime - I really, really, sincerely believe that Jesus is coming soon.

Maranatha - Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Our God reigns - especially in the midst of the bad economy we find ourselves in.

Now is not the time to pull back in kingdom work. God can ESPECIALLY do miracles during this time and we keep moving forward by faith.

Faith is not really faith until we do something that only God can help us to do.

Congratulations to Hannah Janel - going to High School! We enjoyed your graduation party and love you and your family!

Busy week this week - a week where I will need God's wisdom. I encourage you to pray that God will give me the wisdom and knowledge that I need.

White Sox win three straight from the Twins. Go figure. Just about the time I have buried them and nailed the coffin down.

I am thankful for what God is doing in our church!

Let's all continue to be faithful to our church during the summertime (or whatever church you regularly attend).

Again - I am thankful that God never takes a vacation.

Frank Wolf continues to amaze me at his stamina and energy in doing volunteer work at our church.

Am thankful for a wonderful and hard working staff.

Working in ministry is never, ever easy - but it is fulfilling.

Our church is just about ready to "explode" spiritually and numerically - I can sense it.

When it does - we will totally and completely give God glory.

On second thought, why not start today? "God we give you glory"!

Taking control of our emotional lives

2011-08-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

One of the things that I have always struggled with (and will continue to do so) is controlling my emotional life (although I am doing a LOT better than when I was younger).

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "You make me so mad?"

Marcus Aurelius once said, "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."

I can't be responsible for what happens to me - but I can be responsible for the way I react to what has happened to me.

Ownership of my emotions is a key.

One way to control our emotions is to set emotional goals.

We can't afford to wing it when it comes to our emotional well-being (as Tommy Newberry writes).

We need to give our brain specific intention and it will serve us well. If we feed our brains mixed messages, it will hold us back.

Choose which emotions you want to experience in any given day.

Which ones to you want to experience less frequently or with less intensity?

Fear? Resentment? Boredom? Loneliness? Guilt? Rage? Confusion? exhaustion?

Or do you choose to experience Joy? Confidence? Peace? Passion? Satisfaction? Enthusiasm? Energy? Gratitude?

Choose the top three emotions that you would like to experience more often over the next 30 days (I am quoting Tommy Newberry).

Then transfer your answers to the front of a three-by-five card under the heading "increase!"

Next choose three emotions that you would like to experience less often, and transfer them to the back of the same card under the heading "Decrease!"

The point is this: With the help of the ministry of the Holy Spirit we can get control over our emotional lives.

We can choose joy. We can choose gratitude. We can choose satisfaction. It all comes back to what we let our minds dwell on.

Philippians 4:8 shares with us that whatever we dwell upon becomes increasingly prominent in our minds. You always feel what you dwell on.

Newberry goes on to write that we can do away with a negative thought when we replace with with a positive one. It's called the law of exchange.

We can't replace our negative thoughts by fighting them or trying to block them out but by replacing them with something else.

"Father, help us to gain control over our emotions!"

The kingdom within us

2011-08-03T17:05:00.000-04:00

Romans 14:17 tells us, "Once the Holy Spirit came to dwell within mankind, the Kingdom and all its power would be within us! We now possess the power to advance the kingdom in the hearts and lives of others."

When I connect with Christ, the Kingdom and all of its power dwells within me. Wow!

God's kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. His divine nature that lives in me as a follower of Christ.

The same power that Jesus walked in (and operated in) is mine as His disciple.

John Bevere writes, (as will heart tonight - DVD series) "No matter if we are a businessman or woman, stay-at-home mom, doctor, school teacher, mechanic, student, politician, investor, realtor - our occupation doesn't matter. He commissions all of us to advance the Kingdom."

The question is not, "do I have enough power to be effective in the world today," but, "am I going to make use of God's power that is already in me"?

I encourage you today to take advantage of and use God's incredible spiritual power that lies within you. Don't let it lie dormant. Pray. Ask God to release His spirit within you - to do great and mighty things.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.

Turning 55

2011-08-02T14:11:00.000-04:00

I read of a bumper sticker today that said, "I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I'm going."

And then another one: ""Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional." As I said in a previous blog, I have thought about the whole "maturity thing," but, "nah, it's overrated".

Today, I am 55 years old.

Wow. 55.

I'm having a difficult time wrapping my mind around it.

I don't feel 55 (most days). I feel 25 with 30 years experience.

Other days I feel 85 with no experience at all.

I guess I can get discounted coffee at McDonalds now.

More and more people are calling me "sir" when I am out and about.

I used to say that I just wanted to get old enough to where people would listen to me. I am now older, and still people don't listen to me.

Listen to these comments about growing older:

What kind of underpants does a 55 year old wear. "Well, Depends, I guess."

(Now that's bad, very bad).

What is the most common remark made by 55 year olds when they enter an antique store? "I remember these."

You know you are over the hill when you and your teeth don't sleep together (fortunately mine do).

55 isn't old if you are a tree. Unfortunately though, I am not a tree.

There are a lot of advantages in being 55 - just ask any 80 year old!

55 is not the end of the world, but you can see it from there.

Here is what I am learning: to enjoy each season of life.

Each season of life has its ups and downs, its pluses and minuses.

So why not rejoice!

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-08-01T10:54:00.001-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Busy summer - weddings, wedding anniversary celebrations - and the "beat goes on".

Beautiful wedding for Scott Jones and Keren Fleishhauer last Saturday. May God bless their marriage.

Great food at the wedding reception dinner.

Wonderful company as we sat by Frank and Sandy, Bob and Bea, Dan and Julie, Annie Arthur.

It's great to have fun with the family of God.

As long as we put Christ at the center of our marriage, any marriage can make it.

People need the Lord.

Thankful for the many who accepted Christ in our two services yesterday. May they continue to connect with God and our church - and grow in the Lord.

God is good - all the time.

God is sovereign and in control.

The whole "debt thing" has reached a compromise in Washington. Talk about "drama".

Can't we all just get along?

Let's all keep pray for the youth Honduras trip.

It was fun to "skype" the team yesterday and hear how they are doing.

It will be good to have them home.

My birthday is tomorrow - going to a White Sox/Yankees game.

Thanks to my wife for going with me.

Amanda did a great job in worship yesterday - we are grateful to have her here.

We are living in the end times.

The rapture is going to take place soon.

General Council is this week - to be candid - I am glad I am not there.

Hot, hot, hot, but I don't mind the heat.

This summer is going by fast, fast, fast.

Looking forward to Hal and Mary Kaufman's 50th anniversary party this Saturday. Congratulations Hal and Mary!

I am turning 55 tomorrow and have two grandchildren. Never thought I would reach this stage.

Thought about the whole "maturity" thing today. I guess I should now be mature being that I am middle-aged. On second thought, I think it is overrated.

Anyway, blessings, my friends, and stay cool!

Inviting people to church

2011-07-28T16:00:00.000-04:00

One of the goals that Holy Spirit has given me for our church family is to increase our desire to bring people into a connection with Jesus Christ.

Part of the process of fulfilling this goal is to invite people to come to one of our two church services on Sunday morning (8:30 A.M. and 10:30 A.M.).

I am currently in a series on the end times. This week - the end times, the mark of the beast and the coming Great Tribulation.

Now, more than ever, I believe that Jesus is coming soon. I believe that we are living in the end times. I believe that the world is in such a mess that no man, no set of political "doctrines," so one political party can bring the solutions that we need.

What the world needs is Jesus.

Do you agree with me?

What the world needs is a connection and relationship with Jesus.

We have (as followers of Christ), if you don't mind me saying this without sounding self-righteous or haughty, the answer. The solution.

Let me ask you a series of perhaps rhetorical questions:

What kind of fireman would you and I be if we didn't warn others about fire and how to put a fire out?

What kind of policeman would we be if we didn't warn others about criminals and how to fight crime?

What kind of doctor would you and I be if we didn't tell others about disease and how to bring about a cure?

What kind of Christian would you and I be if we didn't tell others about eternal life and hell and heaven and the way to Christ?

There are days when I wish I could just love people into heaven, but then reality sets in and I know that we have the responsibility to share the truth - and the truth in love.

Today is that day. Today is the day for you and I to invite people to come to our church. Today is the day to rise up and say, "I am a follower of Christ - and you can be too."

Again, some rhetorical questions:

What kind of fireman would we be if we saw our neighbor's house burning down and simply said, "It will burn itself out in a while?"

What would you and I say about a policeman who saw some criminals vandalizing someones property and simply said, "Well you know, boys will be boys"?

What would you and I say about a doctor who, when telling someone that they had cancer, simply said, "Take two aspirin and rest"?

We would say that they were not taking their jobs seriously.

My dear friends, let's take the fact that people are lost and going to hell without Christ - seriously. By inviting people to church. By telling someone about Christ.

Just a thought for a Thursday.

holiness and a holy God

2011-07-27T12:34:00.000-04:00

When I say the word, "holiness" - what does that mean to you?

Does it conjure up a list of "don'ts"?

Does it bring back feelings of the legalism you lived through as a young person growing up in the church?

Is it simply a list of rules and regulations to be followed in order to please a judgmental, harsh God?

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 (as we shall see in tonight's dvd series segment with John Bevere), "Finally, dear bothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You are doing this already, and we encourage you to do so more and more. For you remember what we taught you in the name of the Lord Jesus."

God desires that we live a holy life!

The word holiness, from the Greek (in which the New Testament was written originally in) simply means, "to be separated". "Consecrated to God."

In other words, God desires that we come up to His level of living.

Living an extraordinary life in God means that I talk like God, I think like God, I act and react like God.

As Will Rogers once said, "Live so that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."

That can be difficult, if not impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit.

It's a combination of God's Holy Spirit, and my willingness to live a holy life.

That willingness can always come from this: A healthy, respectful, reverent fear of the Lord.

Believers who struggle with habitual sin - the root is always - whom am I going to fear?

If I fear God - I am going to live a holy life.

I was reading today of a Leadership magazine cartoon by Mary Chambers, where two couples are seated in a living room engaged in Bible study. One of the women is speaking. "Well," she says, "I haven't actually died to sin, but I did feel kind of faint once."

God doesn't want us to feel "faint" to sin, God desires that we "die" to sin.

So, how can you break free?

Well, admit that you have a problem. Agree with God that you have sinned.

Submit yourself to God. Receive His grace.

Commit yourself to God's Word.

Pray and say the Word over your life.

Be accountable.

May God bless us all with a life of holiness, in which we are truly free to live for him - and live an extraordinary life.

Falling asleep

2011-07-26T12:46:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday in my teaching, I said that when we die, it is like "falling asleep".

And who is afraid of falling asleep?

Let me clarify.

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:14, we believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."

Where are these people who have fallen asleep? Where are they?

If you look in the very next chapter, 1 Thessalonians 5:10 says, "He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him."

Those who have fallen asleep are living with Christ as surely as we here are living with Christ. Whether awake or asleep, we live with Christ.

Remember that famous statement by D.L. Moody?

"One day you will hear that D. L. Moody of Northfield, Massachusetts, is dead. Don't you believe it! In that day I will be more alive than I have ever been before."

But how can you say that they're sleeping if they're alive?

Let me quote:

"Actually, not to put too fine a point on it, they are not sleeping; their bodies are sleeping. The Bible is very clear that the moment we die, we are consciously present with the Lord. We don't go into some long, spiritual coma. Our bodies are asleep the way you see them in a casket, for example.

Believer's bodies are, you might say, incubating. They are dormant just like the lily bulbs that are under the ground out in our gardens, waiting to come to life. But the spirits of those who have fallen asleep are alert at this moment and enjoying the company of the Lord. Take heart in that and do not grieve. Don't think they'll miss a thing, for they are consciously with the Lord.

Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Paul said, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." God will see to it that those who have fallen asleep will not miss out on Jesus' Second Coming. In fact, in a manner of speaking, they get first dibs! They get to be first in line"

Look at what it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, "According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord will certainly not"—that's one of the strongest negatives in the whole New Testament (will "absolutely, certainly not")—precede those who have fallen asleep." They'll go first; we'll come after them.

Take heart in knowing what will happen when Jesus comes back.

As Paul writes in verse 18, "Be encouraged." This world is not our home.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-07-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

Had a great "date night" on Friday evening with Debbie. She is the "love of my life" - and my best friend.

Found an interesting thought from Genesis 7:16 for yesterday (sermon). It was God who shut the door of the ark.

Noah felt such a burden for people who didn't know God - even couldn't even shut the door of the ark.

Jesus is coming soon!

I am grateful and thankful for the many who raised there hands yesterday in the second service - asking for prayer and signifying that they were starting a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Fun to see the second service basically packed with people.

We love our Nigerian friends who attend our church.

Great morning with prayer for our students and youth leaders going to Honduras. Renewal of vows (25 years) for Robert and Maria Adjuzie. Baby dedications of Henry Insalaco and John Schwider.

Wonderful family stuff.

It's great to be a part of the family of God.

God is up to something great!

I encourage everyone to invite an unsaved friend to church in the next three weeks.

Sermon subject this Sunday: Antichrist, mark of the beast and what to do if you miss the rapture.

Saturday evening: Loved watching the Nigerians celebrate the Adjuzie's 25th wedding anniversary. Singing, dancing (African style) and eating.

Big series for the White Sox this week with the Tigers. A "make or break" set of three games.

Look forward to going to the White Sox game tonight with 19 others from our church.

Thankful for a loving church family.

It remains hot. But I don't mind the heat.

Kinley Cummins will be a week old on Wednesday.

She and mother are doing just fine.

George is in Los Angeles. Becky is in New York. Christie, Andrew, Georgia and Kinley are in Grand Rapids. Some days my head swivels.

I love them all.

A study of the end times

2011-07-21T14:46:00.000-04:00

This Sunday morning, I am going to begin a four Sunday series on the end times entitled, "Are we living in the end times?"

I would invite you to invite friends and family who don't have a connection with Christ.

Sometimes eschatology (or the study of the end times) is like having something that you never use, yet you keep it around and take comfort that it is "just there".

We take great comfort in the fact that there will be a rapture, a resurrection, an eternity with Christ, but we many times don't actively pick up the topics and apply them to our lives.

I was reading today that years ago, a North Carolina fisherman found a fairly large rock in a stream where he was fishing and took it to his cabin home. Not having a mantel over his fireplace on which to place it, he used it as a doorstop.

Years later, a geologist was hiking through that area and the man invited him in for coffee. This gesture turned out to be an extremely profitable one as his guest began examining the rock and found out that it was solid gold!

In fact, it turned out to be the largest hunk of gold every found east of Colorado.

For many, the theological and practical implications of the Second Coming of Christ and the end times are like that rock that turned out to be gold.

It is gold that remains unrecognized and unclaimed in our walk with Christ.

Some leave it unclaimed because they feel it causes fear in their lives.

Others have difficulty understanding all of the different theories and theologies. It seems to be just too confusing.

Yet, Paul tells us that the study of the end times can bring great "encouragement" to us. It should also prompt us to live holy lives, knowing that Jesus could return at any moment, and I do mean at any moment.

Don't miss one Sunday of this series!

July 24 - The rapture of the church

July 31 - The Antichrist and the mark of the beast

August 7 - America in Bible Prophecy

August 14 - Heaven and Hell

Maranatha - "Even so, come Lord Jesus"!

Is your Christian walk boring?

2011-07-20T16:44:00.000-04:00

How would you characterize your Christian walk?

Is it exciting? Boring? A daily drudge of religious activities?

Maybe another question is this - when was the last time you were genuinely excited, I mean emotionally pumped about your walk with God?

We all go through seasons of dryness is our pilgrimage with Christ. And, sometimes those season can be quite lengthy.

Do you need the "rain" of the Holy Spirit to drench you, fill you and overflow your spirit and soul?

I would encourage you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

If there is anything that will take your Christian experience from the mundane to the marvelous, it is the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Let me use this analogy:

When you leave church on Sundays, you go to your car and make your way home or out to dinner.

You will deplete the reserve of gas in the tank. You don't have to be a bad person for your car to go form full to empty. You just have to use the car.

If you drive, I can guarantee you, you will deplete gasoline.

Many times, when people leave church, they are spiritually full because of the time they spent singing praises to God and hearing his Word. However, within two hours of being filled, their spiritual tank will be to dissipate.

And they are back to their old, boring, "filling my religious duty" way of life.

All a person has to do to lose their filling is to live life. Life is hard. Life has a way of draining out the reality of the Holy Spirit in us.

Since last Sunday morning, when we powerfully experienced the presence of God, I have continually sat through a series of difficult meetings (difficult in the sense that we really have some tough choices to make).

My spiritual "high" has melted away like an ice cream cone in this heat that we are experiencing.

I find myself once again, "plodding on."

But just as a person who drives a car has to continue to make trips to the gas station to fill up and make the car run smoothly, Christians must continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Just some thoughts for a Wednesday.

Flesh and Spirit

2011-07-19T15:37:00.000-04:00

There was a man who visited our church a couple of weeks ago and after the Sunday morning second service, pulled me aside and tried to convince me that Christians cannot sin.

That the person in whom the Holy Spirit resides cannot give into the flesh and sin.

He went as far as getting into my face and pointing his finger into my chest (which in and of itself raised up fleshly thoughts in my spirit).

Despite that fact of me sharing with him from 1 John 1:8, "if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us," he persisted in trying to convince me of his beliefs.

My friends, you and I struggle each day with the flesh and we will do so until we die. While we are filled with the Holy Spirit and have a relationship with Christ, we still struggle as Paul says, "that which I don't want to do I do and I do that which I don't want to do."

The difference between a follower of Christ and one who is not is that as Christians, we no longer have to sin. We can make a choice whether to sin or not.

Plus, we fight against an enemy who is trying to destroy us.

In his book By Grace Alone, Sinclair Ferguson identifies four major "fiery darts" Satan uses to unsettle believers and rob them of their assurance and peace in the gospel:

Fiery Dart 1: "God is against you," Satan says. "He is not really for you. How can you believe he is for you when you see the things that are happening in your life?"

Fiery Dart 2: "I have accusations I will bring against you because of your sins," Satan argues. "What can you say in defense? Nothing."

Fiery Dart 3: "You can say you are forgiven, but there is a payback day coming—a condemnation day," Satan insinuates. "How will you defend yourself then?"

Fiery Dart 4: "Given your track record, what hope is there that you will persevere to the end?" Satan asks.

Let's continue to realize that while we fight against our flesh and against an enemy who throws his fiery darts against us, we can, and I repeat, we can walk in victory.

"Greater is he that lives in us than he who lives in the world," John writes in 1 John 4:4.

Walk with boldness this day knowing that with God's power in you - you and I can live a life of holiness.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-07-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend.

It is hot - but I am not complaining. All I do is think of winter.

White Sox - winning two out of three in Detroit. "Come on boys", as the Hawk would say.

Thankful for the David and Hermila, Rick and Dina, and Tom and Lonna - and their help and willingness to minister in our life group ministry.

Life groups are important. We need life groups to sustain the relational dynamic of the church.

Great, great services yesterday!

I am thankful for those who received their prayer language.

Worship - wonderful!

We had a great crowd for a Sunday morning in July.

Youth camp is this week - let's pray for all of the kids.

We are just on the verge of a breakthrough in our church.

An excitement for the fall (and what God is going to do in our church) is beginning to build in my spirit.

I am thankful for everyone who was ministered to yesterday.

We had our second granddaughter! Kinley Kay Cummins, born on July 13th, 4:03 P.M. 8 pounds 14 ounces, 20 inches long! She is beautiful. Mom and daughter are doing great!

I love my family!

Please continue to have a great summer - but don't forget about us here at Stone Church - and don't forget about God!

I'm glad God never takes a vacation.

Thankful for our staff. The best I have ever worked with.

Stay cool, my friends.

waiting

2011-07-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

Christie, my daughter is just about ready to have our second grandchild.

I was just told that our new granddaughter will be born around 6:00 P.M. tonight.

We are waiting. And waiting.

Have you ever waited for something for a season and then it finally came?

Sometimes, it is in the waiting that makes the result even more meaningful to us as it comes about.

It builds up the suspense. It builds up the joy of experiencing what we are waiting for.

I am also waiting to find out the her name. Will let you know tomorrow.

Waiting...and waiting....and waiting.....

We need God's power

2011-07-12T18:24:00.000-04:00

This afternoon, the power went out here at the church. Twice. The first time, they told us that it wasn't going to come back on until Thursday noon. But it came back on. Went off, and now is on again.

Every time that happens, we realize how powerless (no pun intended) we are to do our work. Obviously, we can't work on computers, there are no lights to see with, we are basically rendered ineffective.

We need God's power in our lives.

Without it, we are rendered ineffective in our Christian walk and our battle against the enemy.

I read a story this week about a man who strolled out of a hardware store with a smile on his face and a brand-new chainsaw in his hands. He was told it could cut down five big oak trees in an hour. Twenty-four hours later, however, his smile was gone.

Frustrated, he was back at the store complaining that the saw would never cut five trees in an hour. "It took me all day to cut down five trees," he said.

Puzzled, the store owner stepped outside with the saw, gave the cord a swift pull, and fired up the steel-toothed beast. Its deafening roar sent the customer stumbling to get away. "What’s that noise?" he gasped. :)

It’s ridiculous for someone to try to cut down trees with a chain saw without starting it up.

But that’s how foolish we are as Christians when we try to live for Christ in our own strength.

We get frustrated and spiritually exhausted when we try to work things out on our own terms and according to our own schedule.

We fail to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us (Romans 8:9-11). Yet His presence can become real and powerful when we rely on Him.

Just some thoughts for a Tuesday.

Thoughts from the weekend

2011-07-11T16:56:00.000-04:00

Thoughts from the weekend:

My son, George, left today for California. May God watch over him and bless him.

He has a bright future ahead of him.

We are still waiting on our second granddaughter to be born - any day now.

Many, many thanks to Stephanie Hiller and the worship band for leading us yesterday. God was present!

This is the season for our church family to be on vacation.

I encourage you, wherever you go on vacation - go to a church service!

I'm thankful God never takes a vacation.

Just about the moment I get excited about the White Sox this year, they lose four in a row or four out of five.

The All Star game has become a boring affair.

Transformers 3: great action movie. A little bit long (It was interesting watching Chicago be destroyed by the alien machines).

I am grateful for all of the people in our church family who are faithful.

Excited and proud for Becky, my daughter. She continues to do a great work as the director of volunteers at a church in New York City.

People are not to be tolerated but celebrated.

I feel sorry for Josh Hamilton (who plays for the Texas Rangers). He threw a baseball up in the stands, and a man died trying to catch the ball (falling over a railing). I also feel terrible for the family of the man who died. A horrible tragedy. "Father, be with everyone involved. Strengthen them and comfort them."

May God continue to move and lead us in all of our lives.

With much love - George