Every Day with Jesus in 2011

As a congregation, our theme for 2011 will be "Every Day with Jesus." As I prayed and asked the Lord to give us direction for the year ahead, He brought this phrase to my mind. In the course of daily ministry, I find that many of the challenges people encounter would be much easier to handle if they sought to focus on Jesus more each day. But what does that look like in "every day life?"

In the busy-ness of our lives, we often lose focus on our relationship with God. We often focus on other relationships, our jobs, our homes, our hobbies, or ourselves independent of our relationship with God. Yet God is at work in every area and relationship of our lives, each day. But we must begin to seek to find Him at work in each of these areas, every day.

A monk from the 17th century named Brother Lawrence was someone who sought to do just that. He said, "We should fix ourselves firmly in the presence of God by conversing all the time with Him... We should put life into our faith... We should give ourselves utterly to God in pure abandonment, in temporal and spiritual matters alike, and find contentment in the doing of His will, whether He takes us through sufferings or consolations." He also said that he "was happy to pick up a straw from the ground for the love of God, seeking Him alone, purely, and nothing else, not even His gifts."

Jesus' remarks in John 15 are instructive here. In speaking about our relationship with Him, He says, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5) The fruit of which Jesus speaks are things that are in line with the will of God, things which please Him and make Him known in the world. Brother Lawrence understood that when he did things simply out of love for God, he found his faith strengthened and that he grew much closer in his relationship with God.

But he was a monk, you say. It was easy for him to be so devoted to God for that was his sole (and soul) preoccupation. But he struggled with it just as you and I do. He had regular "every day living" tasks to perform that were boring and not fulfilling by nature, just as you and I do. In reading the short book about him, "The Practice of the Presence of God", however, you find that it was in the menial day-to-day chores that he learned how to make this abundant life with God a reality. You and I can do the same.

"A little perseverance," he said, "was needed at first to form the habit of conversing all the time with God and referring all actions to Him. However, after a little care one felt stirred by His love without any trouble... We ought to act very simply with God, speaking familiarly with Him, and asking Him for help in situations as they arise." He trained himself to do everything for the love of God, whether it was a task he enjoyed or not, and he prayed constantly for the the grace to do his work. As he did so, God was faithful to help him and sustain him in his work.

God will do the same for us! Jesus said, "Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me" (John 15:4). I do not believe that in choosing the words "remain in Me" Jesus means an occasional prayer and attending worship when it is convenient for you. I think Brother Lawrence had a better understanding of what Jesus meant by "remaining in Him." It is an every moment, every hour, every day thing. And as he discovered, there is extraordinary joy to be gained as we “remain in God” all the time.

It would be wonderful if there was a switch we could turn or a simple prayer we could pray to cause us to remain in Him the way we might like to do. But it takes God's help as we work to submit each moment, each task, each conversation, and each day to Him. This work requires submission and discipline, with which God promises to empower us. But more than that, it requires a love for God that creates within us a desire to remain in Him.

It is difficult to fully love something or someone with whom we spend little time. A famous preacher once said that Love is spelled TIME. If we want to love God more, we must spend time with Him, time in conversation (prayer), in meditation (pondering God and His works), in His Word (reading the Bible for devotions and for study), in fellowship with His people (allowing others to be used by God to bless you and you doing the same for them), and time in worship (giving God the praise and adoration He alone is due). All of these can be done in the course of our daily lives, if we love God enough to make time for them.

Take a moment and think of the things that are a part of your daily life now. How many of them were added at one point in the past because you made time in your schedule for them? We are good at making time for the things we really desire, and really good at creating reasons to put off doing things we don't. In order for our relationships with God to be more than they are now, we must make more time for Him each day in 2011.

Hence our theme for the year - "Every Day with Jesus." Is this a lofty goal? Admittedly it is. Is there a more noble goal for our congregation? I believe there is not at this time. In order to fulfill our mission of "Building Committed Followers of Jesus" as a congregation, we must first be a congregation of "committed followers of Jesus." We must seek God's help to be more like Brother Lawrence and to live every day performing every deed for the love of God.

Can we do it? With God's help, Jesus tells us that it is possible. Will we desire to do it? That will be up for us to decide. Since the things of this life are temporary, we should prepare for 2011 by asking God to give us His perspective on our lives and to draw us deeper into relationship with Him as we seek to live "Every Day with Jesus." As we do, I know He will.

Your fellow traveler on the journey following Jesus,

Pastor Tim

Christmas Eve is almost here!

Are you as excited as I am? No, I am not delusional from too much shopping. I cherish this time of year as we celebrate the birth of our Savior! God has come down to earth to save us from ourselves, our sin, and death.

What a glorious expression of God's love that He left the glories of Heaven to come down to earth and be born as a human baby! Think about that for a moment. It should fill you with awe and wonder at the amazing nature of God's love and grace.

Each Christmas Eve we gather to celebrate this astounding truth. The Light of the World came into the darkness of our world and changed our lives forever! Candlelight services remind us of this comforting reality.

They have long been a favorite of mine. I remember as a kid standing in the church, holding a candle, and being touched by the beauty of the glow in the sanctuary. Everyone singing Silent Night in the gentle candlelight. It was inspiring and the light gave everyone a radiance that was angelic.

This is just part of what you'll be missing if you don't make time to join us for one of our services this Friday!

For your convenience, we offer two services: one at 5:00 pm and the other at 7:00 pm.

I pray you will join us and I will get the joy of seeing your candlelit face all aglow with light of Christ, our Savior. It is truly a highlight of my year as a pastor, and I am asking God to touch you this year in a similar way so that this Christmas will be new and different for you.

A Glimpse of Heaven!

Last Sunday evening many people from the community and many from our church gathered for our annual Advent Dinner and the Blackwood Legacy concert. It was a wonderful night! For me, it was a glimpse of heaven. To be clear, I do not picture heaven as a crowded room with tables, chairs, and a potluck buffet line. The glimpse of heaven was so many people of diverse backgrounds who share a common faith gathering together for fellowship, fun, (yes-food, too), and sharing our God-given gifts with one another.

What a joy it was to watch as so many of you worked so hard to set up the room, decorate the tables, prepare the food, greet our visitors, and break out more chairs when even more people came! Although the room was crowded, there was a wonderful welcoming and peaceful atmosphere. To me, it was more like a family gathering than a "church" event. I believe that is how our "events" should be; and, therefore, I believe they are a small glimpse into what it may be like in heaven.

In addition to our church family sharing their various gifts and talents with one another (i.e. cooking, serving, greeting, etc.) and our guests, the Blackwood Legacy group shared their amazing God-given talent for music and comedy. Their performance was even better than their concert here earlier this year. I imagine that provides us another glimpse into heaven - each of us sharing our God-given gifts and talents with one another - for God's enjoyment and glory.

When we utilize the things, personalities, talents, and treasures God has given to us for His glory and for the building up of His Kingdom, that is a form of worship! From God's Word we know that worship is one of the primary aspects of life in Heaven - and rightly so! Only our glorious God is worthy of our praise and honor!

As we continue on in this season of Advent, let us take (and where necessary MAKE) time to slow down and remember the true reason for this Season. That God so loved the world that He sent His only Son into the world to save it (John 3:16). "The world" is you and I. God so loves us that He sent Jesus to die for our sins so that we could have LIFE! What an amazing gift this is!

I would commend you to write on a small piece of paper the following: For God so loved me that He sent Jesus into the world to save me from my sins and give me new life in Him. Because of His grace, one day I will be in heaven with Him, forever! Then wrap that up in a package with a tag on the outside “To you from God” and place it under your tree to open on Christmas morning. Make one for each person in the family so that everyone can be reminded of this most precious free gift that each of us share because of God's unfathomable love for us. Merry Christmas!

Guitly as Charged - Meetings Are Too Long!

In my quest to become a better leader, I have run across a variety of helpful resources which I plan to share with you throughout the year. As uncomfortable as it has been, many of them have helped me better identify and understand my shortcomings as a leader.

One area in which I've fallen short is making meetings productive and concise. This is something I am working to correct. I found the following article on a business leadership blog entry on meetings helpful. Though it is designed for a business audience, it has many applications in our congregational context. (By the way, ROI is Return on Investment.)

http://www.leadersbeacon.com/want-greater-roi-from-your-meetings-six-questions-that-will-make-the-difference/

I will be putting more insights and other things I have learned here on my blog. I encourage you to come back and check for new entries often. Please leave comments so we can dialogue through this venue.

Max Lucado is helping me!

I have been reading Max Lucado's "Facing Your Giants"at the recommendation of a good friend. On pages 74-75 he is discussing David and his men at the Brook Besor. At one very discouraging point when almost everyone has turned against him, David turns to the Lord for help. As Max expounds:

"'But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.' (1 Samuel 30:6) How essential that we learn to do the same. Support systems don't always support. Friends aren't always friendly. Pastors can wander off base and churches get out of touch.When no one can help, we have to do what David does here. He turns toward God."

This is a great encouragement and reminder for us all. Thanks, Max! (Great book, by the way, I highly recommend it.)

Our Congregation’s Mission – Building Committed Followers of Jesus Christ

Whatever the season, we each must be about God’s business each day if we are going to fulfill our mission as a congregation. God will use you do help accomplish our mission in the course of your everyday life.

Every follower of Jesus is in full-time ministry – not just pastors. God wants to use you each day, wherever you are, whether working or retired, married or not, rich or poor.

If you have been reluctant to let God fill you and use you to make a difference in someone else’s life, let me strongly encourage you to do so today. “How do I do that?” you ask.

A simple prayer is the first step. There are no magic words. The prayer just needs these simple elements:

1. Just ask God to use you.

2. Ask Him to make clear to you who He wants you to impact.

3. Ask Him to make clear what you are to do for Him.

4. Thank Him in advance for what He will do through you.

Then, like the Nike commercial says… JUST DO IT!

Often, God will give you something very simple to do. It may be a phone call or a hug, stopping to talk with someone and really listen, praying with someone on the spot (yes, even if you are really nervous or in public!), or helping a person with a simple need.

Whatever you do, when they ask why you are being so nice or considerate, just tell them God loves them (and you) and that He sent you to them to prove it. After they ask if you are kidding and you assure them that you are not, tell them in your own words why Jesus is important to you and what a difference He makes in your life.

It doesn’t take fancy words or a good argument, just be genuine with them. Think about it first. Practice what you would tell someone if they asked why you are a Christian.

Keep the focus on what God has done for you, not on what you do for Him. Then expect God to show up and do something only He can do through your life. I know you won’t be disappointed.

After you have told them about the difference God has made in your life, invite them to learn more about Him by coming with you to one of our special events or worship services. You can also ask if they would like me to visit them to answer their questions about God or our church. I would be happy to do that.

May God give you the boldness to ask to be used by Him, the peace and confidence to know the directions He is giving you, the strength to obey what He tells you to do, the wisdom to speak to the person to whom He has led you, and the joy of His Son Jesus as you experience the power of God working through you.

Our Mission – Building Committed Followers of Jesus Christ (Part One)

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Romans 12:1 (NLT)

As we approach the craziness of summer time in Southern California, it is fitting to remind ourselves of our mission as a congregation. During the summer it is easy to become distracted while focusing on vacations and other projects. Yet our work as God’s people goes on from season to season and we are accountable to God for it.

The above verse from Romans reminds us that we are called by God to a high standard. Thankfully, by His grace, God provides the desire, strength, and resources (His Word and Holy Spirit) to work toward this standard and to help others do the same. Because of His mercy, in Jesus He even provides forgiveness when we fall short.

Our mission as a congregation is to introduce these truths to others and to be available to God to be used by Him to equip others to become fully committed followers of Jesus. While there are many noble endeavors, there is no greater or more fulfilling calling in this life.

It is important that we keep this mission ever present in our prayers, our thinking, our planning, and our actions. We will only be successful at accomplishing it when we combine God’s grace and provision with our intentionality and hard work. Over the summer we need to remain diligent about our mission and seeking God’s wisdom, guidance, and provision for finding new ways to fulfill it.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)

This verse from Ephesians helps us to remember that this is God’s work from start to finish, in us and in others. I am amazed by this truth. The Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe is willing to use us to impact the lives of others! Can you believe it? We cannot boast about anything, only in what God is doing through us as we make ourselves available to Him.

Lent Is Not the Stuff that Clings to Your Clothes in the Dryer

“If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to
cleanse us from every wrong.” 1 John 1:8-9

While many of us will readily admit we are “sinners”, few of us will ask God to search our hearts as King David at the end of Psalm 139. It is one thing to admit that we sin, after all – everyone does! It is far more intimidating, however, to ask God to search the nooks and crannies of our hearts for the sin that we like to forget about, or worse, the sin to which we’ve grown callous and deaf.

Bringing up these things will almost certainly be embarrassing and probably painful. At a minimum, if God reveals them to us, we must respond. Either we reject God, argue with Him about His definition of sin, or we allow His Holy Spirit to convict us and repent.

Ouch! There is that word so few of us like – repent. Oh, it’s fine when we are pointing out someone else’s sin and calling them to turn back to God. But for the average Christian it is a word that is used as little as possible – like healthy food at a buffet. Sure, we can put a couple of green beans or a little salad on our plate to help us feel better about all the calories we are carelessly consuming. But in the end, they have little positive effect on our bodies and they do little to relieve our guilt for overeating.

The first verse above indicates that refusing to acknowledge the truth about our sin is foolish. A Christ-follower that does not regularly come before the throne of God and ask to have her dirty laundry aired by a just and holy God is robbing herself of both the power of God and the joy that comes from being in His presence. Verse nine reminds us that when we confess our sins to Him, He will forgive us.

By the way, this kind of confession is not the “Okay you caught me! I’m sorry,” we get from children when they are only sorry they got caught, not because they disappointed you by breaking a rule. This kind of confession goes hand in hand with genuine repentance. That is realizing you have missed the mark of God’s perfect standard for your life, and that you don’t want to repeat that mistake ever again. It means humbly asking God’s mercy and forgiveness, and asking for His power to avoid the same mistake in the future.

This is why the season of Lent is so important. We are preparing our hearts to remember and receive with gladness the eternal life our Savior won for us by dying for our sins and conquering death and the grave as He rose from the dead on Easter morning. For a Christ-follower, Easter should be a cause of great joy and celebration.

However, when we do not acknowledge all of our sin and ask God’s forgiveness, we are robbing ourselves of the true joy and transformative power of Easter. Don’t let this happen to you! Spend time this Lent alone with God everyday. Ask Him to take away your fear of having your sin revealed so that you can confess it and experience the true joy of His forgiveness.

Knowing that we are forgiven also removes any unholy fear we have of being in God’s presence and it helps us look forward with greater expectation to living forever with God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ. What extraordinary joy will be ours!

A Reflection on Ash Wednesday and Lent

Fat Tuesday is past. The feasting and the dancing are now done. The time for celebration has past and the time for reflection has come. No longer surrounded by the reveling throngs and cheering crowds, I now sit alone. The darkness around me has changed and is now cold, unattractive. I now begin to see it for what it is – empty, meaningless, and without hope.

Why was I so consumed with it? How could I have been so deceived by the darkness? Why didn’t I realize I was blind and could not see? Where has the light gone? How long will the darkness remain, trying to entice me with its empty promises and surrounding me in hopelessness?

As I wait on God, seeking His light once again, my former attraction to the darkness is now interrupted. The warm light of Christ envelopes me with love and hope. Now I only remember the darkness to bask in this light, so that the light will be clearer and more distinct in my mind and my life.

Now I do not embrace the darkness, nor do I fear it. I allow it only to remind me of the glory of the light and my desperate need for it. The power of the light is now stronger for me than the power of the darkness. The light is more attractive to me once again. Balance is restored. I am at peace.

Things have changed in me. Now I yearn for the light. There is an unquenchable hunger and thirst for the things of God and His presence. Yes, to just bask in the warm soft glow of God, consumed by His glory, that is where I want to linger. Drinking deeply from the infinite well of His love, soaked to my core by the unending waterfall of His joy, and floating carelessly on the calm pool of His peace I rest.

My Savior was raised to new life, and because of Him, so have I. The glory and joy of Easter are now my daily experience, not simply an event once each year. My desire for the light of Christ in my life is now unchallenged. The things of the darkness which I sought in my deception are now pale and insignificant to me. The purpose of Lent is now realized.

Starting Over

Starting Over

Even though January 1 is really simply another day like any other, the change from one year to the next is a milestone in our lives. It gives us an opportunity to start over. Typically, starting over takes the form of setting New Year’s resolutions and goals. We resolve to reach a goal at some point in the year ahead of us.

For many of us, these goals are very similar to the goals of last year because we failed to achieve them, so we decide to start over. One of the main reasons we are less than successful in our “do-overs” is that we do not sufficiently seek or utilize God’s wisdom and power to help us achieve our goal. Here’s how:

1. We must first seek and apply God’s wisdom in setting our goals and then developing the action plan to reach them. James 1:5-8 says, “If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.”

2. Secondly, we must ask for and then apply God’s strength to accomplish the things He tells us to do in order to accomplish the goal we have set with His wisdom. In his letter to the Christ followers in Philippi, Paul gives us an example of doing this. “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” Philippians 4:12-13.

3. We often need resources to help us achieve our goals. After we have sought God’s wisdom in setting our goal and the plan to reach it, and after we have asked for God’s power to implement the plan, we may also need to ask God to provide what we need. Later in that same letter to the Philippians, Paul thanks them for helping to supply his needs and encourages them by telling them, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.

Be careful not to fall into the trap of setting your own goals and then asking God to bless them. If you have not consulted God before you set them or have not been remaining faithful to Him, it is presumptuous to ask His blessing. Again, this is an area where James gives us some good advice:

“Look here, you people who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog—it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16.

If you charged ahead of God and have already made some resolutions or set some goals, bring them humbly before Him and ask if He agrees with them, and give Him the permission to change them if He sees fit. Then ask His help to remain faithful to Him in worship, serving, prayer, and studying His Word. Remember “But don’t just to listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” James 1:22. May God bless you as you work to accomplish His goals for you.

Your fellow traveler following Christ,

Pastor Tim