"Godly" Men

You know we have this idea that all the Godly men who have ever been used of God were just awesome Christ followers. We have this idea that after we come to Jesus we no longer struggle with any thing. We also often feel that God only uses those who are perfect and do not struggle with things in our life. How quickly that idea is crushed when we really dive into God's word.

Adam, the first created man sinned just by gentle encouragement of his wife.
Noah, the only righteous man on earth gets wasted just after getting off the ark.
Abraham, the father of all nations, lies to Pharaoh about his wife being his sister, and trades her for all kinds of goods...

Man, thankfully God is patient huh, and he doesn't require us to be perfect before he begins to use us.

Think about that before you cast judgment on someone else's life as they follow Christ.

Bible Study

Well today I started a new thing. I am on a 90 day encounter with God's word. I have committed to read the entire Bible cover to cover in the next 90 days. The way that it happens is by reading basically 12 pages a day.

I am still reading other things, but I have been feeling God directing me to be saturated with God's word. It is the road map of life. Now I have read every book at one point or another at least once, but I have never read straight through. So now I am on a journey.

I want to be well versed in God's thoughts. I like to know what people around me are thinking. One of my favorite things to ask is, "What are you thinking?" So I ask myself, "What is God thinking?"

The answer is right in front of me.

I journeyed from creation to Abraham and Sarah's life with Ishmael today. I love to read a great story.

Wouldn't the Bible make a great epic movie? It would be rated R though :)

The process

I was just doing my daily reading of the blogs I try to regularly read, markbatterson.com, brianzahnd.com and a few others. But go today to brians blog and read about the process. Read todays blog entry. take a minute to absorb what he is saying about the seeds verses growth. It is very well worded and I am not going to try to copy it. Just read it.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Doesn't that make you think of a commercial for a monster truck show at Wells Fargo.

Well. we didn't have a monster truck show, but we did have a meeting with God. Sunday went well as we finished the sermon series "God at the Billboards." Jason sang the Finger Eleven song "Traded it All" as I spoke about the parable that Jesus told about the man that found the treasure bauried in the field.

Here is the overview.

This question of cost and value, of risk and reward, applies to every aspect of life.

Like anything else, the Christian life involves costs and benefits.

“The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.” – Matthew 13:20-22


The Bible doesn’t present the Christian life as one of ease, and comfort, and pleasure.

Jesus warned his followers to count the cost before ever embarking on this journey.

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ’This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:25-30, 33

“Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."” – Matthew 18:19-20

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. – Matthew 13:44

D.A. Carson, puts it, is that “The kingdom is worth infinitely more than the cost of discipleship, and those who know where the treasure lies joyfully abandon everything else to secure it.”

First thing about the treasure is that it was “hidden”.

“The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them . . . This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” – Matthew 13:10-11, 13


The second thing I’d like you to note about this treasure is its immense value.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”-jim elliot

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ”
– Philippians 3:8

“. . . if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." – Matthew 10:42

No matter what the circumstances, in the end the benefits of following Christ will always be far greater than the cost of doing so.

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. " – Matthew 5:11-12

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” – Luke 6:35

Do you view the kingdom of God as a treasure?

Friday feature Video

Sorry about the real player issue. I am working on making it better. Hopefully by Friday evening it will be right.

Friday Feature

Just wanted to spark some interest for Bolivia. This "short film" is the overview of the trip I lead in February. We went to Cochabamba Bolivia and worked with Missionary Rich Farthing to help build an orphanage. We laid all the block on the second floor, interior and exterior walls. It was awesome! We are planning another trip for the fall of 07.

We are also in the process of raising $32,000 for a piece of property that they want to buy that sits right in between the orphange and the local church. It will be a safe place for the kids to play and interact.

I was discussing it with Mark Main the other day and he mentioned it as an opportunity to not just change a few kids lives, but this cna change generations of kids. It was such an awesome comment I have been using it since.

The ability to change generations. Isnt that really what it is about?

If thus clip doesnt play for you I am sorry.

Bolivia stream.rm
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Anger management

In Life Group last night we discussed anger, and the issues surrounding it. I just wanted to ask, Do you deal with anger? Do you explode or not? What do you do?

Ephesians 4:31 is pretty strong.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

All rage and anger... Wow. I think that includes road rage,(ouch) anger towards our kids and spouses, and even coworkers.

It really all comes back to the great commandments. To love God with all our heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Yeah, I cant say I have those covered 100%. Do you? If you have market cornered there can we have lunch on Monday?

Blessings everyone.

I want to encourage you in all you are doing. I know that this is a vast undertaking, and I have been praying this week for each of the families in our church.

I am a firm believer in that Jesus' will is for all to know Him. Knowing Him requires repentance and turning our life over to Him. It is a big step for people. It is happening, and I am focusing new efforts to disciple those who have made commitments.

Romans 10:13 is one of my favorite texts. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved...

Awesome, simplistic, real, genuine promise from God.

It's the next verses that really shake me up. It was brought back to my attention this week, and I haven't been able to shake it.

14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

I don't want to be guilty of not "preaching" the Good News in its fullness. I don't want to be guilty of simply not preaching when I have the opportunity. Of course I don't mean I have to be standing on a box downtown yelling. But I do mean I want to be one who is actively seeking opportunities to share Gods story of redemption.

He is in the redeeming business you know...

Lost blogs

Man I love technology, but sometimes I have a problem. The problem is sometimes it doesn't work for me! I have posted a few blogs in the last week but they have mysteriously disappeared.

Then a few days ago I Dara went to post a new blog on her site and one of my blogs was there. So I don't know what is going on.

It does seem strange though. Apparently one of those technology gnomes is out to get me again!

Sunday recap

Sunday went well. It was week 3 of our God at the Billboards series. Jacob Cooper (commonly called Cooper, at times I have to think about what his first name really is) sang the Cold Play song "Fix You." He did a great job. I even heard rumblings after service about whether or not Chris Martin was really there. Cooper is now starting a local chapter of the Free Trade Organiztion at... never mind.

After everyone recieved their Silly Putty, I spoke from Jeremiah 18 about the how God told Jeremiah to go down to the potters shop and watch him make pottery. God is desiring to shape and mold all of our lives. The hook is that we have to be willing to let Him do so.

Are you ready to be put on the Potter's wheel?

Weekend update

Sunday was great! We completed week 2 of God at the Billboards this week. Dara sang the John Mayer song, "Something's Missing." She did a fantastic job. The band did a great job on the cover just before I spoke about the rich young ruler and his journey for something that was missing in his life.

We had 60 yesterday with several visitor! And at least 5 people gave their life to Jesus this weekend. It was awesome. This weekend epitomizes what we are trying to accomplish with our church.

Im back

Wow,

What a month. I am sorry I have been out of the loop for quite some time. I had posted a blog about being in Bolivia while I was in route at a hotel but it never posted apparently. Sorry.

I will be blogging about all the details of the trip in the next few days.

Blessings and I am glad to be back.

Giving is about trust

The Bible lays that plan out. There are 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, and more than 2000 verses that deal with money and possession.

Jesus talked about money in 16 of the 38 parables. That’s 42%! If we want a revolution, we’ve got to talk about money, as well.
Many of the struggles in your family have money has their root. Financial disagreements are the number one cause of divorce in America.

Money matters in all areas of our lives.
Money is a key to the revolution of life.
It takes money to do what God has called us to do.
Just as there was a plan to finance the American Revolution, there is a plan to finance this revolution and it’s found in Malachi 3.7-12. Malachi is the final book of the Old Testament. It’s a prophetic call for the people to return to God and take part in a spiritual revolution.


“Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.
You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.”

First, I want you to notice the Purpose of the Tithe.
The tithe means the first 10% of your income. Tithe simply means a tenth. So, what’s the purpose of the tithe? The tithe was established to demonstrate our commitment to God.
Here was a country in need of a revolution and the message from God through Malachi is this: You aren’t giving your best; your giving what’s comfortable. You’re serving out of convenience, not out of commitment.
In Malachi, the people did not put God first in several areas of their lives.

1. He was not first in their sacrifice.

Look at Malachi 1.6-8, “"A son honors his father, and a
servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'
"You place defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the Lord's table is contemptible.
When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.

They aren’t giving God what’s first; they’re giving God what is leftover. Leftover commitment doesn’t stir a revolution.

1. They did not put God first in their family.

Look at Malachi 2.14-16, “You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.”
They aren’t giving God their best and it isn’t because their giving the best to their families. Their families are being broken into because of their lack of commitment. God says I hate divorce because of what it does to families. It tears them apart and shreds them to pieces.

1. They did not put God first in their money.

Malachi 3.7-9 said it clearly. They loved their money more than they loved God.

Here’s what I know: there is a relationship between your possessions and your priorities.

The tithe was established to align our priorities. That’s the purpose—demonstrate our commitment to God.
We not only need to look at the purpose—we need to look at the problem. Look with me at verses 6-9 and then 13-15:
"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of
Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me.”
Now go to verse 13, “"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' "You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.'"

The problem isn’t that they aren’t tithing—that’s a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is that they were far from God! The really big problem was that they didn’t even know it.

What happens when we stray from God?

1. We don’t know how to return. (verse 7)


2. We grow insensitive about it (verse 8)


3. We leave a tangible trail (verse 8)

The lack of tithing was the result of that tangible trail.

Giving is not a step in getting closer to God. Giving is the result of being close to God!

1. Our talk is better than our walk.

Look at Malachi 2.17, “You have wearied the Lord with your words.” Talk is cheap. I can hear the chattering talking heads on television any time I want. Monday morning quarterbacks fill the airwaves after the games. Anybody can be a critic—but are your really committed!

There is a purpose—demonstrate commitment.
There is a problem—strayed from God.

So, here is the proposal. Look at verse 10, “So bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts.”
Notice a few things here:

1. The Percentage—10% (the whole tithe)


2. The Place—The Storehouse (Temple)


3. The Purpose—So God’s program can be advanced


4. The Proposal—TEST ME!

This is the only place in Scripture where God commands us to test him. We test him in every area we shouldn’t, but often fail to test him in the one area where he instructs us to.
Why does God want us to test him?

1. He knows Money is the last thing he gets.

I’ll give him my heart. I’ll give him my time. I’ll let him use my talent. But, my money is the last thing I give him. It’s the final piece of the commitment puzzle.

1. He wants to partner with us.

My part: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and test
God’s faithfulness.
His part: Personally provide for my needs and personally protect my possessions. Look at verse 10.
That brings us to number four: The Partnership in the tithe. Look at verses 16-18, “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Let me give you five tithing truths:

1. God owns everything. People who don’t tithe think money belongs to them.


2. My giving is a true test of my commitment to God. Jesus said, “You heart will always be where your treasure is.”


3. God wants our first 10%, not the leftovers. Proverbs 3.9 says, “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income.”


4. With God..$10-$1=$10+


5. Tithing is an issue of trust, not an issue of money.

Rick Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Life tells how he learned to trust God with his finances. He writes, “Let me tell you how God taught me how to give. The very first time was when I was at college. I had $50 in my bank account. It was about three or four weeks away from the end of the college semester. I had a $500 bill that had to be paid for the semester of college and I had $10 that I owed to a friend. I had $50 in the bank. I was reading these verses one day that said sow and reap, if you sow generously you'll reap generously, sow sparingly you'll reap sparingly.
I thought, I'm going to put God to the test. I took the $50 out of the bank, closed out my meager savings account. I wrote a check to the American Bible Society. I don't know why I chose them. I just chose a Christian organization. I said, "I'm sending you my last $50 and I'm praying that God will meet my need. Please pray." This was the very first time I ever did this.
A couple of weeks later I got invited to speak in a church in inner city Los Angeles. After it was over, the pastor got up and said, "Let's take up a love offering for this poor, struggling college student." They took up the offering and it was $565. I took $500 and paid off the college bill, $10 and paid my friend back, and the remaining $55 and gave it as a tithe back to the Lord.
I think God has blessed him a little bit since then even, don’t you. The number one best selling non-fiction book of all time. Did you know that he reversed the tithe on the profits of that book—he kept 10% and gave 90% back to the Lord!

I believe so much in the concept of being blessed by giving that if you will faithfully commit to giving your tithe to the church for 90 days that if at the end of the 90 days if you are not blessed, and your life hasn’t changed, we will return your money to you.

So you have our 90 day money back guarantee.
I want you to be blessed this put God to the test….

PS Thanks for all your help with sermon Glenn!

Weekend update

Just thought I would take a minute and recap the weekend. We had 54 in service on Sunday and wouldn't you say the band did awesome? I spoke on the third part of a Revolution, "Commitment." It takes money to fund a Revolution of life but what we found out is that the giving doesn't take money from us it actually increases the blessing from God.

You see giving isn't really a money issue, it is a trust issue. I know from personal experience that I have tried most of the time to "handle" our finances when all along God has been saying, "Why don't you trust me with your finances?"

God's blessing abound when we "test Him" in giving. It is the only thing God has ever asked people to test Him in. I love trusting God.

Sow a seed, reap a harvest, reap a harvest change the world...

My grandma

My grandmas surgery was quite a success. The doctor is confident that he got all the colon cancer, but they did find cancer in some other tissue. She starts chemo in a few weeks.

Update

Wow what a whirlwind of the last couple weeks. I am getting ready to lead a team to Bolivia next Saturday. I am pumped. We will be building an orphanage in Cochabamba! I cant wait.

Pray that all goes well! There are still a few last minute details that need to come together, but we are in good shape.

Godcasting and Fox news

Check out this link to the video spot that Fox did on NCC in DC. Amazing.

My Grandma

Her surgery went well today. They ended up taking half her colon. The doc feels really confident that he got it all. They took some biopsies of other tissue to make sure it isn't any where else. We will get the pathology report on Monday. Thanks for praying.

Caawfee

I have been at Panera now for a couple hours. We live in Central Iowa, right? And this is the place of no accents. News reporters speak like Mid Westerners. So it is nice and funny to hear some southern accents flying around my "office" this morning.

There is woman in a booth next to me that keeps referring to her caawfee, and this at thaat. (say that with two syllables and you got it.)

It is admittedly refreshing to hear. I have worked hard to correct my grammar and lose the "accent" that I have had in the past. Occasionally it will still come out. But not as often any more.

Weekend update

Welcome to weekend update.

This weekend we had a great service. If you missed it, hopefully we can have the sermon uploaded to our sight soon. I am dealing with someone now who can make that happen for us. We had 49 people this weekend and everyone really seemed to engage well.

We spoke on having a changed life from the book of Philemon.

The first step in having a changed life is to Face your problems don't deny them. It is vitally important to not run from your issues. Like Onesimus, who in light of death, faced his master whom he stole from. It is paramount in the life of a Christ Follower to deal straight on with the issue.

Second, we all need to not Focus on what once was but focus on what is to be. We each need a "pote denuni" experience. That is the Greek from where we get the phrase "formerly, but now" in Philemon 11. God doesn't live in our past so why should we. Once we yield ourselves to Christ, the past is over. He wipes it all clean and we get a fresh start.

Well, that's weekend update. I'm Tina Fey, and I'm Jimmy Fallon hoping you have great tomorrow...