If you want to deepen your prayer life, here is one simple tool I periodically use, following the ABCs.  This has a way of right-sizing our problems and praising God for His attributes/characteristics.  Give it a shot!  In the future, think of new words for each letter.

A–awesome

B–bread of Life

C–creator

D–defender

E–eternal

F–father in heaven

G–great

H–holy

I–interested in us

J–jealous for us

K–knowing all things

L–loving

M–merciful

N–new life

O–orphans/outcasts–you care for

P–peaceful

Q–quick to listen to us

R–rejoices over us with singing

S–satisfies our needs

T–trustworthy

U–understanding

V–vindicating

W–weeps over us

X–hmm…only thing I could think of was Creator of the Xylophone!

Y–yesterday, today, forever–God is the same

Z–zion–road to Zion (God) is in our hearts

For those of you that like to follow some Christian traditions, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6.  Epiphany is the manifestation of Christ to the world, an observance commemorating Jesus’ birth (Mark 1:9) and his changing water into wine at Cana (John 2:1-11).  Later, the visit of the Magi (Matt. 2:1-12) was added.  Here are some Scriptures to use if you’d like.  Happy Epiphany!

Old Testament Isaiah 60:1–6

Psalm Psalm 72:1–7, 10–14

New Testament Ephesians 3:1–12

Gospel Matthew 2:1–12

If you’re like a lot of people right around now, your good intentions and resolutions are starting to fade.  Maybe you missed a day at the gym or you feel guilty because you missed a day reading your Bible.  You see, a lot of what is behind resolutions is self-effort, trying harder, and doing more.  What if we took a different approach?  I’m not saying we shouldn’t demonstrate discipline and structure in our lives.  In fact, those things are biblical.  But what if we shifted our focus from trying harder and being a better person to remembering how much God loves us, is merciful to us, and has showered us with His grace?

Think about the following questions:

• Are you tired of living up to unrealistic expectations?  Remember how passionately God loves and pursues us.  Reflect on that this year.
• Are you tired of trying harder and doing more?  Determine to focus on His goodness and faithfulness.
• Are you tired of greed and selfishness stealing the joy in your life?  Remember the joy we can have in Christ and determine to be more generous this year as a result.
• Are you discouraged about the direction of your life?  Focus on the grace of God, what He has already done, how He never lets you go, and how he invites us to join Him in His work.
• Are you worried and anxious?  Consider the blessings God has already given to you and rest in Jesus, not other things.  What good does it do to worry?  The energy you use to worry is the same energy you can use to pray.

Well, the day is here. Christmas Eve is upon us and tomorrow the big Celebration that we have all been waiting for since last Christmas. The anticipation and excitement in our house is electric.

Do you remember how you felt on Christmas Eve last year compared to how you felt on Christmas day toward evening? If you are like me, there was probably quite a difference in the excitement level. Christmas Eve through Christmas morning was exciting, but Christmas afternoon…I was bored. I was bored not because I lacked stuff to do, but I think my soul was bored. My soul was ramped up all year long to celebrate the birth of Jesus and now that we opened the gifts and ate the meal…it was over.

What I am coming to discover is that I have a worship problem. I think that I have been worshipping the idea of Christmas rather than worshipping the King of Christmas. I am not just talking about forgetting the “reason for the season”. I know what the reason for the season is. My soul is not bored because I am putting stock in gift giving, being with family, and decorating the house. I very much have known that Jesus is the central and most important part of the Holiday. I am discovering that it is deeper than just celebrating Jesus Birthday though. Think about this today as we go through the last exercises of the holiday…

Christmas is not about baby Jesus being born in a stable. It is not about a virgin “great with child” traveling a far distance to have a baby in humble surroundings. We even dramatize that to a greater extent than what it probably was. The bible never tells anything about how many kings or wise men visited…sorry to say it might not have been “3″ kings after all. Not only that, but the magi/kings/wise men (depending on your translation) didn’t even visit Jesus at the place of his brith. They never saw him laying in a manger. Did you know that?

It is cute and all to make a cake and sing “happy birthday” to Jesus with the kids (not knocking it…it is a great idea for young kids), but Christmas is so much more than little birthday cakes and parties and cute little angels and inaccurate stories that make for good drama.

So what are we celebrating anyway? Great question, so glad you asked…

“…Christ Jesus,who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:5b-11

Jesus, creator of the universe, King of the heavens, Lord over all things, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. Jesus, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, slipped out of his kingly robes and put on humility. God came into the world. We are celebrating Immanuel, God with us. God came and put on flesh (we call this the incarnation) to live among us, to teach us through example how to live, to suffer the same suffering that we suffer, to smell the same air that we smell (so to speak). God came from his Heaven and walked among us who are unworthy to be with God. He came to earth in the form of a human, to show us that he loves us. The King of kings and Lord of lords, humbled himself to be under human authority and obeyed it to the point of death. He left his throne room to put on flesh to serve humanity in his death. His birth is about his glorious death.

You see, the Christmas celebration is about Jesus humility…the act of leaving his throne room to come and serve the sinners living in the sewer. Knowing that the only way these sinners will ever make it out of the sewer is to allow these same sinners to drown him in the waste that they created. I know that is kind of a gross picture for Christmas, but so is our sin.

The humble beginnings of Jesus life (virgin mother traveling on a donkey, born in a stable, laid in a manger, first visitors were some shepherds, Herod killing all male kids under two, Jesus family fleeing to Egypt, etc…) are just the beginning or the storyline of a King making himself nothing.

As we celebrate Christmas tomorrow, let us not just let our minds celebrate the “reason for the season”, but let our souls celebrate God’s love and his incarnation and Jesus’ humbleness.

And don’t ever forget the rest of the Christmas story… “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” That is reason for celebration!!!

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Congratulations if you’ve been following along on these blogs!  I hope they’ve been a blessing and encouragement to you and your family!

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Matt. 2:7-12; John 3:16

On Christmas Eve, after your children are asleep, place the Jesus figurine from your Nativity scene in a beautifully wrapped box.  Put this box in front of all the other presents under the tree.  On Christmas morning, have your kids open this present first.  Thank God for His perfect gift–His one and only Son–as you lay the figurine in the manger.  Discuss the amazing truth that this gift is not for just a few select families, but for every family in the world–past, present, and future.

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Luke 2:6-7

Imagine what Joseph and Mary must have been thinking when they knew the baby Jesus would be born and they ended up in a stable.  They placed the Son of God in a manger, a feeding trough where animals stuck there nose in and drooled in.  What must they have been thinking/feeling?

Question for Parents:  when was a time that you went through a really difficult time?  A time of uncertainty.  A time of stress.  A time when you didn’t know what would happen or what the future held.  Talk with your kids about the valuable lessons that God showed you along the way and what you learned from them.

Family Activity:  Using bedsheets, create a “stable” big enough for the family to huddle in.  Use a flashlight for a lantern, and choose stuffed animals for the animals that may have been present when jesus was born.  Talk with your children about the sights, sounds, and smells of the stable.  This humble dwelling was the birthplace of our Savior and King.

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Matthew 2:1-6

The Magi were wealthy and distinguished men from the East who traveled a long ways to honor Jesus after His birth.  We don’t know if there were 3 of them, we only know there were 3 gifts.  And we do know that they probably came some time after Jesus’ birth (he may have been close to 2 years old).  They followed a star that led them to Jesus.

Question for Parents:  What do you follow?  Not what do you strive to follow.  In actuality, who or what are you following in life?  If you’re not sure, take a look at your calendar or bank account. Those are both two really good indicators.  Your kids will pick up on what you follow and essentially this becomes what you worship.  Sometimes we can fool ourselves, but our kids can sniff it out even before we realize it.

Family Activity:  Take your children on a journey throughout your home, searching for hidden stars that you’ve place in their rooms.  They could be star ornaments or stickers or stars made out of paper.  Conclude your search in front of your Christmas tree and consider allowing eachchild to place the star of his or her choice on the tree as a symbol of your journey.  Talk together about how as a family you all want to follow Jesus.

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Luke 2:15-20

Think of a time that you were the first ones to hear a secret?  What was it like?  How did it make you feel?  Now imagine being the shepherds, the lowest of people in society.  They were the ones that heard a special secret for the first time.  And it wasn’t just any secret.  It was an announcement of the Savior, Christ the Lord.  How special they must have felt.

Question for Parents:  How do you make your kids feel special?   If they don’t feel special from you, they’ll try to feel special from others or in unhealthy ways. This Christmas, especially as your kids are on break, think of ways to make your kids feel special.  What’s the best way for them to receive love?  Is it a special gift?  A date?  Quality time?

Family Activity:  At the dinner table, take a turn and share with each person why you feel they are so special and what you love about them.  As you share, remind them about how special the shepherds must have felt and the significance of God announcing this special news, not to the elders or religious leaders, but to the shepherds.

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Micah 5:4; Luke 15:4-7; Luke 19:10

What comes to your mind when you think of a shepherd?  The prophet Micah used the image of a shepherd to describe the coming Messiah.  Jesus used the same imagery to tell people about himself, saying that He came to seek and save the lost.

Question for Parents:  how are you being a shepherd to your kids?  No parents want their children to wander aimlessly off a cliff.  Yet that is what is happening spiritually to countless children who do not have parents as shepherds.  Are you equipped to shepherd them?  Not trying to do a commercial here, but one of the main reasons we are launching Orange at Journey is to equip parents to know how to shepherd their kids and to be actively involved in their lives.

Family Activity:  choose a family member to become the “lost sheep.”  While all the other family members close their eyes and count to 30, the one “lost sheep” hides somewhere in the house.  The family searches for the one who has gone astray, and when he is found, celebrate as a family.  Together, thank Jesus for seeking and saving His lost lambs.

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Luke 2:1-7

Are you planning on traveling for the holidays?  How many miles are you going?  As Joseph and Mary journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem, it was more complicated than a road trip to the in-laws.  The distance was only about 80 miles, but since Joseph was walking and Mary was pregnant, it took them almost a whole week, riding on a donkey!

Question for Parents:  what’s your plan to navigate your way to God?  How do you handle it when the ride isn’t very comfortable?  How do you teach your kids along the way?

Family Activity:  To help your kids better understand Joseph and Mary’s journey, use an atlas or online program such as google maps to plot the way to a destination about 80 miles from your house.  If your children were traveling on foot, what obstacles might they face along the way?  Where would they sleep?  What would they eat and drink?

Begin with God’s Word:   Read Matthew 1:18-24

Imagine being chosen by God the Father to be the earthly father of the Son of God!  Yikes.  God showed confidence in Joseph’s character when He entrusted the humble carpenter with the raising of His Son.  Joseph probably nurtured Jesus by teaching him things in his profession:  carpentry.  I’d imagine as they worked they had many spiritual discussions!

Question for Parents (especially Dad’s):  How are you nurturing your children to have a deeper faith in God?  They need your direct involvement.  The Orange Family ministry is going to be a great tool to equip us as parents to know how to mentor our children spiritually.

Family Activity:  Gather a hammer, nails, and some lightweight pieces of wood.  Show your kids how to hammer a nail into the wood.  Or depending on their ability, have them nail wood pieces together.  As they do, talk about what it must’ve been like for Jesus and Joseph to work side by side.  What are some things that Joseph might have said to Jesus?

Whatever your profession, consider how you may actively engage and have conversations with your kids.  No matter how old they are!

As I sit here praying, reading, and pondering…I am struck by the fact Christians today don’t know how to fight that well. As a matter of fact, Amy and I have gone through great pains teaching our children not to fight and to be at peace with one another. It has taken many conversations and punishments and tears to help our kids understand that fighting isn’t what is honoring to the Lord. Or is it honoring to the Lord?

Obviously, the type of fighting that Amy and I are trying to rid our children of, is dishonoring to the Lord. That type of fighting is self-serving in a way that brings honor to self. That type of fighting elevates the individual and says, “My thoughts or my needs are more important than yours. Therefore I will take what I need.” We do know how to fight with a self serving attitude. That is automatic. That is part of living in the flesh. Our heart is already inclined to do that. We are ready to “fight” at anytime someone wrongs us. This is natural and easy.

The natural life is so much easier than the spiritual life. Through Romans, our Growth Group has been seeing that our salvation is by grace. There is not much that we have to do with our salvation. We don’t work at all for it. God does all the saving. He does all the healing. He does the drawing. All we do in our salvation is cooperate and trust that Jesus is our salvation and God does all the saving.

For many Christians this is where the journey ends…right where it began. After the event of Jesus saving them…they think, “whew, I am sure glad that I am saved,” and then that is it. That is how they live their lives. Just going through life thanking God that they are justified. We should be thankful that God has justified those who are in Christ, but is that it? If it is then why does the Bible tell us fight?

1 Tim 6:12 fight the good fight, 2 Tim 2:3 share in suffering as a good soldier, Eph 6:11-13 put on the armor of God, Luke 13:24 strive to enter, John 6:27 labor for the food that endures, Matt 10:34 Jesus says that he came to bring a sword, Luke 22:36 sell your cloak and buy a sword, 1 Cor 16:13 be watchful…stand firm…act like men…be strong, 1 Tim 1:18-19 wage the good warfare. This is just a sampling of the passages that tell us to fight.

The fighting that the bible talks about is a fighting in your soul against the forces of the world. This is a tough fighting that takes effort. We must equip ourselves and try. The Psalmist asks the Lord to INCLINE his heart toward God. That means that his heart, our hearts, are not inclined toward God, they are inclined away from God. The overweight person who expects to get trim and healthy by sitting on the couch eating donuts instead of eating right and exercising, is someone we would call misguided and possibly lazy. This person (and frankly most of us) likes to take the easy way and just expect to get healthy and trim by doing what is natural…doing nothing. If that person is to get healthy, they must fight for their health. Likewise, we must fight for our spiritual health (sanctification).

May we be always asking the Lord’s Spirit to help us fight. Fight to pray. Fight to read the Bible. Fight to be honest. Fight for good character. Fight for thankfulness. Fight to be generous. Fight to be kind. Fight to be pure. Fight to be humble. Let us not…not fight.

As we near the end of Revelation, I thought it’d be helpful to outline a few basic views of the End Times.  Each view false within Biblical Christianity, there is simply some disagreement on which view is the most accurate.  I guess there’s no way of knowing for sure until it happens. Happy reading!

4 Views of End Times

I can’t take the credit for this blog.  This is from Rick Warren, but I thought I’d pass it along to you!  Happy Thanksgiving!

A few weeks ago at church, I shared with you how God is working in me to help me express my emotions.  Well, the events of Sarah and Jason in the past two weeks have certainly opened the floodgates!  I think I’ve cried more in the last two weeks than I have my whole life.  With all that has been happening, I’ve felt a deeper connection with God, my prayers are more filled with faith, I believe in God’s sovereignty and power (and He doesn’t need my help, although He does want me to cooperate with Him).  I’ve really felt the presence of God in the midst of these difficult circumstances.  God uses things like this to bring perspective to us, doesn’t He?  What a gift!  How about you?  How has God been working in your life?  I’ve heard a number of your stories so I know God is working!

Yesterday I laid out a plan to study the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3.  Jesus dictated a letter to John, to give to a carrier that would deliver the letter to the 7 churches for the leaders to read.  But the message of each letter is also meant for churches today (2:23).  There is a pattern to each of the 7 letters to the churches of Asia Minor (I summarized into 5 points).  So here is my 35 point sermon from yesterday! I’d encourage you to do some self study and dig deeper into God’s Word!  Then ask yourself the following:
-what church can I identify with most?  (have I lost my first love, like Ephesus?  Am I lukewarm, like Laodicia?, etc.)
-what do I need to do? 
-what blessings will I receive if I overcome?

The Church in Ephesus
1. Description of Jesus (2:1)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (2:2-3) –Rebuke: (2:4)
3. Solution to the problem (2:5)
4. Consequences if do not obey (2:5)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (2:7)

The Church in Smyrna
1. Description of Jesus (2:8)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (2:9) –Rebuke: (none)
3. Solution to the problem (2:10)
4. Consequences if do not obey (none)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (2:11)

The Church in Pergamum
1. Description of Jesus (2:12)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (2:13) –Rebuke: (2:14-15)
3. Solution to the problem (2:16)
4. Consequences if do not obey (2:16)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (2:17)

The Church in Thyatira
1. Description of Jesus (2:18)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (2:19) –Rebuke: (2:20)
3. Solution to the problem (2:21)
4. Consequences if do not obey (2:22-25)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (2:26-28)

The Church in Sardis
1. Description of Jesus (3:1)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (3:4) –Rebuke: (3:1) 
3.  Solution to the problem (3:3)
4. Consequences if do not obey (3:3)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (3:5)

To the Church in Philadelphia
1. Description of Jesus (3:7)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (3:8) –Rebuke: (none)
3. Solution to the problem (3:11)
4. Consequences if do not obey (none)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (3:12)

To the Church in Laodicea
1. Description of Jesus (3:14)
2. Condition of the church –Affirmation: (none) –Rebuke: (3:16-17)
3. Solution to the problem (3:18)
4. Consequences if do not obey (3:16)
5. Blessings for those who overcome (3:20-22)

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. (Rev 1:7)

So how is it that everyone will see Jesus return at the same time?  How is that physically possible?  Is it just His image?  But the text says “every eye will see Him“.  Will He be in more than one place at a time?  Well, here’s some food for thought.  I’ve been reflecting on this after reading Randy Alcorn’s book“Heaven.”  If God took on human form any number of times in Scripture, especially His birth, couldn’t Jesus choose to take on a form to manifest himself in a way that all people could see Him at once?  It might defy our logic, but God is capable of doing far more than we imagine.

One of the challenges we will have as we read Revelation is that there comes a point where we need to stop trying to figure out all the details logically and begin to really trust God by faith.  That doesn’t mean we turn off our brains.  In fact, we need to turn on our brains as we study this book!  But it does mean that there are some things that we’ll never know the answer to, and we trust God anyway. 

Question to Consider: Is it hard for you to trust God for things you can’t logically figure out?  Why?  What step can you take toward trusting Him?

One of the best ways to get the most out of the Revelation series is to follow along and read the text before Sunday morning.  Below is a simple guide you can use to do the reading ahead of time.

Sunday October 9:  Revelation 1:1-20 (The Revelation of Jesus)

Sunday October 16:  Revelation 2:1-3:22 (Jesus and the 7 Churches)

Sunday October 23:  Revelation 4:1-5:13 (The Open Door in Heaven)

Sunday October 30:  Revelation 6:1-11:19 (The Seven Seals and Trumpets)

Sunday November 6:  Revelation 12:1-14:20  (Seven Visions)

Sunday November 13:  Revelation 15:1-19:10 (Seven Plagues)

Sunday November 20:  Revelation 19:11-20:15 (The End or the Beginning?)

Sunday November 27:  Revelation 21:1-22:21 (The New Heaven and Earth)

Enjoy the reading, write down what you learn and your questions!

Last Sunday we discussed a very important verse in Hebrews 12.  Here’s the passage:

^{Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.}

^{When we refuse to listen to warning signs, we end up falling away from God.  Notice the progression.
1.  It starts with Failing to Obtain the Grace of God.  This is the fundamental nature behind falling away from God.  This happens because we get prideful and refuse to submit to God’s leadership and follow Him.  We essentially want God to follow us.  We get it backward…we ask God to join us.  God really asks us to join Him.
2.}  Next is the consequences of failing to receive his grace:  bitterness!  We become bitter and roots of bitterness develop in our lives.
3.  The example of Esau, who allowed his brother Jacob to take his birthright for a bowl of soup.  In essence, he profaned or prostituted himself by satisfying his immediate need (he was hungry) with what was ultimately important (the blessing of God). 

Wow, we do the same thing don’t we?  When God calls us to Himself, it is only by His grace that we are saved (Eph. 2:8-9).  But we also live by His grace daily, not for salvation, but by humbly submitting ourselves to Him.  It’s impossible to receive God’s grace AND be prideful.  When we receive God’s grace we find ourselves learning to obey Him, trusting in Him in new ways, lining ourselves up with Scripture, and stepping out in faith.  There’s something powerful that happens spiritually when we realize that we truly are nothing without God.  God takes us and turns us into something! Why not stop now and thank God for who He is and ask Him to help you to live in His grace today.

On September 12, 2004, we held our grand opening service at JCC.  We had been meeting behind the stage with a small group of folks.  I was trying so hard to get people to come.  That was my goal!  And that was the problem. 

I remember sitting and listening to a pastor, Craig Groeschel, at a conference and he said something like this:  Don’t start a church to draw a crowd.  Start a church to glorify God.  That stung a bit as I thought about it.  I was so intent on drawing a crowd.  You see, I’ve realized that drawing a crowd doesn’t do much in terms of long term effects.  We can wow them with programs or buildings or good stories in our sermons.  But what I am committed to doing much better at is asking deeper, more spiritual questions that make God greater.  Now, I should note, that there is nothing wrong with drawing a crowd.  Jesus drew crowds.  Having people far from God at church is a great thing!  But I want them to see the glory and power and love of God more than anything else.  To experience God.  We want to draw people in to hear about Jesus, but as they are there, we want to fully load them up with the greatness of God. 

Every Sunday that we are together, my hope and prayer is that it is one of the most uplifting and spiritually encouraging  hour of your week (along with your growth group!).  It’ s the time where we meet with the God of the universe corporately, with one another, in community. 

Although these 6 years have flown by so quickly, it feels like we are just getting started.  Our best days are ahead of us.  And I’m excited to be on this journey with you.