Where does purity start?

Some would say in the heart.

Others would say with your mind.

Still some would suggest purity starts with your actions.

Does purity even have a starting point? Or an end point?

Possibly purity is a process and not a destination.

Put the semantics aside.

Purity starts from a hunger and a desire to live a life that Christ has called you to live. He has not called you to slavery of impurity, but instead to pursue purity.

Are you pursuing purity?

Lukewarm?

I have read the book Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God a couple of times and now I am teaching through Crazy Love and it is challenging every time I read certain chapters. This week we are on chapter 4 "The Profile of the Lukewarm." This is a convicting chapter as I examine my life in light of scripture. The opening quote to this chapter is from 1890 and rings just as true today in 2010.

"It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity." Frederic D. Huntington 1890


There was a NY Times article a few weeks ago about the Gospel of Wealth and how some are starting to live differently in light of the recession and our tendency to buy bigger and better. This earth is not about our own personal kingdom advancing, but about the Kingdom or God advancing to restore lives to Christ.

May our hearts reflect and live according things above and not earthly things.

Justifying or Judging

Why do we justify our behavior, but judge others by their actions?

Possibly because we forget Romans 14:11.

Christ will return. 

And verse 12 states, "That every man will give an account of his actions."

We may justify our behavior and judge others by their actions, but the reality is that in light of these two verses my personal awareness should cause me to live differently and not justify or judge.

Miracles and Prayer

If you are anything like me, I often stay within a comfortable realm in my prayer life. Not asking for anything to bold, but still asking for God to move. Does this not not seem counter to who God is? We have the honor to talk to the Creator of the universe, but I will not ask anything bold of Him? Umm...

Yes, people die. Yes, people get sick. I ask for His will to be done, but sometimes I do that out of a lack of faith for not truly believing in a miracle. Life happens for various reason and God can create moments and experiences that point to His glory trough life and death.

When I pray I want to ask God for divine moments that testifies to His glory. One of those moments happened at Farmers Branch over the last few weeks. I have been watching Chris Seidman's tweets about this story and last night I had the opportunity to ask Chris a little more about what happened. This video shares the power of prayers and the miracles that God creates that point to His glory. May we all be moved to ask God to create moments that point to His glory. I do not know Chip, but this video is not about Chip. This is about what God will do through prayer.

Love Letters: The Book of Romans

Wanted to share this with you from Dr. Larry Crabb's 66 Love Letters:

"God says, you still tend to approach My letters the way a chess player comes to his game board. G. K. Chesterton was right when he observed that people who play chess with My truth try to get the heavens into their heads, and it's their heads that crack.

Poets, on the other hand, fill their heads with truths that lift their imaginations into the heavens. They are the grown-ups who hear the music of truth and dance like children. Do you want to discover the truth that sings?

It's time for you to pass through the corridors where truth is carefully outlined on the walls, where people take notes and mistake the truth that is living water for the dry dust of mere facts.
These parched souls endlessly analyze the composition of the water I've provided but never seem to realize it was meant for drinking.

Keep moving, not beyond truth but into truth. The corridor opens onto fields where flowers bloom and birds sing. If you listen, you can catch the scent and hear the music while you're still in the corridor.

Let the fragrance and the melody awaken your desire to drink from cool springs and stir your longing to swim in refreshing lakes. Let your time in the corridor achieve its purpose, to increase your capacity to drink more and to strengthen you to swim further, further away from shore, in sight of home."

Dr. Larry Crabb
66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You into His Story

The Art of Telling Stories in Your Family -- Part Two

In case you missed Part One be sure to jump over to understand Part Two.

Why do we not share our stories of faith with our family?

Our stories have been commercialized, possibly not your story, but the commercialization of the family has led us to believe that our stories are not valuable. The stories we hear and see everyday through advertising tells us that our story does not matter until we consume or have a certain product.

We often do not realize we have an unmet need until we see a commercial and then realize that we are lacking to have that product. Think about the commercials you see, read, and hear. They create a story that will make your life easier and safer, but when was the last time any good story was safe or easy? Yeah, good stories involve dying, sacrificing, and conflict. Of course once we cross the Jordan river we will be able to look back and remember our days of slavery and bondage and rejoice that Christ has set us free.

However, we get trapped into this false theology of commercialization of our family and faith. Once we begin to consumer any products that provide comfort we start to rely on our dependence and fail to neglect our need for God who richly provides.

In Deuteronomy 6:10-12, the writer makes it very clear not to forget God and realize that you did not build, you did not dig, and yeah that house that is filled, yeah you did not provide that either.

In the midst of being consumed we undermine our stories of faith because we think our dependence got us to this point. This has led us to believe that our faith stories carry no value because the commercialization has lied to us and told us our stories do not matter.

Your story matters. Your children deserve to hear and know your faith story. We have forgot the art of telling our stories because we have fallen in the trap of believing the world has a better story to offer.

There is no better story to offer the generations to come than the story of how Christ has rescued you from sinfulness and set you free by His grace and mercy.


(Photo: mdw81)

The Art of Telling Stories in Your Family -- Part One

Art changes you. Art transforms you. You are an artist. Maybe not a traditional artist who paints, writes music, or performs on stage, but you are an artist. You have the ability to tell a personal story that may move and change generations to come. Your story of faith is a story of redemption from slavery. Your story is about darkness and light.

However, you may not even know your story of faith. You may have been raised in a "Christian" home and accepted faith as the "right" and moral thing to do. If you are still walking with Christ than you have a story. Otherwise why are you walking with Him if you do not have a story that has moved you and shaped your identity.

The idea of realizing our faith story points to one who is greater, who has redeemed us from Egypt and brought out of our sinfulness into living a life in Christ.

Do you know your story? Could you tell your story to your children, friends, or family about how God has rescued you? This passage portrays the art of telling our stories.

What is your story? Your story has the power to transform generations to come. Will you become an artist of your story?



(Photo: sxc)

Love Letter from Nehemiah

I have been receiving email devotions from Larry Crabb's book 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God. They all have been profound, but wanted to pass on the encouragement today. Many of us are burdened, discouraged, and seem to have lost our direction. This is re-written from the book of Nehemiah and offers a fresh voice about continuing to do the good works.


"God says, whatever anyone does out of a sincere desire to know Me and draw others to me is a great work. And as you engage in that work, sometimes you will be energized as you catch a glimpse of My plan unfolding. More often you won't. Either way you are doing a great work.

Every father who repairs a leaky faucet and then prays with his kids before dinner is doing a great work. Every mother who prepares that dinner and joins in that prayer is doing a great work. Every single person who works hard to pay the rent and reads the Bible before bedtime is doing a great work.

I see it all. And I am pleased. Their reward is coming.

Whatever is done to know Me and make Me known, to advance My purposes, is a great work. And I will use every great work done by My people, no matter how small it seems, to further My great plan.

When you see the fullness of that plan and its end result, you will be plunged forever in a sea of joy."



(Photo: lusi)

The Art of Forming Calluses

Last Monday night was a crash course into the basic of reading music. I have never been trained in any music nor do I understand how to read music. I am not sure if I am musically inclined or not. If I hear a song a few times and focus in on learning and hearing the notes, in general terms I "know" the song. Well, at least I know how to sing the song or possibly even lead the song in a worship context.

In my adventure to learn how to play the guitar one of the annoying things is developing calluses on my left hand specifically my fingers. If you have ever attempted to play the guitar or consider yourself a guitar player than you know what I am talking about. Attempting to play the right chords one must press down on the strings at the right fret. Not enough pressure and the note does not resonate. Every guitarist refers to the fact that you must develop calluses in order to move to the next level.

Calluses are a must if i desire to take my guitar abilities to the next level, but it takes time and dedication to work through the pain. Once the calluses are formed I will be able to play without discomfort.

I typically do not desire calluses in my life. I typically wear gloves if I do manual labor to prevent blisters or calluses from forming. I have minor calluses from working out either with Crossfit or P90X, but calluses play a major role in very few areas of my life.

However, I must be aware of any calluses that may be forming over my heart or mind. Just as in playing the guitar, it is slow process and sometimes you may not even notice the calluses being formed in your life.

Ephesians 4 refers to this process as "hardening of the heart" and "losing all sensitivity."

The point of a callus is not to have sensitivity.


Do you have any calluses that need to be softened?


May our eyes and heart be opened to the calluses that need to be removed.


(Picture: sofamonkez)

Counterfeit Gods Book Review

Yesterday spending some time with a friend and talking over coffee we got into a small conversation with a couple sitting at a near by table about the great outdoors and the various options we have to enjoy here in Las Vegas. The conversation eventually led to the status question, "So what do you do?" This is how the next few minutes played out about "Sin City" and the grace that we have found.

"What do you think about Las Vegas?"

"I think it leaves people feeling empty."

"It does not leave me empty and I have lived here my whole life."

Possibly that was my response in light of finishing Counterfeit Gods this week.

Empty.

That is what idols do to your mind, body, and soul.

However, many us do not want to wrestle with the idols of our life and come to grips that many times as Christians we put our hope in the same thing the world does, but we try to masquerade it as blessings or put some nice Bible jargon on our language.

Timothy Keller hits hard and to the point. He does not waste time trying to sugar coat the idols in our life, but keeps this book brief and to the point. In the psychological world we often hide behind mental health classifications or label something as an addiction, co dependency, or even depression. These are all very real issues, but lets keep it simple and call it an idol.

Although the brevity of the book will mislead some, the depth will take you by storm. Don't read this book if you want to be set free from a life of emptiness.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller

So what do I think about Las Vegas...it will leave you longing for the grace of God and the only hope that matters.

May this book point you closer to the cross of Christ and the hope of the resurrection.

Have you thought about your eulogy?

Me neither...

Ok...I have thought about what people will say at my funeral, but I have never thought about the eulogy or the words the speaker, preacher, pastor, or friend would give during the actual speech or eulogy.

I finished Mitch Albom's book Have a Little Faith
over the holiday's, in fact it was a gift given to me as I was leaving town by a dear friend.

Mitch was asked to do a eulogy for a Rabbi and three faiths collided into one world during the course of 8 years.

Simply put, we are all more connected than what we think, but we have to move from our selfishness into community with others.

So what does this have to do with thinking about your eulogy...not sure...but maybe your eulogy is not about you, but the people who will be gathered together to here the eulogy. Read a recent eulogy by Don Miller about the man who connected Don to his faith.

What would your eulogy say about you in 2010 if you were to die at the end of this year?




(Image: bg&emese)

Money Missing From Account Exposes...

Earlier this week I got online to pay bills and noticed there was some money missing.

Holy cow, I guess Jessica bought me an awesome Christmas present.

Nope she better not have spent that much money!

When $x,xxx is missing from my account I did not necessarily freak out, but let's just say I am a bit annoyed by poor customer service this week.

(Image: Grisu The Dragon)

The deeper issued that has been exposed for myself throughout this week is particular idols I have in my life.

• Idols of depending on organizations.
  
• Idols of placing safety in the wrong place.
• Idols of trusting man.

In psychology terms we could describes those as co-dependence. As a Christian I must try to understand and get to the crux of why I get irritated and annoyed by situations.

Those idols are described as "fear of man" which has lead to me seeing a "snare" within my dependence upon institutions, organizations, and people.

God please help me to rely and trust in the only thing that is constant.

What kind of life is not worth living?

We go to the Dr. and he examines us with all his medical tools and we expect a diagnosis and a treatment. We go to church and listen to sermons and Bible studies and we get a nice packaged plan to take home. We go to restaurants and order specifically what we desire. We get our oil changed from the guy at Walmart and then they tell you everything else that is wrong with your car.

(Image: a.drain)

We live in a world that we expect someone else to do it for me, to do it to me, but please don't make me do it.

This has lead us to what Socrates might call a life not worth living. (He lived in BC, so really it is nothing new, but our culture struggles with this more now than ever.)

Socrates said, "The unexamined life is a life not worth living."

A life worth living would reflect one who has examined his or her life.

We have become comfortable and content with our traditions and routines of daily life. We have become conditioned not to think for ourselves, which has hindered our ability to examine ourselves. Possibly we do examine ourselves but we may fall into this catergory that Gary Varnerchuk said in his book Crush It, "We all have a great ability to create self-awareness, but the problem is that we lie to ourselves."


How do we go about examining our life?

1. The first response would be to examine ourselves under the light of scripture and God's eyes. (I Cor. 11:28, 2 Cor. 13:5, Pro. 5:21)
   
2. After probing the scriptures we need to ask ourselves questions that lead us into the quiet places of our soul.
3. Once we start to examine ourselves there might be a desire to flee to our comfort of not thinking and asking ourselves questions, at this point I would encourage you to allow the truth to speak into your life and not lie to yourself as Gary would say.

There is much to much to say on what starts to happen once we begin to examine our life on a daily basis. We realize our idols, shortcomings, and the non deserving love that Jesus Christ has for us just to mention a few

What would Thanksgiving look like year round?

The Parable of the Great Banquet

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'

"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'

"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

" 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

Luke 14:15-24

You Could Sit There All Day

The triathlon season is virtually over which brings about a natural attitude and tendency to get complacent and lazy. After a period of focused training with goals in mind it is easy to fall off track due to not having any events for another 6 months. This happens throughout our life, that we get laser focused on completing a goal or task and then once it is complete we find ourselves absorbing the joy of satisfaction, but the desire to take a break is around the corner.

(Image by Werner Schnell)

Recently I have spent some time in 2 Peter 1 thinking about what it means to build or make every effort to grow in my faith. To often I get complacent and only get in God's word when it is time to prepare for a class lesson or reading my chronological Bible. These are noble steps, but I find my self "doing" the process and therefore not growing because of a burning desire.

I have made a commitment and battle plan with a few guys to encourage one another to add to our faith. This is the foundation of what I am going to focus on to add to my faith.

• Goodness
• Knowledge
• Self-Control
• Perseverance
• Godliness
• Brotherly Kindness
• Love

I make a plan to workout and I do not wonder aimlessly in the gym trying to figure out what I am going to do. The same applies for making every effort to add these to my faith (v. 5). They do not happen aimlessly. I have to be intentional about adding these into my life.

I must add them "in increasing measure" so I will not be "ineffective and unproductive."

The cool thing about adding these into my life, verse 10 says if I do them then I will "not fall."

If you are aimless in your workouts you will not have results. If you are aimless in your relationship with Christ you will be ineffective and unproductive.

Write these 7 things down to add to your life to keep you from falling off track. There is a season for everything, including a season not to train at a high intensity for a triathlon, but a triathlete would not stop working out, he or she would change focus and alter goals(ie. strength training). This is one way for me to change spiritual focus and examine my life in light of 2 Peter 1.

What works for you when you "add" spiritual focus to your life?

It's "Just" a Vacuum Cleaner...Right?

Recently I have noticed that our vacuum cleaner has not be working properly or at least satisfactory. A few months ago there was a clog in the vacuum that needed to be cleaned out, so I cleaned it out. We continued to vacuum our house attempting to keep Cooper's hair and dirt off the carpet. I have had intentions off taking the vacuum apart and cleaning out the caked on dust and other various particles around the brush and air intake. Why would I really want to take time to clean and maintain a simple piece of equipment, it is "just" a vacuum cleaner.

Let's just say I finally got around to it and realized our vacuum needed a major cleaning and tune up. The belt was wore out, the roller brush was nasty, and the inner compartment of the vacuum cleaner was a nightmare. (Thanks to the simplicity and durability of having a Oreck vacuum this process went relatively smooth.) I went to the local Oreck store and got a new belt and roller brush finished cleaning the vacuum and reassembled the parts. For a few bucks and a little time my ROI or return on investment is outstanding. The vacuum cleaner appears to be working as it should.

So what's the big deal? It's "just" a vacuum cleaner.

Well, this is much like our life, marriage, family and other relationships. We keep the vacuum running smooth our house stays clean. The vacuum breaks our house gets dirty.

• We notice there may be a problem. At this point we often ignore the problem or wait until a crisis happens to dig deeper into the problem.
• We procrastinate at "house cleaning" our souls and relationships.
  
• We have noble intentions. Intentions are not the same as action.
• We finally awake to the problem and disassemble ourselves for further cleaning our investigation.
• We realize there are a few components that are wore out and need replaced.
• We take action on the replacement parts.
• We then feel the satisfaction about our ROI because things are back to normal.
  

What parts of your life are you ignoring? It's "just" your life.

Don't wait until you have to buy a new vacuum cleaner start today maintaining and tuning up your life.

Where does one learn mercy?

This is an office.

You can not learn this verse sitting in an office.

"But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice."

Matthew 9:13


Jesus made this statement very clear at the beginning of His ministry. He was not only going to learn the teachings of God, but he was actually going to apply them in loving, serving, healing, and calling sinners not saints to restoration.

Why am I still in the office?

Why are you still in the office?

Of course there is a time for everything.

Time to learn and a time to serve.

Mercy takes place in the community of others in the field that is ripe for harvest.

Will you go and offer mercy?

Do you have iron?

Do you have men in your life who lead you closer to the cross of Christ and hold you accountable in your daily walk?

From left to right; Daniel, John, me, Anthony. (Picture from San Francisco. Last time all of us were together at the same time. 4 years ago.)

We have been close knit band of brothers since our days at Lubbock Christian University. Not going to bore you with all the stories and details of four guys living together. However, ask me sometime about the fireworks that we set off in Anthony's rooom while he was sleeping. Oh, the memories!

Over the next few days we look to add to our story of life together. They are arriving today in Las Vegas for several days of fun and adventure. Their wives Natalie (Daniel), Crysty (John), and Sunshine is Anthony's serious friend, ie not his wife, yet!

I am reminded today of Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

May God bless our time together as we all sharpen one another. And may He watch over us so we don't drown in the Triathlon on Saturday.

Is there a spy around?

No really. Is there anyone spying on you in the truest sense of the word.

I am not talking about that feeling you have when you have the helicopter hovering your neighborhood looking for the "bad" guy.

I am not talking about some phony thing governments do. (Shh, don't tell anyone.)

I am not talking about the conspiracy theories of "this or that" crazy thing that could happen.

How would you feel if someone walked up to you and state the following; "You live a life of freedom and always show others grace. Thanks for what you do to make this a better place."

In Galatians 2:4 some people came to spy on the followers of Jesus Christ because they had found freedom. Freedom in grace. Freedom in acceptance. Freedom in love. Freedom in relationships. Freedom with God. Freedom in Christ.

There were spy's because they had freedom.

How are we showing people the freedom in Christ?

Be aware there are spy's around.

Your Grace is Enough

When you are wanting to do your works righteousness to get closer to God;
When you are more about a belief system than a way of life;
When you are struggling with the world;
When you are wanting to throw in the towel on ministry;
When you feel like you have failed Him beyond measure;

Remember these lyrics from Matt Maher's song.

"Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters in to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart"

Your Grace is Enough by Matt Maher
(No, Chris Tomlin did not write this song.)



Look forward to a great concert tonight!