Thank You...

Received the following emails. I hope they encourage you, as they have encouraged me:

"I just wanted to say thanks for the free groceries on Sunday. My husband and i hadn't eaten in 3 days so we could feed our children. The food i was given in line while waiting was my first meal in 3 days, thanks isn't enough but thank you to you and your members. We recently moved here from Texas after losing everything and recently got on our feet to get a duplex and my husband lost his job 5 weeks after we moved in. we are still waiting on our food stamps and hardly make rent with my sons ssi. Thanks again." - Amanda R.

"I just truly wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Last night I was crying because I didn't know how I was going to feed my three kids so I did the only thing that I knew how to do I prayed. After feeling horrible and probably feeling more sorry for myself than I should I went to my computer and there was a ad on Craigs List for a grocery giveaway I guess my kids had been on the computer and anyways it was pulled up. So I went today and now have food for my children to eat and even get to go on a dinner date with my husband thanks to winning the dinner for two while waiting in line. I truly believe God sent me to your church. All of you were so kind and helpful and I never once felt bad about myself or looked down up on that I felt at other places. I wish I could say I could come to church every service but I know I can't. I do plan on access the services on the computer when I can. I just want you to know more than any church I have ever been to including the one I was baptized at you all made me feel welcome. I hope you continue your good works and may god live with in each of your souls and keep helping you bring complete warmth and love to those whose lives you touch." Thanks, - Radonna Y.

"It is quite humbling being a member of Desperation Church and working side by side with so many wonderful caring people. I wanted to thank you all for the food that we were able to take to HART MINISTRIES. We have so many people come thru the door that are homeless and impoverished and our food supply was running bare. Thanks to you our DC family, we are able to send out food, to those on the streets that might not have any othe rway to be fed." - Kathy D.

A Plea for Rescue

As a pastor, oftentimes I am asked about a particular version of the bible. Not to sound too simple, but I think that most of the translations we have today are 'close enough' and that a person should read whichever version they will actually pick up and read. For years I read the NIV (New International Version), because it was easy to understand and it was a gift. When I entered Bible seminary I began reading the NASB (New American Standard Bible), because I was told it was 'the best and most accurate' and it too, was a gift. For close to 23 years now, I've used the NASB and taught many Bible studies from it. Although I own well over twenty different versions of the Word of God, everything from The Message to The King James Version, the NASB has been the one I quote most and passionately run back to.

I love it.

Recently, however, I have purchased a HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible). This is sorta a 'big deal' for me. I made a choice to begin preaching from it, studying with it, and praying it in exclusively... for at least a season.

I'm falling in love with the Word of God all over again.

I remember talking with my beautiful sister, Lisa, once. She told me how she had purchased a NLT (New Living Translation) for her husband and my dear friend, Curtis. She explained how he "couldn't put it down" and how he had read the Book of Job straight through and admitted that he "had never really understood it before". I love that kind of testimony! This is why I still hold to the philosophy that "a person should read whichever version they will actually pick up and read". I get weary of those that wish to argue and debate concerning which English version of the Bible is the 'right one'. Truthfully, all of them are subject to scrutiny in comparison to their original languages. So... what's the use? Are there versions that are dangerously close to heresy, due to their radical departures? Probably. However, the Holy Spirit is pretty awesome... and I believe Him when He says He'll lead us into all truth (John 16:13).

For me, recently, I have greatly enjoyed my moments with my new HCSB. I love how it uses the Name 'Yahweh' for 'Lord', and I love how they've kept much of the poetic flow, while remaining true to the way I speak today all while shining light on the original context of Biblical times. Again, maybe it's just another translation, but I'm reading it... and I'm once again marveling at the beautiful Author.

If it's okay, I want to simply share with you a portion I read today. Heck... it's my blog... and you can stop reading if you want. But if you do... I think you'll miss something. For me, this familiar passage took on a new sense of passion and desperation. The final line, when talking about our future hope which states, "...and those who love His name will live in it"... excites me!

Take a minute and slowly read this powerful, poetic, passionate plea for Rescue...

Psalm 69

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”

1 Save me, God, for the water has risen to my neck.

2 I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing; I have come into deep waters, and a flood sweeps over me.

3 I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

5 God, You know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from You.

6 Do not let those who put their hope in You be disgraced because of me, Lord God of Hosts; do not let those who seek You be humiliated because of me, God of Israel.

7 For I have endured insults because of You, and shame has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons

9 because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

10 I mourned and fasted, but it brought me insults.

11 I wore sackcloth as my clothing, and I was a joke to them.

12 Those who sit at the city gate talk about me, and drunkards make up songs about me.

13 But as for me, Lord, my prayer to You is for a time of favor. In Your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with Your sure salvation.

14 Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink. Let me be rescued from those who hate me, and from the deep waters.

15 Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me or the deep swallow me up; don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, Lord, for Your faithful love is good; in keeping with Your great compassion, turn to me.

17 Don’t hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!

18 Draw near to me and redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies.

19 You know the insults I endure—my shame and disgrace. You are aware of all my adversaries.

20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I waited for sympathy, but there was none; for comforters, but found no one.

21 Instead, they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table set before them be a snare, and let it be a trap for their allies.

23 Let their eyes grow too dim to see, and let their loins continually shake.

24 Pour out Your rage on them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.

25 Make their fortification desolate; may no one live in their tents.

26 For they persecute the one You struck and talk about the pain of those You wounded.

27 Add guilt to their guilt; do not let them share in Your righteousness.

28 Let them be erased from the book of life and not be recorded with the righteous.

29 But as for me—poor and in pain— let Your salvation protect me, God.

30 I will praise God’s name with song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

31 That will please Yahweh more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.

32 The humble will see it and rejoice. You who seek God, take heart!

33 For the Lord listens to the needy and does not despise His own who are prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them,

35 for God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah. They will live there and possess it.

36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will live in it.

Time to be THANKFUL

I came across a video this morning that perhaps you’ve seen. It’s of a beautiful, young woman named Sarah Churman. She has been deaf and through the grace of God and the wonder of modern technology she has been granted the ability to hear for the first time. Due to my own history with hearing problems, this video greatly affected me. I don’t usually share stuff like this, but felt that this was powerful enough to do so this time. Before reading further, please view the video now:

Sarah Churman video

Awesome, right? Sarah blogs about her experience and it’s great reading. Here’s an excerpt that was pretty neat:

“…We stopped to use the restroom and gas up and the toilet in the gas station about gave me a heart attack! The nurse warned me of this but I had already forgotten and totally freaked. Oh, and this reminds me, earlier when they first turned it on and I burped, totally freaked me out. I’ve been given a remote and I’m supposed to turn it up a notch every 4 days. Right now I’m at a low setting and they said if they were to turn it on full force my brain would freak. It’s like cold water in a pool… gotta slowly acclimate I guess? Oh, and on a sidenote… Lady Gaga sounds horrible on the radio! Just sayin. Sloan just kissed me good night… kisses sound all smacky like… weird… As I sit here beating the keys on the keyboard (not really, it just sounds that way), Skittles the Lovebird has been chirping, it’s so cute J I guess I’m keeping her up. Well, my hubby is in bed… guess I should join him. I’m thinking I’ll leave the device on and listen to him snore. I have to be the only wife that’s looking forward to that. God IS good. Thank you to everyone who has kept up with me on this journey… thanks for the prayers, support, etc. Can’t wait to get up tomorrow and hear the girl’s giggles.”

You can read Sarah’s complete blog here.

This story has so encouraged me to be thankful for the smallest of things today. Hearing birds, giggles, and even snoring… I’m just blown away. We have so much to be thankful for. Life is truly what we make of it. This lady will, I imagine, be expressing her gratefulness for a very long time. May we never neglect to appreciate all the incredible blessings that often go overlooked in our lives. What if we viewed each and every moment and ability as a precious gift from God?

Thanks for reading.

Personal Day Revelations

I'm called to be a disciple of Jesus. Although that word is familiar to the 'Christian' world, it is often not completely understood. Perhaps another word would make more sense?

Believer. Pupil. Student. Supporter. Devotee. Follower.

A disciple is really all of that, I think. One thing that I'm becoming more and more convinced of is this: Whatever a disciple is, it is 'that'... consistently.

Tuesdays are my day 'off'. This week, my Tuesday was like a fifteen-year-old broken-down Kirby vacuum... it sucked bad. Things just went wrong from the start. Stuff broke, I didn't feel good, and it couldn't end fast enough.

Then, Tuesday night the Elders of Desperation Church had planned an appreciation dinner for my wife & I and the other staff pastors. I wasn't even wanting to go, because of how bad my day had been, but I'm so glad I did. It was awesome. Not only were we fed great food, but we were prayed over and encouraged with God's Word in a very special way.

As I went home that night, reflecting on the horrible day I'd had, followed by the inspiring night, I decided to go through with my idea of taking Wednesday off as a 'personal day'. My goal was to work outdoors all day and get some much needed tree trimming, wood chopping, and various other odds & ends buttoned up before winter settles in. I did.

Something happens when you're all alone for 16 hours and you're doing nothing but hard physical labor. I chain-sawed branches, then cut them up, then carried logs and brush to the wood-pile for hours and hours. I dug enough dirt to fill my truck-bed up and make three trips to the dump. I built a new recessed fire-pit, with real stones and everything! Actually, when I think about it... I got a lot done. But much more than physical work got accomplished yesterday... yesterday, I had time alone with God.

I probably did most of the talking - some of it was yelling, as I swung a hatchet into some of the hardest wood I've ever seen - but God was there... and He was listening. And when I gave Him the chance... He even whispered a few things back into my stubborn heart. I don't know... maybe it was during one of the numerous times I had to take apart the chain-saw to tighten the chain, or when I broke the ax-handle because I kept missing the awl, or that time I had to pull over on the side of the highway and pick up a bunch of limbs that had fallen off the back of my truck ... but somewhere during my 'personal day'... I began to notice that even when things weren't going perfectly... I was okay.

This is BIG for me.

You see, to grasp the fact that "stuff happens" to us... regularly... and still we are to maintain an attitude that is Christ-pleasing and Jesus-like, is something that my head may know quite well, but my heart and flesh are still struggling with constantly. Truthfully, if I added it all up, more "bad" stuff happened to me on Wednesday than on Tuesday. However, my heart was different and my spirit was refreshed and hungry for the presence of God... so Wednesday was so much better.

There's something about just being quiet with God... alone with God... real with God, that is absolutely transforming. It is in the quiet times... the 'secret place'... that God reveals so much to us. Stuff about Himself. Stuff about ourselves. I'll be sharing some of what I'm learning about all this, this weekend at DC.

I've got a list, a reminder of sorts, that I want to share with you. I need to keep myself honest with the Lord and the world around me. My flesh and selfishness can squelch the Spirit within me and even crush those around me. In an instant, I can bring pain and sorrow to my life. This list serves as a guide for all that I am and all that I need to be. It reminds me what it is to be a radical and consistent disciple of Jesus:

• A disciple doubts.
• A disciple denies.
• A disciple forgets.
• A disciple fears.
• A disciple changes lives.
• A disciple denies himself.
• A disciple believes Jesus is Savior.
• A disciple heals.
• A disciple sometimes rants.
• A disciple leads.
• A disciple is human.
• A disciple hides away at times.
• A disciple loves.
• A disciple protects.
• A disciple sometimes cuts off ears.
• A disciple is radical.
• A disciple is lost.
• A disciple is always seeking.
• A disciple is being healed.
• A disciple leaves his life.
• A disciple follows Christ.
• A disciple dies for faith.
• A disciple messes up sometimes.
• A disciple is called to be a disciple.
• A disciple prays.
• A disciple leads others to Jesus.
• A disciple sometimes falls away from Christ.
• A disciple gets in the grill of others.
• A disciple asks for forgiveness.
• A disciple forgives.
• A disciple tells the truth.
• A disciple sometimes lies.
• A disciple will teach.
• A disciple will write.
• A disciple has no attachment to religion.
• A disciple has friends.
• A disciple is lonely.
• A disciple doesn't try to win the approval of men (Gal.1:10).
• A disciple sometimes cares too much what men think.
• A disciple fasts.
• A disciple questions.
• A disciple hopes.
• A disciple gets angry.
• A disciple does not worry.
• A disciple sometimes worries.
• A disciple doesn't worry about money.
• A disciple likes money way too much.
• A disciple gives up.
• A disciple perseveres.

My hope every day is to add and take away from this list. Today? They all pretty much fit. Tomorrow? God only knows. I do know this: I'm so not interested in being a great leader. I am very interested in being a great disciple.

Pew Potatoes Will Hate This!

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him?" - James 2:14 (HCSB)

I think James hits it out of the park in this verse. He's asking a legitimate question: can you have faith that saves you outside of deeds? Well? I'm not so sure. When we live our lives devoid of deeds, of doing things for others, we leave ourselves spiritually paralyzed. We've got nothing to do, thus, we've got nothing to say. Who wants to listen to someone who supposedly has the answers, yet lives a boring, self-obsessed, stationary life? Not me.

I struggle daily with small concepts about faith, but the one I can hold on to is this one from James: do. Just do. It's that old saying, "Fake it 'till you make it." "Deeds" equal "you getting completely out of yourself," and when you step up into another's life, you are fulfilling a law of Christ.

The Church must grab hold of what I'm talking about here. We must force ourselves to understand living beyond ourselves everyday. Deeds will connect us to one another and cement ourselves to God's will.

The world sees people who go to church, living fulfilling functioning lives, making money - having relationships, getting it done - and everyone has a big, toothy grin doing it. It does look good. However, what if what we really need to show the world is life-changing functionality? We need to mirror Jesus in all our activities. This doesn't mean we wear robes, travel with a bunch of ragtag crazies, speak differently and live poor. It means we come clean about the sin in our lives and live out our faith... faith that is "seeable".

Inaction is a big deal. James tells us to help widows and orphans (James 1:27). Translation: get up and out and help people. We have become consumed with what faith looks like instead of what it is doing. God says the religion He wants comes in the form of helping people, not playacting with flat, empty, good-looking smiles filled with selfish desire, wrapped around nothing to say or do. He needs us in the trenches, thinking about others and leading them to the Master.

Yesterday I spent some time talking with some widows and single mothers on the phone. Many of these precious women just cried as I described how our church community was planning to invade their homes this Sunday and practically help them. One lady is legally blind and has a large tree that has fallen in her backyard. Neighbors are complaining and she can't even see what to do to fix it. She's blind and in a bind. When I described how we were going to take care of her problem, she wept and wouldn't stop thanking and praising God. Another single mother of two has issues with her gutters. She doesn't know how to clean them. Last year she said her full gutters led to water running onto her front door and it totally froze. She was stuck in her house, because she was literally frozen in! She also can't mow her lawn, because her mower stopped working. The 'city' is complaining and she can't afford to get it trimmed. Another single mother described a hole in her ceiling that simply needs to be patched up, but she's been unable to figure out how to get it done.

Each of these ladies, and others this Sunday, are going to be the recipients of a mass-movement of God's gang simply "doing". Isn't that awesome? Isn't that what abundant LIFE is really all about? Isn't that fulfilling the law of Christ in a way that causes this world to see, and maybe even thank and praise HIM?

I kinda think so.

Tweeting

For this week's blog, I would like to invite you to read a friend's blog.

You can find it here:

Click

Our God Reigns

Last night I led a new Discipleship class at Desperation Church. Only nine folks showed up, which was a bit disappointing (especially since three of them were in my immediate family and four others have been walking with the Lord for years and years). There were two people who are new to this Christian walk, however, and I was reminded of why I love Jesus and those who, with child-like faith, have fallen in love with Him. I pray that, as this bi-monthly class continues, the numbers will grow and better reflect the many who have begun this journey to know God in our community.

I've decided to briefly share, the following day, what our discipleship class conversed about. Last night we discussed what discipleship truly is... and what it is not. We talked about how a disciple is more than just a 'learner' or a 'student' of something or someone, but one who has abandoned all in order to learn from AND radically become like the one they are following.

As disciples of Jesus the Messiah then, our goal is not to gather together only to gain more and more head-knowledge, but to begin to discuss and discover ways in which we can literally be those that are becoming transformed into the very likeness of Him.

Practically what would that look like?

Would we say 'no' to a job opportunity that paid well and seemed great, if it required us to do something, even a small something, we felt was against what God was desiring of us? What if we had to work during corporate worship times? What if we had to be slightly dishonest in our sales-pitch?

If we were a teenage athlete, would we approach our coach and ask to get out of practice early on Wednesday nights so that we could attend Youth Group at church, because our relationship with God and God's people was vitally important to us? What if they said "no"? What if a scholarship were on the line?

Would we sacrifice a better life-style, in order to be a person who could give more, serve more, and love others practically to a greater degree?

What does it REALLY look like to be a disciple of Jesus - to be someone that actually abandons everything in order to walk in obedience to His Spirit's whispering?

We then talked about what the central truth, or the central message, of a disciple of Jesus really is: The universal reign of God. In other words, a true follower of Jesus is one who lives as though Jesus is in charge... of all. He's the King. He's the Boss. We may live in America, Australia, Africa, China, or anyplace else... but in REALITY we live in a Kingdom that is not really of this world - the Kingdom of God. And in His Kingdom, Jesus is King. He reigns.

I know... we've all heard that before, right? "JESUS REIGNS!" is a popular slogan and lyric for many of us. But do we live like it? Truth is, just taking a quick look around,... it sure doesn't seem like Jesus reigns. When I see the pain of the abused, the judgement towards others unlike ourselves in appearance or sexuality, and the corruptness and darkness of a world that has rejected God... I don't get visions of Jesus wearing a crown or sitting on a throne and smiling.

Why?

Because Jesus doesn't reign. Unless you and I let Him.

A disciple is one who announces the universal reign of God... with their words and with their lives. They are gaining head-knowledge, sure. However more than that, they are those that are becoming like Jesus. They are those that understand He is the King and what He says goes. They understand that what is actually taking place is a transformation; A Kingdom of princesses and princes who were once gutter-bums and ragamuffins are changing and becoming incredibly different than what they were... they are becoming Christ-like.

Today, may you and I be those that pronounce to this world that we have abandoned the passions of this culture and are pursuing a King Who loves us enough to die for us and then allows us to join Him in an incredible adventure by calling us to follow in His radical footsteps.

"How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the herald,
who proclaims peace,
who brings news of good things,
who proclaims salvation,

who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" - Isaiah 52:7 (HCSB)