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My Spiritual Guardrails

My Pastor preaching on what he must do to keep his spiritual life on track.

Radical byDavid Platt

I recently read a new book by author and pastor David Platt, from The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. Few books would I recomend on a broad scale basis, but this is certainly one of them. I challenge you to pick it up, read and comment back with your thoughts. Check out this video for a glimpse of the things he addresses. Be careful... this will be a read that hurts.

Sunday's Coming

Every Monday morning our church staff join together for staff meeting. We discuss anything and everything related to the working of our church. Much can be accomplished in such a small amount of time. Few things happen at Calvary outside of the discussion in that meeting. Even still... you can talk something into the ground and never accomplish anything. With that in mind, our pastor regularly reels us back in with this statement, "Sunday's Coming." In those two words, he reminds us that if Sunday morning is the "first touch" for 95% of guests that come through our doors, if Sunday morning is when more people are on campus than any other time of the week, if Sunday morning is when the main focus of a church (worship, discipleship and fellowship) occurs, if Sunday morning is the ideal time for life change to be seen, if Sunday morning is the first thing we would point any and every person to as an entry point into our church, and if Sunday morning can only happen with an exponential amount of volunteers from within our church family... then we need to spend a large portion of our energy in making it the best it can be.

That being said, below is a video produced by North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. Call it a behind the scenes look into what is really happening in a worship service. (though not completely accurate) Some of it is all too true, some of it is a stretch... but it's all hilarious. I hope you enjoy...

The Bible

The message below was given to me on a book mark. It's choice words have inspired me and I hope they do the same for you.

The Bible reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the
doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its
precepts binding, its histories are true, its decisions are immutable. Read it
to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light
to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the
traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilots compass, the soldier’s sword,
and the Christian's charter. Here, Heaven is opened and the gates of hell
disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good is its design, the glory of God
its end. It should fill your memory, rule your heart, and guide the feet. Read
it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is given in life, will be opened in
the judgment, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest
responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all those who
trifle with its sacred contents. Owned, it is riches; studied, it is wisdom;
trusted, it is salvation; loved, it is character; and obeyed, it is power.
Author Unknown

This reminds me of scriptural texts like 1 Timothy 3:16 that says, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. or Hebrew 4:12 that reads, For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. or Psalm 19:7-8 that says, The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. or John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...

I love the Word of the Lord. Have a wonderful week!

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Hosanna!

As we enter the Easter season and approach Palm Sunday... I can't help but think of what the people in Jesus' day were thinking as they saw Jesus enter Jerusalem for the final time before his crucifixion. Were they amazed, were they in wonder, were questions beginning to form. A grave difference is seen in them from the time of Jesus' triumphal entry as in John 12 and his sentence to be crucified in John 19. One moment they are praising their Lord and Creator and the next they are spitting at him. I think of how often I do this and it makes me sick. Thankfully, the story does not end with the triumphant entry or even the crucifixion... but rather the story begins again with his resurrection on Easter morning. Below is a song that I think is very appropriate for Easter 2010!

Because of God's love

Last night my family was watching Prince Caspian, the second movie in the classic series by C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia. I had seen it before, but if you've ever seen a movie more than once, you catch new things most every time. Well this was certainly one of those times. There is a scene near the end when Aslan (the Lion who represents/is the God figure in the story) is speaking to a group of characters in the movie.

One of the characters (who happens to be a mouse) asks Aslan to heal his body by giving him a new tail as his tail had been cut off in the recent battle. He asks Aslan to do this to restore his dignity. (we all know mice have no dignity without a tail) Aslan's response to him is what I find absolutely amazing and representative of how God operates in our lives. He responds to the mouse by saying:

"not for the sake of your dignity, but because of my love for you... I will do what you ask."

Throughout Scripture, we find these words:
- "It is because the Lord loved you..." (Deuteronomy 7:8)
- "Because of the Lord's great love..." (Lamentations 3:22)
- "For God so loved..." (John 3:16)
- "Because of his great love for us..." (Ephesians 2:4)
- "We love because he first loved us." (i John 4:19)

These are but samplings of the numerous passages throughout Scripture that depict God's love being the reason for his interaction and influence with mankind. I was enamoured that Hollywood would get something like this so right, a thing that believers so often forget. We may forget this truth and think God loves us because of our value, or because we are deserving, or for our sake, or he needs us... or, you name the reason.

I am thankful that my dignity, worth, value, or right-doing does not make me worthy of God's interaction in my life. I am thankful that I serve a loving God who first loved me. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

Thank you Jesus for your love.

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What thrills your soul?

Came into the office today thinking about the joys of life... I am humbled at how much I have to be thankful for and how the Lord has blessed my family. In doing so, my mind wondered back to an old hymn I have not heard in years... All that thrills my soul is Jesus. The words go something like this... for your sake I will not sing it...

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus?
By His presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blessed to call him mine!

All that thrills my soul is Jesus;
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of then thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

I am reading a new book by Mark Batterson entitled Primal. In it he describes a time when he traveled to Rome and toured ancient catacombs where early believers risked their lives to worship the one and only true creator God. About his experience, he says this,

...when you're standing in an ancient catacomb, the comforts you enjoy
make you uncomfortable. The things you complain about are convicting. And some
of the sacrifices you've made for the cause of Christ might not even qualify
under a second century definition.

You can't help but realize that these early believers who gave their lives in these places knew they served a God greater than any comfort, pleasure, or "blessing" in this world. The hymn writer understood this too.

Lord Jesus, help myself and others who read this to find the thrill of their soul in you and you alone. May you be our sufficiency and supreme joy. Guard us from valuing worldly joys, whether material or relational, above the joy and thrill that only you can give. Help us to live in such a way that you are always on our heart and in our mind. May we discern and always remember what matters most, and that is You. Amen.

Everything

So I normally would not post two videos in a row, but this one grabbed my heart once again. I had seen it several years ago... it is a interpretive skit to the song Everything by Lifehouse.

We serve a God who is passionate about his people. In the Old Testament it speaks of a God who is jealous for his people. (Exodus 34:14) Oprah misunderstood this jealousy and took it as man's sinful and selfish jealousy... a jealousy that you or I have when we want something we do not or cannot have... she ended up abandoning Christianity.

However, properly understood, the Bible speaks of this jealousy, not in terms of man's sinful jealous attitude, but as a passionate zeal for the affection of his people that rises when something threatens the coventant relationship between God and man. It is likened to the jealousy of a husband or a wife when something (sin) threatens their marriage relationship (whether it be work, things, time, people, or unfaithfulness).

I am glad I serve a jealous God who pursues me when when pain seems stronger and more powerful than the comfort of God, when trials seem more numerous than blessings, when temptations seem more fulfilling than God's goodness, and even when I choose the world over Him. Thank you Jesus for your love!

Hilarious

Below is a clip that I found absolutely hilarious... seems to be a group of American soldiers training a group of international soldiers overseas. I am not sure what country is represented by these soldiers, so I can post this with a clear conscious and you can know that I mean no disrespect to these men or their nationality. :) Enjoy!

The Power of Doing Good

Some quotes that summarize much of what this week's lesson address... don't miss out on the last week of Living Beyond Myself in Sunday School and Worship!

"Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, not a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people." ~ US President George Bush

"People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care." ~ John C. Maxwell

"Jesus Christ is not valued at all until He is valued above all." ~ Augustine

"No indulgence of passion destroys the spiritual nature so much as respectable selfishness." ~ George MacDonald

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." ~ Francis of Assisi

"If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." ~ Jesus Christ

Blessings...

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Just Jump In!

Just Jump In!
This week we are continuing to study Living Beyond Myself, and Sunday we learn the best method to begin such a lifestyle it to "Just jump in!" Different opportunities in life require and function best when we contemplate, test, and discuss options. I'm speaking of things like, purchasing a new car, considering schools/universities/careers, changing jobs, or even deciding where to go eat. Each of these tasks are best performed when significant thought and planning is given to the opportunities before action is taken. (especially the place to eat... :))

"Just jump in" addresses the issue that very often in the Christian life we can wish, think, and plan that one day we will begin serving or one day we will go and do "x." One of our ministers on staff is known for saying, "if you wait for perfect timing, nothing will ever get done." How true in regards to following Christ. God calls us to follow Him regardless if we think we are ready or prepared or have it all in line... how often in Scripture does he call those who are seemingly ill-equiped, not ready, too young, etc to do the work he desires to be done. God's call is to act, not just think, plan and prepare.

Sign-up this week at the Expo for a great opportunity to volunteer at Calvary or simply think of a way you can serve others in the community and go do it. Our goal as a church is not that you would simply fill a need here (though there are plenty) but that we would each have a shift in perspective and begin to think and act in ways that cause us to live beyond ourselves.

See you Sunday!

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When God makes a promise...

Recently, I read 1 Kings 8:24 which says, You spoke with your mouth and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. The context of this verse shows us that Solomon was praying a prayer of dedication over the newly built temple in Jerusalem. It was the same one that the Lord had promised to Solomon's father David years before.

We find here just one evidence of a great attribute of our God. When God makes a promise, he delivers! Other times throughout Scripture, God promises to accomplish what he sets out to do; Isaiah 55:11 is just one of those passages. When you look through Hebrews 11, person after person is commended for their belief and truth in a faithful God.

Solomon's father, David expressed his faith in God in 2 Samuel 7:28 (just after God promised to build the temple during the reign of his son Solomon where he said, And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Here David is saying at least two things. 1. God is the ONLY God, and there is no one like Him. He is supreme. 2. God's word is truth and what He says He will do.

May you and I have this kind of faith in the Lord. May we believe his Word and trust in his promises, for He is a faithful God, a trustworthy God; He is my Savior and Lord! Praise him for his faithfulness!

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