Coffee With Dave

Guess what's in the kitchen for dinner?

2010-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Peter was willing to do about anything but this, well, this was way too far across the line for him. All of his life he had stuffed himself with organic vegetables, fruits, nuts and good Jewish food. God couldn't be serious about eating these pigs, birds, lizards and who knows what else. This was not a multiple choice game however. Peter was proud of the fact that his diet could be written up in "Heart Healthy Living" or "Eating Well" middle-eastern magazines. But God was in the kitchen this day and everything he prepared was eatable.

Peter was confused but knew he was not ready to graduate from cooking school just yet. Three men from the other side of the tracks came looking for Peter. God told Peter to go home with them. Peter goes and entering the house of the man who sent for him, announced to everyone that this was against the Jewish law for him to be there. And then one of the most significant words in this sentence-"But God...". When God shows up and talks it changes everything. Henry Blackaby said once "When God speaks to you, it is the most serious thing that could happen to you and it changes something you have believed or practiced." The vision of a new diet and now these men caused Peter to not hesitate in deciding to visit this man. Peter learned several lessons that day but he had to lay down his certainties or preferences first.

Have you excluded some things from what you have believed is acceptable or legitimate in the Christian life? How about spiritual gifts and their use today? How about who can serve communion or baptize? Or what about what constitutes church? We need to make sure what we believe and practice is rooted in the Word rather than our tradition or preference.

THINK ABOUT THIS

1. Think through a few traditions or practices of yours and make sure they are biblical and not just preferences.
2. Spend some time with someone who believes something different from you but who is definitely seeking to follow Jesus. See if you can have an unemotional conversation with them about it.

Connecting the Dots

2010-05-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it really helps to have a plan in our minds that makes sense to us. It is kind of like drawing some kind of picture. If there are dots to connect in a specific order, the picture takes shape and looks like something that makes sense to us. If you are trying to draw a horse and you can connect dots 1 to 2 and then to 3 and so on, you have a better chance it will look like a horse and not a squirrel if you had no numbered dots.

Discipling another person is more comfortable if there are dots to connect. You just cover the material with someone or memorize certain verses and it's done. But...you don't have to think or be challenged or stretched or have to trust God to do the work in their life. In your mind, the picture of this person you are helping become a real follower of Jesus is more easily accomplished if there are certain dots to connect.

Phillip is about to go to a class without a textbook and the instructor is not in sight. How can you possibly learn or help anyone without the "Dot" textbook? Check out Acts 8:34, 35 and 39. What kind of textbook was Phillip working with here? Aren't we supposed to teach people to practice everything Jesus taught the original team?

Don't get caught in the trap of limiting God and using one discipling plan with everyone you are helping. After Phillip shared some stuff with this Ethiopian and baptized him, without notice God said "time to leave." But what about the follow up? There is no one box disciple making box with God. He is capable of bringing people into mature relationships with him any way he wants to.

Once in Athens, Greece in 1991 a student and I were teaching some Ethiopian refugees some basics in following Jesus. After our discussion they asked us what the origin of our church was. We had no clue. They however said they traced theirs back to this Ethiopian eunuch in Acts. This eunuch began the Coptic Church these refugees were a part of. Looks like Phillips discipleship plan worked.

Google Earth

2010-05-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

None of us knew what Google Earth was a few years ago but it has become one of the best tools to check out new cities, get directions for travelling, view topography and whatever. But think about trying to determine how to get from Seattle, Washington Enterprise rental car location to Bellingham, Washington by looking at the globe that appears at the beginning of the Google Earth experience. All you see is a large globe that is cool for sure but will not get you out of the parking lot of your rental car dealer. However, if you type in your rental car dealer and city you can get a street view that will show you exactly how to get on Interstate 5 and head north.

Matthew 4:4, Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 are like Google Earth in "street view". They give a clear perspective of what life is supposed to look like. The Message translation of John 10:10 adds that we will have "life better than you ever dreamed of." And the Timothy verse adds that the Word shows us truth, exposes our rebellion, corrects our mistakes and trains us to live God's way. That street view may be a little too close for you or maybe it just shows how much God really does love us and is interested in every aspect of our life.

Most people you and I know (including us at times) are trying to figure out life by looking at the globe map rather than the street view. Most don't even know there is a street view of how to live life. Some people don't even know what Google Earth is.

Google earth is a great tool if you are trying to figure out how to get somewhere or what something looks like...but only if you use the "street view."

Think about this

1. What kind of decisions are you trying to make these days? Get with a friend who has the "street view" and ask them what the Bible says about your decision.

2. What is a practical step you could take to change from looking at life from the "globe" perspective to a "street view"?

What was that sound?

2010-04-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

It seems some people are very good at hearing-all kinds of things like bird sounds, people talking and even God. I am definitely getting older and my hearing is not as good as it was a few years ago. I probably do play some music too loud but it really sounds better loud. But I should be able to hear God better-right? I mean I have had almost 50 years working on it.

So, when I read Acts 8:26-30 I see a guy who is hanging out with some others and an angel shows up to tell him something. He obviously hears the angel because he starts out on the trip. Then later the Spirit tells him to go see a guy whose car is on the side of the road. Hearing again, he does just that and has one of the most significant conversations anyone could have. The guy he talks with becomes a follower of Jesus and later starts the Coptic Church in Egypt and Ethiopia. Did you ever wake up thinking you would talk with someone who would end up doing this?

What the spank does an angel sound like and why did one talk with Philip? Then why did the Spirit take over later. Frannie and I are waiting to hear from God about a couple of things. We have been waiting from our perspective, for a while. I am not getting younger as you probably know and want to get on with it. Silence! That is what I am hearing these days. I am thinking Philip got a good deal.

I am intrigued by something Larry Crabb said. "How deep into darkness do Christians have to go to find light?" I love that and I hate it. I am not sure what it means but I think I am learning. Do I want answers or relationship with Jesus? God is all about relationship and answers to some of my questions are secondary to the larger picture. I have to remember my part in the movie is about "one" word. Darkness is indeed one of the best teachers. Taking the class over is a rip though. Isaiah 50:10-11 are huge as I think about my role in listening and planning.

Think about this

1. What can you learn in darkness that you can't learn in the light?
2. Do yo want Jesus more than you want answers to your questions? How do you know?

Stretch...you can reach it

2010-04-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

I can remember several times being on a ladder trying to reach something that seemed out of reach. In one final effort I would stretch beyond what I thought was possible and grabbed the light bulb or smoke detector. But, I had to really stretch. Now I doubt Jesus would be standing on the floor asking "how are you going to reach the bulb?" Not really. His questions challenge something much deeper and significant within us. We think we are at the top of the class in faith, understanding, ability...and then Jesus asks a question like he did with Philip in John 6:5-6 and we soon realize how long the trip is to get where God wants us to go or who he wants us to be.

Simple question-how are we going to feed several thousand people who are listening to Jesus? Maybe simple, but at the bottom of the well. Jesus already knew the answer but Phillip didn't have a clue. Phillip of course responded like we would "It would take almost a year's salary for everyone to get t bite." It makes sense as long as faith is not in the equation.

When was the last time Jesus posed a question to you like this? A man once told me "Don't let your vision be limited by men of limited vision." This is a Jesus thought but it is easy to respond to Jesus' questions from a perspective that does not involve faith and has no sense of adventure to it.

Are you uncomfortable with questions Jesus wants to ask or is asking you? He wants to stretch you and me in such a way that faith is the only answer that will give us a grade of 100 on the exam. But maybe it is easier to get a "B" on the test. The problem is there are only 2 grades: Pass or Fail. And there is only one way to pass. Maybe you won't even take the class.

Think about this

1. When was the last time you decided to go all out and trust God for something you either thought was crazy or just plain not possible?

2. Get with someone and talk about what God is testing in you or them and your willingness to move from where you are to wherever God has in mind.

New prescription for your glasses

2010-03-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

Ever have a day or week that really happened but you are not sure what it was about? I mean, not much of anything seemed to happen and you thought God must have gone on a trip somewhere because he did not seem to show up where you were.

There are times where it is hard to see that God is really working in or through your life and you are not sure what is going on. You can examine your heart, lifestyle, motives and attitude and come up with no explanation. Life just seems to move forward because you see a new date on the calendar every day.

But Jesus is in each of us who have become a follower of him and he is always at work in and around us. John 5:17 is as true as the new day that challenges us every day. Our Father is always working and so is Jesus. Jesus added in verses 19 and 20 that he only does what he sees the Father doing. He was able to wake up each day and see that God was working all around him.

First step-Do I believe God is always working in the people I am around?
Step two seems to be consistent time with God by reading and thinking about what I am reading in the Bible.
Step three might be doing exactly what God speaks to me about in the Word without hesitation or rationalization. When I do this, for whatever reason, I seem to be more alert and sensitive to seeing God at work around me.

But you still have to have an eye examination in order to get a new prescription. David asked God to examine him to see if anything was in his life that needed removed or changed. (Psalm 139:23,24)

Think about this:

1. Which of these steps do you need to take this week?
2. How serious are you in wanting to see God at work around you? What if it requires some adjustments in your routine, schedule or commitment?

Who are these guys?

2010-03-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were being chased by a group of men who were persistent in their pursuit and almost caught up with Butch and Sundance until they jumped into a river and floated away. More than one time they asked "who are these guys?" as they were being chased.

Check out Acts 2:42-47. I have asked the same question about these followers of Jesus who lived a long time ago. Who are these people? Where are they or have they disappeared today? Have you really ever seen any believers live like this? I mean, really in our culture, is this possible or are we trapped into wondering what this is really about? Was this for them but not for us?

As I thought about this, God made it clear that this is a mark of a follower of Jesus who takes what Jesus said seriously. There are no multiple choice options for followers of Jesus then or now. So, how do I do this? I believe it is a lifestyle that basically says to other believers willing to live this way that what I have is theirs if they need it. We do this with our immediate families so why not with followers of Jesus who want to be on the same page? God made it clear to me that everything in our house is his and another believer if they need it.

I am determined to live this way with others who want to do the same. I have found two men who said they would live this way with me.

Is this reasonable? It is right if I am going to follow Jesus. these kinds of lifestyle commitments are the kinds that separate belief from conviction. Talk is easy and must be backed up with real change or it is pointless and is an insult to these early followers of Jesus.

Think about this:

1. Talk with another believer and see what they think about living this way today? If you are willing to do it, ask them if they are. But you have to mean it.

2. List every reason why this is not possible today for you and then what that means about any of the other statements of Jesus about following him.

Quick, go to the store! John 2:1-11

2010-03-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Ever been having a good time with a bunch of friends at your house and you run out of something? Not just something but one of the most important things. You quickly send someone to go to the local store and get some more of whatever. It would be embarrassing or your hospitality might be questioned if you didn't replenish what you ran out of.

Jesus and his buddies were hanging out at a wedding. These events were a huge part of the culture and they just ran out of wine. His mom told him but Jesus replied "hey, what are you telling me for?" But whenever someone (like his mom) trusted him, he got involved.

He showed up at a wedding (a very common deal in any culture) and did something that would be remembered forever.

As I thought about this, God brought a question to my mind. Dave, when was the last time I showed up like this in your life? I can't remember when. In fact, I don't even expect him to show up. It was like God agreed with me-that's right, you don't most of the time. Do I really believe he wants to invade my space like this?

Then, God reminded me that this was an easy deal. Water into wine-hey, he spoke and there was water that came from nothing so it would be an easy deal to turn water into wine. He could have made it into a Mountain Dew and that would really gotten them to think-who is this? and what is this we are drinking?

What does this say about my view of God? Is it a mind game or am I afraid he might really show up and change something?

How about a glass of wine tonight? Oh, all you have is water in the house?

Think about this
1. Do you want Jesus to show up in your daily life and do something that will force you to think about life differently?

2. Do you really believe he still wants to do this today or are you just supposed to read this stuff and think-great story, what's the next one?

What the Spank!

2010-02-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

The sun is up, the wind is not blowing, the temperature will get to 45 degrees today, coffee was made and enjoyed, music is inspiring, the stock market is not doing much...seems like a routine day. But this is the day the Lord has made. That should make a difference shouldn't it? I mean, following Jesus is anything but routine and cannot be boring and often surprise enters the picture.

John 4:27-Jesus' guys were coming back from town with food and were alarmed that Jesus was talking with a woman from the wrong country. Wrong gender and location-doesn't Jesus know the customs? He would get hammered if some of the religious types knew about this. They were surprised but why should they be-this is what he did regularly. But none of them was willing to ask Jesus anything about it.

What does their being surprised indicate about them? They certainly didn't expect it. What does that reveal about their understanding about Jesus? What the spank is he up to?

Do you and I expect Jesus to surprise us with anything today or is it just another day "hugging the balance beam as Francis Chan says? (You should check out this video). Sure, some days are going to look the same but why not live with the expectation that when you follow Jesus, he might just show up talking with a woman at a well or maybe something even more exciting or challenging for you to experience?

Your following Jesus has taken you so far, but there are other places he wants you to visit.

Neighborhoods

2010-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

How do you decide where you are going to live or where you will spend time? Are there certain roads you drive on and others "no way?" Are there certain parts of town you are not about to walk around in? We do have to be smart but in our justification for having comfort and security at any cost, we will not venture into certain areas that jeopardize either of these. And perhaps we are missing being in a place where God can seriously use us.
Jesus had to go into a dangerous or at least a questionable zone because he knew his father was working there. Check out John 4:4 and 9-10. Samaritans and Jews never high fived each other because they intentionally avoided any contact at all. they hated each other at the worst and distrusted each other at the best.

So, you can imagine what the disciples were thinking as Jesus started walking down this road. Jesus not only was walking through this rough part of the country but spoke to a Samaritan woman and asked her a question. She gave the typical reply "what are you doing here and why are you talking with me?" (my paraphrase) Jesus bypassed this because he knew that God wanted everyone to experience the gift of life that was only to be located in a relationship with him.

The results of this conversation are significant. (Read the rest of the chapter) Don't be trapped by the dual demons of comfort and security. Yes, these can actually be dangerous for your life and eliminate the adventure Jesus promises if we exclusively follow him.
Take a different route to somewhere this week. Go somewhere you have never been before that you consistently avoid. Maybe you can ask someone for some water or coffee.

What do you want?

2010-01-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

A short scene in John 4:1-3 reveals that the religious crowd was always checking up on Jesus. What was he doing, why was he doing it, was he doing it in the right place?...and on and on. They had heard that more people were following Jesus than were following John and for whatever reason, they wanted to know what was going on.

Jesus did not care about this kind of thing. This was not what really mattered to him. They could debate and talk about what he was doing all day...he didn't care. Also, he was not interested in getting any kind of recognition for what was going on. However, he was interested in defining for those following him, what was important in life. If, when he left them they knew what really mattered and were living that way, he had done his job.

So, when he learned that these religious types were talking about this, he took off. He deliberately avoided any games these pseudo religious people were playing, He knew there was only one thing that really mattered and that their only concern was how his popularity was becoming greater than theirs.
What do you want? Who is your audience? Are you looking for a compliment from someone for some tidbit of information you know? Or, are you doing everything you can to focus people on Jesus rather than yourself?

This week deliberately do everything you can to not draw attention to yourself. Think about your conversations and what you talk about. Listening more than talking not only focuses attention away from yourself but you also learn about others.

Sit Down!

2010-01-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

It begins at an early age. We probably can't tell when but we agree that early in our life we want people to notice us. It can be for who we think we are, what we have done or whatever. We want people to notice us.

And in our relationships with Christians-nothing changes. It becomes "here is what I think", or hearing people say "you are really a great teacher" or, well you get the picture. Would the real important person please stand up? And of course that would be you or me.
Old JB had the right perspective. People were checking him out and it was not because of his diet and wardrobe. Locusts and some kind of wrap around outfit that was not purchased at Abercrombie and Fitch might catch your attention but it was what he was talking about that drew people to him.

But John was focused on the right thing. He had already pointed out that Jesus was the one who deals with sin in a way he could not. Look at John 1:29. And now someone pointed out that everyone was going to Jesus to be baptized and they were leaving John. John is not thinking "man, I've got to come up with something big to keep these people focused on me." He knows it is time for him to SIT DOWN.

He is comfortable with the purpose, gifts, personality and abilities God has given him. He says it is all given from heaven to us. He didn't earn it, have to jump through certain hoops or do anything except be content with who he is. This does not stifle our developing our gifts or abilities but it puts the focus on what is right. It also diminishes stress and anxiety in us when we chase after anything that causes people to look at us rather than God.

Don't you ever get tired of standing after a while? Try sitting down several times this week.

Why Bother Jesus?

2009-12-29T12:16:00.000-08:00

John 2:1-11 Jesus loved people, parties and any event he was invited to. He shows up at this wedding and either too many people came or they were just having too good of a time. But, they ran out of wine. Jesus' mom told him they were out of it. Jesus seemed almost frustrated with her statement and basically told her it was not his problem. His mom ignored that and told the servants to do whatever he told them. You know what happened next-he had the jars filled with water and made the best wine of the day. This was his first "big deal" and a glimpse of who he was and the disciples didn't miss the point. They were sold on him.

Was Jesus really bothered by this request or did he want to see who was on his team? Is he ever really interrupted by our questions? Not really. Nothing escapes his interest in us.

I'll bet that during this past year you have had some questions or thoughts you would like some kind of resolution to. Maybe some were big things and some not so big. Did you involve Jesus in them? Or did you think he might be busy with some real big deals and you didn't want to bother him? As you and I become radical followers of Jesus, one thing we learn is that he is not bothered by anything we talk to him about. He still wants to see who really wants to be on the team.

We are turning a page in a couple of days. Some of us will wake up and yawn but is there one thing you can think of that will get you to the heart of what it really means for you to be more of a radical follower of Jesus? Bother Jesus and talk with him about it. Better-go to a wedding or a bar and take Jesus with you and see what happens.

Too Close for Comfort?

2009-12-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

Interesting scene in John 1:46-48 It is one thing to be an acquaintance with someone but quite another to be intimate with them. It is much more safe and non-threatening to be casual with people. Not much usually happens in these relationships if they can even be termed relationships. but ask a significant question or make a revealing comment and you quickly know if the conversation is over or just beginning.
Nate was real "Can anything good come from Nazareth?' He expressed what many in those days thought. Phillip didn't argue but just said "check it out yourself."

Jesus sees what is going on and said "Here comes a guy who is real-nothing fake here." Was Nate proud in saying "How do you know me?" or did he recognize that Jesus really saw through him? Whatever, Jesus said he saw him under a fig tree. He had not met him but already knew Nathanael. Nathanael knew they had not met and that could only mean one thing for him-this had to be the Son of God.
How close are you to Jesus? Maybe we like the acquaintance idea more than the "he really knows me" thought. One way to tell is what your Christian life is like. I mean if we are in the acquaintance section we show up at the right Christian meetings, with a smile, and make a few innocent comments, being friendly and checking our watch to see how much longer we have to do this. If you are in the other section, you talked with Jesus before the meeting about who he might want you to listen to or speak with and you asked him to help you know how to be sensitive to what you should say.
Jesus hangs out in this section and never really goes to the acquaintance area. He is committed to knowing us and us knowing him-really knowing him! Is that scary or exciting to you?

Real church is made up of those who are real-with each other and with Jesus. Where do you church?

Watch Out!

2009-12-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

John 1:35-39 opens a door of understanding for us. These two men thought they knew who Jesus was. Maybe they did know some things but they were about to hear a question and a statement that are critical aspects of following Jesus.
Jesus saw them following him and asked them "What do you want?" Seems easy enough but this question is one that has deeper roots than we first think about. Jesus always asks these kinds of things because he wants us to learn what our real motivation is in following him and we need to think through what we believe following Jesus is about. Some of what we want may not be what Jesus is all about. If we want predicitable, comfortable, happiness, cool stuff and insights we better get off the road now.
So these guys ask Jesus a question but Jesus' answers are designed to get us to not only think but also to change. Their question-"Which motel are you in tonight?" Jesus' answer-"Come and you will see." Did he answer their question? Much better than they could have imagined but now, they have to decide-do we check it out or is it a a little scary.

We will often ask Jesus questions and we will get the exact answer Jesus gave here. Why? It puts us in a place where we are going to trust Jesus that he knows more than we do. To really follow Jesus means getting into these situations where the answer draws out our heart and always means something is going to change for us. Ready for the trip?

Do you want certainty in answers to your questions or do you want to learn? Sometimes you get both but it seems we learn more when Jesus says "Come and you will see."

If I could only see God, it would be easier

2009-12-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Ever had an imaginary friend? I had 3 of them-Dieter, Gogus and Gugli. I never asked them how to spell their names. I used to talk with them and play for hours. One day they were gone and that was it. These guys were not real.
Jesus is real but sometimes I know we would just like to see him in person. Sometimes, we just wonder if God is anywhere. Check our Luke 24:13-17-these two men were taking a 7 mile walk (they walked everywhere) and they were talking about recent events and Jesus shows up. But they didn't recognize him. Jesus even talked with them and they just didn't get it. They were focused on the events they had just witnessed.

There are times when we just don't think God is anywhere near us. He is always present even though we don't recognize him or his activity. He might be in a smile from someone, or a neat sunrise, or as we read something and our heart is pierced. How many ways does God appear to you? Do you recognize it when he does or when he speaks in the small voice? If you are focused on non-essential things in life, you are going to miss meeting Jesus just like these guys did at first.

It would not be easier if we could physically see Jesus because he can't get any closer than he is now. He did say "I am with you always." What makes it easier is not for Jesus to come up and high five you, but to become sensitive to his presence and his speaking to you through small things.

Hey, we can bring Jesus closer to people who don't know him at all because he is in our life. So, get out there and mix it up with people this week.

Is This Mardi Gras?

2009-11-13T07:21:00.000-08:00

Having grown up in New Orleans and going to 11 Mardi Gras celebrations, I saw many people who I did not recognize. People dress up as anything their imagination can conceive of and they usually wear some kind of mask to hide their identity.

In Luke 24:13-17 there is the story of 2 guys walking on a road from Jerusalem to Emmaus who are discouraged about life now that Jesus is out of the picture or so they think. Jesus shows up on the road and walks with them but they don't recognize him for whatever reason. He even talks with them and they still are so focused on their discouragement they do not know who is talking with them. Maybe Jesus is wearing a mask.

If we were on this road and Jesus came up and started talking with us, we would certainly recognize him wouldn't we? There are times in our life or our day when we get into a funk like these guys and we conclude the whole thing sucks. And to make it worse, Jesus shows up in some way but we do not see him at all. It may be in a kid who is laughing and having a great day or a sunrise that is so filled with orange and red colors that it is hard to describe. Maybe it was a song that attempted to stir your spirit. Maybe a homeless guy held out his hand as we walked along.

It is easy to miss Jesus. Sometimes we won't open the Bible and Jesus is there ready to speak to us but we have to get on with life and we will spend some time looking at it later. But later never opens the door.

Look around and listen. Jesus is here...now.

Oops, sorry I forgot

2009-10-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Now, if you and I hung out with Jesus I am sure we would be hanging on every word he said. We would probably write them down in our journal. I mean really, these conversations would not be like listening to politicians endlessly discuss health care. No, these would all be powerful words you would not forget.

Right. Except that is exactly what these women did. I mean if someone said they would be killed but you would see him later and have dinner, you think you would remember that one. These women were no different than you and I. It is easy to read the words of Jesus and just pass them by not really believing what he said. Take John 4:14 where Jesus says if we live by his life and words we will never be thirsty for anything else that really doesn't matter. How many times have we read this? Yet we long for things that do not matter at all. We have forgotten his word.

Jesus told these people in Luke 9:22 exactly what was going to happen to him. They forgot but when these two angels reminded them, they remembered.

What does it take for you to remember Jesus' words? The discipline of scripture memory which is usually the one that we stop doing, or the process of consistent Bible study which no one really has time for, or daily time with Jesus in a quiet time that is squeezed out by busy routines all contribute to our forgetting what Jesus told us about how to live life.

To forget what Jesus said is really to forget Jesus.

What's going on here?

2009-10-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Luke 23:34 Familiar? Yes, but are we thinking far enough? This statement was definitely focused on the event of the cross and how those not following Jesus were viewing the event. They did not know what they were doing in killing Jesus. Instead of anger on Jesus' part, he asked the Father to forgive them. He asked the Father to not hold it against them.
But I believe there are more things God wants us to understand as we and others try to "figure out life and faith." Those who do not know Jesus and many who do are doing their best to understand what Monday, Tuesday and the other 5 days are about. What the spank are they supposed to be doing to make sense out of the life they are living? They may or may not know there is more than the 20-30 minute commute to work, work, watch a little TV, tell the kids goodnight and crash into bed.
Those perhaps without a spouse or kids desperately search for some fulfillment on Facebook, Twitter or any other .com sight that might offer some relief from the almost pointless track that they run on daily.
In our attemps to find meaning, we consistently miss why Jesus lived, died and left to be with the Father. And he says again "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing."
How can you minimize these words of Jesus in your life? I mean how can you live so you don't have to hear it so often? He is always there to forgive but let's give him something else to say when he thinks about us.

Is anyone angry, frustrated or upset?

2009-08-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

We can learn something from each day in Jesus' life. Here is one. Jesus was being accused by people who had no intention of listening to, thinking about or doing what he was saying. As far as they were concerned if it did not have the right label on it, it not only could not be right but it should be outright rejected... and that included Jesus. Take a look at Luke 23:5,13 and 14. His teaching offended them and was contrary to their tradition and they were determined to put an end to it.

Thinking and teaching something new or different is not important unless God has spoken and then it is critical that it be shared. It does not matter if people do not agree with it. They still have to deal with it. Jesus made these people come to a decision about what he had spoken to them about. He was willing to stir the pot even if it meant he might lose his reputation or life.

Have you heard from God lately? Has he spoken to you about something new, against a traditional religious belief or something that will cause people to want to avoid you? More than likely they are not going to want to kill you as these people did but they definitely will want you out of the room.

Jesus was thought of as a man who was inciting people to rebellion. The harder people fight against something can often indicate the truthfulness of what they are fighting against. If what Jesus was saying was true, they were in big trouble and they knew it.

Don't be afraid of causing people to think. If you have heard from God, people need to know what he said to you. It will help those who really want to follow Jesus have a clearer picture of what that looks like.

Did you hear that?

2009-08-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

There were a bunch of religious guys trying to trap Jesus and they talked with him about who he was. They were not really interested in anything he said except that they wanted to nail him with violating some religious rule they had developed. He was more than ready to deal with them and give them an answer that they would later use to accuse him of a violation. Their conclusion in Luke 22:71 says it all. "We have heard it from his own lips."

These guys were not even followers of Jesus but it was unmistakable what he just said. For my purposes, it does not matter what Jesus said. It rather is that he said it and they heard it. You could easily say that of course they heard it. He was standing there talking.

But then every time we open the bible, Jesus is there talking...and specifically he wants to say something to us. We read it but do we hear him speak to us? When was the last time Jesus said something to you that you had no doubt it was him talking to you? We have to act on what he speaks to us about or we will not hear him again unless he speaks the same thing to us again. We can open our Bible all we want but if we treat what he says as an option, we're done and might as well play golf or whatever.

Do you have people in your life who are listening and hearing God speak to them? Are you one of those people? Is it a common thing for you to visit with someone at the church you show up at and have a conversation about what God has been talking with each of you about or is the conversation about weather, politics or some other fascinating subject?

Are you kidding me?

2009-07-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Luke 22:13 Jesus had given the guys something to think about as they thought about what he just told them. They were to go and make preparations for the Passover meal. They were to go to a man and talk with him about the guest room for Jesus and them. We do not know if they were surprised at what they found but their faith in Jesus had to have been strengthened by the event. and we know that they did exactly what Jesus told them to do.

Why does having to know the why's and how's of what God is speaking to you and I about become such an important aspect to our doing what he is speaking to us about? When do we experience the joy? While we act on what Jesus has spoken to us about or when we see the result of our believing him? There is as much joy in the anticipation of what God is going to do as there is in the completion of it. And I believe God is more pleased in our acting on what we do not really understand than in our trying to talk him out of what he has just spoken to us about.

Sometimes I know we do not really believe God talks to us like this. Isn't this just reserved for pastors or those in the Bible? The reason we think like this is partly due to our not having an adventurous relationship with Jesus each day. When we take Jesus at his word, as someone said "life becomes a romance."

Maybe we are anticipating being disappointed in God's not coming through with what we believe he is speaking to us about. Whatever the reason, most people never experience the joy of responding to what God is saying.

When was the last time you were filled with joy at knowing God had spoken to you about something and you trusted him with no reservations?

Have you seen Long's Peak lately?

2009-07-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

I can see Long's Peak from my home window. At 14259 feet above sea level it is quite a sight to see anytime of year. As awesome as this sight is, it does not challenge my mind or heart as thinking about what God has done throughout the history of our world. Or does it inspire me more than what God has done because I have not personally seen or experienced who he is or what he has done? Do I really stand in awe of God's deeds?

Am I convinced that God is really who he says he is, that he has done what the Bible says he has done or that he is committed to working in my life? How do I know? Do I want to know? It becomes too easy to enter into a long journey of mediocrity in our Christian life. Conversations that focus on the insignificant, life that steals joy, relationships that never develop or mature all can cause me to move from an emptiness to hopelessness too easily.

I want God to be more real to me in everyday life so I can say with this ancient prophet " I stand in awe of your deeds, oh Lord." But what will it take to really mean this? What might God want to do in my life? I don't need him to make 5 more Long's Peaks but I would like to see some attitudes change in me. To see God make my heart tender to those who do not see things as I do would cause me to "stand in awe"of God's working in my life. How about you? How honest are you in wanting to see God work in your life? Don't settle for just talking about or wishing this could be true.

Do you get it?

2009-06-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Zechariah 4:5 and 13 Zechariah was a prophet. He was supposed to understand what was going on. But position does not always guarantee understanding. When this angel showed up and asked a question, Zach told the angel what he saw but asked the angel what this was about. The angel seemed surprised that Zach did not know and at least twice asked "do you not know what these are?"

It isn't too surprising to identify with Zechariah is it? There are times when we should have learned something God has been trying to get us to understand but when we ask what is going on, God could easily reply just like this angel with "don't you know?"

Why does it take us so long to get it? Psalms 119:59 and 60 give a clue. Instant obedience is what God is after. If I delay doing what God wants, the learning curve is lengthened and it becomes easy to not understand what God is up to in my life.

I would like to blame anything but my lack of obedience, but God knows better and asks this question of us to get us to focus on the right issue.

Are you having a hard time understanding something going on in your life right now? There could be another reason but maybe you are delaying doing something God has spoken to you about.

Blowing in the Wind

2009-06-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is not a blog about Wyoming. It is connected to Haggai 1:9
There are always consequences to living like I want to and not like God has in mind. It was the same for these people. They neglected building God's temple because they were preoccupied with their own houses. As a result, their expectations were too high. It is not that they could not be achieved but rather their preoccupation with their own lifestyle adversely affected their expectations. What they earned and brought home, God diminished significantly. Having your gain blown away by God has to reveal how God sees this kind of lifestyle they were living. Too bad for them...right?

How easy to focus on what I want to do, what I am convinced is important for me or my family, or even what ministry I want to focus on. But what is on God's heart for you and I? It is not so much things to do but rather relationship to develop in order to know what we are to be giving our time, motivation and energy to. We easily justify so much of our stuff and neglect what God says is critical. There are consequences to this attitude or behavior. What do you think God will blow away in your life? God has a determined purpose for us and is focused on it beyond what we could imagine.

What are you thinking about buying this week? Doing next weekend or Thursday evening? To follow Jesus means we intentionally carve out time to do what he has said is critical and are involved in people's lives rather than spending more time than necessary on our computer or whatever we do for ourselves.

I'm not going to the doctor for an examination!

2009-06-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

After a break to work on a document that I am still working on, I have decided to restart the blog. It will be shorter.
Haggai 1:7 is my first thought for the new start. "Give careful attention to your ways..." What does this mean, how do you begin to do it and what might result from doing this? The NLT says it this way "Look at what's happening to you."
First Stop "Careful" What does careful mean to you? Some of my thoughts-thinking through, taking my time and not rushing, not overlooking areas of my life I want to avoid, asking God to give me insight into how I am living my life. this is not a glance but rather is deliberate focusing on my life. It requires no distractions and perhaps a day away with God.

Second Stop "Thought" Is it difficult for you to think? I find it easy to rush through this and miss the heart of what God is wanting to say to me. Part of what this means is to think about what God's purpose is for me and think about how my life looks compared to it.

"Your" This word makes it personal. I do not need to think about how someone else is missing it but rather only look at my life. There is enough here that I will not have time to critique someone else. Look also at Romans 14:12,13

"Ways" How am I doing with Frannie, friends God has brought into my life, people in the small group I meet with, my disciplines, temptations, busyness, the church aspect of my life, following Jesus, being distinct from the culture I live in. I am sure you get it. Take some time to let God show you the areas of your life he wants you to "carefully" examine. I wonder how our summer would look if we did this now.

What is the right color?

2009-01-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week Frannie and I spent the day in Boulder. Many Christians might say "why would you spend a day in Boulder?" If I told them we hung out on Pearl Street, they might immediately leave if I told them this in person. What would cause them to respond this way?

Pearl Street is one of the most eclectic places I know. It probably rules in this category in Colorado. Monday was an amazing sight on the Pearl Street Mall. People were everywhere, wearing multi colored everything, playing about every musical instrument you could think of, laying on the grass and probably doing more than that with grass. There was quite a bit of affection being shown, dreadlocks were plentiful. It was a perfect time to be there unless...

I commented to Frannie that I believe this is exactly where Jesus would be today. Most of the people on the mall were looking for ways to enjoy the warm day and find something resembling meaning or maybe they were escaping the deadly boredom that they knew was coming the next day as they returned to work. Many of these people were definitely marginalized types. Most believers would at the worst stay as far away from them as possible and at the best look another way as they passed by.

All I can say is that I felt more energy being there than I had for some time. My heart went out to the people trying to grab something to make life have a point. Jesus came for people like this. In fact he was more comfortable with them than those who thought they had figured out what special place they would have with him later. He made all the colors.

This might take you out of your comfort but after a few conversations with some of these Jesus loves and died for, you would change your mind. How could you not love these people when Jesus does?

Check out Matthew 9:9-13 and John 2:1-11

Where are you engaging those people who are ignored or avoided? You can be certain that the places and people we want to avoid is exactly where Jesus would be and who he would be helping figure out life.

Where are you having dinner today?

2009-01-05T15:04:00.000-08:00

Seems like a common question we ask. We usually have some place in mind when someone asks us. Maybe Red Robin or Rasta Pasta or maybe at home or maybe...

Maybe it depends on who is asking the question. How about one of our friends who is not yet following Jesus? And what if it is at their house with several of their friends? And what if they serve something that is not on our acceptable religious list? Sound interesting or scary? What if it is with a religious person who we know we have disagreements with about what the Christian life is supposed to look like?

In Luke 11:37 Jesus is invited to have a meal with a religious type, but one who is not following Jesus. You didn't check your watch to see how long you had been there when you were invited to someone's house for a meal in Jesus' day. You planned to stay a while. Jesus goes but does not follow the rules-he didn't wash before the meal. This surprised the religious guy. It seems that Jesus got a kick out of surprising people who thought they knew what it was all about. He was not trying to draw attention to himself but knew there was something he wanted to say and this would definitely stir the pot.

It is easy to talk about the need for courageous change but when someone gets serious about it and we realize that this will disrupt our comfortable lifestyle or others' comfortable lifestyles, do we back away from it? At this dinner party, Jesus was about to say some things that would guarantee his not being invited to another of their dinner parties.

When God speaks to us about something that we know will probably not be accepted by other believers, we need to act on it anyway...not to cause trouble, but to help people see what are the critical issues in following Jesus. We need to be clear however on what God has said to us.

A Different Kind of Trip part 2

2008-12-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

The last time I sent this out I was thinking about the unexpected. Here in short is the rest of what I was thinking. Continuing with Luke 10:5-9...In verse 9 Jesus casually says to heal the sick who are in the town you travel to. Now I do not know about you, but when I read this I thought this was a real challenge. If I was one of those following Jesus I would have thought he might have meant to "try" and heal those who are sick. But Jesus says this as though it were a normal thing for them to do.

Then, I had a conversation with one of our staff in Mexico and he mentioned to me that he prayed for a professor and later she told him that God healed her. I was excited by the news but then God said to me "Why don't you see this as a normal part of following me?" Jesus is waiting to release his power and authority through us as a normal part of following him.

Some days are "diamonds" and some are "stones" John Denver sang. Some days we really seem close to Jesus and they are great days but some days we do not seem that close and wonder what is going on. Not every day will be filled with healings but some should.

Surely we can come to a place where when God does something through our life we get excited but also have an understanding that this is the normal Christian life.

A Different Kind of Trip part 1

2008-11-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

Luke 10:5-8 Jesus is giving his followers some last minute thinking before he sent them off. "Look for a person of peace." Get close to them by staying in their house. "Eat and drink whatever they give you." He reminds them of this last one again in verse 8.

I thought about the "eating and drinking whatever they give you" part. Isn't it interesting how God speaks to us from the Word? This definitely involved food but God had something different to say to me.

I remember one time overseas being served horse and another time a dish of warm milk with rice in it. Not exactly meat lover's pizza. But it was set before me and I ate it.

I like to go to buffets because I get to choose what I eat. I also have ideas of what my day, week or life should look like. But God has been talking to me about accepting whatever he gives me or brings into my life or whatever he does not.

Instead of approaching my day with anticipation of what God may do that day, I can easily plan it myself or look back at it at the end of the day disappointed that God did not somehow cause it to be different. I regularly seem to have what I believe is a better idea of what should be going on in my life.

But God is saying "let me determine what you need, who you need to talk with or not talk with, what kind of ministry you need or don't need..." In short, I need to believe God has my best interest in mind and accept with joy what he provides for me that day. He really does have it all together!

When I have any disappointment in the trip, it means I am not looking at life like God does. The words "freedom", "joy", and "abundant life" are missing in my dictionary when I live this way.

The church Frannie and I attend has a saying "figuring out life and faith." I totally am working on this.

Question What 5 words come to your mind that describe how you are accepting what God is
bringing into your life...or not bringing into your life?

If God put the food on the table, would it look different from what you would put on it?
What's that about?

Where's the closest McDonalds?

2008-11-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

Continuing with Luke 9
Verses 12-13

Ok, these people interrupted long enough. The disciples wanted some hang time with Jesus and just them. It was time for the people to leave and get some dinner and a motel. Besides, they were in the middle of nowhere. This makes total sense to them so, they tell Jesus what he should do-send the people away. Doesn't Jesus get it? There is no food and nothing in sight. Surely there are fast food places in Bethsaida. Can you imagine telling Jesus what he should do?

But, do I get it? There are times when what I see happening or not happening does not make any sense and so I tell God to get after it. Sometimes I think I am in the middle of nowhere. Why do I come to this conclusion? Why were they trying to change the situation or circumstances? Why do I? Maybe Jesus planned on them being exactly where they were. Maybe? I am sure he did. He knows us so well that he knows what it takes to improve our sight, cause us to be thankful, to love people like he does...

"You feed them" This is outrageous. What is wrong with Jesus...or...me? How outrageous for me to not believe or allow Jesus to do what he wants-to allow his agenda to be mine. When was the last time Jesus has said something to me that I can't begin to understand how he could really mean it?

Jesus is the only one who could have told them to do this. Satan knew Jesus could really turn rocks into bread. Jesus alone determines who should do this. Later, Jesus would tell Peter to feed his sheep. In that case he was speaking of helping people become real followers of Jesus. Now, the people were getting hungry so this was physical food that was needed. But it seemed so unreasonable.

What happened to these guys when waking up and talking with one another one says "what kind of rabbit is he going to pull out of a hat today?" "I don't know but I didn't get any sleep thinking about it last night." We need to live with anticipation of what God wants to do in and through us every day. It may turn out to be a very normal day, but some days God shows up in a diffenent way and guess what he has up his sleeve?

FOCUS 1. Our lives should welcome people. There should be something in our life that causes people to want to be with us.
2. Jesus engineers circumstances for his purposes and I should never try to change what he is using to accomplish his purposes.
3. Is there anything God is trying to tell you but from your perspective, it seems unreasonable?
4. Ask God to wake you up with an anticipation of what it means for him to be in your life and working through you that day.

It's getting late and I am tired

2008-10-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

In Luke 9:10-11 Jesus decides to take his men somewhere, they are glad to get some time with him about the last trip they took. But as what usually happens, people get word that Jesus is going somewhere and they follow him. In their minds, it doesn't matter where he is going they just want to be with him. But I bet the disciples wanted Jesus by himself and this was not turning out like they wanted.

Jesus graciously welcomed the people and spoke to them about the kingdom of God (critical issues of life), and as they revealed needs, he met them. It is likely that Jesus was tired from being involved with people before this trip but he loved people so his life invited them to come along. He did not talk about the weather or who was going to be in the world series but talked about the issues that really mattered. He met their needs-in this case it was to heal people with various illnesses.

What about you and I? Are we letting Jesus love people through us? Is our life inviting? People can tell if we want them to hang out with us. When you and I really love people, no one is ever interrupting. We must also not be so busy with life that we do not have time to allow them into our life. Then, what do we talk about? It is amazing how long a conversation can go without any substance. It is like a trip where the kids ask "are we there yet?" Sometimes the conversation goes on and on and we never get to the critical issues that matter. Too much is at stake to only observe the scenery on our trip with others. What sometimes happens then is that people begin to let us in on their life and reveal a need. It is easy to brush it off and tell them "that is interesting" or "I will pray with you about it."

FOCUS What can you do this week to let someone into your life?
Make it a point to listen and then ask a question that gets to issues that matter.
Meeting practical needs is as spiritual as it gets-Matthew 10:42.

Going through the closet

2008-10-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Occasionally we decide it is time to go through our closet and get rid of some of the clothes we have not worn for a while and give them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. This makes us feel generous because we are sharing some of our stuff with someone else. There are a lot of clothes left in our closet however after we have made such a generous donation. And, we usually get rid of those clothes we really do not like or believe we are going to wear much anymore.

Sort of reminds me of how we give out some of the good news about Jesus but keep back most of it. We feel good because we used the word "church" in our conversation with someone who does not follow Jesus but they are left wondering what the spank we mentioned that for.

In Luke 8:16-18 Jesus talks about this kind of generosity with an interesting application. We have information about how to live and what Monday-Sunday is all about. People we know need to learn how to see their way through this difficult financial time or whatever deal satan is throwing at them. The Message translation is great here-"We're not keeping secrets, we're telling them. We're not hiding things;we're bringing everything out into the open."

Could it be that we are not convinced about the gospel really relating to every part of life and that is why we keep back the really good stuff about how Jesus can change a life? What is it that keeps you from being generous with the truth?

When we are really generous, God opens up things for us we could never imagine. If we are stingy with the truth, we are going to sink deep into poverty-poverty of the soul where we can't put our finger on why we are feeling so down.

Focus Give away something from your closet you really like...and share something with someone who does not know Jesus that you have thought about but for whatever reason you have never brought up. Your relationship with them will go to another level.

Never the Same

2008-09-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

Luke 6:27-31 Familiar, but a few often avoided sentences. I have never been so challenged by something like this in a while.

"I tell you who hear me" Am I listening? Do I really want to hear what Jesus says? "Of course" I might answer, but really do I want to hear? What if I hear something I have not heard before? What if it does not make sense? What if it does?

"To you who are ready for the truth" Message Trans.
Am I READY for the truth? How do I know I am ready?
Am I ready for the TRUTH? My answer might be "It depends" or "maybe" or "what do you mean?"

"I say this." Msg. Is truth only in code or will Jesus say this only when I am ready for the truth?

Sometimes getting ready is tough. I have to go through some hard things until I say to Jesus "I am ready." We can try everything, go to every conference and read every book coming up without any real answers that get to the core of our issues and then Jesus quietly says "are you ready now?' Solutions only come in a relationship with Jesus where he speaks and I do not treat what he says as an option.

Then he says something like "Love your enemies." Great! Now my life gets challenging. This is hard to understand and even harder to do.

Who makes the boundaries as to what or who is included here? This is going to take a radical adjustment to my life to do this or anything Jesus says. Why does he have to say such things that turn my world upside down? Why do I have to really even question what he says? Why can't I just trust that whatever he says is right and if I do it, I will enter into a dimension of the Christian life unattainable any other way?

This is not a hypothetical few sentences I am sharing with you. I really am dealing with this one.

New Threads, Wine and Grain

2008-09-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

Luke 5:36-39 and 6:1-5 We all like new things...well, not everyone. Jesus made many statements in his brief stay on our planet but here are a few that were understood by the religious crowd and they did not only disagree with them but wanted to eliminate Jesus because of them.

You cannot sew a patch of clothing from new cloth onto an old cloth without problems. You cannot pour new wine into an old wine container without destroying the old container and losing the new wine. What does this mean?

There is new thinking and different ways of doing ministry these days. There is always new thinking and new ways of doing ministry that runs counter to traditional thinking or ministry strategies. You cannot combine new thinking or ways of doing ministry with the traditional thinking or ministry strategies. It does not work. Both are adversely affected. They do not have enough common ground to connect. New thinking requires new ministry models which are not necessarily to be copied. People who like or are familiar with the traditional ways of thinking and doing ministry will disagree with the new. They believe the old wine is better.

Who makes the rules? Some people are going to question what they do not understand or agree with. In some cases, these people made the rules. The religious people questioned Jesus' disciples and Jesus about rules about the Sabbath. Jesus however, is the one who makes the rules. When he speaks about something, it changes everything.
The traditions were being broken...but Jesus is in charge.

What about transitions? It does take time to alter a way of thinking or a way of looking at how ministry should be done. It requires patience on the part of the one with the new way of looking at ministry and teachability on the part of the one receiving the new wine.

Why are you doing that? We need to be ready and able to answer the questions that traditional thinking people ask us. New is not the issue but hearing from Jesus is. We are not slaves to traditional religious rules but rather we are slaves to Jesus.

What are some Sabbath rules in place today? Think about this one as you look at your life now. Following some of these rules may be keeping non-Christians you and I know from seeing the gospel lived out.

Can't Touch This

2008-08-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

MC Hammer had a song a few years ago that had a line - "Can't touch this". It seems this song could have made the charts in Jesus' day also.

In Luke 5:12-13 is a normal day with Jesus. It may have begun like every other day but today Jesus would alter the thinking of the culture and potential followers. Jesus entered a world designated "stay out" by most and especially the religious. He not only entered this man's world but he did the unthinkable-he touched him. The man wanted to know if Jesus was willing to deal with his issue. Jesus was willing. Jesus' action indicated his willingness to heal this man.
Most of us avoid and categorize people who we do not want to be around. Those with HIV, a prison past, divorced, gay, abusive, ugly appearance, wealthy...we are not going to that house.

Jesus spoke to him. He was intentionally going to violate every cultural norm that had been erected in his day. I am sure he angered some and confused others. Truth has a way of doing that.

There are people who walk around wanting to get some help but usually have no one to talk with about their life. They may not have the skin issues of this man but never the less no one really is paying attention to them. It is so easy to say we are willing but another thing to actually match our thoughts, desires, thinking or talk with our action. Intention without action really is another form of abortion.

What has to change in your thinking or lifestyle to:
1. Enter the world of those silently calling out for help?
2. Want to speak into their life?

How about taking some time this week to think about who you are excluding from your life for any reason.

What's the weather going to be tomorrow?

2008-07-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

Maybe it is my age or watching people give themselves to endless pursuits that are constantly replaced by other pursuits, but either way it is easy to go through life in meaningless activity. Christians can easily get caught up in debating issues such as whether a really committed Christian can be a democrat. We probably would be disappointed in Jesus' response to this kind of thinking.

Proverbs 15:9 Message Translation "A life frittered away disgusts God; he loves those who run straight for the finish line." We can waste our life by having endless conversations about the trivial or debating issues that give no encouragement to people without Jesus. It may be difficult to understand but we can waste our life by spending much of our time with Christians rather than intentionally doing life with pre-Christians. Christians who isolate themselves from the world Jesus came to give life to or who are on some kind of crusade to convince people of their misdirected lifestyle will end up not having much influence on those outside of the faith community. This is also evidence of a life frittered away. Church must be done in the heart of the marketplace.

Our lifestyle must be one that makes sense to an unbelieving world. Jesus was the most relevant person that ever lived on the planet. If we are giving our life to issues that have little or no eternal value, we will become irrelevant to those needing Jesus. In the book "Unchristian" there is a statement that is pointed: "Christians are usually on the edges of society pointing fingers at outsiders, judging and condemning them." To do this is to live opposed to the way Jesus lived.

John 3:17 "God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again." Any life lived differently than the way Jesus lived is to fritter it away. Let's give the world an accurate and complete picture of the faith life.

How do I get off of the Interstate?

2008-06-09T13:13:00.000-07:00

People living around us are starving for answers. However, they do not necessarily know how to ask the questions. And it seems our lives do not usually give them a reason to look to us for some of the answers they need. We may want to look cool and not stray too far from the norms of our culture and when we live this way, very few see anything that arouses curiosity about how we are living. When no questions are raised, no answers are given.

Much of what we talk about that we believe to be how to relate to people ends up being an inch deep in the impact it makes with them. What is needed is what James Blunt sings about in "Same Mistake"when he says "maybe we'll talk and not just speak."

Proverbs 10:11 is a staggering contrast between people who make a difference and those who just show up in others lives. Deep and "life giving well conversations" are not very common in most lives. Many people travel on Interstate 25 in Colorado but not as many travel on Road 15 in my county. The view from Road 15 is at times amazing compared to the Interstate. There are so many cars on the Interstate that you do not have time to really look west to the Rockies. This compares to how most people live. Abuse rules on the Interstate as people weave in and out of traffic to knock off 30 seconds of their trip.

How can we be people who have deep rather than shallow relationships with people? How can our conversations give life, hope and encouragement to people and not just cause them to occasionally glance at their watch when we are talking to them?

I do not believe this is complicated. If we have a growing relationship with Jesus who started it all and we tap into his wisdom, we will be able to speak into people's lives in a much different way. Our words do not have to be measured by volume but rather by sensitivity to God's leading. The realness of our relationship with Jesus allows us to really help people who are still trying to get off the Interstate.

2008-05-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

Following Jesus is Hard

We love to read about the miracles Jesus did or the great come backs he gave to antagonizing religious types or penetrating questions he asked of would be followers. These types of events stimulate our curiosities and often cause us to think how neat it would be to have been a follower of Jesus with these early guys.

But surely we could "tack on" following Jesus in our Hummer, SUV, Pick Up or sweet Mini. It is a great misunderstanding or miscalculation to think we can "tack on" following Jesus in our up to date culture and lifestyle. "I'll follow you but first..." was a theme of some early would be followers of Jesus. They gained no space with Jesus for coming up with this "tacked on" thinking.

Jesus is aware of the thrill of the occasional Christian concert, great worship or retreat experience or insightful Bible study session we attend but he also knows the guts of following him is in the consistent daily routine of life. This is where it gets hard. We would rather "walk on water than land." It is on land where faith is more challenged than on the water because the land is the everyday life.

Or maybe you and I want an answer to some question or decision we need to make. We can mistakenly think that if we are following Jesus we will get a quick answer. To wait on an answer is hard because it does not usually happen in our time frame. Isaiah 55:8,9 says that God does not work the way we work and the way he thinks is way beyond how we think. It is hard enough to follow Jesus but to try and think like he does...well it isn't going to happen. This does not need to be a part of our hard following because we cannot usually approach what Jesus is thinking when it comes to our life.

How hard or easy has it been the last few weeks for you in following Jesus?
Has following Jesus been "tacked on" or built into the fabric of your weekly lifestyle?

Taking one step of doing what Jesus says to us is how we begin to follow Jesus. It is not usually easy but that is not the point.

God makes me stagger because I have no idea what in the world he is going to dare me to do next.

Luke 9:23 and John 6:53-58, 60 and 66 are words of Jesus that make me more than pause.

This is killing me

2008-04-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

If you walk around our neighborhood this time of year and look at the lawns you will see that some are totally brown, some brown and green and some totally green. Why is there a difference? There are many things that contribute to a green lawn or keep one from becoming green. Some things add to and some take away from a lawn looking good. Some people zero scape so a green lawn is of no value. But if you want a green lawn free from weeds and goat heads, you will need to pay attention to some important details.

Just as some things destroy a beautiful lawn so there are also more important things that destroy a life. Colossians 3:5-8 describes some things that destroy life. We need to spend our life saying no to everything that takes our life away. What is it in your life that diminishes the life God wants for you to experience? I think about independence, wanting big things, insatiable consumerism, going fast in life...alone, having a motivation that longs for others to recognize my importance. The list goes on. Colossians 3:1 reminds me that if I am serious about living the life God is committed to me living, I must set my heart on living as he intended. No games here...life is a joy but it is also a war with the enemy of our life.

The tragedy is that there are so many people who want a beautiful lawn but never get the sod put in. So many people who God puts in our life are caught up in destructive things that continue to rob them of the life they were created for. If you and I will deal with this stuff, many who don't know how to deal with life issues might be encouraged to check out Jesus. Walk around any neighborhood and in the homes we pass by there are heartaches, frustrations, emptiness and issues that are destroying our friends. What an opportunity we have to be a blessing to them.

THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE: We should be more fearful of an affluent neighborhood than the downtown of a large city.

I don't want to go to the doctor today, tomorrow or...ever

2008-04-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

It may be a male thing but I am not sure. I do know I cannot remember ever wanting to visit my local MD. I do have a couple of friends who are doctors but all I want to do with them is have coffee. What is this about? Well, they may want to examine my life up close. They may find something I think I already know but their pronouncement of it brings reality too close.

Not only do we usually not like close examinations of our medical condition but often we do not want those who do not know Jesus yet to look too closely at our life...especially during difficult times in our lives.

James 1:2-3 in the Message "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely."

You and I have the opportunity to show the world a different way of doing life. God uses these tests in our life to reveal to those who live close to us or who work with us that there is a way of living that looks very different from what they are used to. But the trick is we must respond to these situations in a way that shows we believe God is not sleeping but is in control of everything we experience. He allows some and engineers some of the things we experience.

In order for God to be visible in our life to those without Jesus however, we must be close to them. We cannot feed hungry people, clothe them or visit them from a distance. We must live close for them to examine our lives-kind of like going to a doctor.

There is a commercial I have seen about an electric company that is looking for someone in a remote area of the world and the person in this area is waiting for them. Their comment when the company finds them is "We've been waiting." The world you and I live in is also waiting for Jesus to show up in our life so they can live as God intended them to live.

Is anyone asking you and me questions about why we respond to challenging stuff in such a different way than they do?
Do we want them to ask? Are we responding differently?
What do you and I need to believe about God and his involvement in our lives that we are not presently believing?

THINK ABOUT THIS: People are starving for answers.
Faith is never tested in the Christian bubble.

I dare you to jump!

2008-04-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you did something daring? The entrance and exit from Colorado highway 34 and Interstate 25 is worth avoiding if you can. It can be scary but usually you can negotiate it and breathe easy. But if this is the most daring event in your life for the week or month or...does it really qualify as daring?

Jesus was not only a teacher but he was also a revolutionary. What do you think following Jesus as a revolutionary meant while he walked the planet? How about today? The disciples were often left scratching their head as to what Jesus would do next. Maybe they breathed a sigh of relief when he just wanted to go fishing...or maybe not. Maybe danger and adventure was part of their DNA and they expected to be stretched not only in their thinking but also in their lifestyle. Remember, these guys left their vocations to follow Jesus. For the most part, we go to school or our job and then only occasionally think of what it means to follow this revolutionary man. Following Jesus like this would mean giving up consumerism, greed, self-centeredness, violence or whatever else that was not part of Jesus' lifestyle.

Think about Luke 6:46,47 (Message) "Why are you so polite with me, always saying "yes, sir" and "That's right sir", but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on."

I imagine Jesus throwing a Frisbee with the disciples on the road to wherever but in Luke 6, he takes deadly aim at our comfortable hopes of what it means to follow Jesus. Anytime he intersected the life of a person he would either make a statement or ask a question that altered that person's understanding of what was important in life and required a decision that would change their lifestyle if they bought in to what he challenged them with.

I keep thinking about what I have done lately that proves I am following this revolutionary man. I have done many daring things overseas, but I live here. Can Jesus really mean there are some daring aspects to following him in Windsor? I showed up to help lay sod at a park in Windsor...a really scary deal! I go to Loodles coffee shop and meet someone I did not previously know...maybe this is a big deal! However, I want to learn something here. I really want Jesus to introduce something into my life that takes courage on my part to do...or do I? How about a Mini?

FOCUS THOUGHT "People who change the world climb through windows rather than walking through doors. These are the risk takers." Shane Claiborne

I can't find the right station

2008-03-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

There are times when you are looking for a certain radio station because they played a cool tune by Chris Spheeris and you have to listen to it again...but you can't find it. Most of the people you and I know are looking for a station that will bring some kind of joy or point to life but they look every day and can't find it.

Yesterday I was asked a question that should not have caught me off guard but maybe the way it was asked caused me to reply with a limited answer....WHAT DO YOU DO? It was of course asked at a coffee shop. I gave a 30 second reply that I traded stocks and that I worked with college students. When I got home I realized I gave a very incomplete answer to that question. So I determined that the next time I see this person I will give them the rest of the answer and really the MOST IMPORTANT answer.

In Proverbs 2:15 in the Message translation is a statement that describes most of the people we know. They are "...traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends." They can't find the right station.

And Jesus said one day in Matthew 9:10-13 that he was here "to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders." We are surrounded by people who are outside of knowing how to figure out what life is really about. They spin the radio dial but can never find the right song. As a follower of Jesus, I know where to find the song. I can program it on my car radio so I get to the right station in a heartbeat.

The next time I see the person who asked me this question and others who are going to ask, my reply will be: People today are trying to figure out life and they usually have no clue. They try everything but it ends up disappointing, confusing or frustrating. There is another way of doing life but we must be connected to God to understand it. Most people have no idea what this means and I want to help them begin to figure this out.

The first answer was my "vocational" answer. The second answer describes the relationship Jesus wants me to have with people in my neighborhood, at the coffee shop, or in Windsor.

FOCUS THOUGHT Life after death is not on many people's minds today but life now is.

You have to drive the Mini

2008-03-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

A Mini Cooper is a delight to look at and wonder what it would be like to take it to Estes Park, Colorado as you negotiate the turns through the canyon getting there. But they were not made to just look at. You need to test drive it and feel the car as you make a turn at 50 mph.

A believer and a follower are not the same thing. Jesus was always shutting down those who knew the right words and said they believed but who had no interest in tracking with him beyond their self developed boundaries.

Matthew 4:19 is one of those statements that once Jesus speaks it to you, you can never go back from it to where you were before he spoke it. And how do you know you are following Jesus and not just thinking he said some cool things? In this case, your perspective and lifestyle change as you begin to focus on people who do not know Jesus rather than just thinking about which restaurant you are going to for dinner.

What we believe is huge in importance but knowing how to avoid the traps in our culture and make life work as God intended is crucial. Jesus' words are not clever comments that make us curious or tickle our thinking but are intended to enable us to engage life successfully.

Following Jesus is simple, hard, dangerous and exciting. We do not have to make it complex. What we see him do, we must do, what we see him initiate, we should initiate, his perspective and thinking must be ours, how he responded to those who disagreed with him is how we should respond. We must dive into the gospels consistently in order to think like he did, love what he loved, hate what he hated and relate as he did to those not following Jesus. It is simple but hard.

John 6:51-63...These impacting words were not difficult to understand but they were difficult because the people did understand. They were simple but hard. Following Jesus changed after hearing this. He defined it now in a way that separated belief from following. Jesus was a revolutionary and was not interested in people just showing up but was committed to completely changing our whole view and way of life. Nothing short of this was acceptable.

Mind Games...This could change everything
What do you think about the difference between believing and following Jesus? In what way have you believed without really following Jesus?

Connections...I want to discuss this with...
In what ways have you seen Christian groups or churches make following Jesus too complex or easy? What impact does Jesus being a revolutionary make in the world you live in?

First Steps...Making it real
What is one adjustment you will make this week or month in order to more completely follow Jesus? In your opinion, what is a difficult statement Jesus made that causes you difficulty?

Wake me Tomorrow

2008-03-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 1:1-6

These words are packed with real meaning for us. They relate to everything we do and think about. We have them so we can make sense out of life. God did not leave us in the dark without a flashlight but gives us clear understanding of how to deal with Mondays or perplexing situations that come up all the time. To live right is to live with certainty. We do not have to look back at any day or week and wonder what it was all about...but we don't have to have all the answers either.

Many people have opinions and give advise. (Proverbs 18:2) Some is helpful but not all is worth our time thinking about. When God speaks however, it is like a cramp that grabs us and we know it is real.

We can understand what life means. We can have a grasp of what is real. TV reality shows pale in comparison to what God has given us when it comes to understanding what the point is about our life. God is honest with us but sometimes we don't want to read the instructions. We think we can put the stove together without the manual...or live life as it is suppose to be lived without looking at anything written in an old book.

What does it mean to "understand"? I believe it partly means we can make sense of life, or connect with God's purpose, or to really get it or see it. Isaiah 55:8,9 mentions that God thinks and works in ways that we will not figure out. We have to get comfortable with that and realize that when he wants us to "get it" we will.

God wants us to understand "where life is going." But, for most of us, life is confusing and not clear much of the time. Because God does not change, his purposes do not change for us. We do not have to know all of the curves on the road but we can be certain of the destination. God is intentional in his commitment to us. There are no random acts of anything where God is concerned...he has thought it through. The Bible gives us that certainty.

God cares enough about us that he has made it clear in the Bible "how to live life." There are many skills we can learn in the Bible such as: How to make decisions, how to recognize dangers, how to resolve conflict, how to not live with a critical spirit, how to forgive people, and many others.
If you and I have an issue we need information on, we can be sure God has thought about it long before we have and he has answers we need.

FOCUS THOUGHT God loves us so much that he has given us insight into how to handle the unending issues life throws at us. A lot of it is written down for us or is given in an ongoing relationship with Jesus. He is a friend...we can talk with him about it.

How long do I have to run these sprints? Part 2

2008-03-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

So, maybe you know someone who is serious about following Jesus. Maybe you are serious about it. What kind of training do they or you need to really do this in our culture? If you are the one wanting some help in running the race, who do you know who can help you? We all need someone in our life who cares about us enough to ask the hard questions and will show us how to run and not give up.

Some things we need to run this race include:
1. How to develop meaningful friendships with co-workers or neighbors.
2. How to talk about who Jesus is and how a person can know him.
3. How to begin a spiritual conversation with a person without turning them off.
4. Knowing what is true, never changes and what it means to be committed to it.
5. How to help a follower of Jesus grow as a follower and not just a believer.
6. How to help a follower of Jesus know how to get into the Bible and make applications to real life.

There are other things we need along the way and we definitely need a community of like hearted people who can help us in the race.

If you are helping someone now, remember that the focus should be on learning not teaching. Learning rarely happens outside of real life, so, much of your training should be in the market place. Indoor classrooms are comfortable but do not have enough real life oxygen to help us on the track. Videos, I Pods and speeches on" how to run" are a poor substitute for learning how to run the sprints on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.

Without training that makes sense, we may show up at the athletic field where life is lived but eventually we will just hang with others who are not showing up anymore to run sprints.

Focus Thought: We need like hearted people in our life to help us begin and keep on following Jesus.

Jeremiah 12:5

How long do I have to run these sprints?

2008-02-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 4:11,12 tell us that God has given us leaders to help those following Jesus to understand how to get ready to impact their work place, neighborhoods, community clubs, towns and cities. Many people have an interest in making a difference with their life but are uncertain how to go about it. There are many moral and ethical issues facing us today and we need input on how to deal with these things.

Just as any athlete must go through training in order to compete in a challenging event, so those of us following Jesus must learn how to help our friends understand what life is about and how to wrestle with the hard questions life throws at us. Discipleship is not only getting out of the starting blocks in a race but also dealing with what happens after the first turn or the next to last lap. It is sharing life with new followers and those who have been on the track for a long time.

It is a challenge to invest time with someone when we are often separated by distance and busy schedules. We can easily become passive but discipleship requires interaction with people in real life settings. Helping people learn to follow Jesus is more effective when it is done in a context where people are connected by proximity, relationships, transparency and values. In 2 Timothy 3:10,11 Paul reminds Timothy that they were in the arena together and he saw Paul's manner of life, direction, faith, love, troubles, suffering, grief, etc. They didn't just do a Bible study on this but got dirt on them as they traveled life together.

We need leaders who will model what it means to innovate, experiment, risk, fail and begin again in living out the gospel with friends.

Our neighbors are learning how to squeak by in life by TV, the Internet and music. They are not getting their money's worth. Most of the people in these venues are not connected to Jesus and so they are communicating a very limited perspective on what is real or important in life. Think about how refreshing it would be for them to see in you and I, color in a black and white world. But we do have to learn how to hold the brush, what picture to paint, what paint to use and how to get it to stay on the canvas.

Let's not add to their conclusion that Christianity is a "harmless delusion."

Focus Thought Training is essential for those who follow Jesus. It is best carried out in real life situations because that is where people live.

2008-02-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

Should I stop and pick this guy up?

2008-02-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen someone hitchhiking and wondered if you should stop and give them a ride? I know you have to be smart in our day but most of the time we just keep going and the guy stands there probably cussing as another car passes by. I was recently challenged in thinking about people with little or no Christian background who want a ride...or who might just be interested in a conversation about things that really matter.

In Luke 18:35-43 Jesus picks up a hitchhiker. He is blind...at first. He is yelling...for a while. He is told to shut up by people with Jesus...he ignored them and shouted louder. Jesus stopped, asked a question and gave the man something that changed him forever. Who knows what the disciples were thinking now.

Jesus could have just passed by...after all he did not heal everyone and this was an important trip.

There are many out there who might like to peek into what goes on in our Christian groups but it seems outrageously strange to them. The language is so different and they will not risk being embarrassed or accepted as they are. So they stand by the road waiting for the next person who just might stop and meet them where they are, listen to their story, treat them and their questions with respect, give them time to think, and maybe share a meal together.

In our haste to make disciples we often press for a quick decision about committing their life to Jesus for the rest of their life. But we need to provide time and space for people to understand what we are asking them to commit to. We need to allow people to check out who Jesus is and what he is about with no expectations. We need to pick them up and take them with us so they can see what being a Christian is all about. Sometimes people are ready...the blind guy was ready. But most of the time people need to be welcomed to travel with us as we learn what it means to follow Jesus.

There are many hitchhikers out there looking for solutions to life's issues. Stop and pick one up.

Focus Thought: Be alert to people God is bringing into your life, love on them and have many conversations with them...especially about following Jesus.

Tiptoeing Through Life

2008-02-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

To walk through life stealthily or cautiously on your tiptoes. There is nothing wrong with being cautious...at times. There are times when Jesus disappeared in the crowd. But living life with those not yet following Jesus must done with complete visibility. We may not mind being real and visible with some but not necessarily with others. This is wrong. Jesus was the same with everyone. Some were encouraged and others outraged and demanded he change, leave or risk being treated as an outsider.

Galatians 2:11-14 Paul openly challenged Peter because Peter had been eating with outsiders when his religious peers were not present. When they showed up however, he stopped eating with them and began to withdraw from them. His fear of what they would think or say made him go back to where he was before the great adventure with those who had not seen Jesus in anyone's life. But it affected others who were on the team and they did the same.

Paul hammers this one. He says they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel and why should they try to get these people to become like their religious peers.

It is no different today. When you begin to live life intentionally with those not yet following Jesus there will be opposition from those who have no intention of being around outsiders except at a grocery store when they check out. You can plan on being accused of compromising or giving up the faith altogether. There are always many believers who do not plan on ever following Jesus into the marketplace of life.

We must be careful not to tiptoe into living life with people who can't figure life out but rather walk straight into it boldly. There is no other way for people to see who Jesus is if we only get our toes dirty. And forget about those who carry around religious check lists to make sure they do not cross the lines they have drawn that define following Jesus. If we walk honestly with Jesus, he will erase some of those lines and show us the ones that matter.

Focus Thought Live intentionally and courageously with those who are not yet following Jesus and forget about the labels religious people will give you.

Don't be a Tourist

2008-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

In Philippians 2:5-8 are words that should challenge us to immerse ourselves with those not yet following Jesus. Jesus fleshed out what life was suppose to look like by deciding to leave the perfect environment for where we and our friends live life. In fact he got rid of his passport and became one of us. He chose to experience life as we do. It seems easy to drop into someone else's world for a day, month or whatever and leave when we want to. If it gets uncomfortable in any way we can easily decide it is time to go home. But Jesus changed addresses. His home was where we live.

We are kidding ourselves and cheating other people if we do not really enter their world. The gospel will never make sense to my friends if all I do is talk about it and leave. They will never see what I am talking about. For me this means I must consistently be with them in their environment and on their terms. I do not have to compromise to do this but I will have to alter my lifestyle.

Our comfortable environment with believers is sweet but never crosses the boundaries where life is lived for most people. We must eliminate the boundaries or those not yet following Jesus will never get to see Jesus and how he loves them.

Take some of the back streets and get off of main street. Eat at the local cafe rather than the chain. Invite someone you do not know to have lunch with you that is outside of your boundary. Just don't be a tourist. The view from the street is different from the tour bus.

Can you talk about God here?

2008-01-29T09:37:00.000-08:00

Too often we have thought that we must get our friends into a certain location in order to discuss spiritual things. There are just some places where God is more "present" so to insure that we have a significant conversation with friends, we must move them from where they are to where we are. What does our friend think when we invite them to come with us to hear some spiritual thoughts? Maybe they are thankful we are thinking about them. Maybe they wish we would just talk with them in their apartment or the coffee shop.

Almost all of the conversations Jesus had with those who were not following him were outside of spiritual zones. Or were they? We have labeled buildings where churches or campus groups meet as spiritual zones but we must not divide the sacred from the secular. Think about the conversations Jesus had...at wells, on roads, by lakes, on hillsides, or in homes. These were not insignificant conversations but helped people understand life. This is where everyone lives life and where the gospel makes sense.

In Acts 5:42 and 17:17 followers of Jesus talked to others about Jesus. We know this but still have difficulty living this way.The spiritual zone is simply where the Holy Spirit is at work and this is not limited except by our perception of where and how God works in our world.

FOCUS THOUGHT If we are following Jesus we will talk with people where he is working and that can be anywhere.

Who has the map?

2008-01-25T07:44:00.001-08:00

The popular tv show "Lost" is a picture of many lives or strategies for making life work. It is similar to the confusion, frustration or increasing irrelevance followers of Jesus seem to have in our culture. How do we connect the truth about Jesus with a skeptical world? Who has the map?

We can continue to do what we are doing which is easier but we need to stop and do some thinking. Most people do not show up to religious meetings that do not meet on their turf. Maybe it is because what they are hearing does not make sense to them or does not connect with what they do and experience in the daily grind of life.

If followers of Jesus are the "salt of the earth" why is there no distinct influence where we work, play or in our neighborhoods? Most people do not like change and that is what it will take for a follower of Jesus to make a difference where they live.
Because we gravitate towards comfort or security we do not venture out to the edge of the cliff much less consider jumping. The view may be amazing or thought provoking but the TV seems a safer place.

Lets take a walk on some paths or in some parts of town we have never been before. We might meet Jesus there as we meet people whose perspective is different than ours...or we can just change the channel.