Keeping It Simple

Don't Just Talk, Listen

James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, NIV
  
     I was in Nashville a few months ago and I was visiting with pastor Rice Broocks of Bethel World Outreach.  He was telling me about a brilliant book by well respected South American psychologist Dr. Augusto Cury.  I promptly downloaded the book on my Kindle (oh the wonders of technology!) and I was reading it in my hotel that same night.  In his book, "Think and Make it Happen", Dr. Cury writes about the difference between just talking and entering into dialog.  Most conversations consist of two people formulating their rebuttals while the other person is talking.  In other words, there is a lot of talking going on with little to no listening and consequently no dialog.

     According to Dr. Cury the key to dialog is actually participating in the conversation by listening and not just thinking about what you are going to say.  It's about entering in to another person's pain, celebrating their victories, feeling their frustration or applauding their effort.  It's about truly listening, truly entering in and truly identifying with what they are saying and resisting the temptation to control the agenda of the conversation.  This topic begs the question; Are you talking or dialoging?  If your motive is love then dialog is easy and natural.  If your motive is something else, then you're just talking.  Take the time to truly dialog with people today.  Be quick to listen and slow to speak. 

Blessings,
Pastor J

Don't Panic

Matthew 8:25-26 And they went and woke him, saying, Save us, Lord; we are perishing.26 And he said to them, Why are you afraid, O you of little faith? Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ESV
  
     The phone rang and when I answered it there was a frantic voice on the other end screaming into my ear.  This scenario has been played out over the years on many occasions.  Typically after a moment of cool down time I discover there's not really an emergency after all... just a moment of panic out of fear, apprehension or anxiety.  Are you quick to panic?  Do you tend to think in terms of the "worst case scenario" when you get some not so good news?  Many people do!

     It only takes a cursory reading of the Gospels to see that the disciples were quick to panic.  In this particular situation Jesus was actually with them and yet they still panicked as though they completely forgot that Jesus was on the boat with them.  He wasn't panicking, he was dreaming!  There are times when we too are quick to forget that Jesus is with us too and he isn't panicking.  If he's not freaking out then why are we?  Food for thought today.  Be encouraged, he's with you in the storm so don't panic!

Blessings,
Pastor J

E.F. Hutton Moments

Matthew 7:28-29 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. NIV
  
     There was a commercial a few years ago for a company called E.F. Hutton.  It was a great commercial that had a great hook line.  The line was, "When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen."  The scene was two businessmen sitting at a table in a busy restaurant and one of the men said, "Well my broker is E.F. Hutton and E.F. Hutton says..."  At that moment the entire restaurant stops and leans toward the man in order to hear what E.F. Hutton has to say.  Great commercial!

     Although the commercials for E.F. Hutton were clever and memorable, there is a real world person who's words have continued to change people, cultures and nations for over 2,000 years!  His name is Jesus and the words he spoke in the first century still have the ring and the sting of authority!  My encouragement for you today is do not neglect to saturate yourself in the words and teachings of Jesus.  Have you read the Word of God today?  "My savior is Jesus and when Jesus talks..."

Blessings,
Pastor J

His Presence

     Have you ever been in a worship service and the presence of God was so thick you could hardly breathe?  Or you felt like if you were to open your eyes He might just be standing right there in front of you?  We have been having some of those kind of worship services lately.  It's hard to explain and I don't know why now and not a year ago.  It's just a sovereign move of God that can't be put into words.  Whenever I'm with the body of Christ in a worship environment lately I have the expectation that God is there.  Period.  No fanfare.  No fireworks.  Just his presence.  It's in the midst of those special moments when heaven invades earth and we touch something that's beyond description that I find "fullness of joy."

     Our scripture for today has always encouraged me to seek after God's presence to experience overflowing joy.  Perhaps we should take a clue from the angels.  One of their primary purposes is to worship God perpetually... that's right, non-stop, 24/7.  No wonder life flows in and through them, they too are experiencing God's presence and fullness of joy because they are worshipers by nature.  As for me, I'm going to get a clue and worship God today, encounter his presence and experience overflowing joy!  How about you?

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  NKJV

Blessings,
Pastor J

Spiritual Vacation?

     As a kid in school I always looked forward to summer break.  For summer meant staying up late and sleeping in the next morning, playing Little League baseball, swimming every day, eating corn dogs and giant sour pickles at the ball park, riding my dirtbike, playing music, spending the night with friends and hanging out at Wagner and Tech Terrace Park in Lubbock, TX.  One more thing that made summers great was our annual family vacation.  The normal routine had to take a back seat to traveling the roads of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.  It was time to take a break from life.

     It's a good thing to take a break every once in a while, but whatever you do don't take a break from God.  As a pastor I see some "Christians" take a summer break from God, His work, the Kingdom and His Bride the Church.  I want to encourage you to stay focused this summer.  Enjoy the season, but don't take a vacation from your Faith.  Have a blessed TGIF and weekend!

2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.  NLT

Blessings,
Pastor J

More and More

     I have been taking our Wednesday night gathering at MSCC through a verse by verse (expository) teaching of the book of Acts.  This has been such a rewarding study for me personally.  It's been so motivating to see how God inaugurated the Church during the celebration of Passover through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The result was that thousands of people came to faith in Jesus Christ after Peter stood up and preach the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ.  After the baptism of the Spirit in Acts 1:8 and the subsequent ministry and empowered witness we now observe the persecution of the fledgling Church.

     What was the result of the intensified persecution?  Growth!  "More and more people believed and were brought to the Lord!"  Talk about a Church Growth Program!  Do you want to see your church grow?  Then start winning your city to Jesus, experience the resulting persecution and "BAM!"  Church growth 101.  Many of us want to be blessed and see a great move of God, but few are willing to truly pay the price to experience God's Church Growth Program through persecution, dispersion and difficult times.  Question: "Do we really want to do what it takes to win our communities to Jesus?  Are we willing to pay the price?  Have an amazing day!

Acts 5:14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord-crowds of both men and women. NLT

Blessings,
Pastor J

Shaken

Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. NIV

     A pastor friend of mine was in New York a couple of years ago and he wanted to visit The Brooklyn Tabernacle.  He had read pastor Jim Cymbala's book, "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" and wanted to attend their Tuesday night prayer meeting.  Pastor Jim had credited their phenomenal growth and their wildly successful Grammy winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to the Tuesday night prayer meeting.  My friend was shocked to find that meeting absolutely packed and in his words it was "intense" and "violent."

     I'm not sure what my friend was expecting when he walked into that meeting, but it was not your grandmother's prayer meeting.  This was war.  This was battle.  This was mountain moving, earth shaking and heaven sent kind of prayer!  I have been in a few of these kinds of prayer meetings... too few to be honest.  Perhaps we should take a clue from the early church and learn to pray with this kind of intensity, fervor and passion.  Just food for thought today. 

Blessings,
Pastor J

Kept in Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! NLT

     The prospect of being kept in perfect peace is a wonderful thing.  When I look around our world today, watch the news or read the paper the outlook is pretty grim... that is if I'm looking from earth's perspective.  I don't have too much of an opinion on global warming.  I can see the issue from both perspectives... either way, we need to understand that God has given us the privilege of stewarding this world not destroying it.  All that to say we are hearing a lot of terrible forecasts about our future. 

     The good news I want to leave you with today is that we are looking at life from heaven's perspective.  Our thoughts are fixed on God and His Kingdom.  It's a life that is filled with wonder and adventure.  There are difficult days that must be navigated, but we endure and overcome them with grace and truth.  I'm choosing perfect peace today, how about you? 

Blessings,
Pastor J

Let Nothing Move You

1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. NIV

     Have you ever felt that you were under attack?  We know that we were born into a world at war.  Although Jesus conquered death, hell, sin and the grave there are still skirmishes to be fought and battles to be won.  Jesus did win the war, but we must fight the good fight of faith.  In the midst of these day to day conflicts we must take the initiative to stand firm and let nothing move us.  

     Today, just know that challenges will come, but you will over come.  Difficulties could arise, but you will rise above them.  Isn't it great to know that God will cause you to stand firm when it appears that all else is shifting and moving.  God will give you the strength to stand firm when you think you can't stand any longer.  Today... stand firm knowing God has your back!  Have a great day! 

Blessings,
Pastor J

Thanks!

1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV

     I'm grateful.  Yeah, I'm weird like that.  Although I have been a committed Christ Follower for 29 years, I still vividly remember what it's like to be lost and to live without Christ.  To live life without any real hope.  To fear dying because of not knowing what's going to happen after that.  To not have any real purpose beyond the next beer, the next party or the next concert.  To drift through life like a boat on the ocean without a rudder.  When I gave my heart to Jesus, it was a radical move.  In other words, I got REAL saved!  

     Knowing where I came from and what God saved me from evokes one response... gratitude!  I  find myself thanking God throughout the day for all he has done and continues to do in and through me.  What about you?  Do you remember what life was like "B.C?"  i.e. "Before Christ?"  Do you remember what it was like to have no real direction?  To not know if you were going to heaven when you died?  To live in fear of the future because you did not know Who held your future?  God loves you so much that he will continue to draw you near to him in spite of your rejections and objections!  Now that's Grace!  Today, stop and give thanks!

Blessings,
Pastor J