Live It Up!

Think of some happy moments in your childhood.  Hopefully they are numerous, and if you’re like most people, many of those memories center on holidays and family celebrations.  Just thinking of them now brings a smile to your face.  We love the joy of repeated celebrations for they are the stuff some of our happiest memories are made of.

One of my staff members here at HROCK recently shared this special memory from his childhood.  Every Christmas Eve, his extended family gathered for a special dinner. It was a wonderful time to enjoy a good meal, exchange gifts, and tell stories on one another.  But his favorite part came after dinner.  He would wait, barely able to contain his excitement, for the special “celebration glasses,” to appear.

They were a set of etched crystal stemware handed down from his great-grandmother’s wedding.  Adult glasses were filled with champagne, while the children got sparkling cider.  The family formed a circle in the front room and began a series of toasts to memorable events from the past year, achievements of family members, and personal affirmations of one another.  Everyone had the opportunity to make a toast. 

He remembers standing in that circle, feeling the solidarity of family and basking in the warmth of shared love.  He inherited those glasses and continues the family celebration to this day.

This may surprise you, but God loves to celebrate!  He knows that we need to make time to commemorate special events in our lives and share our joy in remembering them with others.  He wants our lives to regularly be filled with joy!  He commanded Israel to keep 7 feasts every year to take time and remember their history with Him.  Most of these celebrations were several days or even a week in length.  Imagine it being mandatory to take off that kind of time to celebrate!

God went even further with Israel.  He commanded them to completely cease from work, and rest and refresh themselves one day in every seven.  Israel took the Sabbath rest and turned it into a set of legalistic restrictions, but that was never God’s intention.  He wanted the Sabbath to be a joyful remembrance of His act in creating the world.  One of His most repeated encouragements to us is “Rejoice!” or as we might say today, “Live it up!”

God even celebrates you!  He tells us in Zephaniah 3:17b: “The Lord takes great delight in you.  He quiets your heart with His love.  He rejoices over you with singing!”  Receive God’s joy as he remembers you.  His command to you is:  “Rejoice” (“Live it up”) in Me always!”  (Philippians 4:4)

Come and join our family celebration this Sunday as we observe HROCK’s 17^th anniversary.  We now have 2 services every Sunday morning, an early service at 9:00 AM and a second service at 11:00 AM.  Hear about all the wonderful things God has done for HROCK as we remember our past!

To the Least of These

Who do you think should receive honor?  Perhaps you think of an Olympic champion or the MVP in the Super Bowl.  Maybe a person of high rank or office like a 5-star general or the President of the United States comes to mind.  Or you may honor a certain rock star or actor. Some of you probably feel that people who display great courage, philanthropy, or contribute something like research or personal sacrifice that benefits humankind should be honored.  We acknowledge such people with awards like the Medal of Honor, the Nobel Peace Prize, Olympic gold, a Grammy or an Oscar.

Our dictionaries support this view of honor.  Honor is defined as “public esteem”, “showing merited respect,” “one whose worth brings respect,” or “person of superior position.”  But did you know that God has an entirely different definition of honor?

Typically, we see honor as something that is earned or merited, usually by only a few exceptional people.  But God views honor as something that is freely given.  It is a gift that confers value, worth and significance upon the recipient without being either merited or earned.  And God wants us to honor everyone.

He has given us the supreme example of honoring everyone.  John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved (esteemed and valued) everyone in the world, that He sacrificed His only Son, that whoever believes and accepts His sacrifice, shall not be condemned and perish, but will be blessed with fullness of life.”  We don’t merit this honor, it is freely offered to us.  All we have to do is say yes to God’s gift.

God knows what we often forget, that we are created in His image.  We all contain seeds of greatness within us.  Giving honor to each other waters these seeds and encourages them to grow.  Through our honor, we can actually call forth greatness in someone else!  Think about times when you felt someone valued and found worth in you.  Didn’t that gift of honor make you feel even more committed to try harder and achieve more?

Perhaps you feel worthless and insignificant.  Maybe you feel most people don’t give you a second thought.  God has not forgotten you.  You are always on His mind!  In fact He so identifies with you and your welfare, that He says that anyone who displays kindness and honor “to the least of these,” displays honor to Him! (Matthew 25: 31-40)

“To the least of these” means everyone, and that includes you!  Receive God’s free gift of honor for you and see how it stimulates the seeds of greatness He has planted in you.  Experience the fullness of life that will bloom within you.  And don’t sit on your gift of honor.  Give it to everyone who crosses your path!

Come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM.  We will discuss giving honor to one another in greater depth.  My sermon, ”Creating a Culture of Honor” is part 4 in our series “Preparing for the Harvest.”

Tsunami Survivor

The scene is unforgettable, containing both massive destruction and hope at the same time.  There is a sea of debris, uprooted trees, parts of houses, hulls of ships.  And in the midst of it all, barely visible, is a tiny figure waving a red cloth at an approaching boat.  Sixty year-old Hiromitsu Shinkawa is rescued after 2 days of clinging to his roof, all that is left of his home.  Incredibly he was able to latch onto a piece of the roof, as a tsunami completely submerged his city and swept him 10 miles out at sea. 

This past week we’ve all been transfixed watching as first an 8.9 earthquake hit Sendai, Japan, followed by a series of massive tsunamis, and now the danger of a meltdown in several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant.  Each event is a major catastrophe on its own, but collectively they present a situation that seems humanly unbearable.  And we watch the Japanese people enduring so much grief, pain and uncertainty, and we want to help them in any way we can.

I think part of the reason we are so touched by their struggle against the mounting negative odds, is that we all have to face and weather tsunami seasons in our life.  I don’t mean a literal tsunami. But a negative event, or a series of them, that leaves us like Hiromitsu Shinkawa, clinging to the wreckage of what we thought was our safe, secure life, wondering if any ray of hope will ever shine on our circumstances again. 

It may be getting notice at work that we’re being laid off, suffering betrayal at the hand of a friend, hearing the doctor pronounce a serious diagnosis over us, or losing a family member to death.  As waves of disbelief, sadness and pain repeatedly wash over us, we wonder how much more we can endure, and whether life will ever feel good again.

 Jesus knew that we would face tragedy, heartache and pain in life.  No one is completely spared.  Yet He wanted us always to have hope, and to be assured that we do not have to face our personal tsunamis alone.  He tells us in John 16:33: “In the world you will have tribulation, distress and frustration.  But be of good cheer.  Take courage and be confident for I have overcome the world.”  And in John 15:16 Jesus promises us: “I will ask the Father, and He will send you a comforter, helper, standby and One who will strengthen you, even His Own Spirit who will remain with you forever.” 

God wants to give us His Spirit to overcome the tsunamis of life.  He wants us to be tsunami survivors and thrive.  He assures us: “When the enemy brings tragedies and disasters, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against them and put them to flight.” (Isaiah 59:19b)

God’s Spirit doesn’t automatically enter your life and fight for you; you must invite Him in.  When you do, He will enter with His comfort and strength and see you through whatever may happen.  Invite Him in today, and begin to experience the life of hope and joy that only He can give!

Come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM as our guest speaker Cindy Jacobs discusses how we can speak words from God into the lives of others.  Her sermon “Prophetic Evangelism” is part 3 in our current series, “Preparing for the Harvest.”

Happily Ever After …

When you heard fairytales as a child, did you ever daydream about being the beautiful princess, the handsome prince, or the brave knight?  They seemed to have such enchanted lives, and of course they always “lived happily ever after.”

Today as the world anticipates the upcoming marriage of Britain’s Prince William and Kate, we experience again a little of the fairytale enchantment that surrounds royalty.  And we may wonder what it would be like to be born into wealth, rank and privilege, to have our destiny appointed and secured before our birth.

It is true that royalty does enjoy wealth and many privileges, but being born into a royal lineage does not automatically make you a king or queen.  The son or daughter of royalty must learn how to be a royal.  They are raised up to be royalty.

Think for a moment of historic kings and queens who had true leadership.  They had to learn about their kingdom, for it was the sphere of authority in which they ruled.  As young children they had tutors who taught them not only academics, but the protocol of royalty, that is the behaviors expected of monarchs, and the traditions of their own kingdom and family line.  They learned warfare skills because it was their responsibility to protect the kingdom and advance the interests of their realm. 

Monarchs were most secure when they used their dominion wisely and fairly.  They had to learn to rule by issuing and enforcing decrees that would protect citizens and promote their welfare.  This was the best way to insure safety and prosperity in the kingdom.  A monarch could never forget that everywhere they went they were representing the kingdom.  Their character and lifestyle were direct reflections on the monarchy and the kingdom.

I think part of our fascination with royalty is the awareness, buried deep in our unconscious, that each of us is created to be royalty.  Genesis 1:26-27 states: “God said, ‘Let us make human beings in Our image, to be like Ourselves.  They will reign over the fish, the birds, the livestock and all wild animals.  So God created human beings in His Own image, male and female He created them.”

Our original state of royal dominion was lost when Adam and Eve sinned and fell from their position of rank and privilege.  But Jesus made it clear in His earthly ministry, that He came to restore us to the kingdom and our royal authority.  The apostle Peter wrote to Christians in the first century: “You are a chosen people.  You are royalty, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. You can show others the goodness of God, for He has called you out of darkness into His kingdom of light.”

God is calling us back to our royal dominion, but like any monarch we must learn about the kingdom and how to correctly use our authority.  God provides us with a divine tutor, the Holy Spirit, who helps us to understand our authority and destiny in God’s kingdom.  He invites us to use our dominion not only for ourselves, but to set others free and open the kingdom and its privileges to them as well.  We are called to be kings and liberators!

Come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM as we continues the discussion of our destiny and our responsibilities of rulership in God’s kingdom.  My sermon “Raising Up Royalty” is Part 2 in our “preparing for the Harvest” series.

Are Virtual Friends Real?

How many friends do you have?  Two? Five? Ten?  According to social researchers, the most typical American response will be “2 friends.”  Sadly, for 25% of Americans, the answer will be “no friends.”  Loneliness is rampant in our culture.  We crave meaningful contact with one another, but our extremely busy, mobile lifestyle makes creating stable, enduring relationships a challenge.

Perhaps this is one reason why computer social networks like Facebook have become so rapidly popular.  As I watched “The Social Network” take 3 Oscars at the Academy Awards last Sunday, I was reminded that the creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, became a billionaire in just a little over 5 years.  Obviously his idea filled a need felt by many.  In fact, Facebook has over 600 million registered users worldwide, and it is estimated that 41% of Americans are members of a computer social network.

Collecting “friends” has become a preoccupation, and even a status symbol among many Facebook users.  Currently users have an average of about 140 “friends,” with some users listing 700-800 or even more than 1000 “friends.”  There is no doubt that Facebook allows users to maintain contact with friends, relatives and acquaintances by posts to their Wall, sharing photo albums, and notifying others of changes in life situation or location.  It also makes it easier to find and reconnect with people from the past.

But just how many “friends” can we maintain at one time, even with computer-based technology?  And is a virtual friend (someone you know only from the internet), a real friend?  Can virtual social connections become a substitute for face-to-face encounters or possibly be a way to compensate for a lack of friendships, or lack of time with real friends? 

While the popularity of Facebook is clear, an increasing number of users are also deciding to drop out of the network.  Many say they felt it became too much of a drain on their time and energy.  And many echo what one dropout stated: “Sometimes we have so many friends on Facebook, we can not find the real people we are.”

But real friends know more than news updates about our lives.  Real friends know us, the real us, and we know them, the real them.  There is mutual self-disclosure, respect, affection and loyalty.  There is a deep emotional resonance in real friendship, which creates a sense of stability and a willingness to help each other in need and crisis. Proverbs puts it this way:  “A friend is always loyal and is born to help in time of need.  A real friend sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 17:17. 18:24b)

Obviously we can’t maintain this level of commitment with too many people at one time.  But we need to be connected in this way to some others in order to remain emotionally healthy and secure.  God knows we have need for this type of relationship.  He encourages us: “Dear children, don’t merely say that you love one another.  Show this truth by your actions with each other.” (I John 3:18)  Love is real, not virtual.  While Facebook can be an enjoyable social outlet in our lives, it will never take the place of time spent with real friends.

At HROCK Church we are committed to being a welcoming community where healthy, loving connections happen.  Please come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM as we discuss ways to grow in reaching out and welcoming others.  My sermon, “Preparing the Nets” is the first part of our new series, “Preparing for the Harvest.”

Need a Life Adjustment?

“Oh my aching back!”  Have you ever said or heard those words?  Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of a backache that seemed to produce pain no matter which way we moved.  If we were fortunate, it was a strain caused by postural misalignment and we were able to go to a chiropractor, who “adjusted” our spine, bringing our body back into proper alignment.  Immediately we felt improvement and breathed a sigh of relief!

Alignment is the process of adjusting parts so they come into proper relationship to each other.  If parts are not correctly aligned, performance can be negatively altered.  Take a sport like golf for instance.  A golfer can have a perfect swing, but if his feet, knees, hips and shoulders are not all lined up parallel to the target line, his ball is not going to go where he wants it to go.  If you’ve ever watched “Dancing with the Stars,” you’ve heard the judges critique the contestants’ body alignment.  The head, shoulders and hips need to be aligned vertically, so the dancer can maintain a stable center of gravity and have smooth and graceful movements.

Bodies aren’t the only things that need aligning.  If you ever experienced your car’s steering wheel pulling to the left or right, you knew that it was time for a wheel alignment.  Hopefully you had it done before the misalignment caused excessive wear on your tires.

Human relationships too can be misaligned.  Ever know a family where the 2 year-old toddler ruled?  If so, you were aware of a group of individuals under chronic stress and often in strife.  When our human relationships are not properly aligned, they become unhealthy and produce discontent and disharmony.  We feel uneasy deep inside, become irritable and uptight.  We need a life adjustment!

God created us to relate to one another by aligning in the mutual love, respect and unity that will produce peace and harmony.  He encourages us in Philippians 2:1b-3:  “Let your hearts be tender and compassionate to one another.  Agree wholeheartedly with one another, love each other, and work together with one mind and purpose.  Don’t be selfish and try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” 

The current unrest in the Middle East demonstrates what can happen when these principles of human relationships remain misaligned at a national level for too long.  To date, 11 different nations have experienced some degree of public protest.  Each one of them is characterized by a small ruling elite class and the oppression of many citizens, resulting in poverty, anger and now, open revolt.

God’s alignment of human relationships results in leaders who seek to serve others, with people submitting to leadership they experience as loving and trustworthy.  We can not get “adjusted” in isolation. Only in proper alignment with others can we find the life adjustment that will provide us the peace and satisfaction we seek!

Please come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM to continue this discussion of aligning our human relationships God’s way.  My sermon “Aligning for Reformation” is Part 8 in our “reformers’ Pledge” series.

Glory Daze

Remember when first you felt “I am an adult?”  Maybe it was the first time you took the family car for a solo drive or stayed out all night.  Perhaps it was the first long trip you took by yourself, or when you stood in front of a mirror in your new football uniform. 

For many of us, it was going off to college, and the heady experience of being away from home and on our own for the first time.  No parents censoring our dress, our activities or our choice of friends. We reached a new plateau, a new position in life, and we gloried in the sense of independence and achievement being an adult conferred upon us.  A current TV series, “Glory Daze,” tries to capture this common experience.

Our desire for glory, to distinguish ourselves in some way, do something that others admire, or attain something that brings us gratification never really goes away.  It is a universal soul addiction.  Remember your first car?  It may have been new or used, but your name was on the registration slip and it was all yours!  You felt on top of the world driving it around, and you washed and waxed it frequently.  It was pristine!

Some of you can remember other moments of glory like winning the big game, getting elected to an office at school, being employee of the month, salesman of the year, landing your first “real career job, or seeing your first child born. 

All these events bring with them a sense of achievement and exhilaration that we relish and want to keep. The only problem is we can’t.  The glory of all these fades with time, sometimes very quickly.

That first car eventually gets door dings, stains on the interior and starts smelling like old pizza and fries.  There is always another game to win, another school election, another employee whose achievements rival yours.  And your first child?  Of course you love and take pride in them, but sometimes they get on your last nerve and you want to send them permanently to Grandma’s!

Fading glory is a repetitive pattern everywhere we look, and is not limited to us as individuals.  Long gone is the glory and majesty of whole cultures and civilizations, like Egypt, Greece, Rome, the British empire, the Ming dynasty of China, the mighty Watusi of Africa, or the Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula and central America.  None of it lasts! 

Two thousand years ago, the apostle John noted this pattern when he wrote: “For the world offers only a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave.”(I John 2: 16a, 17a)

Yet our desire for glory remains.  The apostle Paul tells us that our constant desire for temporary glory blinds us and keeps us in a daze.  He invites us to come out of our “glory daze” and see the real glory we were created for, and the only glory that can satisfy our longing.

“Peoples minds are hardened and a veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth.  But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. So all of us who have had that veil removed, can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.  And the Lord, who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.”  (II Corinthians 2: 15a, 16, 18)

We are created in God’s image, and nothing other than reflecting His glory will ever fulfill our desire!

Please come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM and discover more about reflecting God’s glory.  My sermon “Going from Glory to Glory, Part II” is the 8^th  installment in our “Reformer’s Pledge” series.