Who Are You?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be someone else?  To have been born in a different country, into a different social class, or in a different period of history?  To be a famous actor or musician, powerful politician or influential business person?  

Judging by the continuing popularity of stories about identity swapping, quite a few of us enjoy fantasizing about having an identity other than our own.  Over a hundred years ago Mark Twain penned a highly successful novel, “The Prince and the Pauper” in which look alike boys, Prince Edward VI and commoner Tom Canty, exchange clothing and for a period of time their lives.  The book relates the story of how each boy struggles to regain their true identity, having learned they do not envy the life of the other.

Books and movies based on some form of identity swapping continue to capture our attention ever since.  Well known movies explore themes of twins switching places (“The Parent Trap”), age switching from younger to adult and the reverse (“Big,” “17 Again”), exchanging bodies with a parent or friend (“Freaky Friday,” “The Change Up”) or returning from death with a new identity (“Heaven Can Wait”).

A common theme in most of these stories is the desire of the characters to regain their original identity.  Although they learn a lot in their identity switch, they decide that being themselves is who they most want to be.  It’s as if they recognize that there is something unique about being themselves that they value, and cannot find in another identity.

Just what is this uniqueness that is “you”?  Who are “you”?  Too often we identify ourselves by who we are related to (spouse, parent child), our age or gender, the groups we belong to, or the professions or jobs we work in.  But these are only our roles or characteristics, not our essence.  Who are you in your essence?  What makes you, you?  Do you know?

God tells us that we are created in His image to be fruitful, creative and to have dominion. (Genesis 1:27)  But just what does this mean?  God wants us to know how truly unique we are: “Before you were formed in the womb, I knew you.  Before you were born, I set you apart for My holy purpose.” (Jeremiah 1:5a)

God gives each of us special gifts that are talents and abilities that come naturally to us, and bring us joy and fulfillment.  He wants us to share them with others and to be enriched as others share their abilities with us. (Romans 12:4-6)  In this way we all mutually benefit from the talents each of us provides.  We find our true identity in our unique gifts through offering them to others.  We only discover who we are through our relationship with God and others.

God does not leave this process of self-discovery to chance.  Ephesians 4:11 explains how God gifts certain people to equip us to discover and share our talents as we relate to each other in Christ.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM.  Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing these God appointed offices in the Church and how they assist us in discovering who we truly are in Christ.  My sermon is on  “Apostolic Wisdom.”

Who’s Waiting in Your Field of Dreams?

“I always dreamed one day we would really be together, you know, really know each other.  It’s been my biggest, lifelong dream.”  Justin sighs and ducks his head as he brushes an escaped tear from his water-brimmed eyes. 

He is 27, and a potential future minister who attends our church.  His father abandoned his mother before Justin was born, and never made more than an occasional guest appearance throughout Justin’s life.  And now he is gone, dead of a heart attack.

I looked at the four young men gathered to meet with me, and realized only one, Caleb, had a loving, ongoing relationship with his father.  Roger, 25, had an alcoholic father who died when he was 16, leaving Roger devastated.  Looking for love, he got involved with his girlfriend and now was sharing joint custody, fathering his 3 year-old son.

Jordan, 22, had recently reconciled with his father, a busy professional, who only had time to make demands and give harsh punishment when Jordan was young.  The two are making slow, but steady progress on the bridge of reconnection between them.

As I think of Father’s Day this Sunday, I am aware that the stories of these young men are all too common in our society today.  Perhaps you too can only dream of happy memories of a loving father that never happened.  Father’s Day may only remind you of that unfilled longing inside that never completely goes away.

I think the classic movie, “Field of Dreams,” captured that sense of longing for a father in the most poignant way.  Spurred on by a voice and incessant inner urging, Iowa corn farmer, Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), begins to build a baseball field in the middle of his corn crop.  As each one of a series of historic players emerge, Ray is convinced his field is for them. 

But in the end, he discovers that his efforts have been in response to his own longing for reconciliation with the father he had long ago rejected.  His father appears at home plate, and the two reconnect as they finish the game of catch that Ray refused as a child.  It is the dream fulfillment so many long for.

Who’s waiting in your field of dreams?  I think we all have a field of dreams that contains all our unfulfilled longings as well as our hopes and plans for the future.  For many of us, one person we keep waiting to see appear is our father, this time wanting and loving us.

I can’t guarantee that your father will ever appear there, but I want you to know that there is a father waiting in your field of dreams.  It is your Heavenly Father and He’s been waiting all your life to welcome and embrace you.

Listen to what He is saying:  “You may not know me, but I know you.  I am familiar with all your ways. You were not a mistake for all your days are written in My book.” (Psalms 139:1,3,15-16)  “I love you with an everlasting love.  I will never leave or forsake you.” (Jeremiah 31:3)  “My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:1)

May this Father’s Day remind you of the One waiting for you in your field of dreams.  Receive Father God’s embrace and live in His never-ending love!

Come join us this Sunday, Father’s Day at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. as we look into the heart of Father God in my sermon, “Encountering the Father’s Love.”

Which Wisdom?

“My Precious-s-s-s-s.”  I remember the first time I heard the creepy, raspy voice of Gollum muttering, as he thought about the ring and lusted to have its power all to himself.  I knew he was going to be a disgusting creature, even before I saw him.  Almost everyone has seen the movie trilogy, “Lord of the Rings,” and is aware that before he became obsessed with the ring, Gollum was a regular hobbit named Smeagol.

Smeagol found the powerful ring by chance, and decided that keeping it all to himself was a wise idea.  He underestimated the ring’s destructive power.  By persistently following his own wisdom, he blinded himself to the way the ring slowly changed him from a decent hobbit, to a slimy, self-obsessed, swamp creature, enslaved to thoughts of owning the ring.

Have you ever made a decision that looked good to you in the moment, but you lived to regret?  Perhaps you even had family or friends advise you against it, but you thought you knew better?  I think we can all remember instances, perhaps many of them, where we rashly followed our own wisdom, and later wished we could undo our choice.

It might be something minor, like choosing to hit the snooze alarm one more time, and then finding ourselves late to work.  Or maybe it was the time we had that one extra piece of pie and were up half the night with indigestion.

Unfortunately, all too often our own wisdom can lead to more serious mistakes.  We just had to have that new 4 wheel drive ATV, and now we are saddled with uncomfortably high monthly payments for the next 5 years.  The salary figure was just too tempting to pass up, but 3 months later we find ourselves in the job from hell, and spend our evenings searching the internet for new job options.

God warns us in scripture that following our own wisdom can deceive us: “There is a path before each person that seems right, but ends up in destruction.” (Proverbs 14:12)  However, there is a godly wisdom from above that will guide you into all the truth and cause you to prosper.  It comes to you through God’s Spirit, and is yours for the asking.  “But if any of you wants wisdom, ask God who gives freely to all without an unkind word, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

Which wisdom are you following?  How can you tell the difference between self-deceptive and godly wisdom?  A major clue is the effect it has on you.  Don’t allow yourself to be blindsided like Gollum, by following wisdom that only corrupts your life and tears you down.  

God tells us: “If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.” (James 3:14-15)

Contrast that with this description of godly wisdom: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. For the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:13,17)

Be smart!  Pursue godly wisdom and enjoy the consequences of good decision-making!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM for part 2 in our current “Tapping into the Wisdom of God” series.  Our guest speaker, Lance Wallnau, will provide guidance on how to live in God’s wisdom while actively engaged in the culture around us.

A Royal Invitation

Are you currently married, engaged and planning your wedding, or single, but hoping to find “the right one”?  How would you like to say your vows in front of 2 billion witnesses?  As we are all continuously reminded by the media, that is the daunting experience facing Britain’s Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton, at their wedding this Friday.  Do you ever dream of being this important?

The media tirelessly focuses on the traditions surrounding the royal wedding, speculations about what various royals and celebrities will be wearing, who is invited and who is not, and of course what Kate Middleton’s wedding gown, will be like.  However, what makes this royal union truly unique is not any of these things, but the fact that the prince is marrying a commoner, someone who does not come from either a royal or a noble family.

Growing up an ordinary person and marrying a prince is the stuff fairy tales are made of, but in the thousand-year history of the British monarchy, it is an extremely rare event.  In fact the last time it occurred was in 1660, when Anne Hyde, the daughter of a politician, married James, Duke of York, who later became King James II.

In countries like the U.S. with no history of monarchy or aristocracy, we have difficulty understanding class barriers and how they shape major life decisions and behaviors. 

However, even in our society, we are aware that there is always an “inner circle” in every social setting: school, work, social or service club, church, and sometimes even in our own extended family.

Have you ever been on the outside, and longed to be a member of the “in group?”  Unless someone extends an invitation, you remain in effect “a commoner,” shut out of association with the privileged few.  That exclusion is often very painful and deeply wounding.

Prince William is extending an invitation to Kate Middleton that will permanently end her status as a commoner.  As she leaves Westminster Abbey Friday, she will no longer be Kate, but the Princess of Wales.  Through marriage she will be a royal, and her children will be in line to ascend to the throne.

You may be “a commoner” in your social world.  Perhaps you feel ignored, overlooked and unappreciated.  Maybe you even think it’s hopeless, your life is always going to be tedious and ordinary, never special or exciting.  But did you know that you have been issued an invitation to be a royal in the most powerful monarchy on earth?

God is inviting you to become His child and a member of His own family.  He tells us in Revelation 1:5b-6a: “Jesus loves us and has freed us from all our sins by His own blood.  He has formed us into a royal race, and priests to our God and Father…”  The apostle Peter wrote:  “You are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation.  You are God’s very own possession…for He has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 

Don’t live your life as a commoner.  Choose to be a royal.  Say “Yes!” to God’s invitation to become His child and join the royal family!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM, as we look deeper into the royal ties that bind us into God’s family.  I’m discussing parenting principles in my sermon, “Successful Parenting“, that is part 1 in our new “Family Ties” series.

The Biggest Loser

As he clenches his fingers in his sweaty palms, he knows it all comes down to this moment.  Did he do his best?  Did he do enough?  Did all the countless hours of training pay off?  Have all the months of self-discipline and self-denial been worth it?  Can he beat the challenger and win the ultimate prize?  He steps forward onto the platform and closes his eyes as the numbers spin.  Then his heart leaps into his throat as he hears the announcement, “You’ve done it!  Congratulations, you’re the biggest loser!”

If you’ve ever watched the highly popular, TV reality weight loss program, The Biggest Loser, this is a familiar scene.  The program takes 20 contestants, pairs them into teams and then has experts work with them on diet, fitness and self-esteem over a period of months.  Their goal is to be the biggest loser and win the grand prize of $250,000.  But even those who are eliminated say they are winners by what they’ve learned about losing weight and getting fit.  They all get a chance to start a new life. 

Have you ever wished you could start over, erase something from your past, or have a new identity or a different life?  Apparently millions of us do, judging by the explosive growth and popularity of makeover reality shows in the last few years.  There’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition, What Not to Wear (wardrobe, hairdo and makeup), and Clean Sweep (decluttering and room redesign) to name a few.  But there are several dozen currently airing that address everything from kitchen and garden makeovers to smile (dental) makeovers. 

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a “Biggest Loser Life Makeover” program where you could lose all your past mistakes, regrets, feelings of guilt and shameful memories?  A program that could dissolve all your past hurts, pains, and fears, and set you free from bad habits, addictions and everything that currently hinders you?  You could be a new person, have a new identity and a fresh start on a better life!

While you may never be chosen to participate in a TV makeover program, you are invited to be “the biggest loser” in a real life makeover.  The person issuing this invitation to you is God Himself.  He says to you, “Anyone who comes to Christ Jesus becomes a new person, a new creation.  Their old life is gone and a new life begins.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

God wants you to lose everything in your current life that is weighing you down, holding you back, robbing your joy and hope, and defeating you.  If you will give Him your current, less than ideal life, He promises to give you a new abundant life in Him.  “If you cling to your current life, you will only lose it (be a loser).  But if you lose (give up) your current life for Me, you will find it (a new abundant life).  (Matthew 10:39)

Why not accept God’s invitation to become the biggest loser by giving up your current life, and receiving a new life in Christ.  When you are the biggest loser, you have everything to gain!

Please join us this Easter Sunday at either 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM, and hear more about what God is inviting you to lose and gain.  My sermon, “The Power of the Resurrection” is part 3 in our current “Power of Love” series.

The Cause Worth Dying For

“God has placed within the heart of every man an overpowering desire for three things:  a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue.”  (John Eldredge, “Wild at Heart”)

If you ask most men to name their three favorite movies, “BraveHeart” is sure to be one of them.  The movie, based on the legendary life of 13^th century Scot, William Wallace, follows his rise from obscure farmer to leader of a massive rebel army, powerful enough to drive the English out of Scotland.  It contains heaping doses of all three desires mentioned by author Eldredge.

After English oppression leads to the death of his father and brother, and later, the death of his wife, Wallace becomes obsessed with one thing, Scotland’s freedom from England.  His entire life becomes an adventure to this cause, and he never wavers in his dedication, even though he is eventually captured by the English and tortured to death.

Is there anything so valuable to you, that you would give your entire life, or even your death for it?  We admire people whose lives are passionately focused on a cause they are willing to die for.  Examples in history are numerous.  The Freedom Riders who were civil rights activists in the early 60’s, endured mob violence, beatings, bus bombings and being jailed, as they traveled the segregated South to bring national attention to racial inequality.  Eventually several of them were killed, as was, Martin Luther King Jr.

More recently, we remember 9-11 and the fall of the twin towers of the World Trade Center.  Intent on saving lives of others, 23 New York police officers and 343 firemen sacrificed their own lives in rescue attempts.  Numerous examples of heroic deaths occur on the battlefields of war.  Since World War II, 62% of the Congressional Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously.

Is there a cause important enough that you would die for it?  Maybe you would risk your life to save your child, spouse, other family members, or a close friend.  You might risk your life to defend your country or freedoms you highly value.  Any cause you would be willing to die for would have to be extremely valuable and important to you.  It would have to be so worthy and precious, that you would not want to live without it.

Did you know that God has a cause He was willing to die for?  Something so precious and valuable to Him that He was willing to sacrifice His own son?  Something He is not willing to live without: YOU are the cause He found worth dying for!

Romans 5:7-8 states:  “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good man someone may possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)  He then demonstrated this greater love by dying on the cross for YOU!  This Easter take time to ponder how much God values and treasures you. When you see yourself in the mirror, remember you are looking at the cause God found worth dying for!

Please come and join us the Sunday at either 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM for further discussion of how God values you.  My sermon, “The Ultimate Sacrifice” is part 2 of our “The Power of Love” series.

The God Assurance Policy

“Other acts of God…”  Have you ever heard this phrase before?  If you have an insurance policy to protect your home or possessions, it most likely excludes earthquake coverage and other damages caused by “acts of God,” otherwise known as natural disasters.  As I write this, a major 7.1 aftershock has hit the northeastern coast of Japan, adding another stressor to this overstressed country.  Like many people, you may wonder: “Are natural disasters like earthquakes personal “acts of God?”

The Bible makes it clear that we do live in a broken world, a world that is far different from the perfect, harmonious earth that God created.  When Adam and Eve sinned and chose their own way rather than God’s way, they not only lost their own inner peace and harmony, they subjected the environment to unrest and instability as well.  The result is our present earth where natural disasters can and do happen. 

Romans 8: 20a-22a tells us:  “For creation itself (the natural world) was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice…. And creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the liberation of the glorious children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning right up to the present time.”

Whenever a catastrophic event occurs, there is always speculation that God may have caused it to express His displeasure.  This type of thinking is not new.  When Jesus was on earth 2000 years ago a tragic event occurred.  A large tower under construction in Siloam collapsed and killed 18 of the construction workers. 

People obviously were discussing what happened and why those particular workers died.  Jesus addressed their ideas about an “act of God” being responsible.  “Those 18 who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were more guilty than all the rest of those living in Jerusalem?  I tell you no!”  (Luke 13: 4-5a)

When an entire village refused to welcome Jesus, two of his disciples thought it would be a good idea to have a natural disaster strike the village to punish it.  What was Jesus’s response to this idea?  “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For I, the Son of Man, did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’”  (Luke 9:55)

Jesus made it clear to his disciples that in this world we have an adversary, Satan, who will use anything and everything in creation against us.  He told them in John 10:10:  “For Satan, the thief, comes only to kill you, steal from you and destroy you.”  He then made His intentions plain:  “But I am come to give you a life full of abundance.”

Jesus will never impose Himself and His intentions upon us.  He respects us far too much to do that.  We are created as free will agents and can affiliate with anyone we choose to.  God invites us to choose Him and His way.  He gives us this powerful assurance: "Because you love me," says the Lord, "I will rescue you; I will protect you, for you acknowledge my name.  You will call upon me, and I will answer you; I will be with you in trouble, I will deliver you and honor you. With long life will I satisfy you and show you my salvation.”  (Psalms 91: 14-16)

Today as we are faced with the unsettling news of one natural disaster after another, it’s a good idea to review our insurance policy and keep it up to date.  But don’t forget that God loves you and wants to give you His protection.  So do yourself a favor and take the God Assurance Policy.  Walk with Him daily and experience His benefits!

Please come and join us this Sunday for either our first service at 9:00 AM or our second service at 11:00 AM.  My sermon “Redemptive Judgment” is part 1 of our new series on “The Power of Love”.