Sharing the Christmas Story…

Merry Christmas everyone!  As a proud dad, I am amazed at my own short-sightedness in not being ‘constantly vigilant’ for ways to bless my kids & spouse.  Luckily, my wife is amazing at it and brought back some of her Lutheran roots with our family celebration of Advent.

Growing up Baptist, we didn’t celebrate Advent…probably more to minimize my love of fire than anything else…  Anyway, what a great way to celebrate the birth of Christ for a whole month instead of just one day!  We have the advent wreath with candles & light a new one every Sunday starting 4+ weeks before Christmas.  Then we read verses together around the meaning that Jesus plays in Christmas in 4 different ways & pray together.  Advent studies abound & you can usually find one, with candles included at a local Christian bookstore or giftshop.

Another thing we’ve started to do is to READ THE CHRISTMAS STORY to our kids in shorter sections instead of all at once!  This works great for kids’ attention spans AND usually works well for your small group as well!!! (adds in discussion time on the main points)  Here is a suggested reading plan from BSF International.

Christmas Story Reading Plan for Families or Groups

A Savior King is Promised – Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5; Micah 5:2-5a

The Angel Visits Mary – Luke 1:26-38

The Angel Visits Joseph – Matthew 1:18-25

The Trip to Bethlehem & Stable Lodging – Luke 2:1-7

The Christ Child is Born – Luke 2:6-7

The Angels Visit the Shepherds – Luke 2:8-14

The Shepherds Visit the Manger – Luke 2:15-18

The Wise Men Travel to Jerusalem – Matthew 2:1-8

The Wise Men Worship the Christ Child – Matthew 2:9-12

The Trip to Egypt – Matthew 2:13-15

Enjoy the Season!

Men’s Fraternity at Journey Church

So we started year #3 of Men’s Fraternity this morning…which means 2 things.

#1 – I’m ready for lunch and it’s only 9:00am  (alarm went off at 4:20)

#2 – It happened again.  The ‘life transformation’ that we talk about in church, in groups, in personal relationships actually shows up at 6:00am among a big group of guys that somehow feel empowered to challenge, encourage, & joke with other guys in a way that is unbelievable.  Not in a bad way, but in a way that is ‘real’ amidst our normal culture of christian fakeness.

I hope you have an opportunity to be unbelievably real with a friend or two this week.  Not only is this displaying the honest interactions described in the Bible as the ‘one anothers’…(love one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, etc…) BUT it is actually a lot easier way to live life…just be real.

Cub Scout popcorn & God

My son, Andrew, is pretty cool.  (Not because of me for sure…)  Being the first born he has always tried to do his best to meet our expectations…even when they are unreasonable.  Case in point, we had just gotten back from a cub scout meeting last week where they went over the finer points of selling popcorn.  (girl scouts = cookies; cub scouts = popcorn)

Anyway, we practiced on the way home and were ready for our first victim… (er…customer) mom.  So he walks in and rambles some about popcorn and holds the brochure casually behind his back, doesn’t look at her or really even talk to her…and then turns to me as if to ask…”Is that good enough…can I go play now?”

I was angry.  It was like we hadn’t even practiced!  Like he didn’t even care about popcorn!!! (imagine that!)  Then God says to me, ‘Andrew’s sales job is a lot like his old man’s conversations with God recently…rambling on, beating around the bush, appeasing expectations, but not really ASKING for anything.’  Matthew 7:7 says it clearly, ‘Ask – it will be given, Seek – you’ll find, Knock – doors open.’

How are you at making the big ask to God?  Or are you like me and do things on your own, or just ‘kind of’ obey…till life implodes and we come back to God?  Ask, Seek, Knock… to quote Rev. D. Ray Montgomery…”it’s like Christian magic… we say some words, and stuff happens!”

Rebuilding the Walls – part 3

One of my favorite animated movies is the Incredibles, and a great line of it was when the head superhero guy, Bob, said, “Sometimes I wish the world would just stay saved!”  My wife would echo that comment with one of her own…”Sometimes I wish the house/kids would just stay cleaned up!”

Managing a completed project takes a whole different skill set than initiating a project, and Nehemiah shows some real keys to maintaining the now completed walls of Jerusalem.

Appoint key leaders – 7:2 – Hanani was put in charge, “because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.”

A game plan was created – (actually it was rediscovered) – 8:1-3 – Ezra the priest brought out the Book of the Law and read it to the people, and they listened attentively.

Restoration usually involves eating crow (there’s usually a reason that the walls were broken down…usually related to our mistakes) ; 9:32-38 – a)humble themselves, b) acknowledge God’s justice, c) willingly start over, d) commit to refocused pursuit of God with a reminder (alter, covenant, agreement, etc…)

Trust God to preserve what we create while pursuing Him; 13:14 – “remember me for this…and do not blot out what I  have so faithfully done for the house of my God…”

What restorations have you completed recently or are you working on now?  Guard yourself at completion to not settle for a great wall.  Take steps to insure it will last by appointing some good management, create a plan, deal with the root issues, and trust.  Praying for your walls to stand firm today!

Rebuilding the walls- Part 2

So, what’s it like having me call you out on my little blog here…saying you’ve got some broken down areas of your life?  Don’t worry…I’m right there with you.

What I hate about broken down walls is that it means there were once solid walls there…and now, because of neglect or destruction, they’re in some state of disrepair.  Oh and the gates being ‘burned’ seems pretty intentional to me.

So, my mental picture is the areas of my life that were once solid that are now in need of some repairs…like the good habits in my life – i.e. nutrition, exercise, spiritual disciplines, rest.  Plus I’ve got some areas that I have just torched…or allowed my friends, family, or foes to torch…like my schedule, or margin, or commitments to personal development.

The story continues in Nehemiah 3 & 4… So the guys get to work repairing the walls and rebuilding the gates and it’s pretty smooth at first.  Lots of volunteers, minimal foe intervention, and peole are cool putting their personal agendas on hold for the greater good.  But of course the foes show up…first by ridicule (“even if a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall!” and then they plotted an attack, so Nehemiah had to cross train the workers in building & soldiering.  Here’s some insights that I had…

3:14 – Malkijah is the man!  He got to repair the Dung Gate!  What a crappy job!

3:20 – Baruch apparently was a real type A kind of guy… Everyone else is working hard & steady…It says that he “zealously repaired” the wall.  Non-union job I guess!

3:30 – Hanun was pretty desperate for notoriety…everyone else just uses their name, or dad’s name, but he’s the “sixth son of Zalaph”.  Either he’s five generations away from anyone famous, or he has 5 slacker brothers that weren’t helping with the wall.

4:12 – I’m sure you have those people that are really worried about the possibilities that stall out the current progress just because of what ‘could’ happen.  These guys were really wearing out Nehemiah so he said, “they came and told us ten times, ‘Wherever you turn they will attack us!’   Like my wife some times… “I’ve told you ten times to pick up milk on your way home!!!”

4:20 – Trumpets Rock! – They were so spread out that he told everyone to gather together wherever the trumpet is sounded and God will fight for us.  Isn’t it interesting that they see the need, call in the troops, and then trust God to show up and fight for them???  If only I was that smart.

So, how’s the lineup going for rebuilders of your walls?  Are you zealously working or just wearing out your boss?  Do you call in the cavalry when you need them and then do you expect God to show up and fight for you?

I’ll be praying for your holy preparation & expectation…until part 3

Rebuilding the Wall; part 1

I was reading today in Nehemiah 1&2 about how he (Nehemiah) heard from his brother that the walls of Jerusalem (the homeland of Israel) was in ruins and the people still there were in trouble & disgrace.  He was SO burdened by this news that he ’sat down, cried, went without food, mourned & prayed to God about the issue.’  He confesses the sins of his people, reminded God about His promise to give that land to the people of Israel.

With that in mind, he set to work to do something about it.  He asked for safe passage clearance from the king and the resources to rebuild the walls and the King granted it, PLUS gave Nehemiah an army to keep him safe.    Which is incredible since he was only the cupbearer for the King!  (that’s right…the trusted taste-tester)

Here’s what gets me in this story… God’s talking to me about how we sometimes live for a long time with broken down walls or gates and just deal with it.  We have never asked…

What role we’ve played in the broken down areas?

How did the breakdown happen?

Who may be involved in helping us restore them?

God in the Shower…

Okay, so I moved into a new house this week and it has one of those shower heads that is mounted up high, but is on a long springy cord, so you can take it off the wall and move it around.  The genius in this design is that you don’t have to dance around the shower to get full water coverage.

However, when you are used to a stationary water source, trying to suds up with one hand and rinse with a moveable water source with the other is very difficult first thing in the morning!  (sorry if you’re traumatized by that mental image)

This caused me to think about how many people like the idea of a ’source’ from any angle…it can get coverage all over, you can control it, or direct it away from you when you want…  However, God is not like that.  He’s full on. To really enjoy a life with Him means you get to dance around… responding to the constant source.

Jentzen Franklin wrote a book (Right People, Right Place, Right Plan) and he has a quote that has been stirring around in my head a while.  The quote is “If the church will not pray, God will not act.”  (not that He can’t, but that He won’t…there is some implied partnership that He desires from us)

Whether you’re in the shower just living your life, what do you think about being responsive to God and partnering with Him through prayer?

Life lessons from funerals

Okay, so it makes tons of sense that you’d pick up some life lessons from funerals, since of course we are trying to remember a person’s life and what we can learn from it, but I was caught off guard yesterday at Tom’s funeral with a number of great life lessons…  So I thought I’d share;

* Live a complex life, one pursuing your diverse dreams

* Live your life in color, don’t settle for ‘okay’, ‘fine’, or ‘good’.  Be vibrant every day

* For dads…Attend not only all the sports events, but also every dance recital.

* Always look into people eyes as well as their faces…the eyes tell the full story.

* Work Hard and with no regrets.

* Make friends with the poorest people in the room (accept & love everyone)

* Actively support causes that you believe in, don’t just pay them lip service.

* Tom loved his ponytail & moustache (be uniquely you)

Finally, Be planted close to the river.  (Know that your strength and nourishment come from the stream of living water, Jesus Christ, and stay connected.)

What are the life lessons you’ve learned at funerals or even in your group?  One for me is that we CAN’T do life as lone rangers.  Many think they can, but looking back it is pretty clear…

Advisory Board Party!

In San Antonio this week for a few days with the Willow Creek GroupLife Advisory Board conference soaking in some great relationships, great ideas, & what is pervading our meetings…a sense that working by yourself is incomplete.  Bill Donahue & Greg Bowman shared last night of our passionate desires to see where God is moving in the groups movement and unite together around that movement.

In possibly related ideas…God and I were chatting this morning and he just shared Prov 21:21 – He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.  Wow… who doesn’t want more of those things these days!

How are the pursuits of your day going to bring you closer to God, life, prosperity, & honor?

What creates changes in church?

Our pastor, Clark Mitchell, says that crisis creates change in church…people come to church because of crisis and/or they leave because of crisis.

Andy Stanley adds that “the local church rarely makes necessary changes until the money runs out.”  He explains in his “Assumptions” podcast that people come to love programs and all the great things that have come out of those programs/habits and are far more focused on maintaining them than evaluating where they are still effective or not.

Maybe change happens through a lack of funding, or church support, or forced change from your group pastor…like me!  Or maybe change is just easier at times of crisis?

What are the programs/habits in your group that it is hard to let go of…even though they don’t work any more?  Why not ask God for the new song or new wine vs. relying on habits that no long maximize His vision and the passion he’s given you?