One Word - The 2017 Edition

It has been awhile since I posted, going back to school at 46 doesn't allow a lot of free time. However, I wanted to kick the New Year off the way I have the past few years.

In 2013 I became a Compassion blogger. I was drawn to the idea for 2 reasons. One, I love Compassion and have sponsored a few children over the years. Two was the challenge they put out encouraging people to seek the Lord for a word for the new year instead of making a new years resolution. I enjoyed the idea and have asked God for a new word each year since.

In 2013 I felt that word was PRAYER. In 2014 the word and pray I did.  Lots.  Things happened (concussions) which forced me to my knees in prayer before the Lord.  In fact I think I only survived that year due to prayer!

In 2014 that word was TRUST. Looking back over that year, I saw areas both personally and professionally where I had to learn to trust God more than ever.  I also saw God open amazing doors as I learned to trust Him more.

In 2015 I felt that the word He had for me was PEACE. A lot happened that year and my peace was challenged greatly at times.  Yet through all of the ups and downs, I felt the peace that passes all understanding!  (Phillipians 4:7)

In 2016 I felt the word the Lord spoke was BEGINNINGS. It was definitely a year of new beginnings. My daughter moved to Germany and my wife and I went back to school. We moved to Winnipeg and are now training to become Salvation Army Officers. Of course beginning mean endings as well and we had a few of those, from the loss of family to the moving away from our home town of 12 years. Yet God was and is good and sustained us through it all.

I never know how the word will be applied, what circumstances will arise, but when I reflect on the year that passed, I always see God has been true to His word.

Now we are on the cusp of 2017 and I have been praying for days asking the Lord what He is speaking to me for this year.

The word is COMFORT.

Two Scriptures come to mind. The first is in John 14:18. In the NIV it says, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." Most translations use the word orphans but the KJV uses the word comfortless.  The second is 2 Corinthians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort."

I have been a spiritual orphan but then I found Christ. I have lost one of my earthly parents, and Christ comforted me through that time. Many think of loss and comfort together. Yet I look at this word for the year and my thoughts drift to words written by Samuel Bringle. In his book Guest of the Soul he wrote, "When He comes, He arouses and quickens our dull minds, He opens wide the closed eyes and sealed ears of our soul, and we see and hear things that were hidden from us. He brings our inner life into harmony with the mind of God as revealed in the Bible." That to me is comfort!

I want that kind of comfort! I don't know what 2017 holds but I know God is in control. He has sustained me for 46 earthly years and sustained me in the faith for 33! I know whatever happens, He is the God of all comfort. I just want to lean into Him.

I am excited to see how this word applies to the coming year.

So what is God speaking to you for the New Year?

I'm Broken!

“I’m Broken.”

After sobbing for 20 minutes, these were the only words that I could say to express the way I was feeling.  Broken.  I knew it was a lie, yet it was how I was feeling at the moment.  My wife, so wonderful through my long struggle with a head injury, continued to speak affirming words and prayed with me before we ended our phone call.

The day started off innocent enough, just going through the normal motions and doing my job.  What precipitated this emotional upheaval was looking back.  It has been 2 years since my 6th and most significant concussion.  After 18 months I finally felt like I was getting back to my “normal” self.  I was finally implementing all the tools I had been learning at the Brain Injury Association and had found a medicine that relieved some of my lingering post-concussion symptoms.  I had a good month and then, bang, concussion # 7 arrived.

Discouraged, emotional, tired, frustrated and sad would be just a few of the words I would use to describe the way I felt afterwards.  I thought I was finally hitting a stride, only to stumble and falter as I continued the race of recovery.  I made the mistake in the midst of this emotional upheaval of looking back at things I had written and done last year.  Where I thought I was doing well, I realize now I was not nearly as “recovered” as I had assumed.  I more “maintained” than anything else at work.  I made mistakes, simple mistakes that I should have caught, and began beating myself up.

As I returned to work, the Lord reminded me of a prayer I prayed a few years back.  I had been studying the passage of Scripture where Jacob wrestles with the Lord. (Gen. 32:22-32) He came away with a blessing and a limp.  I prayed that the Lord would take me deeper, whatever the cost and make me more dependent on Him.  Shortly after that, I acquired concussion 6 and then 7.  I have spent the last 2 years learning to cope and accept what has happened to me.  I saw the blessings in my situation.  Sarah and I had many a conversation about how God has used these concussions to change me for the better in my walk with Him and my relationships with others.  I have become more contemplative, reflective and still, listening in ways I never have before.  I have found a heart of compassion for those suffering with head injuries and mental health issues.

In all of that I have been blessed….but until recently, I ignored the limp.  I knew it was there but I never really “grieved” over what happened.  I have suffered a loss.  I have a “limp” called an acquired brain injury.  It hit me recently that I will, barring a healing from God, never be the same again.  Yet in that grief, I also see how I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)  Despite the loss, I am still a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor. 5:17) Yes I have lost much, but I have gained so much more.  I can count all things as loss (Phil. 3:8) and look to Jesus Christ and Him crucified! (1 Cor. 2:2) I am honestly not ready to “rejoice” in my situation but I am ready to acknowledge God is still using, leading and guiding me.  Darkness may last for a night but there truly is joy in the morning.  (Psalm 30:5)

Night is ending and I see the cracks of dawn.

For now, I can rejoice in that.

High Speed Crash - Just A Thought #59

Though never officially diagnosed, I always believed I was a bit ADHD.  Growing up I was the kid who fidgeted constantly.  I would tap my hands while reading a book, watching tv, etc...  I moved around when talking on the phone and could never sit still for long.  As a kid I was called hyper...as an adult, annoying!

I just always seemed to have "nervous energy" and was in constant motion.  I talked a mile a minute and could have given an auctioneer a run for his money.  For those who have taken the True Colors test, I am a high Orange!

"Slow down", was something I heard a lot as a child.  Well, ok--I heard that as an adult as well.

When I preached I would walk around constantly and talk as fast as I walked.

One friend talked to me about using concentrated movement when I spoke.  I tried to apply it with limited success.  A management course I was in the last couple years taught me a lot about personality types, etc... It helped a bit.  Then I had a "high speed crash" and my life has never been the same.

A little over a year and a half ago I had a concussion--my 6th--and it left me altered in some ways.  Mostly in my speech and the speed of my responses.  I have been forced to slow down when I talk or else I stumble over my words more.  Sarah says that my speed now is normal for most people but for me it feels as though I am swimming through molasses!  Yet this slower time has allowed me to process more what is happening around me.  Suddenly all of the stuff I have been hearing the last couple years is jelling together.  The concentrated movement, the personality stuff and the concussion have all combined to make a ....new Rick in some ways.

I am more contemplative, more aware, more reflective and at times a bit more emotional than I used to be.  The old "speedy" me crops up from time to time but when it does, I usually say something silly....like pointing at a snowman picture and repeatedly calling it Santa Claus or telling my daughter to "have good", when she is going to a friends house, instead of "have fun."

However, I take comfort in 2 verses.  They have taken on new meaning to me.  One is found in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." The other is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

I am aware that my behavior and the way I interact with others has changed somewhat.  I am also aware that, as we go deeper with God and press into Him more, He changes us as well.  I believe that He has used this concussion in a way that allows me to be more dependent on Him.   I am trusting that the change He is bringing runs deeper than how I operate post-concussion. 

Many want to change things in the new year, but the challenge is to let God be the one to work the change in us.

I finally "GET" Paul

The Apostle Paul.

Greatest Missionary Ever!

A Learned Scholar.

Wrote the Majority of the New Testament.

Totally Unrelatable.

I just never got Paul. 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his writings and am currently walking through 1 Corinthians as part of my devotions.  However, of all the people we read about in the Bible, I found Paul to be the one I related to the least.  He always seemed to be on another level. 

From the time of his conversion as recorded in Acts and through each of the books the Lord led him to write, I found Paul to be someone I could not relate to.

That is, until recently. 

I was reading through 1 Cor. 2.  In particular, I was reading verses1-5 which says, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  (2)  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  (3)  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,  (4)  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  (5)  so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

I know Paul had a thorn in the flesh. (2 Cor. 12:7)  I also know he was not afraid to speak up, even confronting the Apostle Peter when he needed it.  He butted heads with some and spoke out against sectarianism and legalism.

Sometimes you read the Word of God and things just click.  While reading 1 Cor. 2:1-5, I always focused on verse 2.  In fact I have quoted that verse often and made it my own determination as well.  This time I was struck by verse three where Paul mentions how he came to the Corinthians...in weakness, fear and trembling.

There is an image of Paul I had not seen before.  Weak, fearful and trembling.  Now those were things I could relate to.  He also said that his message was not in words of wisdom.  All this was so that the people's faith would be in the power of God, NOT in the wisdom of men.

This passage encouraged me.  Ever since my head injury, I have felt weak, fearful and trembling when sharing God's Word.  To know that God used Paul DESPITE those feelings and grew the Corinthians' faith through His (God's) own power gives me renewed hope.

God can use anyone.  He can use weak and fearful Paul.  He can use me and He can use you!

Be encouraged.   

God Doesn't Make Sense

Isaiah 55:8-11 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

God called Joshua to MARCH around Jericho instead of just attacking the city. How did that make sense? Abraham was told that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age. Make sense? Moses received a message from God via a burning bush. Imagine trying to make sense of that! Jesus walked on water, fed the 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and some fish, raised the dead, healed the sick, died and rose again...you get the picture. Of course none of this made sense. Human reasoning was defied by miracles and unparalleled love.

His ways are higher than ours, His thoughts are not our thoughts.

I'm a sci-fi junkie. I love Star Trek. In the original TV show, 79 episodes, Captain Kirk never once said "Beam me up Scotty." Despite that, people will insist he said it.

That got me to pondering this week about some of the things we THINK are in the Bible.

I have been told that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" is in the Bible. Another one is that "God helps those who help themselves!" Sounds great but it's not there. One that I have heard often is that "God will not give you more than you can bear!" I hate to say it but you won't find that in the Scriptures either. It's just not there. The closest you can find is in 1 Corinthians 10 where it says, "But God is faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it."

That verse talks about temptation, not about overwhelming circumstances, family problems, sickness, etc.

Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carry heavy loads, and i will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I'm gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light."

God has promised us rest, he has promised to sustain us, but he never said we would not have hardship!

Look at what Paul says is 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, "Brothers and sisters, we don't want you to be ignorant about the suffering we experienced in the provinces of Asia. It was so extreme that it was beyond our ability to endure. We even wondered if we could go on living. In fact, we still feel as if we're under a death sentence. But we suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life."

The key to this is right there in verse 9: "so that we can stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God."

God may not make sense to us, but though we don't understand His ways, we can come to know and understand more of His heart. He wants us to surrender fully to Him!

The Father's Love Letter

My Child,
   

You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

 For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com

10 Questions With Ben & Julianna Zobrist

Welcome to 5 Questions With.....

Except you'll notice that today it's 10 questions. That's right! This is another Super-Sized edition of the 5 Question feature.

Today's guest are Ben & Julianna Zobrist. Baseball fans will know that Ben Zobrist has been the starting 2nd Baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays since 2009. Julianna Zobrist is a Christian singer and musician with a just released album, Say It Now.

As their schedule allows, they also travel and minister together. They share about marriage, relationships, baseball, and faith.

In this interview they cover all of those topics.

Let's get to it:

1. Ben, how did you come to faith in Christ?

I came to Christ through the consistent teaching of the gospel by my parents and reinforced through a Sunday school lesson about heaven and hell. I was 5 years old and understood that if I died, I had to have my faith in Jesus Christ dying on the cross for my sins to be able to go to heaven. It was for fear of the alternative of hell that I first made that decision....a Godly fear no doubt and I am thankful that God began a work in me at such a young age.

2. Do you feel baseball is your calling?

I feel that baseball has been my calling vocationally for a certain period of my life, but someday I'll be done playing baseball and I look forward to whatever is the next thing God calls me to do vocationally. I think we are all called in a greater degree by our spiritual gifts rather than the job we are currently doing. If we are employing these on a regular basis, we will be useful to God in whatever job we end up doing.

3. How hard is it to walk the Christian life in a fishbowl setting like baseball?

I think there are things about baseball that make it harder to walk the Christian life and there are also things that make it easier. Knowing people are watching all the time keeps me accountable in the way I act. The fans, my teammates and the game itself keeps you on your toes. Overall, I wouldn't say it's any more difficult than any other Christian persons walk. We all face the same challenge of a sinful selfish nature and we all have the same power available to us in Christ to overcome it.

4. You talk about your identity in Christ. Can you explain how verses like Gal. 2:20 impact your life?

Verses like Gal. 2:20 are a great reminder that we have been changed and we are different because the Spirit of Christ has taken up residence in us. When we are struggling with the old nature, we must put it quickly behind us because the old has gone and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). If we are new creations, we need to live like it.

5. Juliana, how did you come to faith in Christ?

My story is not one of some obvious dramatic transformation, but is much like many others. I grew up going to church every time the doors were open not because my heart was completely there, but primarily due to my father being the head pastor. Christianity was normal to me. Not only normal, but expected. Spiritual disciplines were common and Christian "lingo" was cool amongst peers. A large part of my thirst for knowledge was to please the crowd I was around. And I definitely was a pro at playing to whatever crowd I was in. It wasn't until my sophomore year in high school when i went to an event called SEMP that trained students how to evangelize and then sent them into the streets of Chicago to do so, that my faith was put to the test. For the first time I didn't know what to do. I wanted to impress my peers with a "star for every convert" but I also did not want to talk to strangers on the streets about something I wasn't sure I believed. It was then that I decided, I needed to either discover what it really meant to be a Christian, or stop calling myself one. At that moment, in my humility, God opened my eyes. And in His loving kindness, he patiently continues to open my eyes and reveal to me who He is and who I am. The more clearly I see myself, the more clearly I realize my need for my Savior. All of my "good works" become nothing, and His ability to use a sinner like me for His glory is nothing short of a Miracle. He rescued me out of darkness and has made me alive with Him.

6. Your new album, Say It Now, is now available. What is the story behind the title track?

Say It Now is a shout out to women. It is my fist pumping encouragement to be bold. We were not left on this planet to just be beautiful girls. We were not left to be the perfect mother. We were not left here to be the most godly wife. We were left to proclaim the name of Christ, using those avenues of girl, wife, and mother to be our springboard for loving Him. We spend so much energy pressuring one another in our "churchy" manipulative way to be perfect. Have the perfect home. Perfect godly marriage. Perfect godly kids. We make idols of the good things and good gifts God has given us. Gifts that are to be used to make His name great, not ours. We need to proclaim our weaknesses because only then will others see our need for our Savior. And that is the point. To draw near to Christ, Abide in Him, and be bold for the Gospel. Say it now!!

7. What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of "moments" as an artist was when I got to open for Casting Crowns. My new album was almost completely written, I was six months pregnant, and working so hard to finish it. I had a performance boot camp with my band where we rehearsed all day for three days and days after. The anticipation of performing for what ended up being over 8,000 people was so exciting. The show went seamlessly and for most everyone in the crowd it was the first time they had heard of me. So to walk to my tent and see a line out the door of girls and boys and moms and kids waiting to talk to me was one of the most rewarding experiences.

8. Is there a time God made His grace evident to you in a real way?

God makes His grace evident to me every day if I have the eyes to see it. Just recently I was down in the dumps having a much-loved pity party for myself because I'd just released my album, but I was going on the road with Ben to Boston. I thought to myself "I should be working on my music, I just released my album, what am I doing? Why aren't I touring?" etc. etc. you know how those types of pity parties go. But as I prayed and eventually repented of my selfishness, God quietly reminded me of my priorities. How to sacrifice and love my husband, how to sacrifice for my children. Many times that means having to step away from music. Not a week later I was sitting on the couch with my three year old and my seven month old. Zion had peanut butter and jelly all over his face, I was nursing Kruse, we were watching Curious George, and I got an email. My album was in the Top 100 Albums on iTunes. I started crying immediately and laughing at the same time. How gracious is the Lord to me! It was as if He was saying "Jules, be faithful with what I have given you...two kids and a husband to love...and let me take care of the rest".

9. How do the two of you balance career, ministry and family?

Balancing career, family and ministry is a question we get often. I could write a book on it, but in short, our lives are our ministry. Baseball is Ben's springboard for loving Christ and sharing Him with others. Music is mine. Zion and Kruse will have other avenues one day like school and sports. My mom said to me once in regards to parenting, "God blesses the motive, not the method". And I believe she is so right. We can spend so much time trying to do things for God, when He simply wants our hearts. The more we walk with Him, abide closely to Him, love Him, then he accomplishes the things in us that He wishes to accomplish. And life becomes less about what we do, and more about loving Him through the avenues He brings to our lives.

Practically speaking though, we made a commitment to never be away from each other more than 6 days. So the kids and I pack our suitcases every week and join Ben on the road. We have grown very accustomed to life in hotels and Zion and Kruse sleep in the same room, wake up and pick up the phone to order breakfast. Haha.

10. What is the best part of working together in ministry?

The best part of working together in ministry is the accountability it brings. When life gets busy sometimes it's easy to not set aside time for reading together or talking through deep truths. But when we do ministry together, Ben and I go on walks to prepare and end up praying and talking for hours about various spiritual things. Ministry together is bonding because it's eternal work. Our hearts are woven even stronger together as we seek the Heavenly.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this Ben and Julianna.

You can read more about the Zobrist's ministry and order Julianna's new CD on their website. Make sure you check it out: The Zobrists

To see past 5 Questions guests see the 5 questions page under the tab above.

5 Questions With Joni Eareckson Tada

Welcome to 5 Questions With.....

Today's Guest is Joni Eareckson Tada.

Joni Eareckson Tada is the founder of Joni and Friends, an organization accelerating Christian outreach in the disability community that numbers 610 million people worldwide. This organization operates out of the new Joni and Friends International Disability Center located in Agoura Hills, California. Joni is not only an international disability advocate but an artist and the author of numerous bestselling books.

And now without further delay, on to the questions:

Hello Joni,

1. For those not familiar with your organization, what are some of the ministry arms of Joni and Friends?

I started Joni and Friends in 1979 in response to the many people who were reading the Joni book and seeing the Joni movie – when I saw their questions, I wanted to create a response mechanism to address their issues of depression, disability, and understanding the goodness of God. Now, more than 30 years later, Joni and Friends delivers thousands of wheelchairs to needy disabled children and adults in developing nations, holds Family Retreats for special needs families here in the U.S. and in less-developed nations, and designs disability ministry courses of study for undergraduate programs in Christian colleges and seminaries around the world.

2. With your busy schedule of writing, recording and public speaking, how do you balance family, faith and fun?

I once heard someone say that if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. And that’s true for me! I feel so blessed by God (what other quadriplegic enjoys the health I do after 45 years in a wheelchair? What other quadriplegic enjoys the opportunities for Christian service that I do?). I’ve been so blessed, that I feel a strong urgency to simply ‘pass on the blessing’ to others less fortunate – and it’s why I so love not only the work at Joni and Friends, but the opportunities to travel with my husband on behalf of the ministry.

3. Everyone battles discouragement at times. How do you handle the discouragements (physical, spiritual, emotional) in your life?

After so many years living as a quadriplegic, there are still mornings I wake up and think, I can’t go on; I don’t have the strength. But then I pray, “But, Lord, you have strength; please let me borrow your perspective and power on this difficult day!” And He gives just that and more. So waking up needing God desperately and urgently is not such a bad thing. It’s the way the apostle Paul felt in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 when he said, “... We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life...” But then I love the next verse, “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” It seems the weaker we are, the harder we must lean on Jesus; and the harder we lean on Him, the stronger we discover Him to be. It’s a great lesson to live by.

4. What book of the Bible has God been speaking to you through the most right now?

Ken and I are just finishing up reading through the Bible in a year, and we are in Revelation. I am astounded that soon and very soon all these things Jesus talks about in that mysterious book will happen – and it’s all about to break on the horizon. I’ve been asking God to drive home to me this heavenly point of view so that I might live with a greater sense of urgency.

5. Are there any specific projects coming up that you would like to mention?

Through the Joni and Friends’ Christian Institute on Disability, Ken and I are spending most of our trips visiting Christian colleges and universities where I speak at chapel services and at the disability ministry classes we help design. Nothing gives me greater joy than to impart my passion to a new generation of believers, striking the match in their hearts to reach the world’s one billion people with disabilities with the practical help and heavenly hope of Jesus!

Thanks so much Joni!

Thanks for inviting me to participate in this interview.

Well there you go. I would encourage you to check out the Joni and Friends website where you can find training opportunities, books, devotionals and a wealth of other resources. Just got to Joni and Friends.

To see past 5 Questions guests see 5 questions page under the tab above.

The Bell - I KNow Who I Am

I was sent this in an email and really liked it so I thought I would share it with all of you. Merry Christmas!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

.

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3 :20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8: 31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph.. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?

Stepping Down and Going Deeper

Ministers step down for a variety of reasons but over the last year 3 well-known ministers decided to step away for a season and I can't help but wonder if the Lord is sifting and doing something in the Body of Christ.

Here are the 3 ministers I am talking about:

Francis Chan - I've never read Crazy Love. I know Francis Chan is quite popular though. I was impressed with this bit in Christianity Today:

According to one comment he made in a sermon, Chan gives away about 90 percent of his income (though his church administrator preferred the phrase "most of his income"). Chan doesn't take a salary from his church, and his book royalties, which total about $500,000, mostly go to organizations like International Justice Mission, which rescues sex slaves in foreign countries.

Then last year, Pastor Chan decided to do more. He stepped down from the pulpit, went off the grid for a few months and he and his family went to minister overseas. He is back now and working in San Francisco. He is still writing. There was no scandal, he just wanted to go deeper with God.

John Piper - Many were shocked when John Piper announced last year that he would not preach, write or blog for eight months. He stepped away from ministry to spend time cultivating his marriage and to work on personal issues like pride. He surrounded himself with accountability partners and went out of the public eye. Again, no scandal...just a man wanting to go deeper with God.

In this case, Piper was grieved by the pride he noticed creeping into his life and saw the way it impacted his family and decided to do something about it.

C.J. Mahaney - This author and ministry leader stepped down recently when he was made aware of personal failings sch as pride, hypocrisy, etc. Again, no scandal, just a man made aware of his sin who decided to do something about it. In this case, Sovereign Grace Ministries, the ministry he leads, has also been examining their own failings in these areas as well.

All of this reminds me of the Scripture found in Philippians 2:12 which talks about, "Working out your salvation with fear and trembling!"

There's another one in 2 Cor. 13:5 as well: Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! "

I see these stories and it encourages me. I should be examining my heart as well and listening to my accountability partners. I pray God continues to convict not only the "well known" men and women of God but all of us!

I also pray we are humble enough to respond to his conviction!

I Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy....

Joy...I believe this is one of the most misunderstood words in the Christian faith. When you hear the word joy, may feel they need to paste a sickly, unnatural smile on their face and act like everything in the world is just peachy keen...

Insert a gagging noise here.

Who hasn't experienced the happy, happy, joy, joy Christians who want no one to mention adversity and seem to deny the reality that bad things DO happen? I remember one time someone asked how my wife was, I mentioned she had a cold and then was blasted for "negatively confessing" these things.

What does the Bible say about joy? I like Proverbs 17:22, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

What do we have to be joyful about anyways?

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE." Jeremiah 29:11

We have a HOPE AND A FUTURE! That is what we have to be joyful about.

Yeah bad things happen. However we should remember this: 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

There is also this passage in Romans: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Life isn't always peaches and cream...my prayer for you is this: May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:11-14

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Happy Dependence Day (From the Archives)

(I originally posted this last year and a colleague of mine, Stanley Groothof, mentioned it today on his blog so I thought I would bring it back.)

Today it is Independence Day in the US. This is the day, for you history buffs or those without a knowledge of US History, that the US gained independence from England and set a new course.

However, for me it is DEPENDENCE Day. Today is just another day for me. Another day where I cannot do things in my own strength. Another day where I recognize that I need help, the help only God can give. I am fully dependent on Him.

You see I know I am a weak person. James 3:2 says, "For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body."

I stumble in many ways. I have done this literally as well. I used to be a bit of a klutz. The thing about stumbling is that when you start to stumble or fall, you invariably reach out for something secure to steady yourself. I do that to. I grab a hold of the ROCK!

I know I am weak and need help. I fully admit that I am dependent on the King of Kings. I would not have it any other way!

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. " (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

If you are not ashamed to admit how weak you are then I say to you as well, "Happy Dependence Day!"

Messy Faith - Just A Thought #45

When I became a Christian a week before turning 14, the church I went to made faith sound very easy. It was all about what you do:

1. Read your Bible everyday.
2. Pray every day
3. Go to church.

3 was easy, 2 happened because of guilt and 1 didn't last long. No one told me where to read and once I got into Leviticus and Numbers I was done....I put my Bible down for a long time...which increased my involvement with number 2. Then we lost everything we owned over a few years, my Mom was healed of MS and the church we attended wasn't impressed with their prayers being answered and didn't want my Mom to talk about it.

My faith was low but my desire for relationship with God was high. Of course some of that was guilt and fear. It's amazing the lessons you take away from church services. My teenage view of God was that He was quick to condemn, ready to punish and, in a moment of kindness, sent His Son to die for us.

Faith is about relationship and I knew mine was lacking.

Thankfully I decided to pick up the Bible again and read it for myself. I found out that "faith was the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED for and the EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN!" (Hebrews 11:1) I also found out that faith wasn't like what I heard in church. If you think faith is clean and easy you shouldn't read the Bible.

When I read the Bible, faith is messy. Peter denied the Lord, Thomas doubted him. David hid in caves. Paul fell out with a few fellow missionaries. When I see the men of faith in the Bible I see weakness, fear and vulnerability.

Kind of like real life.

Yet, His strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9) I find that to be encouraging. I feel weak many days.

At times my faith is like the man found in Mark 9:24, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." Try confessing that one in church!

Faith is messy. Let's not be afraid to get dirty!

Happy Dependence Day!

Today it is Independence Day in the US. This is the day, for you history buffs or those without a knowledge of US History, that the US gained independence from England and set a new course.

However, for me it is DEPENDENCE Day. Today is just another day for me. Another day where I cannot do things in my own strength. Another day where I recognize that I need help, the help only God can give. I am fully dependent on Him.

You see I know I am a weak person. James 3:2 says, "For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body."

I stumble in many ways. I have done this literally as well. I used to be a bit of a klutz. The thing about stumbling is that when you start to stumble or fall, you invariably reach out for something secure to steady yourself. I do that to. I grab a hold of the ROCK!

I know I am weak and need help. I fully admit that I am dependent on the King of Kings. I would not have it any other way!

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. " (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

If you are not ashamed to admit how weak you are then I say to you as well, "Happy Dependence Day!"

Grumble, Grumble - Just A Thought #43

"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11:24-28)

So, how was your day?

Paul had some really bad experiences happen to him, wouldn't you say? However, you'll notice he didn't stay there. He acknowledged them, but he didn't stay there. It would have been very easy for Paul to have wrapped himself in the misery of past experiences. I would have been tempted to. Yet Paul looked beyond that. In fact, in Philippians 4:8 he said this:

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."

Are we more focused on what has happened in the past or who holds our future?

Too often we wrap ourselves up in our bad experiences and wear them around like a badge of honor. People try to talk to us and we unpack our misery and display it like items at a gift shop. "Hey, look what so and so did to me!" or "Listen to this; you won't believe how this person spoke to me!"

Paul wrote many of the letters we read in the New Testament while sitting in jail!

Can we be content even when things DON'T go our way? (Philippians 4:11-13)

I am not saying we can't talk about our bad experiences. We have to be real. We can be honest about the bad stuff. However, we should be more focused on the LIVING GOD!

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

I want to be honest. I have a hard time not grumbling when things don't go my way. It's not easy. My natural tendency is to mutter and complain when bad stuff happens. I have to literally choose to rejoice. When I do, I find my mind focusing again on Christ and not the circumstances.

What kind of choice are you making?

Blogapalooza - Fred Von Kamecke

Welcome to Blogapalooza.

I want you to meet some new people. I asked various friends and bloggers to share with you this month on my blog. So, all through the month of June I will feature different voices from around the world. Today I would like to introduce you to...

Fred von Kamecke

I first came across Fred von Kamecke via another blog I read regularly. Fred's book Busted had just been released. After ordering and reading the book I was blown away. Fred had written THE BEST book on aplogetics I have ever read. Fred was one of my guests on 5 Questions with... and participated, in conjunction with Zondervan, a massive book giveaway on this very blog. Fred von Kamecke is an assistant pastor at The Chapel of Lake County, Illinois. So grab a cup of coffee, enjoy Fred's post and then go check out his book!

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Is It Just My Karma?

As I sat with some neighbors on a cool night, gathered around the warm embers of a campfire, the conversation drifted toward how people generally get what’s coming to them, or “What goes around comes around.” One neighbor said it was karma and that karma is in the Bible. It wasn’t the time for a discussion about comparative religions and biblical theology, so I didn’t pursue it. But it did get me thinking.

By thinking that karma is in the Bible, I think my neighbor had “sowing and reaping” in mind. Jesus once said, while contemplating the opportunities in Samaria, “the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true” (John 4:37 NIV). Paul reminded the Corinthians about their pledge, but warned, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). And elsewhere he said: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7-8).
So sowing and reaping is clearly biblical, but does it really square with karma? How are they alike? How are they different?
As for how they’re alike, both karma and sowing and reaping share the idea of getting what’s coming to you, whether good or bad. Your actions return to you. This similarity leaves people with the impression that they are really the same thing, but that just isn’t so.

Now, as for their differences, karma is a major feature in Hinduism. In Hinduism, God isn’t a person, but rather an “It,” an impersonal force called Brahman. All that there is, is Brahman. Brahman didn’t create the universe; Brahman is the universe. All of the galaxies, spirits, gods and goddesses, mountains, rocks, bugs, and plants — and yes, people — all are merely visible expressions of the mysterious one, Brahman.

The problem, according to Hinduism, is that we’ve forgotten our true identity, and it takes several lifetimes to realize it and reach enlightenment. Until then, we’re stuck in the wheel of reincarnation — a seemingly endless cycle of birth, death, rebirth, death, etc. As we go about our lives, the things we do (or fail to do) begin to accrue to our karma account. If you are good and generous, you’ll be rewarded in the next life. If you’re an ornery cuss in this life, you’re going to get nailed in the next. That’s why some Hindus get so irritated with Christians trying to help the destitute on the streets of Calcutta. The starving, blind, and maimed widow left begging for scraps is just working out her bad karma from a past life. Don’t help her or you’ll just mess up the process. Karma, you see, is a matter of fate. You get what’s coming to you — period.

This brings us to another important difference. Between birth and death, karma has no room for mercy, grace, compassion, love, or forgiveness. While we’re at it, since all is Brahman (the one overarching reality), then all suffering, sin, and death are ultimately illusions. They are all the mysterious outworkings of the reality that lies behind our muddled lives.

The idea of sowing and reaping is very different because the biblical context is distinct from Hinduism. First of all, God is personal and distinct from his creation. Sin and death are realities, as seen in the long run of a very bloody history in an unjust world going increasingly mad. Sin is running amok. We are not born with the baggage of previous lives; we’re simply born in sin. We also don’t have endless chances to get it right. We’re each given one shot at life, and then comes judgment.

Now we’re ready for the biggest difference of all: Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven in this life, and reap the benefits of that change in this life, and further enjoy this blessedness beyond our death and into eternity. There can still be, and often are, earthly repercussions and consequences of the sinful things we’ve done. But it doesn’t matter what we’ve done, how horrible, or for how long. When we come to Jesus in genuine faith, he forgives all our sins.

Yes, we’ll reap what we sow, but God gives us the chance to start planting different seeds for a different harvest. That’s why Paul warned the Christians in Galatia to stop sowing to their sinful nature (with its harvest of certain destruction) and to start sowing a different seed. The new goal is to live in such a way that reaps a harvest of spiritual fruit — a life that brings a smile to the heart of the Holy Spirit.

Between the Psychic and the Porta-Potty - Just A Thought #41

This past week I found myself taking part in a food drive for the Salvation Army. The drive was being put on by a traveling carnival that was set up for a couple days in town. As I pulled up they showed me where to set up, which was beside the porta-potties and across from the psychic. (Insert cheesy joke here!)

Sadly, I saw a couple Christians heading into the psychic to have their palms read or tarot cards laid out for them. The lady promised 90% accuracy in foretelling your future! I found it very sad that believers would violate God's Word by willingly seeking advice from someone practicing acts that God clearly condemns.

From psychics to horoscopes it seems people have no problem consulting others for wisdom that only God can give. It's not just wisdom though, I know quite a few believers who want to see how close they can get to the line of sin while touting their "freedom" in Christ. I think if you are looking for the line, you are already on the wrong side of it.

Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness? Can Christ agree with the devil? Can a believer share life with an unbeliever? Can God's temple contain false gods? Clearly, we are the temple of the living God. As God said, "I will live and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." The Lord says, "Get away from unbelievers. Separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with anything unclean. Then I will welcome you." (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

We are called to resist the evil of this world. We are not called to compromise, to give in, to surrender to the cares of this world. We should act more like Joseph fleeing temptation. Remember, he ran from it, leaving his cloak behind in his hurry to get away. (Genesis 39:1-11) I have never found a Scripture telling us to see how close we can get to sin while still resisting. I have never seen a Scripture where God tells us to seek His wisdom from a horoscope or a psychic.

We need to actively resist temptation. Christ, living in us, has given us the ability to do that. Let's not dabble with the things of this world. God's ways are far superior to any "wisdom or good things" the world has to offer. When we follow through with what 2 Corinthians says above, then God has promised to call us His own. "The Lord Almighty says, "I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters." (2 Corinthians 6:18)

I am NOT the same person

I was once a very angry man. When I say angry, I mean that I yelled, I screamed, I punched walls, I fumed, I stomped around. Basically I was a JERK! I would mumble, mutter and complain. I was like a lit fuse ready to explode.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

It took a few years for me to change. I tried to hide this side of me from the world around me. (Though my wife new it)

I did not know who I was. I had not accepted Jesus as LORD. I had accepted Him as Savior but not LORD. I was not willing to let Him take control of my life. I did not recognize my identity in Christ. However, once I realized the reality of Gal. 2:20 and other such verses, I truly became a new man.

I like how John Wesley's explanatory notes explains the verse in Corinthians: All things are become new - He has new life, new senses, new faculties, new affections, new appetites, new ideas and conceptions. His whole tenor of action and conversation is new, and he lives, as it were, in a new world. God, men, the whole creation, heaven, earth, and all therein, appear in a new light, and stand related to him in a new manner, since he was created anew in Christ Jesus.

This is me in a nutshell. I am not the same old jerk. I am 100% different than I was before. I find my senses, my affections, are different than they once were. The things I gravitated towards no longer interest me.

Jesus Christ CAN change your life, if you let Him!

First Love

Ah first love. There is such emotion, such passion. When I fell in love with my wife, Sarah, there was all that and more. I was consumed by her. I wanted to do everything to please her, to woo her, to win her heart.

I found my interests matched hers, at least for a time, and that we shared similar thoughts.

Then we got married.

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Revelation 2:4

When I fell in love with the Lord, when I surrendered my heart to Him, there was also great passion. I had a great frenzy of desire to please Him. I through myself into the relationship wholeheartedly. I wanted to do everything for the Lord. I wanted to pray without ceasing, to win the lost, to work, work, WORK!

Then life happened.

I have heard these really guilt-ridden messages before where we are hammered to return to our first love.

The concept is great but it's the working out that seems to drive people nuts.

I love my wife passionately. However the longer we have been together the more I realize I can never get back those emotional, giddy feelings of first love that I once had. Nor do I want to. That love was based on feelings and hormones. It was not based on fact. The FACT is my love is deeper than those early days of heightened frenzy. I am more committed, more in love than I was when we first met. Our love is richer, fuller and real. (You can ask her, I'm not making it up!)

I love the Lord more and more each day. However I never want to go back to those days of heightened frenzy where I through myself into EVERYTHING "Christian" to prove my love to God and to keep the emotions going. It wasn't natural. It leads to burnout. I don't have to work to earn God's gift of Salvation.

One verse had become more real for me. It is 2 Corinthians 12:9, which talks about God's strength being made perfect in weakness. I am weak, I need to rest. I need to rest in God and quit trying to strive to win His favor. I need to accept His gift.

I believe that the call to return to our 1st love is not a call to return to a giddy emotion. I believe it is a call to commitment, to a deeper, more passionate love. So kick back, rest and enjoy the Lord!

Dog Gone Pig!

So I had this dog as a kid. A cute little Collie, German Shepard mix. The dog was born next to a pig pen. When we got to the little farm there were all these pigs running around and off to the side was a dog with puppies. We selected our dog and then loaded up the van to drive home. Then we heard it. The dog was making pig noises. Born near the pen and being exposed to pigs it was making pig sounds. The dog was not embracing it's identity. In a short time though, with a new environment, the dog began acting like a dog!

Too bad it's not that easy for us humans. Gal.2:20 talks about how we are crucified with Christ, we no longer live but Christ lives in us. Our identity, when we accept Jesus Christ into our heart as Lord and Savior, is in Christ. Yet too many of His children still act like we are living in the pig pen. We are no longer in the world. We are a new Creation! New! (2 Cor. 5:17)

As a new creation I don't have to live a life according to the world. I can live one that is pleasing to God. One that is filled with peace in the midst of turmoil. One that is filled with hope for a future with Him.

I can live out the fruit of the Spirit because I won't be trying to do it myself.

So embrace your identity!