What Can the Church Be?

It is easy to see the negative. Ask some people how they view the church, and you will hear words like “hypocrites or unloving.” I choose to see the positive. When a church is operating at its best, it can be many things, such as:

A School – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” At its best a church is a wonderful place to learn about God and to have the Word of God explained. We grow in our knowledge of the King of Kings and out of that teaching, training, discipleship, and correction, we can move forward in sharing His love with others.

A Hospital – Mark 2:16-17 says, “And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” At its best a church is a place of healing, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is a place we can go for prayer when we are sick, for hope when we are emotionally overwhelmed, and to find the salvation that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

A Family – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” At is best a church is a perfect family. A family that loves one another, encourages, supports and prays for one another.

I have experienced the school, the hospital and the family.  This is the church at its best.

Don't Miss Jesus

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.

But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."  (Mark 14:3-9)

The people gathered at Simon’s house were missing the point of what this woman was doing.  They saw with their physical eyes and their indignation and disgust was distracting them from what was really happening.  The people were more focused on the value of the nard and what could be done with it, than they were on Jesus Christ. 

"The poor always being with us" is probably one of the most misquoted Scriptures in the Bible.  I have seen it taken out of context and used as an excuse to avoid asking the hard questions about poverty or as an excuse to do nothing.  Jesus was not talking about ignoring the poor in this passage.  He was not saying that they’ll always be there so therefore we should do nothing to relieve their suffering.  He was saying that at that particular moment, what this woman was doing was a reflection of God’s will and timing. 

Jesus pointed out that she was anointing his body for burial.  He was drawing their attention to the fact that He was going to die!  We know through the Scriptures that He was dying for each one of us, but at this moment in the story, people weren’t getting that.   

Jesus had a heart for the poor.  He reached out to and walked with those who suffered.  He called the weak, the sick, the impoverished and even the religious.  He called all of them and all of us to a deeper relationship.   He called us to love one another, just as he loved us. 

He calls us to walk with those less fortunate.  To reach out with His love, grace, mercy and hope.  If we do otherwise, we miss opportunities to see Him reflected in those around us.  I have seen Jesus reflected in the lives of the poor, the needy, the addicted and the afflicted.  I have felt the presence of God as a homeless man poured out his heart beside me, sharing his struggles with addictions, fear and faith.  I have seen the heart of Jesus reflected in an addict who reaches out in concern for those around him.  I have seen the love of Jesus in the actions of  the one whom society steps over and ignores.

Yes we have the poor among us today.  We also have an opportunity to experience God’s love in a fresh and exciting way.  Let’s not miss Jesus.

Let's Get Real!

Life is hard and sometimes it feels like we are on the losing side.  It's hard to get on top of life's battles.  Discouragement and disillusionment seem to be nipping at our heals.  

Let's be honest...that sounds like a typical day for some of us!

This week I was encouraged by a Psalm of lament. 

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.  (Psalms 13:1-6)

There was a man who sounded like he was suffering and yet He trusted in the Lord, the one who restores his soul!

Here is another Scripture with a similar theme.

Habakkuk 3:17- 19, Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.

I remember sitting on my balcony in Croatia years ago.  I was in a bit of a funk and looking up, saw dark clouds rolling across the sky.  I decided to put down my feelings in a poem.  As I neared the end, the sky began to clear.

I Need Clear Skies 

I need clear skies

Lord, I need clear skies

I need a ray of hope

To start shining through

The winds are getting strong

Dark clouds are rolling in

And now the rain

The rain is coming down

Things don’t look good

A gloom is setting in

Help me Lord

Let it not affect my mood

Off in the distance

I see some brighter clouds

Oh please let them

Start to come my way

Finally here they come

Sunshine is on the way

The winds are calming

The rain has gone away

I see clear skies

Lord, I see clear skies

I see a ray of hope

It’s shining on my heart

I read that poem, thanks to translation via a Croatian friend, at an evening of poetry and song a few days later.  A lady came up to me afterwards and asked how long after I wrote the poem did I become a Christian.  I told her I wrote it last week!  She was stunned because she was not used to hearing Christians speak of discouragement and gloom.

In the midst of the storm, it is hard to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Distractions come to easily.  We lose our focus and look at the storm itself.  Yet it is only Jesus who can lift us up above the storm and calm the wind and the waves of life.

Sometimes my prayer is simply "Lord I believe; help my unbelief!"  (Mark 9:23-24)

The great thing about Jesus is He hears and answers those prayers as well!

Am I Ashamed of Jesus?

Apparently I am ashamed of Jesus.

I don't truly love Him.

I have worked in and out of ministry for 22 years and been a Christian for 29 years.  I have been a pastor, missionary and counselor. Throughout the week I share Jesus with those I meet via my job in ministry. I spend time sharing with others and trying to point them to the Savior.

However, nearly every week I am told on Facebook that if I do not forward the latest "Christian" post spam, then I am ashamed of Him and that He would deny me before God because I had denied Him before men!

How did this happen? How did Scriptures like Mark 8:38, where Jesus had been talking about taking up our cross and following Him, get misappropriated to mean if we did not forward Facebook posts we were dishonoring God? Why is Matthew 10:33 flying around on my Facebook telling me to forward various of nonsensical stuff to everyone on my list? Why am I being browbeaten by Luke 9:26 and told that I don't love God enough if I don't forward these posts to all my friends?

Enough!

You can call this a rant. It's ok.

I find myself disturbed by this misuse of Scripture.

The Bible is God's Word. According to 2nd Timothy 3:16, "Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval."

Now I believe the internet can be used as powerful tools in sharing God's Word. To teach, encourage, correct and train people in the the Word. However when we manipulate Scripture to encourage people to send cutesy (or spiritually manipulative) posts around the world we do a major disservice to the body of Christ!

It's sad really.  The internet can be used to share your testimony, encourage the body of Christ and to be a true witness but when I read a misuse of Scripture I immediately delete the posts from my page. So before sending the next forward of the latest Christian Chain Image stop and look at the Scripture you are sending. Is it applicable, appropriate and used in a way that will glorify God? If it is then by all means send it. If it only furthers the "blessings and cursing" of a chain letter with a bit of Scripture added, do everyone a favor and hit delete.

(This post originally appeared back in 2009 and was geared more towards emails I was receiving at the time.  I have now updated and adapted it for Facebook.)

Christians and Mental Health - What Are We Afraid Of?

Cancer is a hideous disease and when Christians meet someone suffering from this illness, they will pray, serve and love them through the process.  They do not blame the victim.  Ailments of the body are prayed over and help is extended to the one suffering.

Not so with mental health issues.  I remember growing up in the church and the response to someone with mental illness often times tended to be that those people were somehow 'possessed' or allowing Satan to run rampant in their life. 

People with mental health issues are sometimes afraid to mention their suffering around other believers because of the condemnation they feel they may receive.  Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. have often been minimized and are little discussed in the body of Christ.  In fact, I have met some who seem to act like they wish it would go away. 

Mental health and Christianity were in the spotlight recently when Pastor Rick Warren lost a son to suicide.  His son had struggled with mental illness his entire life and after a long bout with depression, ended his life.

We in the church are called to love our neighbors (Mark 12:31).  In fact loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves are considered the two greatest commandments.  So why do we sometimes fail to love our neighbors with mental illness?

What are we afraid of? 

Can God heal a mental health issue?  Absolutely.  He is a miracle working God.  However just as God does not heal every person with cancer nor does He heal every person with depression. 

Sometimes we are called to persevere.

I believe the church should be an inviting place.  A place where all those with problems, be they spiritual, physical, social, financial or mental are welcomed, loved and cherished. 

400 million battle mental illness worldwide.

God loves every one of them. 

Shouldn't we?

Resting Well - Just A Thought #57

Mark 6:30-32, "The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves."

Sounds like the apostles were busy and Jesus knew they needed a break.  Do you ever feel like you don't even have a chance to catch a quick meal before you go, go, go?

Do you feel like you rest well?  I am not talking about sleep, though that is an issue for many, but resting and refreshing in the Lord?  Do you take time away to renew and refresh yourself in His presence?  Are you stopping from the hustle and bustle to reconnect with the Father?

How well do you rest? 

I am SLOWLY learning the value of rest in the midst of a busy season.  I have intentionally pulled back from some things...even some of my leisure activities, in order to rest more.  I am finding my thoughts turning to the Lord as I seek His wisdom on what to pick up and what to lay down.

We should allow rest to shift our attention.  To pull back from the things that keep us busy and to re-focus on the Kingdom of God.

We should use this time to get refocused.  Our priorities may need to be re-shifted as we seek to balance our relationship with God, family, work and play.

Do we truly slow down enough when we rest?  As it says in Ecclesiastes, there is a season for everything.

God gave us days to work, but he also calls us to take a Sabbath, a time to rest.  We should not feel guilty when we slow down and stop to breathe.

"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God." (Hebrews 11:9)

We may work well but do we rest well?

I wonder if Jesus... - Just A Thought #51

Spring is in the air and I am feeling a bit...restless. Not in a, dissatisfied with life, type of way. More like an, I need a new challenge, type of thing.

I have been wondering and praying about what might be next. Is this God stirring my pot in order to prepare me for something new or is God just stirring me to be ready for what He is doing right now? I don't feel like it's time to change jobs, towns, etc.

I feel like it is a time of new challenges. I do have some exciting stuff happening this summer and most of it is new opportunities. Maybe that is all it is.

All of this has me asking some other questions as well. Ones that have been stirring my thoughts. I don't have a lot of answers, the ones I have I don't want to share. Occasionally I just like to brainstorm, reflect and contemplate....

Things like....

I wonder if Jesus ever took a "mental health" day?

How disappointed is God by our church dis-unity?

Why do we want grace for ourselves and yet judge the sins of others so harshly?

What part of "loving our enemies" is so hard to get?

Why do we rank sin?

Should we not focus on the log in our own eyes first?

If Jesus loved the world enough to die for it, why are we afraid to love the "neighbor" that He died for?

What would happen if we as Christians focus as much on evangelism as we did on protests, legal actions and petitions?

These and other questions rattle through my mind.

Mark 12:30–31 says, "'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

I am coming to the realization that if I am passionate about obeying these two commandments my worldview will be blown wide open. If I love the Lord with all of my being and love my neighbor (the sinner I judge so harshly) as much as I love myself, I can look forward to Spring as time of new beginnings. A new depth in my relationship with God and a new heart for the lost.

Going back to the new challenges, maybe it's not so new after all. Maybe the challenge is to obey what He has already said we should do!

Where Am I?

No, I am not playing the Rick version of Where's Waldo.

I am just in a different place right now.

It started with the word I felt the Lord gave me for 2012. Prayer.

I started talking to the Father a bit more and the more I prayed, the more relaxed I felt. 2011 was a year of stress but 2012 has definitely been a year of refreshing. In fact I have had people stop me and tell me that I look more relaxed and at peace.

I've also had people ask what was wrong with me...because I have been a bit more quiet and contemplative as well. I am a talker and when a talker doesn't talk, people get uncomfortable and ask if the talker is ok.

Mark 6:30-32 says, "The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place."

I have felt the call to come away to a solitary place and get some rest. I couldn't leave my job but I have pulled back and just spent timer mentally refreshing with the Lord.

As Psalm 23 puts it: He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul;

I have to say, it has been nice.

Part of my refreshing meant I was also away from my blog even more than last year. Besides the occasional book review, compassion post or interview I have been largely silent. (no loss I know)

I expect I will post a bit more now.

When was the last time you felt refreshed?

Walking Forgiveness - Just A Thought #47

I have been thinking about forgiveness a quite a bit lately. What does it look like? Am I living out my faith and forgiving those who I feel have wronged me? Am I following the commands of Jesus to forgive "seventy times seven?"

One thing I know for sure and that is, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," (Ephesians 1:7)

If His blood can wash away my sins and He has shown me His amazing grace, how can I then judge others for the wrong they have done to me?

Jesus himself asked God to forgive those who were crucifying Him! "And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments." (Luke 23:34)

Of course I am not Jesus and I'll tell you what, it is hard to forgive someone who has burned you...sometimes more than once. I have struggled with forgiveness more than I care to remember. I can relate to Peter asking Jesus how often we should forgive someone...and in the past, found the response of Jesus hard to swallow. "Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22) Jesus makes it pretty clear here that there is no cap on forgiveness. He is still forgiving those who were never born when He was crucified!

Forgiveness is made even more clear to me when I see these verses in Mark: "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.] (Mark 11:25-26) This sounds like we shouldn't be holding grudges....it says if YOU have anything against anyone, FORGIVE!

Sometimes offering forgiveness means we actually have to humble ourselves and let go of our pride! The "I am in the right and justified" attitude just doesn't cut it. Neither does taking on the offense of others.

In this world we are going to get hurt, stepped on and abused! Do we let the enemy rob our joy or do we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and remember that He forgave us much, so how much more should we forgive others? I know, you've been hurt badly...so was Jesus. I know you were in the right...so was Jesus. You have every reason to be angry...so did Jesus.

Yet He chose to die so that you AND the person who hurt you could experience His forgiveness.

I'll leave you with 2 verses I am chewing on right now. May they speak to you as you think on this topic.

Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

James 1:19, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;"

Are you walking out forgiveness?

Sharing a Meal

Did you ever notice how many times it is recorded in the four Gospels that Jesus ate a meal? He fed and ate with the 4,000 (Mark 8:1-9) and the 5,000. (Luke 9:10-17) He ate a meal with Matthew in his house. (Matthew 9:9-19) He called Zacchaeus down from a tree to share a meal in his place of residence. (Luke 19:1-10) He ate at Mary and Martha’s place. (Luke 10:38-42) Of course, we all know about the Last Supper. (Matthew 26:26-29)

I think Jesus was setting a good example here. Fellowship and hospitality were on continual display. Some people, the religious of the day, did not always think these meals were a good thing. However, Jesus fellow-shipped with those who would have Him and lives were changed. People were impacted through His ministry over a meal.

I think one of the most powerful meals Jesus shared, was when He cooked breakfast for the disciples, encouraged them to eat, and then later spoke to Peter. (John 21)

After Jesus was taken back up into Heaven, we see the church growing and in Acts 2:40-47 there is specific mention of how the early church broke bread from house to house. People were happy, sold items to share with those who were needy and people were getting saved!

What is it about a meal?

A meal helps people to relax. They feel comfortable and will open up more. When people open up, they will share their heart and if we are effective listeners, we can hear how God would have us respond. Maybe it’s to provide for the need. It might be just to walk with them during a time of crisis. We or they just may need some encouragement. Whatever the issue, a meal can break down walls.

I think a meal together can also draw us closer to the Father. Look how many teaching moments came when Jesus was eating with someone. The Bible says where two or more are gathered, He is in the midst. (Matthew 18:20) What better way to gather than over a meal?

When a church family eats together, God can take them deeper than they have ever been before. Lives can be touched and people can be impacted for eternity.

So fire up the BBQ, grab a few friends and LIVE!

Walking On By

Recently two elders within YWAM came up to our church plant in Smithers, BC for a special service. One of the men, Paul, shared the story of Jesus walking on the water and Peter stepping out to meet Him. You can read that story in Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-52.

Paul briefly mentioned the later part of Mark 6:48. It was a little aside and not something he focused on but it started rolling around in my mind and I have been blessed by meditating a bit more on that Scripture.

The verse says, "Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by."

Why would Jesus pass them by?

While thinking on that I, also realized how often I feel that way in my own life. I feel as if Jesus is passing me by and doesn't see the storm I am in. Work, family, life, pastor, friends, interests, it all seems to swirl around me in a bit of a "perfect storm."

I feel as if I am rowing against the wind.

Yet in that storm, Jesus walked close enough for the disciples to see Him. They cried out for they couldn't see Him clearly. As they did, He drew closer and revealed Himself more fully. He got into the boat with them, calmed the storm and they worshiped Him!

It is a comfort to me to know that, though it may feel like Christ is passing me by in the midst of the storm, in reality He is closer than I think!

All I have to do is cry out to Him.

Fear, Doubt and Pain

As I am getting older, I am looking at things like fear, doubt and pain just a bit differently.

I actually consider them...dare I say...blessings. Let me explain.

When I say fear is a blessing it is because I am not talking about heart palpitating, terror of the unknown. I am talking about the kind of fear found in Proverbs 9:10 which says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

I want to develop this kind of fear (reverence) of the Lord.

When i say doubt, I am talking about the kind of doubt that drives me to the Son of God. The doubt expressed in Mark 9:24 where a boys father says to Jesus Christ, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

I feel doubt is a blessing when it causes me to draw near to God. When I cling to Him, reach for His Word, well it causes me to trust Him more.

Pain...ok call me silly but lately I look at pain as a blessing. Not that I wish it on myself or anyone else. Pain is a blessing WHEN it reminds me that I am alive. It also is God's warning system that something is wrong. In the end, it causes me to PRAY more.

Fear, Doubt and Pain are 3 things I used to avoid. 20 years ago I would have told a Christian to avoid these things like the plague. Now, I recognize the value WHEN they bring me closer to God.

Generations of Faith

Observations on the generations.

The passion of the children: I had the pleasure of sharing a devotional with a local AWANA group recently and was blown away by their passion. I shared a story about playing hide and seek (with my bobcat) and tied it into hiding God's Word in your heart. I then asked these kids if they had been memorizing Bible verses. Over the next 10-15 minutes child after child raised their hand and shared verses they had been memorizing. I never had to call on a child. They all wanted to share a verse or tell me their favorite book. Their passion spoke to me, challenged me.

The working out of the youth: Today's Christian teens want to work! They want to be given a task and let loose. The teens I know all have an amazing work ethic and want to DO something for God. They don't just want to talk about God, they want to work out their faith with hands and feet! Give them a task, not some cheesy set out the chairs task, but real vibrant tasks that can challenge them and give them the opportunity to "BE" believers in action.

The willingness of the young adults: We had a YWAM team in town recently and one thing I noticed was their willingness to step out of their comfort zones. These young adults led worship, performed skits and shared testimonies and sermons, most for the first time. Sure they had a deer-in-the-headlight look when I asked them to perform a never before practiced skit in front of a youth group and they expressed nervousness at leading worship for the first time. Yet, they did it...willingly. Without hesitation they stepped in, stepped up and lives were changed.

The wisdom of the elders: I have noticed, the older I get, that I am hearing more wisdom from the elders around me. I know now that they always had this wisdom, but I am of an age where I am actually paying attention. I want to glean from those who traveled this road of faith before me. I want to learn from their mistakes and pay attention to the lessons learned.

Passion, working out, willingness and wisdom...if I could combine these things with the faith of a child...well I'd be set. I love the child like faith I see in young children. They believe, I mean REALLY BELIEVE, that God can move mountains and do the impossible.

In the end that is what we all need. A child like faith. (Mark 10:16)

He STILL Moves Mountains

"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Mark 11:23

God just moved a big mountain in my wife's life this week and we are all praising Him right now.

My wife has suffered from a gluten-intolerance for over 3 years now. Considering how gluten is in so much of what we eat, you can well imagine the time and energy my wife has spent trying to make sure she eats the proper foods, reading ingredients and looking for anything tasty!

So we had a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) team in town this past week. The team has just completed the lecture phase of their Discipleship Training School (DTS) and before heading overseas, decided to spend a week in northern, BC.

We had an amazing time with them being here. They were able to share in 3 churches, the Christian high school and also run a soup kitchen for a few days.

The Lord was moving as they also prayed for a few individuals and 2 of them received physical healing...including my wife, Sarah.

One of the students was sharing how she had a serious milk allergy and the Lord had touched her. Sarah went for prayer and later that day had a piece of bread...which was enough to land her in bed in the past. This time...nothing. The next day she had butter tarts and date squares filled with white flour.

She has been completely and 100% healed.

Today we are rejoicing. God still moves mountains!

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!

Blogapalooza - Paul Wilkinson

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...

Paul Wilkinson

My first contact with Paul Wilkinson on the blogosphere was when he found my blog a few years back. He had started his blog a couple months before I did and somehow came across mine. He contacted me and left a comment on an article. After that I checked out his site and have been a DAILY reader since. Read this piece Paul sent and then check out his blog!

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I'm honoured to be asked to guest write again at Just a Thought. I'm going to go out on a limb here and presume that a majority of Rick's readers live in his current home state of British Columbia. No... 'state' isn't a typo, I've been to California enough times to know that west coast living is a state of mind. But I've only been to B.C. on a technicality. Let me explain.

Thanks to my parents' love of road trips -- and one I did with a friend when I was 21 -- I've been to 40 of the 50 U.S. states. My last trip with them was when I was 14 and we went from Ontario to Utah and then north to Banff National Park and Lake Louise in Alberta where, even in the rain, it was still a picture postcard scene. My father was backtiming the days he needed to drive back through the Canadian prairies and return to work on time, so when I pleaded that I wanted to cross B.C. off my "places visited" list, the best he could do with the time remaining was to drive into Jasper National Park. A few feet into the park. For three minutes.

On that basis, I've been to British Columbia. Sort of.

I wonder if people approach the Christian faith that way? At some point in their lives they've crossed a line. Maybe they prayed a prayer. Maybe they were intellectual converts to someone's skillful apologetic. Maybe they truly felt God's presence in a worship service. But that was then. Perhaps they still attend services and even give money or time, but they're kinda 'in on a technicality,' like my visit to Jasper. Just enough to have the bases covered.

A rich man once came to Jesus. To read his spiritual resumé, he was more than just 'in.' He had church cred. But obviously there was some nagging doubt. He went to Jesus to make sure he truly did have all the bases covered. So Jesus throws him the option of doing what Peter and John and the rest of The Twelve did; the option of ditching job and possessions and becoming one of his followers. It's the same "Come follow me" invitation; he's giving the guy the option of becoming a late addition to the team, a 13th disciple. (see Mark 10 and Luke 18.)

But in that moment the man comes face to face with his true priorities. He walks away. A day later, a week later, a month later, if you were to ask him, what would he say is his true spiritual condition?

I think if he was honest he'd say, "Jesus showed me that my heart wasn't truly invested the way it may have appeared. If I'm in, I'm in on a technicality."

Jesus is looking for people who will sign up to be "all in."

Paul & Ruth Wilkinson live in southern Ontario where, on a clear day, you still can't see any mountains. Paul blogs at Thinking out Loud.

Lord I Believe, Help My Unbelief! - Just A Thought #39

I believe God still does miracles today. I have seen Him heal the sick instantaneously. I remember well when God INSTANTLY healed my Mom of multiple sclerosis.

I have also seen God meet financial needs, miraculously provide food, etc.

What happens to our faith though when God stays His hand? I have been battling and slowly recovering from a nasty chest cold for about a month. I have prayed for God to relieve my pain and sickness for weeks. I have had others praying for me. Yet in all of this the Lord did not heal me. I have been on steroids, antibiotics and more cough syrup than I care to remember. At one point the pain was so bad I literally was asking God to heal me or take me home!

In all of this I can say God is good! For whatever reason the Lord did not heal me instantly. He obviously had other plans. He also, and my wife appreciates this with a baby on the way, did not take me home at my worst point!

All of this has caused me to pray harder, dig into the Word and to seek Him with my whole heart. I find myself praying for others, seeking His will and sharing Him more!

So maybe God did heal me after all.....maybe He healed my faith which was not as strong as it could have been! I remember clearly praying Mark 9:24. My belief has been helped, strengthened and stretched.

Thank You Lord for answering prayer!

Theology Made Easy - Just A Thought #34

Theology can be tough on the average Christian. I am not saying it shouldn't be something we, as believers, should study; but the fact remains it does pose an almost insurmountable peak to some believers.

I remember preaching at a church a couple years back and before the service a man walked in with a couple books in his hand. I asked him what he had there. He showed me his Bible and below that was a nice thick, juicy book of theology. (Light reading for when the preacher got boring, I guess.) I immediately endeared myself to him by saying, "Ah theology, the over-complication of Christianity."

Needless to say, he didn't get much out of my message that day.

My point, though, was not to knock theology. I do feel we should know what we believe: the 'hows' and the 'whys' of our faith. I think we should endeavor to go deeper with God on a regular basis. However I think that we, the church, put people off by our secret language, our members only mentality and our complication of the things of God.

Don't get me wrong. I am not for the dumbing down of the Gospel. I am all for making Jesus easier to understand for the average person, though. For example: Sanctification - to make Holy. It is mentioned 5 times in the King James version of the Bible. Then I look at my bookshelf. I have a book here called The 5 Views of Sanctification. A 200+ page book on something mentioned 5 times in the Bible. Why do we need to complicate the idea of being made Holy? How hard do we think that is for the average Joe to understand?

When I was a new believer I heard the word 'sanctification' tons of times from the pulpit, but it was never explained. Why not just say what it is and move on? Who are we trying to impress with our knowledge?

It is why I love kids. Kids have a child-like faith that is incredible. They just believe. Tell them God moves mountains...OK. He raises the dead...OK. They believe! They don't take the cynical, justifying faith approach we have as adults. Things are black and white, quick and simple.

Recently I was at a ministerial luncheon with a few other Pastors in our town. One Pastor, Stanley Groothof, who writes the 4th Point, brought his 3 year old daughter Hannah. We had been talking about the 5 Question interviews I do on my blog and he said he was going to interview his daughter. It went something like this:

Favourite song: “Jesus Loves Me.”
Favourite video: Veggie Tales Madame Blueberry.
Favourite Bible story: Noah and the flood.
Meaning of life: God.

Meaning of Life - God. Simple, cut and dry. Now as an adult we can take that and say..."Well, historically 'blah blah blah', theologically she forgot 'yada, yada, yada'. So what? To her, the meaning of life was God. How simple, yet how profound.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:15)

"He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-4)

In our efforts to go deeper with God and to passionately share Him with others, let us not ignore the basics, the childlike faith.

One Day At a Time

One Day.

24 Hours.

1,440 Minutes.

86,400 Seconds.

That was all I was asking God for.

Wait. I am getting ahead of myself.

I look up faith in the dictionary. One of the Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions for faith is: belief and trust in and loyalty to God

I like that. The Bible defines faith as: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

I really like that!

As I mentioned a few days ago here, I have asthma. I recently struggled with it to the point where I was completely and utterly worn out. Using your inhaler 24 times in 21 days will do that. There were other issues going on which I mentioned in my previous post. However a result of all of this was that my faith was at a low point. A really low point.

On day 21 I was talking to my Mom, (believing Moms are great) and shared with her my health struggle. I told her that I really didn't have much faith for long term relief from the struggle right now. My prayer was echoing that of the father found in Mark: Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

I mentioned I really only had faith for one day. 24 hours. My Mom prayed for me and then we hung up. 24 hours passed. No inhaler! I praised God but my faith was such that I was taking it one day at a time. I continued to have faith for just that much. Now, 8 days out (as I write this) and I find my faith growing. As I dig into the Word and worship the Father I feel I have the faith for 2-3 days now.

Maybe that doesn't mean a lot to you.

Maybe your faith is stronger.

Praise God.

I find right now, one day at a time allows me to cling to Him in a fresh way.

Maybe in a week or 2 it will be a week at a clip, then a month, then a year...faith is like that.

It grows as it is nurtured. We have are ups and downs.

God, however is always faithful.

Am I ashamed of Jesus?

Apparently I am ashamed of Jesus. I did not know this was true. I pastor a church and proclaim His Name every Sunday. Throughout the week I share Jesus with those I meet via my job at the Salvation Army. I spend time counseling others and trying to point them to the Savior. Yet every week I am told that if I did not FW the latest "Christian" email spam, then I was ashamed of Him and that He would deny me before God because I had denied Him before men!

How did this happen? How did Scriptures like Mark 8:38, where Jesus had been talking about taking up our cross and following Him, get misappropriated to mean if we did not FW emails we were dishonoring God? Why is Matthew 10:33 flying around in my inbox telling me to FW long emails of nonsensical stuff to everyone on my list? Why am I being browbeaten by Luke 9:26 and told that I don't love God enough if I don't FW these emails to all my friends and the person who sent it to me?

Enough!

You can call this a rant. It's ok.

I find myself disturbed by this misuse of Scripture.

The Bible is God's Word. According to 2nd Timothy 3:16, "Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval."

Now I believe email and the internet can be used as powerful tools in sharing God's Word. To teach, encourage, correct and train people in the the Word. However when we manipulate Scripture to encourage people to send cutesy emails around the world we do a major disservice to the body of Christ!

The sad part is some of these emails are really interesting but when I read a misuse of Scripture I immediately delete them. So before sending the next FW of the latest Christian Chain Letter stop and look at the Scripture you are sending. Is it applicable, appropriate and used in a way that will glorify God? If it is then by all means send it. If it only furthers the "blessings and cursing" of a chain letter with a bit of Scripture added, do everyone a favor and hit delete.