Mark Beeson

Jump Start For My Blog Readers

 
Want to get a head start on a project I'm giving every person at GCC? 

Here it is.

I'm asking everyone to memorize the following passage of Holy Scripture according the New International Version. This will enable us to say it together - using the same words from the same translation. My staff is already working on this passage. I hope you'll commit it to memory too.

I'll be giving this to everyone attending our communion service at 1st Wednesday in a couple of days. (By the way, this is the last time we're offering the sacrament in 2009, so I hope you'll be participating.) The rest of the church will receive my request in January with a challenge to have this perfectly memorized by Easter.  You can have your memory work accomplished by Christmas if you begin now.

Here's the passage, word-for-word, just as you should memorize it.

2 Peter 1:2-12 (New International Version)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.

If it's been a long time since you memorized anything, let me offer this bit of help. Don't worry too much about memorizing the passage. Instead, read it aloud (slow, with feeling) five times each day from now until Christmas.  If you do this, you'll discover you've almost got it memorized - even though you haven't really been trying.  (If you read it aloud ten times a day...all the better.)

Deuteronomy 11:18-20  -  Memorize these laws and think about them. Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and your foreheads to help you obey them. Teach them to your children. Talk about them all the time—whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write them on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates.

 

Equality

Since yesterday's post I've been questioned about Amber's involvement in Sporting Clays.

"So did Amber just carry the camera while you shot the course? Since she's...well... a girl, I'm assuming you didn't let her shoot clay birds, did you?"

You assumed wrong. With bow or gun, Amber has been a phenomenal shot since she was a child. My kids are budding conservationists and naturalists - involved in fishing, hunting and shooting sports all their lives. In fact, shortly after Ryan married Amber he told her, "Your childhood was every little boy's dream." I took that as a compliment.

Genesis 49:24  -  Each one's bow remains steady. Each one's arms are made strong by the power of the Mighty God of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel.

1960 Vacation Bible School

 

Check this out. It's Bradley United Methodist Church's VBS (Greenfield, IN) in 1960. A friend just sent it to me and I've enjoyed looking at my old buddies.

Sheila is on the second row, far left. (Yeah, we grew up in the same church.)
My brother Matt is on the first row, second from the left.
I'm in the middle of the back row.

Have you put your child, or grandchild, in GCC's children's ministry?  Where will they be five decades from now?  Have you thought about the path you are leading your kids to follow?

Proverbs 22:6  -  Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Where Are You Going?

I was outside yesterday shooting Sporting Clays at Three Oaks. Amber aimed the camera my way as I leaned against a tree and watched the clay birds fly. At the time I was with my six kids, participating in a sport enjoyed by millions of Americans every year. I went to shoot and they traveled with me. It was nice of them to go along.

Tonight Jason Miller quoted C.S. Lewis in the service. Lewis wrote, "Those who are going nowhere can have no fellow travelers." He helped me remember the truth. People can't go with you if you're not going, and doing nothing is a recipe for loneliness. How can any agree to go along if they don't know where we're going?

Amos 3:3  -  Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?

It's Never Too Soon To Start....

I took piano lessons for six years. I'm careful to avoid saying I can play piano; that would suggest I learned to play. Hey, I only had six years and music wasn't in the center of my wheelhouse. So today when I saw Aaron playing piano with Ruby on his lap I thought, "Maybe she's got some talent I'm missing. My kids love music; she might too. Maybe I'm witnessing the start of Ruby's music career." 

So I took a picture.

In twenty or thirty years I'll fill you in on Ruby's progress. Some may feel it's too late for them to start playing beautiful music, but for our children, it's never too soon.

Psalms 33:3  -  Sing a new song. Shout! Play beautiful music.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving Day and it's apparent my wife is already gearing up for Ruby's first Christmas. 

This gives me pause. Not simply because Sheila is likely to spend a lot of time in the next few weeks making gifts for her granddaughter, but because I'll probably join her gift-making efforts. We're in for a busy month. 

I better fill another plate with turkey and dressing so I can eat again; I need to to carb-load for the projects ahead.

2 Corinthians 8:11  - Having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly, giving whatever you can out of whatever you have. Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now.

Advent Expectations

I was inspired at our Elkhart Campus last Sunday. I talked with volunteers, laughed with parents and enjoyed the music. The sermon was brilliant. The sound was great. The space was clean and the atmosphere was wonderful. I got everything I expected - and more.

Since then I've thought about right-sizing ministry and meeting expectations. I'd like to offer a bit more than people expect. I'd like to help more than people think I will. That little extra communicates the value we place on the people we serve.

Our Elkhart Campus provides a good example.

When first-time-visitors roll out of bed to prepare for their first trip to worship in a rented room, their loftiest dreams are summarized with, "I hope the choir sings on key," or "I'll be happy if Dad doesn't fall asleep," or "I'd be so awesome if they have something for children."

Whether those expectations are justified or not isn't the point of this blog. The point is that people have a number of reasonable (right-sized) expectations that can be satisfied if God's people care enough to address them. It's not too much to hope for a clean space. It's not unreasonable to expect the children will be warm and safe. It's OK to assume the preacher is prepared.

If we serve with integrity (and our compassion is sourced in God's) we'll offer more than people expect. People surprised by Love - working in and through us - get far more than they expect.

Ephesians 3:20  -  Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

Jeff Bell / GCC's Elkhart Campus Pastor

I really like Jeff. I watched him in action at the Elkhart Campus this morning, and here's a list of five things I value in his leadership.

1. He demonstrates his love for his wife. How he speaks of her and speaks with her says volumes about his devotion and commitment to her.

2. He looks people in the eye when conversing. Jeff locks eyes with you as he listens. He makes people feel valued...because he values them.

3. He's present in the moment. When he's with you he's with you. It doesn't seem that he's looking past you or through you to the next agenda.  If he makes time to stop, he engages.

4. He prepares. He prepares for his preaching. He prepares for his meetings. He prepares for his job and he prepares for his leadership responsibilities and opportunities. (I often wonder how much better people could lead if they just spent some time preparing themselves for the task.)

5. He leads people toward Christ.  If people follow Jeff he'll lead them closer to Jesus. How cool is that?

Philippians 3:17  -  Brothers and sisters, imitate me, and pay attention to those who live by the example we have given you.

Advent at GCC

My good friend Dustin Maust created this trailer for GCC's upcoming Advent Series. Dustin is a flat-out-creative-genius. He captured the essential theme of our December weekend series and Christmas eve services.

You have a future. This is the season to discover it.

Jeremiah 29:11-13  -  I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me.

Uncle Jan and Aunt Michelle Are Awesome

   - Photo by Josh Hunter

Three of my four nephews are pictured here. (The bifurcated ungulate is the deer; all bipeds are nephews.)  Left to right: Joel (brilliant ophthalmologist), Buck, Isaac (incredible pastor and leader) and Josh (the managerial/business guru who is the brains behind the towering success of his two brothers).

There are plenty of hard times in life so these brothers schedule time together to share some good times too. Their family time is always good time.

You may wonder how three men from the south are able to hunt together every year in Ohio - where big bucks roam. I'll tell you how. It's because of the outrageous love and generosity of their Uncle Jan. He invites them to join him on his land. He and Aunt MIchelle feed them, house them and create an environment - year after year - where these brothers can reconnect with each other, their family and God. It's good times. Uncle Jan and Aunt Michelle are awesome.

2 Corinthians 1:5  -  We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

Three Things I Remembered In The Woods

Lest anyone imagine I think deep thoughts, I'm revealing three things I remembered this month. These are things you probably know. I guess I knew these things too, but God recently brought them to the forefront of my thinking. They're not very deep, but my "hunting" time (snacking on raisins in the cold, dark, wet woods) enhanced my ability to remember what I already knew.

Here's what I remembered.

1. When you are cold, it's nice to get warm. Coming home, soaking in a hot tub and drinking coffee in front of the fireplace is better than staying cold and miserable.

2. When you are wet, it's nice to get dry. Fish can stay wet for a long time but I get all wrinkled when I'm soaked for hours. Getting out of cold, wet clothes is nice. It's better to be dry and comfortable than wet and miserable.

3.  When you are really hungry, eating good food is wonderful. No kidding. Skipping lunch while shivering in the woods is a short-lived thrill. Heading home to eat a hot meal - after hunting all day - makes a good day even better. Great food is....great!

So, what did I learn?

It's better to be warm, dry and well-fed than cold, wet and hungry.

But tonight many people in Michiana are cold and hungry, soaked by the pouring rain and looking for a place to take shelter. What many of us briefly experience as the discomfort of momentary inconvenience, they face as the cruel reality of ongoing life.

So, what's to be done?

It'd be a curious response to join the miserable in their misery. What's gained by sharing the pangs of hunger in the bitter cold? Will starving yourself relieve another's hunger? How does standing in the soaking rain bring aid to those caught in a downpour? Does camaraderie in scarcity somehow satiate the famished?

God gives a compelling option. Rather than sharing their hunger, why not share our food? God tells us to do right things. Instead of sitting beside desperate people in the soaking cold, bring them inside to dry-off and warm-up. Warm clothes and sheltering friendship can honor God and bring a bit of "up there down here."

God used my solitude time in the wet, cold woods to remind me of what I already knew.  And God is watching to see how I respond to His reminder...

Proverbs 24:11-12  -  Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help. If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook?  Someone is watching you closely, you know— Someone not impressed with weak excuses.

How'd You Get In Here?

 

Earlier this week I was sitting in some weeds enjoying a crisp fall morning. At sunrise I looked up to see I was perfectly secreted on the fence-row. I was directly under this sign.

The sign clearly states no one can get in here. No one can trespass here. No one can hunt here. It may as well read, "Don't Even Think About It." If you aren't family you have no business here. You can't walk across the line and act as if this property is yours - unless the owner opens the gate to you.

So, how did I get in?

The owner invited me. It's that simple. The one who owns the land asked me to come over the line and enjoy his property. He made me like one of his family. I am welcome here. I didn't sign a contract of terms, pay a fortune to lease hunting rights or make a deal to work the land in return for the privilege of enjoying it. His invitation was freely offered. It was his gift to me.

I was hunting, but I was thinking too (that's probably my self-diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder kicking in again).  As the sunrise filled the sky with color I thought of all the places I went because someone paid my way, opened the door and made it possible.

Think about it.

How many places did you get in because someone got you in? (Tickets to a ND game? Box seats at a Colts game? A saved seat for High School football? The backstage pass?)

How many relationships did you get in because you were with someone who got you in? ("I'd like you to meet my roommate," or "This is my sister," or "Let me talk with my boss about your availability; otherwise your resume will just get lost in the pile of applications.")

Most doors open because someone opens them.

Even a thief crucified near Jesus knew this. He was literally pinned to his cross. He couldn't do any good deeds to earn his way into God's Kingdom. He couldn't perform impressive religious cleansing rituals or rites to sanitize his life of sin. He had no means to buy his way into God's Kingdom.  So, how'd he get in? Jesus opened heaven's door and said, "Today you will be with me in paradise."

Paul talked about the consequences of relocating onto the King's land when he wrote the Christ-followers in Rome. He said, "If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means."

Kingdom living is about life the King makes possible - and you are invited. God is opening a door for you to experience a new life in a new land.  

Romans 6:20-23  -  When you were the servants of sin, you felt no obligation to uprightness, and what did you gain from living like that? Experiences of which you are now ashamed, for that sort of behaviour ends in death. But, now you are set free from sin and bound to the service of God, your gain will be sanctification and the end will be eternal life. For the wage paid by sin is death; the gift freely given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When Leaders Lead By Example

"More is caught than taught." I thought my mom made that up, but I've learned she got it from someone who got it from someone who got it from someone. Whoever originally came up with the observation hit the nail on the head. We learn a lot by watching others. That's why leaders who lead by examplemake such a huge impact on their followers. And that explains how our GSM ministry produces solid followers of Jesus; GSM leaders are showing students the way.  Just as Paul told the Corinthian Christians they should imitate him, I'm telling you our exemplary GSM leaders are worth following. They are involved, hands-on and up-to-their-eyeballs in mentoring young students. And they do it all with a smile...like the camp counselors pictured above.

So here's my recommendation for you and your kid.

Parents. Get your middle-schooler registered for the Fall Renewal Retreat.  Scores of students have already registered. The deadline is the end of the work day on Thursday. That's your last chance to get your kid to one of the best weekends of the year. Renewal costs $50 and it's worth every cent. I've never had regrets about the money Sheila and I paid to put our kids in great environments with great Christian leaders. You won't either.

Go here to register.

Renewal begins this Friday at 5:30 PM when everyone leaves from the Granger Campus for Camp Friedenswald. They're back Sunday at 1:30 PM. DC is taking his staff and about five dozen counselor/leader/mentors.

More is caught than taught, so help your kid catch the fresh winds of faith at Renewal.

1 Corinthians 11:1  -  Imitate me, then, just as I imitate Christ.

 

 

God's Love Never Quits.

 
Do you hear what I hear?

"I'm barely making it."
"I'm not sure how much longer I can hold on."

I've talked with some desperate people recently. Some feel like they're losing their way. Others say they're losing their hope. A few feel like they're losing their minds. Too many don't know how they got themselves into such difficulty. They don't know what they did and they don't know what to do next. They're still hanging-in-there, but when they look toward their tomorrows they wonder if it's even possible to keep on keeping on.

Faith finds fertile soil in the hearts of desperate souls looking for real help with real life...but where do you put your faith?

Having faith in yourself lasts until you bump up against impossible circumstances: a sick child, the betrayal of a spouse, the death of a parent, or brother, or friend. At the point you realize the "fix" is beyond you, your faith in yourself grinds to a halt...and you begin to look around to see where you should ultimately place your trust. You ask and seek and knock. You beg, and keep pleading, until God opens the door.

If your faith in "the gods of your own liking" (including yourself) has dried up, and you've been let down, frozen-out or overlooked by those you imagine responsible to relieve your suffering, look to God. When your relationships "slip," don't continue trusting what is ultimately untrustworthy. Instead put your ultimate trust in the One who is ultimately trustworthy. When everything else fails you - your money, your fame, your health and your own mortal flesh - Almighty God will hold you and keep you. 

Even when you grow too weak to hold on, God's love never fails. No trial can snatch you from His love. No problem overwhelms His love. His love never quits.

Psalms 136:23-26  -  God remembered us when we were down, His love never quits. Rescued us from the trampling boot, His love never quits. Takes care of everyone in time of need. His love never quits. Thank God, who did it all! His love never quits.

Archery Season Is Over

Michigan's Gun Season opens tomorrow. My advice is to put fluorescent orange clothing all over your body if you step outside for any reason. No. Really. I mean it.

I hunt during gun season...and during archery season...and during muzzle-loader season.  I don't hunt very many days, but I love the outdoors so I hunt whenever I can.

Today I shot the biggest 8 point Whitetail buck I've ever taken during bow season.  He is now at the taxidermist (check out Ron's here). I'll put him in my office unless Sheila prefers him at our house. Either way, I'm a happy man tonight.

Ecclesiastes 3:22a  -  And I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot.

Big Step...

 

One of my dear friends is taking another big step. He's taken big steps before (like when he left his career in the marketplace and joined my staff at GCC). He's faithful, courageous and filled with hope. He loves Jesus and long ago resolved to follow God wherever He leads.

Jesus led Butch (and his wonderful family) to GCC many years ago. Most recently Butch has served us by working on the SMT. He believes he has accomplished the mission God gave him, so he is moving off the paid staff at GCC and onto the Administrative Council.  He'll add great value there. I know that because that's what Butch always does. 

I'm proud of Butch. I'm looking forward to his ongoing "arts" ministry on the weekends and his wise contributions to GCC's Ad Council.

Here's how Butch explained his decision to his team...

"Dear Arts Team Friends –

I wanted to take a moment to tell you about a personal adventure I’ll be taking in the near future. A little background: Five years ago, I felt God’s call to move into ministry at GCC. So, I left my career to come to GCC. Next to marrying Chris, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have not for a moment doubted my calling, nor regretted my decision to follow that call. However, over the past several months, I have had this sense of completion - a sense that I have helped take our teams to the place God has asked of me, but that there are higher, better places God has in store for our team. I have also sensed that God wants someone else to help lead us there."

If you want to read the rest of his explanation and purpose, go here and get it in Butch's own words.

Following God's lead is not easy, but life with Jesus is what we all desire. So we listen to the Spirit's promptings and (through the scriptures, wise counsel and the knowledge gleaned from our own experiences) we do our best to discern God's will. 

Even the great Apostle Paul had some challenges "knowing for sure" what God wanted him to do, so let's do our best to encourage each other as we follow the promptings of God and serve Jesus together.

Acts 16:6-11  -  They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas. That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans. Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace.

The God Of My Liking...

I've seen it while working with our pastors and church planters in India. I've seen it in America as the Hindu influence of eastern mysticism stokes the fires of sympathetic religion. (Sympathetic Religion assumes the activity you do stimulates god to do the activity you want god to do for you.) I've seen its manifestation in the lives of religious people around me, and it's enticed me too.  It is the great temptation to follow the god of my own liking.

Ron Vandergriend identified it during last night's Journey Bible study of Hosea. He jolted me. The same threat facing Hosea and the doomed Northern Kingdom faces me. Satan's war against the One who will one day "crush his head" is still raging. His intentions are as unchanging as his fear of the One he hates.

II Peter says we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people belonging to God. We've received mercy. We were in darkness but God called us into His marvelous light. We're now the people of God, and God won't tolerate His people flirting with possible replacements or substitutes. God will punish spiritual adultery, and find a way to bring us back to a monogamous relationship with Him in which we are exclusively His people.

When we go chasing after other gods (to see if there might be some momentary benefit to us) there will be consequences. If we go chasing after other gods - the gods of our own liking - we are no different than the people who cried out to Jehovah when enemies were at their gates, and prayed to Ba'al when it was time for the harvest.

Unfaithful.

If we start having sex in the Temple, hoping our god will be stimulated by what he sees us doing and he'll have sex with the land, we've left God for another - one who'll do what we want.  (That's what the worshipers of Ba'al, the lord of the Babylonian fertility cult, did when they betrayed Jehovah. They saw the land as female, made fertile by god's rain. Their sex-rites assumed to gain the attention of their god and induce fertility. Their god became active. The (male) rains fell on the (female) land. Their magic got their god busy.

India inherited Ba'al worship. The Babylonian pantheon of gods still holds court in India (heir to Ba'al worship).  Sympathetic Religious activity continues today and temple prostitutes engage worshipers as they chase after other gods to see what benefits may come their way. The most commonly worshiped symbol in India - said to be found "under every green tree and every high place" in India - is the "lingam." It's a phallic symbol. (Knowing that, you can read 1 Kings 14:23-24 and freak out.) It's called Sympathetic Religion and it's coming to America.

Be clear on this. God says (through Hosea and others) there is no future in spiritual adultery. Go whoring after other gods and you'll receive no mercy, you're as good as dead and you're going to face annihilation. Your only hope is God and you've been unfaithful.

Hosea's appeal was for fidelity. "Overcome! Overcome! Overcome! Don't flirt with others and think you can choose the god of your own liking. Be faithful, and God will take you as His bride, restore your land, bring you peace and comfort...and God will be your God."

The same advice Hosea offered God's people is given each of us. That's one reason I attend Journey Bible Classes and study the Bible.  I encourage you to do the same.

If you missed class this week and want to catch up before next week's lesson, go here, and you can get up to speed so you're ready for next Wednesday's class.

Genesis 3:15  -  I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel.

Nancy Beach Said...

Nancy Beach is executive vice-president of the Arts for the Willow Creek Association and a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. I've followed Nancy's ministry for many years and when she took the stage at The Story Conference this year I found myself appreciating two things: her story and the way in which she wove it for us.

Punctuating a story-teller's obligation to her listeners Nancy asked a good question. It's one we should consider when we present the Gospel Story. She asked, "Do we avoid the tragedy because of the discomfort it creates in us?  If we don’t speak the truth of tragedy, our offerings of grace come across as premature, naive, out of touch, and not nearly as wonderful."

Nancy is right. Disregard the tragedy and deliverance means nothing. If you don't know you're lost, how happy are you to be found?

Ecclesiastes 8:5-9  -  Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way to act. There is a right time and a right way to act in every situation. Yet, a terrible human tragedy hangs over people. They don't know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out? No one has the power to prevent the spirit of life from leaving. No one has control over the day of his own death. There is no way to avoid the war against death. Wickedness will not save wicked people from dying. I have seen all of this, and I have carefully considered all that is done under the sun whenever one person has authority to hurt others.

Soon To Be A Daddy....

I couldn't be more proud of my sons-in-law.  They'e great men. They love Jesus, love their wives and work hard to bring "up there, down here." My children married well (that may have something to do with lots of prayer, but that's a matter for another post). My kids are happy.

This picture was taken at GSM's Camp Adventure last summer. John and Angela were at camp with me. It was there - in a sacred and mystical moment - that God told John Angela was pregnant.  John had little cause to think so, and less to give him any assurance of the fact. But it was true. John's wife was pregnant and John was the first to know. He told Angela and she suggested he not get his hopes up, so he quietly waited for doctors to verify the facts. 

Angela is due to deliver their first-born daughter in March. John is going to be a daddy and my 2nd grandchild will have the same blessing as my 1st: wonderful parents, love without limits and life in the Kingdom of God. 

I'm a blessed man who feels the weight of responsibility God places on every parent and grandparent. We have a clear mandate and the next generation's success depends on us.

Deuteronomy 11:18-22  -  So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.

The Mighty Oak

Everyone calls this season "fall" with good reason. Most leaves abscise from deciduous tress in autumn. Not so with many Oaks, which go through a second phase leaf-fall about the time of bud-break in the spring. The phenomenon of deciduous leaves persisting past the end of the growing season is called "marcescence" (rhymes with "farce essence," with emphasis on the second syllable.). These leaves fall periodically throughout the winter and the remainder abscise in spring. They persist unless torn off by wind, snow or some mechanical force.

When I took this picture I was thinking about my own staying power. I don't want to be a quitter. I don't want to give up easily or let go when I need to hang on. When the cold winds of criticism blow I'm resolved to cling to the Vine; my strength is in Him.

Somehow, looking at dried Oak leaves on this sunny autumn day inspired me. If they can hold on through the withering blasts, so can I.

John 15:5  -  I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

John Ortberg Said...

I've been helped by John Ortberg's insights and teaching. When he stood to speak at The Story Conference my expectations soared. John's words encouraged me. I trust they'll help you too.

John said, "We live in the pain between the way things are now and the way they are supposed to be. Jesus didn’t teach us to pray, 'God get us out of this story. This is a bad story. Take us out of here.'  He taught us to pray, 'Let Thy Kingdom come!  On earth as it is in Heaven. In my body. In my family. In our church. In every dark place on the planet.'"

As you bring your friends and family to worship Jesus this weekend, I trust you'll join me in praying God will help us. Many feel like they're in a 'bad story.' They're inclined to pray for God to get them out of their bad story, but Jesus said our hope is not merely escape. Our hope is for a life that matters - with relationships the way they're supposed to be. We want our little stories to come alive in God's great Redemption Story - because God promises "up there" is coming "down here."

Get ready. Get involved. You matter....and your relationships do too.

Matthew 6:9-13  -  This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

 

Looking Back Before I Take My Next Steps

 

Maybe I needed this.  Maybe I didn't.  Whatever the case, I find myself pondering the past. It's like I can't stop thinking about how I've made my recent journey.  It's the "how" that's got me thinking.

I'm trying to remember how I treated my friends. I've been thinking of ways I blessed them, disappointed them and let them down. I've cried a bit. I wish I'd done better with some and I'm glad I did well with others. How I've been treated is less important (since I can't do anything about that anyway).  How I've treated others matters more, because that's up to me.

I'm trying to recall how I spent my time.  (Yeah, I know. I'm spending time thinking about how I spent time.) I didn't waste much time; I'm happy about that.  But I did misuse a few blocks of time. When I should have rested I didn't...and I think the resulting fatigue weakened my contribution to others.  Even when I spent time doing what I needed to do ('cause God said so), I didn't always bring my best to the table. Well, I brought my best but it was the best I had, not the best I could've had if I'd better managed my opportunities for renewal and restoration. 

I'm stirring up memories of how I lived with Sheila and my children...and grandchild.  If God gives us 70 years, I've only got 15 left. How I loved in the past may impact how I love my family in the future. If my journey through the next decade of life is similar to how I've traveled the last one, I'll be glad. I believe Sheila knows I love her - not only because of the words she hears but because of how I live with her and for her.  I believe my children know I'm proud of them. They are courageous and brave. They are precious to me. Though I've often wished for more time with them (remember....70 years...) I've leveraged my life to bless my children with faith, love and hope in recent years, so I'm content. My family knows God's love and mine.

I'm remembering the way I did my job.  That may be the area of my life where I'm most satisfied with how I worked. Everything I'm doing these days is over my head. I know it. My family knows it. My friends know it.  Ten thousand people in Michiana see my weaknesses on public display week after week at GCC. I'm wholly inadequate for this work. That's why I'm so content with how I'm attempting to do it.  I'm trusting God. My weakness (feeling overwhelmed and inadequate, but "called"and determined) drive me deeper and deeper into my dependence on God.  Only God can do what needs to be done. I can't change a heart, heal a depressed mind or restore a broken trust.  I can't forgive sin. I can only tell the story of the One who can do all that...and more. Only God can do what needs to be done, the way it should be done, in time for it to matter.

Like I said, I'm looking back a lot these days.

How I live in the future may be a direct result of learning my lesson from how I've lived in the past.

Psalms 139:23-24  -  Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.

Story Conference Site / Paramount Theatre

Did you ever walk into a depressing space, an exciting space or an inspiring space? I believe architecture shapes expectations.  When I walked into the Paramount Theatre for The Story Conference last week I immediately expected a lot.

I was not disappointed. I received a lot.

Nice space, eh?

Matthew 24:1  -  Jesus then left the Temple. As he walked away, his disciples pointed out how very impressive the Temple architecture was.

Donald Miller said....

Donald Miller left home at the age of 21, traveling across the country until he ran out of money in Portland, Oregon where he lives today.  He wrote the New York Times Bestseller Blue Like Jazz and started The Belmont Foundation, which is recruiting 10,000 mentors from 1,000 churches as a response to fatherlessness in America. 

When he spoke at The Story Conference last week I was listening.

Donald said, "A story can't be meaningful without conflict. Conflict comes when you don't get what you want. Adam faced conflict. Adam experienced loneliness, an emotion Adam didn't want to experience. But the only way a character becomes a better person is by going through conflict. (Picture Scrooge.) Pain changes things. The conflict lends value to the thing the person wants to attain. So what do you want? We should want something, and there should be a reason we count it all joy when we encounter various trials."

Miller is on to something...

James 1:2-4  -  Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

 

Dave Gibbons said...

 

 

Last year Sheila and I had the privilege of sharing a dinner with Dave at a meeting Rick Warren initiated. During that meal I listened intently as Dave told a bit of his story. It rocked me. So I was really dialed in during his talk at the Story Conference last week. 

He quoted Isaiah 6:1-8 and then questioned the wisdom of stopping too soon in the text. He cautioned us. "If you read on through verse 13 you learn God tells Isaiah people won't listen to him. When Isaiah asks how long to preach the message, he's told, 'Do not stop until Israel remains a stump.  But it will be s stump that will grow again.'”

Dave suggested every generation has a starting point for the Gospel, and that starting point is pain. So when he said, "When there is personal revelation of your weakness it releases more fully the power of the Holy Spirit," a great hope welled up inside me.

This I believe.
If we will be prophetic, even in our pain, a seed will be sown - a seed of hope and promise.

Isaiah 6:11-13  -  Astonished, I said, "And Master, how long is this to go on?" He said, "Until the cities are emptied out, not a soul left in the cities— Houses empty of people, countryside empty of people. Until I, God, get rid of everyone, sending them off, the land totally empty. And even if some should survive, say a tenth, the devastation will start up again. The country will look like pine and oak forest with every tree cut down— Every tree a stump, a huge field of stumps. But there's a holy seed in those stumps."

Oh My...

This is why we hold auditions for all musicians at GCC. 

(Thanks go to Amber, for the link.)

Jeremiah 10:22a  -  Listen! Hear the terrible sound ....

 

Chris Seay said....

At the Story Conference Chris Seay said some things that resonated with me.  "We're not tired because we are doing too much. We are tired because we're doing the wrong things," is one of those things.

Chris said, "Jesus said, 'Take my yoke upon you.'  A big massive yoke that you would put on an ox. Put this massive thing on you like you are plowing the ground. But it is perfectly made for you. We’re not tired because we are doing to much. We are tired because we are doing the wrong things. When we are doing God’s mission, we are more energized than ever. But when we live in other narratives like consumerism, we are exhausted all the time. Instead of looking down on people, we are the ones who say every brokenness is an opportunity for God to be about His restoration. We believe as we put Jesus' yoke on us, something comes alive!"

Matthew 11:28-29  -  Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."