Desperate For Grace

Are You Going To Finish Well?

2011-11-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

Many years ago, as I was reading the book of Daniel, the Holy Spirit highlighted one particular verse. Has that ever happened to you? You are reading along and there is a spiritual highlighter that has been used by God to tell you, “Pay attention!”

The context is the famous story of Daniel getting tossed into a den full of lions because he won’t compromise his worship of God by doing acts of worship toward the king of the day, Darius. So Daniel’s enemies set him up to be discredited and removed. Sounds like a modern day political tale, doesn’t it?

There was a problem though. The problem was Daniel had lived an exemplary life. And here is where the spiritual highlighter comes in.

“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” (Daniel 6:4, NIV) (emphasis mine)

Here is what stuck out to me those many years ago. Daniel’s integrity was intact because of what he did and what he didn’t do. First, Daniel had integrity in what he didn’t do – he wasn’t corrupt. I like to view myself as a realistic optimist. Stuff happens but I try to believe in the best. In the world I primarily live, the ministry world, I believe the vast majority of people engaged in vocational ministry are good-intentioned, God-pursuing people. There are some people who go for the corruption route – they usually make a really big splash when they crash. For most, it is fairly easy for us to reject corruption. We don’t lie, steal, cheat, etc as a way of life.

But what really struck me about this verse in Daniel’s story is the second part – “…nor negligent.” Daniel not only didn’t do what was wrong, he didn’t shrink back from doing what was right. And this is where I believe many of us can end up failing. As I said, it is often easy to not do bad but it can be very difficult at times to do what is good when it is required. And that is where Daniel’s life shone. If I could put it another way, Daniel did the hard things. Oh, and Daniel at this point in his life is probably about 70-80 years old.

This Holy Spirit highlight came back to my mind in response to the recent headlines about Joe Paterno and the horrendous accusations of child sex abuse by one of his long-time assistant coaches. Some ten years ago an intern saw an act of abuse by this man, reported it to Joe Paterno and he pushed it on up the administrative chain. By all appearances it was pushed under the rug by the administration, allowing the alleged abuse to continue on for years against other boys.

Paterno is a man of deep faith. He is a man of honor. His motto in his coaching was to “win with honor.” He was the nation’s winningest and longest tenured major-college football coach. He had the second highest graduation rate of players. He has many, many awards and accolades to his name. And he was fired. Not for something he did. But for something he didn’t do. For most, the legacy Joe Paterno’s will be remembered for is what he didn’t do 10 years ago to hold someone accountable and protect young boys from a predator, not for his decades of coaching and leadership excellence, impacting literally thousands for good.

We are leaders. And, as Andy Stanley once said: “Leadership is stewardship. It is temporary and you’re accountable.” We are accountable for what we do. And we are accountable for what we don’t do. Maybe you are wrestling right now with the corruption side of things. You are being tempted with your besetting sins, you are being tempted to compromise your beliefs and values for temporary gain. It’s time to talk with Jesus and a friend. Get it into the light because when it is in the dark, Satan is winning and he is preparing his plan to crush you.

Perhaps more likely, there are some hard things you have been putting off doing. You just don’t want to have the conflict, make the confrontation, take the time, be bothered with the details. It is always easier to keep doing what we have always done than do something different. Change is hard. If this is the place you find yourself, it’s time to talk with Jesus and a friend. You need a plan and you need some accountability. In relationship with Jesus and others, you will have the strength to do the hard things - to do what is right. One of my long-ago mentors, Bob Smith, would say to me over and over – “You do what is right because it is right.”

It is hard to finish well. Daniel did. Jesus is the greatest example. Meditate on these words and finish well. Do the hard things.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV)

Grace

2011-03-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

One of the best definitions of grace is undeserved favor. When we are recipients of grace, we get something that may be hoped for but is largely unexpected and definitely not deserved. When we extend grace to others, we are giving favor or blessings to someone regardless of whether they deserve it or not.

Grace is tricky and it is costly. We usually know when we are not giving enough grace to someone but it is more difficult to figure out if we are overextending grace (is there such a thing as too much grace?). Our fear with too much grace is we will be taken advantage of. Our barrier to extending grace is our need for justice in our way and in our time. “How can we extend grace to someone who is so undeserving, who shouldn’t get any favor at all?”, we ask ourselves. But that is the very point, is it not?

Unfortunately, I find that I can have the hardest time being consistently graceful to those closest to me. I woke up grumpy one morning this week and the family knew it by my less-than-stellar-attitude and tone of voice. When my son gently challenged me on this, I pointed out the events of the previous day that were contributing to my gracelessness. He responded, “It’s a new day.” I wanted to slap him up side the head! My gracelessness was revealed and the simple truth of Lamentations was my rebuke. He was right and I didn’t want to hear it. I thanked him later for saying what was right and true and gave him permission to do it again.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” ” (Lamentations 3:22–24, ESV)

As a Christian, we are to be people of grace. We are to continuously give and receive undeserved favor to the world. But, as Lamentations reminds us, we are to remember that grace doesn’t come from us, it flows through us. The source of grace is Jesus Christ. “The Lord is my portion therefore I will hope in him” is to be our soul’s cry. We can be people of grace because God is enough. He fills us to overflowing.

I don’t know that extending true grace will ever be easy but we can get better at it. It is something to be practiced and in the practice of grace, God begins to change our heart. In giving others undeserved favor we begin to see how much we depend upon God’s undeserved favor in our lives. We start to have eyes wide open to how others extend us grace much more than we realize.

My hope for Cold Springs Church is we will be a place of undeserved favor. I pray we will risk being taken advantage of so others might see the fullness of God’s grace poured out through Jesus. I long that we would be so deeply rooted in Jesus that his portion and hope would be enough so we could generously give to others.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound…

Peace and grace,

David

Righteously Angry

2011-02-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

Been angry lately? What was it about? Anger is one of those tricky emotions. It can easily go real wrong, real fast.

In the helping professions, anger is what is often called a “secondary emotion.” In other words, you can feel a primary emotion of fear, disrespect, frustration (blocked goals), injustice or pressure (high stress). The outward response to that primary emotion can often be anger. But the anger was triggered by what came first. Anger can be a great signal to us that something deeper, more powerful is going on in us.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry but do not sin.” It is OK to be angry. It is not OK to sin. What is anger that does not become sin?

Last week my favorite Bible passage was Psalm 18. When I shared it with my wife Pam, her comment was she liked how it talked about God becoming angry. I went back and read it again and I have to agree with her – I like how God became angry. Since God is perfect, holy and righteous, it is a pretty good example of sinless anger. So what did God get angry about?

Look at verse 6:

“In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. ” (Psalm 18:6, ESV)

David was in trouble and he cried out to God. His enemies were threatening to do some serious damage to him. And God got ticked.

“Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. ” (Psalm 18:7, ESV)

God got ticked because he is passionate about righteousness and justice. Anger that flows from Godly passion is how we can have sinless anger.

We could really use a lot more Godly, angry people. We could use more people like Jesus, who sees the temple courts filled with vendors that are keeping his house from being a house of prayer for all nations so he “cleans house”, he does something.

Anger that has no action is just whining and complaining about the status quo. Anybody can (and does!) do that. Godly anger moves us to action, to bring the Kingdom of God where it presently is not. Godly anger over senseless violence should motivate us to be battling in prayer and being a peacemaker. Godly anger over kids destroying their lives through destructive choices should motivate us to go and be the presence of Jesus where they are. Godly anger over the exploitation of children by sex traffickers should motivate us to give and work toward justice. Godly anger over people going to a Christless eternity should motivate us to step out of our comfort zone and start sharing Jesus in simple ways with those around us.

Are you angry? I sure hope so. I hope you discover the deeper thing God is wanting to do that is the true source of your anger. I hope you find your righteous anger and it moves you to be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus. We need more righteously angry people.

God Is Present In Tragedy

2011-02-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

It has been a very hard week on our community. The murder of Sam LaCara, principal of Schnell School has rocked us. As more details come out it seems to make less and less sense. John Leubbers, the school janitor who shot Sam, was a long time employee and even a golfing buddy with Sam. And yet, in a moment of passionate rage, so many lives have been turned totally upside down, never to be the same. Our hearts and minds quickly cry out “WHY?!”

One of my friends from the church shared with me how this has rocked his faith a little. As he thinks about Sam’s wife and three daughters he was struggling to understand where God is in all this. Another friend reflected that this was like experiencing 9/11 all over again for her, on a very close-up personal level.

In times like these, we can feel very much like the Psalmist:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. ” (Psalm 22:1–2, ESV)

We get caught in our grief, unable to make sense of what is going on and questioning whether God is really even there. And that is OK.

One of the things I appreciate about the Psalms (and about the whole Bible) is the raw emotion that is found there. It is not a fairy-tale book but a book that wrestles with life as it really is. The emotions of grief and sadness and the thoughts they elicit are not hidden away as inappropriate but shared openly as a path to faith.

Psalm 22 is the perfect example of this, a reflection on the intense agony of someone who is suffering and questioning life yet keeps coming back to be reminded of God’s faithfulness in the past and God’s hope for the future.

Life is messy and it often carries with it deep pain. We want Sunday School answers but they too often escape us. And when we are in the midst of the confusion and pain, we begin to believe we will never find our way out, that God is far away and inattentive to our cries for comfort.

“For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. ” (Psalm 22:24, ESV)

The Good News from God is that he not only has heard but he has responded. God climbed into the messiness and confusion of life through his Son Jesus. The prophet Isaiah writes of Jesus: “…a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief”.

God has not forgotten you. He has been with you in the past, he will be your salvation in the future and he is your comfort in the present because he IS present, he is here with us. Simply call out to him.

You may not feel it right now. You may not even believe it right now, but your sorrow, pain and grief can be turned to peace and joy in Jesus if you will only turn to him. It is the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection – evil, death and destruction do not win. Life wins. Overflowing, abundant, hope-filled life wins.

“The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! ” (Psalm 22:26, ESV)

As we grieve together, let us love God together and love each other together. Then the darkness will be pushed back and the light of God’s glory will shine in and through us.

You are loved,

David

More Faith

2011-01-15T19:24:00.000-08:00

It is a story that seems to raise as many questions as it does answers. In Genesis 22 we see that God tells Abraham to take his son Isaac - this boy Abraham had waited 20 years of marriage to be born, the focal point of the promises of God - up to a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice.

The command of God is strange because, although the offering of live human sacrifice was a common practice of some religions of the time, it is clearly condemned in the Bible and something God hates (see Deuteronomy 12:31 and Leviticus 18:21). So why does God tell Abraham to do it?

God was testing the faith of Abraham, we are told in the first verse, and oh what a test it was! In Genesis 21:12 God makes it clear to Abraham that through Isaac God will fulfill his promise that Abraham will be the father of many nations and his descendents will be as numerous as the stars. And yet, here we see a radical command to trust God given to Abraham.

As you read the story, there is a sense of complete trust and calm by Abraham. In what would seem to be a horrible and agonizing decision, Abraham keeps his focus on two things: trusting in the character and promises of God and an unwavering obedience to God. And that is what faith is - trusting and obeying.
Abraham is held up in scripture as the father of faith. But it wasn't because of what he believed. It was because of what he did. Faith is shown is what we do, not in what we say we believe. (James 2:18-26)
It is REALLY EASY to say we believe in God or that we trust God. But, as I tell my kids - it's not your words that count, your actions tell me everything I need to know. What I mean is this - if we say we trust God but we live our lives clearly only trusting in ourselves and our abilities, we really don't have much faith in God. Likewise, as a church, if we say we are a church of faith but the only things that happen are easily explained by human means, we really aren't a church that has much faith.

Abraham, because of his trust and obedience, was put in a place of desperation where he absolutely needed God to come through. And you know what? God did. God provided the sacrifice. God protected Isaac. God proved faithful to Abraham. God protected his character. God was big enough to meet the challenge of faith. But the only way Abraham and Isaac experienced that was by taking the risk to trust God.

Being a follower of Christ is an invitation to faith, to trust and obey. When we do that, we will experience faith. Not through what we say, through what we do.

How about you? What is God asking you to do that requires risk, that requires you to trust and obey him? When are you going to stop making excuses and take the step, live the life, offer the sacrifice? It's going to be hard but God is big enough to meet the challenge.

And remember, the One who asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? He later gave His son as a sacrifice. Jesus willingly laid down his life so that you could have faith and you could be saved. If you are looking for faith, start by having faith in Jesus - believe in him in your heart and confess him with your mouth. He makes it possible to have a faith that will change your life.
What are you waiting for?

Peace and grace,
David

A Hunger for More

2011-01-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

The scene is stark. Two long rows of wooden tables in a dark, dingy, high ceilinged stone hall that just looks cold and miserable. High on the wall at the end of the hall in very large black letters is written “God is Love.” At each of the rows of tables, orphan boys sit with their single bowl from which they eat the watery gruel that serves as their main staple, providing little nutrition and no satisfaction to their hunger.

It is the scene the author Charles Dickens paints with his classic tale, “Oliver Twist” that was published in 1838 and then made into a feature musical film back in 1969. In the scene described above, Oliver, the main character in the story, has the audacity to come forward and ask for more to eat. The overseer of the workhouse incredulously cries out, “What?! MORE?!”

Oliver runs about the room but is eventually caught and is held by his ear as the overseer sings the following words:

Oliver, Oliver, Never before has a boy wanted more

Oliver, Oliver, won’t ask for more when he knows what’s in store

There’s a long, thin, winding stairway without any banister

Which we’ll throw him down

And feed him cockroaches served in a canister

Oliver, Oliver, what will he do when he’s turned black and blue

Cheery, huh?! What a contrast from the words on the wall – “God is Love” – to a simple request for “more.” Oliver was acting on what he was feeling, he was hungry and he wanted more. But the response was anything but loving (read the words to that song again!)

I am hungry and I hope you are too. But do you dare ask for more? The hunger I have is not a physical hunger, it is a spiritual hunger that makes my soul rumble for more of God and his life in mine.

These next few weeks I am going to be challenging us to think about what we hunger for and I hope that I will stir up some appetites in you. We are going to use 2 Corinthians 8:7 as our guide:

But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness and in our love for you – see that you excel in this act of grace also.

Unlike the overseer in the movie Oliver, God is not stingy. No dungeons and cockroaches in canisters for those who come to God looking to be filled. Do you believe that?

Each week I am going to ask you to right down one specific thing you want more of in this coming year. Together over the next year we are going to see just how good God is! I hope you are hungry!

Peace and grace,

David

Never Alone

2010-12-15T21:33:00.001-08:00

Alone. By yourself. It is not a good feeling. My elderly neighbor had fallen down and six hours later my wife and another neighbor had discovered her on the kitchen floor, unable to get up.

As a teenager, elk hunting with my Dad in the woods of Eastern Oregon, the terrain suddenly became unfamiliar. Stories of a small plane that had once crash-landed in the same area and the pilot wandering for days swirled in my head as I desperately tried to keep calm and find my way to the road. Lost. Alone. Afraid. Confused.

In the story of Jesus' birth, he is identified by the name "Immanuel." It is a very powerful name. It literally means "God is with us." In the Old Testament, names almost always had specific meaning that told part of the person's story. In Isaiah 7 where this is first used, it gives us the expectation that God is up to something. In Matthew it is made clear – Immanuel is Jesus, Immanuel is God with us.

I was struggling this last week. Struggling to be more patient, to be more faithful to prayer, struggling to be a better father, struggling to be more balanced in life. It was beginning to feel a bit like that teenage experience in the woods of Eastern Oregon – not quite sure where I was and not quite sure how to get out.

As I struggled, I was met in that struggle by Immanuel – God is with me. It really is one of the most amazing truths of the Christian faith and it just flowed over me – I may be in the midst of a struggle but I am not alone. I may feel lost or I may be laid out on the floor but I am not by myself. Immanuel is there and that makes all the difference in the world.

And Immanuel kept showing up in the form of a text from a friend, another friend dropping by the office, the prayers of another friend and as Pam and I prayed together.

What a gift we have been given! To never be alone, to never be forgotten, to always have the presence of Jesus with us! We have the greatest present of all – the presence of God.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. " (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)

Don't forget to celebrate the presence of Jesus this Christmas. You are not alone.

Peace.

David

Don't lose Jesus

2010-12-09T10:56:00.001-08:00

Have you been distracted lately? I sure have. It is the season for it, you know. The holidays are supposed to be the joyful, peaceful, easy-livin' time. But the reality is far from it. Work schedules, vacation schedules, parties, family get-togethers, shopping, financial pressures, etc, etc. They all add up to distraction, a mind going a million different directions at the same time.

As the pastors gathered together at 8:30 each day this week to pray, one of the passages we used to guide our prayer time was Isaiah 6:1-7. It is the account of Isaiah going into the temple and having this amazing encounter with God. He sees God sitting on a throne surrounded with his angels. There is smoke and there are earthquakes at the sound of God's voice. Quite an amazing description.

As I read the description of Isaiah's encounter with God, one thing became clear – Isaiah was not distracted by anything! He was face-to-face with God and there wasn't another thing that mattered. Isaiah was totally focused.

As I sat reading those words, struggling mightily to have any sense of concentration on my prayers to God, being distracted by way too many things, a longing nudged my heart. The longing was for a clearer vision of God that would overshadow the competing distractions I found myself being consumed by.

Don't lose Jesus this Christmas. Practice saying "no." Say no to over-extending, over-spending, over-eating, over-scheduling, over-partying. Isaiah wasn't distracted because he was in the presence of the One who is greater than anything else we can be distracted by. Enter into the presence of Jesus by taking the time to be quiet, reading the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke, worshipping with your friends and family, thanking God for all the goodness you have experienced. Don't lose Jesus.

Peace and Grace,

David

Seeing God in Psalm 4

2010-11-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

When Daniel Henderson was at CSCC the end of October leading us in a renewal of our prayer focus, he presented a model for an approach to prayer. His philosophy is that prayer should be Scripture-fed, Spirit-led and Worship-based. We can do that when we pray the scriptures back to God through Reverence (upward focus), Response (downward focus), Request (inward focus) and Readiness (outward focus).

As the staff has been praying together, we have been taking a Psalm each week and following this approach to guide our prayers. The time has been rich and meaningful.

As I have focused on the Reverence of God in Psalm 4, here are some of what I have prayed back to God:

Thank you God that you hear my prayers, that when I call out to you, you answer me. When I am struggling and in need of comfort, you give me relief.

Lord thank you that those who seek you aren't neglected by you, that you have set us apart and you are attentive to our needs.

Thank you that I can be angry and troubled with life but it does not have to destroy me or others. When I experience these challenges it is yet again another chance to trust you more deeply.

Loving Father it is good to know that the source of my joy is not in myself, not in my situation, not in my circumstances, not in my possessions but my joy is to be found in you. Your face is a shining light in the darkness of despair!

My Protector, thank you that there is peace to be found; that no matter the turmoil of life, the struggles and disappointments I can find peace when I rest in you. In your arms I am safe and there is no other place I could be more secure.

If you are looking to jump-start your prayer life, if it has gotten cold or stale then I would challenge you to begin in Psalm 1 and begin to pray back to God his Word. It will renew your heart and fan your passion for God. And even better yet, find a friend to pray with – "…two are better than one. A cord of three strands is not easily broken."

May you be filled up this holiday with the fullness of God! (Turkey doesn't last very long!)

Peace and grace,

David

Thanks

2010-11-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving time so a few thoughts on some of what I'm thankful for:

I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus. He is my solid fortress and a rock that will never move. He is always with me and will never leave me.

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." " (Matthew 28:20, ESV)

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." " (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

I am so thankful for my wife, Pam. What a rock and a blessing she is for me. She is my most faithful prayer warrior, my comfort, my beautiful lover.

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. " (Proverbs 31:10–12, ESV)

I am thankful for my children. Keenan, Noah, Daniel and Eliza stretch me, bless me, challenge me and definitely keep me on my knees, deepening my prayer life!

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. " (Psalm 127:4–5, ESV)

I am thankful for my friends. They have the courage to look me in the eye and ask the hard questions because they love me.

"And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. " (Ecclesiastes 4:12, ESV)

I am thankful for my church. It is the people that stretch me and challenge me to know God deeply and share his love freely. It is full of people seeking Jesus, growing in generosity, growing in our heart for the world.

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. " (Ephesians 5:25–27, ESV)

I am thankful for life. I get to do the things I do, in a beautiful place with extraordinary people for an Awesome God!

"How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. " (Daniel 4:3, ESV)

What are you thankful for?

It is a great privilege to be your pastor!

David

Love God, Love people.

Matthew 10:37-39

Grace

2010-11-12T14:37:00.001-08:00

Grace is hard. It is much easier to follow a path of judging than it is to live in grace and extend grace. I’ve been a pretty good judge in my life, having this amazing ability to know the motives, intentions and stories of people’s lives from just the smallest of details or the slightest whiff of rumor. I have then very sanctimoniously become prosecutor, judge, jury and jailer. I remember once hearing about a popular Christian recording artist who got a divorce. Having absolutely no knowledge about this person’s life, I judged them not worthy to listen to anymore. It is easy to judge.

““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ” ~ Jesus (Matthew 7:1–2, ESV)

Judging others is the great destroyer of community. When we judge, we assign motive to the hearts of others and we determine those motives are evil. And then we condemn. What more effective way to destroy relationships than that? The thing is, it happens in all arenas of life – family, work, neighborhoods, workplaces, churches, little league, ballet, etc, etc.

If someone does something I don't like, it is much easier to justify my poor treatment of them by hanging labels like "stupid", "greedy", "lazy", "incompetent", "worthless", etc, etc.

So what do we do?

On the wall of our church it says:

“Free to be who we are…being transformed into all God created us to be.”

It is a statement of grace. It is the recognition that as we come to Jesus, none of us is perfect, none of us is without our edges, our faults, our sin, our hurts and our ability to hurt others. But as we pursue God, he is transforming us.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. ” (2 Corinthians 3:17–18, ESV)

We don’t need to judge one another, we need to be people of grace that don’t assign motive to others actions. We need to see irritations, misunderstandings and disappointments as opportunities to pray for each other and to grow in our grace quotient.

Judgment is easy. Grace is hard. That is why we need to be experiencing the God of grace through Jesus so we can be the people of grace through Jesus.

“For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. ” (1 Corinthians 4:4–5, ESV)

David

Why Community Matters - Relevant Magazine

2010-11-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

Why Community Matters - Relevant Magazine

I just did a series of talks on community. Here is an insightful article I just came across. It is worth the 5 minutes to read and consider. I especially like (and, at the same don't like!) this quote:

"Author and pastor Kevin Miller says: “If [the church] isn't hard, then that's a sign you probably haven't entered deeply enough into community. Because God's deepest work in us is to teach us how to love. And love doesn't mean much until it's tested by someone who is cranky, narrow-minded, bigoted, critical and harsh.” The body of Christ has a special role to call us out of introspection, selfishness and bitterness to live as Christ intends for us."

I want the church to function perfectly. But, opps! I'm here! Ain't gonna happen.

God Using His Word To Meet Us

2010-11-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I met with a group of pastors in WA to teach, encourage and pray for one another. One of them, my friend John, had suffered a terrible blow to his family earlier in the week. His ninth grade son was brutally beat up at school, breaking his nose and a bone below his eye as well as suffering multiple cuts from his braces. His face was so swollen when they saw him at the hospital that he wasn't recognizable. The boy who did this had been bullying him for a time - a classic example of the strong victimizing the weak.

Another friend shared about the (untrue) accusations that some church people had made about his kids as these people voiced their displeasure over recent changes the church was making to reach people for Jesus and live out their faith more fully.

Before I met, as I prayed about what we would be doing in our time together, I decided to apply some of the things I had learned this past weekend in regards to prayer. Daniel Henderson had led us in an approach to prayer that is "Worship-based, Scripture-fed, Spirit-led".

As a group, we chose the scripture. I asked someone to give me a number between 0 and 15. Another person gave me a number between 1 and 9. The numbers that were chosen were 8 and 2. So, we turned to Psalm 82:1-8 and did God ever meet us there! As I led us through the rhythm of prayer of Reverence, Response, Request and Readiness over the next 30 minutes the truth of God's words in the Psalm encouraged us, guided us and comforted us.

Psalm 82 reminds us that God is the great, mighty, fair and ultimate Judge. We can trust him when evil rises up. We can lean on him when unfairness seems to be winning. We can call on his perfect justice.

It was what we needed. It was what my friends needed. The Spirit led, God showed up. It was anything but uninspiring and boring. It was a great fresh encounter with God.

Just thought I'd share.
dc

Thoughts On Prayer

2010-11-04T09:38:00.001-07:00

Last week's Fresh Encounters prayer conference with Daniel Henderson was a personal time of encouragement and refreshment for me. We had set this up last Spring and it was great timing to challenge us (and me) to keep a right focus on God.

Here are some observations and conclusions I have come away with.

1. We need to pray because God is worthy of our effort. Talk of prayer can quickly move into the guilt thing. "There goes Pastor David, talking about prayer again. I know I don't pray enough! I wish he would shut up!" I haven't met anyone who believes they pray enough. But guilt isn't a motive for prayer. Prayer is ultimately about our heart seeking God's heart. We do that in private but we also need to encourage each other in this worthy pursuit through corporate prayer.

2. Prayer doesn't need to be boring. God is not boring. Living a life of faith is not boring. Why are so many of our times of prayer boring? Especially when we pray together? I've got to be honest, I have been reluctant to start a regular corporate prayer time because I have been so uninspired by most of the prayer times I have been a part of – and many of them I have led myself!! I appreciated Daniel's Worship-based, Scripture-fed, Spirit-led approach to prayer. I found our two times of corporate prayer during the weekend were fun and engaging. Those boring prayer times were my fault, not God's. I need to be a better leader to help us experience God in prayer more fully. I am committed to learning and growing so I can do that.

3. A life of prayer isn't going to be the easy path. Of all the things I do to lead in ministry, personally and in my family, prayer is hands-down the hardest thing for me to do consistently and faithfully. I've got a healthy dose of SADD – Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder – and I can always find something to do other than pray. I think prayer takes two D's to be consistent: Desperation and Discipline. I have to truly believe I can't be fully alive and fully effective apart from a deep connection to God. I am a pretty good Control-Freak-Type-A-Driven-Problem-Solver person. It takes a lot for me to feel desperate. Prayer helps nurture that deep dependence and connection to God. As far as discipline, that's just a matter of "Going Nike". You know what I mean – "Just Do It!"

4. Prayer is of primary importance but it isn't the only thing of importance. Prayer isn't the answer to all of our problems but it is where we find all of our answers. God still calls us to work, love, lead, follow, serve, think, plan, say "yes" and say "no". (See Philippians 2:12-13) But prayer is the power source by which we can do those things right and do them well. The volume and fervency of our prayer life reveals who we believe has the most power. Little prayer – we believe we have the power. Much prayer – we believe God has the power.

5. We need to pray more. When I was in Ethiopia, every church I went to had something in common. Every church had kneeling pads laying around on the floor. Those kneeling pad were for people who were down on their knees in prayer. I remember writing the simple statement in my journal – "I need to pray and fast more." In each of the churches I was at, the leaders of those churches laid their hands on me and prayed for our church and for me. I could only understand a few words (Jesus and thank you!) but they prayed fervently, loudly and for a long time. I was moved and inspired.

So, we are going to pray more. Every day from 8:30 - 9 AM we are having a prayer time for the staff and anyone who would like to join us. During those times we will begin by seeking God's heart and asking for his hand to move. I'm encouraging every Life Group and Bible Study leader to give a "tithe" (a tenth) of your group time to prayer. So, if you meet for two hours (120 minutes) you will spend at least 12 minutes in prayer – not talking about prayer or prayer requests, actual talking-to-God time. Some Life Groups are going to have prayer as their primary focus, using the tools of Fresh Encounter as a guide to lead in Worship-based prayer. And I am planning some corporate prayer encounters that will not be boring! Stay tuned, more details to come.

Our mission is still "We exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ from our community." Our definition of a disciple is still "A transformed life who is trusting in Jesus such that they are loving God and loving people." Our vision is still "Growing transformed lives through experiencing the love, truth, presence and people of Jesus." The way we help disciples grow is still "Invite – Connect – Give – Grow". What we are doing is not chasing a fad, it is intentionally and more deeply plugging into our power source. It is returning to the roots of how our church has experienced transformation the last 12 years.

Wouldn't it be cool if someone asked you where you went to church and when you told them they would respond, "Oh, that's the church that prays." That's my dream.

Being your pastor is a privilege. Let's keep moving forward, embracing the grace of God in its fullness.

Peace and grace,

David

How Far Should Forgiveness Go? | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

2010-10-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

Good but tough article about forgiveness. Worth the read.

How Far Should Forgiveness Go? | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Is Christianity a Team or Individual Sport?

2010-10-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

“Those of us who choose to treat Christianity as a team sport have a special advantage.”

I love this quote by Larry Osbourne in his book “Spirituality For The Rest of Us.” He is talking about the value of being in a Life Group. Seeing the growth and strengthening of our faith as something we do together has distinct advantages over seeing our life of faith as an individual exercise.

He says there are three advantages to being connected with a small group of people:

1. It’s hard to hide. All of us wear masks to keep people at a distance and to protect our reputations or how people view us. When we get to know a group of people and people get to know us we have a better chance of someone encouraging us when we need it or kicking us in the rear when we need it. The key phrase? “…when we need it…”. When we are alone, people don’t know what we need.
2. We get the benefit of positive peer pressure. Check our Hebrews 10:24-25. When we hang out together, we help each love better and do the right thing more often. That’s positive peer pressure.
3. We have a place to be honest. We all need people who want to know how we are really doing and who can handle the truth. Sometimes life stinks. We need people we can be honest with about that. Sometimes life is glorious. We need people who can rejoice with us.

It doesn’t happen all at once and it doesn’t happen with every person in a group but when we take the step to regularly connect with a group of people to encourage each other, pray for each other and learn with each other, good things begin to happen.

Who are you connected to? No one should be standing alone.

David

Community Prayer

2010-10-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Each month I get the opportunity to pray at the beginning of the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors meeting. I view it as a real privilege. Here is my prayer for today. Pray with me for our community, our country and our world.

BOS Prayer October 19, 2010

Dear Heavenly Father,

In this season of sound bites and distortions of truth and facts, I pray for wisdom and discernment to understand what is really true. I pray that those who have been elected and hired to serve the people of El Dorado County would always take the high road of integrity, honesty and uprightness. I pray in the times of honest disagreement that are necessary to sort through the issues there would be civility and respect.

For this Board today I pray you would bless them with joy and laughter in the midst of the hard work of governing our county in challenging times. Thank you for the abundant and amazing blessings you have given us in El Dorado County. In our efforts to be good stewards help us not forget to care for the old, the young and the weak in our community.

We pray for peace in our world and protection over those who are serving in the armed forces and law enforcement to preserve and protect that peace that we so greatly value.

I pray these things in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Love Stinks

2010-10-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

OK, I’m going to date myself here but back in 1980 the J. Geils Band came out with a song that got quite a bit of air time on the radio. The song was called “Love Stinks.” The lyricist for this song seems to have had a significant lapse in creativity since the majority of the song was the band shouting out the phrase “Love Stinks!” Man, I miss being a teenager! (NOT!) If you want to be reminded of how profound the song is, Google it and listen to it online (don’t pay the .69 cents on iTunes!).

Last week I talked about three things that can really get people stirred up – love, hate and forgiveness. It is hard to love, it is easy to justify hate and it seems impossible to forgive sometimes. What do we do?

Some people I know closely and love dearly have had some really bad things happen to them or to the people they care about. Most often some bad people have been the cause of the pain. And there is the rub. What do you do with these bad people who don’t have any interest in being good, of being sorry, of making things right? What do you do with some of the plain ole evil that is out there that we brush up against? How can we love? How can we NOT hate? Does God seriously expect me to forgive?

The power of the Christian faith is it invites us to see things from the perspective of eternity – especially in the midst of our suffering. One of the greatest truths is knowing that God is perfectly just. He will set things right, in the end perfect justice will take place.

Anger, bitterness and hatred are my desire to mete out justice. And part of us believes we are truly punishing the other person by our hatred. But we are only punishing ourselves by allowing the cancer of hatred to eat away our soul.

Forgiveness is the antidote to the poison of bitterness. But it is a supernatural act, it is something that is made possible by God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We are to long for justice, to pray for justice and to work for justice but we must allow justice to take place in God’s order. And we must daily live in trust of Jesus, walking in his forgiveness so we have the power to forgive others. It is not easy. But it is not impossible. God makes a way if we are willing to follow. God’s love doesn’t stink, it saves.

Remember, as Christ-followers, we know the end of the story. And it is good.

David

“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Revelation 21:3-4, 22:12-13

Almost Christian

2010-10-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

A book I picked up recently has really gotten me troubled. The book was written in response to the National Study of Youth and Religion that was conducted about five years ago. The study looked at the faith lives of teens in America and the news was not good. The author of “Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church” (by Kenda Creasy Dean) looks at the results of this study and gives insights into both youth and the church. Here is something she says:

“The problem does not seem to be that churches are teaching young people badly, but that we are doing an exceedingly good job of teaching youth what we really believe: namely, that Christianity is not a big deal, that God requires little, and the church is a helpful social institution filled with nice people focused primarily on “folks like us” – which, of course, begs the question of whether we are really the church at all.”

Ouch.

Dean goes on to say: “What if the blasé’ religiosity of most American teenagers is not the result of poor communication but the result of excellent communication of a watered-down gospel so devoid of God’s self-giving love in Jesus Christ, so immune to the sending love of the Holy Spirit that it might not be Christianity at all?”

Double ouch.

Things like this make me sit back and evaluate and ask the hard questions. What kind of life do my kids see me living? What kind of church do they see? What are we communicating through our lives to those who are watching? Is there any power at all in our faith?

As we spend time in 1 John, looking at what it means to experience true Biblical Community I am personally being challenged to live an authentic faith. What I’m coming to more deeply understand is, it isn’t just about my faith, it is about the future generations too. My understanding and living out of the Gospel impacts the world I live in – most powerfully my family. Together we should be helping each other live an authentic faith. The future depends upon it.

How are you doing in having an authentic faith and helping others live it as well? Need some help? I do. Let’s stand together.

David

No One Stands Alone

2010-10-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

When I was in seminary I developed a friendship with one of my professors. He was a great guy but he went through a tough season in life that left him spiraling into a serious, deep depression. We would talk about what was going on and I would try my best to encourage him but the darkness kept reaching out and grabbing hold of his heart and soul.

One cold, blustery Chicago Saturday I felt I needed to drive the 30 miles to his house to go see him. It was just one of those Holy Spirit moments that I said “yes” to. When I arrived at his house and knocked on the door, his wife answered and told me that he really didn’t want to see anyone. For some reason - probably had something to do with that 30 miles I had just come - I said “That’s OK, I want to see him.”, and I brushed past her and found him in the basement of the house. I don’t remember what the conversation was. I think it was mostly silence. But I sat with my friend, listened a lot, talked a little.

Later on we talked about that day. It was a pivotal day for him because I showed I cared. I wouldn’t let his wife stand in the way (literally!) of reaching out to him and just being with him. He knew at that point that he didn’t stand alone, he had someone on his side.

There are too many of us standing alone.

We are going to take the next few weeks and delve into what it means to be a community of faith. Through the wisdom of 1 John I want us to see that if we are living biblically, No One Stands Alone.

That phrase is what I dream will be descriptive of Cold Springs Community Church – that everyone will be loved and cared for. We aren’t there yet, we have a bunch of work to do. I also dream it will be prescriptive for Cold Springs Community Church – we will each take to heart our responsibility to experience Biblical community – we all would have a heart that no one will stand alone.

Here is a way to begin living that out in a small way. Don’t let anyone sit alone. When you come to church (Cold Springs or any other church, for that matter), forget about sitting in your favorite, comfortable spot. Look to see if anyone is sitting alone, go sit by them and say Hi to them. It is a small thing. Small things make big impact.

Will you join me in seeing that no one stands alone? I really need you to stand with me.

Standing with you.

David

Sabbatical Reflections

2010-09-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

During the time of my sabbatical, I tried to slow down. The first step in that process was to realize that I am living life in a hurry. Most often, we don’t realize that the pace of life is slowly ramping up faster and faster and faster. Impatience creeps in and along with that, stress. It is a tough thing to fight off. Even now, as I am writing this, I am feeling frustrated because my internet connection is so stinkin’…slow!

The core spiritual practice I engaged in during my time away was to pursue the goal of reading through the whole Bible. As I read about 18 chapters per day, I gained a new appreciation for the big picture of God’s story. And one of the things that stuck out to me most was the observation that God is not in a hurry. Story after story in the Bible reveals God’s patience with the people he loves and cares for.

God just isn’t very efficient. He allows people to struggle through their mistakes and suffer their consequences. He is willing to wait seemingly long periods of time for people to remember things he told them that lead to blessing, yet they consistently reject, ignore or forget. God will wait patiently for the deep lessons to be learned.

Let me be honest, patience is not one of my strengths. I sometimes get focused on “what could be” and just want to hurry up and get there. A few years back I began to intentionally say to myself as I drove away from my house on vacation - "Vacation is starting NOW." I had to do that because I was stressed about getting to vacation and forgetting it was that I was in the midst of!

When I find myself just want to "get there", hurry begins to take control of my life. And I forget – God is not in a hurry. He is not in a hurry with me, with my kids, in my marriage, in our church, in other people’s lives.

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God’s patience – his slowness as some of us may see it – is an act of grace. God is not asleep, he has not forgotten, he has not abandoned you and, even though you may not be able to clearly see it, he is being graceful through his patience.

When I slow down, when I am in less of a hurry, when I exercise patience I know that I am much more graceful. Try it for yourself. Take your watch off for a day. Drive in the slow lane. Choose the longest line at the grocery store. Take the furthest parking spot from the store. Say “no” to squeezing that additional appointment into your already overloaded schedule.

As you and I begin to slow down externally, we will find greater peace internally as we rest in the grace of God. I dare you to try it!

It is good to be back at Cold Springs Church.

Check Out Logos Bible Software

2010-08-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

You should check out the best Bible Software on the market. CSCC bought a copy for our friend Esayas Ersabo in Ethiopia (director of Disciple Making Pastor Training and Leadership Development in Ethiopia). If you want to dig deep into the Word of God, this is the way to do it.

They are doing a special promotion right now because the finalized their Mac version. You can sign up for the chance to win some great Mac stuff:

What are the details of the prizes?
We will be giving away 105 prizes to 105 different winners: one 21.5", 3.06GHz iMac worth $1,199.00, one 13", 2.4GHz Macbook Pro worth $1,199.00, one 16GB Wi-Fi iPad worth $499.00, one 8GB iPod Touch worth $199.00, one 8GB Silver iPod Nano worth $149.00, twenty $25 Apple Store gift cards, thirty $15 iTunes gift cards, and fifty $10 Logos.com gift cards.

When I use Bible references in my blog (John 3:16) it is Logos that makes them pop up. Check them out at www.logos.com.

dc

2010-08-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

A Candle in the Darkness | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

2010-05-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

A powerful, sobering article in CT. How big is God? Big enough to redeem evil. I hate Satan and evil - especially when it is those who call themselves Christians who perpetuate it.

A Candle in the Darkness | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Redeemer's Church Meeting On Multisite Models of Ministry

2010-03-09T18:55:00.001-08:00

The intent and desire of God's work in the world can be found in God's
command to Adam and Eve: be fruitful and multiply.

When we are blessed, we begin to bear fruit. John 15 says that deep
connection with Jesus (branches connected to the vine) will result in
eternal fruit. What fruit lasts forever? Changed, transformed lives
who are living a life of faith in Jesus.

That is what the church is called to be - the messenger of
transformation. We are to invest in the things that last.

Randy and I are in Reedley being flies on the wall as this church
wrestles with how to take their next step of investing in fruit that
lasts and expanding their Kingdom influence in this area. As we watch
them, we are listening to what God would say in bow we can invest in
growing God's Kingdom in our community.

Don't forget God's grace is bigger than anything you will face today!
Peace. David Cooke

Sent from my mobile.

Kill The Leaders

2010-02-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

I was scrolling through the headlines on my laptop early Tuesday morning, waiting for my plane to leave when I noticed a news story about a new offensive going on in the Middle East against one of the groups wreaking havoc on their people. It was a military offensive and the objective was simple and clear - capture or kill the leaders.

It got me thinking about leaders and war and strategy and God. And here is what struck me: If you want to stop a movement, a church, a family, a business or a ministry, take out the leader. No, not date the leader, take 'em out like capture him or kill him. You do that, everything will come to a grinding halt, chaos will ensue and eventually you will win.

I was sharing this thought with a friend of mine and he told me about a story he had read in a John Maxwell book that illustrated the point. According to my friend, according to a Maxwell book (which, as you know, are irrefutable) George Washington found himself outnumbered and surrounded at a particular time in the American Revolution. So, he called his best shooters together and told them to ignore the infantry and aim for the officers. Don't waste bullets on the ground troops, take out the leaders. They did and three days later the British surrendered.

Most of us are leaders in more arenas than we realize. And the thing about leadership that is critical to understand is, you're wearing a target and someone is trying to take you out.

Now, before you think ol' David is going all paranoid on you, it would be good to open your Bible and check out if I'm on to something here. Look at John 10:10. What does the thief (Satan) do? Kills and destroys. Now go to 1 Peter 5:8. What's going on? Your adversary is looking for someone to devour. Look at Ephesians 6:11-13,16. It is a battle you and I are in and our adversary wants to take us out.

Here is the good thing though. Someone has your back. First off, Jesus said he has your back and he will strengthen and protect you. (Hebrews 13:5) But there is someone else who should have your back, too. That is your fellow brothers and sisters of the faith. (1 Peter 1:22) What a wonderful place this would be if we vigorously defended each other!

So if you are committed to leading your marriage or leading your family or leading your church or leading your business or leading your community don't be shocked when the bullets start flying. You are in a battle and the enemy wants to take you out. In the midst of that battle don't ever forget that have the greatest warrior on our side and that is God himself. (Jeremiah 20:11-12)

In the midst of your battle, don't forget there is someone close to you who needs you to cover his back as well. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Peace.
dc

It's About Me

2010-01-29T09:42:00.000-08:00

I hate it when God does that. I know it probably never happens to you though.

A couple of days ago I wrote about what I would say to the young man who was making unkind remarks about others if I got another chance. I would gently challenge him to greatness. Great people make the people around them better, they don't tear them down.

I'm not sure I should have written that because since then, I'm becoming painfully aware of how often I think of unkind things about others and then how tempted I am to say them! And here I thought God had something for this young man to learn but it was really me that he was trying to speak to!

Unfortunately, I'm seeing a theme here. If my wife irritates me (hardly ever happens), if my kids irritate me (yep, it's true - it happens), if people in general get on my nerves, I'm having to face the fact that it is usually much more about me and my "issues" instead of them and what I perceive to be wrong with them.

So, greatness slips from my grasp once again. But I'm still going to pursue it. A friend of mine's personal life mission is "More greater than me." I like that. Not there yet. In the meantime I will lean into Jesus to make my heart more like his heart.

Note To Self: one finger pointing out, 3 pointing in.

Matthew 5:27-28

dc

Pursuing Greatness

2010-01-27T13:52:00.000-08:00

I was waiting for the chance and I got it.

A couple of months ago I was at an event where I was working alongside a young man of high school age. To be honest, he was a little rude, regularly commenting on the people around us in unflattering ways. I listened, but didn't say much. I asked about his life and learned some interesting things about him. He didn't ask about me and I didn't volunteer much. For people who don't know I am a Pastor, I'm fine with that because it almost always changes the conversation - like ends it! But there were some things I wanted to say to this young man. And I got the chance.

I was at another event and had the chance to work alongside him again and he began to engage in comments that were unkind. Finally I asked him, "Why are you saying that? It isn't of any value?" He responded that, as long as the person he was talking about didn't hear it, what did it matter? "Because it is unkind.", I said. Then I asked, "What do you think Jesus would think about what you are saying?" (I knew he had a connection with a local church so I thought he had some level of belief.) His response? "Jesus can think whatever he wants." I pushed back a little more and eventually there settled upon us a silence.

As I have thought more about that interaction, I thought of something I wish I had said. I wish I had said this: "You know, I am striving for greatness in my life. And one of the qualities of greatness is they make the people around them better. When you make rude or inappropriate comments about other people, you are not making them better and you are making yourself small. What do you strive for in your life?" Don't you find that you think of the most insightful things to say after the conversation is over?!

Oh well, maybe I'll get another chance. Maybe he will be thinking about that question I asked, "What does Jesus think?" I'm going to pray for that chance. 1 Peter 3:14-17

dc

Jesus Makes Me Uncomfortable

2010-01-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Jesus makes me uncomfortable. There are some things Jesus says that I really like. Take, for instance, what Jesus says that is recorded in Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”"

I like that. That is really attractive to me and I can get behind that (even though I have a hard time actually living it out!). But some of the other things he says, they just aren’t as easy to swallow and even more difficult to live out.

Beginning Wednesday, January 20th CSCC is going to be opening up the Worship Café to give the homeless in our community a dry, safe and warm place to sleep for the night. Each Wednesday night we will do this and, the hope is, other churches will fill in the other nights of the week. A number of groups in our community have been wrestling with the issue of homelessness and what our response should be. There have been a number of efforts to create a permanent shelter in the county that have failed to be executed. But, the bottom line is, there are still people who are cold, hungry and exposed to the elements in our community.

While we clearly understand that one night of warmth is not a long-term solution, we are compelled by our belief and obedience to Jesus to seek, as best we can, to love those in need around us.

The mission of CSCC is: “We exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ from our community.” As I have thought about sheltering the homeless, I started out thinking that we were doing a great service to them. And, in fulfilling our mission, we long to see the men and women who come to spend the night be introduced to Jesus and be transformed by his love. But as I have thought more about this and looked at the words of Jesus in the Bible, I’m coming to realize that this really could be more about us than about the people we are trying to serve.

In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus talks about the final judgment and what will happen. He says some will be sheep (righteous people) and some will be goats (cursed people). The criterion Jesus uses to separate the people into the two groups contains some of those words Jesus says that make me uncomfortable. The criterion used is how the people treated “the least of these.” And he is very clear about what he means by this: people who are hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, sick and in prison. The righteous were commended for their righteousness because they took care of these people. Even more, Jesus says whenever care was given to these people, they were really doing it to Jesus.

The thing that pleases God the most is when we are living like he intended, living as disciples of Jesus. The opening of our facilities for a night is not the opportunity to serve needy people, it is our chance to be disciples of Jesus. The funny thing is, as we serve others, we are really benefiting ourselves – we are being who God wants us to be.

A disciple is a transformed life who is abiding in Jesus such that they love God and love people. Loving those in need is loving Jesus, thus we become disciples of Jesus.

Frank Gates is the one who is really making this all come together. You should thank him for helping us be the people God wants us to be. Even better, you can help him help us be disciples by being involved. There are a number of ways you can help. Let us know if you are interested by emailing the church (csccoffice@pacbell.net) or give us a call. (530-622-2171) If you would like to see the guidelines and structure of what we are doing, let us know. We will email or send you a copy.

As well, pray for CSCC – that we could be disciples of Jesus. And as we do that, some other people would become disciples too.

Peace and grace,
David

Terrorist Cell Warning

2010-01-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

Got this from my good friend Marlo. Serious stuff.

"Terrorist groups operating in churches. Latest new reports are that five terrorist cel grops have been operating in many of our churches. they have benn identified as: Bin Sleepin', Bin Arguin', Bin Fightin', Bin Complainin' and Min Missin'. Their leader, Osama bin Lucifer, trained these groups to destroy the body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy. However, there have also been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell known by the name Bin Prayin' is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. This group appears to be very weak. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whomever or whatever comes along. Bin Prayin' does whatever is neede to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin' cel group has differnt characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin', Bin wiatin', Bin Fastin', and Bin Longin' for their Master, Jesus Christ to return. Which cell group do you belong to?"

"The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how much it resembles me"

Bordering On The Ridiculous

2009-09-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

OK, I don't address political issues much because, from my perspective, politics is tremendously limited in it's impact. I also abhor the inflammatory rhetoric that is the norm on both sides of the political aisle when talking about divisive issues. But, I feel the need to weigh in on the "controversy" over President Obama addressing students in our public schools on Tuesday.

From many of the things I have read and heard, there is a tremendous outcry over the President's address - and it is an outcry coming from the conservative side of the aisle. It seems there is a fear that the President might unduly influence impressionable students to embrace stands and ideals that are contrary to their parents.

The speech President Obama is giving is not a policy speech, it is a speech about the importance of education, of staying in school, having goals and sticking with them. Although President Obama comes from a liberal Democratic philosophy, there are things that both sides of the aisle agree on and one of those is the importance of education.

As well, what a phenomenal opportunity to talk with our kids, this event represents. Research over and over has shown that the most influential person in a child's life is their parents. This is a great chance to open a conversation with our kids about a number of issues - education, politics, the role of the President, etc. It is an opportunity to help our kids develop discernment in understanding what people are saying and why they are saying the things they are.

The righteousness of God is greater than the politics of men. We do not need to live lives of fear. Pastor John Piper in his blog today (http://ow.ly/oixP), gave this prayer. We need to take the Bible seriously and pray for our President and others in power over us, that they would use their influence for the common good. (1 Peter 2:13-17) Piper's prayer is a great place to start.

Father, the condition of our schools and families is so broken that nothing seems to be working, especially for the poor in our urban centers. Help our president to have the courage to use his amazing place of influence to speak into this situation in such a way that boys and girls would take their studies seriously and put school above sport and homework above hiphop and graduation above gangs.

O, Lord, create a culture where it is not cool to fail. Give our President the courage to call all children, especially ones who feel hopeless about academic work, to fight for knowledge the way gangs fight for turf.

And as the President plans his speech, help him to feel as helpless as he really is to meet the greatest needs of the children, so that he turns to Jesus who alone has the answer for the ruin and the wrongs of our cities. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Potential

2009-08-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

What we are is not fully who we could be. But, if we are headed in the right direction, what we are is more than what we were.

Today, Next Generation Ministries took over the church. The youth led worship, ush-ed and all that stuff. They got donuts in the AM and pizza at the end of the day. I feel cheated (but not fat!) that I don't get that stuff! Reality is, I would rather have a good apple anyway.

As I watched these young guys and ladies, I reflected on what it would take for them to reach their potential. There are a lot of factors that can play into reaching potential but there are three essential elements that have to be taken into consideration. One we don't have control over, two we do.

Our potential depends upon our giftedness (we don't control it - God and the Holy Spirit do), our skill and our character (we have huge amounts of control over these two).

Giftedness
1 Corinthians 12:7 makes it clear that giftedness is an act of God in our life. And that giftedness is not for us, it is for "the common good." It is to build up community. So, there is spiritual giftedness that is promised for all followers of Christ. God chooses this for us and for our serving of others. I also believe God marries this spiritual gifting with our natural giftings as well. Each person is created in the image of God - we carry in ourselves the imprint of God. In that, we are unique with particular strengths. None of us is complete in ourselves (unlike God who is totally complete and self-sufficient). We have areas of non-strength, by God's design, so that we will need community and be blessed by others.

Skills
Proverbs 22:29 reminds us that skill is rewarded. Skill is the intentional development of the aptitudes and abilities we have. Skill takes work, it takes practice. I watched a documentary about Les Paul the other night. Anyone who plays a guitar is indebted to the skill, creativity and inventiveness of Les Paul, one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Les Paul died last week at the age of 94. He was still playing in jazz clubs up to the very end of his life. Although it was obvious he was a giftedness musician, he also worked extremely hard at his craft and he said as much - "Whatever I'm doing, I work hard."

One of the greatest sadnesses is observing someone with giftedness but no work ethic to develop their skills. No matter what area of life - musicians, athletes, businessmen, artists, engineers, scientists, parents, pastors, students - the best are not the best just because they have natural aptitude, they are best because they strive to be so. They take that which has been given them and leverage it through disciplined study, practice and learning. Tiger Woods is a phenomenal golfer - and he is one of the most disciplined athletes you will meet. He continues to develop his skills.

Character
Romans 5:3-5 lets us know that character is something that is formed. Character is the slippery one of the three because your character is a result of how you respond to life. Your character is a result of the disciplines you exercise in your life and then how those disciplines transform your experiences. Two critical disciplines are reading the Bible and prayer. In reading the Bible, we learn to see all of life through God's eyes and allow him to define reality. In prayer, we find comfort and wisdom as the Holy Spirit brings conviction, correction and guidance to our lives.

In Romans 5, Paul ties character to suffering. Suffering is the crucible that refines our character. Someone once said hard things in life can make you bitter or they can make you better. That is the character question. No one likes to suffer and, as a culture, we do everything we can to run from it, mask it, hide it and defer it. I'm not saying we should go out looking for difficulty in life but, we must remember that when it comes, God is not absent. He will use these experiences to transform our character if we embrace God in the midst of them.

What keeps you from reaching your full potential? There is a 66% chance it has to do mostly with you. What could you do to make a difference in your potential? It's never too late to invest in yourself. Start with your giftedness (if you aren't clear on this, ask someone who knows you well, they will be able to point you in the right direction), pursue learning so you can develop your skills, decide to be humble enough to allow God to transform your character - then join with him by exercising the appropriate disciplines (Philippians 2:12-13).

Where and when are you going to start?

Water

2009-08-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 2:12-13

Our thirst mechanism is one of the most finely tuned mechanisms we have in our body. When our body needs hydration, it lets us know it. Our body can tell us its thirsty but it doesn't control what we choose to drink.

The end of this month I am going to be running my first race in a long time. The last time I ran a race was in high school and it was 200 yards. (Yeah, I know they measure it in meters now but I'm OLD and, back in the day...). I purposefully chose the sprints because I hated the distance stuff. But, the end of the month I am going to run a half marathon. That would be 13.1 miles for the uninitiated. And it is a trail course so that means a fair amount of up and down. Should be fun. (http://www.brazenracing.com/bearcreektrail.html)

In running, it is important to "Obey your thirst." Water is truly life. And as much as the alcohol, sports drink and soft drink industries have tried to improve on just plain water, ultimately there isn't anything better. The water substitutes we are constantly marketed to purchase don't meet the need of that which we can get for free.

In the book of Jeremiah, God takes his people to task for two evils. God says that we should be "appalled, shocked and utterly desolate" that his people would do such a thing. What did they do? They rejected God's water.

Palestine had three sources of water: the best source of water was fresh water that flowed from a stream or a spring. It was called "living water" in Hebrew. Next was ground water that would be collected from digging a well. Lastly was run-off water that was collected in limestone holes in the ground that were plastered to protect from seepage.

God's condemnation was two-fold: first, they had traded the best water for the worst. They had traded fresh, living water for sludge pond water. Second, the holes they dug for their run-off water were cracked. In other words, they weren't even capable of holding any water.

The words are figurative to describe the trade-off God's people made. They traded the fresh, life-giving presence of God for that which was inferior and, ultimately faulty. There would be a day where they would seek to "Obey their thirst" and there would be nothing to drink because what they had created was cracked. Any life sustaining liquid collected had long ago seeped away.

We face a constant battle against forsaking what is best and creating faulty, cracked cisterns. They can be as simple as working too much - not trusting God's Sabbath principle of rest (which is an act of faith, trusting God to provide). Or they can be much deeper in trying to buy our relationships with our kids through possessions vs personal time or substituting porn or affairs for the true intimacy of a marriage.

As you read through the words of Jeremiah, it becomes clear that for the people of God in that time, they chased everything and everybody other than God.

We all thirst. It is the way we were created. What are you thirsting after? And what are you drinking?

John 4:10-14, John 7:37-38, Revelation 22:1-5

Who's Looking You In The Eye?

2009-05-05T11:38:00.001-07:00

I had a disturbing conversation yesterday. It still grieves me.

I learned that a former ministry buddy of mine had left his ministry, left his wife, left his kids. It seems he couldn't keep is pants zipped. Score one for Satan.

My friend is a great guy. A take-no-prisoners type of leader, focused, passionate and capable. He is really smart and insightful with the courage to make the hard calls and lead people forward. He had recently moved to a larger church and was leading forward with changes to help them be out-ward focused and reach their community. What went wrong?

A number of months ago I was talking with him at a conference we both attended. As we talked about his ministry and the things going on, I asked him who his friends were in his new town. I asked him who his accountability people were. He admitted that he really didn't have anyone but, he claimed, he and his wife were close so he talked with her. I remember telling him that wasn't sufficient. He needed a man in his life that he could talk to. The conversation ended.

The bottom line is this, my friend didn't have anyone to look him in the eye. And it wasn't because there wasn't anyone available. It was because he chose to live that way. Everyone needs someone to look them in the eye. At Cold Springs Church, one of the ways we tell people they need to Connect (the second part of our core process for spiritual growth) is to have a friend. We define a friend as someone you have given permission to speak truth into your life - and then they do it.

As I think about my friend and I think about my life, I am drawn back to Paul's words written in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Paul reminds us of the example of the people of Israel and their failings. It is a warning to us - especially 1 Cor. 10:12 - and a promise to us - especially 1 Cor. 10.13.

If you don't have someone to look you in the eye, someone who will speak truth into your life, someone who will pray with you and for you, you are simply fooling yourself that you will escape the snare of Satan. NO ONE is so strong that they don't need their friends. And if you don't have those people in your life, don't be blaming anyone but yourself. It has been your choice to live that way. Fortunately, God's grace gives second chances. Every time we blow it in life there are consequences to pay. (Galatians 6:7-8) Make the right choice before the consequences bring destruction for you and pain for others.

And pray for my friend.

Loving Jesus Most. dc

Sacrifice

2009-03-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

"I'm wondering," I said to Steve and Dawn, "do you see living and serving in Ethiopia as a sacrifice?"

It was at the end of our 10 day stay in Ethiopia. Steve and Dawn have lived in Ethiopia for 18 years, Steve teaching theology and training leaders, Dawn working for Bingham Academy to recruit staff to teach the 1-12 grade students. We hadn't had a shower for 3 days because there wasn't water in the city. They were going into rolling blackouts where there wouldn't be power for at least 3 days per week (but you didn't know which three days). Dawn had been sick for at least a month with an unknown illness that was causing severe abdominal pain. Their oldest son Jack was recovering from a ruptured appendix - no small thing in a country where major medical issues are dealt with outside of the country because of the level of health care.

Yet, I had met many SIM missionaries and most of them had been there a long time - 15 to 25 years. I met a couple of newer ones too. They had only been there a couple of years but were thriving in the midst of the challenges.

In talking with Steve and Dawn about my question, they confirmed my sneaking suspicion - the idea of living a sacrificial life was not what they dwelt upon. Because it wasn't a life of sacrifice, it was just life. It was the life that they were convinced God had called them to, equipped them for and confirmed them in. No doubt there is an awareness that living in Ethiopia means they don't have some things that other people have (like internet access faster than the occasional dial-up they get when the phones work).

I think we get a feeling that we are sacrificing when we try to compare our life with the life of those around us. And, the amazing thing is, we always compare ourselves to those we consider better off than we are. And then we think - "Oh! What a sacrifice this life of living for Jesus is!"

God's words from the Bible come to mind in this. Take a moment to read Romans 12:1-2. Everyone is called to live a life of sacrifice, if we are a follower of Christ. But we aren't supposed to sacrifice things. We are supposed to sacrifice ourself. It goes back to the Old Testament (and New Testament era) understanding of what worship involved. Judaism and other religions of the day used the sacrfice of animals in their worship ceremonies. The animals were dead. You and I, we are alive and that is what we are called to be - living sacrifices. We give of ourselves, voluntarily, laying ourselves on the altar of God to used in any way He chooses.

For some, that is an absolutely appalling, frightening thing. And it is that way because we don't very well trust God to do anything with us that would be much to our benefit or pleasure. But laying our lives on the altar of God to be used any way God sees fit is the pathway to the "good and acceptable and perfect" will of God. It seems to me that would be a pretty good place to be. I am all for good, acceptable and perfect! Those three words are also a pretty good beginning description of the character of God - a God you can trust.

Last Sunday I received an e-mail from Steve telling me they had finally diagnosed what was afflicting his wife. She has an ameoba living in her. They are very difficult to detect and very difficult to kill. Pray for Dawn to be healed quickly. She has a lot of things to do to live out that good, acceptable and perfect life that she gets the privilege of living in Ethiopia.

Living for God is not a sacrifice, it is a privilege. But it isn't necessarily challenge free.

On The Way

2009-03-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

When you go to bed at 12:30 AM, 3:45 AM comes around really fast! The good news is everyone for the trip to Ethiopia remembered their passport and a clean change of underwear. Other than that, I'm not sure and I'm not asking!

I am sitting in Dulles International Airport in Washington DC. In another hour we will be boarding our flight to head to Frankfurt, Germany - our next stop. That flight is a little longer than the 4.5 hour flight from Sacramento to DC. From Frankfurt we will fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with a brief stop in Sudan.

As the team sat at dinner, discussing our experiences and expectations so far, we all agreed that what greets us will be vastly different than what we have been trying to imagine. For me, that is a part of the wonderful adventure of the trip. It really does cause us to trust in Jesus more than we normally do, when faced with the mysteries of life.

Dan Zacher sat beside a young woman who was questioning him about our trip. She asked him if we are conservative baptist people. From her question, it was obvious that it was not a good thing to be a conservative baptist person. I think it was safe to say that her question came out of some negative experiences and woundedness that still remained.

As we discussed how to respond to a question of that sort I shared with the team that those kinds of questions can have a tendency to put us on our heels. My response to her question would have looked something like this:

"We are a group of people who are trying to follow Jesus and to become more like Jesus. The thing that guides us in our understanding of who Jesus is (not was) and what he wants from our life is the Bible. We are honestly seeking to do what Jesus said was most important - to love God and love other people. What has been your experience of Jesus?"

We all have boxes we try to put people in so we can understand them. This young woman had a negative box and she was trying to figure out how we fit in that box. the thing I love about following God is he is the master "Box Smasher." Just when we think we have it all figured out, God reveals more of himself that makes us run and hide or run to him and embrace even more of his fullness. And then we have to once again admit we don't have God totally in our box.

One thing I am sure of - this trip will be a box smashing journey. We will see and experience God in ways we never dreamed of. Here is the really cool thing - you don't have to go to the other side of the world to have your box smashed! Every time you step out in a new way to trust God, your box will stretched, reshaped and possibly smashed! That is a good thing. We can't become more like Jesus without coming to know Jesus more deeply.

There is something I am clear on. On this trip I will receive much more than I will give. That's the way God works - you can't outgive him. But it is always an adventure to try!

As we travel on our journey across the world to serve God and people, I pray you will embrace your journey and walk across the room, the office or the street so you can see God in new ways too.

Tell you what - I'll pray for you as you pray for me. Only through God's power are we able to accomplish God's purposes.

More later...

dc

Aha?

2009-02-25T14:50:00.000-08:00

I’m going to round my numbers to make it a little easier: 3; 46; 11; 138; 1,518. Remember these numbers – they are really important!

I’ve been thinking about changed lives a lot lately. It is the vision of our church – Growing Transformed Lives – and it is the passion of my heart. But I have also at times become a little depressed, to be honest. I get depressed because it takes a small amount of self-evaluation to realize that I have a few issues of my own that aren’t fully in submission to Jesus! Which then makes me think more about transformation – how does it happen? Why do some people change but not others? How can I help people make the changes in their life? Is there a secret key to life transformation?

Do you remember the important numbers I started out with? Hey! You cheated! You looked above at the numbers. I told you to remember them – they are important! Here is what they mean: 3 talks per week, 46 weeks per year, 11 years of talks, 138 talks per year, 1,518 talks over the last 11 years. That is how many times I have “preached” since coming to CSCC. If you have listened to me at all over the last 11 years, how many of those talks do you remember?

OK – no email responses – I don’t want to fall into a deep depression!

Actually, the most important question is, “How many Aha! moments from God do you remember?” God is constantly trying to get our attention, He is constantly trying to direct us into paths of peace and blessing – but are we listening? An Aha! moment is a recognition of God’s voice and His leading.

If you do a search in the Bible on the word “remember” you will see it is used 237 times. It is an important word.

There has been research done to see what the difference is between people who know something and people who know something and then live differently because of that knowledge. You know what the key is? People who live transformed lives regularly, intentionally remember their Aha! moments.
So, the next time God speaks into your life, the next time you get a little spiritual nudge, the next time the light bulb goes on in your head take the time to write it down. And then, for the next three weeks, every day, read over that insight and then act accordingly. You will experience transformation.

God wants you to embrace His best for your life. It is a daily journey of recognizing His best and choosing to live that way. As you do that you will experience blessings from God and he will use you in incredible ways to be a blessing to others. Remember to join the journey today!

Peace and grace.

"Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. " (James 1:22-25, The Message)

Language Lessons

2009-02-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

“I should note that you will have to work through a translator…”

THAT set my mind spinning.

The e-mail update from Steve Bryan, my friend from Ethiopia, was letting me know about some pastors’ training events I was going to be speaking at. I will have the privilege of working with the Kale Heywet Church, Ethiopia’s largest denomination, in their “Disciple-Making Pastor” project when our team goes to Ethiopia from March 10-22. This denomination has over 7,000 churches and there is a great need for the growth and development of pastoral leadership. I will be going to two different cities – Mizan Teferi and Jemma (check them out on Google Maps!) – and meet with a group of pastors in each city to talk about leadership and discipleship. That is pretty exciting! And then I read those words…

“I should note that you will have to work through a translator…”

As I have thought about this great adventure to Ethiopia, I have wrestled with what I should focus on in my teaching. I am painfully aware that the difference in cultures between Placerville and Ethiopia are vast. It is making me think about whether the things I do and teach in ministry are simply cultural or whether they transcend culture.

All ministry takes place in the context of a particular culture and when you think about Jesus’ church in the world, those cultures are extremely diverse. Yet, even though times, places, languages, cultures and people change the timeless message of the Gospel remains the same. How could that be?

“I should note that you will have to work through a translator…”

I go back to my friend’s words. The thought of speaking using a translator is a bit of a challenge. But I am reminded that it is actually how God speaks to us all the time. I am not left alone to try and figure out how I can contribute to those I will be with in Ethiopia. Long ago God has made a provision for our weakness. He has sent a translator.

John 14:26-27 (NIV)
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.“

Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

It is a great comfort to me to be reminded that in any new, strange or uncomfortable place I might find myself, I am not alone. Through the Holy Spirit, God is speaking my language to encourage me, teach me and lead me.

And you, as well, should take comfort in the truth that you are not on your own. There is one who speaks the very words of God into your heart and mind that is forever with you. He will speak truth and lead you. Trust him.

"You were a wuss."

2009-02-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

wuss |woŏs|
noun informal
a weak or ineffectual person (often used as a general term of abuse). (Dictionary definition)

As we sat having our discussion over fried rice, hot tea, egg flower soup and curry shrimp, that was what my friend said to me: "You were a wuss."

Now let me tell you something - I have never been called a wuss to my face before. And, to tell you the truth, there was something about that statement that brought great delight to my soul.

What we were talking about when this profound insight was shared was some leadership failures on my part in dealing with people. My friend graciously pointed out that he didn't believe I was stupid, nor was I ignorant and unaware of what was going. He wasn't questioning my ability to address the issues I was up against. He was even confident I had what it took to help make positive steps forward. But I didn't. So he (rightly) assumed I chose the path of least resistance in that I wussed out. I chose to be weak and ineffectual instead of strong.

The proverbial slap in the face was a delight to me because I recognized I had a friend that truly cared about me that was sitting across from the table. He didn't wuss out when he could have by pointing out something that was obvious, true and uncomfortable. In that moment, my friend chose to be courageous.

Last Fall God pounded on me pretty hard in convicting me about the level of courage I was exhibiting in my life and leadership. An honest assessment made it clear that on a regular basis I was choosing to be safe instead of courageous. It was mostly about not speaking truth to myself and others when I knew it would be uncomfortable. And so, when I found myself in those situations, I would just let things slide until they faded into the background. The problem is, they never really fade away, they just fester.

Let me be clear, I'm not trying to justify being a jerk under the banner of courage. Some people "speak their mind" under the guise of "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) and really, they're just being jerks. No, I'm talking about those delicate and hard conversations we are sometimes called to have with others that will help them grow in their character and not-so-gently nudge them toward Christ-likeness. The kind of conversation my friend had with me.

For many years I have carried a laminated card in my wallet that has my personal values and vision written on it. "Courage" is right there (twice, actually). My friend wonderfully reminded me that I've still got a ways to go. It is my hope that I will live both a courageous life and a graceful life that I might reach my full potential in Christ and I might help others realize theirs, too. It is also my hope I will continue to have friends who won't wuss out on me when I need it and I will have the grace and wisdom to listen and learn from their courageous words.

Follow This Blog

2009-01-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

Hey - wanna be notified when a new deep, amazing thought is shared? Look to the right and click where it says "follow this blog" and sign up. They tell me you won't get a bazillion spam messages - just a notification that says David has put something up on his blog site. Come on, make me feel like someone cares - follow my blog.

Why You NEED To Connect

2009-01-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

One of the essential pieces of being a disciple of Jesus is to connect in authentic relationship with others. When we are at our greatest level of strength, we have connected on three levels.

The first level of connection we experience is in fellowship with others. This is where we worship together, learn together, gather together. A lot of people call this "going to church."

The second level of connection is family. Family is more intimate than fellowship. It is where we make the commitment to regularly spend time with a few people so that we know others and we become known. At our church we call this a small group.

The third level of connection is friendship. This is a one-on-one relationship where you give someone permission to speak truth into your life. It is built upon a high level of trust and the expectation of honesty and grace. This is the fulfillment of James' command to "confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you may be healed." (James 5:16)

Most people who call themselves Christians stop at level 1 connection. It is a good place to start but a terrible place to stop. We experience God most deeply and grow most profoundly in the context of relationship. The level of relationship we experience in the fellowship context is minimal. It is in the family and friendship context that we really grow in relationship with God and others.

Here's the deal: if you are going to connect with family and friends it takes the willingness to make the tough choices to put those relationships as a priority. The true measure of what we value is shown in what we do, not in what we say. Real relationships require us to say "No" to the good things so we can say "Yes" to the best things.

I got an e-mail from a friend recently that spoke of her small group experience. She communicates why we NEED to connect.

"Dear Small Group friends,

Whenever I have thought or prayed about small groups it has always been in the context of the question: Why Small Groups? Some conclusions are a community of believers, spiritual/personal growth and missional outreach. I have read about and contemplated this subject a lot over the recent years both in ministry in Southern Calif and as it pertains to CSCC. I have been wanting to consider what are the things God wants me to bring to the proverbial small group table. What I did not expect to experience was the outpouring of grace, love and support that I have received from all of you.

My heart overflows with gratitude and love for each of you...

...And most of all- I know of your prayers. I appreciate your prayers. I ask for your prayers. And having people who are interested in praying for me is indeed an awesome thing.

In so many ways... you have all made a lasting impact on me. God has used you- my small group brothers and sisters- so very powerfully. All the reading, seminars, contemplation, etc... couldn't enlighten me better than you all have... Small group is one of God's most significant ways to show us His grace.

Thank you for doing life with me... even when life is messy. You are in my prayers. You are in my heart.

God bless you."

You can't get that on Sunday morning.

dc

Free To Be A Slave

2009-01-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine was arrested. It was a good thing.

It was not the first time he had been arrested but when he got out of prison this time, there seemed to be a genuine change in his life. When he was baptized in the American River in his jeans and t-shirt, the look on his face was one of joy, relief, transformation. And then he began to live that way as well. He worked hard for people, using his multiple talents and sheer determination to accomplish jobs in half of the time others would take. He started going to Bible Study with the guys on Monday mornings, he met with another group of guys to talk about how he was doing and what he was doing to continue to move forward. He served others, he honestly and courageously shared with others his path to destruction and his story of redemption. He began to trust others. Others trusted him. It was a joy to observe.

But then the cracks began to show. Some missed meetings happened. The joy and happiness that had been there wasn’t as evident anymore. Some of the friends he hung out with were some of the “old friends” from an old way of life. Bitterness got a foothold with feelings of under-appreciation that festered in his soul but never made their way to his lips so he could forgive and seek forgiveness. With old friends came some old habits…

I don’t know what finally tipped the scale for my friend because he lived in the balance for a while. But one day, he packed up his tools, stole his employer’s car and continued on to victimize those who had helped him the most. Then he disappeared.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus*. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

Without a doubt, I believe my friend is a saved person. I believe he has faith in Jesus Christ and that he knows what freedom in Jesus Christ is and feels like. One day, I believe I will see him in heaven.

In my Bible there is a footnote on Romans 8:1. What that means is there are some early manuscripts that have a few more words added onto that verse. What scholars surmise is these words were an editorial comment of clarification. The additional words say this “*…who walk not according to the flesh (but according to the Spirit).”

My friend is a condemned man by the State of California. He had not served all his time for his past transgressions and some of his new ones will be easily proven. He will go to prison, perhaps for a long time.

My friend’s story raises all kinds of theological questions, particularly in light of Romans 8:1-2. Is there now no condemnation for him?

Freedom is a really popular word. For most, an understanding of freedom means they can do whatever they want when they want to do it. It is a silly thought because it doesn’t take a whole lot of thought to recognize that definition of freedom isn’t true for anyone. But still, many people live by that belief.

Jesus will set a person free, it is what his grace is all about. But it isn’t a freedom to do anything, anytime, anywhere, to anybody. In the Bible Paul ridiculed the idea that we should sin a whole lot so we can get a whole lot of grace.

Jesus’ freedom sets us free to be “slaves of righteousness” (read Romans 6). We are set free so we can enter slavery. Now here’s the kicker: God cares more about my internal slavery than my external freedom. The safest place for me to be is in accountable, caring, loving slave relationships so I can remain free. Slave relationships like marriage, friendship, church membership, small group bible study, disciplined daily times alone with God praying and reading the Bible. I place myself under authority – I choose to be a slave – so I can be free. Sometimes I don’t like it because, truth be told, I want to do what I want, when I want, where I want, whenever I want. But thankfully a slave doesn’t have that option, so as long as I live the life of a slave, I remain free.

My friend’s supposed external freedom has been taken away by the State of California. My prayer is he will find his freedom again in prison. My prayer is he will once again become a slave to righteousness and no longer live as a slave to sin.

Also, I am sobered by the reminder that I daily have the freedom to choose to live a life of slavery so I can remain free. And that my friend and I are not so different from one another that God would not remove my freedom so I could find my freedom in Him.

Broken and Beautiful

2008-12-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

As I stepped into the coffee shop, the sound I heard was as loud as it was distinct. It was someone crying. As I looked around at the patrons, most were simply ignoring the din, occasionally stealing a glance toward the source of the pitiful crying. On closer observation, I noticed a young woman leaning over a chair, gently seeking to bring comfort to the one who was so distraught for some unknown reason. The one being comforted was unable to form the words to communicate his displeasure at life so the pitiful wailing continued.

I enjoy watching people. When I go to a restaurant, coffee shop or some other public place I try to position myself in a place that gives me the best opportunity to observe the people who come and go. I enjoy people-watching because we are all so fascinating! I often smile at people’s uniqueness and idiosyncrasies because it makes me happy to remember that each person I see is created in the image of God and – like the snowflakes we will see in the coming months – each one is unique, created like no other.

But at times I become saddened as I watch the people around me. Back to the coffee shop… I settled myself at a table to read and soon two young men and a young woman in their 20’s came in. The tall man wore his white, oversized ball cap low on his head such that it covered his ears and shaded his eyes. The other man was animated and jumpy, like his tall friend. They all looked a little strung out. Their conversation was laced with the occasional swear word with no sense there was anything wrong with loudly using the colorful language in a public arena. The young woman had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, more introverted and quiet than her companions. The three got their drinks and then went and sat on the curb at the base of the bell tower, drank their coffee and rolled their own cigarettes, sharing their papers and tobacco pouch. As I sat watching them through the window, the young woman in particular caught my imagination. I began to wonder what her dreams of life were as a ten year old little girl and if they included where she now appeared to be in life? I had to believe they did not.

What I have noticed in watching people is some of us reveal our lostness and our chains more clearly than others. As I sit and watch others, I can only imagine the blindness and prisons people are experiencing. But God does not have to guess. He is painfully aware. The Bible reminds us… “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

It is Christmas again. This year, because of the struggling economy, it has been harder to hide the brokenness of our world behind the decorations and pretty paper surrounding gifts. But it is ultimately the brokenness we try to hide that is the reason behind this season. As God looked at our hearts he saw the great need for a savior. So, as he often does, he moved in surprising and unexpected ways to provide the greatest gift. God gave a hint of this surprising gift through his prophet Isaiah. It was the prophet’s words Jesus used to let the world know he was the fulfillment of the promise made long before.

"“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”" (Luke 4:18-19, ESV)

The one crying so loudly that I saw when I entered the coffee shop eventually was calmed by the gentle words and touches of the young woman caring for him. She wiped the drool hanging from his lips with the ready towel hanging on the front of his shirt. She then wheeled the wheel chair the twenty-something young man was strapped into out of the coffee shop, followed by his friend – a forty-something man with Down’s Syndrome.

The vision of Cold Springs Community Church is “Growing transformed lives through experiencing the love, truth, presence and people of Jesus.” We carry that vision out by sharing the gift of Jesus with anyone willing to receive him. We still believe he sets people free from captivity, heals blindness, frees the oppressed. We still believe there is good news for each and every person created in God’s image, whether their brokenness is visible or not.

We make a difference in a world desperately in need of Good News. This Christmas I challenge you to see the beauty and brokenness of those around you and, because we are both broken and beautiful, be bold in sharing the Good News that Jesus still sets people free. There’s nothing that can make a Christmas more merry than that!

M&M's

2008-12-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

I like chocolate. A lot. But I’m not the only one. After a recent trip I had one of those dump-truck size bags of M&M’s from Costco left over so I poured them all in a bowl that sat on the coffee table in my office. They’re gone now. But soon I will hear about it because I have staff meetings in that office – and people eat M&M’s. I have Leadership Board meetings in there – and Dan Blair REALLY eats M&M’s. The Sunday morning prayer groups meet in there – and it is never too early in the morning to eat chocolate, I’ve discovered. And I’m in that office. And I eat M&M’s (but not as much as Dan).

Having that bowl of M&M’s sitting there makes it awfully easy to just “reach out and touch one.” And, like the popular potato chip commercial of days gone by, “you can’t just eat one.” The maker of M&M’s knows this. They like that it is true.

The good news for me is at least on a monthly basis I can find an article on the internet or in the newspaper that links a health benefit to eating chocolate. I know, I know – they are mostly talking about dark chocolate but if the dark is good, cousin “Milk” has got to be good, too. Right? Right!? That is the good news.

The bad news is that spinning dial on that flat contraption made of metal and springs in my bathroom, commonly referred to as a scale. The bad news literally outweighs the good news.

I’ve been spending some reading time in the book of Proverbs in the Bible lately. I try to go back there pretty regularly, especially the first nine chapters. Those nine chapters set the stage for the next 22 chapters of one-liners that can become so memorable. A few days ago I was reading chapters four and five and my mind keeps going back to the words found there.

"Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:25-27, NIV)

It’s the fundamental rule of riding a motorcycle that the writer speaks of here. The rule is this: “You go where you look.”

You don’t want to hit that dead skunk in the middle of your lane? Don’t stare at it. You want to make the sharp turn even though you feel like you are going too fast? Look through the turn to where you want to be – not where you don’t want to be. Many, many, many novice (and not so novice) motorcycle riders have neglected this rule to their own peril and detriment.

The words that follow in chapter five are a father’s instruction to his son on how to stay morally and sexually pure and they are a repeat of “You go where you look.” He is telling his son not to go near the house of the woman who will seek to entice him into ruin.

"Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel," (Proverbs 5:8-9, NIV)

Now the really cool thing about this is that this wise father doesn’t just stop at telling his son to stay away, he gives his son the right thing to look at because “You go where you look.” What is a young guy to look toward? His wife.

"Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well."
"Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love." (Proverbs 5:15,18-19, ESV)

There it is – the biblical command to be intoxicated…with love! The NASB version of the Bible says to be “exhilarated,” the NIV version translates it as “captivated.” It is wise to look at what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. (see Philippians 4:8) Not only is it wise, it is intoxicating and exhilarating.

Here is the good news. For every thing that threatens to capture your exhilaration and lead you down paths of destruction, God has created something that is even better, that is even more exhilarating and satisfying. Your job? Ask God to reveal it and then start looking at it. It is where you will go. Allow yourself to be captivated by what could be when you embrace God’s best.

I’m not done eating chocolate – remember, it has proven health benefits. I’m just going to eat the right chocolate – in the right amounts.

Oh, and all you guys and gals who meet in my office – BYOC. The dump truck is empty (thanks Dan) and will stay that way!

"He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death." (Proverbs 11:19, NASB95)

"Disobedient"

2008-12-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

I had an interesting (and brief) conversation Sunday morning between church services with someone. He approached me and asked this question (my paraphrase): "What would you call someone who has accepted Jesus in his life, prays, reads his bible, is a good person but doesn't have anything to do with the church?"

Without hesitation, I said "Disobedient."

The church gets a bad wrap - especially lately. But you know what? It wasn't our idea, it was God's idea. Throughout history the church has taken many different forms but without exception its form has looked like a local group of gathered people who believe in Jesus Christ that share God's Word, engage in community, share the ordinances (communion and baptism), pray, worship and serve others. (Acts 2:42ff is a descriptive example of the early church.) The local church is THE strategy God chose in this time to advance his Kingdom on the earth. Hugely flawed, prone to adopting fads, led by broken, messed up people scarred by sin - yet described as the bride of Christ. God's idea.

What do you think? Was my answer off base? Can you live an obedient Christian life apart from being connected to a church?

Back At It

2008-11-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

My friend Jerry (to the right) says he needs me to write to keep him encouraged. Jerry - you need to get some more friends!

Well, it is encouraging to know that at least one person is still checking in, so, if for no one else, here are blog entries for you, Jer. (check out Jerry's website: www.jerryminer.com. Very gifted comedian!)

For quite a while I have been thinking about Romans 8. As I have read it, begun to memorize it, spent time meditating on it, I'm increasingly impressed with the depth of Paul's words and the potential for significant freedom for those who understand them and live according to them.

I'm going to spend a while slowly walking through the chapter and sharing some of my thoughts. It would be great to hear your thoughts too. Conversations are always more fun than monologues.

To talk about Romans 8, because Paul starts with a "therefore," we have to deal with what the "therefore" is there for. My thoughts:

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." (Romans 7:21-25, NIV)

There is a battle that is going on constantly and it is the battle between the spiritual man, the one who is a slave to the law of God, and the carnal man, who is a slave to the law of sin. Temptation and the challenge of evil are not things that are simply “out there” in the world, they are “right here” in me. That is what makes the struggle of sin so frustrating. I can’t blame others for my disobedience as if I am forced to comply with the temptations of the world. I can only blame the evil that is within me.

When struggling with sin and it overcomes me, I feel the weight of Paul’s words, “What a wretched man I am!” Who has not wallowed in this sentiment who has eaten from the trough of the slop of sin? It seemed like a good thing at the time, didn’t it? That anger outburst – surely they deserved it. That second look – fearfully and wonderfully made, why shouldn’t I? Sharing the juicy tidbit – I just wanted them to be prayed for. The extra piece of dessert – sure hate to see things go to waste. Just one more drink - because it is there.

There is no doubt that there is a battle, is there? The mistake is where we think the battle begins. The battle doesn’t begin from the outside, it begins on the inside. “…waging war against the law of my mind…” The mind is the battlefield for the soul. As a man thinks, so he goes. And the battle lines were drawn up by the presence of sin. It is not unique to one, it is common to all.
The good news is this, God has not left us alone to fight the battle. Jesus is on our side. More than that, he has secured victory. “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. And the life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave his life up for me.” The slavery in my mind to the law of God is more powerful than the slavery in my body to the law of sin. I may want to sin, I may choose to sin, I may set myself up in such a way that I believe I have no other choice than to sin but the Gospel of Jesus Christ tells me I do not have to sin.

The key? Renewing my mind. The truth of Romans 8.

Ten Years

2008-06-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ten years. 120 months. 520 weeks. 3,653 days (3 leap years). 87,672 hours. 5,260,320 minutes. Ten years.

This year is not a year where I look back over just the last year of ministry but over the last 10 years of ministry. It was 10 years ago in June that I began my ministry here as Lead Pastor. Let’s see…what was going on 10 years ago…

• January 1 - Smoking is banned in all California bars and restaurants.
• January 25 - Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos become the first AFC team in 14 years to win the Super Bowl, as they defeat the Green Bay Packers, 31-24.
• June 14 - The Chicago Bulls win their 6th NBA title in 8 years when they beat the Utah Jazz, 87-86 in Game Six. This is also Michael Jordan's last game as a Bull, clinching the game in the final seconds on a fadeaway jumper.
• June 25 - Microsoft releases Windows 98 (First Edition).
• November 3 - Jesse Ventura, former professional wrestler, is elected Governor of Minnesota.

There were a few other notable events like the President of the United States being under investigation for moral misconduct, Apples iMac was introduced, John Glenn got another chance at being in space.

When I came to Cold Springs Church it was called First Baptist Church and there was a small and faithful group of people who were pretty tired after a lot of years of conflict and building. As a 36 year-old I didn’t know a lot but I was determined to bring a lot of energy to the party! And God was faithful and wise, even when I lacked one or the other.

One of the encouraging things over the last 10 years was the privilege of baptizing 216 people during that time. There is nothing that more clearly illustrates the purpose and vision of the church than baptism – the transformation of lives so that they publicly declare their faith and allegiance to Jesus Christ!

Some of the other encouraging things: Finalizing the second longest open building permit in Placerville by finishing our facilities. Growing from 100 people to 500 and seeing over 850 people impacted this last Easter. Seeing an increase in faith as we have given away more money and resources to local, national and international efforts of sharing Jesus Christ.

The last ten years have been a journey to embrace our mission of living for the people who are not here yet and reaching people for Jesus while working hard at discipling those at Cold Springs Church to be passionate followers of Jesus.

God has blessed us with an enduring sense of unity over the last ten years as we have gone through tremendous change. We have had 9 worship leaders and four youth pastors over that time. We have gone from traditional worship to blended to multiple services with contemporary and traditional worship styles. We have tried new types of services and stopped ministries that were no longer effective. We have moved the adult Sunday School class at least five times in order to make more room for ministering to our children. Some of the changes have gone smoothly, some have been painful. But the vision of Growing Transformed Lives has stayed at the center and we have held unbendingly to that mandate.

The greatest danger as you read through the reports in our Annual Ministry Report is to get a feeling that “this is good enough.” Although I am grateful for all that God has done in the past, I know he isn’t a God of the past, he is a God of the future. My reflections of the past make me long for so much more because I don’t think we have come close to reaching our full potential in Christ as a church.

One of the things I realized was a significant focus of our church over the last 25 years has been securing, developing and improving our ministry campus. We have spent a tremendous amount of time, energy, money and focus on our facilities. It has given us an awesome tool with which to reach our community. But it is just that – a tool.

Now we need to unleash our resources, energy and passion upon our community and world. What would it take to make a lasting impact on 3% of the people around us - that is 2700 people? What would that do for our community? How can we make Jesus so evident and so important in our community that they don’t just put up with us, they invite us to sit at the table of decisions because we are such a critical part of the community? What will it take to unleash God’s Spirit in our community of faith that the people who come on our campus are overwhelmed with a sense of the love and power of God? What will it take to awaken each and every person at CSCC to embrace their divine calling and live not just for the rewards of a successful life but rather for the eternal rewards of a significant life? What would it look like to live a life of faith as a church, not trying to protect the progress of the past but embracing the hope of the future? What difference would it make to partner with other churches to plant churches that plant churches? How significant of an impact would it be to see the Ethiopian Graduate School of Evangelism resourced to train multiple more leaders to reach Africa for Christ and push back the rising tide of Islam?

These are some of the questions that my soul wrestles with as I reflect on the future. Our best days are not in the past, they are in the future. Just as the past has been a story of change so that we could find and embrace the opportunities, the story of the future will require the same. When I get to heaven, I don’t want Jesus to say, “Hey David, pretty good first ten years but what was the deal with coasting the rest of the way?” I want to hear “Well done good and faithful servant!” I am committed to living my life and leading in ministry such that we hear those words from Jesus! My invitation to you is to join me. My prayer is we will all look back and say “This was the year God began to move at CSCC in ways I never could have imagined!”

Wouldn’t that be awesome.

For the glory of God,

David Cooke
Lead Pastor

2008-05-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

A couple of years ago, as I was reading my Bible (I can’t remember exactly what) I was struck with a thought that I wrote down on a post-it note.

We exist to give our lives away that others might know the depth of God’s love.

I still have the post-it note and it is still stuck in my Bible. When I see it, it gives me pause and makes me consider how my life lines up with that insight.

I am regularly amazed at the patience, grace and forbearance of God. It is clear that he loves us tremendously. The greatest act of love was the death of his son on the cross. That act of love opened a whole new life of forgiveness and freedom that was unknown since the Garden of Eden. But God doesn’t force himself upon us. He doesn’t demand that we receive his love. He doesn’t require that we live in his grace or that we recognize him for who he is.

Likewise, when we become followers of Jesus, God’s patience, grace and forbearance continue even when we don’t trust him fully with our lives and our possessions. God does not force us to give, but he calls us to a life of giving.

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church he concludes with the challenge to “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” What was the work of the Lord? Spreading the good news of Jesus, caring for each other, loving the poor and helpless, feeding the hungry, sharing their resources, teaching truth, exercising their spiritual gifts in community with others - to name a few.

Really, I think it is safe to say that whatever we do, done for the glory of God, is the work of the Lord.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17, NIV)

Our greatest acts of faith come in the form of giving. Giving always requires something from us or of us. Inherent in the act of giving is a level of self-sacrifice that looks to the needs of others above ourself. Unfortunately, we often see this as painful but God wants us to see it as joyful!

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, NIV)

As Jesus grabs hold of our heart we come to see that we don’t live for ourselves, we live to give. In giving, we find blessing. In giving, others see the reality of Jesus. In us giving our lives away, others see the depth of God’s love.

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

What Does It Matter?

2008-05-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV)

There are three ways you can view the church. You can view it as a gas station, a hotel or a home.

A lot of people view church as a gas station. You see, a gas station is a place you go to get something you need. You may not like that you need it and you may not like the price that you have to pay but, through what people have taught you and perhaps from personal experience, you are convinced that a car without fuel is pretty worthless. When you go to the gas station, you use your credit card at the pump, you may nod to the person next to you getting gas but you really aren’t interested in relationship. Relationship only happens when you can’t get the pump to work and you have to talk to the attendant or you buy a little caffeine and sugar hit. It is all about getting what you need as fast as you can and you don’t return unless you have to.

Other people view church as a hotel. The hotel is a place to stay for a bit to get the needed rest to get to someplace else. Hotels are mostly about value and comfort – finding the right mix of the two. The relationship is a little higher because you are talking to the desk clerk to get checked in, you might make some small talk to the other people at the continental breakfast bar but once you are rested and fed, off you go to your next place.

God views the church as a home. A home is a place where you belong. You don’t visit, you don’t pass through, it isn’t just about getting what you want or need. A home is where you give and where you get, it is where you are funny and grumpy, orderly and messy, happy and sad and your family loves you just the same because they are committed to you. A home is where you grow up in size and grow up in character. A home is a place where people love you too much to let you stay the same so they encourage, challenge, rebuke, teach and discipline you so that you can reach that wonderful potential that you may not see but they do. A home is a place you sometimes feel like running away from because it is filled with messy, smelly, occasionally obnoxious imperfect people that hurt you. But they are family so you stay and work it out.

God never intended His church to be seen as a commodity – something to be selfishly used. He intended His church to be a Spirit empowered, relationship driven, passion filled group of imperfect people striving to encourage each other to be more like Jesus.

Here is something that is absolutely true – the longer we stay away from the church, the easier it is to stay away from the church. We eventually convince ourselves that they don’t need us and we don’t need them.

But the Bible is clear – we need each other. We need to be connected in regular, committed relationship with others that goes beyond the surface. It is one of the most difficult things we do in our journey of faith in Jesus Christ – finding authentic relationship with others. It starts with engaging in regular corporate worship, teaching and celebration of the sacraments of communion and baptism. It moves to engagement in growth, learning and relationship through small group connection and matures when we serve in community with each other.

What does it matter? It is the difference between a living, growing, deep abiding faith in God versus a self-serving religious experience that puts myself as the object of worship instead of God.

It matters a lot. Keep connected.

Peace,

David

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." (Hebrews 3:12-13, NIV)

" The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ."

"Now the body is not made up of one part but of many."

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed ..." (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 27-28, NIV)

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

Growing Up

2008-05-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5, NIV)

You probably already know that I like my electronic toys but one of the best inventions to come around is the digital camera. Talk about instant gratification! On my computer I have over 7,000 pictures that go back to 2003. Sometimes, when I am looking for a certain picture I will scroll through the thumbnail size pics and it is like watching my kids evolve right before my eyes. Being with them each day, I tend not to notice the subtle changes but when I look at them over time, I am amazed at how they are changing.

When we look at all the things that God has created and designed to grow, unless you are a fly, growth takes time. If you are a fly, your whole life is going to be experienced in 15 to 30 days, as long as you don’t meet a fly-swatter! For the rest of us, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth takes place over years and we often have a hard time seeing the changes.

When it comes to our spiritual lives, God expects us to grow up. Accepting Jesus in our life to save us and lead us is just the beginning of being the person God created us to be. To be that person, we must intentionally engage in the activities that contribute to growth.

Through the centuries of people following God, there have been developed a number of practices to facilitate spiritual growth. They are commonly referred to as Spiritual Disciplines but I like to think of them as Spiritual Habits. At the core of these habits are a few essentials that foster having a growing spiritual life. All followers of Christ are called to consistently and regularly practice, at a bare minimum, a life of worship, Bible reading, prayer, and reflection in community with others. Of course, the spiritual life is like all else, doing the minimum may maintain where you’re at but it rarely moves you beyond that!

Growth as a Christian is ultimately about one thing - we would more and more abide in Jesus so that we are transformed. When we grow we are becoming more like Jesus in the way we think, the way we talk and the way we act. So the goal of growth is not that we would just know more but that we would be more.

Author and Professor Dr. Dallas Willard says it this way:

“The aim of disciplines in the spiritual life--and, specifically, in the following of Christ--is the transformation of the total state of the soul. It is the renewal of the whole person from the inside, involving differences in thought, feeling and character that may never be manifest in outward behavior at all. This is what Paul has in mind when he speaks of putting off the "old man" and putting on the new, "renewed to resemble in knowledge the one who created us..." (Col. 3:10)” (Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation and the Restoration of the Soul)

Spiritual growth should be seen in the same light of why we bother to eat food each day. Most meals are not gourmet affairs – peanut butter and honey sandwiches aren’t very sophisticated! But as we eat healthily each day it provides fuel for our bodies so we can meet the challenges of the day. The daily feeding of our souls through practicing spiritual habits brings the growth that will make us disciples of Jesus. Jesus described that as living life to the full. As a Christian, that is what we should long for most.

"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so." (Hebrews 5:12-6:3, NIV)

NEXT: The Importance of Connection

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

An Invitation To See God

2008-04-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

A couple of years ago my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The three kids worked together to pull the event off. My part was the invitations. OK, OK – it wasn’t my part, it was my wife Pam’s part. (I can’t even draw a straight line!) Well, my wonderful wife had a ball putting her creative powers to work designing and hand-making the invitations to the party. They were really great and when people got them, she received lots of compliments.

When I receive an invitation, I have rarely found it to be a negative thing. We receive invitations to weddings, to birthday parties, to baby showers and a host of other activities. An invitation is an opportunity to celebrate something good. Because of this, most people are open to receiving an invitation.

Last week I wrote about CSCC’s commitment to live out BBC – Balanced Biblical Christianity. As we live out BBC through the vision of CSCC of “Growing transformed lives through experiencing the truth, presence and people of Jesus” the idea of invitation is a critical element.

Each and every day most of us have interaction with other people. Whether we interact with many or few, our mission from Jesus is the same: make disciples. (see Matthew 28:18-20) Paul puts it this way in his letter to the Corinthians –

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, NIV)

Let me put it this way, the purpose of each of our lives is to invite others to see the glory of God. The way we do that is manifold. It depends on the person God puts in our path and the situation we find ourselves in.

Today I stopped to help a couple of ladies get their overheated car going. My parting comment was “I’ll pray for you that it all works out.” In the brief interaction I had with one of the women, it was apparent the broken down car was the least of her problems. I prayed that God would reveal His glory to this woman and her daughter. There was no time to present the Four Spiritual Laws, to invite them to CSCC, to even pray over their car. It was just one sentence that I pray sticks in her harried heart to nudge her closer to Jesus.

God puts people in our path every day that are so consumed with their problems that they can’t see God. You are there for a reason and that is to invite them to see life differently. A part of inviting others to see the glory of God is inviting them to be around people who are seeking God. Inviting people to your small group, a church activity, a worship service is all part of being an inviting person.

An invitation to see the glory of God is about as good as it gets. Don’t be ashamed or afraid. Go as far as the Holy Spirit leads you – no more, no less – as you invite others to see God’s glory. You might even see more of his glory too when you do!

With you in the journey,

David

PS – Do you have any “invitation stories?” Please tell me your story!

NEXT WEEK: How We Grow

Grow – Invite – Connect – Give

Some More Thoughts on Forgiveness

2008-04-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Pam and I spoke on forgiveness. It is always a challenging one for me because it is a great opportunity for the Holy Spirit to tap me up side the head with the holy 2X4 about how far I have to go in this area.

One of the things I had insight into was actually a synthesis of the speakers from the marriage conference we hosted Saturday and the things Pam and I talked about. Dr. Henry Cloud, in a bit of a throw-away statement, mentioned that research has been done on people’s “self-talk.” Self-talk is the internal conversation we have going on in our heads. Everyone has their conversations – it only gets scary when you actually see someone who isn’t there and begin talking to them! Back on point – Cloud said that research has shown that 70% of people have negative self-talk. Seven out of ten people you meet during the day are complaining to themselves most of the day! And they probably are complaining to themselves about YOU!

When it comes to forgiveness, how we talk to ourselves makes all the difference. It is really difficult (read: IMPOSSIBLE) to forgive someone you are constantly complaining about in your mind. If we have trained our mind to constantly be negative we also will find ourselves much more easily offended. And face it – negative people are more offensive to others.

Alright – here is another synthesis. Gary Smalley was talking on Saturday about his book “Change Your Mind, Change Your Life.” I’ve read most of it and I was really challenged. The bottom line of Smalley’s book is we need to soak our minds in God’s truth by engaging in M&M – memorization and meditation.

Go back to the self-talk and forgiveness stuff. When we put God’s truth in our brain and constantly slosh it around between our ears, we change the way we think. When we change the way we think, we change the way we feel because emotions ALWAYS follow our thoughts. I have to be honest with you – I believe what I just said in the former sentence but I don’t like it. It puts too much responsibility on me. I want to be able to blame pretty much anything/anyone other than me for how I feel. I want my kids and my wife to be responsible for my happiness. Then I have someone to blame…other than myself.

So here is some counsel for you. If you struggle with being able to forgive, start memorizing some verses. Here are a couple of good ones to start:

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13, NIV)

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV)

I’m working on these myself. My goal isn’t to just memorize them but for them to transform my thinking (see Romans 12:1-2). To that end I have been working on memorizing the 8th chapter of Romans. Anyone want to join me?

With you in the journey.
dc

Living BBC

2008-04-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

The Church is changing. It is sort of like the Oldsmobile commercial from a few years back that said “This isn’t your father’s Oldsmobile.” It was meant to communicate that the new Oldsmobile wasn’t stodgy and conservative like the one you used to know. This new Oldsmobile is attractive, fun and modern.

When it comes to the Church (big C – in particular the American Church) we are in a major shift about how people see and experience church (little c – local gatherings of Jesus followers). In many ways it can be summed up this way: Over the last 25 years there was a huge emphasis in the church on “Come and see!” Everyone was encouraged to come to a building to be taught, entertained, sung to, sung with, etc. Willowcreek Church (Bill Hybels) and Saddleback Church (Rick Warren) were the leaders of this movement that made a huge positive shift in how we do church and experience church.

The shift that is happening now is no longer “Come and see” but rather “Go and be.” There is a growing recognition that the Church is supposed to be a gathering of people being equipped to be sent out to be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus to a needy world.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10, ESV)

A long time ago when I was in seminary studying to be a pastor, one of the great voices of Christianity of our time, Dr. John Stott, came and spoke at my school. I still remember the essence of his message. He challenged us to live out BBC. Dr. Stott, being from England, clarified that we weren’t to live out the British Broadcasting Corporation, rather we were to live out Balanced Biblical Christianity.

At Cold Springs Church, it is our intent to lead people toward BBC. We want to avoid the extremes in times of change like we find ourselves now, swinging wildly from “Come and see” to “Go and be.” I am convinced that BBC is about having both.

Let me remind you of the vision statement for CSCC: Growing transformed lives through experiencing the truth, presence and people of Jesus. We are deeply committed to long-term life change through faith in Jesus and we are convinced it happens when we experience truth (the Bible), presence (the Holy Spirit), and people (followers of Jesus).

Over the next few weeks I want to share with you how we see we can live out this Balanced Biblical Christianity so the vision of CSCC is fulfilled in us and through us. I will be sharing with you what it means to Invite, Give, Grow and Connect and how that has the potential to change your world!

Yes, we are in times of change. The Church has always been in a time of change as it has sought to live out the un-changing message and mission of Jesus Christ. But God doesn’t change, the Bible doesn’t change, the Gospel doesn’t change and Jesus NEVER changes. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, ESV)

The mission of the Church and our church is to communicate this unchanging message to an ever changing world. I am committed to leading Cold Springs Church to do that the best we possibly can.

Blessings,

David

Next: What it means to be an “Inviting” person.

Trusting God In Uncertain Times

2008-04-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you listen to the radio, read a newspaper or watch the news, not a day goes by that you don’t hear how bad the economy is getting. One trip to the gas station or the grocery store can make it so we feel the pain personally.
For quite awhile we have been living in very blessed economic times. That house we bought just seemed to keep increasing in value, everybody wanted us to borrow their money to live the life we always dreamed of. But no more; things have changed in the world around us – as they always do.

So, what does it mean to trust God when times are tough?

There is a little book in the Old Testament that carries a big message. Habakkuk was a prophet of God. He was someone God called to speak to his people during difficult times to help them remember that although things are difficult, God is faithful.

"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 go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments." (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NIV)

The words to the song Habakkuk composed are a reminder that the greatest reality in the world is the faithfulness of God. “The Sovereign Lord is my strength…” is what Habakkuk invites us to sing about. God is over all things and he knows the details of the world economy and of my personal challenges. And he cares deeply for each of us, longing to strengthen us so we see his faithfulness and he receives glory.

Here are some things I have found are important to practice in times of challenge:
• Stay close to Jesus. Time in prayer and reading the Bible keep me grounded in what is ultimately true. Talking to Jesus reminds me that he is always with me, no matter what.
• Stay in relationship. Friendships with other followers of Jesus are a great source of support and prayer. True friends will both comfort us and challenge us to be stronger in our faith.
• Stay the course. Someone once said, “Never doubt in the dark what God has revealed in the light.” As you manage your resources, get a plan and follow the plan. For me, it has long been the 10-10-80 plan: 10% to God, 10% to me (savings), 80% to everyone else.
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:7-8, NIV)
• Stay focused. As followers of Jesus, we live for eternal things and we invest in eternal things. The health of the US economy is not a measure of the faithfulness of God! Nor is it a determining factor whether we generously invest in the things that are most important to God: people and the expansion of his Kingdom.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, NIV)
• Stay tuned. I hate to admit it, but most of the important and life-changing things I have learned have happened when life was the hardest. We think God abandons us in our pain but he is close to us during these times and teaching us valuable lessons. Are you listening?
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18, NIV)

Honestly, I think this is a great time to be the church. We have the most valuable, life-changing gift that anyone could ever receive. Now, more than ever, people’s eyes are being opened to the fact that the world has handed them an empty box wrapped in pretty paper. Jesus saves people and he changes their now and their forever. It is that gift Cold Springs Community Church is committed to continuously offering to as many as possible.

When Ugly Is Made Beautiful

2008-03-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

You probably already know this Sunday is Easter. It comes around every year about this time, which is the good thing and the bad thing about Easter. The good thing is that it is a regular reminder of the amazing, unfathomable grace of God. It is a good thing that we would be so important to Him that Jesus would die for us. It is a good thing because it is a chance to be shaken out of our day-to-day preoccupations with bills and schedules and shopping and meals and…and…and… It is a good thing that Easter comes around each year about this time.

It is a bad thing that Easter comes around each year about this time. It is bad because we get used to it. We get used to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection so that we no longer marvel at the grace of God. We get used to the story so that we are no longer shocked by the savagery of the story but instead replace it with warm, fuzzy bunnies and scrumptious chocolate. It is bad because it becomes more about the pageantry of Easter rather than the power of Easter.
One of the things I have long marveled over is Paul’s words in his letter to the church in Ephesus when he reminds them that the “incomparably great power” of God that is at work in followers of Jesus is the same power used to raise Jesus from the dead. The power at work in me (and you) is resurrection power.

Having faced some difficult things in my own life lately, I’m glad Easter has come around about this time of year. I really don’t need a bunny right now, I need incredible hope that comes from realizing that out of horrendous events God showed his indescribable power to make ugly beautiful.

That’s a pretty good description of Easter. Ugly made beautiful. And the overwhelming thing is God is waiting to make ugly beautiful over and over again in our lives each day as we live in resurrection power.

Join us Easter morning to remember this power that makes ugly beautiful, old new, dirty clean, broken whole, hopeless hopeful, dead living.

And my prayer for you? That for you, Easter is a good thing.

Hopeful,

David

Question for You - Please Respond

2008-01-24T21:31:00.000-08:00

Hey - I'm going to do a teaching series on having a connected, meaningful marriage and family. The series will start after Easter and I need some feedback about what it is that you are interested in hearing a Biblical perspective regarding marriage and family. Pam is going to teach with me so you will get the guys and gals perspective. Here are some of the issues that are on the radar:

communication
finances
sex
what guys need
what women need
the seasons of a marriage
the seasons of a family
growing together spiritually
roles
leaving baggage behind

What other things are you interested in being addressed? What things are most relevant to you?

Just so you know, you can respond to this as "anonymous" and I won't have any idea who you are, if you so desire. Comments are monitored by me before they are posted, as well.

Let me know what you think.

Too Lazy 4 Prayer

2008-01-24T20:51:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to get up this morning to pray. I really, really didn't feel like. I hadn't slept well the previous two nights and I was sleeping really good when Jeremy Riddle started serenading me from my iPod alarm clock. I have to be honest, I hit the snooze button. And then I hit the off button. So I gave myself an extra 30 minutes of horizontal time and 30 minutes less of face time with God.

In case you get the idea that I am a total slacker, I DID get up and spent some time with God, reading the Bible and journaling. This amazing thing happened when I did - I discovered God was still waiting for me and was ready to speak to me when I finally took some time to listen. I really like that about God. He doesn't give up on me. He is ready to meet me.

About nine times the Bible says something like this:

"Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:13, NIV) You get the idea that this is an important part of God's character that he wants us to understand. Pay attention to these words: gracious, compassionate, long-suffering, extravagantly loving. Why wouldn't I want to spend time with someone like that?

When I finally got up and spent my more limited time with God, I was reminded again why I make the effort and saddened that I didn't make a better effort this morning. It was good to be with God.

I think much of prayer is about two simple things: First, what is my time to pray. What time of day, what day of the week and how long am I going to pray. Second, where am I going to spend my time of prayer. What is the place that is conducive to me speaking to and hearing from God? I know my time (5:10 AM) and I know my place (the desk in my bedroom). I neglect them to my peril and to God's dismay.

Have you found your place and your time? God's waiting for you.

The Value of Mirrors

2008-01-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Looked in a mirror lately? Probably so. We have this habit of doing it pretty much every morning to start off our day. Even if we don't intend to, when we walk by a mirror we glance over to see how everything is looking. At restaurants you see ladies whip out their little compact mirrors to check for green stuff hanging from their teeth and that the lipstick is OK. Guys stare at their visages while they wash their hands at the sink, mostly thinking to themselves "Man, is my wife/girlfriend lucky to be hanging out with someone as handsome as me!"

Some mornings I get up, look in the mirror and groan. I think "Dude, you got to lay off the chocolate and start moving around a little more. There is more of you to love but it ain't pretty." Other mornings I look in that mirror and think "Hey...looking good this morning! What a beautiful day!" (Yeah, so, I'm vain. As if you aren't too.)

But what about this scenario. You go through your day, just like any other day and then you see that reflection in the mirror and you say to yourself "Yikes! How many people have I been around today and nobody bothered to tell me that I have this very unfashionable rooster tail sticking out of my hair!" You really don't look all that good but nobody told you. Or you stay away from the mirror so long that you have forgotten who you are and, perhaps you are pleasantly surprised when reminded.

OK - here's the point. Mirrors remind us who we are, what we look like, what is good, what is bad. Mirrors don't lie, they just reflect reality. Mirrors are pretty important.

Here is the Spiritual Point: Being with other followers of Jesus where we are worshipping and learning together (commonly referred to as "Church") is our spiritual mirror. When we participate in community we get reminded about the good, bad and ugly in our lives. We get reminded of just how important we are to God and his tremendous love for us. We get reminded of how, in Christ, we are new people and not controlled by our passions but by God's Holy Spirit. We are also reminded of the blemishes and imperfections that need the touch of God in our lives. We get convicted of our sin (yeah, no one likes the word but it is reality) and hopefully, we get motivated to pursue God more fully.

The sad reality of not looking in a mirror is that we can get pretty ugly pretty fast and not even realize it. When we stay away from church we lose our awareness of reality. Just because we don't like what we see is no reason to not look in the mirror. In fact, it is all the more reason to stare intently in that mirror and ask the God who loves you so deeply to bring the needed change to make you beautiful.

The Importance of Little Things

2008-01-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

Last week a big storm came through the Northwest. A lot of people lost power, trees fell down, people ran into each other in their cars, snow made driving difficult and, for some, impossible. The thing that really contributed to making life difficult was the wind. Air moving with velocity can cause problems. You can't even see it but you see its impact.

The wind played havoc with CSCC's Sunday services. It blew over a satellite dish that knocked over the propane pipe that leads to the church. The pipe broke and $1500 worth of gas dissipated though the air. No gas, no heat. No heat, people get cold. People get cold, they get cranky.

It got me thinking about how little things can make a big difference in our lives. We have an expectation that things will stay the way we like them or, at the least, the way that we have gotten used to. But then little things happen and it throws us off our game.

Too often we overlook the little things as insignificant events in our life. We should instead view them as the training grounds of faith. The little things are not irritants, they are opportunities to turn our face toward God and pay attention. I must confess, I find it much easier to get irritated than I do to intentionally listen to God.

If I believe the Bible, I'm compelled to believe that God is in the little things, they matter, I matter and the fingerprint of God can be seen in these little things.

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..."

Paul wrote these words to the Ephesians. It was a reminder of God's purpose in our salvation but it is also a reminder that God has a purpose, it can't be thwarted and the little things are important.

Pay attention to the little things.

The Golden Compass

2007-12-13T14:40:00.003-08:00

I don't know if you have been following any of the controversy surrounding the movie "The Golden Compass" but below are a couple of links to articles that are worth reading.

In short, "The Golden Compass" is a movie based off the trilogy "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman. If you notice some parallels with the "Chronicles of Narnia", it isn't accidental. Pullman's aim with his trilogy is to destroy faith in God. That isn't something that I am making up, that is what Pullman says himself. The trilogy he wrote is really an effort to undercut Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and to destroy faith. "...Pullman has left little doubt about his books' intended thrust in his discussions of his works, such as noting in his 2003 interview that "My books are about killing God" and in a 2001 interview that he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

Christianity Today has an article that looks at the film and Pullman's philosophies that underlie the work. Go to http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/december/12.36.html

I don't think that we should be afraid of Pullman, his works or his films. God wins. But we can use them in a couple of ways. One way is to teach our kids discernment. Pullman is not the first nor will he be the last that will seek to destroy the faith and belief of our kids. We need to be talking with our children about good influences and bad influences and help them understand that most things we see are not amoral but rather have underlying philosophies that drive their message. For smaller kids, I would say that not even watching the movie is probably the best thing. But for our teens, I don't believe it is harmful to watch it with them and help them to see and discern the messages it is communicating. An article by Jeffery Overstreet does a good job of helping us think this through. http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/commentaries/fearnotthecompass.html
You have to use your own discernment on this. I personally struggle with giving my money to support the film by going to it in a theatre. It will be out on DVD soon. I'll rent it.

If you want a Christian Perspective Discussion Guide you can go to http://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/goldencompass.html and buy one for download.

If you have seen the movie, let me know what you think about it.

Huckabee Interview

2007-12-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

Alright, I know that I'm treading on some thin ice with some people so let me say this first: I'm a registered Independent, I have a general mistrust of politics and politicians, I haven't decided who I am voting for, against or otherwise as it pertains to the presidential election, I'm already tired of the media coverage and radio talking-heads as pertains Hillary, Rudy, Mitt, Mike, Barak, etc BUT I just watched this video and I think there is an important message here for Christ followers. Who you vote for is up to you - you need to research it and pray about it and act on it. Take the 30 minutes to watch though. I think you will be glad you did.

The Power of Drama and Music

2007-12-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

This video clip has been around for about a year but I just came on it. It is a pretty powerful visual about the challenges and spiritual battles in the Christian faith. As much as we might turn away, God is fighting for us. He just wants us to stop fighting against him and receive his love.

Take five, watch, feel, believe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zopZlT6Qv6M

What Were You Thinking?!

2007-12-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

Ever said that to someone? I've said it. I've had it said to me. And what is the standard response? "I dunno...."

I've been thinking about this whole thing of thinking. It comes out of my reflections on Romans 8. Paul makes the point that the difference between the dead person and the alive person is what they are thinking. Is it a mind that is controlled by the Spirit of God? Or a mind that is controlled by thinking about "sinful" things. "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit." (Romans 8.5, NLT)

Thinking matters. And what we think about matters a whole lot. I don't think that is news to anyone but how do we shift in our thinking from things that drive wedges in our life to things that bring peace and unity in our life? One thing I know for certain, it doesn't happen without some intentionality in our actions. It also requires that we take responsibility for what we allow to influence our minds.

A couple of years ago I decided that I didn't want to wake up to talk radio or some song that a DJ decided to play at the moment my alarm clock went off. I decided I wanted to wake up to something that pointed me toward God. So I got a CD alarm clock and put in a worship CD.

Changing our thinking is not an issue of willpower. Emmet Fox wrote, "As soon as you resist mentally any undesirable or unwanted circumstance, you thereby endow it with more power - over which it will use against you, and you will have depleted your own resources to that exact extent." (Celebration of Discipline, Foster p.4). It is not about focusing on NOT DOING, it is about DOING things that lead to life. That is what the spiritual disciplines are all about.

Where have you succeeded or failed in changing your thinking?

One Tough Cookie

2007-12-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

A very cool thing happened on Sunday. While I was getting all emotional at church my lovely bride was running the California International Marathon. Pam had the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon (a time of under 4 hours for her age group qualifies you). Three hours, fifty-eight minutes and fifty-four seconds after starting Pam crossed the finish line! Way to go babe! Let's just call her "One Tough Cookie"!!

(That is Pam doing the Tahoe Marathon and Noah, our son encouraging her on.)

Gettin' All Emotional

2007-12-03T12:03:00.001-08:00

I just had someone call and ask if I was OK. (Thanks Pete!) He was a little worried because Sunday I was a little on the emotional side and was concerned that there might be some challenges going on. It's great to be loved, I'll tell you that.

Yep, I was a little emotional at church on Sunday. What I was talking about was pretty close to my heart, this whole idea of keeping people at the middle of the frame. (If you didn't hear the talk you can get it off the church website, www.coldspringschurch.net). A lot of times the "church" can get knocked for being too focused on programs and buildings. Some of it is true. I have to be honest, pastor's can get into the trap of measuring their value, success, impact, etc by the size of their budget and their buildings. Part of it can be because many other people measure them that way. I digress.

But really, if you take the time to delve into their heart, I will bet it bleeds for people. That people would know Jesus. That people would love Jesus. That people would experience Jesus. That people would be healed, changed, grow up, settle down, find hope, lose despair, experience faith, choose wisdom. People. That is what they care about. It is what I care about.

Back to Sunday. I was sharing about people and about eternity. What makes a difference in forever? It is people. And the question I wrestle with is... "How can we help more people experience eternity?" I get emotional about that and it chokes me up.

Another thing that played a part in it was I was at the end of a five day fast. I strongly sensed that God was inviting me to fast and pray for five days so from Wednesday through Sunday I spent significantly more time before Jesus in prayer, reading, meditation and contemplation. So, I also believe that the talk on Sunday had God's fingerprint upon it.

In my journaling this morning, this is what I wrote about my time of fasting:

“In thinking about [my fasting] today, the big thing would be God’s sustaining power, that is the lesson. When I didn’t have food, God sustained my strength. When I didn’t have emotional reserves, God came and made up for it. When I struggled to find the message, the ideas, the creativity, God gave me those things at the time of need.”

Jesus needs to touch our whole life. Heart, soul, mind and strength. For someone who isn't highly emotional (ask my wife), that is a tough thing for me to allow at times. And as a Pastor, I really want people to go beyond just thinking Christian, but acting Christ-like and feeling Christ-like.

A Prayer

Creator of our whole being, awaken in us a hunger that will only be filled by you, a thirst that would be unquenchable except by finding your living water. Creator, create in us longings that find their fulfillment and peace in you. Open our eyes to see you everywhere you are. AMEN

Protecting the Gift

2007-11-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

Last week I went to a training event put on by Granger Community Church (www.gccwired.com) and I attended the seminar by Kem Myers on Communication. Some very good stuff. The bottom line for me was the idea to keep it simple. It used to be that we thought that the more choices we gave people, the better so churches started offering everything under the sun. There seems to be a shift going on now to the simple church idea. Somewhere in the middle, there is a balance to be found.

Anyway, the idea of simple needs to permeate everything that we present. When we print a Sunday program or an invitation or a website and people see too much info, they just check out because of the overload. Identify what is most important and focus on that. Direct people clearly where they can get more info if needed but KEEP IT SIMPLE!

You know, not a bad lesson for life, huh? Figure out what is most important and focus on that. Don't let the fullness of life crowd out the best of life.

During the training event, Kem showed a video clip that really caught my attention. It was done by Dove (you know, the soap people) and they have started this thing called "Campaign for Real Beauty." To get it through our heads about the message being pushed toward women in our culture about what beauty is, they developed some short video clips. They are great clips to illustrate Romans 12.1-2 (don't be pushed into the world's mold but be transformed) and 1 Peter 3.3-4 (defining what true beauty is by contrasting the world's perspective). I have to warn you, the "Onslaught" clip is pretty provocative but (unfortunately) not much worse than standing in line at the grocery store and being assaulted by the magazine racks. This is a soap company communicating a biblical perspective! You can find the clip and info on the campaign at http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/dsef07/t5.aspx?id=7373&filmno=1

If you have a daughter - the message is a good one. YOU teach what true beauty is because the Beauty industry wants to tell her a lie. But really, should we leave the formation of our daughter's character in the hands of a soap company?

Habits

2007-11-15T20:54:00.000-08:00

Driving to Stockton today for the second time in two days I was listening to some leadership stuff to sharpen my mind. I had an abridged audio version of Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on my iPod. I was really struck by his definition of how habits are formed. Here is the equation: Habit = Knowledge + Skill + Desire

Knowledge is learning, being taught what you don't know. Skill is the ability to put into practice effectively the knowledge. Desire is the level of willingness to do what needs to be done, learn what needs to be learned.

So, what habit would you like to have in your life? What is the stumbling block for you? Is it Knowledge, Skill or Desire? Or, think about it this way: what habit do you have that you don't want? Why is it still there?

For me, I'm thinking I want a better habit of prayer. I had a bit of a personal crisis a couple of years ago where I just felt like I didn't know how to pray anymore. I turned to the Bible and started with the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples when they said, "Jesus, teach us to pray." I figure that is a pretty good place to start. That helped a lot. So, there was my knowledge. I have found that when I write my prayers that helps me to grow in them. I also tend to be more focused and there is less whining in my prayers. That is my skill development. Desire is the kicker, isn't. Do I desire another 20 minutes of sleep or 20 minutes talking to God?

So - what do you think? What is the hang up for you in the habit your are seeking to create in your life? Is it knowledge, skill or desire. What is keeping you from addressing that area of need?