The Importance of Looking Foolish

Did you know that God wants you to look foolish sometimes?

It's through these foolish appearances, that God is doing something great in and through us. Think about how foolish Noah looked building that ark in front of his neighbors and family. Can you imagine how much of a joke he became?

What about the young David? A shepherd tweener with a sling shot taking on not just a professional soldier, but a giant one at that! How many wise cracks did he overhear from his brothers and the other Jewish soldiers? Even Goliath taunted him to his face - right before David's stone killed him.

When we find ourselves in the midst of a difficult situation, God sometimes calls us to look foolish. It's at that precise moment, that we're faced with the question "Am I more concerned about what I want than with what God wants?" When we step forward with courage and understand the importance of looking foolish to the big picture of our lives, we find a whole new perspective on life.

Mark Batterson wrote a book a few years ago called "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day." The book focuses on a couple of verses found in 2 Samuel about a guy named Benaiah who jumped into a pit on a snowy day to kill a lion. Benaiah succeeded in killing the lion and became the commander in chief for Kings David and Solomon.

Imagine the courage it took for Benaiah to jump into that pit. Imagine how foolish he looked at first to anyone who may have been watching. We can't deny that there are fine lines separating courage, risk and looking foolish.

This weekend at City on a Hill Church, we're wrapping up a series on suffering. We're going to talk about "Attitudes in the Midst of Anguish." In this message, I'll share three important attitudes that we should have in the midst of our trials and tribulations. Courage is at the top of the list.

We'd love to see you there!

Missed Opportunities

Fear is powerful. It can keep us from responding to God's call on our lives. Just as importantly, fear, coupled with pride, can keep us from taking advantage of opportunities from which we can benefit.

This morning I met with a representative at Piedmont United Way to get educated about all the programs in Culpeper to help those who need a hand. I was truly amazed at all of the programs that are in place through government agencies, churches, ministries and other non-profit groups that are in place simply to help people. There is no justifiable reason for sincere people in our community to remain in need with all of these opportunities for assistance in place.

Of course, fear keeps people where they are... hungry, lonely and in need. It's fear of the unknown, fear of rejection that keeps them down and out. It's fear and pride together that can shackle a person to poverty with no hope of freedom.

The same is true in our lives as Christians. We see where God is calling us to, but we remain still out of fear and pride. What if I fail? What will other people think?

Honestly, there are too many "what ifs" in life to consider. We need to stop being afraid of the unknowns and walk by faith, not by sight. We need to stop worrying about what other people think because all of us need help from time to time. God wants us to use every available resource that we have to enjoy an abundant life, including assistance programs. We need to stop fearing failure in our lives because failure is inevitable. It's what we do with that failure - how we respond and learn from it - that's important.

Let's open our eyes and recognize the resources around us. Let's recognize them for what they are: opportunities for us to become who God wants us to be.

No Miracles Without Messes

If you find yourself in a mess, just remember... there are no miracles without messes. You can't be healed without first being sick. You can't overcome without first being challenged.

King Jehoshaphat and the Jews faced an insurmountable enemy in 2 Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat was a good king who loved the Lord and who led his people in righteousness. Yet, God was allowing enemies to threaten the lives and freedom of His people.

It was through this mess that God worked a miracle to give the Jews victory and extended peace with the surrounding nations. It was through suffering that God prepared Jehoshaphat and the Jews for the miraculous. That's what God does in our lives, too.

When we find ourselves in a mess, God is preparing our hearts and minds for what He wants to do in our lives. Jehoshaphat responded with praise and worship. We get the contemporary worship song "His Love Endures Forever" from King Jehoshaphat's worshipful response.

This weekend at City on a Hill Church, we're continuing a series on Suffering with a message on how we're changed through our messes. Join us at 11am!

Church Rejects

If you think about it, many of those who followed Jesus during His ministry on earth were people who were the "unwantables." They were those who society rejected in some way or another. Yet Jesus accepted them just as they were.

There are many churches throughout our country that avoid those kind of people. You know who I'm talking about. The people who don't look like us, dress like us or talk like us. So who's reaching out to them if the Church isn't? That's easy. Satan is.

People want to be accepted, and they typically want to belong. If given the chance to join a group of people who will love them and invest them, most everyone will not hesitate. Why not simply do what Jesus did and begin to minister to everyone who needs Jesus - not just those with which we're comfortable.

Would you dare pray for your church to be filled with people rejected by most other churches?

Next Step

God has been gracious to City on a Hill Church in allowing us to take one step at a time in our growth. My wife and I launched the church in our home basement using our empty dining room as children's ministry space.

The next step... By October of last year, we had moved into our current building with a sanctuary that seats 60 people and two children's ministry classrooms.

The next step... A few months ago, we took over yet another office in our rented building to add a multi-purpose room for children's ministry and office space.

The next step... I received word last night from the building owners that we're allowed to proceed with plans for renovations to increase the size of our sanctuary and occupy more space in the building for children's ministry.

The next step... Only God knows...

Extra Baggage

Those of us who have ever been on a diet know what it's like to need to lose something that just doesn't want to disappear. But when it does, it's like we've emptied ourselves of extra baggage we've been lugging around.

In Philippians 2:3-11, the Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus emptied Himself of something, too.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In this case, Jesus emptied Himself of something that He deserved. In order to accomplish, God's sovereign plan of redemption for the human race, Jesus had to come to earth, make himself nothing, be a servant and walk in obedience to die a cruel, humiliating death by crucifixion.

According to God's Word, we're to have an attitude similar to that of Christ. We're to empty ourselves of what we think we deserve in order to be other-centered and accomplish God's will in and through our lives.

As a result of Jesus' obedience, God has been glorified, Jesus' name has been exalted and every knee will bow before the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result of our faith in Christ and obedience, God will be glorified, Jesus' name will be exalted and we will be seated with Christ in the heavenly realms for eternity.

Let's get rid of the extra baggage of pride and desire of recognition. Let's get rid of the attitude that says, "I deserve more." Christ emptied Himself of what He deserved for the sake of others. We certainly don't deserve more than He. Let's get our eyes off of ourselves and on others.

Wins

To be a successful sports franchise, you must win. At City on a Hill Church, we celebrate wins, too!

We all understand that Christianity isn't a game, but the analogy helps us understand what our goals are and how important it is to celebrate along the way. Here are just a few wins we've celebrated recently:

-The "adoption" of two neighborhoods in our community by meeting their needs in practical ways
-The lives impacted because they were reminded that God loves them and hasn't forgotten about them
-Our first year anniversary as a church
-Our first annual Leadership Retreat
-The significant growth we've experienced during the summer season when most churches decline or plateau
-The addition of people using their gifts to serve in ministry
-The addition of two new Life Groups starting up this month
-Several people giving their lives to Christ for the first time or rededicating their lives to Him

May all the glory be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I'm looking forward to many more wins for the Kingdom of God!!

Adoption

So often we see commercials or ads asking us to adopt children in Third World countries to feed them and provide school supplies. These are children who have been abandoned. Their society doesn't want them, so some NPO has taken them in and overseeing their welfare.

In Culpeper, there are neighborhoods filled with people who have been abandoned. Even local churches have turned their back on these neighborhoods. Perhaps the local churches believe they are too hard to reach. Perhaps the local churches would prefer to reach more affluent people who could make a difference in their budgets.

At City on a Hill Church, we're adopting neighborhoods. That's right. We're actually going to the neighborhoods that the other local churches are ignoring. The people in these neighborhoods have been crying out to God in their own way, and now God is sending us because we're simply saying to God, "Here I am."

As a result, people are turning to the Lord for answers. People are giving their lives to Christ. People are finding value in themselves and are being reminded that God loves them.

I love the fact that God is using us in these special ways. I hope it never stops.

Family Service Sunday

This Sunday is Family Service Sunday at City on a Hill Church. Our Family Services focus on a worship experience for the entire family. Meaningful worship for the young and old. A message that reaches both the kids and adults. Our children will be serving in a variety of ministry positions.

I'm really looking forward to the Lord ministering to our families this Sunday. Please join us at 11am at 405 Sperryville Pike in Culpeper.

Eliezer

Eliezer was Abraham's top servant - kind of his "right hand man." When we read the story of how he was sent to find a wife for Isaac in Genesis 24, we can see that Eliezer wasn't the kind of guy who did the bare minimum. He was an "and then some" servant. He did what he was asked and then some.

Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." (Matt 5:41) The person that goes the second mile is going above and beyond. He/She is an "and then some" servant.

We need to apply this principle in our ministry at our local church. Am I doing the bare minimum just to fill that need or am I going the extra mile that could really make a difference?

We also need to apply this principle in our personal relationship with Christ. Am I simply showing up on Sunday mornings or am I really giving God a chance to mold me and grow me to be more like Him?

Preparations

The Boy Scouts warn us, "Always be prepared." I respond, "Nice pipe dream." If you're like me, being prepared for the curve balls, the fast balls and the switch-ups that life throws at you isn't always easy. In fact, it's down right impossible sometimes.

This week, school is starting for millions of students across our great land. Abby Rae is excited about the beginning of First Grade while we're not quite sure about Emma who is now old enough for K-4.

What's it going to be like to have two of our three out of the house?

Will Abby Rae like her new teacher?

How will Emma adjust to being at school for three half-days per week?

Could we have prepared them any better for this fateful week? Could we have prepared ourselves any better?

The best preparation I know of is simple really - prayer. After all, we're talking about preparing our hearts and minds for what the future holds. We already bought the school supplies (by the way, do triangular pencils really make that much of a difference?).

Parents, have you prayed that your heart would be ready for the absence of your student from your home? Have you prayed for protection over his heart and mind as he steps out in faith to make new friends, exposing himself to rejection? Have you prayed for protection over her heart and mind as she adjusts to not having mom, dad and siblings there as a comfort during those tough days when things just don't make sense?

While we may not all be prepared logistically for every possible scenario, let's get prepared with prayer. It's the least we can do. It's also the most we can do!

Property of God

People are not the property of any particular local church body.

Have you ever considered that?

We're all owned by God alone - we're His creation and His children. I believe that we should all respect the work that a local church body has invested into a life. I also believe that another Christian, leader or pastor should not hesitate to minister to a person who is committed to City on a Hill Church when there is an opportunity and when the Holy Spirit is leading him/her. Who am I to say, "You shouldn't minister to that person. That's my job!" In my experience, most growing Christians have a variety of people who are investing in them. The only label I hope to ever see on anyone at COAHC is "Property of God."

Life Groups

I'm excited about the direction of our Discipleship Ministry at City on a Hill Church. We currently offer two Life Groups. We're about to launch a Life Group just for women in the next month. Another Life Group for a specific neighborhood is probably going to be launched in the next 4 to 6 weeks as well.

I've spent the last couple of days selecting our next curriculum that will begin in September. It's looking like it will be something from Phillip Yancey.

I love Life Groups. It's easy for some to want to call what we do a "Bible Study." I genuinely dislike that phrase, though, for describing our purpose for Life Groups. When I think of a Bible Study, I think of one person reading and teaching Scripture, verse by verse. There's very little discussion, if any.

In our Life Groups, the emphasis is on building "body life." Ultimately, it doesn't really matter to me what the curriculum is because that's not nearly as important as the relationships, the connecting and the growing that occurs both vertically (with Christ) and horizontally (with one another) through simply being together discussing the Truth of Scripture and the life that God wants for each and every one of us.

It's not the curriculum that should be motivating our attendance and participation - it's our connection to God and with one another. Our own personal devotional life should inspire us each day. Our Life Group curriculum is nothing more than a supplemental to what God is already doing and speaking into our lives and should never be substituted for our daily time in the Word and in prayer.

The Saga That is Michael Vick

Move over Brett Favre, there's someone else about whom the sports reporters want to talk. He's Michael Vick. The one and only. The man, the myth and the legend who is famous for his elusiveness on the gridiron. And the cruel overseer and participant of a dog-fighting ring which landed him in prison for the last two years.

Michael Vick has been shown mercy. He has been forgiven by some and will once again have a chance to strap on the helmet - this time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia - the City of Brotherly Love. Isn't it interesting that it's Philadelphia that is demonstrating grace in the life of Michael Vick?

Tony Dungy, former Head Coach for the Indianapolis Colts and outspoken man of faith, has also become involved in Vick's life. Dungy visited Vick while he was imprisoned, and now has taken the younger Michael under his wing as a protoge.

Dungy understands the importance of investment. Dungy lost his son to suicide in 2005. Perhaps seeing this as an opportunity for redemption in his own life, Dungy has come alongside Vick as a mentor and an accountability partner. The relationship between these two men is a reminder to all of us of the importance of mentoring and accountability. We all need both in our lives. Just as important, there's someone in your life who needs mentoring and accountability from you.

Leadership Retreat

This weekend, leaders from City on a Hill Church are going to a Leadership Retreat in Massanutten, VA. We're going to spend all day Friday learning what good leadership looks like. Then on Saturday, we'll apply that knowledge and wisdom to strategic planning for the next 12 months at COAHC.

I'm really looking forward what God is going to do through this retreat. We've got some great information to discuss from leaders like John Maxwell and Andy Stanley. We're going to look critically at everything we do as a church - no holds barred and no sacred cows allowed!

I believe that unless Scripture gives a clear formula for a particular ministry, then it's always considered an experiment and should always be up for evaluation and change. Too many churches get comfortable with what Andy Stanley calls "couches." These are the areas within a church that are comfortable for people and remain the same without any critical evaluation. We need to get rid of couches from the Church. They facilitate laziness and are ineffective in transforming lives.

Oh, and the home we're renting from Massanutten Vacations this weekend is called Joyful Passage. Gotta love it! Such a God thing...

Where Has God Gone?

We've probably all faced at least one trial in life that left us wondering, "Where has God gone?" It's in the darkest hours of our lives that makes us feel as though God is no longer with us. He's forgotten about us.

Last night, I spent some time in a neighborhood in Culpeper where most are struggling with a variety of different issues. One lady lost her job and can't pay her rent. Another family can't afford to buy diapers for their one-year old son. One mother is on disability and has a grown, autistic son and can't afford to buy clothes after all the bills are paid. Some families can't afford to buy school supplies for their kids. One unemployed young man is now living with his struggling father after having eaten out of garbage cans jsut to survive. Many families can't afford to buy basic groceries on a weekly basis.

After spending time with these folks last night, it was obvious many have been wondering, "Where has God gone?"

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

"...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20 NIV

These two verses remind us of the Truth that God has not gone anywhere. He's still on the throne. He's still watching our every move. He knows our needs. He knows our hurts. He still loves us just as much as He ever did!

As I shared this Truth with some of the folks last night, it was easy to see hope begin to fill their eyes once again. I could see their countenance change. In a dark place where Satan's grip has held tightly for a long time, Light was brought in the form of a few bags of groceries, some encouraging words and the victory that is found in the form of Biblical Truth.

My friends, prepare for transformed lives. Prepare for riches in our glorious Christ. Prepare for an abundant life that transcends all worldly wealth!

Bringing Glory to God

I was reading the story of Joseph this morning during my quiet time, and something jumped out at me. It's when Joseph is revealing his true identity to his brothers and forgiving them. His reasoning is captured in Genesis 45:7-8.

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

When the brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, they thought they were getting rid of Joseph once and for all. Their act was selfish and evil. However, they had no idea that God's sovereignty was at work. They had no idea that, years later, they would be begging at Joseph's feet in Egypt. They had no idea that their actions on that fateful day would turn out to be glorifying to God.

When Jesus entered into Jerusalem the last week of his life, the disciples shouted, "Glory in the highest!" The Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his followers. Jesus' response was simple and to the point:

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (Luke 19:40)

Everything that has been created by God, including every single person alive - Christian or not - will bring glory to God either as an object of mercy or an object of wrath.

Self-Centeredness

Self-centeredness isn't resolved with more self-centeredness, but with other-centeredness.

Do you know anyone who realized his selfishness and then spent more time focusing on himself to resolve the problem? It seems like a natural reaction, but it also is contrary to the point of the problem!

The easiest way to get our focus off of ourselves is to get it on someone else. Instead of being self-centered, try being other-centered. I bet there are people you know who could use some help or encouragement from you today.

The Journey

Many of us have our "five-year plans." Some of us have our "next-week plans." Most of us smply want to reach our goals as quickly as we can. You know - the shortest distance between two points and all that...

I think that we're overlooking the journey for the destination, though. It's easy to get so focused on the endpoint that we miss what God wants to do during the process of getting there. It's during the journey that God will shape us, mold us and teach us valuable lessons about who He is and about what He wants for our lives. In almost every situation I can think of, the journey is more important than the destination!

God-Lenses

Since my people are crushed, I am crushed. Jeremiah 8:21 NIV

I have a habit of people-watching. It's honestly one of my favorite pasttimes! Going to a mall can be quite entertaining on a busy Saturday afternoon. Lots of people - each with his or her own story.

It's easy to look around and pass judgment on each person as he walks by me. But what if I was to look at that person with God-lenses? In other words, look at that person as God looks at him. Of course, it's impossible to see into the heart as God does, but body language and facial expressions can sure give away a lot of information about what kind of day the person is having!

With people-watching comes a natural kind of self-righteous judgment:

"She sure doesn't look or sound like a Christian to me."

"Look at the clothes he's wearing!"

"Did you see how she reacted to her child?"

How does God react when He looks at these people? Empathizing with how God feels when He looks at His children is an important part of our lives. Reacting not with self-righteous judgment, but instead with heart-wrenching sadness when we see someone who obviously is in rebellion to the Lord. The people we watch are God's creation just like we are. He loves them just as much as He loves us. God doesn't have favorites!

So then shouldn't we have empathy? Shouldn't we look at people with God-lenses, celebrate with joy when we see Christians reflecting and glorifying Christ and mourn like the prophet Jeremiah: "Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people." (Jeremiah 9:1 NIV)

Defining Reality

I'm currently going through John Maxwell's Leadership Gold curriculum. One of the lessons contained in this package states that a leader's first responsibility is to define reality. That's so important!

This concept is not just for leadership, but for all of us. When we produce goals and have a vision for our future, we are, in essence, creating an end point for ourselves or our objective. We're told that the quickest way from one point to another is a straight line. So, wouldn't it make sense to try and get from our starting point to our end point in a straight line? That means we must know what/where our starting point is. Defining our starting point is defining our reality!

I'm currently teaching a series at City on a Hill Church called "Climate Control". It's a 3-part series. The first message is called "Being a Thermometer". The last two messages are called "Being a Thermostat". You see, we first have to define reality before we have any chance of impacting the environment around us. In the context of this series, we must first identify the spiritual climate of our own lives and the environment around us before we can begin to influence the spiritual climate. We need to know what it is before we can change it!

Whether in relation to work, family or spiritual things, take some time and define reality. It will help you understand where you are and where you need to go!

Organism and Organization

I read an interesting article this morning about the Church. We've seen and heard a lot in recent years about how people are more interested in Jesus and less interested in the Church. This article brings us all back to the point that Christianity is not what Jesus intended without the Church.

The author interviewed Ted Kluck, a lay member of the University Reformed Church in East Lansing, MI and Ted's pastor. One might surmise that this opinion is held by more traditional churches. "The more contemporary emergent and non-denominational churches don't hold that belief," one may say.

I would disagree.

I think more and more Christian leaders (contemporary and traditional) are pointing out the essential role that the Church plays in our relationship with Christ. One simply can't be in stride with Jesus Christ and not with the Church. The two are intimately intertwined.

"Organized religion has too many problems!"

"The Church is full of hypocrisy!"

"There's too much judgment inside the Church!"

"It's so hard finding the right church."

Yes, I would agree with all of those statements. They still don't excuse us from participating in the Body of Christ, ministering to a local group of believers using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us.

The author of the article describes the Church as an organism and an organization. It's living, changing and growing. We, as believers, help the Church maintain its fluidity. It also has a foundation and structure to it which is the Word of God.

Giving up the Church because it's not perfect is hypocritical in itself. No one's perfect - including you and me! So, why would anyone expect the Church to be perfect? It's never going to be, but God's Word still calls us to be connected with one another in a local church - and by connection, I don't mean just at Christmas and Easter. It essentially all boils down to a matter of obedience. Are we going to do what God wants us to do or are we going to walk in rebellion and still expect God's blessings?

Shipwrecked

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27 NLT

Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 NLT


Paul's instructions in these passages remind us of the importance of discipline in our lives as Christians. So many of us can talk Christianese and share the marvels of God's Truth but aren't really living it day-in and day-out as God desires.

To the church at Corinth, Paul instructs them that training is important to avoid disqualification. Avoiding the "once-saved-always-saved" argument, I believe there is a disqualification that we can experience on earth as Christians. When we're not walking the walk, we become hypocrites. We lose our effectiveness in leading others. We get disqualified.

That's only the first step. Paul goes on to tell Timothy that there's a more dangerous second step that doesn't just affect those around us, but, more importantly, affects our own relationship with God. When we take that step off the deep end and violate our conscience, we shipwreck our faith.

In other words, if I become lazy about having my devotional time with God while promoting the importance of it to others, I'm disqualifying myself from being genuine and authentic in my walk. I've become a hypocrite. And if I walk away from having that time altogether, I'm making a statement whether I realize it or not: I don't need God's power in my life on a daily basis because I can do it all by myself. At that point, you have traveled into the treacherous waters. You will make a decision that is devastating to either yourself or others around you. You will encounter a moral failure. You will experience a shipwreck.

Discipline. Clinging to your faith as if it's a life raft in a dangerous whirlpool. These are the things that we, as Christians, can't forget in the midst of our busyness.

What If...

What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Psalm 124:1a NLT

What if...?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? I've found myself in a few predicaments when I've uttered these words.

Maybe we dismiss too much to coincidence. Maybe we find our help in too many places other than God. Do we assign blame to God and gratefulness to someone/something else too quickly?

When was the last time your prayers were nothing but praise for the calamity that God has prevented in your life? "I've experienced all kind of bad stuff, though!" Maybe that's true. But have you ever realized it could have been a lot worse? Regardless of what you've gone through in this life, someone has experienced much greater pain, sorrow, loss or hardship.

Let's remember that, ultimately, our greatest help doesn't come from friends, family, titles, money or material things. It comes from the Lord God Almighty.

Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 124:8 NLT

Twitterized

For over a year now, I've been hearing about Twitter. Frankly, I could not imagine thinking that there are people who really need to know exactly what I'm doing or thinking that much! I thought the concept was promoting self-absorption and over-inflating our egos.

After many of my ministry colleagues and "pastoral/leadership heroes" had joined the Twitter ranks, I finally succumbed to the peer pressure. And guess what? I actually like it. It's not that I think I need to tweet every few minutes to let people know what I'm doing or thinking. I actually love "following" my colleagues and heroes to read what God is speaking to them about and doing in their lives. Their tweets inspire and motivate me in my own relationship with Christ and leadership of City on a Hill Church.

So, the question remains... Have you been Twitterized?

Foreclosure Support Group

Our friends at Hope Community Church here in Culpeper have created a support group for those who are (or have) (or perhaps will be) experiencing foreclosure. It's called Beauty for Ashes. Ray and Gay Hopkins lead this group that meets every third Tuesday evening from 7 to 9pm at 121 East Culpeper Street. You can contact them at Beauty4Ashes@hopecwc.org or 540 825-4607 ext. 7.

I love promoting other Christian groups who are serving and helping the community in relevant ways. Way to go Hopkins and Hope Community Church!

Worship Culpeper

Come on out tonight and join Culpeper in a live, outdoor worship concert featuring three different worship teams.

The event begins at 7pm and ends at 9pm. Bring some water to keep you refreshed on a warm Summer's eve, and don't forget your BUG SPRAY!!! If you'd like, feel free to bring some lawn chairs or blankets as well.

The event is hosted at City on a Hill Church, 405 Sperryville Pike in Culpeper. We share the blue AT&T Wireless building next to Yowell Meadow Park.

Let's praise God together under the evening sky and lift His name to the heavens!!!

Stone Monuments

This week in our Life Groups, we're discussing the portion of Scripture in Joshua 3-4 where God brings the Israelites into the promised land. When the cross the Jordan River, they are instructed to build a stone monument to memorialize the miraculous crossing of the water.

What stone monuments do you have today to memorialize who God is in your life? When we're used by God in other people's lives, we're stacking eternal stones that have eternal impact on that person(s). The lasting impressions can be memorials to commemorate the power of God in our lives.

What stone monuments do you have to remind you of what God has done in your life? Do you take the time to regularly remember what God has done for you? What stones are you stacking in your life for your children and grandchildren to see?

I'm asking each person in our Life Group to take a polished river stone that I'm providing to them and use a sharpie pen to write one or two words that remind them of what God has done in a special circumstance in their life - a moment, a season or situation when we experienced God in a life-changing way. We're going to take those stones and place them at the altar on Sunday memorializing the wonder of the Lord God Almighty.

Hope's Birthday

Today is Hope's 3rd birthday. We're going to celebrate it in style with a lunch party at Chuck E Cheese's in Fredericksburg. She's so excited - it's all she's been talking about for the past two weeks. Isn't it great how kids can be so excited for the littlest things?!

God Speaks

Have you ever considered how God speaks? In theological circles, it's called "revelation." There are all kinds of thoughts on this depending on who you ask. There's some interesting stories about revelation, though, captured in Genesis 40 and 41.

In Genesis 40, God speaks to two Egyptians who are not monotheists. In other words, they are typical Egyptians who are polytheists - they believe in many gods, not the single God of the Bible. Yet the Lord Almighty speaks to them both in separate dreams. These dreams are prophetic in that the dream reveals to each of them their destiny over the next few days.

In chapter 41, we have the Egyptian Pharoah being given a dream as well. Like in the previous chapter, the Lord has given this dream and Joseph is given the responsibility of interpretation. The Pharaoh was told by God through this dream of the coming famine on the land of Egypt. This is revelation!

So, does God really speak to people who are not believers?

Actually, He does it every second of every day! The Psalmist writes

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies declare the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1)

God's revelation through His creation (we call it nature) is one kind of revelation and definitely one way God speaks to believers and unbelievers alike.

God loves every person who has ever been conceived throughout the history of time. He wants all to be saved and spend eternity with Him. Consequently, He speaks to all of us. To all, He speaks through His creation. To some, He speaks in and through dreams. To others, He speaks through signs and miracles. He speaks through His Word as well. He is a creative, unique God who cannot be limited by our intellect or imagination. His means of communication to us is infinite because His love for us knows no bounds!

Momentum

Life Groups on Wednesday and Thursday, Worship Culpeper on Friday and Women's Ice Cream Social on Saturday - this is the line-up for this week @ City on a Hill Church. We're going to create some momentum for this mid-summer doledrum season in which we find ourselves.

Physics tells us that momentum = mass x velocity. Well, from that definition one may conclude that a small church like COAHC's momentum may never be significant. Wrong! Momentum can lead to more momentum and its potential is infinite. It feeds on itself - and that's a good thing.

In our Church Business Meeting yesterday afternoon, I shared that our vision for this next year is to take the momentum we've created in our first year of existence and use it to take us to new heights in our second year. It's kind of like the momentum of a roller coaster going down hill that carries it up the next hill.

Personally, we all need momentum in our lives. When we don't have it, it's easy for us to become stagnant. We have to work harder at motivating ourselves to create motion. What momentum do you have in your walk with Christ right now? What caused that momentum in the first place?

If you don't have momentum, I suggest that you create some. You can create momentum by building healthy habits - daily devotional time with the Lord, prayer time with your spouse, taking advantage of teachable moments with your kids. When you have a little wind in your sails, it's a lot easier to go through life!

I Wonder...

I wonder what would happen if I said something like this on Sunday...

The Power of Words

This weekend, we're kicking off a series on the power of words. Words have the power in our lives to construct a monumental confidence or have the power to destroy our the very foundation of who we are.

Watch this powerful video about the power of words and be aware of your emotional reaction and sensitivity to the negative words spoken and then the positive words spoken.

Source of Understanding

So often I hear Christians credit other people (mostly famous theologians or writers) for their deeper understanding of Scripture or more meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ.

"It was ________ who really opened my eyes to who I am in God's eyes."

"In his book __________, ________ showed me the extent of Jesus' sacrifice for me."

I love reading Lewis, Bonhoffer, Tozer, Spurgeon, Swindoll, McDowell, Strobel, Laubach and other great Christian writers as much as anyone else. They are people who have great understanding of Scripture and who can communicate effectively, otherwise they wouldn't be successful.

These people and many others, however, are merely instruments. They are neither the source nor the cause. They are but a medium by which we come to greater understanding of who God is in comparison to who we are. It is the Holy Spirit who is the source of this understanding, and His power which is the cause.

"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." John 14:26 NIV

One of the most effective preachers in the Bible, said it plainly in 1 Corinthians 2:4 -

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

Great theologians speak pearls of wisdom and write beautiful words that express the loveliness of Christ and what He did for us. But as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, this is a message of wisdom that only some understand. If it was truly up to man alone, then many more would understand, agree and comply. But it's not. The Holy Spirit is the source of this wisdom as well as the source of the understanding.

None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" - but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. (verse 8-10)

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (verse 14)

The next time the light bulb pops on over your head about something related to the truth of God's Word, don't give credit to the writer you're reading or the person to whom you're listening. Give credit where credit is due. Give thanks to the Holy Spirit!

What's Your Cross?

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34 NIV

Did you know you have a cross, or two or three? We all have at least one. It could be self-glory. It could be fear of ridicule. It could be the ambition to get rich.

Frank Laubach writes about this in his book, You Are My Friends. He writes, "The test of a soldier is not how well he can talk when there is no danger. He is a true soldier who faces peril and losses and defeat and pain without losing his nerve. This is also the test of a genuine follower of Christ."

Are you ready to deny yourself? Are you ready to identify which cross is yours, then take it up for carrying? And will you follow Jesus Christ no matter where He takes you?

These are all questions that we, the soldiers in God's army, need to be prepared to answer.

The Lord is My Shepherd

The...
A definite article. Not "a". God is the God. He's not one of many, but the one and only.

The Lord...
He is God. He is mighty, powerful and righteous. He is loving and kind. God is perfect in every way. He is everpresent and everlasting.

The Lord is...
God exists. He is not some made-up, imagined hallucination or fable. He existed for always and will live forevermore. The Lord was, is and shall be.

The Lord is my...
God is personal. He is relational. He meets me right where I am. He has no unreasonable expectations for me. He has designed me specifically for the task He has given me. He is not the redeemer just for mankind, but my redeemer. He is my Savior. He is my God.

The Lord is my shepherd.
God feeds me when I am hungry. He protects me from my enemies. God corrects me when needed. He leads me and guides me. I hear His voice and follow Him.

And Now For Something Lighter

What do you get when you put a Muslim imam, a Greek Orthodox priest, a rabbi, a Buddhist monk and 10 atheists in the same room? Reality TV!

Reality TV is bringing God (and gods) into the scene. According to news sources, a Turkish Reality TV show called Penitents Compete allow atheists to be witnessed to by a Muslim, Christian, Jew and Buddhist. The goal is to convert at least one atheist to your faith. If you do, you could win a trip to Jerusalem, Mecca or Tibet.

For more, you can read an article here.

Schizophrenic

The closing show of KingsFest was Newsboys, the favorite band of my 7 year-old daughter. It turns out that the long-time front man (lead vocalist) for the band Peter Furler was no longer touring with the band. Michael Tait, formerly of dc Talk, had taken over the role.

While Tait is a great singer and wonderful performer, it just wasn't the same. It seemed as though the band couldn't make up its mind whether to play Newsboys songs or dc Talk songs. The set included about a 50-50 split. It was if the band had suddenly become schizophrenic!

The whole thing reminds me of Paul's struggle captured in Romans chapter 7:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me... For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. verses 15-18

We all go through this life as believers struggling to do what God's will is. Yet even though we know what God's will is in most situations, we still struggle to do it!

The battle between evil and good rages, and find ourselves with a Jekyll and Hyde complex. From moment to moment, we walk through life schizophrenic. The proverbial angel sitting on one shoulder tells us, "Love your neighbor as yourself." while the devil sits on the other shouting, "Forget him! You don't owe him anything!"

Paul gives us great comfort with the first two verses of the following chapter:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

It is the mind that plays such an important role in our life with Christ. We struggle emotionally in our walk in goodness and righteousness because we hear the voice of the enemy calling us towards that which we don't really want.

That's why Paul tells us to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:5)! He tells us that the "mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God." (Romans 8:6-7) And Paul gives us the secret to the victory of this emotional pathology in Romans 12:2-

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Vacation

Tomorrow we leave for a much needed break from life to Kings Dominion. So no blogging until next week for me.

In a previous post, I mentioned that Carrie won the Grand Prize on WPER's KingsFest Giveaway. So we're off to enjoy Kings Dominion, Waterworks, KingsFest concerts and accommodations at Best Western compliments of Positive Hits PER. Thanks PER!!!

**I'm really hoping that we can get backstage with the Newsboys so Abby Rae can meet them! Who am I kidding? I'd love to meet them too!!

Connecting

Last night, I was at the church trying to connect our office computer to the internet. Using the exact same specification as our media booth computer that's connection works great, I just couldn't connect.

Ever feel like you have trouble connecting with God? You're doing the same thing that's worked before, but, for some reason, you're just not making that connection like you need. Maybe it's time to try something new!

Our personal time with God can come in all shapes and sizes. We can spend time on our knees in prayer. We can spend time reading His Word. We can spend time worshiping Him through music. Or we can take a walk outside and praise Him for His creation.

If you're having difficulty connecting with God these days, try something new. If you like to read His Word, try reading a different translation. I find that the New Living Translation or the Message can offer some fresh perspective of the Bible. Try taking a prayer walk around your neighborhood. Try listening to some worship music while you clean the house or go for a jog.

You can't put God in a box. He's a creative, unique God. Allow your creativity to connect you with Him today!

The Accuser

In Genesis 39, Joseph is accused of "making sport" of Potipher's wife. As a result, he was falsely imprisoned.

We don't know much about Potipher's wife other than she tried to seduce Joseph day after day for a long time. That in itself speaks volumes about her character. When she couldn't get what she wanted, she plotted a devious lie to punish Joseph.

If you were in Potipher's shoes, who would you have believed? Would you believe your wife? Or would you believe a slave who has brought blessings into your home and land?

The Hebrew name of Satan means "Accuser". That's what he does in our life sometimes. He uses people and circumstances to falsely accuse us of evil. He's so good at it that we can even begin to believe the lies ourselves.

I'm ugly. I'm no good. I can't do anything right. I shouldn't be in the position that I'm in. God's chosen the wrong person for this job. I should have let that person have his/her way. I should just give up.

Ever said any of these to yourself? Ever had someone else facilitate these thoughts in your mind?

Satan's the accuser. He's the author of confusion and the father of lies. Don't let his devious lies become truth in your life. There's only One who is the Truth. He's the One who has called you by name, the One who has redeemed you and the One who is working in and through you at this very moment.

The Little Things

A natural enemy of sheep are flies. At certain times of the year, they swarm around the sheep and lay eggs in the warm, moist nasal mucous membranes. Those eggs turn into larvae, crawl through the nasal passages into the head of the sheep and burrow into the flesh. As you can imagine, the sheep are driven into a frenzy with pain and irritation. Many times, you see sheep head butting trees or rocks for relief. Sheep have been known to kill themselves through their attempts at relief.

Isn't it amazing how the little things in life are the most irritating? In the Church, it's a shame that little things can become so important and irritating. Many of the fractures that occur within a church are over mountains that have been made from mole hills.

A shepherd will use a homemade remedy of olive oil, sulfur and tar to anoint the head of a sheep. This concocture will serve as an insect repellent and will help keep the flies from the defenseless sheep.

In Psalm 23:5, David reminds us that the Good Shepherd anoints our head with oil as an antidote to stress and the effects of hurt and bitterness. The oil serves as a balm, soothing and healing hurt from the irritants of our life.

When we've experienced hurt, we're called to forgive. But forgiveness doesn't automatically erase the pain. We need restoration, and the deeper the wound, the longer the process can take. Go to the Good Shepherd today and ask for the oil of healing and restoration. Believe in the promise from the Psalmist when he wrote "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

Getting Hurt

Have you ever been hurt by someone? Not just physically, but emotionally? Relationally? Sure, we all have.

I find it interesting though that many of us simply want to deal with the hurt ourselves, in our own ways. We do all sorts of things, don't we? We ignore it. We run from it. We hide it. We worry about it. We resent it.

The Psalmist knows something about hurt. Check out some of these passages.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. Psalm 142:2-3

I think our most natural reaction is to run. It certainly makes sense to remove yourself from an uncomfortable situation or environment. But that's really not always the answer. Removing yourself physically doesn't always erase the hurt nor does it help you grow from the circumstances.

Instead, spend time with God in the midst of the hurt. He's the only one who can heal you - you won't heal yourself. Before doing anything, ask yourself a couple of questions:

"Will this pain change me for the better?"

"Will I find God here?"

This weekend at City on a Hill Church, we're continuing a series on God's Antidote to Stress based on Psalm 23. We'll specifically look at Breaking the Stronghold of Hurt by discussing God's plan for healing.

Wrastlin'

When I was a kid, I used to love watching what I called Dirty Wrastlin' on Saturday afternoons. Ricky Steamboat, Jay Youngblood, The Nature Boy Rick Flair, Ivan Koloff, The Shiek and Sergeant Slaughter. These were some of the greats of the 70's.

The Bible has its own WWF match of sorts. It's found in chapter 32 of Genesis where Jacob wrestles with God all night. This is one of those classic stories that epitomizes our own plight with God so many times.

We wrestle with God because of fear a lot of times. Fear of trusting God even though we're in the palm of His hands. That's what was going on with Jacob. He had received God's promise that everything was going to be okay, but when confronted with Esau's approach, Jacob was fearing for his life.

In our lives, it's easy to lose focus. We want to overpower God with our control of the situation instead of clinging to God and His sovereignty over our lives. When was the last time you simply held on to God and said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."?

The King of Pop Now With the King of Kings?

According to an article on Christianity Today's blog, there is some speculation that Michael Jackson may have become a Christian shortly before his death. Apparently, Jackson met with Gospel singer Andrae Crouch and his sister, Sandra, who also happens to be a minister. There was some discussion about Jesus and the annointing of the Holy Spirit. They did pray together as well.

Jackson was raised in a Jehovah's Witness home and was forbidden to celebrate Christmas. When the Crouch's visited with Michael this month, there were still Christmas decorations in his home. As my good friend Mark Jarvis always says, "Every day is Christmas when you celebrate Jesus!"

With so much speculation surrounding Michael Jackson's death, it is important to consider his eternal life. With so much stardom, money, popularity and worldly success, none of it matters now. Where he is right now depends on the authenticity of his search for Christ and the annointing of the Holy Spirit. We can't know for sure, but we can hope that the King of Pop is now dancing on the streets of gold for the King of Kings.

Conditional God

The Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give a tenth." Genesis 28:20-22 NIV

In this vow, Jacob is clearly making his promise of worship conditional on the receipt of blessings from God. I wonder how many times we do this to God.

"Okay, Lord, if you give me this job/promotion, then I'll give you a tenth of all that you give me."

"Lord, if you give me this relationship, then I'll share the Gospel with this person."

"God, if you make this problem go away, I'll worship you above everything else."

Regardless of the material blessings we can see in our lives, God is still God and is on the throne. He loves us in spite of who we are and how we act. Our worship of who He is shouldn't be conditional on what we can see or touch or what we think He should do for us.

The Lord is My Shepherd

This weekend we're kicking off a series entitled "God's Antidote to Stress". Using Psalm 23 as the primary text, we'll take a look at God's prescription to overcoming the strongholds of worry, hurt and bitterness, and discouragement.

Scripture tells us that the Lord is our shepherd. As our shepherd, the Lord acts as our provider, our protector, our guide and as the One who corrects.

He is also our host and our friend - the One who invites us to celebrate life with Him. In this celebration, He blesses and honors us as His special guest. He extends an invitation to spend the rest of our days with Him, in His presence, in His home.

Do Not Be Afraid

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you." Genesis 26:24 NIV

Over and over again, we see examples of the Lord telling His people, "Don't be afraid." He said it Abraham (Gen 15:1), to Hagar (Gen 21:17), to Isaac (Gen 26:24), to Jacob (46:3) and to the Jews through Moses (Exodus 14:13 and 20:20). It obviously seems like we have a shortterm memory when it comes to the providence and blessings of God.

I see fear being a result of two different things in our lives. First, we allow the boundaries of our responsibility to swell inappropriately. We get wrapped up in what we're doing and how we're doing it, and then we begin to believe we're responsible for more than we really are. We've removed God from the throne and put ourselves in His place.

Another reason we get distracted by fear is a lack of focus on what God's plan is: why He put us in the place we're in right now and where He's going to take us. Ultimately, where God is taking us - the destination - is what we can fear most. How are we going to get there? What's it going to be like? It's the circumstantial uncertainty that makes us uncomfortable. As Mark Batterson writes in Wild Goose Chase, "circumstantial uncertainty is also known by another name: adventure!"

Just as God reminded Joshua, He reminds us to "keep it simple stupid." Be strong and courageous in the midst of our adventures with Him. How do we do that? Simple. Our only responsibility is to merely stay focused on God's Word and, then, walk in obedience to it. That's right! We don't have to have all the answers to every question. It's not up to us to fix all the problems. That's God's department. When we realize our resposibility in life is simply staying focused on our own choices and making those choices based on God's Holy Word, life becomes much less complicated and much less fearful.

Respond

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 NIV

In the last several months, this verse continues to pop up in conversation or study at least once a week. This morning in my quiet time, it came up again - this time in the context of response.

In science, we learn about response. For every stimulus, we offer a response. In physics, we learn that Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

In Christianity, response is also important. John's statement about why we love indicates that a response is necessary in our lives. Our lives, in fact, should be a response to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In other words, our faith should always be an outward manifestation of what God has already done on the inside of our lives.

What's my response through my willingness to forgive?

What's my response through my willingness to be generous with my time, energy and money?

What's my response through the amount of time I spend alone with God every morning?

God is looking for us to respond in every area of our life. As the day goes on today, consider your response to each and every situation. Hold your response to the light of Jesus and allow God to shape and mold the way you respond to people and situations in your life.

Catching Up

After being sick most of last week, I'm trying to move the piles off of my desk. I'm making significant progress, so I hope to offer something of more substance later today. Keep checking back!

Turning Things Around

I gotta tell you, the last couple of weeks have been two of the hardest weeks the Dameron clan has experienced. Every time we turned around there was just something new popping up. Sickness, something breaking, some kind of bad news, ... something. After spending most of last week on my back either in bed or on the couch getting almost nothing done because of some strange strain of feverish infection (I ended up on both antibacterials and antivirals), I was really praying that this week would be better.

When Abby Rae has her "quiet time" every day she listens to her clock radio/CD Player. As any 7 year-old does, she has her favorite songs and bands now. Her favorite is the Newsboys, and her favorite song is Million Pieces. Whenever we drive down the road, listening to WPER, and the Newsboys come on, I can hear her singing along.

So a few weeks ago, when we heard (rather, when Abby Rae heard) that KingsFest is coming to Kings Dominion and Newsboys are headlining the show, she's done nothing but talk about how much fun it would be to go and how we need to listen for the song of the day on PER since they were giving away tickets and a grand prize family package.

On Thursday, the song of the day was, none other than, Million Pieces. Carrie called and won a free day's pass for Friday's show but was also entered into a drawing for the grand prize: family 4-pack of tickets to all the shows and the Park plus hotel accomodations. The grand prize winners would be declared this morning at 7:21am.

As I came in from feeding the dog, Carrie and the girls were sitting expectantly on our bed listening to the radio for the announcement. Just about that time, our phone rang, and guess what... It was PER giving us one of the grand prizes!

Gotta say... I feel like this week's gonna be a better week. Thanks God! Thanks PER!

Frank Laubach

In my last post, I mentioned a guy by the name Frank Laubach. He's one of those "old school" 20th century icons that many people in today's Christian culture don't recognize. I came across him because of a book that I have that was given to me by my great aunt. She read "You Are My Friends" back in 1956 according to her note on the inside cover. My Aunt Reba was a born again Christian and was very studious when it came to following the Lord. Her academic nature carried over into the rest of her life as well. She was the first female inducted into the science honor society at William and Mary so I'm told.

Enough about my Aunt Reba though...

Some would consider Laubach a mystic. In addition to the literacy ministry he brought to the Philippines, he also created a game that became world famous. It was called "The Game with Minutes." In this game, Laubach challenged believers to think about God at least one second of every minute of the day. Of course, Laubach took this to the next level and claimed that he was in constant communion with God, echoing Paul's challenge to the Christians in Ephesus and Thessalonica.

How many minutes of the day do you think you spend in true communion with the Lord?

City Transformation

The concept of city transformation is labeled by many as a Church response to the post-modern culture. However, city transformation has been on the hearts of Christians since the mid-20th century. Frank Laubach made his name in Christian circles for bringing literacy to thousands of people in the Phillippines. In his book, You Are My Friends (published in 1942), he writes the following:

Unfortunately we are all to some degree slaves of our environment. We unconsciously believe what our neighbors and our social set believe, and we doubt what they doubt. The only way to save ourselves from a downward drag is to lift the neighborhood and the social set to a higher level. We might of course move to another neighborhood which would uplift us, and many people have done so. But to do this is the exact opposite of Jesus' way. His practice was to go where he was needed most, and begin to try to transform tthe neighborhood. If we are his fellow workers we will do as he would do.

Transformation is not the work of human beings though. It's the work of the Lord. The first verse of Psalm 127 reminds us of this truth:

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.

**Are we following God where He leads us?

**Are we trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit ourselves?

**Are we uniting together as One Body across denominations and cultures to be used by the same God we all serve?

**Are we exalting the works of our own hands or are we lifting the name of Jesus above every name?

These are but a few of the questions we need to challenge ourselves with in the work of city transformation.

Rough Week

In the last few days, here are just a few of the challenges my family and I have been facing:

-all three girls caught some kind of virus with fevers, vomiting and sleepless nights
-lightning struck our home which fried a computer A/C adapter, modem, router and satellite TV connection
-my car had to go into the shop for a major repair
-some additional unexpected expenses have come our way

I can remember someone telling me once that when the enemy leaves you alone, you should be worried because he's content with where you are and what you're doing. If the enemy is attacking you, then he recognizes you as a real threat.

Regardless of the theological accuracy, it's simply comforting to rest in the truth that my family and I are a threat to the enemy and his work. I know that the God I serve is bigger than any of these challenges we've faced and that He is Jehovah Jireh. When I catch myself beginning to feel sorry for myself and my family's circumstances, I will choose to praise Him. As Paul, I will find contentment in every circumstance. He is my joy and my peace!

Conversations

Here are just a few snippets from conversations I've had in the last 24 hours:

"I'll drop off the State Corp Commission forms for SCOOP to you."
Somehow I've found myself leading SCOOP. I didn't really ask for this. It just kind of happened. There's an opportunity in this. I need to pray for wisdom and discernment on what God wants me to do with this.

"The high school hallways have become segregated for whites, blacks and hispanics."
I get how people with similar interests and cultures have a tendency to gravitate towards one another, but this is extreme for our community. How do we confront this? Lots of prayer is needed for this one.

"I've got to take both Emma and Hope to the doctor's office. Can you watch Abby Rae?"
My afternoon's plans got wrecked today, and it will drift into tomorrow as well. At least Abby Rae and I had a chance to do some father-daughter bonding. We went to PetSmart to buy our supplies for Layla - the dog we're adopting in the next week. Even though my schedule got bombed, I'm grateful for a wondeful few hours with my daughter who just loves to ask all kinds of interesting questions that keep Dad on his toes!

"When God gives a vision, He'll also give the provision."
A quote from a pastor speaking about how God provides just enough, just in time. I love how our God works in our lives!

Intervention

There's a popular television show on A&E right now called Intervention. Each show focuses on a person who has an addiction problem. Family and friends hold an intervention with the assistance of a professional interventionist to encourage the person to seek professional help.

In the story of Abraham and Abimelech, we see two different kinds of interventions occur. The first is a divine intervention. God's intervention to Abimelech prevents him from falling into sin with Sarah. It comes in the form of a dream.

The second intervention comes in the form of prayer. After Abraham and Abimelech settle the issue of who Sarah is, Abraham prays. In Genesis 20:17-18, we read that God responds to Abraham's prayer by "undoing" a judgment on Abimelech and his household. Abraham played the role of interventionist in the life of Abimelech.

Words

In April, I posted a blog about watching our words. When I wrote it, I wondered if I was the only pastor who was fed up hearing the "young, cool" pastors of the megachurches around our country using foul language from the pulpit.

Today I read Ed Young's blog that documented his thoughts on foul language. You can see the video blog here:

http://www.edyoungblog.com/

It's comforting to know that I'm not alone in my feelings about this issue. Reading the comments posted to his blog entry further confirm my impression that the words themselves are not definitively classified as "acceptable" or "foul". A word that was considered "foul" when I was young is now deemed acceptable language in today's society.

Maybe here's the guideline... If it's even questionable, just don't say it... Take the time to increase your vocabulary so that you can use a word that demonstrates your mastery of the English language as well as your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Abrahamic Covenant

The story of Abraham and Sarah reminds us of the greatness of God's power, the authenticity of our human weakness and our propensity for sin.

We can be someone who God has spoken to directly and yet still have a strong temptation to turn our back on God and try things our own way. Consider the fact that God had promised Abraham (then he was still called Abram) that he would be a father to the nations. Genesis 15:6 tells us "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." So there was no factor of distrust involved. Yet Abraham accepted his wife's cockamamie idea for him to sleep with Hagar and bear a son. I can think of at least one reason why Abraham didn't buck against this idea much (can someone say "lust"?). Perhaps there were others. Regardless, God overlooked their impatience and still kept His promise.

Another great example of Sarah's sin in the face of the Lord is found in Chapter 18. It's so slight, that it can often be overlooked. In this passage, two angels and the Lord Himself visit Abraham and Sarah. The Lord tells them that Sarah is about to become pregnant. In response, Sarah lets out a sarcastic question and laughs in the face of the Lord Almighty (almost the same response Abraham has in Gen 17:17-18). To add insult to injury, she then lies to him about laughing.

One can make the argument that Sarah may not have known it was the Lord. Regardless, the text makes no mention of God's wrath being poured upon Sarah for her sin. God's mercy and grace just flows through the whole conversation and encounter. It's great to know that God has grace to offer us even in the midst of a serious situation like the one found in Genesis 18.

The other point that jumps out at me in this story is the greatness of God's power found within the Abrahamic Covenant. In the description of the covenant, God explains His role within the covenant:

...I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful. I will make nations of you and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God. Genesis:17:5-8 NIV

God's doing all the hard work. And here's Abraham's role:

Every male among you shall be circumcised.

While temporarily uncomfortable, this responsibility is relatively easy to fulfill.

Isn't it interesting that from the beginning, God tells us that it is He alone who does the wonders and it is He alone who has the power. We, as men and women, are merely the ones who reflect in our lives the promise that He's made to us.

Our jobs? Submit ourselves to God so He can work His magnificent power in and through us and simply be a reminder to the world that the power and glory is not ours, but His alone.

Unity

In the last few days I've had so many different conversations about unity within the Body of Christ with so many different people. The issue just seems to be popping up all over the place. Right now, there are churches all over the world participating in One Prayer. This morning I was speaking to someone at another local church about the possibility of participating in Faith In Action.

There seems to a movement of the Spirit towards unity. We've seen different movements within the Body of Christ before. Sometimes, they're fads that direct the style of how we do church. Sometimes they're directly from the Holy Spirit. I certainly can't predict the consequences of One Prayer and Faith In Action, but I know God will bless those whose hearts are in the right place.

Locally, we're seeing an emphasis on unity within the Body of Christ that goes beyond just words. I spoke to three pastors yesterday about the very issue of yesterday's blog post. Racial reconciliation is a big first step.

Christ In Culpeper's monthly prayer gatherings and community service events are still another example of Christians in our community who want to see unity within the Body. People from different churches, cultures and denominational backgrounds are coming together in unity to pray for and serve our community. For example, the opportunity that is coming on July 4 when churches and ministries from around the community will gather together and host a carnival area with games at Yowell Meadow Park. We'll forego the promotion of our individual churches and ministries and wear t-shirts with "Jesus" in bold letters on our chest. The theme of the outreach is "Jesus: the Name above all names".

Houston, We Have a Problem

Yesterday was the Global Day of Prayer, and, naturally, Culpeper hosted an event to celebrate this occassion. Christians from several different churches in our community (and surrounding counties) gathered together at Yowell Meadow Park from 3:30pm until dusk. We worshiped, we prayed and we preached. It was a great event that Pastor Jeff Light (Novum Baptist Church) organized. I appreciate the wonderful work Pastor Jeff did in gathering so many Christian brothers and sisters.

A worship band from Primera Iglesia Bautista Maranatha led us in worship as did members from the choirs at White Oak Run Baptist Church and New Life Annointed Ministries West (two churches that are primarily comprised of African-Americans).

Almost immediately, I noticed a problem. As we got started, the audience segregated itself. In front of the stage, the audience was predominately white. To stage right, the audience was predominately black. Sitting behind the gazebo, completely isolated from everyone else were the representatives from Primera Iglesia Pautista Maranatha.

Folks, there's a major problem with this. If the Body of Christ in Culpeper is to be a light to the world, we've got some serious work to do in the department of racial reconciliation. Pastors, choirs and worship bands from different ethnic churches leading us at the Global Day of Prayer is incredible! I love it!! But if we rejoice in their leading and then turn our backs or segregate ourselves when it comes to authentic friendship, fellowship and demonstrating Biblical love towards one another, we're nothing more than an obvious, superficial show. We've become like the white-washed tombs that Jesus criticized. It looks great on the outside, but inside is rot and filth.

I'm not calling for Christians in Culpeper to throw away their cultures and diversity in worshiping God. I'm not asking for churches to turn their back on their denominational support. I'm not expecting Christians across our community to gather together every Sunday in one ecuminical service.

But it would be nice to see Christians setting the example and leading the way in racial reconciliation. It would be great to see Hispanic, African-American and Caucasian churches ministering together, shoulder-to-shoulder and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ unified. I don't claim to have all the answers, but pastors and ministry leaders need to begin having some open and diliberate conversations about how the Body of Christ can model racial reconciliation for our community. It's time!