Some Thoughts On Prayer, Life, & Change

I've been thinking about yesterday's talk more than usual. In the message, I talked about X-ponential Growth and what it means for us as God's children. In scientific terms, exponential growth is what happens at the molecular level as our cells divide and multiply to provide basic bodily functions like grow hair, replace skin, and repair muscle. All of this change going on within us isn't necessarily discernable at the time, but the results of it are. We know when we need to cut our hair, when we heal from a sunburn or small wound, and feel better after a workout. This change in the form of growth is just a part of life and who we are. God has designed us this way and takes great joy in watching us become the splendid creature He created. As we acknowledge that this growth process happens within us physically, we can also come to the awareness that it's happening spiritually as well.

God doesn't just download all the information we need to be Jesus followers at our conversion. No, we have a life-long process of learning and growing into the children of God we are created to be. It sure would be easier to have all the perspective in the world – especially when life doesn't go our way – but this learning process is designed to draw us closer to God and others in His family. As we live life with and for God through others, we see similarities and experience common ground we might otherwise not have known was there. We are to look at life through transformed eyes, though I'll be the first to declare this is rarely easy. This is why faith is known as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11.1); it requires us to look to God first as opposed to the things we decide are ,or are not, going our way. Friends, this requires a fundamental change in the way we live life, for we might think we're lost in the shadows, but because of God's love, the only shadow that is cast is that of the cross of Jesus Christ, guaranteeing God's victory and our salvation.

I contend that prayer is the fundamental and most critical element as we begin to consider how we must change the way we view life. When we go to God in prayer, we look to get on the same page He's on. We might think it's to get God to do what we want, but it's really to find out what God wants us to do. When we approach prayer accordingly, then we'll find ourselves changed. The only problem is, this is rarely how we approach it – all too often we ask God to "give me," or "help me," when in reality, we need to ask God to "change me." As Paul said, we all will be changed (1 Corinthians 15.51), so let's make sure we're being changed into the image of God. And again, this shows the importance of prayer as we seek to conform to God's will as opposed to demanding that God conform to ours.

Here are some quotes on prayer and change that have been resonating within me the last several days:

- The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. (Soren Kierkegaard)

- Be the change you want to see in the world. (Gandhi)

- Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it. (Unknown)

My prayer as we enter this season of Lent is that we look to God in the midst of life's victories and defeats. To know that the only shadow we truly experience is the shadow of the cross, because our salvation has already been won! We need to Get on God's page and allow Him to steady our restless hearts. He loves us more than we can imagine and has more in store for us than we can conceive.

The Importance of Play

Playing is important. It's so important that even the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights declared that play is a basic human right for every child! You can click here to read a list of the benefits of play, presented through the University of Delaware. Suffice it to say, play isn’t just for passing time or keeping children occupied; no, it has a very specific design. Prolific Christian author, CS Lewis said something to the effect of since playing is so important, it must have been designed by God. I think this is true.

We’ve gotten away from play. In our hyperactive culture, we put more value on working hard and productivity. As a result, many of us have lost touch with our creative and fun-loving side. Remember the famous saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Just look at Jack Nicholson’s character in, “The Shining.”

I think we need to recapture the importance and benefits of play for our sake, for God’s, as well as our task of bringing people into God’s family. Play is fun, it helps us relieve stress, and it even draws a crowd!

So I ask these questions, and please, let me know what you think:

• What do you think about the importance of playing?
• How can play change the way we worship God?
• How can play change the way we serve God?

Confessions from a Dad Who Is Trying

I am a dad who is trying to do the best job I can. Some days are better than others. Today was one of those days when I had a, "Oh, ok, I get it" moment.

I was helping Ethan get ready for school while we watched an episode from his favorite cartoon, "Pokémon." If you aren't familiar with Pokémon, there are like a bajillion different characters with a gazillion different attributes, powers, and abilities. I cannot overemphasize this fact: he knows them all. Literally. So while we were watching the show this morning, he wanted to tell me every last little minute detail about the characters highlighted in the program. But it was early and I wasn't in the mood. He wasn't really alert enough yet to frame a coherent thought without infinitely more pauses, "ums" and "uhs" than actual intelligible words. The result was I only heard a fraction of what he was saying. I was looking at him, only half-way listening, and trying to nod and offer verbal cues pretending that I was paying attention. That was when I noticed how totally passionate he was about this moment he was sharing with his dad. I felt guilty and then gave him my undivided attention, although I still cannot tell a Dragonite apart from a Rhyperior.

I felt convicted because I knew I needed to listen. Sharing this moment with me was meaningful to my son, even though it really didn't register in my pre-dawn malaise. He felt it important enough to share something that interests him so much and I was barely paying him a lick of attention. Then it hit me: how often do I, in my prayer time, stammer and stumble through my words while going on and on about things that might seem pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things? Yet God loves me enough to sit and listen to each and every word with His divine ear tuned especially to the cares of my life; cares that might not mean a whole lot to anybody else and pale in comparison to the full purpose God has for me. But God loves the interaction. God loves it when we share what's going on in our lives, and the opportunity to relate to us in a very loving and personal way.

The Bible tells us over and over again that God loves us like a holy parent; but friends, that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. In those moments we as parents might tune our little ones out, get frustrated with stories that go on and on and on and on, and not really try to figure out why things mean so much to our beloved about which we could honestly care less, God is really truly listening and showering us with His presence. God really truly cares about the things we care about. He always pays attention, listens to us intently, and enjoys sharing in the things that make us happy. Shouldn't that change the way we interact with others, especially those we love so dearly?

So I confess that there are times I really don't do that great of a job in listening to Ethan when he's talking about his love of Pokémon. But because I love him, he deserves the best out of me. I know there will be days in the not-too-distant-future when I'll long for these innocent conversations from his childhood. So my prayer today is that I can stop what I'm doing to show my son the attention he deserves, knowing full well that God is always there for me. Like I said, I'm a dad who is trying. May love shape us all after the image of God!

God Is The Contractor In The Remodel Of Your Life

I ran into a local retailer a while back to pick up a few items. On the window was a sign that said something to the effect of, "Pardon our mess, we're renovating to be able to better serve our customers." When I went inside, I was flabbergasted—the store was going through a major remodel. Aisles were all out of place, items were strewn all over, and there was a nearly overwhelming odor of paint and other chemicals. I considered turning right around and walking out. After all, I thought it made perfect sense for the store to have just closed down until the remodel was complete. That way, its faithful customers would not have to see or smell the state of our trusty disheveled market.

I was pressed for time, so I decided to go ahead and get what I needed, and boy am I gad I did! Though I was initially stunned by the unkempt appearance, I could see something magical taking place before my eyes! Fresh paint was going on the walls. New flooring was being laid. All sorts of decorative touches were being added. Shelves and the goods they held were being moved around for better accessibility and visibility. Surely it was inconvenient because everything was in virtual chaos, but it was obvious what was going on: the store was being transformed, enhanced, and improved!

It did not take long before I saw the master of the reconstruction. The store manager was walking around with the contractor, pointing out things that needed to be done, redone, or whatever. The manager was intimately involved with the work to ensure the store under her care was up to her specifications. All the work was being completed according to a plan to make it better, brighter, and more beneficial to the people who counted on it for life-sustaining food, medicine, and other products. I walked in with a grimace but out with a grin because I could not help but see the symbolism!

When we first accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, a great transformation begins to take place. As Paul says, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5.17, emphasis mine) God moves and begins renovating according to His holy blueprint. God wants to make sure that accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life transforms us from the inside out until we resemble the image of His Son.

God’s divine remodel in our lives is done according to His holy purpose. These changes might seem a little out of order, hectic, or chaotic, but we must hold on in faith to God’s vision for our life. God sees us not only as we are, but as we will be once the remodel is complete. Things might seem out of place right now, but God knows exactly what He is doing. As He says in Jeremiah 29.11, “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” And the good news is, God is intimately involved in the remodel.

God has a plan and a purpose for your life. He wants to make you new! God wants to see you transformed from the inside out so you too can be better, brighter, and more beneficial for yourself, others, and God. The good news is, too, that this is a plan God has been working on since the beginning of time. Jeremiah 1.5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart….” And Romans 8.29 says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son….” God wants like nothing else for us to resemble Jesus and He will stop at nothing to remodel us accordingly!

So trust in God, His love for you, and the plan He has for your life. Trust in the fact He wants to make you new, and embrace the hope of a new you for a better and brighter life! It might seem crazy at first, but God wants to show and share with you the unsearchable riches of being in a relationship with Him!

Checking In On Your New Year

I hope the first two weeks of your New Year have been fulfilling. Much is made this time of year about resolutions. I have been amazed at the numerous advertisements for home gyms, workout facilities, diet programs, and nutritional supplements. All this centers on making a fresh start after overindulging at holiday feasts and celebrations. You wake up several days in a row with bloating and indigestion and it doesn’t take much to want to reform. Then when you step on the scale…egad! Experts estimate that the average American gains ten pounds of weight from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. There is no wonder then that just as there is a season for Thanksgiving and Christmas, January has become the season for fresh starts.

Needless to say, our weight loss efforts (or other New Year’s Resolutions) are only as attainable as we allow them to be. When we set lofty goals that are difficult to reach at best, we set ourselves up for failure. I might have in my mind’s eye a picture of Hollywood’s hottest celebrity for how I want to look, but it simply might not be attainable. Outside of genetics, there are a lot of other factors that play into these equations, ranking from the time for austere workout regimes to the money for top-dollar personal trainers and even cosmetic surgery. Then, when it’s all said and done, they don’t call makeup artists and special effects wizards the magicians of Hollywood for nothing! But I digress.

When we center our quest for fresh starts on bathroom scales or mirrors, then we fall way short. As author James Luceno says, we can look at ourselves in the mirror for an eternity and we no more become our reflection than a map becomes the land you want to visit. So for a true fresh start we must look deeper, and ironically enough, aim higher!

Our God wants to offer you the best fresh start you could ever hope for. God wants you to know the depth of His love and the warmth of His embrace. God wants you to know the power of His Holy Spirit to work on your heart and change your life!

Many of us have lived at times in our lives feeling like we have just gotten through the holidays, bloated with indigestion. Many of us know that feeling of being compelled to make a lasting change in our lives. And we all want to know the power of living life with a clean conscience, empowered for making a difference in the world for good!

So look no further than the God who created you and loves you more than anything. We cannot derive our value or beauty from a mirror or bathroom scale. But when we place our life in the hand of almighty God, then we realize we are priceless: created out of love and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Couple that with the lethargic feeling of overindulgences, and we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we need a new lord in our lives. One that doesn’t judge us by the way we look or how much we weigh, but by the potential only God Himself is capable of seeing.

Whatever your New Year’s resolution might be for 2010, I pray that you aim higher than simply to lose weight (though I confess it’s one of mine, too) or anything else. If it’s a fresh start we crave, there is no better place to turn than our God who loves us so dearly. So turn to Him, allow Him to bathe you in the depths of His love, warm you in His embrace, and empower you with His Holy Spirit! And again, may I wish you a Happy New Year!

Sound Of Hope

The tree is lit. Presents are everywhere. The anticipation is palpable. Dinner is being cooked. I am home alone as I type this. I am in a sort of self-imposed bunker mode as I get ready for CHRISTmas Eve worship this evening going over the notes for my message, getting my heart and mind lined up for God, and enjoying some of the most beautiful CHRISTmas praise and worship music. The thoughts that are swirling in my mind are about how CHRISTmas means HOPE -- hope that love conquers all; hope that we have a future with God; hope that my life will mean something in the end. This hope comes to us in the Lord Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us.

While singing a CHRISTmas Carol the other day with my family, I found myself utterly perplexed. We were singing "Away In A Manger," and as we got to the line about how Jesus didn't cry, I really started to wonder if that was true. Sure, I could see how Jesus was capable of transcending the impulse to cry and let his mommy and daddy know what he needed. But I know Jesus was fully divine AND fully human; completely balanced in His dual nature. That being the case, I bet the baby Jesus cried. We know He did when he was older (remember the Bible's shortest verse that tells us "Jesus wept"?), so why would he not cry when he was a baby? This is the natural order of things and exactly what was supposed to happen.

Isaiah 9.6 says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Jesus didn't just appear on the stage at 30-years-old, he was born. He lived life, experienced life, and learned to love God with His life. Babies cry and Jesus was a baby; therefore, I bet baby Jesus cried.

I recently heard of a book that helps parents interpret their child's cries. Apparently, it is possible to interpret the difference between a hurt cry, hungry cry, tired cry, frustrated cry, dirty diaper cry, bored cry, cry to be held, and a cry for the sake of crying. I remember being a parent and learning those cries from Ethan. It was an arduous task in those days, but a time in my life I relish above most others. As often as I was frustrated with his crying (especially in the middle of the night), the sound meant so much to me. His cries reminded me he was there, and since he’s the apple of my eye, that means a ton! Tiffany and I both yearn to hear those cries again. We trust God in our infertility and still have hope that we will be able to experience the multiplication of love that comes from guiding a young life for God. It might sound strange, but to me right now one of the most beautiful sounds in the world is that of a baby crying. It spurns a physical and emotion response in me. What is noise to some is music to my ears; music I pray I hear again coming from within the walls of my own home.

Last weekend we had the wonderful opportunity to spend the night with my mom celebrating CHRISTmas. My brother, sister, and their families were all there. It was the first time we had all gathered like that since their babies, Charlie Jordan and Drake Houston, were born into the families. We had people scattered everywhere...in every room, on the floor, and on the couches! The place was full of life. And in the middle of the night, as is prone to occur with tiny babies in the place, the stillness was broken with the cries of tiny children in need. Tiffany and I lay in our spot and just listened to the babies cry. To us, it wasn't an annoyance, a frustration, or a cause to get aggravated. Those precious baby boys’ cries were a sign of hope that we, too, can experience the blessings of a new life in our family. Of course the next morning, the babies parents' apologized profusely for the noise and hoped it didn't disturb us. It didn't. To us, it was the sweet sound of hope.

I imagine that as Mary and Joseph, the angels, shepherds, wise men, and everyone else that gathered at the manger who heard the cries of Jesus relished in the beautiful noise. They didn’t likely try to hush him – they were in a barn for crying out loud – because those cries meant something. The cry of Jesus was the sound of hope that God's people had been waiting for over some 700 years from the time Isaiah prophesied that a baby was to be born to bring hope for all the world. God's people were yearning for the sound that would proclaim that not only was hope still alive, but hope was NOW ALIVE. And hope most definitely was alive – it was alive in the person of baby Jesus, Immanuel, Savior of the World.

My prayer as we celebrate CHRISTmas this year that we will keep our ears tuned to the sounds of hope that God has placed in our lives. Hopefully you will be able to find a place of worship this evening or tomorrow to hear the sweet music and the promise of salvation proclaimed. Hopefully you will be able to hear the gleeful laughter of children finding their CHRISTmas wishes granted. Hopefully you'll be able to hear the satisfied sound of moms and dads as they realize they were able to grant the desires of their precious ones' little hearts. And hopefully, you'll be able to pause in the midst of all of our celebrations to again hear the blessed words echo throughout creation that "unto us a child is born and a son given." This, my friends, in the form of a tiny baby crying for the entire world to hear, is the greatest sound of hope. Hope for me. Hope for you. Hope for us all.

Merry CHRISTmas. Know you are loved. May it change your life now and forever!

Merry CHRISTmas!

I have really been working on the true meaning of Christmas this year. For me, it’s something I have to do annually, especially since I love Christmas and always have. I love the trees, lights, presents, music, goodies … all of it! But as I mentioned in my weekly message yesterday, I am someone who is guilty of feeling a little blue after the Christmas celebration is complete. It’s as though once the party is over, Christmas is, too. If I’m going to experience true Christmas joy, then I need to embrace the true meaning of Christmas and how it’s there for me every day of my life. I’m going to take a stab here in the dark, but my guess is I’m not alone in this. We all need to get past the potential trappings of the season to find the real joy God has in store for us.

Christmas is all about Jesus as we celebrate His birth. Remember the saying, “Jesus Is the Reason for the Season”? The Scripture says in Matthew 1.21 that God sent us Jesus (Immanuel, or God with us) to save us from our sins. Sin carries the penalty of separation from God. At Christmas we remember how God sent His love to us in the form of Jesus, showing us that no matter how much distance we’ve put between God and us, we’re never too separated to be saved.

There is nothing wrong with the way we celebrate Christmas -- it truly is what makes the season bright -- but we must remember that as beautiful and fun as our Christmas celebrations are, they are not in and of themselves Christmas. I am coming to learn that the more we celebrate a Jesus-centered Christmas, then ironically, the fun parts of our Christmas celebration garners even more meaning! The trees are evergreen, symbolizing the eternal life we receive from God. The lights symbolize how Jesus came to be the light of the world. The presents we give and receive symbolize God's nature of giving. The music helps us keep the message alive while we’re driving, working, and going about our days. The goodies help us remember to taste and see just how sweet Jesus really is. See, it all has meaning! Focusing on Jesus needn’t negate the fun aspects of our celebrations, but give them even MORE meaning!

So as we embrace the fun of Christmas this year, I want us to use them to help redirect the focus on the true meaning of Christmas … Jesus! As a little way to help remind us about this, I want to invite you to join me in modifying the way we write the word, putting and keeping the emphasis where it belongs: CHRISTmas!

Merry CHRISTmas, my friends!